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BLIND, STUPID AND DESPERATE
 
06/07: Preview: Bolton Wanderers
Opinion

Our Last Meeting
"From the first moments of the game, the Watford performance stunk out WD18. The opening hoof from the kick off drifted pointlessly up-field as we settled into our seats for a thoroughly miserable afternoon. As various other sides around the country were at the very least challenging their more illustrious opponents, Watford capitulated from the start. The defence was wretched throughout the first half, seemingly incapable in dealing with the concept of wingers or forwards that are not limited to occupying a single channel. Borgetti, Vaz Te and European Champion Stelios made Watford look like a park side for much of the first half. Stewart's dithering let in Borgetti in the opening moments and the team were lucky to remain on terms. But on ten minutes, more dithering and defensive fanny football let in Borgetti who fired home from the edge of the box. Three defenders could and should have cleared before the goal."

Pete Fincham,
Watford 0 Bolton Wanderers 3,
F.A. Cup Third Round, 07/01/06

Most Relevant Aspect of Babycare
Bolton have made an art form of adapting and inheriting cast-offs and hand-me downs. There's an art to identifying, often at a bafflingly early stage in proceedings, which pieces of proferred tat are your Kevin Davies and which are your Mario Jardels. Expect Big Sam to give up on football and set up his own consultancy advising on such matters by Christmas. He could make an absolute mint...

Going down instead of us because:
No African Nations' Cup this year? D'oh. Still, with Ian Walker as back-up, an injury to Jaaskelainen should do the job.

BSaD Verdict
Big Sam has done an awesome job with Wanderers, who have come a long way since we beat Colin Todd's side at Wembley seven years ago. Despite missing out on the England job, however, and despite denials of interest in positions elsewhere you can't but wonder whether he's getting itchy feet and, more specifically, how long he'll be happy at Bolton where things have been as good as they're likely to get. With N'Gotty and Jaidi departing Meite will need to work out if they're to repeat last season's achievement, but anywhere from there downwards would be no surprise.