tonyw_bwfc

Probably the best bit or reporting that you are ever going to see on last nights festivities: http://www.thedailymash.co.uk/news/science...r-200908262009/

You've got to admit watching some beer-bellied 45 year old trying to run on wet grass is highly amusing I suppose we'll now have a 6 month wait to see what sort of punishment the FA come up with - it is West Ham after all so maybe Sir/Lord Trevor can put in a good word as they did win the World Cup you know

in the two games I've seen I am not too sure about that! He definitely offers a lot less going forward though As for Knight, it takes a bit more time to settle into centre half keep him in there and let him and Cahill get used to each other. If, he trips over his own feet / misses a simple ball that costs us a goal then I might change my mind though :D

Well we are now down to five days and are being linked with a few players - anyone got any info on this Achille Emana? Seen it mentioned somewhere that he's a midfielder. As for all the good manager / bad manager stuff - so far he has done what he has presumably been asked to do i.e keep us in the Premiership. I don't agree with how he has done it but I am pretty damn sure I couldn't do it better - the football has mostly been utter shite but the various pundits are always mentioning football is a 'results business' rather than an 'entertainment business'. The fans still want results but would like to be entertained occasionally as well, if they aren't then they vote with their feet

A win is a win - we are already doing better than we did last year Another 90 mins of playing together won't have harmed anyone either - might help stop them all looking like complete strangers come Saturday

Good luck to him. How long has he been here 5 years? If he is fit but can't even get on the bench with our lack of strikers then he needs to move on. The highlight of his Wanderers career will definitely be the awesome bit of skill he showed at Blackburn

That's the gamble isn't it if he scores 25+ goals and they just miss out again they are in League One next season but will have lost one of their most saleable assets for nothing. Stick or twist - Leeds have a decent history of twisting so you might well be right

I think we've all heard this before in an attempt to push up the fee before the window closes Proof of the pudding will be if someone (either us or another team looking for a striker) put in a decent offer before the deadline.

Last year of his contract isn't it? I'd be amazed if a striker with no experience in the Premiership (has he any experience in the Championship?) and in the final year of his contract cost ?7M Ultimately, can he do any worse that what we have currently got? Since nobody has scored any as yet the answer has got to be no. Depends how much money is in the kitty but I'd probably offer ?3M - ?4M and see (it really is bloody Monopoly money at the minute - thinking ?3M for a striker with no Premiership experience is a good deal )

Probably a bit of both. Fans should be able to have a go at players up to a point, you've paid your money so you should be able to say what you think, up to a point. The usual stuff of "pull you finger out" or "you lazy bastard" etc. should be water off a ducks back - as a player it isn't worth respoonding to IMHO. However, some of the more personal abuse that is spouted at players is out of order - I think the players should be free to respond to that sort of shite!

No, I didn't realise that 40% was almost half Ricketts, Robinson and Knight all play at the back and I'm pretty sure (although I haven't actually asked anyone at the club and have no evidence to support this) that they weren't bought to enhance the creativity of the team. So, of the more creative players on the pitch (midfield and forwards) we have started with 5 or the 6 that played the majority of the games last season that's over 83% you know! So, IMHO the end of last season is pretty relevant

We've only lost two games this season - the first in a pretty dire manner and the second after missing a few chances - but when you include the end of last season it makes grim reading. Last season is relevant because it is pretty much the same team with the addition of a couple of new faces - as for the argument that the players weren't motivated that is just shite and falls directly at the feet of the manager. If he sees someone lacking motivation stick them in the bloody reserves and give someone else a chance. I'd be thinking about making a change now - not because of the results (not great but he has kept us up) or even the style of play (like watching paint dry at times) but simply because I don't think there is a way for him to get the fans united behind him and the team. Not really a great advert for the club when the 'fans' are fighting amongst themselves at every match and 'fans' are calling for the managers head at the first sign of a mis-placed pass. As for who I'd get in - there's been loads of names mentioned, some good and some bloody awful - I'd probably go for Strachan (would he come?) or try someone with no Premiership experience, did someone mention Alan Irvine? After all it hasn't done Everton any harm when they took David Moyes did it?

Would he leave the Thailand national job where he is held in high esteem and loved by all to manage 'little Bolton'? oh.. and he is moving to Stoke as assistant manager

What? 90% of pundits think he's biz as well???

It wouldn't bother me to be honest - especially if the player in question desperately wanted to go. Usually when you lay out more money you get a higher quality of product in return - would I be happier watching the shite served up on Saturday having paid ?199 for the pleasure too right I would? Most fans go to the match to be entertained and there was precious little of that about - be that the fault of the players, Megson, Gartside, the groundsman or the bloody idiots serving the beer

Depends what you want. Free flowing, entertaining football then probably not. Premiership survival then he probably is right.

We were a good save from 1-1 right at the death but come on, I have never wanted us to lose regardless of who was in charge but going on the evidence of the end of last season and today can anyone say that we are really moving in the right direction? People are saying it is the first game of the season but from today's performance it is quite simple that we can expect exactly the same as last season and from the personnel on display today there is no chance of a change in style. No entertainment for another season but I still reckon we'll stay up easily, even with today's performance.

Fooking awful - moved season tickets this year to the North Lower, a lot better view but today made me want ot pay the ?100 extra and move back to the Easty Lower, maybe pay extra for a resticted view I agree with pretty much what everyone said, Jaaskeleinen pulled off a couple of great saves (yes, I know it is what he is paid for) and Sunderland wasted a host of good chances, it really could have been 5 or 6 at half time and we only had one decent attempt on target from Cahill that pulled a good save from their keeper. Second half was marginally better and if Davis had have bagged right at the death we could have grabbed an undeserved point. On today's evidence Ricketts, Robinson and Knight are definitely no better than Steinsson, Samuel and Shittu but it was their debuts so give them some time to settle with their new team mates. Davis looked ok although playing him with Muamba, McCann and Taylor meant we had 4 identical midfielders, no pace and no width. Davies and Elmander might try hard but I can't see either of them getting more than 10 league goals for us even though Davies managed it last season. Still, first game of the season and surely we can't be that inept again can we?

45pts for 12th place and I'll be more than happy with that. Reckon that Hull, Birmingham, Wolves, Burnley, Portsmouth will definitely be below us. After that it leaves us scrapping with Wigan, Sunderland and Stoke. If we get another striker and an attacking midfielder we might get even higher

Disappointed by Wednesday night's second half performance. First half thought we passed it around well, got the ball in their box and kept the pressure on. The second half we seemed to sit deeper and deeper which wasn't all Megson's doing. He was stood in the technical area screaming at them to get out but the players weren't listening and to be fair Blackburn were pushing us back. Thought his substitution bringing the lad Davies on was a big mistake though. He took Basham out of middle where he was doing a decent job and put Davies in there - it is a hell of a step up from League 1 in a pressure game. I would have brought Gardner on and swapped Taylor to right, gives us a bit more of an attacking threat and he is about the only player in the clbu with a bit of pace. Still, I'd have taken a draw before the game started

Some of the people on here will slag him off if he doesn't bag with his third touch having beaten 3 players with his first two

Definitely paper talk - don't want this bloke anywhere near the club

I've not seen much of the reserves but how does Harsanyi get on? Seems to be bagging a few, is he worth a place on the bench? Can't be much worse than what we've got on there now can he?

Thought we were out battled in midfield today and after Nolan got his early yellow card he was always going to struggle to put his foot in. As for those who want him out fair enough they entitled to their opinions but are you trying to tell me he is the worst midfielder we have got? Would have liked to see Smolarek come on - not really seen what he can do and he has got to be a better bet than Riga IMO. Agree about Shittu though, thought he did ok and might deserve a run ahead of the increasingly shaky O'Brien.

I don't think his signings have been too bad overall - I know he has paid decent money for them but Cahill, Taylor, Steinsson, Muamba and Elmander aren't bad players. What gems did you have in mind? Zaki at Wigan was a steal, as was Santa Cruz last year but these players are getting a lot harder to find.