One look at the league table will tell you that Bolton have very little to play for next Saturday. They aint going down and the league doesn't offer them a route into Europe either. But 8 days later, the club has an FA Cup Semifinal to play at Wembley. Tell me, are they going to be 100% up for a meaningless league game when glory beckons?
No West Ham fan needs telling that Bolton are a bogey team - and have been ever since 1923 when 126,000 and a white horse saw us pummelled by the flat cap thugs! But we are overdue a win - way overdue a win - and we will surely never have a better chance than next Saturday.
If we lose, there is a real danger that we will become detached at the bottom and get that dreadful sinking feeling. If we can win, confidence should surge again ahead of the crucial home game against Villa.
Bolton will not do us any favours HF. No way! If we were a physical team, maybe they would opt to save some of their better players for the Wembley game. But what sort of threat are we in the physical game. Not much.
ReplyDeleteOn the contrary, they may be playing more relaxed as nothing is really at stake for them and this may help them find their rythm against a team that they just love putting down.
We need to earn it on the field. We need a manager who will study Bolton and come up with a winning stategy. We need someone else other than Avram Grant to manage the team, basically.
No offense Sav, but I've been thinking what HF has been thinking.
ReplyDeleteThe winner of Stoke v Bolton are basically in Europa League since both MU and MC will qualify via their league position for European fun. I don't think about it as a favor but that their sights will be elsewhere. The Stoke game will be far more important for them. I think we will get over the Bolton hump and win this game.
If we lose, things will be tough. But HF, I don't agree that it will be close to death. It's just so tight. We have 3 games at home and 4 on the road. Let's say we win 2 of the home games and have one stinker. Six points there. Can we pick up 4 points away with a win and a draw? I think so. Lose to both Chelsea and MC and get a win and a draw against Bolton and Wigan. That seams feasible, and would take us to 42 points. And that could be enough.
Poke holes in my theory, everyone. I'd rather start depressed and let good news be a pleasant surprise.
Are you making the trip BBC?
ReplyDeleteThere is plenty of wine to go around you know!!
Must get at least a point out of this game and a win at home against Villa, anything less and we're pretty much gone.
ReplyDelete