Match Preview

Once Upon A Time In The Midlands

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Bolton’s second away game in a row against a team that begins with A. After running out of A’s, we follow it with a team that begins with a B on Tuesday.

Vital Quotes:

There is no easy time to go to Aston Villa and I have to say that Kevin MacDonald has done a terrific job in the time he has been in charge.’ Owen, they beat West Ham, and who hasn’t done that, got a kicking by Newcastle, got battered by Everton and somehow won and then lost to Stoke, who aren’t all that. They’ve even got a worse goal difference than us. Deep down, I don’t think they can wait for Houllier to start.

Bolton are a very difficult team. Under Owen they’ve started to play more classic but they’re still very physical.’ I’m thinking Kevin MacDonald hasn’t been reading the press.

I played on and finished the game against Arsenal but on the Sunday I didn`t quite feel myself and was struggling with bright lights.’ SuperKev confirms that he is ready to go. Kind of.

Aston Villa Team News:

Villa are pretty much fit and raring to go and have been given some magic fairy dust to boost their performance as this is Kevin MacDonald’s last game in charge if you believe some of the incredible guff coming out of the UK’s third city.

Player to watch: Ashley Young

We suspect that he’ll be seeing a lot of the ball if he lines up on the right as everyone who has read a paper this week will know who our left back is. Best put some extra thick shin pads in though Ash.

Bolton Wanderers Team News:

Gary ‘Gaz’ Cahill starts his ban and Jussi is half way through so AOB and Shaggy will stand in.

SuperKevin Davies has recovered from Koscielny’s attempt to remove his head from his shoulders, the dirty Arsenal cheat, and will start.

Player to watch: Andy O’Brien

He’ll have tougher games to play while standing in for Cahill but he needs to get a good start. An honest, sometimes too honest for his own good, footballer but will have to be at the top of his game with Young, Downing, Agbonlahor and Carew against him.

Match Facts & Stats

Bolton haven’t beaten Villa since a Gary Speed penalty secured a 1-0 win in December 2006 at Villa Park. Of seventy four games away at Villa, T’Trotters have won sixteen and drawn eighteen.

Not a happy hunting ground last time when one of Johan Elmander’s three goals last season brought Bolton back into the game, before Villa had a word in a 5-1 loss.

The great Joe Smith is Bolton’s top scorer in the fixture with fifteen goals.

Ref Watch:

Praise be. It’s not Attwell. Mike Dean has reffed two games this season, Chelsea’s spanking of Wigan and Sunderland’s victory over Citeh.

His last Bolton game was our 4-0 victory over the pie eaters in March.

Match Prediction:

2-0. No, sorry 0-2, depending on how you read it.

Next Fixtures:

It’s North Dingleshire away on Tuesday for the reserves before Stretford come to stand up and ignore the stewards at The Reebok next Saturday.

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