Bolton Wanderers v Derby County

[Salop_Ram]

Just seen the highlights, decent game. My one complaint is that we were sloppy with the second Bolton goal, Chris Eagles should have been closed down and Grant probably could have stopped it.

[San Fran Van Rams]

Just seen the highlights, decent game. My one complaint is that we were sloppy with the second Bolton goal, Chris Eagles should have been closed down and Grant probably could have stopped it.

 

My thoughts exactly. Looked like Eustace let him glide past without putting a foot in and Russell who perhaps could have done better stopping the pass in the first place. Having said that, as you mentioned, Grant would probably stop that kind of effort 9 times out of ten!

 

Talking about Grant, the highlights seem to show he was a bit nervous last night?? Anyone agree with that?

[RodleyRam]

My thoughts exactly. Looked like Eustace let him glide past without putting a foot in and Russell who perhaps could have done better stopping the pass in the first place. Having said that, as you mentioned, Grant would probably stop that kind of effort 9 times out of ten!

 

Talking about Grant, the highlights seem to show he was a bit nervous last night?? Anyone agree with that?

 

I don't think he looked nervous as such from where I was sitting. He looked disappointed with their second but it swerved and bounced straight in front of him, you'd expect him to get something behind it though.

 

Horrible conditions for a keeper though, wet, night match, ball zipping about all over the place. He made a couple of decent saves and did well with a few crosses. I think overall he's been an improvement on Lego and Frank.

[The Scarlet Pimpernel]

I think he has been a massive improvement. Better keeper all round. Distribution first class. Can use his feet if necessary. Good shot stopper (usually). Good command of his penalty area.

[Leicester Ram]

Terribly cliche, but does anyone have the footage/have a link for the footage

[B4ev6is]

Yes any footage of the game

[derbycountytalk]

Some highlights here posted on YouTube from the clubs official account, only 2 minutes or so long, though:

[TigerTedd]

Was that Ward with the back heel for our first. That was a lovely goal. I'm delights. That we're finishing off flowing moves like that, as well as scoring pile drivers like brysons. It's all well and good having everyone in the team contributing goals, as we did the other season. But I think it's indicative of not having a consistent, proven game plan, you're just relying on lucky goals popping up from who knows where. If you get a couple of people scoring goal after goal, it means you do have a game plan and the team know exactly how to implement it. Hugely encouraging signs.

Just wish we had a simila game plan at home.

[Leicester Ram]

Our first is a brilliant, brilliant goal.

[Ambitious]

First goal is ace Martin, Bryson, Ward and Russell - well done!

First goal for Bolton however, defensively 

the fact Forsyth has decided not to compete on the wing is awful.. Buxton has been done by a clever piece of play in fairness, but still should have been more aware of baptistes run, Eustace isn't committed to that tackle at all, poor effort.. and Keogh, absolute school boy just diving in - any professional for me should be standing that ball up, and could be argued his wreckless diving in has thrown grant off any chance he may of had of saving that.

 

annoying!!

[davenportram]

Just watched them

First goal for them purely down to Keogh - stay on your feet man. Buxton closed there man down to pressure him (did the right thing) Keigh should have been aware of Baptiste and not lunged in

Second - Eustace should have tripped him - no way he could have made a fair tackle due to body positions.

[RodleyRam]

Second - Eustace should have tripped him - no way he could have made a fair tackle due to body positions.

I thought that at the time, bring him down, slow down play, take your booking. In the moment it's a tough thing to do though, goes against your insticts not to foul him.

First goal was just a decent goal in my view, keogh could have probably stayed on his feet but he was some way from the ball so couldnt do a great deal about it in my view, it all happened pretty fast.

[Ambitious]

Right, just watched the full 90 and ready to give my assessment (again) I know a lot of you appreciated this for the Millwall game, so will put the same amount of effort in.

 

Keeping it in the same format, I had overall 141 bits of good play (more than the millwall game) but 48 bits of bad play (again more than the millwall game) Eustace again coming up with the most bits of bad play with 9, and Martin this time doing the most bits of good play with 21. 

 

Here are my player ratings:

 

Lee Grant - unfortunately I can only rate him on what he had to do, and his distribution for the most part was okay, should have perhaps done better with the second but not alot he could have done about the first, made one decent save but as I said he wasn't in the game too much. Rating 5

 

Adam Smith - thought he played well, as most people a very good first half and dropped off in the second but, he linked up well with Hughes and had quality going forward. Rating 7

 

Craig Forysth - For me, easily his best performance of the season was very good first half, and like smith dropped off in the second but his distribution is getting better, his composure on the ball is much better and he is looking to play a bit more, keep it up. Rating 7

 

Jake Buxton - First half thought he was very good, his ability to compete with his man is up there with the best in the division, again, much more average in second half but was definitely the better out of the centre two. Rating 7

 

Richard Keogh - was okay, he doesn't compete as well as Buxton and at times he was found lunging in for last minute tackles, he had a couple bits of clever defending and on the whole can be pleased with his performance but he wasn't as strong as the rest of the defence. Rating 6

 

John Eustace - first half he was poor, and was the weak link on the pitch by a long way - but you know, that is just how it is sometimes - started poor in the second to add but came into his own in the last 20 when perhaps we needed him most, slow start hindered him. Rating 5

 

Will Hughes  - solid first half performance lots of bits of good play, nothing to signficant but a good performance, went off and our performance seem to drop with it. Rating 7

 

Craig Bryson - three goals saturday, two assists on tuesday - hope he can keep it up. He had lots of good play to add, another very good performance, particularly first half! Rating 8

 

Jamie Ward - very strong performance first half (how many times have I said that) but pretty lacklustre second, still that first half performance counts for a lot - his bit of ability for our first was great to see! Rating 7

 

Johnny Russell - another strong performance after saturday where he was unlucky, probably not as good on tuesday as he was saturday but got the goals - still played well, his link up play was excellent at times as well as some good defensive moves. Rating 8

 

Chris Martin - MOTM - thought he was absolutely excellent, really played that number 9 role to a tee, and if he had scored 2 goals or done something more significant then I would have been happy to give him the performance of the year so far, unfortunately he couldn't get that but still, quality performance and definitely the best man on the day. Rating 8

 

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First half I thought it was probably as strong as we've played all year which is surprising after we only got a draw but I thought both teams were excellent, Bolton were the best team we've seen by a country mile this season and we matched them in every way and for me was a very high quality championship game, one you expect to see in 2 promotion contenders. The second half was bit dull on both sides, with neither living up to the standard they set in the first half, but overall was a good championship game.

 

I normally note down players on the other side that play well, so far Leicester have got the most in with 4, but I have 7 Bolton players down who I thought were very good - and I don't expect to see a number that high again this season, the players being (Ream, Baptiste, Tierney, Eagles, Chung-Yong Lee, Spearing and Hall) 

 

Overall, that first half performance was very good, the best half we've had all year (despite the scoreline) but the second was on the average side. 

[RodleyRam]

Quality post again mate - 9 MOTF

Found your points for eustace and martin particularly interesting, watching it live i wouldnt have thought that.

I though eustace had a decent game, did give the ball away and got bypassed a bit in first half but thought he was good in the second. Would have given him a 6 or 7. Martin frustrated me a bit, didn't get much help from the ref who i thought was poor but i thought it was a poor performance by his standards. Would have given him a 6. However i thought their centrebacks dealt with him pretty well and struggled with Russell's pace and movement, who was my MOTM.

That's without the benefit if seeing it again though, so i'm happy to accept your scores on the doors!

[Ambitious]

Quality post again mate - 9 MOTF

Found your points for eustace and martin particularly interesting, watching it live i wouldnt have thought that.

I though eustace had a decent game, did give the ball away and got bypassed a bit in first half but thought he was good in the second. Would have given him a 6 or 7. Martin frustrated me a bit, didn't get much help from the ref who i thought was poor but i thought it was a poor performance by his standards. Would have given him a 6. However i thought their centrebacks dealt with him pretty well and struggled with Russell's pace and movement, who was my MOTM.

That's without the benefit if seeing it again though, so i'm happy to accept your scores on the doors!

 

Thanks for the kind words, for me Martin played like he did at Brighton, where I gave him a 9 (but better all round, but obviously without the goals) he was excellent for me, some of his touches to bring other people into play was excellent! 

[RodleyRam]

Thanks for the kind words, for me Martin played like he did at Brighton, where I gave him a 9 (but better all round, but obviously without the goals) he was excellent for me, some of his touches to bring other people into play was excellent!

Fair enough, hard to take it all in at times!

In general he's been a real highlight for me so far, brings others into play really well. Think we need to make sure the service to him remains good, and on the floor or to his chest. Thought he lost a lot of aerial battles with their CBs on tues. Not his fault at all though but it was noticeable to me that they picked off a lot in the air against him, decent as he is, i thought he struggled to compete in the air.