BOLTON v CARDIFF .... winning match thread

I wish I could mirror your enthusiasm Trotter
I did say on the Brentford thread I think, that we'll get stuffed 4-0, i can't change my story now but I won't be so cruel with my numbers, I'll say 0-3

On a side note, I cannot see why we wouldn't risk putting one of the younger strikers on the bench or giving Walker another few run outs. Regardless of what happens they are the future of this club and won't it be better to start next season with a team already with experience rather than a young inexperienced team going to some horrible grounds, playing Sunday league style football against some bruisers.

1-1 Gary "I'm having a f**kin' shot you prick!" Madine. A 20 yard blast like he was berated for Monday night.

Well – a match that we shouldn’t have lost.

On the rare occasion when we create some chances, albeit the majority were missed, our defence gives up bothering and stands and watches speedy opponents run through us.

Cardiff’s first goal was 100% down to abysmal defending by Dervite. He fronted up their wide man who just ran around him, left him for dead and scored.

We got back in quickly when Madine scored his wonder goal and really should have gone itn at half time at 2-1 when Moxey broke well on the left, played it in. Ameobi set up Pratley who tried a right foot sidefoot instead the obvious left foot drive. This hit the bar, Feeney hit the ball back in for it to be kicked off the line and someone’s follow up shot went across the goal for Feeney to poke it wide. Either Pratley or Feeney should have scored easily.

We then went to sleep in the second half for Cardiff to walk through the defence. Amos made a great attempt to keep it out and I think it was an own goal when the ball deflected in.

Madine immediately missed a sitter when he headed wide.

Dobbie messed up a free kick but played the ball back in and it fell kindly for Dervite to hammer it in. Credit for the shot.

Cardiff kicked off from this goal and had the ball for the next 10 mins or so as we just backed off.

We then had an attack, Madine headed down for Dobbie, totally unmarked 10 yards out, to miss badly.

That finished us as Cardiff against just waltzed through our static midfield and static defence to win the game.

We then had 11 mins + injury time to rescue the game. Casado tripped their wide man to get sent off and we couldn’t fathom out what to do.

Instead of trying to score – who cares if we lost 2-4? – Dobbie went to left back and Pratley and Danns went deep so we created nothing.


Overall, a real example of why we are bottom. Terrible finishing, Static midfield, Slow ponderous and fast asleep defending.

I am resigned to relegation. Last weekend, I thought that with 2 home games we could get 6 points and pull back into the pack but, now, we are doomed.

Marks:-

Amos - 6 Remarkably, not a lot to do. Unlucky with second goal

Vela - 4 Probably his poorest game of the season so far.
Caught out of position often and passing not up to much.

Casoda - 4 Would have been a higher score but for ridiculous sending off which just finished the game off for us.

Dervite - 3 Credit for his goal but hopeless on the first goal, static for the second. Usual appalling passing and inability to head a ball accurately.

Wheater - 4 Struggled with Kenwyn Jones. Too many clearing headers landed at the edge of the box for the opposition to get. By the way, he is not a goalscorer/striker so the last 2 minutes were pointless.

Danns - 4 Apart from occasional long distance shots (one good, two awful), he contributed little. He stood and watched the Cardiff midfield run through our centre midfield endlessly.

Pratley - 6 Probably his best game but, like Danns, he stood off too often. Could easily have been sent off for grabbing the ref. Some ridiculously bad tackles. If he had a left foot, he would have scored but tried to get chance onto his right which was difficult and wasted it.

Feeney - 4 Usually, he has a lot of the ball and wastes it. Today he hardly got involved at all. One, and only one, decent centre in the second half.

Moxey - 5 Occasionally looked a promising combination with Casado but not a midfield player.

Madine - 5 Great goal but at 1-2 he missed a simple header for the equaliser. Gets knocked off the ball too easily.

Ameobi - 4 He can certainly hold the ball up well but does not look a goal threat. He ambles along too often.

Heskey - 5 Missed a great chance for a headed goal but we should expect that because he will never score.

Dobbie - 3 Terrible contribution. Took over free kick taking and wasted two dangerous positions. Missed an absolute sitter which would have put us 3-2 up. Lost the ball too easily.


Manager - 4 It’s a struggle at the moment but we must get our best 11 out. The defence was awful today. The reaction to the sending-off was hopeless and took away any chance of a deserved point.

Well after the rubbish of Monday night we had some entertainment, although the score does not suit.
Better movement on throw ins, seem like there has been a teach in on the subject.
More pressing of the player on the ball, must have been Wednesday's teach in.
More pace overall and more endeavour.
But,
poor defending exactly as Andy said.
Still unable to take chances.
Agree with Andy's scores generally, but cannot see how Feeney's contribution merited MoM?
No, for me 5/6 for him, one of his better games, but still with little end result.
Ok, resigned to relegation with this squad, been there before and it quite likely we will be there come May.
Will the new owner have cash available to strengthen squad? I suppose that he/she must have or it would be pointless.
Will the new owner wait for administration and buy the club from the administrator for a knock down price with, I think, a 10 point deduction?
This week will tell.

Have now read reports above but not seen replay. My vantage point in North Upper led me to think Amos made a hash of the first. Just didn't dive. He was strangely nervy in the first half. Maybe Desmond was a factor?

I'm not sure that anyone deserved the MoM accolade..but I'm happy enough that Feeney yesterday was my highest mark 7. If Moxey had lasted I was happy enough with him.Own goal was unlucky. Feeney in general kept the ball well and he got down the wing several times especially in the second half. He also gave momentum to most of our attacks being the only player with a semblance of pace. I wish we had better but yesterday he had as good a game as I've recently seen him have. He was very close to scoring and crossing for a winner

Dervite and Madine though we're poor apart from good goals and one header. Neil thought Madine and Ameobi were good. I thought they challenged for very little aerially and Madine was knocked off the ball far too easily too often

Neil thought Pratley did well. First half on the right he was clumsy and kept passing back. He missed two good chances in the match but he is so unfit. One sprint forward and he's out of it for a minute. Danns was far better but I agree he is so slow that once past him opponents are away

Neil said he was offered Watt! Yesterday he was their MoM..made me think that a few less squad players and one Watt would have been better business

for me its got to be 5-3-2 ,the old saying is "you start with a point don't lose it" BSA has used 5 at the back on more than one occasion with success, and many better managers do it when needs must, and often come away with three points .
Lennon must learn that dervite  does not give the defence confidence and that fat boy Heskey does not score goals .