Premier League preview: Bolton v Birmingham
No, it doesn’t immediately strike you as a classic, but this one matters to Bolton and Birmingham, two clubs who have had impressive starts to the season, each registering a win and a draw so far. Whisper it quietly, but they were in the European places at the start of the weekend.
Bolton were there largely because of a 3-1 win at a hopeless West Ham last week. How hopeless were the Hammers? Well, they allowed Johan Elmander to score twice.
To say that the big Swede has underwhelmed during his time in English football would qualify as the understatement of this fledgling season.
The £8.2million that Bolton paid to Toulouse in the summer of 2008 has so far bought them just 10 Premier League goals, but perhaps Elmander’s double strike at Upton Park will be the catalyst for him to enjoy an upturn in form. If it is, he knows who to credit.
“I really like working with the manager,” he says, “and it helps that he used be a striker himself because he does give me tips on where to be, both inside and outside of the box.
“He has been telling me from the beginning that if I work hard then I will get the chances, but it is up to me to take them.”
Well done Owen Coyle then, but the player himself has also had a change of attitude, and that’s helping too.
“I told myself when I came back after the summer that this season was going to be all about enjoying my football and trying to be out on the pitch as often as I can,” he continued.
“I haven't set any targets, I just want to go out there with a smile on my face and have fun every time I play for Bolton.”
It can’t be much fun playing against Birmingham’s mean defence though, who have stayed unchanged from their impressive 2009/10 campaign, with one notable exception.
“The save from Ben was a fantastic save,” said boss Alex McLeish after goalkeeper Ben Foster brilliantly kept out a powerful Morten Gamst Pedersen penalty in last week’s 2-1 victory over Blackburn Rovers at St. Andrews.
“That's one of the saves of the season already. Joe Hart was excellent for us last year and I said that Joe would save us points, and Ben did it in his first home game.”
He certainly did, and while Foster probably isn’t of the quality of Hart – who was voted the Premier League’s top goalkeeper while on loan at Blues from Manchester City last season – he is certainly an adequate replacement for him, and one who is on a mission to rebuild his career, which had gone stale at Manchester United.
A much changed Blues side beat a battling Rochdale 3-2 in the Carling Cup in midweek, but the team for this one is sure to look more like the one that started against Blackburn, where midfielder Craig Gardner – this season given a central position – scored both goals, although James McFadden is doubtful with a groin injury.
For Bolton, Ivan Klasnic is a doubt, and that will only place more onus on Elmander to do well and deliver once again.
There appears to be little to separate these two, and so the presence of an on form striker might just make the difference.
It could be Swede dreams all round at the Reebok.
Prediction: Bolton 2 Birmingham 1
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