What Do We Need Most?

Depends what we've got left after the summer clearout.

Lyric Todkill wrote:A manager who can get this lot playing something to like their potential, on a consistent basis

Maybe they are now.

Hipster_Nebula wrote:

Lyric Todkill wrote:A manager who can get this lot playing something to like their potential, on a consistent basis

Maybe they are now.

we are inconsistent, though!

I think the Bolton Evening News think we could do with a striker too...

CRYSTAL Palace have Glenn Murray, Watford have borrowed Matej Vydra, and even struggling Blackburn Rovers boast a 20-goal man in Jordan Rhodes – but are Wanderers about to prove that you can get success without a prolific striker?

Though Chris Eagles might disagree, it is entirely possible that Dougie Freedman’s side could succeed in their late dash for the play-offs without having a single first-team player in double figures for the season.

Ever since Nicolas Anelka bid au revoir to the Reebok in 2008, the Whites have relied more upon a cumulative team effort rather than an individual for their goals.

And though there have been temporary fixes, a la Daniel Sturridge, enigmatic cameos, such as Ivan Klasnic, or flashes in the pan like Johan Elmander, the accusation levelled at the current squad is that they do not necessarily boast a match-winner in their ranks.
The question is do they need one?

High-fliers Cardiff City (Aron Gunnarsson and Peter Whittingham with eight) and Hull City (Robert Koren and Sone Aluko, also eight) have already shown there is a lot to be said for spreading the goals around.

By contrast, Saturday’s opponents Bristol City have been no higher than 21st position since October 22, and yet they have Steven Davies (12) and Sam Baldock (10) among the division’s leading marksmen.

Wanderers’ strength since the turn of the year has been rooted in the fact that you really do not know where the goals are going to come from.
Oddly enough, the team have drawn a blank in only five of 31 games under Freedman, and only seven times in total this term – a statistic bettered only by leaders Cardiff and third-placed Watford.

So while the goals continue to flow from all four corners of the team, there are unlikely to be any complaints from the Reebok regulars.

Indeed, eight of the starting line-up against Wolves on Saturday had scored this season at one time or another, along with another three on the bench.

Since the Whites became upwardly mobile with victory over Burnley in early February, they have had 10 different names on the scoresheet.

That surprise element has also compensated for the loss of Mark Davies, whose season-ending injury has not been the debilitating blow that we once feared it may be.

Freedman’s juggling of his squad also ensures that no one player is overly relied upon.

The manager has recently reintroduced Eagles into his midfield to great effect, and with the winger currently standing on nine goals, he looks a good bet to secure the club’s golden boot in May.

He will not have any shortage of competition, though, but the main hurdle for any one of the four strikers at Freedman’s disposal is first to pin down a regular place in the side over the next five games of the regular season.

David Ngog took his tally to seven with his strike against Wolves, but some doubts persist as to whether his finishing will ever really match up to his much-improved work off the ball.

Counting in his favour is the fact that he has blended well into the manager’s system, and likewise, Marvin Sordell has started the last three games alongside the Frenchman.

His purple patch of five goals in five games in January – coupled with an excellent record at Watford earlier in his career – indicate there are definitely goals in the England Under-21 international.

But unlike Ngog, there are still reservations as to whether the 22-year-old adds enough to team work ethic to command a place week in, week out.

Club skipper Kevin Davies[You must be registered and logged in to see this link.]has six goals to his name but has found his match time limited since talk of his departure in the summer became public at the end of January. Whether he will get an opportunity to add to his tally is a question only the manager can answer.

And his namesake Craig is also searching for a route to regular football, having been largely used as a substitute since his January arrival from Barnsley.

While it is a case of share-and-share-alike in the current squad, there are good indications that Wanderers may have a couple of prolific young strikers ready to burst on to the scene.

Tom Eaves has 13 goals to his name this season, for Bristol Rovers and Shrewsbury Town, and should return to the club in the summer ready to fight for a place in the senior ranks.

Meanwhile, rave reviews continue to pile in for Academy starlet Zach Clough.

The 18-year-old striker has recently been among the goals for Jamie Fullarton’s development squad.

[You must be registered and logged in to see this link.]

I'd take the combination of a quality young defender who can captain the team, thanks.

To make one end of the ground minimum standing only so we can generate a Burnden atmosphere once again.

The problem with having a top 20+ goals a season striker is that if injury occurs the pressure is increased on the team. We've done alright in the past with goal distribution throughout the team, it's got to be the best way for clubs in general.
If Holden and Chungy had played last year and not to mention Wheater who knows what would have happened re. our position?

Has to be a striker for me. We would be miles better off if we had a striker who got at least 15 goals never mind 20

Bolton Hater wrote:Other: a new set of fans

So i suppose youl be disappearing with blackburn at the end of the season?

I think people overvalue "leaders". I personally play better when I don't have some gobby tit on my case. Moreover, you can have the best captain on Earth - if there's not enough quality across the team, it doesn't make much difference.

It's hard to put a finger on one area that most needs strengthening. The team has been quite evenly mediocre throughout the season.

doffcocker wrote:I think people overvalue "leaders". I personally play better when I don't have some gobby tit on my case.

You utter bellend. There's a world of difference between playing 5-a-side at your local sports centre in front of Mummy, Daddy and your boyfriend and playing in a proper sporting arena in front of 20,000 screaming dickheads.

The fact we have lost so many points from winning positions suggests we don't have any leaders or people to hold onto the ball. When was the last time a Bolton player put his foot on the ball to slow things down?

I don't remember us losing leads so often when Gudni or Taggart were in their prime.

Only a fool would underestimate the importance of having a leader on the pitch.

Natasha Whittam wrote:

doffcocker wrote:I think people overvalue "leaders". I personally play better when I don't have some gobby tit on my case.

The fact we have lost so many points from winning positions suggests we don't have any leaders or people to hold onto the ball. When was the last time a Bolton player put his foot on the ball to slow things down? SPEARING & MEDO LAST WEEK

.

Retaining possession is a team thing that requires good passing and control and players working to find spaces to receive the ball so that there are always passing options.
"Leaders on the pitch" is a media concept. Barcelona are superb at retaining possession because everyone possesses the qualities above and it can't be put down to one man, even though they have some great players, talented and hard-working.

Most of the problems have been individual mistakes, loss of concentration, lapses etc.

Not much of that is down to poor leadership, it's poor play and bad IQ.

That said i agree a good leader/captain can lead by example and drive a team on at times.

"bad IQ"

Obviously i mean football IQ, but I'm sure a few of them also have a low IQ.

wanderlust wrote:

Natasha Whittam wrote:

doffcocker wrote:I think people overvalue "leaders". I personally play better when I don't have some gobby tit on my case.

The fact we have lost so many points from winning positions suggests we don't have any leaders or people to hold onto the ball. When was the last time a Bolton player put his foot on the ball to slow things down? SPEARING & MEDO LAST WEEK

.

Retaining possession is a team thing that requires good passing and control and players working to find spaces to receive the ball so that there are always passing options.
"Leaders on the pitch" is a media concept. Barcelona are superb at retaining possession because everyone possesses the qualities above and it can't be put down to one man, even though they have some great players, talented and hard-working.

Spot on.

I can't believe the way that bitch speaks to me sometimes!

I picked a central defender because seeing how much more solid our defence has been with craig dawson in it, it has shown how badly we need one

If we go back up which we should now, we will need a better GK imo.

I'm sure DF knows this.

All the above is my answer....
The team we had when we came down is better than the current one IMO.....therefore this crew will not be good enough if we do get back to the Prem.
You look at Southampton, Swansea, even Wigan ..... see how they have transformed their style from hoofball to passing....in the past the lower end teams would play hoofball just like us. We need to get aboard that ship...and sharpish..... just my opinion.