Bizarrely, Coyle said that the reason for bringing back Kevin Davies to partner N’gog was based on their performance together in the reverse fixture at Wigan back in mid-October. Although we did come away from that fixture with a positive result and the two front men did play well, that was nearly 4 months ago now and doesn’t say much for Owen’s selection criteria if he’s happy to overlook the importance of in-form players and the value of a consistent strategy.

Additionally, he offered no reason for dropping Fabrice Muamba from the starting line-up and The Bolton News reported Muamba as saying on his official Twitter page, “I can’t really tell the reason why I wasn’t involved today, that will get me into much trouble but thanks for all your messages”. I’m sure that by now many of you will have seen the ‘with and without’ Muamba statistics that have been going round between fans, which although not completely conclusive do make for an interesting read.

I think Coyle is wrong to play down the importance of formation and put this completely on the players.  The formation has a great deal to do with the recent defeats and changing a relatively successful formula should be far more carefully considered in future. Under Coyle we have always conceded a lot of goals and relied too heavily on lady luck defensively. The two holding midfielders in the 4-5-1 look like the only real chance we have of plugging that gap until we can take another look at the problem in the summer.

I don’t want to be completely negative about the manager, but this tactical blunder, as i see it, and decision to deny its relevance has really irked me. What I will say about Coyle is that he was right to point out at times we did have periods of concerted pressure and dominance, and the margins at this level are very thin between a win and a loss. At least Coyle has come out fighting and is seemingly furious about the soft goals we conceded, but I hope that away from the bravado of the press room he can take a closer look at the tactics and importance his formation on our Premier League survival!

After endless changes at last it appeared that Owen Coyle had decided on a team and formation that got the best out of the players available to him. In attack Mark Davies and David N’Gog were linking up well and at the back Fabrice Muamba and Nigel Reo-Coker were proving a more than able shield to the back four. The newly established 4-5-1  had seen the Wanderers win at Everton, comfortably beat Liverpool and match Arsenal in a manner that was in complete contrast to the thrashings handed out by the top teams in August and September.

Admittedly it did not fair so well at Norwich last week but the game was still at 0-0 when our manager’s naivety that had shown itself against Newcastle reappeared when he took off the vital Muamba and switched to 4-4-2 in a bid to snatch a victory. The end result just as in the Newcastle game was a 2-0 defeat. So there was no doubt that 4-4-2 had proved utterly unproductive again and a poor hour was surely not enough to abandon the previously productive 4-5-1.

Rewind back to the Reebok on Saturday where the Wanderers faced Wigan in the first of a series of “must-win” home games where recent home performances allowed for an element of confidence that we could emerge with three vital points. This confidence evaporated however even before the game kicked-off as for a reason known only to Owen Coyle the 4-5-1 of recent weeks, which had at last seen the team collect points on a regular basis, was jettisoned in favour of the 4-4-2 last seen in the disastrous autumn.

The result of this tactical alteration was depressingly predictable as Wigan passed their way through the Bolton team at will by virtue of simply having an extra man in midfield. The upshot of this being a quite disgraceful first-half performance that saw the team return to a defensive shambles whilst barely threatening to score despite having an extra man in attack. Surely the only person connected with the Wanderers who could watch the shambles unfold with any pleasure was Fabrice Muamba as his vitalness to the Wanderers became increasingly apparent.

It was no surprise when Wigan finally took the lead and the boos that greeted the half-time whistle were reminiscent of the dark days under a certain Mr. Megson as fans frustration at this key game being lost came to the fore. The second-half saw little improvement as Wigan continued to dominate despite a Wanderers equaliser that most definitely came out of the blue.

At the final whistle fans were left in no doubt that relegation is more than likely and with it will come the financial question marks that have surrounded the club for years. Unlike the autumn there is no longer time to rectify these mistakes and tinker with selections there is too much at stake now as we enter the business end of the season. This is what makes the tactical decisions of Owen all the more baffling as there was nothing in past performances to suggest that 4-4-2 would bring success in any game let alone a key game such as Saturday’s.

As fans trudged home after the game there was no doubt that the team had performed abysmally and there were absolutely no positives to take from this crushing defeat. It was therefore with a sense of bewilderment that I listened to our manager say we had been the better team in the second-half and could have gone on to win the game after equalising. This analysis beggared belief and suggested that 4-4-2 will be back and as a result more and more defeats will follow each bringing the Champiosnhip one step closer.

Quite simply the tactical errors of this game could have a profound and long-standing effect on the future of Bolton Wanderers and it can only be hoped that Owen realises this as if he doesn’t any chance of avoiding relegation can be consigned to pure fantasy.

Will you ever learn?’ The scene is repeated day after day; young Owen is always boiling over with an answer and, at last, the nun’s response is different. ‘Holy Mother of God, he’s got it right. My prayers have been answered. Well done Owen, well done indeed’ she rejoices. But alas it didn’t last. A week later, we were back to Act One Scene One. ‘No Owen, no, no, no. I thought you had it but you are wrong again. I fear you will never learn’. And though young Owen grew to be a man, he didn’t get any better; he still found it difficult to recognise the right answer even when it was staring him in the face.

You would think our manager would recognise that we had some good results in the last few games, with Reo-Coker and Muamba playing behind Mark Davies in central midfield, and that when he changed this, with half an hour to go in last week’s match against Norwich, we conceded two goals and lost the game. What ever possessed him to start this game with Bogdan; Steinsson, Wheater, Knight, Ricketts; Eagles, Mark Davies, Reo-Coker, Petrov; Kevin Davies, N’Gog? At least he wouldn’t be taking Muamba off; he hadn’t picked him to start. When I heard the team,  I felt like heading straight  for home.

I’ve always been ready to concede that those that have played the game professionally know far more about it than I do but it isn’t just me that thinks like this. The message boards, the phone-ins, the statistics, all point to the same conclusion. It isn’t that I think that Muamba is a fabulous player, though I do think he is the best ball winner we have available. The point is that without him on the field we not only lose the benefit he provides but we also lose Mark Davies’s creative influence in the more forward role. In addition, with Muamba in the team, our fullbacks, who as a breed are better going forward than defending, are given some cover. It doesn’t really matter too much who the other players are, so long as they don’t include Robinson and Pratley but, if we are to retain our Premier League status, we must have the fulcrum of Reo-Coker, Muamba and Davies in midfield.

If I had any doubts about my case before the kick-off, the first half provided ample evidence for the prosecution. For long periods, against a team that appears doomed to relegation, we couldn’t get a kick. Wigan passed the ball around with a confident air while we huffed and puffed trying to win possession. It wasn’t that the visitors looked all that good, it was just that they looked a whole lot better than us. The first goal, when it came, was only surprising because, up to then, their attack had looked impotent and we had looked pretty solid at corners. Not for the first time, Bogdan made a good save down to his right at the expense of a corner. When the cross came over, the young goalie set off to take it, stopped and stayed on his line. When Caldwell rose above an ineffective challenge from Wheater and directed his header into the bottom corner, Bogdan had no chance of saving. It was just before half time and no more than Wigan deserved. We had not had a meaningful attempt on goal and only Petrov had occasionally looked vaguely dangerous.

Surprise, surprise, when the game restarted, the young loanee from Arsenal, Ryo Miyaichi, took the place of … you’ve guessed it, Petrov. The change made little difference to the pattern of play and as the half progressed, Coyle made further substitutions; Tuncay replaced Eagles and Klasnic came on for Kevin Davies. The captain was lucky to still be on the field following a horrendous challenge on Figueroa. For the first time in the game we looked a threat; it wasn’t particularly pretty but it was do or die football sufficient to reveal the shakiness of the Wigan defence. We still found it difficult to create anything but there was a newfound energy about the team and sure enough, it produced a goal. And what a goal it was. A long punt from Bogdan struck N’Gog on the back and bounced into the path of Mark Davies. The little guy struck it with tremendous power into the top corner leaving Al Habsi with no chance of stopping it … and he did it with his weaker left foot. Even the Bolton supporters were momentarily stunned to silence.

Suddenly, and in all truth undeservedly, it appeared that we might win. We continued to press with Tuncay buzzing around on the right and Miyaichi coming more into the game on the other wing. Indeed, but for a bizarre decision by the officials, Tuncay might have won the game for us. He charged down a clearance leaving himself with a clear path to goal but Howard Webb penalised him for something; only the ref knew what it was.

Inevitably, however, despite our temporary dominance Wigan scored the deciding goal; it was that kind of afternoon. In a breakaway, the always dangerous Moses bamboozled Ricketts, partly by using a dangerously raised boot, and delivered a fierce shot. Bogdan made the save but couldn’t hold the ball and, despite the presence of a host of white shirts, McArthur was first to the rebound and the game was effectively over.

There was still time for Miyaichi to bring a first class save from Al Habsi after N’Gog sent him clear but by then the stadium was half-empty. Three minutes of added time only prolonged the agony and my last view of the pitch saw Steinsson trudging slowly towards the tunnel after futilely applauding the massed ranks of empty seats. It was a fitting end to a depressing afternoon.

It isn’t worth commenting on individual displays for no-one played with distinction. However, it’s worth a few lines on the substitutes. The debutante, Miyaichi, did ok. He showed his unfamiliarity with English football when, as a post half time substitute, he wandered onto the pitch without the foregoing introductory ritual, another example of cockeyed management. He has tremendous pace and playing on the left, he preferred to cut inside. Why he wasn’t brought on in place of Eagles and whizzing round the outside of the full back I’ve no idea. His introduction was a reviving influence on a jaded first half performance. Tuncay also made an impression. He hasn’t had a happy time since joining the Wanderers but, he too, has pace and a significant work rate. If we must play 4-4-2, I’d like to see him in tandem with N’Gog (but I hope that we don’t see any more 4-4-2). Klasnic didn’t seen all that interested.

The result leaves us in a mess and it’s a mess we shouldn’t be in. Some people on the Radio Manchester phone-in thought the players weren’t good enough but these were the same players that beat Everton and Liverpool and held Arsenal. They aren’t good enough to win the league but they are good enough to stay in it. However, this is only relevant if we use the right tactics to make best use of the resources at our disposal.

Earlier in the week I emailed some statistics that showed we had lost one game out of eight when Muamba played for ninety minutes, lost six games out of seven (now seven out of eight) when he didn’t play, and that taking him off usually meant our situation in a game became worse. Owen Coyle has the same information as whoever it was that posted the information on the internet.

As Basil Fawlty might have said, ‘Can’t he see the bleeding obvious?’, My heart hopes he does but my head tells me he’s still as stubborn and myopic as the boy in the opening paragraph.

The Conservative party’s 2010 general election poster campaign used the phrase ‘I’ve never voted Tory before, but…” followed by a reason to vote Conservative.

After reading the messages by fans and listening to them after the game, the majority started their comments with – ‘I’ve never criticised Owen Coyle before, but…’  followed by a resounding criticism of his tactics and formation.  And I couldn’t agree more!

Even the pre-match team announcement was met with confusion and groans by Bolton fans. They knew that the exclusion of Muamba and the return of Kevin Davies meant a 4-4-2 formation, and they were not happy about it.

Immediately the message boards and facebook feeds were awash with fans questioning the manager’s reasons for moving away from the 4-5-1. Few could understand the point of ditching a system that had been so successful during our mini-revival, especially as it was the very same change  that was roundly blamed for the defeat at Norwich the week before.

I am willing to accept that some will point to Wigan’s poor run going in to the game and their poor record against the Wanderers in the Premier League as an opportunity to be more adventurous, but few could disagree that the change has served only to disrupt our consistency and unbalance the team.

In my opinion, Coyle has a huge amount to answer for the past two defeats and i’m not totally convinced that given the chance he could adequately explain his decision from a tactical standpoint. Although Wigan are at the bottom of the league they’re still a capable passing outfit and they possess some real pace in key areas. By opening up the game he gave them a foothold from the first whistle and they were able to get in and behind far too easily. Surely the focus should have been on stifling the Wigan threat with high tempo pressure in the middle of the park and then look to exploit their back line frailties with our own attacking quality.

Its worth noting that if Coyle made the change to accommodate the return of Kevin Davies then he needn’t have bothered. The fans have known for some time that he doesn’t have the legs any more and the rest of his game has diminished to an unacceptable standard.

Frankly, Coyle has to cede his stubborn position on this and face the fact that 4-4-2 does not work for Bolton at this time. The losses to Norwich and Wigan have put us under serious pressure going in to the Chelsea and City games and we’ve lost out on potentially relegation saving points.

The US International will be taking over 188BET’s Twitter account to answer fans’ questions during a special live interview on Thursday 9th February.

Bolton have just signed Tim from MLS team the New York Red Bulls and even though he has yet to step out in a Bolton shirt, 188BET is proud to offer Trotters fans this exclusive opportunity to learn more about the club’s latest signing.

Tim comes to Bolton with already impressive credentials to his name, including being one of three candidates for MLS Rookie of the Year after the 2010 season.

Having trained with Bolton in December 2011 to maintain his fitness during the winter MLS break, the club was keen to bring Tim over full-time and completed his signing as recently as late January. He will wear the number 32 shirt at least until the end of the 2011/12 season.

…and in the process, win yourself some Hospitality tickets for free!

The 24-year-old will be online between 1.00pm and 1:30pm on Thursday 9th February to answer fans’ questions. If that wasn’t exciting enough, 188BET will also be giving away hospitality tickets to the Bolton v. Wigan game on 11th February. Tim will pick his three favourite questions at the end of the interview with a pair of tickets going to each.

To take part in the interview and be in with a chance of winning one of these fantastic prizes, all Bolton fans have to do is log on to Twitter, follow ‘@188BET’ and submit their questions by tweeting ‘@188BET’ along with the hashtag: #asktimream.

So whether you want to know who Tim idolised as a youngster, what impressed him about Bolton or perhaps even if he has a special party trick, get online on Thursday and ask him your questions.

Please be aware any questions that are deemed to be abusive or that contain foul language will not be accepted.

Football Aid promises you a unique opportunity to Live the Dream of an authentic match day experience; gaining exclusive access to the pitch and tunnel areas, pulling on your own personalised shirt in the official changing rooms, walking down the tunnel to the sound of a cheering crowd and ultimately to step out onto the hallowed turf and represent Bolton in a never to be forgotten football match. And it’s all for charity as well!

Getting involved couldn’t be easier, just visit www.footballaid.com, select Bolton and position, then place your bid – it really is that simple. Bidding’s available throughout the month of February with the last available positions closing on Wed 7th March and there promises to be some hugely exciting auction action in the weeks to come.

Week 1 should appeal to any Midfield Maestros out there, with the 45 min No 6 (CM), 90 min No 7 (RM) and 45 min No 8 (LM) closing on consecutive days between Tue 7th and Thu 9th February.

Week 2 features the always popular 90 min No 9 (CF), No 10 (CM) and No 11 (CF) positions closing Tue 14th, Wed 15th and Thu 16th.

Week 3 gives an opportunity for any defensive stalwarts to claim their place at the back with the 45 min No 2 (RB), 90 min No 4 (CH) and 45 min No 5 (CH) closing Tue 21st, Wed 22nd and Thu 23rd.

Week 4 gives a chance for any super subs to claim their place with the No 14 (CM), No 15 (CH), No 16 (RB) and No 17 (LM) closing between Mon 27th Feb and Thu 1st March.

All that’s left is the last line of the defence, the 90 min No 1 GK position which closes on Fri 2nd March.

Finally, Wed 7th March sees any remaining positions made available in our always frenetic final day of bidding.

Home Team positions close at 15:00 pm with the Away Team closing at 16:00 pm. If you’re concerned about losing out in injury time, or won’t be available to monitor your bid for any reason, make sure and use the automated Maximum Bid option and remember you can close an auction early by using the Buy Now option on selected positions.

So don’t get left on the bench, visit www.footballaid.com now and make your bid to secure a place on your Field of Dreams!

Football Aid celebrated their 11th anniversary in 2011 and have allowed over 12,225 football fans the chance to ‘Live the Dream’ in more than 460 matches. They are a groundbreaking organisation which generates funds annually by hosting charity football matches at iconic stadiums all over the UK. The unique concept was the brainchild of businessman and Football Aid Chairman Craig Paterson and funds raised from the event will benefit the work of a charitable project nominated by the club, as well as projects nominated by Football Aid’s parent charity Field of Dreams.

Owen Coyle’s tactics are coming under increasingly close scrutiny from the Bolton faithful, with many fans heavily criticising the decision to move away from the recently successful formation of 4-5-1 into a 4-4-2 in the second half against the Canaries.

Under Coyle there has always been a sense of riding our luck defensively in favour of getting numbers forward in attack. The game at the weekend highlighted the problem with having a cumbersome back four with very little protection, when playing against a hard working team that will continuously put the ball in the box.

Having recognised that that Norwich were forced to replace their two first choice centre backs through injury in the first half, Coyle obviously fancied throwing on Kevin Davies in order to allow him to work his dark arts and apply his own brand of experienced pressure on the new faces. However, this arguably backfired as the switch to 4-4-2 betrayed the pragmatic 4-5-1 and we struggled to compete beyond that point.

The change merely served to unbalance our own team and allowed the home side to play their passing game with greater ease. As ever it seems that chopping Muamba out in favour of an attacker is a very foolish move, as although he’s not the most popular player he is always chasing down the ball and applying pressure.

In addition, Coyle’s response in the final 20 minutes to throw on Tuncay for Eagles smacks of desperation and that was compounded by bringing Sordell on for the final 10 after only a couple of days at the club.

I think we all have to accept that there isn’t going to be any kind of transformation or run of results that we keep expecting to happen once a result goes our way. This is going to be a game by game limp to the end of the season and we just have to hope that we get enough point to survive, regroup and go against next year.

Our magical event allows Bolton supporters to ‘Live the Dream’ in an authentic match day experience. Players will gain exclusive access to the pitch and tunnel areas, pull on their own personalised shirt in the official changing rooms, walk down the tunnel to the sound of a cheering crowd and ultimately to step out on the hallowed turf and represent their club in a never to be forgotten 90 minutes of football.

The matches have also been supported by a host of Trotters legends, with the likes of Mike Whitlow, Dave Lee, Tony Kelly, Scott Green and many more all lending their valuable support in recent years, by playing alongside or managing the supporters in the hugely enjoyable matches at The Reebok Stadium.

Getting involved couldn’t be easier, just visit www.footballaid.com, select Bolton Wanderers and your position, then place your bid – it really is that simple. And with most starting bids for positions at just £170, booking a position could turn out to be the best bargain you’ll ever bag! Bidding is open from now until the middle of March, depending on what position you want to play.

So if you’re keen to secure your place on your Field of Dreams this season, why not visit www.footballaid.com today to make sure you’re part of the team! Alternatively if you’d like any additional information, you can call Football Aid on 0131 220 5999 or email info@footballaid.com.

Football Aid celebrated their 10th anniversary in 2010 and have allowed over 12,225 football fans the chance to ‘Live the Dream’ in more than 460 matches. They are a groundbreaking organisation which generates funds annually by hosting charity football matches at iconic stadiums all over the UK. The unique concept was the brainchild of businessman and Football Aid Chairman Craig Paterson and funds raised from the event will benefit the work of a charitable project nominated by the club, as well as projects nominated by Football Aid’s parent charity Field of Dreams.

There is also something special about night matches at the Reebok, particularly when there is a decent crowd. This game, though it was a nil all draw, was well up to standard on both counts. We played with the same intensity and skill that we showed againstLiverpooland none of our players could be faulted.

Of course, there is a downside to evening matches against one of the so-called elite clubs, the horrendous traffic when everyone arrives together. Blackburn at home to Newcastle probably swelled the stream on the M62; what caused the hold up nearer the ground I don’t know but the delays meant that I missed the first ten minutes of the game despite jogging from the car park. It was a cold winters night; at least my jog warmed me up.

The first thing I saw was Wheater hacking a van Persie header off the line. As I hurried apologetically to my seat, it appeared that Arsenal were dominating the game and that a goal for them was imminent. As I settled down, Ramsey ran clear but shot straight at Bogdan, Wheater threw himself bravely in front of a van Persie shot, and another Ramsey effort went wide of the post. It was desperate stuff. We don’t have much of a record of withstanding sustained pressure this season and I feared the worst.

But this is the 2012 Bolton Wanderers, with new, added resilience. After fifteen minutes or so (or five in my case) we won possession and passed the ball about a bit. It wasn’t with any penetration but it took the sting out of the Arsenal attacks and won us a toehold in the game. The visitors still pressed but we were coping better and the alarm bells stopped ringing quite so loudly.

After twenty minutes, we had our first real attack. N’Gog took a ball on his chest, shrugged off a challenge, and crashed a shot against Szczesny from a sharp angle. There was a bit of a scramble in the Arsenal box before the ball was cleared; it wasn’t much but it roused the North Stand and it showed we were no push over.

Two minutes later, we should have taken the lead. Wheater back heeled a Reo-Coker free kick to N’Gog. The striker did the hard part, controlling the ball on his chest, but then put his shot wide of the post. It all happened quickly but he ought to have scored.

Thereafter the game ebbed and flowed. The best chance fell to Walcott but Bogdan dashed from his line to make a first class save. Oxlade-Chamberlaine was proving a handful on Arsenal’s left wing and van Persie was always lurking but our defence was clearly not in the mood to concede. We were pressing them well and increasingly the visitors were reduced to passing the ball around in their own half. Mark Davies began to have a creative influence and Arsenal were lucky not to receive at least one yellow card for repeated fouls on the little fellow. In the last twenty minutes of the half we gave as good as we got and we hoped the storm had been weathered.

The first few minutes after the restart suggested it hadn’t. We went for the best part of five minutes, in which our only touch of the ball was a miskick by Wheater that went for a corner. However, Arsenal couldn’t sustain their dominance and we were soon back to the end to end pattern of play. We won a series of corners without reward, N’Gog continued to harass the visitor’s defenders, and even Petrov was racing up and down the line doing his share in both attack and defence. Could we snatch an unlikely victory? The Arsenal defence didn’t look all that sound and our commitment and hard work might just bring a goal.

This thought had only just crossed my mind when Arsenal almost scored. Twice. Van Persie struck the post from an angle, which Bogdan might have saved if it had been going in, and a minute later, the keeper finger tipped an Oxlade-Chamberlaine shot over the bar. Phew!

We were soon back on the attack and I was out of my seat yelling at the referee when N’Gog was clearly body checked in the penalty area with nothing given. By this time, the stadium was rocking with the noise and the players were responding to the encouragement from the fans. In an attempt to turn the game back in their favour, Wenger decided to make a substitution. The overweight guy he brought on to replace Oxlade-Chamberlaine bore some vague resemblance to the sleek, silky Theirry Henry that used to play for them, but the change worked in our favour.

We had one more scare when van Persie, who else, did incredibly well to produce a chip that looped onto the top of the bar, but, that aside, we now looked the more likely to score. Wheater and N’Gog had headers, Steinsson shot over the bar, and we won more corners. The presumably exhausted N’Gog gave way to Kevin Davies and Tuncay replaced Petrov, with little change in the pattern of play. Reo-Coker had been magnificent throughout and he and Mark Davies were now bossing midfield. Tuncay almost put the captain through and Sparky threatened to steal the points minutes before the end. One of his teasing dribbles was partially halted by a foul as he ran into the box but he managed to keep his feet only to be tripped by Szczesny. I was out of my seat bawling at the ref again but it did no good. At least he wasn’t booked for diving this time.

There was still time for the little midfield player to shoot just wide of the post when there was acres of empty space on the other side of the goal. Then it was all over. Most of the spectators had stayed to the end despite the cold and as the players embraced, the crowd applauded what had been a first class game. Either side could have won and a draw was a fair result – but if only the referee had given the penalty.

All our players played well, everyone looked to be at the top of their form. If I had to highlight one performance it would be that of Reo-Coker, who seems thrive on captaincy. He was everywhere, winning tackles, available for a pass, bursting through in attack. He was everything I hoped he would be when we signed him. Special praise also should go to the much maligned centre backs; both Zat Knight and Wheater were magnificent at the heart of a, sometimes, hard pressed defence. When Arsenal’s speedy wingers managed to evade the full back, one or other of the central defenders was there to stick out a leg and clear. It seems unfair, however, to single out anyone for special praise for they were all, from Bogdan to Petrov, terrific. In my last report, I suggested the reasons for the turn round in form were the changes in formation and the introduction of Ricketts and N’Gog. However, there’s more to it than that. There is a new found spirit amongst the players, a do or die willingness to work their socks off combined with an effort to pass their way out of trouble, all at a high tempo. It’s great to watch and I only hope we can keep it up.

And, of course, we have three new kids on the block. Just how Owen Coyle intends to use the incomers, Marvin Sordell and Ryo Miyaichi, to bolster the attack remains to be seen. Both come with high reputations and lots of pace. Tim Ream also is reputed to be quick but he might have to be content to sit in reserve for a while of Wheater and Knight play like this.

It seems that we might have turned a corner; if we play like this all things are possible. Saturday’s game at Norwich will be a considerable test; it wasn’t in the games I thought we had to win to reach thirty nine points, and we are five points up on that target already, but in our present form I would hope that we take at least a point. That cursed emotion hope has definitely taken root.

The US International will be taking over 188BET’s Twitter account to answer fans’ questions during a special live interview on Thursday 9th February.

Bolton have just signed Tim from MLS team the New York Red Bulls and even though he has yet to step out in a Bolton shirt, 188BET is proud to offer Trotters fans this exclusive opportunity to learn more about the club’s latest signing.

Tim comes to Bolton with already impressive credentials to his name, including being one of three candidates for MLS Rookie of the Year after the 2010 season.

Having trained with Bolton in December 2011 to maintain his fitness during the winter MLS break, the club was keen to bring Tim over full-time and completed his signing as recently as late January. He will wear the number 32 shirt at least until the end of the 2011/12 season.

The 24-year-old will be online between 1.00pm and 1:30pm on Thursday 9th February to answer fans’ questions. If that wasn’t exciting enough, 188BET will also be giving away hospitality tickets to the Bolton v. Wigan game on 11th February. Tim will pick his three favourite questions at the end of the interview with a pair of tickets going to each.

To take part in the interview and be in with a chance of winning one of these fantastic prizes, all Bolton fans have to do is log on to Twitter, follow ‘@188BET’ and submit their questions by tweeting ‘@188BET’ along with the hashtag: #asktimream.

So whether you want to know who Tim idolised as a youngster, what impressed him about Bolton or perhaps even if he has a special party trick, get online on Thursday and ask him your questions.

Please be aware any questions that are deemed to be abusive or that contain foul language will not be accepted.