BOLTON v BIRMINGHAM - TROTTERS RAMPANT AT THE REEBOK?
It’s the battle of the redheads at the Reebok this Saturday, strawberry blonde Gary Megson against carrot-top Alex McLeish. Whilst the Blues fans welcomed McLeish to St Andrew’s like middle-aged women at a Take-That reunion gig, poor Gary’s arrival in Bolton was as excitedly anticipated as a bout of man-flu.
However, Megson has won over his many critics with his pragmatic return to the Sam Allardyce style of in your face football that made any fixture with Bolton a match to dread in the Premier League calendar. The ‘ginger Mourinho’ has picked up impressive home wins against both Manchester United and Wigan in recent weeks and he will expect another 3 points on Saturday in this relegation 6-pointer. Goal scoring had been a major problem for the Trotters, but after scoring six goals in two matches that issue seems to have been resolved. It had taken 11 games prior to this for shot shy Bolton to score that same amount.
Alex McLeish’s three games in charge of Birmingham have seen mixed results with 4 points gained from a possible 9 available. Defensively they could struggle against the aerial power of Kevin Davies and the pace of Nicolas Anelka. The Blues have conceded 14 goals in their last 7 games so don’t be surprised if Megson’s team score early.
Fans should not go to this match expecting ‘sexy’ football, as this will undoubtedly be a blood and guts battle for the fiery redheads to endure at the Reebok. However, Premier 10 players should expect the Trotters winning home run to continue.
TOP TIP: Bolton to bounce back (home win)
Tags: Alex McLeish, Birmingham, Blues, Bolton, Gary Megson 22/12/07, Trotters
