AFC Bournemouth visit the Reebok tomorrow. The Whites need to win this one, not for a kick-start surge up the league table, but to kick-start the survival hopes
We would all hope for, as Wanderers` fans, 3 points at home to AFC Bournemouth. The reason we`re all hoping for the win tomorrow, however, differs greatly to what was wished for at the beginning of the season. Promotion was the rallying cry as the season drew near; avoiding relegation is now the tiresome groan.
The Whites find themselves just four points clear of the bottom three after a run of six games without a win in the league, during which, they have conceded- wait for it- 18 goals.
Bolton have lost their last three Championship outings- including a 7-1 drubbing at the hands of Reading last month- and the bottom three all have a game in hand on the Whites, making it even more important that they begin to pick up points on a regular basis? sooner rather than later.
Only two teams have amassed fewer points in front of their own supporters than Bolton this season, with just 2 home wins to the Whites` name.
Although trying to guess Dougie`s starting line-up this season has proved as difficult as cracking the Enigma code, the manager is likely to hand a first start to Liam Trotter and a home debut to Lukas Jutkiewicz, but is still without long-term absentees, Stuart Holden and left-back, Marc Tierney.
Bournemouth are currently six points better off than the Wanderers in the Championship table following a successful debut season in the second tier, thus far.
The Cherries have failed to string a consistent run of results together during their campaign, but they will be happy with mid-table mediocrity come the end of the season.
Eddie Howe is expected to give January arrival Yann Kermorgant a first start for the club, although Charlie Daniels is a doubt for the match through injury.
Recent form
Bolton: WDLLLL
Bournemouth: LWDLWL
Possible starting lineups
Bolton: Lonergan; Ream, Mills, Knight, Baptiste; Davies, Spearing; Lee, Trotter, Danns; Jutkiewicz
Bournemouth: Camp; Francis, Elphick, Ward, Harte; O’Kane, Arter, Surman, Ritchie; Kermorgant; Grabban
Match prediction.
If Bolton get the 3 points tomorrow, I’ll be delighted. The longer we stay in the Championship, the greater chance we have of building a team for the future. Will we begin tomorrow? I certainly hope so. Not many goals tomorrow, I’m afraid and I’m sick of guessing- correctly in a lot of cases- a 1-1 draw.
1-0 to the Whites.