Bolton 0-0 Fulham

[Sir N Lofthouse]

I know im gonna get bitched at for typing this but SUPER KEVIN DAVIES HAS TO BE DROPPED FOR THIS GAME.  They have one of the tallest Defenders in the game in Hangeland, i remember last season watching Hangeland having the easiest game of his life just heading all the balls out that went anywhere near Davies, it was probably the most frustrating game iv ever been to in 20 years, the game was so predictable it was Embarrasing.  Fulham love having the ball at feet and will damage us big time if we we continue to give them possesion so easy, Danny Murphy will probe and pick us of(find the right pass) if he is given 7 or 8 chances at doing so around the danger area.

Coyle please be a man and drop Kevin Davies for this game.

[Squidgy]

We got the point 20 posts ago.

Change the record!!

1-1

[Natasha Whittam]

I know im gonna get bitched at for typing this but SUPER KEVIN DAVIES HAS TO BE DROPPED FOR THIS GAME. 

Seriously mods, lock this thread. How many more drop KD threads by Sir Nut?

[jimbo_bwfc]

So instead of playing 1 up front to one of the best players of getting knock downs in the league you are suggesting we play Elmander as a lone striker?

Hangeland had a great game against him last year. But we are either going to go 442 with Davies and Elmander or 451 with attacking midfielders.

I'd rather the focal point of our attack be someone who can pass, hold the ball up and compete for headers rather than someone who will spend most the match on the floor looking sorry for himself.

You thought Hangeland dominated Davies, in a 451 he could mark Elmander out of the game blindfolded.

[Sir N Lofthouse]

But he aint going to knock down anything and he doesnt knock down, he flicks on.  Yes i suggest playing Elmander upfront with Riga Maybe? if not Elmanader on his own, with a midfield looking like this

--------------------------------Muamba-------------------------------
----------------------M Davies-----------Holden-----------------------
---------Lee------------------------------------------Wiess-----------
--------------------------------Elmander------------------------------

Dont froget Roy Hodgson knows Davies very well and knows he cant play at feet.  Why do think he never has any joy against Fulham?

[jimbo_bwfc]

What's that formation going to do?

The midfield has to get up to support Elmander. All of our attacks go through Elmander, thus our result relies on Johan Elmander being able to win balls whether it be to feet or in the air. The result will on Elmander holding the ball up, out battling and out muscling Hangeland and Hughes.

The result would be... a loss.

[Sir N Lofthouse]

What's that formation going to do?

The midfield has to get up to support Elmander. All of our attacks go through Elmander, thus our result relies on Johan Elmander being able to win balls whether it be to feet or in the air. The result will on Elmander holding the ball up, out battling and out muscling Hangeland and Hughes.

The result would be... a loss.

No Elmander drops short when say M Davies or Holden have the ball, in that case two things will happen, hangeland or hughes will follow him or they wont, if they do that Creates space for Lee or Wiess to run into so Elmander could then play back to M Davies or Holden so they can play it into the space he has just created (thats obviously where Lee or Wiess will run into) that then creates a chance, if they dont follow him then great, we play into his feet and with no pressure on his back then he can play it on, he is a very clever player and other clever players will feed of him like no tomorrow!

[azreal88]

Whilst I hate to agree with sir Nat on anything 

A 4-3-3 system does not need to see all it's play go through the centreforward.  Plenty of sides play 4-3-3 and use a poacher, but they use the wings and a playmaker to focus play through.

That doesn't mean we should drop KD, but we don't have to boot it at a targetman and support him.

[jimbo_bwfc]

Whilst we don't have to, we are going to regardless. We have Elmander dropping off, wingers and attack mids pushing forward. We have no out ball if the defenders are under pressure.

What happens when Zat Knight has the ball. Because he isn't playing a short pass. That just isn't happening.

Coyle might like his football but we aren't going to suddenly start playing like United. Coyle knows our game is still going to be based alot around Davies- at least until the end of the season. He'd be foolish not to.

[Weststander]

We would be in huge trouble if we had to rely on Klasnic and Elmo for the rest of the season. Both are injury prone, hardly ever complete a full game and the quickest Elmander ever moves is when they put his number up to come off.

At leat what you get with SKD even when not at his best is 100% effort for 90 minutes every game. Long after the other two have jogged off in the 65th minute he is still winning his headers and flick ons, earning free kicks for us in the corner to relieve the pressure. If we are holding on to a 1-0 lead in the 85th minute I know who I would sooner want on the pitch.

[Sir N Lofthouse]

Whilst we don't have to, we are going to regardless. We have Elmander dropping off, wingers and attack mids pushing forward. We have no out ball if the defenders are under pressure.

What happens when Zat Knight has the ball. Because he isn't playing a short pass. That just isn't happening.

Coyle might like his football but we aren't going to suddenly start playing like United. Coyle knows our game is still going to be based alot around Davies- at least until the end of the season. He'd be foolish not to.

No out ball?  Theres 5 midfeilders in the middle who will slot into the spaces, drop of and collect the ball of the defenders, football is all about moving players to create space for others. Also if i remember right Elmander can win headers 2 as a ''last resort'' if our opponants have 5 patrick vieras in the middle and marked all of our players up.  Theres not just the midfielders the defenders can pass to, im sure Zat Knight can pass it 10 yards to another defender. theres also other defenders, but i have heard Moronic Bolton supporters Boo when we pass it sideways or backwards if theres no other option going forward.  If it does continue to base around Davies for 90 mins we will be very lucky to win any of our games, same as Elmander isnt good when where chasing a game, Davies isnt good when where holding on to a game or pushing for more goals, where playing with 10 men whenn that happens, how you fail to see it is beyond me.

[Sir N Lofthouse]

We would be in huge trouble if we had to rely on Klasnic and Elmo for the rest of the season. Both are injury prone, hardly ever complete a full game and the quickest Elmander ever moves is when they put his number up to come off.

At leat what you get with SKD even when not at his best is 100% effort for 90 minutes every game. Long after the other two have jogged off in the 65th minute he is still winning his headers and flick ons, earning free kicks for us in the corner to relieve the pressure. If we are holding on to a 1-0 lead in the 85th minute I know who I would sooner want on the pitch.

SKD is the last person i would want on the pitch if where holding on to the lead for the last 10 mins, the ball just bounces back, hence the reason why we have conceeded so many leads, you blaming it on the defence and goalkeeper just shows me how inept you are.  You just dont get what Elmanders about.  Iv now seen on about 5 occasions Elmander  using sign language to tell davies to make the run, but theres no expression from Davies or a hand up to say sorry, he just trudges back up the pitch to win another header or an attempt to win another header. 

 

[bwfc_Djorkaeff]

Anytime elmander has played up front on his own he's been too weak to hold the ball up and been bullied off it by big CBs. This is why for this game i would leave SKD up front with weiss lee on the wings and wilshere, m.davies and muamba in midfield. Fulhams midfield is hardly the biggest so the little guys could have an effect. Cohen's lost his early season form so i would drop him, same with taylor although i imagine he will stay in the team with weiss on the bench.

Especially if that smalling is playing Davies would be his worst nightmare he got bullied by agbonlahor last week and you've seen the size of him. Any young inexperienced defenders hate davies FACT. So if Smalling is likely to play davies should constantly move onto his side away from hangeland who does always have davies in his pocket.

Although Davies bullied the city CBs when we played them at home so maybe davies would be more suited to playing them and give elmander a chance against fulham in 4-4-2 being positive at home.

[Weststander]

The only sign language Elmo ever makes is to tell the bench he's had enough and wants to come off.

[Sir N Lofthouse]

Anytime elmander has played up front on his own he's been too weak to hold the ball up and been bullied off it by big CBs. This is why for this game i would leave SKD up front with weiss lee on the wings and wilshere, m.davies and muamba in midfield. Fulhams midfield is hardly the biggest so the little guys could have an effect. Cohen's lost his early season form so i would drop him, same with taylor although i imagine he will stay in the team with weiss on the bench.

Especially if that smalling is playing Davies would be his worst nightmare he got bullied by agbonlahor last week and you've seen the size of him. Any young inexperienced defenders hate davies FACT. So if Smalling is likely to play davies should constantly move onto his side away from hangeland who does always have davies in his pocket.

Although Davies bullied the city CBs when we played them at home so maybe davies would be more suited to playing them and give elmander a chance against fulham in 4-4-2 being positive at home.

Im not even going to read on from your first sentance, you tell me the times you claim Elmander has played upfront on his own?  Elmander cant play with Davies, Davies is clueless when it comes to vision, understanding and same wavelenght therefore Elmander is banging his head against a wall with no options as  can remember rightly, he has never played with Lee and other qualitie players running and feeding of his movement and ''creating space for others'' jwithout davies being on the pitch. also he has a good eye for a effective pass.

[Sir N Lofthouse]

The only sign language Elmo ever makes is to tell the bench he's had enough and wants to come off.

I take it you dont go to games then.

[Weststander]

I take it youre having a laugh. We all know you havent been to a live game this season.

[Sir N Lofthouse]

I take it youre having a laugh. We all know you havent been to a live game this season.

Yep iv never been to a football match in my life

[bwfc_Djorkaeff]

Pretty much every away game i went too last season we played 4-5-1 4-3-3 with davies on the right as he did when anelka was here. Elmander couldn't hold the ball up so when we had to try and hit it long which we did alot back then he never held it up and it came straight back. Now i know these aren't his strengths and you tell us every two minutes but if your playing up front on your own you have to be able to do this unless your playing for united or someone who can give you quality service all the time. I just don't think he can play the lone striker role well enough. Yes maybe him and klasnic would work well but on his own i don't think so. Granted Davies needs to up his game as he's not playing too well at the moment. Although if elmander made the pass for lee's goal you wouldn't shut up saying i told you so.

[dh1985]

I'd play the same team that started against Burnley but I'd have Elmander in for Klasnic due to his injury and Weiss in for Taylor due to his loss of form. I imagine Coyle will do the same, but he may decide to keep Taylor in the team. We'll find out on Saturday.

Incidently, I'm going for a 2-1 Bolton win.

[aarons2009]

I never look forward to playing fulham but they seem to be on a bad run at the minute and havent scored in 3 games i think, so ill go for 2-1 Lee to get one and taylor with the other.

[dh1985]

Apart from last year's debacle when we gifted them a victory, we have quite a good record at home against them.

I fancy us to scrape a win.

Kevin Davies to score them both and turn in a MON winning display after setting up countless other chances with both his head and feet, all of which were fluffed by Elmander from two yards out.

[Squidgy]

Kevin Davies to score them both and turn in a MON winning display after setting up countless other chances with both his head and feet, all of which were fluffed by Elmander from two yards out.

...awaits a certain poster to throw a dicky fit

[dh1985]

Kevin Davies to score them both and turn in a MON winning display after setting up countless other chances with both his head and feet, all of which were fluffed by Elmander from two yards out.

...awaits a certain poster to throw a dicky fit

The trap is set.....

[Manny]

Instead of claiming that when Davies is on the pitch the ball just bounces back and we're under pressure, how about looking at the midfield. Time and time again they go missing, sit too deep and invite the opposition on to us. Is it any surprise that Muamba (the defensive one) finds himself closer to goal than the likes of Gardner, Taylor, Cohen, M Davies do. The only attacking midfielder we have that doesn't sit deep is Lee.

To give my opinion on the game, 2-1 to us.