Source: Team_Talk
Knight feels for 'unlucky' Klasnic
Zat Knight believes Ivan Klasnic was unlucky to be sent off against Stoke, saying Bolton seem to play against 12 men every week.[LNB] Klasnic stepped off the substitutes' bench to score the winning goal for the Trotters in a 2-1 success, before being dismissed for two bookable offences just before the final whistle.[LNB]Manager Owen Coyle had few complaints after the match about the first yellow card, following a push on Dean Whitehead, but was disappointed by the second decision.[LNB]And Knight also believes it was harsh of referee Peter Walton to rule that Klasnic had elbowed Rory Delap, meaning he must now serve a suspension.[LNB]Knight feels for the striker and claims that Bolton usually tend to be on the wrong end of tight refereeing calls.[LNB] "It was up and down for Ivan," the defender told the Bolton News. [LNB]"I'm delighted because of the goal because it's been frustrating for him - the skipper (Kevin Davies) and Johan (Elmander) have been fantastic up front. [LNB]"For me, I understand the first yellow. It was a bit of fighting, so I understand that. [LNB]"But I don't think he put his elbow up for the second one. [LNB]"I don't think the referee gave us anything. As soon as one of our centre halves touched a striker, he got the free-kick but you saw the treatment Davo (Davies) got.[LNB] "It seems like we have to play against 12 players every week - but as long as we keep striving and fighting for it, hopefully we'll come out with three points." [LNB]Klasnic may have found starting opportunities hard to come by since turning his loan move from Nantes into a permanent deal over the summer but Knight insists he still has a vital role to play.[LNB]"Ivan does that kind of thing every day in training," Knight said of his well-taken goal. [LNB]"He just needs a chance, and he'd been laughing with the manager that he'd only need 10 minutes to score. [LNB]"He's a poacher and just wants to shoot. He had one in the first couple of minutes that he didn't quite connect with but he made up for it with the goal." [LNB]The win over Stoke lifted Bolton to seventh in the Premier League table and Knight believes it turned a solid start to the season into a good one after five draws in their previous seven games.[LNB]"I think we can say it's been a good start to the season now," he said. [LNB]"It was a massive win against one of the sides I think we really have to beat, someone who have been a mid-table team.[LNB]"We made tough work of it but there was a bit more of a fight in the second half and I think the victory was well deserved in the end.[LNB]"We've been saying all along we need to turn these draws into wins, and we've done that.[LNB]"We've got a big game next week against Wigan, who had a fantastic start but let their lead slip against Newcastle.[LNB]"After that there's Tottenham and Liverpool, so if we can get three points away from home it would mean a lot."
