Double Gameweeks can be a poisoned chalice, particularly when they involve such an uninspiring team as Bolton. Having spent most of the season battling relegation, Owen Coyle’s outfit have so often been whipping boys and rarely shown the class needed to ensure their survival.
With two double Gameweeks on the horizon, however, the risk of investing in their ranks does lesson considerably. Surely, many Fantasy managers will be asking, some of Owen Coyle’s players can muster a healthy score with (SWA, avl) and (sun, TOT) to play over Gameweeks 35 and 36 respectively?
The Prospects
Clean sheets and goals are at a premium for Bolton. The Trotters have kept just three this season and shipped 65 goals; only Wolves and Blackburn have a poorer defensive record. After scoring seven times in their first three games, Coyle’s side have since notched a further 29 in the following 29 fixtures and have failed to find the net in 14 of their 32 games to date.
Across their upcoming four matches, Bolton’s game against Aston Villa looks the best prospect for a clean sheet, given that the west Midlands club are one of only four teams to have scored fewer goals than Coyle’s side. The Tottenham game seems unlikely to prove lucrative for Bolton’s defenders or attackers, though. Harry Redknapp’s men will be fully focused on a Champions League slot now that their FA Cup run has come to an end and, with 57 goals and 12 clean sheets to their name, have plenty to play for.
Sunderland have a good home record, with eight of their 11 clean sheets achieved at the Stadium of Light. Bolton’s attackers are likely to be disappointed when they roll up to Wearside, but there is hope at least for their defenders; the Black Cats’ attacking swagger seems to have deserted them, with not a single goal in their last three. Complacency was arguably a key factor in Sunderland’s dour 0-0 draw when they hosted Wolverhampton in Gameweek 34.
Swansea are also assured of survival but are showing no let-up in terms of attack. With an on-form Gylfi Sigurdsson leading a midfield charge, Bolton’s prospects of a clean sheet look limited against the Welsh side.
The Likely Lads
It’s easy to be pessimistic here. Not one of Bolton players has mustered an average points per game score above 3.5. Their highest goal scorer remains Ivan Klasnic who, after notching three times in the first three games, has grabbed eight so far this season – the Croatian seems to have fallen out of favour, though, and is now afforded substitute appearances at best. The rest of the front line is similarly unimpressive – Kevin Davies and David N’Gog have mustered a measly five goals between them over the entire campaign.
With such an impotent front line, the midfield offers perhaps the best prospect of points. Chief among these likely lads is the 5.1m priced Martin Petrov, mainly due to his role as Bolton’s penalty taker. He has a total point score of 81 with two goals, six assists and four bonus points to his name. After being dropped from the side mid-season, the Bulgarian looks to have cemented his place in the starting line-up, having being named in the first XI in the last five matches.
Another midfield prospect assured of starts is the 4.8m priced Mark Davies. He has started every game since Gameweek 10, except for the Gameweek 26 away clash with Chelsea through injury. Davies clearly has an eye for goal, scoring three times this season to help him amass a total of 77 points.
Since joining on loan from Arsenal in January, 4.9m priced Ryo Miachi has lit up Bolton’s midfield; his accuracy with crosses and set piece duties have helped him accrue 20 points and provide two assists. Regular starts are far from guaranteed for this skilful midfielder, however, with Bolton boss Owen Coyle aware of his youth and limiting his game time in recent weeks. Miyaichi has managed just 68 minutes of game time over Bolton’s last two games.
Fantasy managers looking at the porous Bolton defence for investment may be forced to rely on attacking points. David Wheater, who is priced at 4.4m, looks the best bet after scoring two goals and accruing two assists since cementing a regular first-team role in light of Gary Cahill’s January departure to Chelsea.
Save points are also likely to attract interest in Bolton’s flame haired goalkeeper Adam Bogdan. With a 4.0m price tag he has started every match and made 50 saves since Gameweek 20.
Cheeky Punts
The selection of Chris Eagles could prove fruitful for risk-taking Fantasy managers. With 90 points to date, he is Bolton’s top Fantasy Premier League (FPL) points scorer after some dazzling displays in the first half of the season. The former Burnley man has notched two double-figure hauls, three goals and seven assists – this 5.1m priced midfielder really ought to be a shoo-in for double Gameweek selection. His game time has been limited in recent weeks, though, meaning starts are far from assured. With a run of four games in the next 15 days, the chance of at least two first-team appearances for Eagles becomes a real possibility. If selected, he has the potential to reward those willing to take a punt.
Kevin Davies is a legend at Bolton since joining in 2003 and scoring 76 goals in his 361 appearances. As he enters his 35th year, however, game time and goal scoring opportunities have become limited. There is every chance, though, that Coyle will be in need of his skipper’s experience as Bolton look to beat the drop in the final few games of the season. At least one start looks assured across the two double gameweeks and, as was shown with his assist during his 21 minutes against Wolves in Gameweek 31, this 5.6m priced forward can damage opposition defences coming on from the bench. It’s also possible Davies may well still be number one for spot-kick duties when on the pitch, furthering his appeal.
