Following on from yesterday’s report on Burnley, today it’s the turn of Bolton who provide the alternative and equally questionable source of double gameweek temptations.
With Owen Coyle’s team sitting just two points clear of the drop zone and with previous club Burnley now second bottom and looking worryingly poor at the moment, Coyle will be hoping he can lift the Trotters to safety and avoid following in the footsteps of compatriot Billy McNeill who, back in 1987 with Aston Villa and Man City, managed two relegated top flight clubs in the same season…
The Opponents
Not only are both Bolton’s games away from home, they are against opponents just one point above them in the league, making their two games tasty proverbial six-pointers.
The first match sees them travel to Upton Park to visit a West Ham side who have picked up in form recently. The Hammers have lost just two of their last seven, but more significantly, have really toughened up at the back, with four consecutive clean sheets at home, winning three of the matches in the process. Up front, the return to action of Carlton Cole has boosted Zola’s side, with the big striker’s goals in his last two home games helping to fire them to victory.
Coyle’s side then visit the Stadium of Light, where the hosts have lost just twice all season. In spite of that statistic, Sunderland have not scored more than once at home in their last seven games, despite the menace of Darren Bent. Steve Bruce’s side are in freefall, however, and are on a winless league run of fourteen games, stretching back to November.
Current Form
P9 W2 D2 L5 F4 A13 PTS 8
Owen Coyle’s record, whilst not being much to shout about, has at least steadied Bolton defensively. Under Gary Megson, Bolton failed to pick up a single clean sheet in 18 games, but since a difficult start of back to back games against Arsenal, Coyle has now chalked up 4 clean sheets in the last 7 games.
The clean sheets have came at the cost of goals, though. Ominously, Bolton have failed to score in their last four away games, with Zat Knight’s winner at the Reebok last weekend the club’s first league goal in six games.
Rotation Risk
With the goalkeeper and defence fairly settled, it is midfield and upfront that Owen Coyle has chopped and changed continually. Matt Taylor played 90 mins in Coyle’s first two league games but hasn’t completed a match since. Tamir Cohen has seen 7 mins playing time in the last three games, and January signing Wilshere, Weiss and Holden have been used sporadically. Forward-wise, Coyle has played Johan Elmander on occasion, with injury robbing him of Ivan Klasnic.
Potential Targets
Jussi Jaaskelainen
If Bolton are to get anything from the two games, the keeper will be integral to their chances. His form between the sticks has been as impressive as ever, and with the defence tightening up in front of him despite the loss of Gary Cahill, he could feasibly keep a cleanie.
Predicted Return: 9 saves, 1 clean sheet
Zat Knight
To be honest, if you are intent on picking a Bolton defender, perhaps the toss of a coin is the fairest way. Knight’s goal last weekend was his first of the season, and the Bonus Points awarded to Paul Robinson and Sam Rickets were the first either of the pair have been awarded this season. Prior to the weekend, Gretar Steinsson was the best bet, with a couple of assists and a Bonus Point to his name.
Clean sheets aside, Knight slightly edges it on form; having scored points in two out of the last three games, with a goal and 1 Bonus Point. Knight has also has the most goal attempts of the back four with 11 shots, 3 better than Steinsson’s 8.
Predicted Return: 1 Clean Sheet.
Chung-Yong Lee
The South Korean has been Bolton’s most impressive attacking player this season, with a series of eye-catching performances from midfield that, despite having earned plaudits from the press, have unfortunately done little to his FPL Bonus Points, as he has picked up Bonus in only two league games this season.
Bolton have scored four league goals since Coyle’s arrival, and Lee has played a part in three of them; scoring once and assisting two. If they find the net in either of the games, there’s every chance Lee will, once again, be at the hub of it all.
Predicted Return: 1 assist, 1 clean sheet
Ivan Klasnic
Kevin Davies is the one forward guaranteed more on-pitch time, but it’s a bit difficult recommending a striker who has scored one goal in his last twenty league games. Klasnic, on the other hand, has shown that when given the chance, he is far more liable to grab a goal than any other Bolton forward; he has 6 goals in 842 mins (1 goal every 140 mins), compared to Davies’ 3 goals in 2340 mins (1 goal every 780 mins).
Coyle has been nursing the Croatian back from a calf injury sustained in the win against Burnley in January, and two substitute appearances in the last two games suggest he may be ready for more game time. Given the club’s poor goalscoring record, there’s every chance they won’t find the net this DGW, but if Klasnic is on the pitch, his statistics suggest he is the man most likely.
Predicted Return: 1 goal