Bolton Wanderers News 24/7Writer: AlParklar 
Date:Saturday February 16 2013
Time: 12:26PM
UK time is: 07:30:48
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Nottingham Forest vs. Bolton Wanderers
City Ground
16 Feb 2013
15:00
Bolton Wanderers v Forest Preview
Nottingham Forest away. When looking at the fixture list, I stupidly (in hindsight) looked at this as a pivotal game at the top of the table. It`s 13th versus 17th, with the Whites only three points from the bottom. This just drills in the fact, 100%, that this will not be the season we hoped for. Just in case I hadn`t realised this already.
There is room for optimism, as always. A good end to the season can build the foundations for a more consistent performance in the next, and here we have an opportunity to win consecutive games. It`s been the problem all year; one step forward, two steps back (apologies for the cliché). Overcoming this barrier will ultimately create the willing mentality that the club requires, and we all deeply crave.
Vital Quotes:
Dougie is confident, but all too aware what a new man in charge can do for the club. He told the club website: "Nottingham Forest will represent a difficult test because they`ve got a new manager and when that happens there can sometimes be changes to a team`s line-up. Billy`s been there before so he understands how the crowd works, but I`ve been there as a player, so I know how things work too and I`ve got ideas about how to counteract that.
"I expect there to be a high tempo at the beginning of the game and I expect their crowd to be fully behind them. I know how we`re going to start the game, but we may need to react if Billy makes any late changes to his side. Tactically I will need to be on my toes because I may have to adjust my team, but we`re fully prepared with a 'plan A` and a 'plan B` depending on what Nottingham Forest put out."
Nottingham Forest Team News:
Forest have a fully fit squad, and there`s a fair few quality Championship players in the squad. Which makes it hard to select just one for the below….
Player to watch: Lewis McGugan
According his Wikipedia page, he was the Primera División Argentina top scorer in 2009 with River Plate. Whilst I don`t think that is in any way correct (especially as he has played for Forest for the entirety of his career), he can be a handful. Dangerous from a set piece, and from open play, as we discovered earlier on in the season:
Bolton Wanderers Team News:
Many of the players who made an appearance in the reserve game against Bury on Monday will be pushing for time on the pitch today. This means Holden, Wheater, Medo, Mills. We look to have quite a few interesting options today.
Player to watch: David Ngog
Arguably the classiest player in the squad. Some of Ngog`s short passing and instinctive play is right up there with the best. If he can just cut out his mistakes, and become more consistent, he will be a star. He deserves top flight football, and let`s hope he gets us there. If he gets the opportunity he deserves after last week, then he will cause the Forest defence havoc.
Match Facts & Stats
We are undefeated against Forest in our last seven appearances. But this must stretch far back - before the game at the start of the season, I honestly cannot remember the last time we played them.
Match Prediction:
I`m feeling optimistic. A 2-1 win for the Wanderers. Wouldn`t it be nice?
Next Fixtures:
Another trip down to the East Midlands to play Derby on Tuesday, followed by Hull at home on Saturday.
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Your Comments
If N'goals could just kick the ball hard and on target he might have a better chance of impressing us. Fluffs his "shots" too often and he is supposed to be a "striker". Give me strength!
Pedro1874
New manager syndrome and the crowd and players will be right up for it. I would love to be proved wrong but fear a drubbing. If he keeps Eagles away from the pitch altogether and subs players when they should be subbed instead of waiting too long we might have a chance of a draw. Coyfwm.
Pedro1874
Forest played well at the Reebok early this season, todays result can go either way, depends if Freedman starts with the new lads and Holden, then again he normally hasn't got the balls so I fear another insepid performance, would like to see Medo Holden, N'Gog, C.Davies get 90 minutes.
aussie mike
Unbelievable, according to the coverage I have been watching, not even a shot in the first half!! Shocking
Boltongav
1.0 down AGAAAAAAAAIIIIIIIIINNNNNNN!
Pedro1874
Craig Davies all over ya! Bo Selecta ...Get In!!!!
Skopelos Chris
Tactical genius. Need to get David Lee to show him how to do it. :-(
Pedro1874
No holden, No Medo, No N'Gog, No Craig Davies, No Sordell, in our starting line up - the two best midfielders and the only three forwards who know where the goals are, instead we get SKD who can foul but cannot score, he wastes an absolute sitter yet again ! Freedman is utter *****e, full of garbage like Coyle I see a relegation scrap ahead. Whoever suggests the playoffs needs to wake up and smell the coffee. Today was a golden opportunity to shake the team up and play the best 11, instead we get more of the same rubbish and come off grateful for a draw which is neither use or ornament.
aussie mike
I understand the anger being expressed but at the start of the January window it was highly unlikely we would have the fantastic run of wins necassary to reach a play off place. DF and Lenny are not fools and would also know the true situation.I think they are playing a longer game having been given 2 seasons to improve the team. Next season we will be without Kevin D ,Spearing , possibly Alonso and even Holden whose recovery seems to be suspiciously taking the same course as O'Brien and Davis did. I think the decline has ceased but the climb back to Premier standards cannot be made in a few months. I hope that by the end of this season that DF has molded a team which will start off next season a much stronger and effective unit. Norjoy
norjoy
I understand where you are coming from norjoy but I'm afraid that whilst I agree that its the longer game DF is playing, we need some changes now. Craig Davies clearly knows how to score in this league. Even with 2 in 2 I bet he doesn't start against Derby or Hull. Why is Medo not in the squad? I too am worried about Holden now. I also agree with you regarding those we won't have next year, but if we don't get some points on the board now how many others will follow? Its great to build for the future but putting out a team that can't even muster a shot in the first half is unacceptable and not changing it at half time is even worse.
Boltongav
Thanks for your comments Boltongav. I was not meaning to imply that no changes should be made now. Indeed I think that Kevin has now shown that this will be his last season as a player although I hope he is kept on in some none playing capacity. I was trying to say that I think DF knew what he was taking on but no one would expect him to say that he had inherited a bunch of overpaid losers and by the end of the season he will finally have ade the changes to the team most fans would lke to see.If he made immediate wholesale changes the team's present position would likely not improve
norjoy
We ain't going to get changes now though. DF is definitely playing the long game and doesn't look like a man to be rushed. Realistically this season is a totally knackered wash out which has demolished any expectations we might have had at the start. I'm 50/50 as to whether the changing hearts, minds - and players DF strategy will deliver what we all want - ie a proper go at this division. Today's result doesn't bother me, even though we're nearer league two than the prem I really don't think we'll go down. For me the season has deteriorated from a contest we're involved in, to mere interested observation of the direction DF is trying to take us in, and how he does it. Can't say I'm greatly overjoyed by that situation though
Skopelos Chris
building for next season or being cautious is not even an option - look at our league position - we are staring relegation in the face unless there is a big improvement, the team needs a rocket up its backend and Freedman along with Gartside need a rocket out through the front door - things are worse now than under Coyle. The only explanation for the awful team selections is someone other than the manager is influencing team selection, Freedman cannot be that inept or can he ?? the 11 who started today are certainly not the best of the crop, Medo must be wondering what the hell type of club has he signed for
aussie mike
I agree there is a risk of going down. And also we could quickly remove that by as everyone says, playing our 'impact' players, stopping the tinkering and getting some consistency (of the right kind). There's no spark or any momentum, and hasn't been for a long time. I still don't think we're quite incompetent enough to get relegated though... Please!
Skopelos Chris
its not about incompetence its all about results and points, we were robbed last season absolutely heartbreaking how fate turned against us in the last 2 games, the same can happen again if we don't get on top of games from the whistle
aussie mike
a very confusing time to be a fan, even more being optimistic which i naturally am. saying its worse than under coyle is just stupid. i dont mind playing defensively at first, then make impact subs, we were relegated not because we couldn't score goals.we scored more than liverpool. we were too easy to beat. dougie has brought stability and i read a few hours ago that under freedman we have managed not to get beat in 6 games, well 7 now and that hasn't happened sine the war. wen he was signed i was gutted for jimmy phillips, but if we would of kept him in place who knows what would of happened? and if wer all honest, we all would be saying why didn't gartside go for that young manager, who's team is fourth and in the playoffs and has earned his team (who has some of the lowest wages in this league) 20 million or so in the selling of two player's in last 3 years, victor mosses and zaha and still has a squad full of talent and there youth set up is excellent which dougie was apart of before he was made manager. he's exactly what we have been crying for since allardyce left!!! i hope he proves his doubters. for the clubs sake.
bowton_wanderer
and on the issue of gartside this might annoy a few but a different perspective is always good. gartside has been in charge for the most successful period in our clubs history. in the last few weeks, comments have talked about the time under allardyce and the players he brought in, none of that would of happened without gartside, he gave big sam the funds as well as actually appointing him manager, to bring in some fantastic players. after sam left as well as the majority of backroom staff, gartside then went for martyn jol but ultimately couldn't convince him to come up north and well you know the rest. so taking a stand back from the hateful figure, here is a chairman unlike the hundreds of others that are at different clubs has been in charge at the same time as the club has had some unbelievable talent in its kit, a club that has done a considerable job in domestic cup runs, been in europe twice and has put in charge a number of manager's to extend a consistent run in the premier league for eleven years (to make us the longest top flight cub never to win it...i dont know if that a good thing or not?) and is highly regarded member in the F.A....i have to say he doesn't seem to have done a bad job to me...and the guy is from leigh?
bowton_wanderer
ohh in the other post i meant not get beat. it was a 6 game run started at the cardiff game, which we won and ended with a win against blackburn.
bowton_wanderer
Bowton are you trying to say that PG is the best thing to come out of Leigh? Because we all know that the best thing to come out of Leigh is....well pretty much any road that does :)
Boltongav
the only thing i thought would of made the difference was vela playing instead of mavies, we needed the stability for me and someone who can keep hold of the ball longer than 10 seconds.
bowton_wanderer
hahaha!!!!!
bowton_wanderer
My dissatisfaction does not stem from the result today which was respectable, but the performance was shocking, I will cheer the boys on whatever happens and those of you who have read my posts/rants before will know my anti booing stance and continued positive outlook. But to not even have a shot in the first half? Come on boys that's awful. I just can't understand not playing new davies from the start when he clearly knows the way to goal in this league.
Boltongav
It's one of those "I wish I hadn't already bought my (insert name of next away game)" moments! Cheeeeesh Dougie - you are certainly going to be a hero if you can pull us out of the deep doo doo that we are in now.
Pedro1874
I've made my mind up about Dougie, I mean Coyle mark 2.
I don't rate him at all. He is not the man to get us promoted this, next or any other season.
Listening to his interviews reminds me so much of Coyle. He seems to rate himself very highly but the results on the pitch don't tie up.
One example of his foolish comments - he thinks Bogdan is the best in the division. I'm sorry this is not the case, he is a liability. Poor distribution, doesn't command his box, has a habit of making a save and shovelling the rebound into the path of the oppostion. This to me is not even a good keeper never mind the best. Goalkeeping is not all about shot-stopping.
Another thing, telling the media how well the team have played when what I have paid to see is a pile of ****e.
Leemac12
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League Results (view all)
| Latest Results | ||||
| Bolton | 2 | - | 2 | Blackpool |
| Cardiff | 1 | - | 1 | Bolton |
| Bolton | 2 | - | 1 | Middlesbrough |
| Leicester City | 3 | - | 2 | Bolton |
| Bristol City | 1 | - | 2 | Bolton |
| Bolton | 2 | - | 0 | Wolves |
League Table (view table)
| Team | P | W | D | L | GD | Pts |
| 4. Brighton | 46 | 19 | 18 | 9 | 26 | 75 |
| 5. Crystal Palace | 46 | 19 | 15 | 12 | 11 | 72 |
| 6. Leicester City | 46 | 19 | 11 | 16 | 23 | 68 |
| 7. Bolton | 46 | 18 | 14 | 14 | 8 | 68 |
| 8. Forest | 46 | 17 | 16 | 13 | 4 | 67 |
| 9. Charlton | 46 | 17 | 14 | 15 | 6 | 65 |
| 10. Derby County | 46 | 16 | 13 | 17 | 3 | 61 |
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