Coyle defiant as Villa add to Trotters’ woes

OWEN COYLE’S optimism could never be questioned but even the Bolton manager is starting to question whether all of his players have the stomach for the fight.

Rooted at the foot of the Premier League after yet another home defeat, their seventh in eight Premier League games at the Reebok Stadium, Coyle maintained the upbeat message that Wanderers can pull themselves out of trouble.

If they are going to, however, they will have to perform considerably better than they did against Alex McLeish’s side when they lacked the basic qualities of fight and resolve; the kind of things no side in trouble can afford to lose.