Alonso to start next game...

Will Coyle start Marcos Alonso for the Fulham game? And should he? Personally I think we look more solid at the back when Ricketts plays on the left and Steinsson on the right. We have the added luxury of Tyrone Mears being back from injury too.
So would it be a mistake to give Alsono, "the best player on the pitch at Blackburn" another start?


Click Lacashire Article...

Bolton Wanderers boss Owen Coyle has hailed the performance of Marcos Alonso in the weekend win at Wolverhampton Wanderers.

Alonso struck his first goal for the club in the crucial victory.

“There’s no question about Marcos in terms of being comfortable on the ball, going forward and keeping it because he was in a Real Madrid team that kept 80 per cent possession in every game,” Coyle told the Bolton News.

“The challenge we have is making him a more natural defender. I think he’s improving on that.

“It’s a learning curve for him and it has been stop-start because of injuries. But like all the young players we have in the squad, Marcos is getting better.

“At Blackburn he was the best player on the pitch and I’ve said to him, it’s up to him how far he wants to go in the game.

“I can try and guide him and pass on experience or football knowledge but when he crosses the white line it’s down to him. He’s got to deliver in a football sense and I think he’s now grasped that.”

I thought he played quite well, honestly i think Kightly was the best player on the pitch.

Like Coyle says he has to work on his defensive positioning but coming forward he's got the ability to take a man on and a decent cross on him.

Be nice to see him develop into a Assou Ekotto type, with that sort of dynamism.

He's a decent player, but way too slow to be any use at this level. It would be suicide to play him if we have other options.

He isn't actually slow, it's his positioning that gets him into all sorts of trouble.

I'm not saying he's Usain Bolt, but he's not Kevin Davies either.

Hipster_Nebula wrote:He isn't actually slow, it's his positioning that gets him into all sorts of trouble.

I'm not saying he's Usain Bolt, but he's not Kevin Davies either.

He's slow, bloody slow. When I was at the Blackburn game a few weeks back I was walking back to my seat holding a jumbo hotdog and Coke and I overtook Alonso even though he was chasing Holiett.

Thats a lie but yes, Junior Hoilett can make a lot of people look slow.

Hipster_Nebula wrote:Thats a lie but yes, Junior Hoilett can make a lot of people look slow.

I'm sick of you calling me a liar. I'm reporting you to the mods.

I think Coyle says Alonso was the best player on the pitch at Blackburn, which was his last game before his latest injury, in December. The one that put them bottom at Christmas, ha ha.

Alonso was fantastic in that game.

largehat wrote:I think Coyle says Alonso was the best player on the pitch at Blackburn, which was his last game before his latest injury, in December. The one that put them bottom at Christmas, ha ha.

Alonso was fantastic in that game.

oh yeah.. i didn't read it properly and just assumed he meant wolves.

As for Nat, don't lie and i won't have to call you a liar.

largehat wrote:I think Coyle says Alonso was the best player on the pitch at Blackburn, which was his last game before his latest injury, in December. The one that put them bottom at Christmas, ha ha.

Alonso was fantastic in that game.

Well spotted. I assumed he meant Blackburn in the game just gone. Memory now tells me he didn't even play. Stupid Click Lancs.

Alonso has a lot of maturing to do, especially defensively. Reminds me of Ricardo in some respects. Bit disappointed that Real Madrid didn't drill defensive duties into him as a kid, but I guess they're one of those clubs who feel that kids should focus on ball skills until they're 18 or so.
We should all chip in to send him a copy of the Full Monty so he can learn about working as part of a back 4 and the offside rule. Right now he has the positional sense of Lord Lucan.

wanderlust wrote: Bit disappointed that Real Madrid didn't drill defensive duties into him as a kid, but I guess they're one of those clubs who feel that kids should focus on ball skills until they're 18 or so.

Pretty much the same as we are starting to emulate at the youth level now then?

I thought he was all over the place against Wolves but he's going to get no better playing in the reserves and sitting it out on the bench.
He needs time to get used to the pace of the Prem.

I'd play him tomorrow. Shift Ricketts into the centre, put Ream into central midfield and go 4-5-1.

doffcocker wrote:I thought he was all over the place against Wolves but he's going to get no better playing in the reserves and sitting it out on the bench.
He needs time to get used to the pace of the Prem.

I'd play him tomorrow. Shift Ricketts into the centre, put Ream into central midfield and go 4-5-1.

not so good in hindsight