Can Bolton win the league?

I put £100 on Bolton to win the league at 11/1 at the start of the season. Bolton are clearly on the up and have a good squad with plenty of depth. 
Have I been too optimistic in thinking that Bolton can win the league this season?

Hello mate and welcome to Nuts.

Yes, of course Bolton could win the league, but we aren't the favorites to do so - but I reckon Bolton will give you a good ride for your money.

I hope we do though and that you win that bet of yours!

Mad Dog wrote:I put £100 on Bolton to win the league at 11/1 at the start of the season. Bolton are clearly on the up and have a good squad with plenty of depth. 
Have I been too optimistic in thinking that Bolton can win the league this season?

Yes, but it's probably a better bet than mine. Mate of mine supports West Brom, promised me they were going up so we bet on both teams getting promotion and a third team to make it an unlikely treble - £20 at 90 to 1 - and the worst of it is I reckon we're the most likely of the 3 to do it as it stands.

Wouldn't surprise me that if we're still thereabouts in January, Sharon might have a root around in the sofa to find a few quid to boost the squad and go for it so don't give up hope next game we lose.

IMO this Bolton squad is a lot better than the squad that finished runners up in this league about 5-6 years ago. I don’t think this is a particularly strong league this year. Sheff Wed and Ipswich look decent but the rest are pretty average. 
I am sure we will get a better idea whether we are contenders after another 10 league games.

I can't see us winning the league to be honest but we should be looking to get in the play-offs at least.

Welcome to the site Mad Dog by the way 

Mad Dog wrote:I put £100 on Bolton to win the league at 11/1 at the start of the season. Bolton are clearly on the up and have a good squad with plenty of depth. 
Have I been too optimistic in thinking that Bolton can win the league this season?

I suspect this is a piss-take but I'll bite because I'm bored.

We have zero chance of winning the league.

We've played three of the four teams above us and got one point, scoring one goal.

It was a similar picture last season, we couldn't take points off the top 6.

We'll finish 8th or 9th.

Not at the moment. On any given day we can beat anybody, but we have too many hiccups along the way IMO.  I think we can get 6th and a therefore a playoff spot. Ipswich seem favorite to me.

Completely agree with Nat. I had us down for 9th with this squad but now thinking 8th is a possibility with MK Dons looking like half the team they were last season. A good January window could bring a play off push but otherwise I’m not yet convinced we’re one of the best 6 teams in the league.

I think the current squad could win the league but not with the system IE is wedded to. Our arguably best player Dapo, is clearly unsuited to it yet Evatt refuses to adapt to fit him in. I also don’t like the idea of constantly chopping and changing the team to give everybody time. If players are unhappy then move them on. Pick your best team and stick to it. All players will come in and out of form and expect to be dropped if not performing but leaving players out who have performed well is just wrong and bound to discourage. I don’t think the likes of Portsmouth and Ipswich chop and change and yet I don’t think their strongest side is better than our strongest.

Natasha Whittam wrote:

I suspect this is a piss-take but I'll bite because I'm bored.

We have zero chance of winning the league.

We've played three of the four teams above us and got one point, scoring one goal.

It was a similar picture last season, we couldn't take points off the top 6.

We'll finish 8th or 9th.

8th or 9th? What the heck have you been smoking? This is why I don’t like kitchen dodgers on TV, they haven’t got a clue. 
Bolton will finish top 6 guaranteed. Every position in the team there is quality at this level. The defeats against Sheff Wed and Plymouth were disappointing as I believe we are far better than that. Get back in the kitchen.

I see why you are called MAD DOG.

Mad Dog wrote:

8th or 9th? What the heck have you been smoking? This is why I don’t like kitchen dodgers on TV, they haven’t got a clue. 
Bolton will finish top 6 guaranteed. Every position in the team there is quality at this level. The defeats against Sheff Wed and Plymouth were disappointing as I believe we are far better than that. Get back in the kitchen.

Outrageous. Three posts in, and you're already on the hit list. These are troubling times.

[You must be registered and logged in to see this link.]
Just to show this post wasn’t a wind up.

We will finish nearer to first than 9th, I expect us to be top three on Boxing day, Ipswich may be the real deal but they have a lot to prove yet much easier fixtures so far. I don't see this team not progressing on last season finishing 9th despite writing off November and December.

Form from January last year is solid and says we are a real threat at this level, if we are in the frame at the end of this year, then we have the ability to bring in additional players in the next window, again our record is very good in this regard.

Biggest problem IMO is Evatts reluctance to sign a permanant quality keeper, If Trafford gets injured then we have a real problem.

That has to be a wind up backing the Broncos.

We're a playoff team at best - but at least if we make it we'll be in with a shout of promotion.

And if we get promoted it will have to be all change again to stay in the Championship.

Winning the league is a huge stretch with the squad of average players we have.

wanderlust wrote:That has to be a wind up backing the Broncos.

We're a playoff team at best - but at least if we make it we'll be in with a shout of promotion.

And if we get promoted it will have to be all change again to stay in the Championship.

Winning the league is a huge stretch with the squad of average players we have.

Wanderlust, nice to see you are interested in American football, now that is a game. But there is something you don’t know about me, I’m American and used to be the running back for the Colorado State Rams, so it’s probably not the wisest thing to question my judgement when it comes to American football. What I don’t know about American football isn’t worth knowing. 
The Broncos will go deep this season, I will be back in February to bump this thread, you can apologize to me then.

Mad Dog wrote:

Wanderlust, nice to see you are interested in American football, now that is a game. But there is something you don’t know about me, I’m American and used to be the running back for the Colorado State Rams, so it’s probably not the wisest thing to question my judgement when it comes to American football. What I don’t know about American football isn’t worth knowing. 
The Broncos will go deep this season, I will be back in February to bump this thread, you can apologize to me then.

Nurse!

Mad Dog wrote:
Wanderlust, nice to see you are interested in American football, now that is a game. But there is something you don’t know about me, I’m American and used to be the running back for the Colorado State Rams, so it’s probably not the wisest thing to question my judgement when it comes to American football. What I don’t know about American football isn’t worth knowing. 
The Broncos will go deep this season, I will be back in February to bump this thread, you can apologize to me then.

Boggers, I've missed you.

Welcome Mad Dog.
Ignore Nat...

Also what she failed to mention was that we actually took 4 points from teams above us. One of which was Peterborough at the time, who we beat and who are now below us.

wessy wrote:We will finish nearer to first than 9th, I expect us to be top three on Boxing day, Ipswich may be the real deal but they have a lot to prove yet much easier fixtures so far. I don't see this team not progressing on last season finishing 9th despite writing off November and December.

Form from January last year is solid and says we are a real threat at this level, if we are in the frame at the end of this year, then we have the ability to bring in additional players in the next window, again our record is very good in this regard.

Biggest problem IMO is Evatts reluctance to sign a permanant quality keeper, If Trafford gets injured then we have a real problem.

The keeper issue will cost us three points somewhere along the way. Sooner or later Trafford will break a finger in the first five minutes of a game and then it will be a free for all shooting with Dapo between the sticks.  
Ian will say it's a learning experience - no problem.