Team Overview: The Wanderers stayed up for the 8th straight season, but the squad’s glory years (the 1920′s) are far behind them. Sure, back then they captured three league titles in one decade, but since they haven’t made much noise (other than in 1958). All in all, they are a team on the rise, but one still not good enough to compete.
Top Performers: Kevin Davies and Matthew Taylor both earned their pay this year, with Davies leading Bolton with 12 goals, Taylor finishing 2nd with 10 and both men notching 4 assists. Goalkeeper Jussi Jaaskelainen was integral to the squad’s success, ceding only 1.40 GAA over the course of the entire league season.
Highest Highs: Bolton dominated in November, picking up 4 straight victories over Man City, Hull City, Middlebrough and Sunderland. During that stretch, they averaged more than 2 goals per game. They were also very strong at home this year, with seven wins, seven losses and four draws. They played respectably.
Lowest Lows: Bolton collapsed at the end of the year with only one win in their last eight matches. They didn’t win a single game in May, either. They also were knocked out of the FA Cup early, and they were absolutely abysmal on the road. In fact, they only won four away games all season while losing a whopping twelve.
Future Outlook: Though they struggled, the Wanderers are still in a good position for next season. Their GK is very solid and has one of the best names (Jussi Jaaskelainen) of any player in the Prem, and their offense has some unrealized potential. If they can be more consistent on the attack, they will improve their season-end ranking.
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