one things becoming more and more clear with each passing week

 

we have folk on here who mustve had some really bad luck to never manage in the prem

fuck me

15 hours ago, Farnywhite said:

Well that’s what sorts the good managers from the bad making the right calls  We’re not the only ones playing midweek and Saturday everyone else is 

Big difference between 3 days rest/prep and 2, I can't remember the last time it happened to us when the opposition (Lincoln in this case) got a significant extra day.

Get a left footed winger on the left and a right footed winger on the right. Two lumps up top. Ave it. 

37 minutes ago, thebells said:

Nobody in the stadium (that i heard) questioned the subs at the time.

It was so obvious players were tiring, and we'd lost control of the game around the 70 min mark.

Reading scored from a deflected shot! They didn't threaten at all apart from that, even when we'd lost control of the game. 

Would your summary of the subs have been the same if we'd won 1-0 and they hadn't scored a deflected goal?

Correct. As I said earlier it’s not as though we were well under the pump and our goal was leading a charmed life or they were carving through us. They got a bit more territory in our half and as our legs went in midfield the composure went a little and rather than putting their foot on the ball it got leathered away.
 

the changes were brought about to give us those legs and composure back. Just so happens that as soon as the changes were made they scored a goal that 9/10 the keeper catches or it goes over the bar 

Edited August 21, 20251 yr by barrycowdrill

15 hours ago, tshape said:

It's shit to feel so frustrated 4 games into a new season but just got to remember it's early days yet. I thought Simons and Erhahon were a joy to watch together at times tonight. Looked like they'd played together for years and looked a perfect balance. 

When they were in possession, we were watching championship players.  It was like pressing a switch where we were no longer at a L1 match.  Between them did they give up possession at all all night?  Simons an absolute machine, that was as good a midfield performance as I've seen from a Bolton player for years, and I've seen some good one's from Tomo, Morley and Sheehan not forgetting Kieran Lee and Dapo but blimey he was everywhere and he was relentless.

Erhahon and Simons for the price of Tomo is hilarious, presume Parky's never seen those 2 play?

The only note of caution on Simons is that I wasn't watching the same player at Barnsley, he didn't impose himself at all and its hard to believe that was the same player.

15 hours ago, boltonboris said:

Concerned at how it had such an air of inevitability about it though. 

I know I shouldn’t look at last season, but after 5 games it’s difficult to see what’s changed 

We win headers in both boxes and on the halfway line.

A strong central midfield that has a bit of everything (apart from a goalscoring record unfortunately)

3 fast tricky wingers

The best left back we've had for years

A keeper who's kicking is a class above anything we've seen before (can't judge his shot stopping yet)

Fast attacks instead of slow

Round pegs in round holes generally (we need a right back yes)

Strength in depth in most positions

Good entertainment - 3 very enjoyable home games so far

But - we've lost the relatively guaranteed goals of either Collins or Charles when on form - definitely needs addressing.

1 hour ago, gonzo said:

Up the sturdy and energetic whites.

the entertaining and frustrating whites

I think Collins would’ve thrived in that number 10 role with pace either side, a big man up top and Simon’s and erhahon behind.

14 hours ago, Lostock Whites said:

My biggest frustration, purely results wise, is the fact that we have to almost play perfectly to win a game. This has been the issue for a long time now.

We play well, but a lot of the time don't get what we deserve, either a draw (today & Barnsley) or a loss (Stockport). And this happened a lot under Evatt too.

When was the last time we played poorly and got 3 points? It hardly ever happens. 

 

 

I agree other clubs seem to have a knack of being crap and still getting something out of games, last night would have been 3-0 to Reading if we'd gone there and played like that.  To answer your question - Exeter probably (Collins from a back pass and Morley's free kick going in).  2-1 at Burton was a bit lucky too, at the time it was hailed as a new found resilience to win when not playing well.  That turned out to be the nonsense I thought at the time!

34 minutes ago, Johnnyrotten said:

Big difference between 3 days rest/prep and 2, I can't remember the last time it happened to us when the opposition (Lincoln in this case) got a significant extra day.

It is what it is and mangers job is to manage it .
reading played Saturday as well so no different Lincoln get a extra day but if we’re going to start using that as an excuse you could say reading  also had a 400 mile round trip to get here so we had an advantage and we were also at home and we’re making changes because players are tired and we play on Saturday. 

if we loose Saturday will it be because Lincoln played on Tuesday I doubt it 

Edited August 21, 20251 yr by Farnywhite

16 minutes ago, bwfc4ife said:

I think Collins would’ve thrived in that number 10 role with pace either side, a big man up top and Simon’s and erhahon behind.

if he was the right bloke he wouldn't have been levered out

 

2 minutes ago, Casino said:

if he was the right bloke he wouldn't have been levered out

 

Yep. Not a chance Collins can play in this system. The whole game would pass him by!

Just now, thebells said:

Yep. Not a chance Collins can play in this system. The whole game would pass him by!

one thing i'd like to see is the yards covered stats

i know we have them

i remember reo coker and eagles both got stick, eagles in particular, yet eagles was 20% up on the rest of the team at the time

Randall worked really hard last night, his press and determination to win the ball back was the best I’d seen from him. Yep there’s wider issues with him and that No 10 role but to give him some credit it appears he is trying to work harder and has bought in to what Schuey wants 

47 minutes ago, Johnnyrotten said:

When they were in possession, we were watching championship players.  It was like pressing a switch where we were no longer at a L1 match.  Between them did they give up possession at all all night?  Simons an absolute machine, that was as good a midfield performance as I've seen from a Bolton player for years, and I've seen some good one's from Tomo, Morley and Sheehan not forgetting Kieran Lee and Dapo but blimey he was everywhere and he was relentless.

Erhahon and Simons for the price of Tomo is hilarious, presume Parky's never seen those 2 play?

The only note of caution on Simons is that I wasn't watching the same player at Barnsley, he didn't impose himself at all and its hard to believe that was the same player.

What really impressed me about Erhahon was his passing. Not a player I'd previously had that close an eye on (though I know one or two on here were putting him in the frame a bit ago) but he has a really good left peg, great weight of pass and accuracy. Must have played 40 or 50 passes first half without any failing to reach their destination. 

I also liked from him and Simons how both were quicker and crisper in their passing than we've been used to before their arrival. They didn't just stroke it towards them, they sent it, with pace, so it got there and the recipient could move with it straight away. 

4 minutes ago, barrycowdrill said:

Randall worked really hard last night, his press and determination to win the ball back was the best I’d seen from him. Yep there’s wider issues with him and that No 10 role but to give him some credit it appears he is trying to work harder and has bought in to what Schuey wants 

I thought Randell played well apart from that crap attempt on goal. He is miles better than McAtee 

13 minutes ago, RUREADY2ROLL said:

I thought Randell played well apart from that crap attempt on goal. He is miles better than McAtee 

Probably his best game for us to be fair. However the bar was set pretty low before. Jury’s out on whether he can gain some confidence now and start delivering what we need from that role but he does do it better than McAtee who is just a conundrum 

All changed when Kamara came in for them. They were on top from then on.

Said just before half time we were going to give away a goal at some point.

Can't batter teams for 65 minutes and only come away with a point.

6 hours ago, thebells said:

I'm one of those that said that. And it's based purely on performance. Results come from doing things right consistently. So we 'could' have 10 or 12 points and, based on performances, i think we should. However, we aren't yet doing everything right consistently.

But we also aren't far off. It's easy, and lazy, to look at results in isolation. If we're still dropping points after 10-12 games in the same manner, i'll be inclined to agree with the more pessimistic side of this forum. Until then, I've seen enough to say we aren't far off from it clicking and us putting a string of good results together.

Feel free to put me in my place in mid October, but i think by then we will be in the top 6, and not far off top 2. 

 

I won't be putting anyone in their place regardless. But how consistently we do things right is obviously part of the performance. And that's why I think it's a fairly one-eyed view to say we should have won every game so far.

There's more to football than looking lively. Creating clear chances and keeping clean sheets are two things we've struggled with. Until we sort that it's hard to say that the performances deserve wins.

10 hours ago, thebells said:

Brief reflections on last night. 

So much to be positive about. Absolutely dominated for 80 mins. 

Randall had his best game yet, ditto Forino. Conway is an absolute gem (though is far more culpable for the goal than anyone else). Dalby showed what he's about when he came on and clear to see he is going to be good at holding play up for us. Erhahon and Simons excellent in midfield.

 

A great summary overall, but I have to laugh that every time Randall doesn't have a stinker (like at Barnsley), I read comments that it was his best game yet 😀  It wasn't IMO, as frustrating as ever, but we all see games and performances differently.

And I didn't see a Forino performance any better or worse than 90% of his previous one's, hard to judge when he hardly needed to get involved for about 70 minutes.

8 hours ago, Arrested development said:

This was Evatts thing. He didn't like low XG shots so we'd only shoot in good positions which meant stat lines like 70 percent possession, 3 shots. Now were kind of the opposite. I don't think its the amount of shots that's the problem, it's most aren't on target. We need to hit the target more often.

I think with Burstow and Dalby we have to be willing to get the ball in the box more. I hate the winger getting it and the ball ending back with the centre half through being too patient. 

I don't think it helped that most of his players couldn't shoot very well.  I'm thinking of Schon, Cogley, Vic, Lolos, Williams etc.

But Sheehan, Matete, Toal, Morley, Collins, Dempsey and especially Tomo scored about 10 between them from distance (without checking) so I don't think there was any sort of ban on them, we just didn't do it well as a rule.  The goals scored by Gale or Duberry in pre-season and v Sheff Wed suggested they have the ability to shoot from distance.  And surely Simons has it in his locker at this level the way he strikes the ball.

6 hours ago, thebells said:

Nobody in the stadium (that i heard) questioned the subs at the time.

It was so obvious players were tiring, and we'd lost control of the game around the 70 min mark.

Reading scored from a deflected shot! They didn't threaten at all apart from that, even when we'd lost control of the game. 

Would your summary of the subs have been the same if we'd won 1-0 and they hadn't scored a deflected goal?

I don't think that gives Reading much credit TBH.  I know we're all here to talk about how we played and the opposition are largely irrelevant, but I would give them some credit.  There are 2 teams in a game, they got battered for 70 minutes and came out fighting after it.  I'd love us to show that resilience against a superior team.  I don't mean like we did at Exeter - generally crap for 80 minutes then woke up - I mean going somewhere like Derby or Pompey, taking the blows, keeping the score to 1-0 then bursting into life.  That's what Reading did and their equaliser started to feel inevitable, OK not a lot for TSL to save but its not true that they weren't threatening, they were all over us for a spell.  If they hadn't scored when they did with a lucky goal, I can't honestly say we'd have kept them out for another 10 minutes, it was coming. 

39 minutes ago, Johnnyrotten said:

A great summary overall, but I have to laugh that every time Randall doesn't have a stinker (like at Barnsley), I read comments that it was his best game yet 😀  It wasn't IMO, as frustrating as ever, but we all see games and performances differently.

And I didn't see a Forino performance any better or worse than 90% of his previous one's, hard to judge when he hardly needed to get involved for about 70 minutes.

Of course it’s hard to compare contexts of games - Sheff Wed and Reading were so different.

But Forino’s contribution in both those games couldn’t have been any more chalk and cheese! 

While he had a lot more going on in the cup game, yesterday he still had to block, turn, head, tackle, position himself well, use his pace, distribute the ball well. Yesterday he did those things faultlessly, against SW he was pretty awful in most of those things.

(The olive branch I offered earlier still stands though - with 10 men he was pulled all over the place, so miles more difficult for him)

If we see him like we did yesterday, I’d have every faith in him starting or replacing the others at CB

6 hours ago, bwfc6ix said:

Get a left footed winger on the left and a right footed winger on the right. Two lumps up top. Ave it. 

Tbf all of the wingers have at some point or another this season shown they’re comfortable on either foot. But I certainly wish they’d make more of a go of getting in to the space behind the full backs rather than cutting in every time

13 minutes ago, Johnnyrotten said:

And surely Simons has it in his locker at this level the way he strikes the ball

Had a decent effort from outside the box which required a good save early on against Stockport, so I reckon he’s definitely got it in his locker