Bolton Wanderers

Bolton Wanderers have been a club mired in misery for the entire 2011-12 English Premier League season. If they do not turn things around within the next month, they could be headed for relegation to the championship next season.

The Trotters finished in 14th place last season under the direction of manager Owen Coyle. After the loss of some key players and the failure to replace them, the club have been in the bottom three of the Premier League all season. They currently sit in 19th place.

The Wanderers lost goalie Ali Al-Habsi to Wigan, forward Johan Elmander to Galatasaray and failing to secure the permanent signature of Daniel Sturridge after his loan spell from Chelsea ended. Star midfielder Stuart Holden went out with a long-term injury.

The club have failed to replace those players with capable replacements.

Young players like David Ngog, Gael Kakuta and Dedryck Boyata—plus experienced players like Chris Eagles and Nigel Reo-Coker—have not lived up to their potential. Bolton are turning to a unlikely place for reinforcements to help their cause to stay in the Premier League—Major League Soccer.

Bolton have approached two players from the American league to bolster their squad. Tim Ream  from the New York Red Bulls is being lured to the club as a replacement for Gary Cahill, who left for Chelsea this week.

Another MLS player is now being targeted by the club as well, Philadelphia Union forward Sebastien Le Toux is close to a return to European football. The Frenchman has played in MLS for the past three seasons, with the last two being in Philadelphia with his career being resurrected.

Le Toux has scored 25 goals in 62 games for Philadelphia and has been one of the most consistent players for the club. He has have only been in the league for two seasons.

The move for both players is likely to happen. It looks like both clubs and MLS are willing to let the players go off to the club and call the Reebok Stadium their home for the foreseeable future.

At this point, Bolton need any type of new addition to club to provide a burst of energy. These two players are fully capable of it—although they will not reach the high quality of Sturridge when he was loan from Chelsea for the second half of last season.

For Bolton fans, they should receive the players with open arms. Ream and Le Toux may see themselves in the championship next season if their impact is not good enough for Bolton to climb out of the bottom three.

The bottom of the Premier League has been awful this season through 16 matches, with both Blackburn and Bolton registering a comically bad 19 combined points through the 32 Premier League matches that both sides have participated in this season.

Both Blackburn and Bolton have been embarrassed, trampled on and neither looks fit enough to survive in the Premier League for another season.

Tomorrow, both sides will face each other at Ewood Park in what will be the most important fixture for each side to date.

So far in this campaign, both sides have been able to put up some impressive results. Blackburn were able to defeat a weakened Arsenal side 4-3 in one of the most exciting fixtures of this campaign, while Bolton defeated Stoke 5-0.

Another similarity that these two sides share comes in the form of some strong goalscoring numbers.

Blackburn have scored 23 times this year, the most of any side in the bottom of the table. They have gotten the most goals at home of any side in the bottom three quarters of the league table with 12. And they also have Yakubu, who is currently sixth in goals scored with nine.

Bolton have scored 20 times this season, the second most of any side in the bottom half of the table. Amazingly, that is as many times goals as Liverpool have scored in this campaign.

Despite these goal-scoring stats, both sides have struggled to make ends meet defensively.

Blackburn have conceded 36 times, including 19 times in just eight matches away from Ewood Park. Bolton have been even worse, giving up a Premier League-worst 38 tallies through 16 matches this season.

Obviously, both sides have not benefited from an open style of play this year, but it appears that neither side can figure out a way to slow down their opposition this season.

Blackburn have been a side that has struggled since December of 2010, when their manager Sam Allardyce was inexplicably sacked despite a strong start for the Rovers. In the months following Allardyce's departure, new manager Steve Kean was given a three-year contract by Blackburn's owners.

Kean went on to struggle throughout the first half of 2011 that barely saw the Rovers avoid the drop zone. Kean was able to keep his job, but it certainly is a surprise that he still is employed considering how poor Blackburn have been this year.

Meanwhile, Bolton's Owen Coyle came to the club in a cloud of smoke early in 2010 after leaving a struggling Burnley squad in the middle of winter.

Coyle's move helped to keep Bolton up during that campaign and nearly allowed the Wanderers to finish in the top half of the table last season.

However, an awful start to this season has certainly put Coyle's job in jeopardy, with tomorrow's match possibly being the final one for the Irishman.

Considering how weak both of these sides have been this season and the fact that these owners have not put enough of a defensive mindset on their clubs, don't be surprised if there is another offensive explosion at Ewood Park.

No matter who wins this match, both managers will leave knowing that their own job will be in jeopardy. After all, both sides are likely not going to be in top flight once next August comes.

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Bolton Wanderers and Sunderland square off this weekend in an English Premier League match that at the start of the season could have had potential to be a match with two teams looking to reach the top 10 of the table, but now it is a battle of two relegation contenders.

Fans and critics alike have been calling for the sacking of the manager for both teams for a few weeks now, and the losing manager in this match at the Reebok could actually be sacked.

Owen Coyle led Bolton to a 14th-place finish last season but it should have been a more successful season for the Trotters. This season, Bolton were predicted by some to be in the relegation zone and some predicted Bolton to finish in the top 10.

The former prediction was the correct one, as the Trotters have had a lack of goal scorers with Johan Elmander leaving for Galatasaray and with Daniel Sturridge returning to Chelsea after being on loan at the Reebok Stadium for the last six months of last season.

Coyle has also lost star midfielder Stuart Holden due to injury for most of the season and may lose defender Gary Cahill in January to a transfer.

The Trotters got back on track last week with their first win since the season opener as they beat Wigan. If they continue to win, Coyle's job may be safe for now, but if the losing continues, Coyle may be shown the door.

Steve Bruce is in even more trouble at Sunderland.

A late-season slide last season almost dragged the Black Cats into the relegation zone but they survived and finished 10th.

This season, more of the same has continued at the Stadium of Light, even with Bruce bringing in over 10 new players to the club over the summer.

While Bruce did bring in a ton of squad players, he lost arguably his two best players as Jordan Henderson left for Liverpool and Asamoah Gyan went on loan to UAE club Al-Ain.

The Black Cats only have one win this season, a 4-0 blowout of Stoke that was thought to have turned the tide at the Stadium of Light a month ago but did not.

Three losses and four draws in the rest of the season's matches have seen Sunderland drop to 17th in the table, with rumors of the former Wigan boss of being sacked.

Either scenario is not a good one to be in right now, and both managers could be fired by the end of the calendar year. This match on Saturday is crucial for both managers so that they can get their season back on track.

Coyle has a better chance of saving his job than Bruce, but that does not mean he is on the hot seat as well.

While both teams will most likely battle to stay afloat in the Premier League for another season, their managers may not be around to help keep their current club from relegation.

Gary Cahill, if you would like to use a comparison, is the Gareth Bale of this year's English Premier League.

Last season he was known to many, putting in a few good performances here and there. As things would seem this year, Cahill has started the Premier League season brilliantly. His form for club earned him a call up to England's Euro qualifier against Bulgaria, and once again, the Bolton central defender did not disappoint, scoring a goal in England's 3-0 domination of Bulgaria.

Cahill was also caught up in transfer rumours regarding a possible move to Premier League clubs Arsenal and Tottenham. At times it seemed that he was on his way out from Bolton, although, by the end of the window he remained at his club, much to the delight of his supporters.

Reflecting upon his first few weeks, especially this week, Cahill told reporters "It's been a crazy week, mentally more than anything. I tried not to let it bother me and, in a way, there is not much you can do about it. Am I disappointed nothing happened [in terms of a transfer]? I can't really comment on that to be honest with you ... Sometimes it is not always great when you make last-minute decisions but there was no decision for me to make."

The thought of a possible transfer hindered Cahill's preparations for the match against Bulgaria, saying "All that stuff before the game is not ideal by any means. But the window was shut Wednesday evening, I knew where I was going to be, so I could settle my head. I could refocus then on the most important thing which is playing for my country."

Cahill went on to start for England, putting in a great performance and bagging the opener. He will surely play a huge part in England's Euro 2012 campaign.

The BBC has confirmed today that the Bolton Wanderers have signed Swansea City star midfielder Darren Pratley to a four-year contract, adding a renowned talent to their roster, while leaving the Swans swimming.

The signing comes at the heels of recent statements from Swansea City, particularly from Swans defender Ashley Williams, insisting that the first Welsh club in Premier League history would not change or alter their playing style against their new top-tier opponents. Such opinions were given credit when Swansea recently rejected a Newcastle United bid for defender Neil Taylor, stating simply "he has an important role to play at this club."

But if Taylor was a key player in Swansea's road to success, then Pratley was even more so, making 199 appearances for the Swans in the past five seasons and seeing them through to two promotions during his stay. It's little wonder that he caught the eye of the Welsh club's new Premier League rivals.

Following their most recent promotion in dramatic style at Wembley Stadium (a 4-2 victory over Reading in the playoff final), Pratley's contract with the Swans came to an end.  Despite their best efforts, Swansea City could not preserve the key element of their squad by persuading Pratley to stay.

"A number of clubs were interested in him and we are pleased to have secured his services," Bolton manager Owen Coyle told the BBC. "We're delighted to have Darren here."

While Pratley could be the spark Bolton need to improve on their 14th place season in 2010-11, the Swans are left wondering who in the world could fill such big shoes.

Bolton Wanderers have never been a fashionable club in the modern age of football.

Many think of them as one of the tough-to-beat sides that inhabit the middle of the premier league. Even with the arrival of Owen Coyle, who has made them a more football-oriented side, they are still often deemed a "kick and rush" team.

This perception owes much to the success they enjoyed under former manager Sam Allardyce, who gave Bolton one of their successful spells since the days of Nat Lofthouse and the famous win over Manchester United at Wembley in the 1958 FA Cup final.

Allardyce typically builds his teams on a platform of strong defense and no-nonsense at the back, with the ball frequently bypassing the midfield initially, before being laid back by a strong center/forward type via a knock downs or lay off, then worked out wide and then crossed on an angle to the far post or edge of the area.

Things have changed considerably since Coyle took over. Bolton fought off the relegation that threatened them and have proceeded this season to become one of the better footballing units in the league this season, as their current ranking at seventh reflects.

Their play has been outstanding at times and they have given out a few footballing lessons over the season to sides that would have easily brushed them aside a few years ago. The linking play in their midfield is often beautifully wrought, as ball retention and movement have become the ingredients for assaults on the opposition goal, rather than the aerial bombardments that characterized the reign of Allardyce. 

Chung-Yong Lee's late goal gave Bolton the victory over Birmingham City this past weekend, the "Blue Dragon" heading home just before the close of play to end Birmingham's rather fanciful idea's of a cup double.

Bolton also keeps its hopes of someone stepping up to emulate the late great Nathaniel Lofthouse, the former Bolton Wanderers star and one club man, who was capped 33 times by England scoring 30 goals. Lofthouse passed away in January this year, and his death was marked with ceremony preceding the visit of Chelsea to Bolton's Reebok stadium. 

In the 1958 final, Lofthouse stood against the wave of sympathy that went out to the devastated Manchester United club after the disaster in Munich earlier that year, and scored twice to take the cup. The second proved a controversially awarded score, and Lofthouse later said that he had fouled United keeper Harry Gregg when the goal was given. It remained the high point for Bolton since the 1920s, though.

Bolton have Stoke City to play in the Semi-final, which is no easy fixture, and despite the weight of history being behind them, they may still not quite make Wembley. In a quirk of fate, they are up against one of the former clubs of Sir Stanley Matthews, a.k.a. "The wizard of dribble," who, though with Blackpool at the time, famously ruined Bolton's dreams in the FA Cup final of 1953, in a final that ever since has been known as "The Matthews final."

Matthews enjoyed two stints with Stoke City in a stellar career, in which he was knighted while still playing, a feat that has not been eclipsed.

The history of the FA Cup, the world's oldest sporting competition, keeps the magic very much alive, despite the cynicism that pervades much of the commentary on the cup in the last few years. The magic is very much a part of the closing stages when semi-final time arrives. On the day of the final itself, when the trophy is presented, it can indeed be the stuff dreams are made of. 

Bolton have a little bit of history to spur them on, and they will need it if they are to overcome the opponents that lie in wait in the next two matches. The chance for it to again be a Bolton Vs. Manchester United final still lies ahead, and if that match up materializes, perhaps it could well be Bolton's year, and if it is, the magic of the world's oldest cup could well hold the world spellbound once again.  

It’s the middle of November and few would have predicted the current standings in the Barclay’s Premier League. Almost halfway through the season, and favourites like Manchester City, Tottenham Hotspur and Liverpool have a new rival on their radars.

Enter: Bolton Wanderers.

Situated in Greater Manchester, Bolton has always been the least glamorous of the Manchester triumvirate; however, for the time being at least, it is Bolton, not City or United, that have the biggest reason to cheer.

Whilst their rivals are struggling for form, the "trotters," as they are known to their fans, have crept up to fifth in the table, completely throwing the form guide out of the window.

And one man must be credited with this outstanding rise for a team that are widely known as being the first to win the very first match at the "old" Wembley Stadium back in 1923, when they beat West Ham 2-0 in the FA Cup final.

He went from being a hero to villain when he left Bolton’s fierce rivals, Burnley, in January this year, but little did Bolton’s chairman Phil Gartside know that he had just done the best piece of business of his Bolton Wanderers tenure.

Owen Coyle has not only transformed the league position of Bolton Wanderers, he has got them playing with a style and purpose not to dissimilar to the "total football" of Arsenal and Barcelona. The guile, self-belief, commitment and passion of his team have surprised many people, myself included, as these relegation candidates are now challenging at the upper-reaching level of the Barclays Premier League.

Bolton have forever been living in the footsteps of the Sam Allardyce years, a team that had four successive Top 10 finishes, a UEFA cup run and reached a Carling Cup final in 2007. But in recent years, times have been tough for this club. Ever since Allardyce departed for pastures new at Newcastle United, they have been fighting relegation, struggling to assert themselves in the Premier League and dealing with constant managerial changes and a complete squad change. And the chances of them being relegated into the N-Power Championship looked a strong possibility.

The early traditions of the team that moved into their new home, The Reebok Stadium, back in 1997, showed early signs of promise as the club won three FA Cup trophies in the 1920s, including that famous win over West Ham United in 1923. However, their last FA Cup triumph dates back to the 1950s, when a Nat Lofthouse-inspired Bolton defeated the powers that were the Busby Babes of Manchester United.

In the past, Bolton have been known to play a "defensive, physical" encounter every time they went onto the pitch, which you could argue is why they have predominantly resided towards the bottom of the league in recent seasons; however, Coyle has instrumented a change in philosophy, ditching the physical tag for a much better attacking outlet, which has signalled instant results.

So, was being the first team to win at Wembley in 1923 a high burden to follow for a club the size of Bolton? It certainly weighed heavily on the shoulders of former managers like Sammy Lee and Gary Megson, who struggled to make an impact on the club that had enjoyed success under Allardyce.

However, here we are, Tuesday 23^rd November 2010, Bolton Wanderers are proudly sitting fifth in the league with 22 points from 14 games. The long-suffering Bolton Wanderers faithful finally have something to smile about.

It may seem early days yet, but recent results , 4-2 at home to Champions League debutants Tottenham Hotspur and a resounding 5-1 win at home to Newcastle United, certainly suggest the glory days of Bolton Wanderers may not be all that far away.

It is without question that the attacking approach play that Coyle has implemented into his team has certainly helped them to turn their fortunes around.  And this new style of play has seen them score 13 goals in their past four league outings. Johan Elmander, a Swedish striker brought for around £8m in 2008, has suddenly been reborn and has been helped in doing so by other notable performances from Martin Petrov, Stuart Holden and Kevin Davies.

Bolton Wanderers are showing the big money-spenders that you don’t have to necessarily splash the cash on high transfer fees and wages to build a successful team.

It remains to be seen whether this high-flying Manchester club can keep hold of their master of a manager in Owen Coyle, snapped up by Burnley from the lower reaches of the Scottish First Division in 2007. He is certainly showing us all what a fantastic young manager he is, yet, at this level, success breeds unwanted interest. Coyle's team are doing a fantastic job of promoting him, but only time will tell whether one of the "big guns" come calling.

How far can they go before the bubble is burst? Well, that remains to be seen; however, it is clear for everyone to see that Owen Coyle has got Bolton playing the football that the fans never saw under Allardyce or Megson. More important than all of this, though, when the chant "Are You Watching, Brazil?" rings out, it doesn't really seem that ludicrous.