Loading ...Aug 16 2008
Bolton Introduces Stoke to the Premiership in 3-1 Win
Both Hull City (who beat Fulham) and West Brom (which showed well against Arsenal) made positive Premiership debuts on Saturday. The same can not be said for the third promoted team. Like Hull, Stoke City had a reasonable first fixture: a trip to the Reebok to face another team that will battle relegation, Bolton. The Trotters, however, looked nothing like a team in the same class as Stoke, handing the visitors a 3-1 loss that served as a rude awakening to life in the Premiership.
In a match that was played closer to the pace of a Championship fixture than what many would want from the Premiership, Bolton weathered some early advances from Stoke to keep the score level through the opening of the match. Stoke’s attack relied on set-pieces and long throws as a mean to mitigate their in ability to match-up in the midfield. Initially, this worked, and Stoke was able to create opportunities that utilized their size. Bolton would flood into their box whenever Stoke had an opportunity to play the ball in, a testament to the trouble Bolton was having with the visitor’s height.
It was only minor trouble, though, and the entry opportunities were few. Stoke did not have the talent to maintain much possession, and once it became clear that Stoke had one means of hoping for goals, Bolton adjusted. The Wanderers used their superior play between the boxes to control possession and virtually eliminate Stoke’s opportunities. Ironically, one effect of Bolton’s control was more fouling by Stoke, which then led to more set pieces. After a freakish but highlight real goal by Gretar Steinsson, Bolton scored each of their next two goals on set pieces. Both goals came in the last minutes of the first half, gutting Stoke by putting them down three after an even start. For all their size, Stoke was getting out-muscled on the set pieces.
It was a wake-up call for Stoke, who were not as close as the 3-1 score tells. Beyond around the twenty minute mark, the Trotters were in control. Stoke started to even play when they brought Liam Lawrence and Ricardo Fuller in, but they play as if they have little idea how to attack or deal with Premiership sides. If that’s how they show against Bolton, who finished sixteenth last season and are going to have to fight against the drop this season, Stoke is in major trouble.
Stoke City has the talent in attack to score goals; however, the need to figure out how to move the ball into attack. The trouble they had through the middle of the field are a huge red light for the rest of the season.
Links
Bolton 3-1 Stoke: Potters find it tough at the top
Bolton deal stoke rude awakening
Bolton Wanderers 3 Stoke City 1: Steinsson ensures reality of top flight hits Stoke hard
Pulis pummels Potter’s naivety
Davies gives Stoke dose of reality
Buoyant Bolton ruin Stoke’s return
Trotters crush Potters
Stoke suffer rude awakening as Bolton run riot
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