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Bolton Wanderers: Loanings

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What. There’s ANOTHER deadline day? Who knew?

Good afternoon all. Let us not think of what is to come, let us think of the present.

Today is deadline day for loan deals, something that we have not had to deal with….since…..pretty much ever. Yes, when we were in the Premier League, the odd reserve player would leave for a couple of months. But this season is the first time we have had to deal with the loan deadline day and players, possibly, coming in.

However, that may not even be the big news of today as, according to the former BENaccording to the former BEN, a number of big name players (well, big for Bolton) may be on their way OUT. All bar one have played for the first team and the one who hasn’t had a transfer signing so complicated, Kavanagh QC would have had difficulty sorting it out.

The highest profile name is Marvin Sordell, a player who has had so few first team chances (or maybe too many first team chances) that some people may have suspected that he was already out on loan. I spoke on Tuesday about the SKD conundrum, but I still don’t get the Sordell conundrum. If he leaves we will have three first team strikers in SKD, N’Gog and Afobe. With Michael O’Halloran reportedly on his way to Tranmere, this will leave us pretty shy for strikers. Dougie better have a trick up his sleeve.

No one is saying that Sordell should just walk into the team and has to earn his place, and the smart thinking is that he hasn’t done that. To me, you need at least two players who can play like Sordell does and, if he leaves, Afobe will be the only player who does that. SKD we’ve spoken about and N’Gog blows hot and cold. I think that having three strikers is at least one too few, regardless of formation. It gives very little wriggle room.

Other players on the temporary bus out of town are said to be Marcos Alonso, Joe Riley and Gregg Wylde. Some believe that Riley should be given his chance at right back, but most prefer Sam Ricketts there and I have spoken before on Tyrone Mears and stats showing that he is the best right sided defender. I have no problem with Riley going out on loan. He hasn’t been out on loan before and it gives all a chance to see how he can play without the problem of trying to blood him in the Championship. After his performances last season, I still have high hopes for Riley and, as long as he goes to a club free of facists and sex offenders, he should do fine.

Gregg Wylde is a funny one. The club put up such a battle to bring him in and, despite losing that battle, you would have expected him to have kicked into the team this season. Instead, he hasn’t made an appearance. You would expect a six month lay off would make him rusty, but his lack of appearances under first Coyle and then Freedman is worrying. The fact that he has joined Bury, two leagues below, may suggest that he isn’t as good as first thought. Although how a player who played nearly forty league games for Rangers, and also played in Europe, and has played for the Scottish U-21s (OK, the last one may not be so good) has ended up at Gigg Lane, only he may know.

With left back being covered by both Ricketts and Stephen Warnock, it is no suprise to see Marcos Alonso go out. Indeed, it may be the last we see of a player who hasn’t, for whatever reasons, be able to force his way into the first team permanently. A lack of pace is his problem, although his positional sense is excellent. However, his position requires a turn of speed, especially if you have Martin Petrov in front of you and, like his predecessor Paul Robinson, he doesn’t possess a kick. Although Robbo possessed a kick of another kind. I think I’ve got it right that he signed a three year deal when he signed in 2010 and, if that is the case, it runs out in the summer. I can’t see another one coming his way and, with his drink driving case still going through the Spanish equivalent of fast track hearings, seventeen months and counting, it may be worthwhile, like Tamir Cohen before him for different reasons, to be closer to home. A loan deal to Spain may be on the cards.

Michael O’Halloran is also going out on loan. Then again, when is he not?

There was a rumour that Fleetwood may be coming in for SKD. I can only assume that this is because the internet hasn’t reached that particular part of the Fylde coast yet. I think you know what I’m driving at.

It’s interesting that no one has been mooted as coming in as I write this, five hours before the deadline. It would be strange if only Jacob Butterfield came in. So hold your breath until five o’clock.

Elsewhere, Mark Davies looks to be in talks about a new contract, despite having two and a half years left on his current one. Maybe this is an Anelka type deal, sign a new contract so that any suitor needs to pay more in January or the summer. Or, maybe, it is a sign that Dougie wants to build his team around Mavies. (No use of the name Sparky here. That nickname can only lead to later failure.) Mavies has certainly appeared to have improved since Freedman came in, so to me, either way is a win win.

Right, that’s me for the week. Al is here for a Brighton preview tomorrow. I’m off to bed. Bloody nights. Have a good weekend.

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