Mike E

Morons on fb comparing McGregor to Muhammad Ali! Ali was far better in his own sport, transcended it completely, was far more humble, and has a lasting legacy! McGregor is a flash in the pan, and clearly a prick.

Correct. Number of times Dack was spotted in OUR half searching for the ball was ridiculous. Better 2nd half, but need to keep going.

Same personnel, amended formation. We need to emphasise attack, so I would allow Bennett and Rothwell to roam forward.

I wasn't completely happy with tgat joke either. Amended.

Team: Bolton Wanderers. Based in: Horwich. Stadium: Freezing. Nickname: Pig's feet. Manager: Michael Parkinson. Fans: Mental Famous fans: Stone Cold Steve Austin and those midgets off Phoenix Nights. So, fresh off a sound beating by the Blades, we enter the freezing cold home of Horwich Wanderers; a team who claim Utd and Rovers among their closest rivals, while neither of those teams could give a toss. Not only is the ground shaped like a begging bowl suspended from giant chopsticks, they are genuinely so skint that fans are charged £30 to sit and freeze. At least, that's the excuse they give for the astonishing silence in a ground that is more lively when there's no footy on, thanks to the attached Middlebrook Retail Park. Founded in 1874 as Christ Church FC, the decision was made to quickly move the club from New Zealand to the arsehole between the two cheeks of Lancashire and Manchester. A move that would go on to disappoint Bolton-based football fans for 144 years, knowing that better, more handsome, more successful, teams surrounded them. They, like us, were founder members of the Football League in 1888 and, unlike us, have the dubious honour of spending more years in the top flight without winning it than any other club. Bolton HAVE, however, won three FA Cups (but not 3-in-a-row like us), and four in total (we have six, so nya nya nya)! 1935-1964 saw an uninterrupted stay in the top flight – regarded by fans as a golden era – spearheaded in the 1950s by the legendary Nat Lofthouse. The years of the Second World War saw most of the Wanderers' playing staff see action on the front, a rare occurrence within elite football, as top sportsmen were generally assigned to physical training assignments, away from enemy fire. However, 15 Bolton professionals, led by their captain Harry Goslin, volunteered for active service in 1939, and were enlisted in the 53rd Bolton Artillery regiment. By the end of the war, 32 of the 35 pre-war professionals saw action in the British forces. The sole fatality was Goslin, who had by then risen to the rank of Lieutenant and was killed by shrapnel on the Italian front shortly before Christmas 1943. 53rd Bolton Artillery took part in the Battle of Dunkirk and also served in the campaigns of Egypt, Iraq and Italy. Remarkably, a number of these soldiers managed to carry on playing the game in these theatres of war, forming a 'British X1' to take on various scratch teams assembled by, among others, King Farouk of Egypt in Cairo and Polish forces in Baghdad. The club spent a season in the Fourth Division in 1987-88 before regaining top-flight status in 1995 (wow that was quick!) and qualifying for the UEFA Cup twice, hoofing their way to the last 32 in 2005–06 and the last 16 in 2007–08. The club has had plenty of ups and downs lately, from future England gaffers to pingpong and donut PE teachers, from an absolute Gentleman in Eddie Davies to batshit consortiums. For all the mockery they get from us, there can be no doubt that they are a club comparable to ourselves on a smaller scale... And forever in our shadow may they remain! In common: Adam Armstrong, Matt Jansen, Kevin Davies, Sam Allardyce, that bastard Coyle, and others I'm too lazy to look up. Head 2 Head: Rovers 62 Draw 38 Bolton 70 I coaxed a Bolton fan with his head screwed on from his cave (he's going out with a fellow Rover, so not yet a lost cause) and asked a few Qs: 1. How have your team fared so far this season? Have you a particular style of play and is it working? We have fared reasonably well so far. I was pleasantly surprised by our start (10 points from first 4) but we have stuttered through September. The win against Derby was a big confidence boost and an important win given a tough week of fixtures (we are away at Stoke before we play you). Whilst September has been disappointing after the start, I would definitely have taken 15 points from the first 10 games. It was the start of December before we had that many last time around so we are definitely better placed this season. Our style tends to be to play long balls out from the back towards Josh Magennis and hope to win second balls, we like to sit in deep and hit on the break where possible, it seems to be working to an extent, particularly if we score first, however we tend to struggle when we concede first. I saw a statistic recently which was something like 8 of our last 10 wins have been 1-0 and I think the other 2 were only by 1 goal. 2. Are events behind the scenes affecting how you view the club, in light of being an Eddie Davies Will away from administration? Not particularly but it can't have been good for any of the players, management or non-football staff to have the possible burden of administration hanging over them. I was certainly saddened to read about this a few weeks ago and it seemed such a shame after such a positive start that administration appeared to be a genuine possibility. We seem to have got through that particular crisis for now though and attention can return to football. 3. Who are your most dangerous players? Which are your weak spots? The wide men, obviously everyone has heard of Sammy Ameobi but he is injured at the moment. Craig Noone has come into the team this season and works very hard but sometimes the end product lets him down. He scored the winner against Derby and has set up a few goals earlier in the season. Erhun Oztumer has come in from Walsall and has impressed in spells and was known to score wonder goals during his time in the Midlands. Hopefully he can produce one on Saturday evening! Josh Magennis has added a physical threat to our front line which was sorely missing in the second half of last season after we sold Gary Madine to Cardiff. One of our better players, albeit not necessarily dangerous, has been Pawel Olkowski who plays at right back. Based on his early performances I would say he could be the best right back in the division, certainly the best I have watched this season. In terms of weak spots, left back has been a bit of a problem area this season. Our first choice left back last year was on loan from Everton and subsequently went on loan to Wigan. We have replaced him with Jonathan Grounds who has been a bit of a slow starter but seems to be finding his feet now and looking a bit more comfortable. 4. Anyone you fear in the Rovers side? I don't think so. Tony Mowbray appears to have been given significant backing in the transfer window by the Venky's and seems to be signing younger players with a point to prove and this seems to have worked very well for him over the last 12 months or so. Bradley Dack seems key to everything good that you do so he is obviously a big threat and Adam Armstrong is bound to return and score after struggling here in the early part of last season. One of my bigger concerns would be giving away silly free kicks around the penalty area given Charlie Mulgrew's multiple goals over recent seasons, if he makes it that is. One player at Blackburn I have always rated is Derrick Williams but he doesn't seem to be playing as much as I would have expected this season. 5. How is the imposter (Lowe) getting on? Jason Lowe has really impressed me so far and had probably his best game in a white shirt against Derby, cutting out multiple attacks and preventing the likes of Mason Mount from getting too many chances to thread balls through the middle. It's surprising how it didn't work out for him at Birmingham after leaving Rovers but so far he has certainly improved our midfield and offers vital cover for the back four to allow the more creative players the freedom to express themselves. 6. Any unusual or obscure trivia about your club? We are one of only 3 (I think) that Sergio Aguero hasn't scored against in the Premier League for Manchester City. In fact, his misfortune with Bolton extends further back to 2008 whilst he was at Atletico Madrid and got sent off at the Reebok (as it was then) in the uefa cup, those were the days... 7. Finally, what do you reckon the score will be? I would think it will be a fairly tight game as they have tended to be over the years. I expect both teams to score with Bolton to nick it late on to win 2-1. Thanks to Andrew for some genuine insight into the mind of a Bolton fan (lol, Jason Lowe actually playing football). I reckon 1-1 tbh, certainly after the Sheff Utd Shitshow. Nevertheless, COYB!!

Change to 434: Raya Lenihan Rodwell Mulgrew Bennett Evans Reed Bell Dack Graham Brereton Although, I seem to recall Reed mentioning he'd been playing wide right, and I know many prefer Bennett in cm. I'd be ok with that too.

I can't describe how much more than any other competition I enjoy the Ryder Cup. FULL of terrific sporting stories every time. Sergio has surely elevated himself into 'GOAT' status now alongside the likes of Jack, Arnie, Seve, Tiger?

Watched it back and the ball goes ROUND the wall, the nearest player to it is Charlie. 'If Nyambe had stood up strong and tried to block it', it would still have gone round the wall.

Utter bollocks.

Deffo out

Damn 3-1. Is it cos I cussed the Beeb?

Fuck the BBC, they've always done us down. Stoke aren't down to us, we are 3-0 up at their place!

The debate TM should be having in his mind (imo) is which one to play up front? The pace of Armstrong may give us an outlet from a counter attacking POV, stretching the defence, leaving space for Dack. Graham, however, has those street smarts in holding the ball up to be laid off for Dack in tight spots. I'm honestly not sure which I'd pick.

Not really. If we based everything on what TM did, he'd never get any criticism.

I see them as playing in the middle and able to run wide for attacks. I'd like to see: ---------------------Raya Nyambe Lenihan Mulgrew Bell -------Bennett Reed Rothwell ---------------------Dack ----------Graham Armstrong I know it's never been played, but those 3 in the middle are full of workrare and running, equally capable of defending if we're under the cosh, or filling in for the full backs as they bomb on, or (particularly Bennett and Rothwell) getting wide and forward in support of the attack. It may be my backside talking, but I like that side.

Basically my view. Staganant is the perfect word.

This looks tasty: ---------------------Raya Nyambe Lenihan Mulgrew Bell -------Bennett Evans Rothwell ---------------------Dack -----------Brereton Graham

I'll do Bolton!

Name: Derby County FC Stadium: Pride Park Manager: Super Frankie Lampard Form: Pretty good, 12pts from 7 games. Strip: Laughably boring compared to our hallowed halves. Derby County are famously a perennial second division team in modern times, being humiliated during their brief forays into the Premier League (I'm looking at you, 'Giles Barnes'). Derby are generally a club that hovers around the play-off places, while our season in this league is (to my mind) one with aims to hit midtable. Their history consists of being notable as one of our fellow founder members of the Football League in 1888, and among the select ten clubs to have competed in every season of the English football league system. The club's home colours have been black and white since the 1890s. It appropriated its nickname The Rams, a tribute to its links with the First Regiment of Derby Militia, which took a ram as its mascot and the song "The Derby Ram" as its regimental song, at the same time. Their honours consist of 2 First Divisions, 4 Second Divisions, 1 Third Division, 1 FA Cup, and a Charity Shield. Now while we have a smug giggle at their comparatively crap list of honours compared to ours, here are some interesting notes: We played Derby in the first game 125th Anniversary season of the FL, as fellow founder members in 2013; a game treasured in the minds of Rovers fans as being one of the few games Leon Best made himself useful before turning out to be a complete arsewipe. Aside from that, I have no real memory of our matches against them. Players in common: Andy Todd, Jay McEveley, Kasey Palmer, Frank Fielding... I know there are many others, but I'm struggling. I did ask a Derby supporting pal of mine, Tim, to answer some questions. He answered them at 3am Sunday morning, which may explain his bizarre answers: 1. What do you think of the season so far, and what are your aims? We're shit, how could we lose to bloody Rotherham. What a waste. Relegation is looming! 2. Who are your star players? Anyone at Rovers you're scared of? Star players?? Ha! Lampard should dust his boots off and teach our lot a thing or two! Honestly, Rotherham? Frigging Rotherham?? No wonder the missus left me last night, that loss left me a quivering wreck! 3. Predictions for the match vs Rovers? How can I get her back Mike? I'm a shell without her! I'm sure he doesn't read this mb, but nonetheless I share all our thanks to Tim for his remarkable insight. Personally, I think we'll get another draw. They'll be looking for a reaction after their result this weekend, but we have fight in us: 1-1.

People are too quick to blame Raya for that free kick imo. Watch it again. Aside from being a great strike, Raya was telling Charlie where to position that wall and was being ignored. Then when it was being taken, you can see Charlie leaning into the wall (away from the flight of the ball). If I were Mowbray I'd be asking what the hell Captain Fantastic was thinking. He cost us those points imo. If he'd been where Raya tried to put him, that ball couldn't have gone where it did

What was Charlie doing in that wall? He was pushing it away from the ball! I'll take a draw, but feels like it was thrown away tbh.

I took it as being about 'guilty pleasure' type songs

Now that I'm engaged, I'm having to listen to all sorts of slow music (waltz or saunter or foxtrot) to decide on our first dance. Of course, these songs are riddled with sickeningly sweet poetry. Even the decent 'slow rock' type songs are becoming unbearable. So in absolute contrast, to keep me sane, I've been belting out this unashamedly self-indulgent classic:

Shall I wait til the immediate aftermath of the Villa game to post the Derby one?

Personally, I'd not play him until the order is completed now. Keep him training, keep him travelling with the boys to games as support, but he has several weeks worth of unpaid work to do. Make him do it, but keep him in the loop.