Three Dimensional Wanderers

Life hasn’t been too pleasant for Sam Allardyce lately, but the existence of external pressures have clearly not prevented him from doing his job, as Bolton Wanderers’ top three spot in the Premiership and home victory over much fancied Liverpool demonstrate.

Sam and his players won’t worry unduly over the pre-match remarks of Raffa Benitez, or the fact that Liverpool had 60% possession and 13 goal attempts, because in the end the statistics that matter are that the home side took the lead in the 29th minute when Ivan Campo slipped the ball to Gary Speed and the veteran midfielder powered the ball into the far corner, then they went on to clinch victory with Campo’s header off the underside of the bar 40 minutes from time. That’s just two goal attempts, leading to two goals and three points. 100% perfect.

There’s even a lesson in there for Raffa Benitez, if he cares to acknowledge it. It’s dangerous to type-cast Bolton as an aggressive, ‘in your face’ outfit because there’s far more to Sam Allardyce’s side than that. Bolton know how to play to their strengths and to identify and play on their opponents’ weaknesses. They are organised and uncompromising in their approach and though they rile the opposition, they do not get riled by them. They know how to grind out results, to defend a lead, to exert and absorb pressure and they work hard. Very hard indeed. This because though they have some very good players – Campo, Speed, Anelka and Nolan for instance – they do not have stars, or players who are starry eyed. They are above all a team – not a pretty team but certainly a pretty effective one.

And they also have a very good, extremely astute manager. Not a pretty one.