Bolton v Portsmouth Premier League Preview: Can The Trotters get Back To Winning Ways Against Pompey?

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Bolton Wanderers play Tony Adams’ Portsmouth in the Premier League at the Reebok Stadium on Saturday.

The Trotters might go into this clash on the back of two straight defeats to Chelsea at the Reebok and then Aston Villa 4-2 at Villa Park last weekend, but won four of their previous five Premiership games, which earned Bolton boss Gary Megson the Barclays Manager of the Month award for November. However, Bolton have only won twice in the league at home this season and have only managed to score 6 times in front of their own fans, which is a cause of concern for Megson. Bolton, are 11th in table and will hope to collect all 3 points against Portsmouth.

Pompey were soundly beaten last time out 3-0 by Newcastle United at Fratton Park, but were unbeaten in their five league games before that. With, wins against Sunderland and Blackburn Rovers and draws with West Ham United, Hull City and West Bromwich Albion. While Bolton have found goals hard to come by at home, Portsmouth have struggled to find the net away from home and go into this clash 3 points above Bolton in 8th place in the Premier League.

Gary Megson has almost a full squad of players to choose from for this clash with Pompey, with only Joey O’Brien (thigh) and long-term injury Ricardo Vaz Te (knee) unavailable for the game at the Reebok on Saturday.

Portsmouth will be without Lassana Diarra, who is on his way to Real Madrid in January, while Glenn Johnson (knee), Younes Kaboul (ankle) and John Utaka (thigh) are all in a race to be fit in time to face Wanderers.

Bolton Wanderers: (from) Jaaskelainen, Samuel, Nolan, Cahill, Muamba, Taylor, Elmander, Smolarek, Gardner, Davies, Steinsson, Riga, McCann, Al Habsi, Shittu, Cohen, Sinclair, Fojut, Harsanyi, Basham, A O’Brien, Sissons, Obadeyi

Portsmouth: (from) James, Kaboul, Lauren, Johnson, Hreidarsson, Diop, Crouch, Nugent, Thomas, Defoe, Distin, Pamarot, Utaka, Mvuemba, Kranjcar, Ashdown, Hughes, Campbell, Duffy, Little, Sahar, Kanu, Davis, Christophe, A Traore, Begovic, D Traore, Wilson, Belhadj

Bolton v Chelsea Premier League Preview: Can The In-Form Trotters End The Blues 100% Away Record?

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Bolton Wanderers play, Luiz Felipe Scolari’s Chelsea in the Premier League at the Reebok Stadium on Saturday.

Gary Megson’s Trotters will go into this clash with Chelsea full of confidence on the back of two successive away wins, with Bolton beating Middlesbrough 3-1 at the Riverside Stadium and following that up with a 4-1 against Sunderland at the Stadium of Light. Bolton, have won four of their last five games in the Premiership, with a defeat against Liverpool at the Reebok the only blemish in recent times after a poor run of form before, which the Trotters only won one of nine matches. Bolton, are 9th in the Premier League, but have been better away from home so far this season.

Despite losing at Stamford Bridge for the second time this season against Arsenal last week, Scolari’s Blues have a 100% away record this season, winning all seven matches in the Premiership so far this season on their travels. Chelsea have only conceded one goal away from home this season and are still just a point behind Liverpool in the Premier League occupying 2nd place and have a far superior goal difference to the Merseyside club.

Bolton are unable to call on Ricardo Vaz Te, who is out for another seven months with a knee injury, while Megson will give Joey O’Brien a late fitness test on a thigh muscle strain ahead of the clash with the Blues. Other than that Bolton have a full compliment of players to choose from.

Didier Drogba will miss the trip to the Reebok as the Ivory Coast International is serving the last game of a three-match suspension. Joe Cole along with defenders Ricardo Carvalho and Juliano Belletti could be available for Scolari if they shake off injuries in time, while long-term injury Michael Essien is out of the clash with the Trotters along Franco Di Santo, who has a hamstring injury.

Bolton Wanderers: (from) Jaaskelainen, Hunt, Samuel, Nolan, Cahill, Muamba, J O’Brien, Taylor, Elmander, Smolarek, Gardner, Walker, Davies, Steinsson, Riga, McCann, Shittu, Bogdan, Cohen, Al Habsi, Sinclair, Fojut, Harsanyi, A O’Brien, Sissons

Chelsea: (from) Cech, A Cole, Ivanovic, Terry, Carvalho, Bosingwa, Lampard, Ballack, Mikel, Malouda, J Cole, Anelka, Cudicini, Alex, Kalou, Ferreira, Bridge, Mineiro, Deco, Sinclair, Belletti, Hilario, Stoch, Woods

Liverpool Boss Benitez: "Torres Has To Improve"

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Liverpool boss Rafa Benitez has told his Reds squad that everyone including Spanish International Fernando Torres will have to compete for a place in the first team at the Merseyside club.

The former Valencia coach has been playing a more settled team of late in the Premier League, with Benitez seeming to have ditched the rotation policy the Spaniard had become renowned for. This reluctance to change a winning side resulted in Benitez only giving EURO 2008 Winner Torres a place on the bench in their 2-0 win in the Premiership against Bolton Wanderers at the Reebok Stadium on Saturday.

Although last seasons top-scorer for Liverpool Torres came on as a second half substitute against the Trotters, Benitez insists that the former Atletico Madrid striker has to improve and compete like everyone else for a place in the Anfield side.

“The players have to compete for their positions in the side, be it Torres or anyone else,” Benitez said.

“Torres has to improve, if he does and he is fit then I will decide what to do, although I expect to be criticised.

“I did not have to explain to Fernando why he was not playing, it was very clear. The team had been playing well and he has to compete for his position.

“He played well when he came on, but then other players who come on as substitute also did well, not just him.

“That is the key if you want to have a winning mentality and a winning squad."

Torres, who has just returned from injury for Liverpool has been called up by Spain for their International friendly against Chile on Wednesday, but Benitez had bemoaned the Spanish call-up for Torres, who is lacking match fitness and revealed that he has asked the Spanish coaching staff not to take any chances with his talisman.

“Torres will join up with Spain. I am not happy, but I cannot do anything about it. We are talking to international managers and asking them to protect our players,” he added.

“We have asked that the Spanish set-up does not take any chances, that they protect the player.”

Bolton Line Up £4.5million Liverpool Misfit?

Bolton Wanderers are lining up a £4.5million bid to bring out of favour Liverpool winger Jermaine Pennant to the Reebok Stadium in January, according to reports.

25-year-old Pennant has been at Anfield since joining from Birmingham City in 2006, but has failed to establish himself as a regular starter for the Merseyside club under Reds manager Rafa Benitez and has constantly had to settle for a bit part at Liverpool since his arrival from St Andrews.

Former Arsenal player Pennant has always maintained his desire to remain at Anfield, but is now believed to be ready to leave Liverpool in January in order to further his career in the Premier League, with Trotters boss Gary Megson keen to lure the former England Under-21 International away from Merseyside in a £4.5million deal.

However, whether Pennant sees a switch to the Reebok as the right move remains to be seen, with the Reds winger turning down Premiership debutantes Stoke City in the summer in the hope of a bigger club coming in for him.

One alternative to Bolton could be Blackburn Rovers, who are also said to be interested in bringing Pennant to Ewood Park to replace David Bentley, who left Rovers for Tottenham Hotspur in the summer.