It may not be among the most "brilliant" games the third round of the FA Cup has to offer, being a duel between a below-average team that literally rejoices in the Championship and a Ligue 1 midfield team that mostly aims to avoids corresponding entanglements (based on material, a comfortable placement in the middle of the scoreboard seems the most normal development), however it is probably one of the richest in terms of reporting and general background.
Starting with Bolton's side, the temporary smiles brought by the victory over Rotherham (2-1) but also the white tie against Stoke were followed by the gloom after its bad leg for 2019, when it was literally dragged to KCOM Stadium from Hull with the embarrassing 6-0, in the heaviest defeat of Phil Parkinson's coaching career. The image of disintegration she showed (especially after the 2-0) combined with her inability to make even one shot towards the opponent's goal, essentially landed Bolton again in the raw reality, since he wants her to practically look for a miracle in order to succeed in the end to remain in the category.
For Phil Parkinson himself, of course, this situation is not unprecedented. After all, when he took over the fate of the team last year, his task was almost as difficult, however, despite the various problems (mainly financial) that tormented and continue to plague the team, the goal of staying was achieved. This year, however, with problems remaining a mountain and Bolton having one of the poorest quality rosters, the spectrum of relegation is more visible than ever, with betting companies even offering it as the second potential favorite behind Ipswich.
Somehow, in the aftermath of the heavy defeat by Hull, the first whispers that raise the issue of a coach came to the surface - unofficially, however. As far as the team's friends are concerned, Phil Parkinson is still confident, with the majority wanting to stay at the helm of the team while, as mentioned above, there is no official issue from the management side. What is striking, however, is the timing at which another piece of news came to light, which has to do with some debts owed to Phil Parkinson (plus his associates) from last season and more specifically some premiums they had promised after the realization of the goal of stay and which to date have not been paid.
As it is easily understood, the climate in the team is very marginal. On the one hand, there is the competitive part with the team suffering, on the other hand, the various issues of the last days regarding Parkinson's face, if nothing else, are disorienting and in everything, there is also the ... cup. Do not be misunderstood, this institution is a sacred affair and there are NO indifferent groups, however in the case of Bolton it would not be an exaggeration to say that it is a luxury at a time when it faces so many problems and with the range of demotion as mentioned above more visible than ever.
And if you thought we were done with Bolton, you are wrong because on Thursday night another ... slap came, with the news that the team is under embargo, while creating uncertainty regarding the participation of at least three of its key players acquired in the current season. The reason for the striker Christian Dodge that he acquired on loan from Forrest Green, the goalkeeper Remy Matthews who also took a loan from Norwich but also the experienced midfielder Gary O'Neill, with whom the contract was expected to be extended at the end of his season. In short, the financial problems that afflict the team come to ... bite it once again, making Parkinson's task even more difficult since the participation of the players just mentioned is not allowed - the final decision for their participation or no was expected on Friday night.
On the opposite bank, of course, things are not exactly rosy. Walsall may not be facing the same serious competitive or financial problems, but there is a general resentment in its fan base, with teammates preparing various forms of protest against the team's management and especially owner Jeff Bosner, with the main complaint against them the lack of ambition. This is a story that is not current but that has started since last year, with the friends of the team believing that the team has remained stagnant in recent years, being as usual either in the middle of a stay battle or just making a placement somewhere in the middle of the standings. In addition, people are complaining about the poor conditions on the pitch in terms of their service, which they consider inconsistent with the money they spend to see their team up close. To understand, there is a question even about the ... toilets of the stadium while another aspect of the whole issue has to do with the very expensive rent that the team pays - we are essentially talking about a chain of situations. Somehow, a new protest is rumored on Saturday during their team's match against Bolton, with the team's friends waving Cypriot flags.
In short, we have a cup match between Bolton and Walsall, but with the game itself being almost secondary ...
In terms of competition, the teams may be divided by one category, but I would say that their differences are almost negligible. Men Bolton usually scores this year upon request ... and Walsall has shown from time to time samples of a team very capable of damage, especially if you take it for granted. I remind you, for example, that to get here he took Sunderland out of the competition with a double in the Stadium of Light (0-1) while in general this year - maybe because the ceiling is specific in the league - he looks at the cups quite hot, having lost only once in a total of seven matches.
I appreciate, then, that Walsall has excellent luck in getting the qualifying victory against a vulnerable Bolton and especially if she manages to score first, filling an already fragile team with even more stress. Whether the three players we mentioned above play for Bolton or not, my opinion remains the same, let alone that I think that the "stamp" of the favorite does not suit her, being mainly trained in a waiting game and much less in an initiative game and creation. My choice, then, is the double at 4,02 of goalbet.