Liam Trotter has been blamed for many Bolton failings- is this deserved?
I’m not going to do what I usually do and write a few paragraphs before I answer the question. I’ll just go straight into this- yes, I think he is to blame.
Liam Trotter is highly rated from his Millwall days and apparently we paid 100k to loan him until the end of the season last year. On joining Bolton he said he likes to ‘dominate’ his opposite number.
Admittedly, I don’t make it to as many Bolton matches as I’d like to- I think I’ve seen eight this season. However, what I can say, having seen Trotter play for Bolton about five times, is that he does anything but dominate.
Let’s say we’re playing 4-2-3-1, and Trotter is making up part of the ‘2’ with Neil Danns. That would makes sense, right? Let’s say someone is watching Bolton for the first time- let’s say his name is Ivanhoe. Ivanhoe looks at Bolton line up- he sees one tall, imposing midfielder and one smaller, more technical one. That would make sense to Ivanhoe. Ivanhoe has also heard that Trotter likes to ‘dominate’ other midfielders. Ivanhoe thinks this sounds good.
Unfortunately, Ivanhoe’s lack of knowledge about Bolton makes his confidence in this setup all too misled. Liam Trotter is a big, strong looking midfielder- he looks like the right sort’ve person to play in this position.
However, Trotter is not good enough in the air for someone so tall. He can’t win headers against people several inches smaller.
I believe that he played in a more attacking role during his Millwall days. In a Bolton shirt, whenever he gets the ball, I personally find that he takes far too many touches before playing a completely pointless, ineffectual pass that serves absolutely no purpose.
Of course, there are times where you have to keep the ball and such actions are appropriate, but if someone wanted the ball to just be knocked back to them, they’d kick the ball at a wall.
There is something about Trotter that gives me hope that he could succeed at Bolton- he scored 22 in 125 for Milwall- not a bad return for a midfielder and he is a strong lad.
He’s not too bad technically and I, with all Bolton players, want to see him succeed.
I feel that he’s currently filling the gap left by Darren Pratley of ‘unpopular central midfielder’, and I hope he can follow Pratley in improving his reputation among Bolton fans.
A few more of these wouldn’t hurt:
What’re your thoughts on Trotter?