Boateng Fires Wanderers Blast

By Mark Heys
March 28 2006

Middlesbrough's experienced midfielder George Boateng became the latest professional to criticise the way Bolton Wanderers go about their business.

The 30-year old Dutchman played against the Wanderers in Sunday's match up between the two sides at the Riverside Stadium and was unhappy at the style of play used by Sam Allardyce's Trotters team.

"Result-wise it was very satisfying, but football-wise it wasn't because it's very difficult to play football against Bolton, every player is very tall and physically very strong.

"In the first half we played football and that's why we went in at half-time 2-1 up. But in the second half we played more their style and got sucked into the way they play, you can see that's not our strength and we struggled.

The ex-Coventry and Aston Villa man stated that Boro's overall class won them the game whilst also firing in a criticism in the direction of the Wanderers for playing a certain type of football.

"It's only because we have a little bit of class in the team that can make the difference, regardless of whether it's Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink, Mark Viduka or Yakubu.

"It was Yak who crossed the ball to finally get the win and it was very satisfying, but it was deserved over the whole of play. I think we were the only team trying to play good football and trying to do something other than play long balls."