Go on….

1 hour ago, Wanderlust said:

We can't blame the pitch. Half the games are away anyhow and they're a mixed bag so we have to be able to at least go for the one touch passing game and get shots off quicker regardless of the surface. Even the short highlights clip shows that we failed to get shots on target when we had the chance - mainly Dion who was taking too many touches. He worked relentlessly but when the team only gets 3 shots on target the entire game despite dominating the ball he has to be encouraged to shoot on sight more - if it bobbles, it bobbles but worry about that later because getting his shots off quicker will at least give us a chance of a goal, deflection, FK, pen, corner whatever - whereas waiting for it to sit up perfectly just allows for an easy block and we get nowt.

When Cheltenham beat us at their place earlier in the season we got ZERO shots on target and the week before that we only managed two when FGR beat us so I suppose there's been some improvement in that department, but we have to have a go and ideally get an early goal to force teams to play.

Thank God Goodwin muffed that header and Toal got back for that clearance because we actually could have lost this game. It's up to the manager to sharpen us up going forward now.

Surprising amount of over thinking on this thread typified by the above. 
 

We played a shit house team who came to frustrate and waste and we won. Comparing back to a game a few months ago when last week we had 24 shots I think.

There is a togetherness and commitment in the team shown by how despite giving a shit goal away at Charlton we just got back up and played really well. 8 clean sheets at home on the run. 
 

Just enjoy it 

23 minutes ago, Ani said:

Surprising amount of over thinking on this thread typified by the above. 
 

We played a shit house team who came to frustrate and waste and we won. Comparing back to a game a few months ago when last week we had 24 shots I think.

There is a togetherness and commitment in the team shown by how despite giving a shit goal away at Charlton we just got back up and played really well. 8 clean sheets at home on the run. 
 

Just enjoy it 

I guess it all just comes down to us being awesome and everyone else being shit.

 

7 hours ago, JimmyRiddle said:

Generally I agree, we are definitely moving forward. Is just these kinda games we struggle.

Just frustrating the amount of times the ball gets recycled down each side and back again in these matches without us getting anywhere near goal, we have loads of opportunities to provide a conventional cross but always seem to stop and play it back?? Add that to a reluctance to shoot, but well done Dempsey!!

You're right though, Evatt has realised somethings wrong and hopefully the new signings will improve matters.

 

As much as these types of games can be frustrating and difficult, we've won 8 out of 9 home games against middle ranking or lower teams.  Only Bristol Rovers got a draw. 

Against the better sides, we've drawn 3 (all 0-0), lost 1 and won 2 (and when we beat Wycombe and Peterboro they were both well out of form).  So I'd take playing the strugglers every week, we win 90% of them at home, its the better teams we can't usually beat.

1 hour ago, Cheese said:

 

I'm no goalkeeping expert but shouldn't he have flung out his arms to attempt to save it?  Its like he was pretending to try to save it by diving but was avoiding the ball.  It shows the value of just getting a shot on target, there's a decent chance the keeper's not going to save it at this level.

Probably thought it was going wide. We were right behind it, it looked like it was going wide, some real whip on it

8 minutes ago, Johnnyrotten said:

I'm no goalkeeping expert but shouldn't he have flung out his arms to attempt to save it?  Its like he was pretending to try to save it by diving but was avoiding the ball.  It shows the value of just getting a shot on target, there's a decent chance the keeper's not going to save it at this level.

Must have just decided to let it go in. No other explanation. Give your head a little wobble.

1 minute ago, Cheese said:

Must have just decided to let it go in. No other explanation. Give your head a little wobble.

For clarity, suggesting he let it in on purpose was in jest. 

I just thought he could have done a bit better, if you thought he made a great effort to save it fair enough, its OK for opinions/observations to differ.

5 minutes ago, Johnnyrotten said:

For clarity, suggesting he let it in on purpose was in jest. 

I just thought he could have done a bit better, if you thought he made a great effort to save it fair enough, its OK for opinions/observations to differ.

My comment was also in jest.

1 hour ago, Johnnyrotten said:

I'm no goalkeeping expert but shouldn't he have flung out his arms to attempt to save it?  Its like he was pretending to try to save it by diving but was avoiding the ball.  It shows the value of just getting a shot on target, there's a decent chance the keeper's not going to save it at this level.

I think he was shaping up to throw his upper (right) arm at it.  Something pro keepers do now with shots across them as opposed to the arm the direction the balls travelling in. In this case his left. He made a hash of it thank feck. 

1 hour ago, Cheese said:

My comment was also in jest.

Not always easy to tell.

12 minutes ago, Traf said:

Not always easy to tell.

Club shop, Mr T?

2 hours ago, Cheese said:

Club shop, Mr T?

Were you trying to be funny again? 😉

11 hours ago, Traf said:

Were you trying to be funny again? 😉

No, he thinks you’re a cunt and would like to flatten your nose. 🤣

On 05/02/2023 at 09:21, Cheese said:

Someone should tell Evatt "We need to score early when we play these types of teams". Problem solved. We'd piss the League if it weren't for this tactical blind spot he's got.

Looks like somebody has told him at last. Thank god for that. 

https://www.theboltonnews.co.uk/sport/23300569.bolton-wanderers-boss-ian-evatt-warns-frustration-future/

“It was very, very tough to break them down but there’s more of that coming as well. We have to get used to it,” he told The Bolton News.

“It is a learning curve for us all and in that type of game the early goal is so important.

“We must find a way of getting that, and there were opportunities for it to happen"

I actually enjoyed suffering Cheltenham’s shithousery turning into a need to play football. The ball-Youth behind the south stand goal was brilliant, as was the steward who feigned an attempt to kick the ball back then lifted his foot to allow the ball to run past him.

A great turn-around of the anti-football tactics employed by a very poor team.

Just now, MickyD said:

I actually enjoyed suffering Cheltenham’s shithousery turning into a need to play football. The ball-Youth behind the south stand goal was brilliant, as was the steward who feigned an attempt to kick the ball back then lifted his foot to allow the ball to run past him.

A great turn-around of the anti-football tactics employed by a very poor team.

That ginger knob who waves the flag infront of the North stand held onto the ball and remonstrated with their keeper for time-wasting BEFORE we'd scored. Fucking idiot.

3 hours ago, MickyD said:

I actually enjoyed suffering Cheltenham’s shithousery turning into a need to play football. The ball-Youth behind the south stand goal was brilliant, as was the steward who feigned an attempt to kick the ball back then lifted his foot to allow the ball to run past him.

A great turn-around of the anti-football tactics employed by a very poor team.

Did you, or anyone else see their player push to ball boy previously?

I didn't, but the chap next to me said he did.

In which case ball boy fully deserved his round of applause.

 

he did

 

wasnt a push him over type push, but thats what provoked the ball boys reaction

was about 10 minutes earlier

 

3 hours ago, Casino said:

he did

 

wasnt a push him over type push, but thats what provoked the ball boys reaction

was about 10 minutes earlier

Aye, that's what the chap saw.

Perhaps just as well no stewards/police/club staff saw it.

37 minutes ago, Tonge moor green jacket said:

Aye, that's what the chap saw.

Perhaps just as well no stewards/police/club staff saw it.

I’d noticed a few of the ball boys were big looking lads these days. Seems the one involved at the weekend plays for the B team!

11 hours ago, Leyther_Matt said:

I’d noticed a few of the ball boys were big looking lads these days. Seems the one involved at the weekend plays for the B team!

Said it for a while. It started off as night matches, presumably because the kids were late home and school in the morning. 
It was ok having younger kids but they were never versed in the dark arts. Always too quick to reintroduce the ball when we were winning by a single goal. These older lads obviously recognise the need to slow things down.

13 hours ago, MickyD said:

These older lads obviously recognise the need to slow things down.

I get your point, also 'other clubs do it, so we'd better too' but the EFL should stop it, across the board.

On a separate note I see a lot more involvement from subs whilst supposedly warming up. The authorities should stamp the lot out.

11 hours ago, Dr. Feelgood said:

I get your point, also 'other clubs do it, so we'd better too' but the EFL should stop it, across the board.

On a separate note I see a lot more involvement from subs whilst supposedly warming up. The authorities should stamp the lot out.

Fairly sure the clown on Saturday was a member of their coaching staff. Surely the fourth official can see he was virtually running the line rather than doing any sort of warm up and could order them back to the dugout.