Bolton Wanderers (A) Tues 27th Dec, 3pm KO

[jono]

1 minute ago, RoyMac5 said:

I presumed that by then Warne was keener on not wasting our efforts and conceding/losing, NML is a more experienced player in front of a makeshift RB.

Yes, good point, and maybe that was exactly Warne’s thinking (though I doubt he’d admit it for PR reasons, it doesn’t quite fit the I want to win every game story ?) 

It would have been great to win but that was, in all honesty a great contest and a fair result. A lot of work from both sides, some skill on display, a bit to much head tennis in the middle but entertaining none the less. Lacked a bit of quality but It wasn’t boring or too crudely hoofy. 

[Rich3478]

Horrible journey both ways!! Thought I’d as a good game for a 0-0 and quite a lot of up and unders. Very close game and a draw probably fair, we had some good opportunities to nick it.

Think we could do with another option up top, someone with pace and power and a real goal threat. I know Osula possibly has this but need someone consistent. 
 

thought back four all played well, whole team battled well with no poor performances. 

[Rich3478]

1 hour ago, RoyMac5 said:

He missed an easy headed chance and others that we'd have crucified Dobbin for! ? He never really convinces you that he's in the right position.

Yeah, I’m not convinced he has enough of a threat about him to get us near the top two. Like you say everything looks awkward and often slow.

[Steve How Hard?]

The weather was definitely a contributing factor but very little quality on show today. Any neutral watching that would be forgiven for thinking that was an encounter at the other end of the table.

I'm on board with getting the ball forward quicker but it all too often came across as hoofball today. We desperately need a forward that is better with his back to goal if we are to persist with that.

For all Collins endeavour he ain't very good with his back to goal. Having said that it was a resilient performance worthy of the point we got. A bit more willingness to win those 2nd balls and we may have nicked it. You can't argue with getting a point when we weren't quite at it. 

[Ramarena]

1 hour ago, jono said:

As refs go he was one of the best I’ve seen in recent times. Maybe the players were proper men on both sides, but for me there was a distinct lack of play acting on all sides, the ref did a sound job and was well balanced in consistency terms. Fozzy might be a bit aggrieved but others got away with things on both sides. He’d get 4 stars from me. 

He was better than some of the absolute dross we’ve had, but could have had two penalties possibly even three of you include the Knight one where he was pulled down by the defender and headed a good chance over as he was off balance.

[jono]

3 minutes ago, Ramarena said:

He was better than some of the absolute dross we’ve had, but could have had two penalties possibly even three of you include the Knight one where he was pulled down by the defender and headed a good chance over as he was off balance.

I take your point but at the same time, in our box, I doubt our defenders were all choir boys. Personally I think it would have been unjust for Collins to get a pen (rules or not) he had his shot, the action was done by the time the late / mistimed tackle arrived. In a sense it was “after the fact” … yep agree with you on Knighty .. had his hands all over him, clear Pen but no one made much noise about it. TBH I think both sets of players played it as a man’s game. No histrionics- which made the refs job a lot easier. 

[Rich3478]

11 minutes ago, Steve How Hard? said:

The weather was definitely a contributing factor but very little quality on show today. Any neutral watching that would be forgiven for thinking that was an encounter at the other end of the table.

I'm on board with getting the ball forward quicker but it all too often came across as hoofball today. We desperately need a forward that is better with his back to goal if we are to persist with that.

For all Collins endeavour he ain't very good with his back to goal. Having said that it was a resilient performance worthy of the point we got. A bit more willingness to win those 2nd balls and we may have nicked it. You can't argue with getting a point when we weren't quite at it. 

Chris Martin not playing much, would take him for six months

[Steve How Hard?]

6 minutes ago, Rich3478 said:

Chris Martin not playing much, would take him for six months

It's a yes from me as I feel he'd offer more than Collins and the meltdown in certain quarters would be entertaining. 

[Ramarena]

5 minutes ago, Rich3478 said:

Chris Martin not playing much, would take him for six months

Don’t really need him if we have McG.

We need a more consistent pacey striker.

[Srg]

Just now, Ramarena said:

Don’t really need him if we have McG.

We need a more consistent pacey striker.

Thankfully, Warne has already said we lack players in that mid-20s age bracket, so hopefully that’s what we see. 

[Rich3478]

2 minutes ago, Steve How Hard? said:

It's a yes from me as I feel he'd offer more than Collins and the meltdown in certain quarters would be entertaining. 

Can’t think of many better with back to goal, suits the 433 we played today too

[RoyMac5]

7 minutes ago, Ramarena said:

Don’t really need him if we have McG.

We need a more consistent pacey striker.

But we didn't have McG today...

[Yani P]

Wouldn't have him back..hardly playing these days..got to be better options you would hope. If he was the same player that left us he would be more than handy.

Edited December 27, 2022 by Yani P

[Leeds Ram]

Just got back from the game. Travelling on the train was horrendous both rounds but was far worse coming home. Aside from that the game was one played at a frenetic pace with Bolton looking dangerous in the first half. Forsyth and Cashin look immense at the back though and everyone worked hard to maintain their shape and defensively put in a shift. Halftime perhaps came at the wrong time for us as we'd started to gain some momentum in the game and finally put some pressure on Bolton. But throughout most of the half our play on the ball was shocking lacking in any real quality. At times it struck me that some of the players are de-skilling themselves on the ball because of the change in style. 

Second half we looked better and not only continued to manage Bolton and began to press ourselves. However, we wouldn't have scored even if we were playing until tomorrow morning. Collins had a stinker and should have been brought off after 60 minutes for Osula. Dobbin looks devoid of all confidence and it wasn't Lang's day. The bigger problem is that we struggled to fashion chances in open play. Our biggest chances were from 2 set pieces and a couple of crosses sometimes created by winning the ball back via our high press but little was really fashioned. 

Away from home we do look ropy from what I've seen and the danger is when a side does score am not sure we've got an answer to that. Yes, this is a long unbeaten run and that's great but this performance wasn't overly convincing aside from the defensive aspect of it. I think we need to be doing more on the ball creatively in the middle and the final third of the pitch personally. 

[Steve How Hard?]

7 minutes ago, Leeds Ram said:

Just got back from the game. Travelling on the train was horrendous both rounds but was far worse coming home. Aside from that the game was one played at a frenetic pace with Bolton looking dangerous in the first half. Forsyth and Cashin look immense at the back though and everyone worked hard to maintain their shape and defensively put in a shift. Halftime perhaps came at the wrong time for us as we'd started to gain some momentum in the game and finally put some pressure on Bolton. But throughout most of the half our play on the ball was shocking lacking in any real quality. At times it struck me that some of the players are de-skilling themselves on the ball because of the change in style. 

Second half we looked better and not only continued to manage Bolton and began to press ourselves. However, we wouldn't have scored even if we were playing until tomorrow morning. Collins had a stinker and should have been brought off after 60 minutes for Osula. Dobbin looks devoid of all confidence and it wasn't Lang's day. The bigger problem is that we struggled to fashion chances in open play. Our biggest chances were from 2 set pieces and a couple of crosses sometimes created by winning the ball back via our high press but little was really fashioned. 

Away from home we do look ropy from what I've seen and the danger is when a side does score am not sure we've got an answer to that. Yes, this is a long unbeaten run and that's great but this performance wasn't overly convincing aside from the defensive aspect of it. I think we need to be doing more on the ball creatively in the middle and the final third of the pitch personally. 

Spot on, pretty much how I saw todays game. Especially agree with your de-skilling comment. 

[Rich3478]

16 minutes ago, Leeds Ram said:

Just got back from the game. Travelling on the train was horrendous both rounds but was far worse coming home. Aside from that the game was one played at a frenetic pace with Bolton looking dangerous in the first half. Forsyth and Cashin look immense at the back though and everyone worked hard to maintain their shape and defensively put in a shift. Halftime perhaps came at the wrong time for us as we'd started to gain some momentum in the game and finally put some pressure on Bolton. But throughout most of the half our play on the ball was shocking lacking in any real quality. At times it struck me that some of the players are de-skilling themselves on the ball because of the change in style. 

Second half we looked better and not only continued to manage Bolton and began to press ourselves. However, we wouldn't have scored even if we were playing until tomorrow morning. Collins had a stinker and should have been brought off after 60 minutes for Osula. Dobbin looks devoid of all confidence and it wasn't Lang's day. The bigger problem is that we struggled to fashion chances in open play. Our biggest chances were from 2 set pieces and a couple of crosses sometimes created by winning the ball back via our high press but little was really fashioned. 

Away from home we do look ropy from what I've seen and the danger is when a side does score am not sure we've got an answer to that. Yes, this is a long unbeaten run and that's great but this performance wasn't overly convincing aside from the defensive aspect of it. I think we need to be doing more on the ball creatively in the middle and the final third of the pitch personally. 

Genuinely thought today was a better away performance, morecambe and burton were pretty poor. Even mk where we won wasn’t great. But we’re a lot more resilient under warne away. But still missing something up top.

bird put in a good shift today but it’s not his type of game at all is it. 
 

hopefully we can win two at home and make top six a bit more secure.

[Mick Brolly]

[norwichram]

I assume the issue for Chris Martin is the same for James Collins (but I don’t know this to be fact) - he plays in a team that doesn’t play to his strengths. Collins puts in a shift and can score a goal. But he’s not ‘clinical’. As in he needs chances to score goals. Maybe he’s in a 1in 4 player. I don’t know but we don’t  play a style that brings the nest out of him. Not that we necessarily should build a team around him but as context. We got the best that we could in the time that we could. 
With Didzy, NML and Wildsmith this has worked a treat. With CH and JC we got in players that give a fair bit but perhaps not what we need for the team to function as efficiently/dynamically  as it could.

like others I think Osula is with more minutes - if we invest those minutes in him now he could serve us well in the last ten games. Might not but I think I it’s worth trying. JC can do the first 65/70 and then Will can run at tired legs. 

Now Knight is fit I would love him to replace CH. however from underneath his bobble hat Warne sees something I don’t.

Hope those who went all returned safe from the game and you’ve all enjoyed the Christmas break. 

Edited December 27, 2022 by norwichram

[Srg]

19 minutes ago, norwichram said:

I assume the issue for Chris Martin is the same for James Collins (but I don’t know this to be fact) - he plays in a team that doesn’t play to his strengths. Collins puts in a shift and can score a goal. But he’s not ‘clinical’. As in he needs chances to score goals. Maybe he’s in a 1in 4 player. I don’t know but we don’t  play a style that brings the nest out of him. Not that we necessarily should build a team around him but as context. We got the best that we could in the time that we could. 
With Didzy, NML and Wildsmith this has worked a treat. With CH and JC we got in players that give a fair bit but perhaps not what we need for the team to function as efficiently/dynamically  as it could.

like others I think Osula is with more minutes - if we invest those minutes in him now he could serve us well in the last ten games. Might not but I think I it’s worth trying. JC can do the first 65/70 and then Will can run at tired legs. 

Now Knight is fit I would love him to replace CH. however from underneath his bobble hat Warne sees something I don’t.

Hope those who went all returned safe from the game and you’ve all enjoyed the Christmas break. 

Or, Martin’s 34 and the last time he scored 15 goals was 7 years ago. Not that I’m a Collins advocate, I’d definitely be looking to improve on him asap. 

[norwichram]

3 minutes ago, Srg said:

Or, Martin’s 34 and the last time he scored 15 goals was 7 years ago. Not that I’m a Collins advocate, I’d definitely be looking to improve on him asap. 

I mean that’s a very fair point too  .. roughly speaking in a statistically accurate way that I hadn’t considered even momentarily ..