David May Preview : Bolton | Manchester United News

David May Preview : Bolton

David May Preview : Bolton

What a performance last week, I have been writing this blog for a while now and I never thought I would be talking about us scoring eight goals in a game let alone against Arsenal.

Maybe if we had landed a non league team in the FA Cup or league two oppostion in the Carling Cup but even then I still think they would have put up more of a fight than that Arsenal side did. To say they were pathetic is a massive under statement. Can you imagine the Gaffer setting up a young team like that, to go to one of your title rivals, open up the game and then just sit back and watch your team get destroyed, WOW!!!!

Having said all that we still haven’t got the credit we deserve, Wazza and Ashley Young were differnent class, I felt sorry for Danny limping off, but he will be back and at least it gives Chicharito a chance to get back in the team!!!!

I never like international breaks, especially when they come at the start of the season before we have really started to settle back into the Premier League. Don’t get me wrong – I always watch the World Cup and Euro’s but they don’t seem to have the same excitement as they once did, maybe I am getting old. Anyway I thought the United lads did well, Wazza got a couple more goals and Young’s impressive start to the season continues, that boy must be so full of confidence right now, I can’t wait to see how he performs against Bolton on Saturday!

Owen Coyle has done a fantastic job at the Reebok, I thought any manager would find it tough after the job Big Sam did and for a while I even wonderered if they might get dragged into a relegation battle but Owen Coyle has impressed everyone since he’s been there and leaving Burnley is probably one of the best decisions he has ever made. Their side is strong, determined and they can play good football at times. Chris Eagles was brought in during the summer, as you all know he learnt his trade at United and can definitely step up to the Premier League and perform on a regular basis. So having said all that it should be a good game.

Dangerman: Kevin Davies

He will be a big test for our young defence, he knows every trick in the book. In a way I admire him because he has slowly adapted his game but kept all the aspects that made him successful in the Premier League. He is great in the air, can hold the ball up, doesn’t mind a tackle and his link up play is under rated. He might be one of the only traditional English type centre forwards in the league at the moment, I can’t think of many others. He is Bolton’s talisman and our lads will definitely know they have been in a game when they wake up on Sunday morning!!!

Prediction : United are gonna win 2-1 with the Little Pea scoring his first goal of the season!!!

Two players who scored FA Cup winning goals for United – Jimmy Greenhoff and (rumoured) Lee Martin will be at United Nights on Saturday 17th September at Walkabout off Deansgate inManchester, the night before the Chelsea game. Also in attendance will be Clayton Blackmore. You can buy tickets online (for only £20) on the official United Nights website.

Last season : 2-2

All time League at Bolton: W 18, D 15, L 25

All time Premier League atBolton: W 7, D 4, L1

Trivia :

On Saturday the clubs will meet for the 120th time in all competitions.Bolton have actually gotten more wins at Old Trafford than at the Reebok against United.

The in form Wayne Rooney has scored 6 goals in 9 League appearances against Bolton for United.

We caught up with Bolton fan Dominic Walsh for his thoughts about the game…

Bolton were one of the teams to really test United last season. A deserved draw at the Reebok was followed by a competitive match at Old Trafford, decided in the closing minutes by Dimitar Berbatov. United have made a whole host of changes since you hosted us last September. As many as 7 changes will probably take place, with United decidedly more youthful. Given the matches were quite combative last season, do you expect that Owen Coyle will try and exploit a potential physical edge?

It would be an obvious thing to exploit the physical aspect of the game but I don’t think that Bolton hold the strong physical edge we had under Sam Allardyce. Yes we have Kevin Davies who has the obvious quality in his physical play but we don’t have players throughout the team that used to bully teams like Arsenal a few years ago. We have Muamba who is big and strong and Paul Robinson at right back does not shirk any challenge. I think we can be physical when we need to be but we also have the ability to play football as the purists think about it. This was shown last year on more than one occasion. Our squad has evolved a lot this year with Coyle being able to mold a squad in his image a lot more than he could last year due to players contracts.

I’ve already said how United will have many changes from our clash this time last year; how do you expect Bolton to line up?

Bolton will probably stick to the 4-4-2 that we have employed in the last 3 games to mixed success. Last time out against Liverpool we were simply not good enough but against QPR and Man City we played some great football. I think the mix of Muamba and Reo-Coker in the centre is ineffective as they are too similar in style. We rely on the flanks going forward. Eagles has arguably been our best buy in the window with the performances that he has put in but Martin Petrov is still to lazy in his play for me, although he has some great quality to offer.

With regards a line up, it’s going to be tricky as we have quite a few options after the dealings in the transfer window. I think Owen Coyle will probably go with the same starting line up as the previous 3 games, but to have Tuncay, Ngog, Boyata, Kakuta, Mark Davies etc on the bench means that we have a decent amount of options and pace to try and change a game should it be escaping us.

How happy were you with the transfer window?

I was happy with the window in the end. We have strengthened up front with Tuncay, Ngog and Kakuta. The backline was also strengthened with the versatile Boyata and whilst a fee for Cahill would have been nice it is a massive bonus we have kept him and with his England exploits showing the huge amount of quality he has I think he will be able to take his pick from a few clubs should the time arrive.

There’s a traditional local rivalry between the clubs. What are your feelings about United?

There is a rivalry. I think it has mellowed over the years as Bolton’s more local rivals take the form of Wigan (although the games are usually dross!). It’s still treated with all the same passion and desire as a good local derby though.

I used to really hate United as a lad. I went to Old Trafford as an 8 year old in an FA Cup 3rd round match. I think it was 1991. Bolton were in Division 3 and we held United until the 81st minute when I decided to head to the loo and Mark Hughes popped a winner in. Our paths never crossed that many times in the 90’s aside from that cup game and a couple of games in our first two ill fated Premier League campaigns.

Where do you expect Bolton to finish this season?

I would like to think we would be challenging for a top half finish with an outside push for a Europa League place.

Your prediction for the game?

A draw would be nice like last year but I think Utd will edge it 1-2.

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1 Comment

  1. Lee

    “..but they don’t seem to have the same excitement as they once did, maybe I am getting old”
    I feel you man.. been there for couple of years now.

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