Eddie

See I completely disagree. Toal an GJ as a pair just does not have the physicality. I don’t mind them individually as L1 centre backs, but together they are just too susceptible to being bullied by the bigger, older, experienced centre forwards in the league. Even today, there are occasions that aren’t that obvious where Toal goes up for a header and is just nudged which means he either misses it or the header goes nowhere / the wrong place - he moans every time to the ref that he’s been pushed but I’d say 1 in 10 he’ll get a free kick, refs just don’t care in this league. Johnston is better at using his body but he’s hampered by his height. Forino has none of that. He’s exactly the kind of centre back that will take none of it, he’s the boss and forwards will have to do him for pace or skill to score.

What will be interesting - if we’re going back to 4 at the back (which it looks like given the signings), what does he do with the centre backs? It was an easy decision for him today because Johnston had to go left back seeing as Conway was out, so Forino and Toal in the middle. But when Conway is back, what happens? Forino is undroppable for me, he’s just so much more physical and suited to L1 than Toal and Johnston, but then Johnston has played the most minutes this season of any player - so I’d be surprised if he was to drop to the bench - but Toal’s captain. He could keep it as it was today. GJ is far from ideal on the ball, but Conway is poor defensively as a left back. Whatever happens, if he reverts to a back 4 with Toal and GJ as your centre backs then he’s mad.

I said this the other day. I’ve nothing against Lincoln, they’re on an unbelievable run, but history says that very rarely have both teams gone half way through the season and not to be caught. At least one of them will come back to the pack

We’ve done our bit, that’s all we could ask. The others are all in games they’d expect to win so it’s all a bit so so - as expected. Stockport the current ones losing out this weekend. Tangerines are hurtling towards the relegation zone!

No need to dwell on the second half, we did what we needed to do. First 20 mins of the second half we couldn’t get to grips with their change, but we were still solid at the back and didn’t buckle under pressure. The subs gained us some control back and up to about the 85th minute we looked comfortable again. Missed a couple of chances but never looked troubled. Last 5-10 we got in a bit of a panic, made a few silly decisions but again some good blocks and last minute tackles meant we did what was needed. Forino is a game changer in that back line - my MoM today (just over Erhahon). 4 wins out of 5, 3 away clean sheets in a row and some really exciting signs for the new signings. Christmas blip well in the rear view mirror. We’re on our way to second - just need the fucking latics to do us a favour today 🤢

Refs are fucking awful in this league. How’s it not a foul on Tutu?

They’ve changed shape - we need to reply. Either to the 532 or even just personnel

Well that was bloody good. Should be home and dry but can’t complain with how good we’ve looked. The front 4 look seriously dangerous and playing as a unit. Forino just needs to be in this defence - he just makes everything look solid. Erhahon bossing things - maybe finally having a run of games is starting to have an effect. He looks confident!

We’ve started brilliantly. Some goal that - pace, good decision making, skill and finishing a chance!

Can we have a different thread for our worst days. I feel bipolar reading this

Guaranteed good song too To the heartbeat theme tune “Ruben, Ruben Rodrigues please score a goal for me. Do do do do do, do do do do do” He’s also 5ft 11 so if he’s going to be our no.10 has a bit of size compared to other options there. Some signing this

Done a bit of research. He loves a nutmeg, is two footed and is a goal scoring midfielder. My favourite part though has to be this gem: 8. Change of Number Now sporting the number 27 shirt, Rodrigues follows a tradition of notable players who previously wore it, including Chung-Yong Lee and Franck Passi. He can’t fail!!

I’m realising just how little I know about players from other teams in this league. Plenty of people buzzing about this signing - I couldn’t have told you he’d played against us before! I’m now buzzing cause you lot are 😂. What position does he play?

Exactly! One day these sitters will go in and it’s a whole different game - why not tomorrow!? Hard work being a Bolton fan if you can’t cling onto the hope

I love this kind of post. We know full well the reality that we don’t tend to do well away from home, we don’t score in the first half and we don’t win by more than 1 goal when we do… but fuck all that, this time it’ll be different, we’re going to batter them and have won it by half time. My kind of blind optimism 👍🏼

We can’t go back to 1 up top and it be Dalby - it’s unfair on him more than anything else

You didn’t say that. You said he’s been poor all season. Can we win without him against poor opposition at home - clearly just about. Has he been poor all season - no, you’re just being daft.

Spent 93 minutes thinking I was mad, only to see a scrappy rebound go in and prove it was the right decision all along - stupid game. Another game where it looked like sitters would cost us. GJ’s wasn’t just bad, it was terrible twice! Dempsey then does everything right on 2 occasions but has to have some composure and finish it off - the second kills the game. I was completely wrong on Dalby. Pretty harsh on him before he got this run of games and in hindsight it was stupid. Bits of games here and there playing as a lone striker with wingers cutting inside was never going to make him look anything other than a carthorse. Play to his strengths with players up around him and give him a run of games and he’s showing he can be very effective in this league. Even without the goals he was MoM again. Hold my hands up on a poor call. Final thing of interest. EE was running about like he was in 2 leg braces for the last 10 mins - he then gets the ball and manages to swivel on it and hit a beaut of a ball over the top to Gale who was completely free which set him away and was the start of the move for the winner. I thought he had a decent game overall but that pass when he was crippled with cramp was a proper piece of skill in an otherwise turgid battle of a match. Onwards we go.

Your obvious stubborn bias against him is making you look very silly. You’ll be calling him bang average next

From my Derby mate ”He’s rubbish. Head down, daft as a brush” He’ll fit in well 🤣🤣

Sun out by 3pm, wind dying down by 8pm, pitch nice and slick from the rain this morning - perfect conditions under the lights!

7 points from 9 says it’s not… yet

Wheater’s the one that comes to mind for me. Didn’t he go to turn and just crumpled into a heap when his knee gave way

I’m going, on my own, straight from work with a 45 minute drive home And I’m looking forward to it Must be mad

Imagine being Michael James, lifelong fan, knowing what you’ve done for the club and then hearing of this shit (hopefully he doesn’t). I wouldn’t be able to help myself, I’d be arguing with delinquents for hours a day. And these fuckers get to vote 🤦🏻‍♂️