Bolton Wanderers V Stoke City

Date & Kick-Off: Sunday, 17 April 2011 – 16:00 (GMT) Venue: Wembley (Neutral) TV Coverage: ESPN

The draw couldn’t have been any kinder to Bolton Wanderers and Stoke City, who contest the second semi-final on Sunday aiming to secure a place in next month’s show-piece. Whilst picking a winner is proving difficult, one thing which is assured is that whoever seals a place in the final on 14 May will have their work cut out defying the odds against one of either Manchester City or Manchester United, who do battle 24 hours earlier in the other semi-final.

Because of the season they’ve had so far, Bolton, who are 8th in the Premier League – four positions and five-points better off than Stoke, are the favourites, though only just. Even the bookmakers are having a hard time of things separating the two, and with their being very little between them on paper to boot, it could pay to hedge your bets on the outcome of this game boiling down to who has more in reserve for extra-time and possibly even penalties.

It’s 3.40 (12/5) the draw, and that looks a piece of value considering both league encounters this season both went the way of the home side. Neutral ground should even things up a bit.

Method of Victory Betting (Bet365):

Bolton in Extra-Time – 11.00 (10/1) Bolton on Penalties – 13.00 (12/1)

Stoke in Extra-Time – 11.00 (10/1) Stoke on Penalties – 13.00 (12/1)

 - – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – -

 

Bolton Wanderers

You’d be forgiven for not knowing that Bolton have won this very competition on four previous occasions, however their most recent triumph came way back in 1958 and now current Trotters manager Owen Coyle, who has been an instant hit with the fans during his season-and-a-half-spell with the club, wants to bring the good times back to Bolton.

Owen Coyle has been receiving praise for the way he’s gone about transforming the general perception of Bolton Wanderers all season, with the Trotters slowly but surely building a reputation for being a team which surprisingly plays pleasing on the eye football. But more important than mere aesthetics, Coyle has installed a winning mentality into a dressing room which previously found that winning feeling hard to come by.

Bolton having enjoyed one of their better league campaigns this season, with Coyle’s men genuine contenders for Europe at one stage. Unfortunately, they have faded by the wayside in 2011, winning only four of their twelve league games since the turn of the year, though what they relinquished in standard in the league they made up for in the FA Cup, beating the likes of Birmingham City, Fulham and Wigan Athletic, all away from home, en route to the semi’s.

The advantages with Bolton is that not only do they play some crisp, precise football under Owen Coyle, they are still that same powerful, awkward opponent which has made them a mainstay in the Barclay’s Premier League for over a decade now. In Kevin Davies and Johan Elmander, Bolton have two forwards who are willing to put their bodies on the line and mix it with defenders, but Bolton also have the required height at the back to contend with Stoke’s main threat, which is their aerial prowess. Nullify Stoke in the air and Bolton are half-way to winning the battle.

However, two definite drawbacks are that combative midfielder Stuart Holden misses out through injury while on-loan Daniel Sturridge is ineligible, because he participated for Chelsea earlier in the competition. The 21-year-old will be sorely missed by Coyle, as not only as the on-loan forward been prolific during his short spell with the Trotters, his raw pace and desire to play each and every game would have made him an instant thorn in Stoke’s side.

 

Stoke City

Unlike their opponent’s on Sunday, Stoke have never won the FA Cup before. In fact, the Potters have only ever won one domestic cup in their history – the 1971/72 League Cup – and will be making only their fourth ever appearance in the semi-finals of the FA Cup. They’ll also be hoping it’s fourth time lucky after coming up short in the previous three, and they have every chance of doing just that up against slight favourites on the day Bolton.

So it will be a completely new experience for Stoke should they overcome Bolton on Sunday in the second semi-final, but in Tony Pulis they have a manager who has already brought the Barclay’s Premier League to supporters; can he go one further and reward them with a trophy?

No doubt the fans will have a watchful eye on the first semi-final between Man City and Man Utd, and there’s no reward for guessing who they’ll be supporting. Stoke have a miserable recent record against Sir Alex’s men (W0 D0 L6) whereas their record against the Citizens is far more healthy (W2 D3 L2) – but Stoke can hardly afford the luxury of complacency, as getting through Sunday’s semi-final will be hard enough, against a Bolton side whom they beat rather comfortably at The Brittania earlier in the season (2-0), and also pushed them all the way at The Reebok as well before eventually going down 2-1.

This is a golden opportunity for Stoke, one they can ill-afford to pass up considering they’re unlikely to receive a more favourable passage through to the last-four, or a more favourable semi-final tie than one with an opponent of similar stature to themselves. The Potters certainly have all the right ingredients to be triumphant on Sunday, but with their aerial threat well known, a lot will depend on how effective their wide outlets perform on the day, with so much riding on not only Matthew Etherington and Jermaine Pennant’s ability to pick out the rangy figures of John Carew, Jonathan Walters and Kenwyn Jones but also their ability to beat a man and find pockets of space in behind the Bolton defence.

Pulis has rued the fact that Danny Higginbottom, who scored Stoke’s winner in the 2-1 win over West Ham in the previous round, will miss Sunday’s semi-final along with the rest of the season. However, John Carew should at least return to the bench to bolster a strong looking Stoke bench. And Pulis may well need someone to lay claim to the hero vacancy later in the game, as this match has the potential to stretch into extra-time and possibly penalties.

 

 - – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – -

Road to Wembley

Bolton

Third Round: Bolton 2-0 York City Fourth Round: Bolton 0-0 Wigan (Bolton won the corresponding replay 1-0) Fifth Round: Fulham 0-1 Bolton Sixth Round: Birmingham 2-3 Bolton

Stoke

Third Round: Stoke 1-1 Cardiff (Stoke won the corresponding replay 2-0 after extra-time) Fourth Round: Wolves 0-1 Stoke Fifth Round: Stoke 3-0 Brighton Sixth Round: Stoke 2-1 West Ham

 - – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – -

Head-to-Head (Premier League ONLY)

Bolton wins: 3 Draws: 1 Stoke wins: 2

Last 5 Seasons

2010/2011: Stoke 2-0 Bolton 2010/2011: Bolton 2-1 Stoke 2009/2010: Stoke 1-2 Bolton 2009/2010: Bolton 1-1 Stoke 2008/2009: Stoke 2-0 Bolton 2008/2009: Bolton 3-1 Stoke

 - – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – -

Betting Odds & Tips

Match Prediction: Draw – 3.40 Boylesports

Only the magic of the FA Cup could bring two unfancied clubs like Bolton and Stoke together, but also two teams who are so evenly matched on paper. The bookies cannot split them, and neither can I.

Both sides pack a punch with their ability to win the aerial duels, but they are also deceivingly useful on he floor as well and it could boil down to who uses the ball better on the deck rather than who dominates the skies – and in this instance, Stoke would get my vote. Etherington and Pennant can be a real handful on their day, and while Owen Coyle is all too aware of the problems Stoke’s wide-men pose, identifying the threat and dealing with it are two different things.

For Bolton, Kevin Davies will be so important to their cause. There isn’t a striker in the Premier League who puts himself about like he does, and if he can cause a rift in the heart of the Stoke defence then who knows, Bolton may well prosper. However, I do worry without Sturridge in the side, as the Trotters have relied heavily on his goals during a difficult 2011 which has seen victories prove hard to come by.

If I was obliged to pick a winner then it would be Stoke, however these two look set to cancel each other out and it could even go right down to the wire – with penalties a real possibility.

Value Bet: 2-2 Draw (Correct Score) – 17.00 WilliamHill

While I do reckon it will be close, I very much doubt it will be stalemate.

Match Odds:

Bolton Wanderers – 2.50 Bet365 Draw – 3.40 Boylesports Stoke City – 3.00 BetFred

Similar Posts:

• Premiership Betting
• Russian Football Premier League – Round 16 Weekend
• Arsenal v Man United Betting Tips
• Premiership: Sunderland V Liverpool – Sunday, 20th March
• Home And Away: Goals galore at Anfield