Bolton Wanderers v Derby County

[jono]

A few things spring to mind

first game of the season and Bolton well motivated by a visit from a leading team so we're more fired up than us. 

Very troublesome to lose two players early on which limited any tactical substitution options for the manager.

curious that we opted to play with the relatively narrow diamond and at the same time picked our slowest but maybe our most theoretically solid/experienced LB and RB. My guess is that this decision was a mix of initial rotation planning and a cautious first game for PC. The aim being a modest away win playing a relatively un adventurous side, banking on Hughsey and Ince to work enough magic to do the business. 

Even though we dream of walking the league and destroying sides every week, it doesn't happen like Roy of the Rovers ( I wish it did ? ) .. In the end Win at home draw away and you win the league .. So, match 1 .. Object achieved 

I was so damned excited ., and then a nil nil draw .. You have to laugh ?

 

[Alph]

I don't like the theory that it's ok to draw away and win at home. 

Makes every home games a must win and how negative is it for away games?  

You should be looking to be the best you can be and the best team on the pitch. 

We can be better than yesterday. And if we were then we would have probably won because there wasn't much between the two sides. 

 

[jono]

Completely agree Alpha. The object of playing a game is to win, no matter where it is. I was talking purely statistically. I also don't like first day of the season stuff because its first day for everyone else so it can really be a valid excuse. 

I think PC played a conservative set up on the basis that we had enough skill and depth to get the points. The two injuries in essentially the same area removed his ability to change things positively if it didn't work.  Bolton were seriously "up for it" so the plan went awry

[SaintRam]

Based on the Highlights, definitely going to be one of the few full 90s I do not watch this season. I'm happy that Clement's first game in management wasn't a loss. And 

I don't like the theory that it's ok to draw away and win at home. 

Makes every home games a must win and how negative is it for away games?  

You should be looking to be the best you can be and the best team on the pitch. 

We can be better than yesterday. And if we were then we would have probably won because there wasn't much between the two sides. 

 

I agree you shouldn't be looking to draw every away game for the reasons you've said but I'm OK with drawing every away first game of the season to be honest.

[Srg]

The Boro forum is reading like this one

[Alph]

Based on the Highlights, definitely going to be one of the few full 90s I do not watch this season. I'm happy that Clement's first game in management wasn't a loss. And 

I agree you shouldn't be looking to draw every away game for the reasons you've said but I'm OK with drawing every away first game of the season to be honest.

Yeah, im not worried or even that dissapointed. But I just don't think it should be dressed up as a good performance or result. 

It was 'meh' to both. Had it not been the opening game then Bolton is certainly a match you have to fancy 3 points. Because you need away wins

[needles]

The Boro forum is reading like this one

Was just going to post that the PNE v Boro result puts a bit of context to it. 45 games to play. I'll start to panic if we're showing nowt by bonfire night.

[needles]

Needles wrote that in one of his posts recently. I made a light hearted hip hop related comment but to no avail. I was a bit worried Needles thought I might be insulting him actually.

He's a fu 'King Kunta' is that Needles. 

(Sorry needles)

Straight over my middle aged head that lot I'm afraid bud. 

[Rampage]

Seeing the Championship highlights yesterday, I thought that some of our rivals just picked where they left off last season, whilst we have quite a bit to do.

[Rampage]

We need something against Boro.

[needles]

Seeing the Championship highlights yesterday, I thought that some of our rivals just picked where they left off last season, whilst we have quite a bit to do.

We were much better than where we left off last season. 

[Rampage]

I have just watched the Ramsplayer highlights. I was not at the match. In my mind, they did a Leeds on us. They tackled much harder than us and pretty much bullied us. Hughes was pulled back bu the shoulder just before he was injured. I think that it may have contributed to his loss of balance. The ball then hit him in the knee when his legs were too far apart to give him good stability. he must have caught his foot in the grass and then he went down. Certainly not a foul. I did not see Bryson's injury take place, so I cannot comment on it. Bryson, Hughes, Dawkins and Ince are too lightweight to cope with heavy tackling from midfielders. having seen these highlights, we could do with an enforcer who will take on anyone who starts pushing his weight about.I remain unconvinced that we can replace Hughes without getting someone else in.I think that we will need to make a signing this week, rather than waiting to see if we can cope. a new midfielder who can tackle very hard but does not have the skill of Hughes is vital.

[StringerBell]

 

Straight over my middle aged head that lot I'm afraid bud. 

Thought that might be the case. Basically there's a rapper called Kendrick

who according to the Ramsplayer commentator and yourself (in one of your posts) we've been playing in midfield instead of Hendrick.

[jono]

I have just watched the Ramsplayer highlights. I was not at the match. In my mind, they did a Leeds on us. They tackled much harder than us and pretty much bullied us. Hughes was pulled back bu the shoulder just before he was injured. I think that it may have contributed to his loss of balance. The ball then hit him in the knee when his legs were too far apart to give him good stability. he must have caught his foot in the grass and then he went down. Certainly not a foul. I did not see Bryson's injury take place, so I cannot comment on it. Bryson, Hughes, Dawkins and Ince are too lightweight to cope with heavy tackling from midfielders. having seen these highlights, we could do with an enforcer who will take on anyone who starts pushing his weight about.I remain unconvinced that we can replace Hughes without getting someone else in.I think that we will need to make a signing this week, rather than waiting to see if we can cope. a new midfielder who can tackle very hard but does not have the skill of Hughes is vital.

I hate to say it because I love pretty football, but I agree.. Quick incisive passing and creative genius are the things that light up a game for me but I do think every team needs a strong man in the middle who can tackle and hold the ball without being pushed off it. Thorne is good enough to do this but has been playing deep, protecting the back 4.

i am going to put my cards on the table and say Jamie Hanson. He looked so robust in that 15 mins he had against Villarreal that he could just be the man for the job. Worth a punt ?

[Rampage]

I hate to say it because I love pretty football, but I agree.. Quick incisive passing and creative genius are the things that light up a game for me but I do think every team needs a strong man in the middle who can tackle and hold the ball without being pushed off it. Thorne is good enough to do this but has been playing deep, protecting the back 4.

i am going to put my cards on the table and say Jamie Hanson. He looked so robust in that 15 mins he had against Villarreal that he could just be the man for the job. Worth a punt ?

I can see Hanson coming on for thirty minutes to protect a lead or to  stop us being lightweight in midfield but I would prefer someone more experienced and crafty. Bring back Eustace for a couple of months, unless he has gone to Rangers and I did not see it.

[jono]

But would you play him with Thorne and would he have the legs if he was playing further up the park ? I agree in principal but something tells me it is a backward step and at some point we have to bring academy players to the next step and test them in the fire ( or the league cup ) 

[RadioactiveWaste]

Isn't Hanson nicknamed "bruiser" in the squad?

Anyway, if we're going to play the diamond we need a lot of running to make it work, which i presume is why Bryson was 1st choice. Dawkins might work creatively but we need a proper box to box motor man.

We're not going to get a player like Hughes as a replacement because there's none quite like him in the division.

But yes, Bolton did their best to upset us and last season we'd have crumbled, but at least we didn't do that.

Onwards.

[Animal is a Ram]

Isn't Hanson nicknamed "bruiser" in the squad?

Anyway, if we're going to play the diamond we need a lot of running to make it work, which i presume is why Bryson was 1st choice. Dawkins might work creatively but we need a proper box to box motor man.

We're not going to get a player like Hughes as a replacement because there's none quite like him in the division.

But yes, Bolton did their best to upset us and last season we'd have crumbled, but at least we didn't do that.

Onwards.

I daresay Hanson, possibly Ssewankambo (more likely Christie) will get their chances v Portsmouth.

Agreed. But I was surprised at Bryson's inclusion considering his return from injury was not that long ago. I'd see Dawkins as Hughes' natural replacement, but if he's out, I'd love us to land Pritchard on loan. Doubt it, considering Pochettino saying he's in his first team plans this season. We'll see.

That last bit was pretty much how I summed the game up too. Fortunately the extra experience of Baird and Shackell lead us to that clean sheet, IMO. 

Thorne MOTM, closely followed by Shackell, and Keogh. 

 

[oomarkwright]

was looking forward to this. overall disappointed with result and how we played. ie few chances. shame jonny missed that sitter and martin. couldnt understand the selection of bryson after the injury pre season and lack of minutes, was surprised weiman on the bench. looks like the formation didnt suit the players we played. i was disappointed we didnt start 4 2 3 1, but maybe this can only work with bent? radio derby were slaggin shotton but a few people on here say he played ok. hope hughsey wont be out for long but i suspect 6-9 months from the sound of it. so frustrating. yes dawks sounds a good option now. will be a good team out on weds with lots of changes, but pompey sound to have got it together this season and should get promoted.

[Ashz09]

Couldn't wait could on see us drawing. End of the day the way to beat teams like Derby and Boro is not give them time on the ball and close down any space.

 

A lot of teams did it last season we need to find away around this. More direct, quick passing I think may be in order in these games.

 

Credit to Bolton they did there job well and could of gone either way.