It’s not often that a club as old as Bolton get someone new to play, but that is exactly what happened when Crawley Town were pulled out of the hat alongside us for the League Cup second round.
Whilst Owen Coyle will undoubtedly use some fringe players this evening, he will be looking to get a result and move the club into the third round. Ties like this are tricky. You are damned if you win as you are expected to, and damned if you don’t. The manager has a tricky balancing act to perform.
You can tell I have nothing to say really, can’t you?
Vital Quotes:
‘Certainly there will be no complacency on our part when we face Crawley on Tuesday. They are very much a club on the up and the owner has real ambitions. We will not underestimate them as opponents. It has been a busy first week of the season, this is our fourth game in ten days, so I will be looking to freshen things up. The tie offers us the chance to give a run out to players who haven’t featured yet. They will be fresh and this is a good opportunity for them to push their claim for a regular starting place. We have looked at having two players for each position this season and that is good for competition and gives us options in our cup campaigns.‘ Or, there will be complacency, we will underestimate them, some of the players will be tired, I’ll look to finally play Josh Vela, it’s only the League Cup.
Crawley Town Team News:
From the BBC Sport website, the only injury concern for Crawley is defender Claude Davis with a cut head.
Player to watch: Mark Connolly
When Mark Connolly left T’Reebok in the summer and found himself at Crawley, he would barely have hoped that Bolton would come visiting the south of England and he would have the chance to show Owen Coyle his error in releasing him. The former reserve captain has so far made two appearances for the home side but, as OC said at the fans forum, he lacks that little bit of pace. Uou would hope whatever forward line the manager puts out can exploit that.
Bolton Wanderers Team News:
OC has said that he will make changes for the game and the likes of O’Halloran, Vela and Riley didn’t take part on the development squads game yesterday. Lonergan should get a game between the sticks and Benik Afobe a start up front.
Player to watch: Benik Afobe
Not knowing the manager’s intention, it is difficult to pre determine what side he will put out. But, if he is to give one of SKD and Sordell a rest, Afobe will have the chance to strut his stuff. His hat trick at Tranmere still fresh in the memory, he should be able to do the same against relatively similar opponents.
Match Facts & Stats
As the two teams have never met, there is no head to head record. With this only being Crawley’s second season in the Football League, they have little history in this competition but have gone further this season than last, when they were knocked out in the first round.
Bolton rarely get knocked out at this stage, the last time in 2008 and the time before that in 2002.
Ref Watch:
Graham Scott. No, I’ve got nothing.
Match Prediction:
I think Crawley will score but believe that we will be too strong for them. So, 2-1 to Bolton.
Next Fixtures:
Away at Hull on Saturday before a nice international break.