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Match Preview: BOLTON WANDERERS v West Ham United
Ricardo Gardner
RICARDO GARDNER could be in a line for a return to first team action after a seven-month absence when Wanderers face West Ham United in front of the Sky Sports cameras on Saturday afternoon.
The Jamaican international has been sidelined with a cruciate ligament injury since the end of last season and may replace the suspended Tal Ben Ham at left-back after coming through two full Reserve team outings without any ill-effects.
Gary Speed will become the first player in the Premier League's history to make 500 appearances in the competition when he takes to the field. The former Wales international, who began his career four years before the start of the Premier League, has netted 74 goals in the competition.
Meanwhile, Sam Allardyce, is urging his players to guard against complacency against the Hammers, who slipped into the bottom-three following their midweek reverse at home to Wigan Athletic.
"Everybody will expect us to beat West Ham," he said.
"Even though we've had some poor results ourselves, we'll be heavy favourites.We don't want any complacency as it needs 100 per cent to beat any Premiership side these days."
The Wanderers boss is also concerned with his side's dip in form. After notching 20 points from their opening ten fixtures, Wanderers have only managed to accrue four points from a possibility of 21, which has seen them move down to ninth position.
He added, "We have blown a big opportunity in the last seven games. We gave ourselves a great chance with our best ever start and we weren't being over-ambitious.
"If we'd only drawn the last seven, we'd still be third. But, looking at the points we've thrown away, it is bitterly disappointing.
"We've taken four points from a possible 21 and we're still only one point off third that shows what we could have achieved.We have to get back to winning matches. We could have got away with drawing, but not now.
"My biggest worry is the shortage of goals. We've scored 15 and that's just not good enough. You've got to be getting 1.5 per game or more to finish in the Champions League places and we are well down on that.
"We've failed to score in five of the last seven matches and even in our really bad times, it was never as bad as that. Chances are in abundance but our finishing has been dreadful and, at this moment in time, it's getting a little desperate. It's very concerning and, if we're not careful, it can linger and become an even bigger problem."
Probable Squad: Jaaskelainen, Hunt, Pedersen, Nolan, Faye, Meite, Stelios, Speed, Davies, Diouf, Anelka, Al-Habsi, Tal Campo, Vaz Te, Gardner, Smith, Fojut
Ricardo Gardner
RICARDO GARDNER could be in a line for a return to first team action after a seven-month absence when Wanderers face West Ham United in front of the Sky Sports cameras on Saturday afternoon.
The Jamaican international has been sidelined with a cruciate ligament injury since the end of last season and may replace the suspended Tal Ben Ham at left-back after coming through two full Reserve team outings without any ill-effects.
Gary Speed will become the first player in the Premier League's history to make 500 appearances in the competition when he takes to the field. The former Wales international, who began his career four years before the start of the Premier League, has netted 74 goals in the competition.
Meanwhile, Sam Allardyce, is urging his players to guard against complacency against the Hammers, who slipped into the bottom-three following their midweek reverse at home to Wigan Athletic.
"Everybody will expect us to beat West Ham," he said.
"Even though we've had some poor results ourselves, we'll be heavy favourites.We don't want any complacency as it needs 100 per cent to beat any Premiership side these days."
The Wanderers boss is also concerned with his side's dip in form. After notching 20 points from their opening ten fixtures, Wanderers have only managed to accrue four points from a possibility of 21, which has seen them move down to ninth position.
He added, "We have blown a big opportunity in the last seven games. We gave ourselves a great chance with our best ever start and we weren't being over-ambitious.
"If we'd only drawn the last seven, we'd still be third. But, looking at the points we've thrown away, it is bitterly disappointing.
"We've taken four points from a possible 21 and we're still only one point off third that shows what we could have achieved.We have to get back to winning matches. We could have got away with drawing, but not now.
"My biggest worry is the shortage of goals. We've scored 15 and that's just not good enough. You've got to be getting 1.5 per game or more to finish in the Champions League places and we are well down on that.
"We've failed to score in five of the last seven matches and even in our really bad times, it was never as bad as that. Chances are in abundance but our finishing has been dreadful and, at this moment in time, it's getting a little desperate. It's very concerning and, if we're not careful, it can linger and become an even bigger problem."
Probable Squad: Jaaskelainen, Hunt, Pedersen, Nolan, Faye, Meite, Stelios, Speed, Davies, Diouf, Anelka, Al-Habsi, Tal Campo, Vaz Te, Gardner, Smith, Fojut