Whites problems 'not tactical' - COYLE

What planet is the man on!?


OWEN Coyle has hit back at criticism of his tactics, claiming it was poor performances and not the formation that cost Wanderers points in the derby.

The Whites boss came under fire for sticking with a 4-4-2 system against the Latics after last week’s second-half collapse at Norwich City.

Goals from Gary Caldwell and James McArthur earned Roberto Martinez’s men a priceless win that brought them within a point of Wanderers at the foot of the Premier League table.

But Coyle defended his decision to bring skipper Kevin Davies back alongside David Ngog up front after seeing them pair up so effectively in the reverse fixture back in October.

“The skipper and David had played ever so well together at the DW Stadium and we had won the game with a bit to spare,” he said. “The same wide players also played, so they have all had opportunities, they can’t say they haven’t.”

He added: “It doesn’t matter who is grumbling, or who is not, whatever system you put out there it’s about players and whether they get to their maximum.

“If people are saying about 4-4-2, then it was 4-4-2 in the second half when we we had the ascendancy and battered them for about half an hour.

“Yes, it has a part to play, but the biggest thing is that when the players cross the white line they go and deliver on all the talk.”

The manager’s comments were echoed by defender Zat Knight, who refused to use the team’s formation as an excuse for the defeat.

“It would be easy to pick on little things like the formations and how it is changing from week to week, but, at the end of the day, it is still 11 v 11,” he said. “I believe if everybody performs at 100 per cent we can get something out of the game.”

Fabrice Muamba – the man left out of the side for Davies – remained ambiguous when asked why he had been dropped. Writing on his official Twitter account on Saturday night, he wrote: “I can’t really tell the reason why I wasn’t involved today, that will get me into much trouble but thanks for all your messages.”

Coyle had condemned his team’s defending at Carrow Road last weekend but found himself in a familiar position on Saturday evening as Caldwell and McArthur’s strikes arrived either side of Mark Davies’s thunderbolt.

“To say I’m not happy would be an understatement,” he told The Bolton News.

“The first half was nowhere near good enough. For the first goal, it’s a set play and David Wheater isn’t anywhere near Gary Caldwell, who gets a free header. That’s not good enough.

“The second goal we lost was farcical. Two players went up for the same header, we missed it again and the boy (Victor Moses) went through, then. when Adam Bogdan saved it, we didn’t help him out with the rebound.

“It’s individual errors that have cost us, and nothing else.

“Coming off the back of a poor defensive display last week, it has happened again, but I have got enough personnel now to make changes and that’s what is going to happen.

“I’m not going to sit through that again.”

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Has he been borrowing Gary Megson's book on How To Completely Alienate Football Fans?

He can feel free to fuck off!

JFC - I am trying to stay distracted from all this crap, but if thats the best Coyle can come up with, bring back Sammy Lee as manager!!!



FFS - we should be using a 4-5-1 on a more permanent basis as we seem to be playing better that way - especially with K Davies on the bench. We should be using Ryo in a more central role, along with M Davies (and give them both teh freedom to move upfront to give a more of an attacking position when needed)and have either Tuncay or Klasnic upfront. Keep K Davies to the bare minimum from now on.

I didn't see the game - I was on the road and it was not one of the options for my mobile TV service. After the game I called a friend who told me the result. I immediately knew that we had played 4-4-2 and Kevin Davies without checking. I'm starting to believe that OC has been given orders to drop out of the Prem. Nothing else makes sense.

Shit manager + shit players = shit fans = relegation

Bolton Hater wrote:Shit manager + shit players = shit fans = relegation

I agree - but enough about Blackburn, we're here to talk about Bolton.

fair enough to stick to your guns, but to flat out lie.

"we battered them" NO we didn't. We didn't even get on top.

i mean come on.

Obviously Coyle gets his advice on tactics from Knight:

The manager’s comments were echoed by defender Zat Knight, who refused to use the team’s formation as an excuse for the defeat.

“It would be easy to pick on little things like the formations and how it is changing from week to week, but, at the end of the day, it is still 11 v 11,” he said. “I believe if everybody performs at 100 per cent we can get something out of the game.”

Coming from Mr 50% that's priceless.

I have never rated Zat Knight and it surprises me how often he gets picked for the team... If anything he would do better at Blackburn with Kean's tactics of "going down"

bwfc71 wrote:I have never rated Zat Knight and it surprises me how often he gets picked for the team... If anything he would do better at Blackburn with Kean's tactics of "going down"

What have blow jobs got to do with Steve Kean.

I won't eat my tea now.

“If people are saying about 4-4-2, then it was 4-4-2 in the second half when we we had the ascendancy and battered them for about half an hour."

We were pi55 poor from start to end - we certainly did not batter them at any point!!!OMG Coyle!

-does sound like he is sick of the defending and seems to have picked up on the lack of rebound following ups!

It also sounds as though he is having to defend his decision to play Davies and 442 - he won't do it again in a hurry because he won't want to be pulled up on it again...

I hope we get Kean in, sooner the better...

No, not really.

What I don't get is Coyle improved the team and seemed to have learned from earlier season errors. He brought in Bogdan, Muamba and Mark Davies and dropped KD. We went on a great run of results - then reverted to KD and 442 and lost two on the trot! Why did he do it.

Coyle must read my posts because all season I was crying out for a particular line up and style - and then when he finally listened to me we started getting points - but for some reason he decided to go back to the losing set up. I bet we all thought "oh balls" when we saw KD and 442 line up on Saturday?

That's exactly why I think he has been given instructions to get relegated. You eventually find a way to get points on the board, so you change it? It makes no sense.

I really think all these pops at Owen Coyle are over the top. Of course tactics are a big part of any game, but the way some of you talk you'd think a Plymouth team with good tactics could beat Barcelona with no tactics.

The players gave another awful performance, not a lot Coyle can do about that - he can only replace three players once the game starts.

A properly motivated and structured, tactically astute Plymouth can defeat Barcelona. That doesn't mean it is going to be easy, but it is entirely possible. I don't rate Osasuna particularly highly and they did it.

Owen Owen Owen wrote:I really think all these pops at Owen Coyle are over the top. Of course tactics are a big part of any game, but the way some of you talk you'd think a Plymouth team with good tactics could beat Barcelona with no tactics.

The players gave another awful performance, not a lot Coyle can do about that - he can only replace three players once the game starts.

I respect your loyalty to Owen Coyle, but you are as clueless as the man himself if you really believe what you just typed.

So what exactly is the manager's job OwenOwenOwen?

If Coyle can't be blamed for all of what you're implying he can't, what is he being paid for?

The reason Coyle is getting so much criticism is because he makes it harder for the players by choosing tactics that don't work and selecting players like Davies who contribute so little. What makes it even more annoying for most of us is that Coyle seemed to have learned that 4-4-2 and Davies don't work and then he threw it all away against Norwich and Wigan.

Tactics play a massive part for a club with the kind of talent we have. I.E - Very little.

For Barca it doesn't really matter, christ they play Mascherano at CB! and basically a roving front 6.

I credit Coyle for believing that such awful players can play this sexy, wide open football but they can't.

the mans a dreamer you have to give him that. I do think Coyle's energy, his passion for the game and club would be a fantastic asset if we had 100 million to spend.

as it is I'm not sure it'll work out.

Owen Owen Owen wrote:I really think all these pops at Owen Coyle are over the top. Of course tactics are a big part of any game, but the way some of you talk you'd think a Plymouth team with good tactics could beat Barcelona with no tactics.

The players gave another awful performance, not a lot Coyle can do about that - he can only replace three players once the game starts.

Sorry but I am struggling to find how you can back 100% Coyle.

He has brought a lot of the slack on himself from Saturdays defeat, what manager do you know that would change a team and formation that has beaten Liverpool at home, Everton away and got a point against Arsenal at home?

He then fucks it all up by commiting suicide away at Norwich which you probably see why he did it as he may have thought we were on top at the time but to change it altogether at home against Wigan just shocked me (but didn't surprise me).