Dougie Freedman believes Dorian Dervite will be the best defender in the Championship

Dougie Freedman believes new signing Dorian Dervite will be a big hit at Wanderers.

The 26-year-old centre-back will join the Whites on a three-year deal once his current contract at Charlton Athletic runs out in a month’s time.

Possessing experience of playing at Tottenham and then abroad with Villarreal’s B team, Dervite has spent the past two years as a Championship regular with the Addicks.

And having played alongside the former French Under-21s star when their paths crossed at Southend in 2009, the Whites boss is delighted to have secured his services on a free transfer.

The Scot is confident he can get even better during his stay in Lancashire.

Freedman told The Bolton News: “Dorian is 26 years old and has a great pedigree.

“He has played in Spain with Villarreal and also had a lot of games in English football for Charlton.

“He is an outstanding player at this level and to get him on a free transfer is great business for the football club.

“His future is bright and if he keeps progressing, he will be one of the best defenders in the division, in my opinion.

“He’s at the right age and has the right attitude we want at the club.”

Lille-born Dervite played 75 times for Charlton, scoring five goals, and admits he is relishing a new challenge at the Macron Stadium next season with that experience under his belt.

And he is happy Bolton will be the next port of call in his career with the target of more goals high on his agenda.

“Last season I only scored two goals which was a bit disappointing for me as I scored three the year before,” Dervite told the club.

“But I know that I can score more and hopefully I will be able to do that for Bolton.”

Source

Nice talk up Douglas.

He'll be on the bench when we kick off.

it will be interesting to see how Dougie will keep all 4 centre halves happy next season, especially if Tierney comes back in at left back.

Norpig wrote:it will be interesting to see how Dougie will keep all 4 centre halves happy next season, especially if Tierney comes back in at left back.

I make it 5 with Bolger although I'm convinced Ream will move to midfield at some stage. It'll certainly be competitive. Wasn't so long ago when we had Knight plus 2 walking wounded and an 18 year old on stand by.

This could be a fine signing and give us options that allow us to change if not the formation then the style of play in a way that gives us a better chance of adapting to opposition weaknesses. I think lusty is right, Ream will slot quite nicely into a CDM role and that would give us someone there who can both tackle AND pass the ball which none of them seemed able to do last term.

Ream will take on the 'Campo/Muamba' role... so its only 4 CB's he will have to keep happy...

Reebok_Rebel wrote:Ream will take on the 'Campo/Muamba' role...

Instead of Spearing or Medo?


I thought Campo and Muamba played two different roles anyhoo.

wanderlust wrote:
I thought Campo and Muamba played two different roles anyhoo.

Correct. Campo could hold the ball up and pick the simple pass. Muamba couldn't control shit and when he did get the ball it usually ended up in row z.

Natasha Whittam wrote:

wanderlust wrote:
I thought Campo and Muamba played two different roles anyhoo.

Correct. Campo could hold the ball up and pick the simple pass. Muamba couldn't control shit and when he did get the ball it usually ended up in row z.

Creator v Destroyer.

Ream could play alongside Spearing if we're sticking with 2 defensive mids but both can distribute the ball. Worth trying at least.

wanderlust wrote:

Ream could play alongside Spearing if we're sticking with 2 defensive mids but both can distribute the ball. Worth trying at least.

At last we agree. Ream has the passing ability to be dangerous, even from the deep.

As things stand I would play 4-4-2 with Spearing and Ream in central midfield.

Natasha Whittam wrote:

wanderlust wrote:

Ream could play alongside Spearing if we're sticking with 2 defensive mids but both can distribute the ball. Worth trying at least.

At last we agree. 

We always agree.
Just takes you longer to realise it sometimes. 

Medo's better than Spearing in just about every department, him alongside Ream would be our best two obviously it's pretty unlikely Spearing will be dropped though.

bwfc1874 wrote:Medo's better than Spearing in just about every department

The assists say otherwise.

Natasha Whittam wrote:

bwfc1874 wrote:Medo's better than Spearing in just about every department

The assists say otherwise.

You want to judge a holding midfielder on how many assists he has?

bwfc1874 wrote:

You want to judge a holding midfielder on how many assists he has?

You said he was better than Spearing at everything. Aren't goal assists important?

Perhaps, but until someone else steps up to the plate in terms of delivering crosses/passes it would be a bit foolish to leave him out.

It's clear Dougie agrees with me, Medo didn't get much of a look in once results picked up.

Medo was injured for most of the end of season. Spearing got 6 assists, hardly an irreplaceable and spectacular amount. But as I've said assists are irrelevant when you're judging a defensive midfielder, - this is one of those times when I think you must be clueless about football by the way.

In the same way that Campo and Muamba did a different job once we won back possession (both were used to shield and tackle when we hadn't got it) so the current defensive midfield pairing need to have a blend of qualities. Both need to be ball winners. Medo and Muamba were better at that but couldn't pass incisively when they got it and tend to lay it off short. In theory Spearing and Ream can both pass (despite Spearing's occasional waywardness last season) so it would make sense to pair them unless it is considered that we would lose too much ball winning ability by dropping Medo.

There's a compromise either way.

Personally I think the stats are misleading in terms of Spearing's passing, I really don't think we'd lose much attacking impetus without him. But that's obviously just my opinion I think arguments can be made for both Medo and Spearing, think we can all agree it would be great to see Reams passing further forward he's definitely got a bit of Campo about him.