Kulu’s HT sub doesn’t count towards useable slots, so we had the capacity to make two separate sub intervals.
Good result, not sure how we managed it to be honest - well, I do, Qarabag couldn’t finish a ham sandwich! Gray is definitely a huge talent. Soldiered on too after seemingly having a knock, no doubt we’ll hear about an injury tomorrow morning! Solanke’s best game for us too, was everywhere, though his finishing is still off. Won’t always get tap-ins. Vicario also with some huge saves.
Not sure if anyone else clocked it, but when Son went off he gave the armband to Davies, who shortly thereafter went over and put it on Vicario. Interesting.
Not saying Qarabag are great, and I'm not saying that he shouldn't have given Moore/Lankshear more minutes. However, Qarabag are still an experienced European side. Let's be real, whilst you beat them 3-0 with 10-men, that game was far from comfortable. It's also much easier to blood youth in games where you're playing opposition who are several tiers below you - which Bolton literally are. Hence why we fielded so many kids yesterday. And even in saying this, he still started Bergvall and Archie Gray, didn't he? I haven't seen much of Moore/Lankshear, but maybe he doesn't rate them as highly as you guys do. I don't know. But it doesn't seem like he's scared of playing youth if he's willing to start the aforementioned players.
Gray cost us £40m and Bergvall about £9m. Easier to play talents that have already been nurtured to a degree. Takes more guts to nurture your own.
It was probably a mistake by Son, as Vicario was reportedly added to the “leadership group” at the start of the season. Don’t think Davies is part of it IIRC.
Likely because none of Son, Maddison, Romero or Vicario started that one. It was reported that Ange changed the leadership group when he joined in order to freshen things up and lead us in a new direction. Dier and Davies (and Hojbjerg iirc) were all part of the previous leadership regime along with Son and Kane. It’s now Son, Maddison, Romero and now Vicario.
