Goal.com Bolton Wanderers Fanview: 'We have had too many transitional seasons since Big Sam and now need a decent cup run and mid-table finish'

Fans share their thoughts for the season ahead...

26 Jul 2010 09:11:00

More On :  Bolton Wanderers, Owen Coyle
With the start of 2010-11 season approaching fast, we asked a supporter of every Premier League club to share with us their hopes, dreams and fears for the season ahead. 

Bolton Fanview | By David Blackburn
Bolton Wanderers Supporters Association



The target: Mid-table

We have had too many transitional seasons since Big Sam and we now need a decent run in the cup and a mid-table finish. We have had the last couple of seasons of just surviving by our fingernails and the team is to good for that. We need the feelgood factor to return to the club, and since the last incumbent of the mangers job, he is returning.

MORE...
My thoughts on the gaffer...

Excellent, the fans love him and have started to return to the Reebok. From day one of his reign everything has been positive. As an ex-player, Owen knows all about this club and having turned down Celtic and possibly the chance to manage Scotland speaks volumes of his love for the club.
His acquisitions so far have been good and he has worked very well with the squad he was left with. He will try and play football the right way, but at the same time his teams can mix it up. He hasn't got a big budget, but so far so good.

He is a fans' person as well, and he has wasted no time in trying to get them on his side. Only time will tell but the signs are promising that we may once again see European football at the Reebok.


Our key man this season

Hopefully the new un-named proven striker that we are after who can score 20 goals a season for us. But if we don't manage to bring in that elusive striker then much will rest on Kevin Davies to score some more goals for us. As he is the spearhead of our attack, we will need him to at least get into double figures. As the captain, he leads by example and will always be a 100 per cent committed player.


Youngster to watch

Chung Yong Lee surprised a lot of people last season and is a huge fans' favourite. Every time he scored, Bolton won. The second season is always the hardest as opponents have had a chance to study you. Had a decent World Cup and hopefully he can continue where he left off last season.
Another player to watch is Fabrice Muamba, since arriving with a £5 million price tag, he had a much better season last season and hopefully will continue to progress. Also we may get Jack Wilshire..........



A player who must deliver

Martin Petrov has come on a free transfer and what a bargain he may turn out to be. He has had his injury problems at Manchester City but hopefully he will settle down into the player we know he is capable of being.
Hopefully he will hit the ground running as a lot will rest on his shoulders, not only at set-pieces and providing assists but chipping in with the odd goal as well.


Our Achilles' heel

As mentioned earlier, our strikers do not score enough goals and unfortunately Johan Elmander does not appear to be the answer although like any Wanderers fan I would love him to prove me wrong. Danny Ward had a very good season on loan at Swindon last season, but it is a huge step up to the Premier League.

We did have problems in defence last season and it wasn't until the last quarter that we started keeping clean sheets, but hopefully a fit again Gary Cahill and Zat Knight (who towards the end of last season was showing why he played a couple of times for England) can help steady the ship.





"Owen is building a decent squad and slowly but surely is trying to get the players to play the exciting entertaining way that he promised when he took over."
Fixture I am looking forward to the most...

The first game of the season against Fulham, as this will hopefully set us off on the right foot with three valuable points. We have had the World Cup, but it is club football that really matters, so roll on August 14.
Our toughest opponents will be...

The usual suspects, any team that finished in the top six the previous year. We seem to have had a terrible record coming up against these teams the season after. Last season for example, Man Utd, Chelsea, Liverpool, Arsenal and Aston Villa all did the double over us and we only got three points against Everton when we beat them at home, it will come as no surprise to know that they beat us at Goodison!


Player we love to hate

Any player who plays for Manchester United, but by far the player who gets the worst stick out of them is Gary Neville.

It will be interesting to see the reception that Kevin Nolan receives on his return as there were quite a few who were glad to see the back of him.



My verdict

At the risk of sounding like an old record, if we can get that elusive striker I think we will be ok and have no problems with any threat of relegation. Owen is building a decent squad and slowly but surely is trying to get the players to play the exciting entertaining way that he promised when he took over. I think they will finish in the top ten and have a decent run in one of the cups.

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