Read this

 

http://www.lionofviennasuite.com/2013/9/4/4693934/bolton-have-not-won-a-league-game-in-2013-without-craig-dawson

 

Fucking frightening stuff 

 

 

Read that headline and then take a second to let that soak in. In the whole of 2013 (thus far), Bolton Wanderers have not won once in the league without Craig Dawson. That is the impact that one player can make. Let's take a step back for a quick second.

On the 24th of January, 2013, Bolton Wanderers officially signed West Bromwich Albionand England U21 defender Craig Dawson on a three-month-long loan deal. He would make his debut for the Trotters on the 9th of February, starting in the home match against Burnley. It was a match that Bolton would ultimately win 2-1 thanks in part to Dawson's threat up front and poise at the back. Bolton would win eight of the next 11 to propel them into play-off contention. Dawson's loan ended ahead of the season's final match, a crucial clash against Blackpool at home that Bolton would ultimately draw to miss out on a chance at promotion.

Ahead of Dawson's arrival at the Reebok, Bolton Wanderers hit some rocks after Dougie Freedman had largely steadied the ship upon his appointment as manager. At that point, the Trotters had won one out of their last seven, losing four of those matches. The story was much the same after Dawson's departure. Bolton Wanderers have not won a league fixture in 2013 without Craig Dawson. The defender appeared 16 times for Bolton with Wanderers losing just three times in that stretch.

The last win came on the 29th of December when Bolton beat Birmingham City by a scoreline of 3-1 at the Reebok Stadium. That match was surrounded by 1-0 losses against Sheffield Wednesday and at Leeds United. In 2013, without Craig Dawson, Wanderers had lost twice and drawn four. Those totals were compounded with the current season's poor start, brining it to five losses and six draws in 2013 without Craig Dawson.

 

 

Dawson is a good player, and would have improved us, but it's now dear he's not coming back, we just need to move on. You would think he's of the calibre of Lionel Messi the way that some people are going on though.

Agreed. Ridiculous this now, just need to let it go and move on.

Knight is the main cause of our problems. I'm not making him the scapegoat, he is simply not enough. Someone his size should be chipping in with at least 5 or 6 goals a season from set play but I think he's scored twice in all the time he's been with us.

 

He should also be able to aggressively attack set plays in our own area but he doesn't seem able to do that either.

 

I know 3 successive managers have all rated him (or at least played him) and they must see something I don't. I genuinely do not believe he is a good player and can't wait for the day the big lumbering oaf plays his last game.

 

I'd love Dawson back like the next man but if it ain't happening, then lets try to find a solution to our woes with what we have in the squad already

Knight is the main cause of our problems. I'm not making him the scapegoat, he is simply not enough. Someone his size should be chipping in with at least 5 or 6 goals a season from set play but I think he's scored twice in all the time he's been with us.

 

 

I agree that his goal record is nothing short of appalling.

 

BUT

 

I'd happily have him never score a goal for us ever again ... as long as he did what he's paid very handsomely to do, and that is to defend our goal.

Knight babysitting? Jesus eavesy.

I agree that his goal record is nothing short of appalling.

 

BUT

 

I'd happily have him never score a goal for us ever again ... as long as he did what he's paid very handsomely to do, and that is to defend our goal.

This this this

 

Goal threat is great but I'd sooner have my centre halves defend and distribute first

aye

 

maybe i need to clarify

 

i had no time for jaidi as he couldn't defend for toffee so i agree about the priority for a defender

 

but, when dawson arrived we started getting goals on the board which changes the whole feel of the game

 

it meant we carried a threat from set pieces

 

a completely fresh dimension to our play

 

anyway, back to knight, the fact he doesn't get his head on balls into the opposition box IS symbolic of his lack of bollocks

aye

 

maybe i need to clarify

 

i had no time for jaidi as he couldn't defend for toffee so i agree about the priority for a defender

 

but, when dawson arrived we started getting goals on the board which changes the whole feel of the game

 

it meant we carried a threat from set pieces

 

a completely fresh dimension to our play

 

anyway, back to knight, the fact he doesn't get his head on balls into the opposition box IS symbolic of his lack of bollocks

Yep, I'm with you on all of that

 

I'm glad there's an international break to be honest....hopefully DF has them getting their shit together

Knight has been a regular selection for 7 managers.

 

Someone somewhere thinks he has ability. I'd tend to agree. He dies, however, have concentration issues and you can't coach players out of that, hence the need for a "talker" next to him.

Much of this discussion leads to me to think that Bolger should be given a chance at this level.

He can certainly defend impressively at lower levels, so he may (or may not) cut it in the first team.

And he cetainly is a genuine scoring option from corners. We definitely need goals from somewhere.

From where we are now, what is there to lose by trying him out?

Knight babysitting? Jesus eavesy.

I'm not saying he's good at it, but at the minute he's having to do it.

With Dawson and alonso either side of him all he had to do was defend. Which he is very capable of.

With wheater and a right back at left back or a bedding in tierney either side of him suddenly knight has to do a hell of alot more.

 

It's no coincidence that every ball Blackburn put in the box, long throws, crosses, knight was the one one getting rid of em. But eventually it's gunna take its strain.

I'm not saying he's good at it, but at the minute he's having to do it.

With Dawson and alonso either side of him all he had to do was defend. Which he is very capable of.

With wheater and a right back at left back or a bedding in tierney either side of him suddenly knight has to do a hell of alot more.

 

Are you honestly suggesting that Alonso was a better defender than Tierney?

Are you honestly suggesting that Alonso was a better defender than Tierney?

 

can't say we've seen owt to say if he's better or worse

 

but he did acknowledge Tierney as "bedding in"

 

only thing that stands out re: Tierney so far was his cross for Pratley's goal

can't say we've seen owt to say if he's better or worse

 

but he did acknowledge Tierney as "bedding in"

 

only thing that stands out re: Tierney so far was his cross for Pratley's goal

 

I've little doubt that Alonso is technically better and gave us more threat going forward.

 

However, he was very poor when it came to defending.

 

I simply don't agree that Knight is being hampered by having to 'babysit' Tierney yet he didn't have to worry about Alonso.

 

Besides, whether he's having to cover anyone else's position or not is still no excuse for his lack of effort , or failing to 'bust a gut' to get back into the correct position - prime example being Rhodes' second on Saturday (and yes, I fully accept that it was Wheater's dreadful error in the first place).

Alonso was too slow for a top defender. 

 

As you'd expect he was excellent from a technical standpoint, but if you're slower than Paul Robinson and playing in a league with speedy wingers you're going to be a liability.

Knight has been a regular selection for 7 managers.

 

Someone somewhere thinks he has ability. I'd tend to agree. He dies, however, have concentration issues and you can't coach players out of that, hence the need for a "talker" next to him.

Think Jimmy Phillips is the only one to drop him

 

Besides, whether he's having to cover anyone else's position or not is still no excuse for his lack of effort , or failing to 'bust a gut' to get back into the correct position - prime example being Rhodes' second on Saturday (and yes, I fully accept that it was Wheater's dreadful error in the first place).

 

He got into position and lost out in a 50/50 challenge. Shit happens.

Think Jimmy Phillips is the only one to drop him

 

Coyle put him on the bench a few times, but Jiminho the only man to drop him from the 18 man squad, IIRC

He got into position and lost out in a 50/50 challenge. Shit happens.

 

Huh? You sure you're talking about Rhodes' second (Blackburn's fourth).

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bhLUk6mJ2HQ

 

55 seconds in.  

Edited September 5, 201312 yr by DazBob

phillips was questioned about that

 

his answer - maybe it was him being diplomatic - was that it allowed us to play a higher line

 

ie he turns like something that turns very slow

Huh? You sure you're talking about Rhodes' second (Blackburn's fourth).

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bhLUk6mJ2HQ

 

55 seconds in.  

 

Sorry, I thought you meant their second (also scored by Rhodes)

 

Piss poor for that one you couldn't show on screen

The worse things that has happened for knight is being made captain as we're now all analysing his every touch. I'm not a great fan of knight but I wish he'd been allowed to just get on with his game and we'd made someone else captain. God knows who though

phillips was questioned about that

 

his answer - maybe it was him being diplomatic - was that it allowed us to play a higher line

 

ie he turns like something that turns very slow

 

Like the friggin Exxon Valdez

The worse things that has happened for knight is being made captain as we're now all analysing his every touch. I'm not a great fan of knight but I wish he'd been allowed to just get on with his game and we'd made someone else captain. God knows who though

 

 

I think as that's where I'm at.

 

I'm no fan of his, but too much of the blame is being put at his door.

Piss poor for that one you couldn't show on screen

 

Ner ner ner ner ner.

The bottom line is Knight isn't good enough. He may be getting too much blame, and he certainly isn't the only reason for our early season demise, but nobody should be sticking up for him. He's not a good defender and we need better options.