Eddie

This advice would have been appreciated before buying! 😂 I’m south lower, looks like a hip flask job.

Not often you have to make a decision on 3 different areas to choose from! Curve ball that I wasn’t expecting but all good and sorted

Interesting the level of variation in opinion on how people have seen that result / performance. I’m somewhere in the middle of the range I think. First half was pretty even but I thought we edged it and deserved to be leading - brilliant finish by Kenny. I didn’t think there was much of a threat from them (Forino dealt with Wooton really well all game) but they did have the freedom of the left hand side when they attacked because Apter was fucking woeful and Tutu didn’t know whether to stick or twist (also not painting him in the best light) - annoyingly with 30 seconds to go it happened one too many times. I was watching the linesman and he very nearly stuck his flag up - I think he was checking with the ref as to whether the player that went up for the header touched it (Wooton I think) and so assume the ref ultimately decided it was a goal as the liner was ready to flag. Second half we started terribly. Never came out (as usual) and that goal was fucking laughable. Absolute Sunday league stuff. Conway is no left back, it started from him being out of position AGAIN but to be fair the rest of them were just as shit. Once we rode the next 10 minutes out, got our heads back on and made the changes then there was only one team that fancied it - we were all over them (especially once we scored). Our 2nd was clearly lucky in the finish, but the move was class. Rodrigues as a level above and is going to be a massive part of how well we do for the rest of the season. Even little things like the pass into Dalby being to his left foot which meant the defender couldn’t get to it - little bits of class that make a difference. I like Dempsey but when RR came on there’s just a different level of creativity and quality. It’s brilliant when we’re chasing a game because you then have both him and Sheehan in centre mid that can make something happen rather than just Sheehan (making it harder for the opposition). Sheehan had a weird game - played well but his long passing which is usually a strong point was off all game. So many times there was acres to hit in behind and he missed it all. ACD being back is massive. He was trying way too hard and actually didn’t play too well, but just the lift he gives, the energy and the willingness to get on the ball at every possible moment is brilliant - let’s hope he stays fit for the rest of the season. As for Stockport. Definitely tidy, definitely one of the stronger teams in the league and Norwood is a very classy player. But, I thought we were the better team and they were clinging on for the last 20 minutes. I still don’t want to get them in the play offs but if we did then I’d still back us to beat them. 4 points through Easter is a really good total all considered. Play off spot solidified, positives to take but as always with Bolton, plenty to wind us up too.

Wasn’t that how we set up at Wigan away? Seem to remember it being 3 at the back but with ACD as the 3rd midfielder / free to roam. Johnston made his decision for him today because he didn’t have 3 centre backs to pick. He’s watching the same as us and he clearly knows how weak we are at full back and also that we’re into our second string wingers - there wasn’t much else he could have done today.

Apter needs hooking. You can question Tutu’s defending but Apter just leaves him too it - he looks like he’s trying to get back in the 95th minute, he’s either unbelievably unfit or just can’t be arsed

Perfect timing for ACD to be coming back. 2 or 3 off the bench, 3 or 4 from the start, fully up to speed and at his best ready for the play offs!

They’ve got a bit of form but it’s chalk and cheese home vs away. They’ve drawn 1 and lost 4 of their last 5 away games. Hopefully that continues today!

Watch out for Luton. They’ve just hit form and have a favourable run in. Downsides are that they have the distraction of the EFL trophy final and 4 of their last 6 are away and they’re poor away from home. I hope we aren’t on the beach and let them sneak in on the last day, I’ve had a feeling all season that they’d sneak it and they’re one of the last teams out of that group that I’d want to get 6th (if we’re in 3rd).

Then they’ve got 2 tough away games (Huddersfield and Reading) whilst we’ve got 2 home games… It’s happening 😂

He was a wingback from about 45 min to 75-80ish (and looked so much more comfortable than as a left back). We brought Christie on for RR on 63 mins to be the 2nd centre mid with Sheehan. He did ok to be fair given the circumstances but at about 75-80 mins we noticed Conway had moved central to make it a midfield 3 with Johnston to left back and back to a back 4 (midfield of Christie, Sheehan, Conway with Burstow just ahead and then Dalby furthest forward). I’m not sure it’s fair to come to any opinion on Max in midfield from that 20ish spell - he was on his arse and it was backs to the wall just try and do a job in any way you can. I wouldn’t say he looked comfortable, it certainly wasn’t the advert that says he’s a natural centre mid, but like I say it was just needs must.

Cheers, I’ll give it a watch tonight

Snap your hand off for that. Only thing is that we’d be bringing on Christie as our first centre mid replacement, but that just is what it has to be. Also means you get Forino back in who I’d trust most to deal with Wooton.

Strikers - Dalby, Kenny, Burstow Wingers - Gale, Cissoko, Apter (Burstow probably) 10 - Rodrigues, Dempsey, Kenny I’d rather any of those play ahead of him, and that’s just the ones who are fit at the moment. Clearly ACD, CBT would be ahead of him and probably Forss but that’s irrelevant to some extent. Conclusion is that IMO (and absolutely appreciate that you see it differently) I have absolutely no concern with him missing the next 3 games.

That angle makes it look like nothing. Look at the one above - his elbow is in the guy’s face and look where the ball is (red circle). It’s inexplicably stupid. He’s jumped into and taken the player out with his arm (how much force can be questioned) before the ball is even close to being in a position to challenge for it. What SS has said about it and his own reaction tell you that neither of them think it was harsh decision. It’s all on him this one.

Why aren’t EFL highlights on ITV4? It was the same a few weeks ago - is it because it’s an FA cup weekend? Seems daft considering there’s basically a full EFL fixture list. FWIW it’s a shite show in terms of production and I know all of them are on the sky sports app etc. - it’s just an easy way to watch them all in one place.

Couldn’t disagree more - he’s wank and we have plenty more options that I’d see ahead of him up front or wherever the fuck he was meant to be playing today.

Yep, agree as well. No doubt it’s in the ‘soft’ pile, when you actually look at what happened. He’s still a tit though

It’s not about the actual impact IMO - Forino took one just as bad late in the second half and ref had no interest in thinking about a card - it was the pure stupidity of never once making it look like a normal challenge for the ball where he’s using his body to make it difficult and has accidentally caught the defender. The ball goes in the air, he turns, looks backwards, runs backwards in the direction of the defender and jumps backwards into him. @Stig has said it but he ended up a few yards away from where the ball actually landed because he was more interested in the defender and never looked back at the ball. It’s a ‘professional foul’ in the sense that he was never actually challenging for the ball - the fact he caught the lad in the face probably turned it from a free kick / yellow card into a red.

Lincoln all but promoted (taking into account goal difference) - some season to have wrapped it up with 6 games to go. Their 2nd half of the season is unbelievable, fair play to them.

What a result that is, what a performance that is, and I’m massively jealous because I can only imagine what an away that is! First half was alright, it was all going ok as an away game against a good team until McAtee had a brain fart. For the record, I don’t think it was a red card, his arm is relatively by his side and I think @gonzo said it but their fella didn’t jump so took one in the face and made the most of it. However, rather than watching the ball and challenging for the header, the shithouse runs away from it, looking backwards for more than a split second and jumps straight into the defender without ever looking back at the flight of the ball. He gave the ref a decision, was it soft, yes, was it completely uncalled for and basically shitting out of just a straight challenge for a header, yes. Add to that he’d had a poor first half and it’s just another example of why he can clear off in the summer. Second half was brilliant. Great from SS - switch to the back 5 and bypass the midfield, then have to bring a right back into midfield, then spot that was getting overrun so switch back to a back 4 and put Max into a 3 man midfield. It reminded me of his early days, reacting in match and really affecting the game. We won with a midfield of Sheehan, Christie and Conway for the last 15 mins! Great performances all over the place (Tutu and Bonham rightly called out already) - I’d also give GJ a lot of credit, I thought he was at his best today. Dalby grafted, Burstow made an impact and Kenny ran the channels well. It was a proper collective effort and managed to keep them to very few clear cut chances when a man down. With the way other results were going, I thought we were in for a shocking day when we went down to 10 and would be really looking over our shoulder come 5pm. As it is, I think that pretty much does it (there’s going to be mad rush for 6th), and is a huge confidence boost as well after a ropey few games. Up the whites, and well done all that travelled down - 2 top away days down that way this season, gutted I’ve not been able to do one of them!

Braindead. Might not be a red, but he couldn’t have done more to give the ref the option. Hopefully last time he’s seen in a Bolton shirt.

4222

Looks about as weak as we could be. Has to be injuries to midfielders to not have EE or Simons on the bench - if that’s the case though, I don’t understand why you don’t put the extra centre back in and make it more solid there. 5 at the back with Sheehan and RR in front would look a lot less fragile. Let’s see if we can outscore them

Stick it towards my CPD hours 👍🏼

I’d be delighted to see that starting 11. Square pegs in square holes, reinforced centre backs, solid midfield, less reliance on underperforming wingers, option to go long and get up the pitch with Kenny actually alongside Dalby and Dempsey buzzing around to support. As ever, @Johnnyrotten‘s rule of it all depending on the inconsistency on the day applies - but it does feel like giving us the best chance in a very very tough game.