Will Ivan Klasnic break out and earn a starting job?
Top Scorer: Ivan Klasnic
I struggled with this category. Our shortage of strikers made it so there was no obvious option. In the end I went with Klasnic for several reasons. He's scored 5 times in preseason, which will build up his confidence. I also think that this is his season to shine. Previously he's always been stuck behind Elmander and Sturridge, only coming on as a 60th minute sub and rarely starting. With Johan's departure comes an opportunity for Ivan to prove he deserves a place in the side, and to do a striker's job: score.
Hit the jump for more!
Most Assists: Kevin Davies
Another difficult one for me. When originally considering it, my mind went straight to Chung-Yong Lee, however with his 9 month injury that would be a prodigious run indeed to claim this accolade. With poor Chungy effectively out of the running, the clearest choice is Super Kev. With his prowess in the air, he's as likely to head one down to someone's feet as to score himself, and his unselfishness lends itself to teammate's goals.
Best Newcomer: Darren Pratley
Last season, Bolton faltered mainly because Stu Holden's unfortunate injury left the midfield lost. This summer Coyle has tried to address this weakness with the signing of Darren Pratley. While I was unimpressed at first, having watched him in preseason, I think Pratley has a breakthrough season ahead of him. He looks calm and composed when at the center of play, and his chemistry with his teammates seems to be innate. With Pratley's addition to the squad, Coyle is going to be faced with some tough selection choices when Stu returns.
Position at New Years: 14th
Despite a mostly successful preseason, I think we will have a rough start to the season. Wins against smaller clubs may give the team some undeserved cockiness when tougher competition comes around. Playing the Big Four (plus Manchester City) in the space of just over a month will leave us playing catch up until Christmas.
Position at end of Season: 10th
Bolton's last season ended with a whimper instead of a bang. Stu Holden's injured proved a catalyst in a steady decline to finish in the exact same place as the season before. However that was Coyle's first full season in charge, and all bad luck aside, he was still rather new to a club of Bolton's size. I think that this season will prove more success, we've added some new players to the side, are expecting old players to return from injury, and Coyle will have hopefully learned his lessons from what went wrong.