Player Ratings: Bolton Wanderers 0-0 Stoke City

Hopefully Ken will be alright with these ratings.

By moss-j@jamie_moss123 Dec 31, 2018, 4:30pm GMT

Bolton Wanderers v Stoke City - Sky Bet Championship

So how did Bolton Wanderers’ players get on against Stoke City? I’m glad you asked.

Ben Alnwick - 7

Alnwick made some important saves to keep Bolton in the game. If we had conceded early on it may well have been a long afternoon. He comtinues to be a key player for Bolton.

Jason Lowe - 7

Another good performance by Lowe at right back. Pawel Olkowski and Mark Little may feel hard done by, but if it works then why not?

David Wheater - 7

He put in a good performance against a side oozing attacking talent. We need more of the same to dig our way out of this.

Mark Beevers - 7

An upturn in Beevers’ performances is very welcome as he does have the tools to be a key player in our scrap. Again, we need more of the same.

Jonathan Grounds - 7

After a difficult start to his Bolton career he is finally getting going. When he arrived it was said he would be an upgrade on Andrew Taylor. Regardless of whether that is the case, it is good that one of our left backs is no longer a total liability.

Marc Wilson - 6

Wilson is doing exactly what you would from a centre back in midfield. Offering a good screen to the back four, but offering nothing going forward. That is not a problem per say, but he should really stop trying hollywood passes.

Joe Williams - 6

He still needs to improve how he uses the ball, something which may have cost us goals in recent weeks. If he can sort that out, he could be a real asset in the second half of the season.

Clayton Donaldson - 7

One of the big tactical changes was putting Donaldson out wide, and it was met with a lot of scepticism. But it seems to be working, and I never thought I would say this, but he is linking up well with Lowe down that flank.

Josh Vela - 8

He is back in the side and linking up well with Doidge. I have often been unsure what Vela can bring to the side, but he showed his worth against Stoke. I have always thought Vela has the talent to make it at this level, hopefully he is now showing that. More of the same please.

Sammy Ameobi - 6

He was slightly anonymous on the day and it never opened up for him to hit the top corner, or row Z.

Christian Doidge - 8

A run in the team is doing Doidge the world of good and he may now be adapting to the demands of the Championship. If it were not for Jack Butland he may even have grabbed a goal, maybe next week.

SUB: Josh Magennis - 7

Magennis was impressive after his introduction. He has had a very stop start season and now faces quite the uphill battle to return to a team picking up results.

SUB: Craig Noone - N/A

He only came on for a few minutes so was not able to make an impact. Not that he normally does anyway.

Phil Parkinson - 8

He may have taken his time but he has finally found a formula which is working. He is still probably the best man to keep Bolton in this league, but let’s just hope it doesn’t take him quite so long to fix it again when this run ends.

Unused: Matthews, Buckley, Hobbs, Murphy and Olkowski.