|
Chris Rabz
|
 |
« on: 10 February 2011, 05:17 PM » |
|
Well we are now well into February and slowly approaching the final straight as we head towards the finish line in May. At the moment we sit 8th, five points from a probable European spot in 6th, and seven points ahead of the relegation zone. We've seen a lot of twists and turns so far this season but for the most part we have been in or around the top half, something we haven't seen at the club in a good few years now. But with January out of the way and all squads set in stone for the last third of the campaign, what do you think will happen; how far can we go? Or is hoping it stays as it is the best we can hope for?
I am very pleased with how we've done this season on the whole. I know we've had a rough time over Christmas and January but considering the calibre of opposition we lost to (Man City, Sunderland, Chelsea, Liverpool, Chelsea, Tottenham) it isn't all that bad. Alright we had some poor results against Wigan and Stoke but I think a lot of that was down to exhaustion over the Christmas period and getting healthy bodies back.
We are in a great position now after getting back on track against Wolves and coming agonisingly close to getting a superb point at Tottenham, and if we can get a win against Everton on Sunday it will set us up nicely to make a good run for Europe at the end of the season. Even if we don't get it, if we finish a bit short around 8th or 9th, I would call it fantastic progress for a club who were down in a lot of people's eyes going into the New Year of 2010.
Looking at my predictions back in August I don't think I'm doing too bad overall:
"League Champions: Man Utd
Runner Up: Chelsea
Bolton's Final League Position: 12th
The 3 Relegated Teams in order
18:Wolves
19:West Brom
20:Blackpool
Tie Breaker 1, How many points will win the league? 82
Tie Breaker 2, How many points will Bolton get? 47"
As for the rest of the league Blackpool are still my pick to go down. Maybe not bottom, and I know they've had a great start to the season. But they are losing it now. They can't seem to pick points up from anywhere and when they do get an advantage they panic and throw it away - much like we used to do in the Todd era. West Brom are certain to go now they've been stupid enough to get rid of the guy who might actually have saved them. And to be honest despite beating United I still think Wolves are favourites to go.
It's great for headlines beating Liverpool and United but it's much more important to be beating teams like Blackpool, West Ham, the teams around you. They may still survive but that could depend on the derbies with Albion. If West Brom win them both, they'll both go down. If Wolves win them both, Wolves could survive and Wigan may drop in.
As for the title, it's United's. Done and dusted. Chelsea should concentrate on bringing home the Champions' League and FA Cup now. City should secure a place in the top four, Tottenham will remain in that 5th place they always stay. Sunderland are due to drop, probably with Liverpool going the other way. Hopefully we are then in a shout for anything up to 7th, possibly higher but we're going to have to start turning it on again if we want it.
What do you all think, how is the season going to pan out?
|
|
|
|
|
Logged
|
When routine bites hard, and ambitions are low. When resentment rides high, but emotion won't grow... And we're changing our ways, taking different roads. Love... Love will tear us apart, again.
|
|
|
|
tomr
|
|
« Reply #1 on: 10 February 2011, 05:38 PM » |
|
I reckon we will carry on as we are and probably finish about 8th.The main reason for this being we dont have enough strength and depth to our sqaud.I really hope we spend some money in the summer but i doubt it.We will def have to bring a striker in though to replace the ageing davies.Personally id like doyle from wolves but obviously thats only if they get relegated,or they wont be selling.
|
|
|
|
|
Logged
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Natasha Whittam
|
|
« Reply #3 on: 10 February 2011, 08:05 PM » |
|
I think we'll be in the relegation mix come May.
I don't go with this rubbish that we've had a good season so far. We had a good season upto November, since then our form has been woeful, only scabby wins against WBA & Wolves have kept us away from the bottom 3.
We have a team that can keep us up, unfortunately we have a manager who has proven himself clueless and doesn't have the balls to drop big name underperformers.
It'll be a last day job, our lack of bottle will probably relegate us.
|
|
|
|
|
Logged
|
Fair play to you then if you're willing to share your knickers with a willy.
|
|
|
|
doffcocker
Guest
|
|
« Reply #4 on: 10 February 2011, 08:53 PM » |
|
I agree with a lot of what you are saying Natasha - we were very lucky against Wolves and WBA, but lets not forget the games in which we probably deserved something and got nothing - eg, Spurs and Chelses away - not to mention when we went to Villa Park and probably should have had a couple of penalties and taken all three points!
So far I think the luck has more or less evened itself over the course of the season! But Coyle has got some big decisions to make now if he wants to avoid a poor finish to the season - and at the moment, he is showing no signs of making them!
|
|
|
|
|
Logged
|
|
|
|
|
H. Pedersen
|
|
« Reply #5 on: 10 February 2011, 09:06 PM » |
|
I think we're likely to drop into the bottom half. We're still living off of our stellar early form and we haven't been that good recently. I don't think we have the kind of depth that will allow us to get back to that early form.
While I wouldn't go as far as Natasha, I do think that Coyle has been too slow to change things around. I hope the arrival of Sturridge and the return of Lee can spark some improvements.
|
|
|
|
|
Logged
|
|
|
|
|
Abdul-Salam Bilal
|
|
« Reply #6 on: 10 February 2011, 11:20 PM » |
|
I think most of those predictions are pretty accurate, we'll finish around mid-table somewhere. We haven't been playing as well as we know we can of late but, as stated, we have had some tough fixtures recently. There are worse teams in the league than us who will, most likely, also lose their remaining games against the top sides and we need to be picking up points off them at the same time. I'll admit I got a bit carried away with our early season form so recent results have been hard to take, but I think we can regain some of that form now we can pick 18 players on a match day. It's still early in Coyle's tenure and building a team takes several transfer windows for a club of our stature. The team will improve in time and so will the manager who is gaining experience daily. |
|
|
|
« Last Edit: 10 February 2011, 11:35 PM by Abdul-Salam Bilal »
|
Logged
|
|
|
|
|
Chris Rabz
|
|
« Reply #7 on: 11 February 2011, 05:04 AM » |
|
Well there is a lot of doubt around Coyle at the moment isn't there? I seem to remember (and having read them earlier today I know) that after the goalless Fulham opener quite a few expected us to finish 15th-downwards and to have no better season than we had under Megson. Coyle hasn't changed our squad that much since August and got us to 4th at one point, why so much doubt between now and then? So many felt we were European calibre in November, could it be that a reality check has finally hit home?
Of course we aren't ready for the top six, our squad is tiny and cost nibbles to assemble. But we make do with what we can and right now we're in the top half, and good value for it too. Natasha you can say we were scabby against Wolves and West Brom all you like but you know from the games you've been to that we deserved more from Spurs, Liverpool, Chelsea and also Everton away. So please don't throw the fortune card at our own team, it goes both ways.
Though I do like your bold and out-of-reach pessimistic predictions, they make great reading in May. Thanks.
|
|
|
|
« Last Edit: 11 February 2011, 05:06 AM by Chris Rabz »
|
Logged
|
When routine bites hard, and ambitions are low. When resentment rides high, but emotion won't grow... And we're changing our ways, taking different roads. Love... Love will tear us apart, again.
|
|
|
|
Abdul-Salam Bilal
|
|
« Reply #8 on: 11 February 2011, 05:18 AM » |
|
I think perhaps some of us were getting drunk on success in November and let it go to our heads a bit. As we know teams can slip in and out of form quite easily, especially in this league, look at Chelsea's season so far for example. Obviously we don't have players of Chelsea's calibre, but we do now have Sturridge. Maybe he will be the key to unlock Wigan in the cup and start a good run in that comp. I mean, he's got 2 in less than 1 1/2 games, if he carries on that run we'll be back in European contention. Or am I just getting carried away again?
|
|
|
|
|
Logged
|
|
|
|
|
Chris Rabz
|
|
« Reply #9 on: 11 February 2011, 05:39 AM » |
|
Course we got carried away. We've had a few "dark" years in comparison to the year-on-year elevation we've experienced pretty much since Phil Neal was around so it was obvious that a few average, dull years may be a bit hard to take for fans, particularly the new ones. So when we got a bit of success we enjoyed it like we may never get it again, I know I have. I personally don't think we are built for the top half yet, whether we finish there or not this season.
We need a lot more building work done on the first team, never mind the depth but if Coyle can make it work with what he's got then all credit to the guy. Keep it goin Owen!
|
|
|
|
|
Logged
|
When routine bites hard, and ambitions are low. When resentment rides high, but emotion won't grow... And we're changing our ways, taking different roads. Love... Love will tear us apart, again.
|
|
|
|
Chris Rabz
|
|
« Reply #10 on: 11 February 2011, 05:40 AM » |
|
And you may be getting carried away ASB but there's plenty to match you who will get carried away the other way so don't worry about that so much.
|
|
|
|
|
Logged
|
When routine bites hard, and ambitions are low. When resentment rides high, but emotion won't grow... And we're changing our ways, taking different roads. Love... Love will tear us apart, again.
|
|
|
|
Abdul-Salam Bilal
|
|
« Reply #11 on: 11 February 2011, 07:39 AM » |
|
And you may be getting carried away ASB but there's plenty to match you who will get carried away the other way so don't worry about that so much.
Bloody extremists. We're going to win the league! |
|
|
|
|
Logged
|
|
|
|
|
aarons2009
|
|
« Reply #12 on: 11 February 2011, 09:26 AM » |
|
Bolton's Final League Position: 8th ...so far so good
As for the season so far it has been better than most would have thought, yes we have had a few bad performances but were 8th for god sake, some on here make out like were 18th!
2 questions I will put to you all:
1. What is your highlight of the season so far
2. What has been the low point
For me the highlight was the 2-2 with United at home, I thought we played some very good stuff that day and the low point was Stoke away which was one of the worst performances I have seen in a good few years away from home.
|
|
|
|
|
Logged
|
We're the one and only Wanderers!
|
|
|
|
Jamster26
|
|
« Reply #13 on: 11 February 2011, 10:27 AM » |
|
I think we'll get 6th spot.
With the additions that we have made to the squad and as we were able to keep hold of our key players (including Elmander), then I don't see why we can't finish there.
I agree with Chris, I think the size of our squad really took its toll over the Christmas / New Year Period but with Lee back and like I said, two new players in, we can challenge for that top 6 spot, in my opinion.
|
|
|
|
|
Logged
|
"Just when they think they have all the answers, I change the questions".
|
|
|
|
Natasha Whittam
|
|
« Reply #14 on: 11 February 2011, 01:56 PM » |
|
Some of you are delusional. You cannot justify a high finish because we played well three months ago.
Come back to me on Sunday when Coyle has blamed the ref/pitch/weather for another defeat.
|
|
|
|
|
Logged
|
Fair play to you then if you're willing to share your knickers with a willy.
|
|
|
|
Le God
|
|
« Reply #15 on: 11 February 2011, 02:00 PM » |
|
Said all along 15th and up would be good 12th and up would be a huge season.
we'll have to really turn our form round if we want to get in that top 10.
|
|
|
|
|
Logged
|
|
|
|
|
Big_Sharps
|
|
« Reply #16 on: 11 February 2011, 03:56 PM » |
|
Said all along 15th and up would be good 12th and up would be a huge season.
we'll have to really turn our form round if we want to get in that top 10.
Top 10 would be off the chain. |
|
|
|
|
Logged
|
|
|
|
|
H. Pedersen
|
|
« Reply #17 on: 11 February 2011, 04:30 PM » |
|
1. What is your highlight of the season so far
4-2 over Tottenham. All the hype over Bale and the Inter games and we go 3-0 up with Steinsson keeping Bale quiet all day.
2. What has been the low point
Losing 4-0 to Chelsea right after Nat's passing hacked me off pretty badly.
|
|
|
|
|
Logged
|
|
|
|
|
Le God
|
|
« Reply #18 on: 11 February 2011, 07:54 PM » |
|
Top 10 would be off the chain.
totally would be. Nice to see you getting it in with some proper speak. |
|
|
|
|
Logged
|
|
|
|
|
Big_Sharps
|
|
« Reply #19 on: 11 February 2011, 07:55 PM » |
|
totally would be. Nice to see you getting it in with some proper speak.
Word. |
|
|
|
|
Logged
|
|
|
|
|
Le God
|
|
« Reply #20 on: 11 February 2011, 07:55 PM » |
|
Word.
nah you've let yourself go on that one; word is not used in my council estate. |
|
|
|
|
Logged
|
|
|
|
|
Big_Sharps
|
|
« Reply #21 on: 11 February 2011, 07:59 PM » |
|
nah you've let yourself go on that one; word is not used in my council estate.
Is stop acting like a Negro you stupid cúnt one of the words or phrases used? |
|
|
|
|
Logged
|
|
|
|
|
Le God
|
|
« Reply #22 on: 11 February 2011, 08:01 PM » |
|
Is stop acting like a Negro you stupid cúnt one of the words or phrases used?
I reckon it's it been heard floating about. |
|
|
|
|
Logged
|
|
|
|
|
Chris Rabz
|
|
« Reply #23 on: 11 February 2011, 08:02 PM » |
|
Highlight of the season so far for me has without a doubt got to be Holden's winner against Blackburn. It's my highlight in many a season actually if I'm honest. The worst feeling... probably Spurs' winner last week I reckon. We haven't had all that many bad moments though.
|
|
|
|
|
Logged
|
When routine bites hard, and ambitions are low. When resentment rides high, but emotion won't grow... And we're changing our ways, taking different roads. Love... Love will tear us apart, again.
|
|
|
|
H. Pedersen
|
|
« Reply #24 on: 11 February 2011, 08:04 PM » |
|
Highlight of the season so far for me has without a doubt got to be Holden's winner against Blackburn. It's my highlight in many a season actually if I'm honest. Good call, that. |
|
|
|
|
Logged
|
|
|
|
|
