Pick Your Poison - Bolton Wanderers

The Challenge
Pick 3 players you believe have left your club and gone on to bigger/better things and you want back at your club. Then make a choice between the 3 players as to which you'd take back in the current squad. Judge all players on the time of their sale, not currently.

The Challenger

Gareth Couperthwaite, 25, Norwich.

Player 1

Eidur Gudjohnsen - Striker

July 1998 - July 2000

"Eidur Gudjohnsen came to Bolton in 1998 after he’d been released by PSV after injury problems. His start wasn’t immediate but when he came into the side, he had an immediate effect. He finished his first season with 5 goals from 14 games and got Bolton to the Play off final against Watford. In his second season, along with Bo Hansen and Dean Holdsworth, he drove the Whites’ attack, guiding Bolton to three semi finals. He finished the season with 14 goals and was a cult legend at the Reebok. 

During the closed season Bolton received a lot of enquires for him, two seasons outside the Premier League had had a massive effect on the finances and Bolton were forced to sell Eidur to Chelsea for £4m. While at Chelsea, he won 2 league titles and a League cup, but had his greater success when he was sold to Barcelona, where he won the Primera División, Copa del Rey and the Champions League."

Eidur Gudjohnsen is one of the most technically gifted players the Reebok stadium has seen in a long time. With his phenomenal first touch and his clinical eye for goal he became a Bolton legend in his 2 years at the club and nobody was shocked he went on to win trophies with Chelsea and Barcelona in the prime of his career.  He'd add real creativity to the Bolton side (something I feel they're lacking at the moment) and could be a replacement for the departed Johan Elmander.

Player 2

Daniel Sturridge - Striker

2011 (LOAN)

"Daniel Sturridge, unlike the other two players, was on loan at the Reebok from Chelsea. He started his career at Man City before moving to Chelsea when his contract expired. Chelsea loaned him to Bolton, where he made an immediate effect of scoring in the 90th minute of his debut against Wolves, he followed this up with another three goals in his next three games and became only the sixth player to score in his first four games in the Premier League for his club. He finished with 8 goals in 12 games and became a fan favourite. With Chelsea telling Bolton it would cost £3m to continue the loan for a further twelve months and any transfer being out of Bolton’s price range. Sturridge went back to Chelsea, where he has had a great start to this season, including getting two goals against Bolton at the Reebok."

Daniel Sturridge was a superb youngster with bags of potential when he joined the Trotters on loan in January 2011. He desperately needed game-time and wasn't getting it at Stamford Bridge and was placed under greater threat with the purchase of a certain Fernando Torres for £50M. Sturridge arrived at the Reebok and took the opportunity by the scruff of the neck, bagging a goal on his debut. He continued to score, scoring 4 in his opening 4 games for the club. He ended with 8 goals in 12 games and has gone back to Chelsea and has fought his way into the starting line up. His movement suited Bolton like a glove to a hand - and this season it's clear to see they miss his explosiveness up front.

Player 3

Blerim Dzemailli - Midfielder

July 2007 - July 2009

"The final Player is Blerim Dzemaili, he signed a pre season deal to join Bolton from FC Zurich in 2007, there were high hopes for him based on his performances and he was touted as a future star for his native Switzerland. Unfortunately he suffered a serious knee injury in training before his move. Throughout the 2007-08 season, he was unable to break into the first team and only made one appearance in the FA cup. He moved to Torino on loan, where he found a new lease and signed for them the season after, since then he has signed for Parma, before moving to Napoli this season."

Blerim Dzemaili was a talented young teenager, fresh into the Swiss national team after an amazing season with FC Zurich. A serious knee injury cursed his time at the Reebok and he only ever made one senior appearance for the side, in the FA Cup. When he went on loan to Torino he found a second wind and started to show some more of that promise that made Bolton sign him. He went to Parma after that and this summer moved to Torino where he made his Champions League debut against Manchester City coming on as a substitute.

CONCLUSION

GARETH COUPERTHWAITE

"In a choice out of the three, I would prefer to have Sturridge back at Bolton. His goals and movement seemed to suit Bolton’s style of play and I feel we are a poorer team this season without him. 

Eidur was a fantastic player for Bolton and has left and achieved great things since leaving the club. Although there was huge support to the idea of him returning to Bolton, he has returned to the EPL with three clubs but not to The Reebok. 

Blerim had a torrid time at Bolton and never achieved the highs that were expected of him. I, along with a lot of Bolton fans I know, are happy to see him playing at the highest level."

DMF 

Bolton are quite clearly struggling in an attacking sense this season and although they just beat Stoke 5-0 at home, they've been struggling for goals too. Johan Elmander's departure to Galatasaray on a free transfer has taken a lot of goals from the club, and an intelligent striker like Eidur Gudjohnsen could be the answer for them. A creative force when deployed deeper, but a fantastic finisher when given the chance, it seems to me that he's the perfect choice to put into the Bolton side.

Do you agree with the choices @Lordcoup made? Let us know in the comments section or on Twitter.

DMF. (@dmf180593)