Tippy Tappy Football

It seems OC has been reading the Wakey Wanderer blog.  Last time we mentioned that if Bolton are to achieve promotion, T'Reebok would have to become a fortress again.  In a recent press conference OC said:

"Home form is absolutely paramount in the Championship, there's no doubt about that... We want to get back to the Reebok being a fortress again. We've shown that can be the case against the best sides in the country in the Premier League, so we have to make sure we're ready to do that in the Championship. If we do that, then of course those valuable home points will go a long way to pushing you up towards the top end of the league which is where everyone wants to be."

It also seems as if CYL has been reading my twitter feed.  At half time against Derby I tweed my thoughts on the first half display: "Oh look, another long ball to SKD."  Then on Thursday CYL said:

“Both sides were playing a lot of long ball,” he said. “I think that we need to try and pass the ball on the floor more.  If we can pass a lot we have the quality to easily win games like this. We have some very good players who can pass the ball on the floor very well." From The Bolton News 

The first half of the Derby game was dire, I've never seen the ball in the air so much.  There was a period when the two goal keepers were just punting it back and forth.

Do Bolton have the ability to play tippy tappy football?  I hope so, personally I can't stand the long ball approach.  However with SKD up front and Knight at the back (along with a nervous Mills), the long ball will always be part of our game.

Our lineup for tonight's game? I think it'll be the same that started against Derby, meaning another 4-4-2 and lack of options in the middle.  One thing I would consider is a change of full backs.  It's Mears I'm not sure about (to be fair, both Mears and Ricketts were quite pour against Derby).  Maybe Ricketts could start on the right with Alonso on the left as some have suggested.

Mills has stated he knows exactly what to expect from tonight's opponents.  Meaning Forest will play entirely as unexpected, we'll no doubt play a shocker and Mills will be left with his foot in his mouth.

Forest have a good defense, having conceded only one in three.  So don't expect tonight's game to be a goal fest.  Although if Mills is as nervous as he was on Tuesday and the full back don't improve, the score line could go Forest's way.

But Eagle's determined not to let that happen.