Bolton Wanderers The Most Improved Team In The Premier League...

I know its obvious but its been bugging me. Its been nearly a third of the season has gone and I've enjoyed watching Bolton play... Yes that's right they've been playing some tremendous football this season and winning.

West Ham, Wigan and past West Brom teams have tried to play expansive attractive football and have been trampled on by less aesthetically pleasing sides like Stoke, Blackburn and Birmingham. But this Bolton side has the steel it had under Sam Allardyce and Gary Megson and now creativity and attacking endeavor gained from relatively new manager Owen Coyle.

The names on the team sheet are still the same from last season. Coyle has made five signings three of which were free transfers and the other two were for the combined value of 2.2 Million, which in todays' market is next to nothing. So whats changed?

Line up for Owen Coyles first game v Arsenal 07/01/2010

Line Up For Their Last League Game V Newcastle 20/11/2010

I personally think Owen Coyle has proved himself as a top class manager, and yes this is another if only he was English moment... Coyle has come into the club and reinvigorated it, Bolton are no longer happy to play their role as the kick and rush team willing to bully team out of games. They are now a well organised outfit that can play some good stuff and still maintain the physical aspect of their style. This can be seen in their 5-1 demolition of Newcastle, during this match they put in 31 tackles which is an amazing figure for a team which you wouldn't say was on the back foot for most of the game.

Coyle has a team full of Megson signings and is succeeding. The players who've impressed me this season are Chung-Yong Lee, Stuart Holden, Johan Elmander and everyone's favourite Gary Cahill. Lee was impressive last season and was dubbed the most underrated footballer in the Premier League by Fourfourtwo Magazine. This season he's played 14 games contributing with two goals and five assists.

Holden is playing his first full season for Bolton has already been on the score sheet scoring his first goal for the club during a victory against Wolves. He is a box to box midfielder who supports the attack but also puts in a shift defensively. He has all the attributes to be a solid Premier League midfielder in the long term.

Johan Elmander has been one of the more obvious successes this season, he is a completely different player to the one who was signed and had his confidence destroyed by Gary Megson. This season he is looking like a poor mans Zlatan Ibrahimovic and that is not an insult by any stretch of the imagination. He has scored 8 goals and provided 4 for his colleagues.



And now time for Gary Cahill, touted as a future England defender has been solid at the back for Bolton. Cahill has always been rated since joining Bolton, and was voted players' player of the year 2008-2009 but this season I feel he is getting more recognition as he is part of a more successful team. Other than the red card against Arsenal he has been excellent.

The notable thing about these players bar Elmander they are still at the beginnings of their football careers and will improve. Coyle has galvanised his squad of young unproven players supported by hard working solid players like former Luton man Matt Taylor, effective target man Kevin Davies and the reliable and efficient Paul Robinson at left back. They also have the benefit of the most underrated goalkeeper in the history of English football Jussi Jaaskelainen. This season I feel they may be able to finish as high as the top six.

The only worry is will Bolton be able to keep them together to reap the benefits of this young side in the long term? Or will they be able to keep hold of Coyle? With their well documented financial problems I'm not so sure, but for at least this season I feel they are the most improved side in the league.