Reading (H)

[radcliffe white]

15 minutes ago, desperado said:

I agree, despite Johnstone being back in, we somehow look poorer at the back.

I know we have different views on Santos, but (and I really hope I’m wrong on this) I think it’s a mistake taking the captaincy off him. If he was going to drop him, then obviously we need a new one. 

But to keep him in and somehow expect that he’s going to be better because he “can concentrate on his game” doesn’t make sense to me.

If he was fragile before then I suspect he’ll have all kinds of self-doubt now about his impact and influence on this team.

I would never have thought I’d suggest this about our best defender but under the circumstances now, replacing him with Forino might be a credible option.

Anyway not to worry, Uncle Craig has told us he’ll be back as captain on Wednesday against his boyhood club 😂

Fair comments as usual

forino could be a good shout need to see more of him and he came with high expectations

The wing back lads are another issue Cogley doesn’t seem a patch on last season he used to bomb forward on the overlap and schon is very puzzling I’d probably stick Williams back in

 

 

 

[gonzo]

Cogley really frustrated me yesterday at times.

Sure he gets vertigo going past the halfway line.

[marple whites]

Very strange game - but we needed a win however it came.

thought Johnston and thommason were superb and Charles worked his nuts off.

some odd results in our league yesterday, showing that everyone can beat everyone else.  (Possibly brum aside)

if we can get a few more wins from the next 3 or 4, (defo doable) then things won’t look too bad and by then nearly everyone will be back fit.

See that stupid evatt out sign didn’t make a reappearance after the first whistle…….  What makes a grown person spend time making a bloody sign ?

[radcliffe white]

Where was this sign? 

[marple whites]

1 minute ago, radcliffe white said:

Where was this sign? 

Behind the goal (family stand) right near back of the lower tier, in the centre.

held up as the players came out until the game started.

[Zico]

12 hours ago, Marc505 said:

That rifled finish from Walker, get in! The bloke with the tash and the brown leather jacket, what a lad.

The only thing missing is the Motson commentary who simply says "YES" as it rifles in

[gonzo]

6 minutes ago, radcliffe white said:

Where was this sign? 

 

[Stig]

1 hour ago, radcliffe white said:

Fair comments as usual

forino could be a good shout need to see more of him and he came with high expectations

The wing back lads are another issue Cogley doesn’t seem a patch on last season he used to bomb forward on the overlap and schon is very puzzling I’d probably stick Williams back in

 

 

 

Schon just looks like an out and out left back to me. Puts in a good tackle and if left to do that I think he'd be fine. Randall is definitely a better option for wingback.

Cogley is an issue. He's so weak. As soon as Tutu is back fit he needs to come in for him.

[W.cramp]

19 minutes ago, Stig said:

Schon just looks like an out and out left back to me. Puts in a good tackle and if left to do that I think he'd be fine. Randall is definitely a better option for wingback.

Cogley is an issue. He's so weak. As soon as Tutu is back fit he needs to come in for him.

Schon had his best game by a distance yesterday and there were countless times especially in the first half where he was screaming for the ball in so much space but it never arrived, the main culprits being Johnston and baxter.

Game wasn't perfect by a long stretch but could see confidence levels had risen and that is massive,  the good football will come - patches were seen yesterday.   

[Matt Lofthouse]

2 hours ago, radcliffe white said:

It was very flattering yesterday and they missed some decent chances especially the one at 2-0. Defensively we still look poor a far cry from last season

 

 

Agreed, which was odd with how well Johnston played. Still look prone to conceding. A clean sheet is much needed. 

[1969]

Johnston outstanding that lad loves a tackle 

Dion back to being a fucking pest to defenders 

Vic his game has come on leaps and bounds,close run thing for mom between him and Johnston 

Shout out to the fans, got behind the team

And lastly Evatt for finally ditching 2 in midfield and simplifying how we play 

All in all a good day 

[Ani]

51 minutes ago, W.cramp said:

Schon had his best game by a distance yesterday and there were countless times especially in the first half where he was screaming for the ball in so much space but it never arrived, the main culprits being Johnston and baxter.

Game wasn't perfect by a long stretch but could see confidence levels had risen and that is massive,  the good football will come - patches were seen yesterday.   

Given we sit so close together 😘 we probably got a similar view of it, they pressed and Schon was in space especially when Captain Legohead made a run in middle, it needed Santos to play the ball but he was in acres. 

[Leyther_Matt]

Thought Schon had a really good game personally and Cogley did well first half when he was giving it early to Vic in to space, but the two on one in the second half was a bit of a shocker

[Farnywhite]

2 hours ago, Stig said:

Schon just looks like an out and out left back to me

No way that’s the worst part of is game he is never a full back he as played as a winger and wing back at previous club 

[nantwichwhite]

Think Schon is getting some underserved stick, showed attacking intent in a couple of games, particularly yesterday, in previous games he has been pushed back to mostly defend. Works hard, new to the English game, it always takes time for a European player to settle both in a game and the home environment. Seems a character.

Great result, back three being put under pressure, they need to be 20 meters up the field, they are defending way to deep.

Nice to see Vic playing well too.

[paulhanley]

For those with longer memories (AKA owd gits like me) yesterday's slightly chaotic goal-fest sparked a memory of a couple of similar scenarios in the 80s. By which I mean seasons that had started poorly only for a home game to go mad right out of the blue a few games in. Who remembers these? 

* 1984/5: Bolton 7 Plymouth 2 - We'd played 5, won 0, drawn 1, lost 4. Then we suddenly murdered Plymouth on a weird and wonderful day at Burnden. I have a memory of Plymouth's injured keeper ending up playing on the wing. 

* 1986/7: Bolton 4 Darlington 3: We lost our first two league games and buggered up a two-legged league cup tie against Bury. Then just after half time at home v Darlo we were 4-1 up. Only to then concede two dreadful goals very late in the game. I remember our keeper Mick Salmon nonchalantly palming a cross in to his own net. Trouble on the terraces this day too I think.

We need to avoid this season going the way of the above two campaigns by the way!! 

[Ani]

Schon (or is it Schone ?) was good yesterday but he does look knackered early on, imagine picking up the pace of the game is hard work. 
 

Cogley is an easy target but was fine yesterday.

[Arrested development]

1 hour ago, Farnywhite said:

No way that’s the worst part of is game he is never a full back he as played as a winger and wing back at previous club 

Agree , never a full back in the memory of man. Too small for a start. Be getting done on back post diagonals worse than Declan John. 

 

[Rizlar]

Thought Schon was ok yesterday DC frustrates the life out of me and once GJ is fit I would replace DC with GJ. Good performance yesterday just shows when we are on the front foot we look better but our set piece defending is awful. We always look likely to concede which worries me is it time to drop Santos for Forino as Santos looks a nervous wreck very little confidence atm. 

[SatanGreavsie]

1 hour ago, paulhanley said:

For those with longer memories (AKA owd gits like me)

* 1984/5: Bolton 7 Plymouth 2 - We'd played 5, won 0, drawn 1, lost 4. Then we suddenly murdered Plymouth on a weird and wonderful day at Burnden. I have a memory of Plymouth's injured keeper ending up playing on the wing. 

Remember that well - better than I recall what I had for tea last night (owd git). The magnificently named Geoff Crudgington.

[Tonge moor green jacket]

6 hours ago, tomski said:

I honestly reckon it does

To an extent I think he does.

He's certainly an emotional character- nowt wrong with that- though his emotions and passion certainly work against him at times.

Despite all that's been wrong recently, we've got to get behind him now that the club have backed him.

[ianofcleveleys]

2 hours ago, Leyther_Matt said:

Thought Schon had a really good game personally and Cogley did well first half when he was giving it early to Vic in to space, but the two on one in the second half was a bit of a shocker

Schon another who wasn't being given a chance by the system change. Pretty clear up at Barrow, when the game situation allowed him to get forward more, he's got plenty going forward but, again with Evatt, a WB that's not great defensively 

[Big E]

Santos has been a weak link for a while. Captaincy duties gone should help improve his game. He’s not a leader. People assume he is because he’s a massive unit. 

[Johnnyrotten]

3 hours ago, paulhanley said:

For those with longer memories (AKA owd gits like me) yesterday's slightly chaotic goal-fest sparked a memory of a couple of similar scenarios in the 80s. By which I mean seasons that had started poorly only for a home game to go mad right out of the blue a few games in. Who remembers these? 

* 1984/5: Bolton 7 Plymouth 2 - We'd played 5, won 0, drawn 1, lost 4. Then we suddenly murdered Plymouth on a weird and wonderful day at Burnden. I have a memory of Plymouth's injured keeper ending up playing on the wing. 

* 1986/7: Bolton 4 Darlington 3: We lost our first two league games and buggered up a two-legged league cup tie against Bury. Then just after half time at home v Darlo we were 4-1 up. Only to then concede two dreadful goals very late in the game. I remember our keeper Mick Salmon nonchalantly palming a cross in to his own net. Trouble on the terraces this day too I think.

We need to avoid this season going the way of the above two campaigns by the way!! 

I remember the Plymouth game, if I'm not mistaken it was pissing it down and there were less than 4k on, but it was a cracking game.  Oghani scored a couple I think but can't remember the others, but like yesterday 4-1 at H-T IIRC.  Wierd season that, some great wins, scored 69 goals (4 less than Millwall who finished 2nd) but finished 17th on 54 points. 

One of the players from that team that rarely gets a mention, Brian Borrows, was absolute class at right back, best right back I've ever seen for us outside of Prem years and better than many in that era.  Played 400 games for Coventry after us, John McGovern signed him for about £10k from Everton.

[paulhanley]

12 minutes ago, Johnnyrotten said:

I remember the Plymouth game, if I'm not mistaken it was pissing it down and there were less than 4k on, but it was a cracking game.  Oghani scored a couple I think but can't remember the others, but like yesterday 4-1 at H-T IIRC.  Wierd season that, some great wins, scored 69 goals (4 less than Millwall who finished 2nd) but finished 17th on 54 points. 

One of the players from that team that rarely gets a mention, Brian Borrows, was absolute class at right back, best right back I've ever seen for us outside of Prem years and better than many in that era.  Played 400 games for Coventry after us, John McGovern signed him for about £10k from Everton.

Borrows was a quality player. McGovern signing him for £10K was daylight robbery. I remember we sold him to Coventry for £80K in the summer of 85 and Chandler left too. We were all excited because we'd made five new signings, all experiences pros who'd played at much higher levels - Sutton, Cross, Scott, Hartford, Allardyce). But we missed Borrows and Chandler badly. 

Didn't Oghani, Caldwell and Chandler all get 20 goals in 84/5?