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Post by davidm on Jan 11, 2020 10:36:34 GMT
Not sure what to make of this match.
From Keith Hill’s recent preferred line-up, we are missing Bridcutt, Wright, Earl, Murphy, Lowe, Verlinden and Buckley and, if rumours are to believed, Chicksen playing his final game.
So it will certainly be an unusual looking team today.
I presume that Hamilton and Nsiala will start with maybe Faal on the bench.
Let’s hope Politic gets a start and who knows (Edwards, Brockbank, Zouma?) with Nsiala at the back. The defence looks scary!
I have only managed 2 away games so far this season – Rotherham and Accrington. Today is my 3rd – hope my curse does not continue.
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Post by whitesince63 on Jan 11, 2020 12:31:17 GMT
I’d love to see Brockbank and P9litic returned to the starting line up but for some reason Politic doesn’t seem to be a favourite with KH. Dale have struggled at home recently so this is definitely one we could get something from. I’d love a win but think a 1-1 is more likely. Still as long as it’s not 6 or 7 David you’ll be on the right side!! 😉
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Post by OohMac on Jan 11, 2020 17:24:56 GMT
Another defeat to Rochdale. On the week we got a pardon from EFL/Committee we, for me, sealed our relegation.
Sounds like we created chances but Murphy apart we have no one with goals in them.
The last time we were in L1 we often played poorly but got up on set pieces. I cannot remember the last goal we scored from a corner. Im not seeing any improvements in players or as a team.
I dont think its fair to judge Hill on the task of keeping us up but i would say we should judge Hill on the squad hes put and putting together. I mean when he first came in he looked like he could mix it up, play attacking football. Go with 2, 3 and 1 up front depending on what was called for. Now i just see a Parkinson lite team.
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Post by whitesince63 on Jan 11, 2020 17:58:14 GMT
I have to agree with you OM, that defeat today pretty much confirms relegation. I think in fairness we were a little unlucky today, hitting the woodwork twice and having shots blocked, as well as their keeper having a good game. It matters not but with the seemingly physical and height superiority we had today, I must also agree with you that we don’t seem to make use of it at set pieces. As I’ve said before, the jury’s out on KH for me, he wouldn’t have been a choice of mine but we have to give him the chance to prove himself under the restrictions he’s facing, so he has to be here for at least this season. KH saying that it’s the summer that’s important to building for next year is to me just trying to buy him time. Surely he needs to prove this season that he can not only build a squad but also a system that works. So far I’ve not seen that so I’m hoping for a big improvement between now and August.
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Post by davidm on Jan 11, 2020 18:59:04 GMT
That was a decent game with end to end football but, again, yet we lost.
We lost because:-
- We had bad luck. Hitting the post twice. Our deflected shot hits the post, there’s goes in.
- The defence still has this tendency to fall asleep at critical times, see their first goal
- The midfield, despite playing some neat passing, just back off when the opposition have the ball, see goal no 2.
- The attack is shot shy. We are a split second too slow when the ball is loose in the box.
We set off reasonably well with some decent attacks but Rochdale should have scored after just a couple of minutes when Emmanuel had his all to frequent sleepy moments. The ball came in from the right, their player tried a spectacular overhead kick which flew out wide to the left of the box where Henderson was stood ahead of Emmanuel for a decent chance which he totally mis-kicked. Emmanuel does have this habit off going to sleep.
We attacked reasonably though and Hamilton was desperately unlucky after 10 minutes when his shot was deflected onto the post. No one following up or the rebound though.
The match was quite end to end. Wilbraham held the ball up well for Rochdale and their midfield found space so they could play the ball out from the back. Whereas we attacked reasonably but our passing wasn’t good enough.
0-0 at half time would have been fair but a few minutes before half time Chicksen got in a tangle with their winger on the by-line and lost the ball. He cut the ball back to the young full back outside the area and he run ran through our static defence and scored. Fast asleep defending and I have my doubts about the keeper too.
Second half, the heavens opened – pouring rain but we started well and attacked well. Hamilton again got in a shot but hit the bar. He then shot again from a free kick and the goalie couldn’t hold it. No one following up though again. And yet again he shot from distance and the keeper turned it behind.
Amongst this attacking spell of ours, Zouma made a shocking mistake. He misheaded a ball back towards the keeper and left Henderson clear on the keeper. He should have scored but somehow put the ball just wide. Rank bad defending from Zouma.
The game was even, apart from the scoreline, now but I sensed that we were fading.
We were put out of our misery by a really poor goal from our point of view. The Rochdale midfield ran at us and we just backed off and off till they reached 25 yards out. They shot, shot got a deflection and we were sunk.
Overall, there was some decent stuff in there and, on another day, we might have got something but, understandably, there are elements of weakness in the team which costs us. After the week we’ve had and the players disappearing, it was better than I feared but as I said at the start yet again we lost
And what was the manager’s interview on Radio Manchester about? Didn’t understand a thing.
Marks:-
Matthews - 5 Is he just an unlucky keeper or what? He didn’t need to make any serious saves but, yet again, was beaten from areas where I don’t expect us to concede.
Emmanuel - 6 One early moment of sleeping and then some decent attacking
Nsiala - 5 Not bad but Wilbraham taught him a few things about winning the high ball
Zouma - 5 One moment of madness in the second half should have cost us a goal,
Chicksen - 6 If that was his last game, he was OK
Edwards - 5 Faded in second half. Have to say he was no worse than Lowe or Luke Murphy have been this season. Hopeful performance
Hamilton - 8 Stood out from the rest. Hit the woodwork twice and tested the keeper twice also. Just ran out of steam late on
Graham - 5 I’d love to see him make a tackle. He and Darcy played some nice little passes but when Rochdale’s midfield had the ball, they just backed off and off and let them run through.
Dodoo - 5 Uninspiring
Darcy - 5 He currently flatters to deceive. Same comments as Graham about backing off. Plus he needs to practice shooting. He had 2 half-chances today and his shots were powder puff
Murphy D - 5 Struggled to hold the ball up
Faal - 5 Interesting debut. Very promising
O’Grady - 3 I don’t know why he is still with us. Just adds nothing.
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Post by OohMac on Jan 11, 2020 20:33:33 GMT
What is this about....
“Nobody is on the same page whether it’s the press, the football club, whether it’s the staff, the players or the academy at this moment in time,” he said.
“[We are] 100 per cent committed to creating a new Bolton. There are people still living in the past, people still going on about what they did, what they haven’t done.
“I am sick to death of listening to what they did the last time they were in League One. I am sick to death of being criticised for putting a team together and putting my future at risk and nobody else’s. I am sick to death of all the criticism of this team and all that they are doing.
“Adam Chicksen has played today, probably his last game as we try to create a new team. I had a chat yesterday about playing, about the potential impact, and he’s as brave as a lion, did exactly what I wanted.
“I put my neck on the line. I came here because there is a massive rebuild and it’s not a one-game season – don’t compare me to Sam Allardyce, don’t compare me to Phil Parkinson the last time we were in League One because I haven’t got his budget, nowhere near, I am on a rebuild mission here.
“The consortium are 100 per cent in the loop on that plan.
Asked where he was getting criticism from, Hill added: “Press. Opinions. Everybody is tweeting, everybody is comparing to what they did last time. Everybody is comparing stats and facts.
“Get some reality, get some perspective and let’s start supporting this team so it makes itself clean and it makes sure that it exists beyond the financial perilous situation it was in last time where they were £140-160million overspend. We are not overspending, we are trying to create a new team identity, a new football club.
“It won’t happen overnight and if a new manager comes in tomorrow it will be exactly the same problems.”
Hill was happy with Wanderers’ performance – Ethan Hamilton having hit both the post and the bar on his debut.
“I’m proud of the players, the spirit they have shown, the relentless energy they have brought to the table. The chances we had.
“I won’t dispute the possession Rochdale had. They are a good side in possession and I love the way they play. But there is probably eight years’ work and the continuity from Brian (Barry-Murphy), the players, the layering system. It’s good to watch but we were well in the game.
“I am pleased for players and I will support the players. I want to be given the opportunity to build my team, the identity of the supporters, and what they expect from underneath the shirt was there today.
“Clean it up with good footballing decisions and we become a good team.”
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Post by kenglowhite on Jan 11, 2020 22:48:16 GMT
I have thought for some time this could be coming from Keith Hill. In point of fact he is showing full frustation at his own shortcomings in being unable to create a winning team, despite full control of player signings and team planning. It is a great shame that he wont just hide under the radar and work away at the team's functioning. The defence needs better organisation and the midfield needs to know that it is there primafily to help defend and to support the attack. He should start by going for clean sheets ( I remember this from Allardyse in the early days) and then build on that. I think his comments must be a clear snub to the supporters who made up at least half the crowd at Rochdale today. Yes, his job is difficult, but of late he seems to have lost the plot....thus his disappointment being shown in this frustrated outburst.
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Post by Alptrotter on Jan 12, 2020 15:09:48 GMT
My first comment for some time. I agree with much of what Davidm says, though I do feel that he is overly generous to Chicksen, who for me, was poor all game. Too weak to see the ball safely out of play for goal one and clearly identified as a weak link by Rochdale who streamed down our left defensive flank all game.
Again I agree that there were positive features to our performance and, on another day, we could have drawn or even won. But our defence and midfield, as units working together, are lamentable. It’s incredible that we have reached this stage of the season with such a poor centre of defence and midfield. Lowe and Murphy would scarcely improve the latter so I see no hope there.
I have to say that Hill is proving a big disappointment. Self serving nonsense in post match interviews, appallingly bad man management skills, little evidence of defensive coaching, constant chopping and changing in midfield and, seemingly, players banished for little reason. The players aren’t the embarrassment here. Hill is. And by implication the new ownership. They should make sure that he doesn’t ruin things by alienating an extremely long suffering and patient fan base by deflecting responsibility for his own shortcomings. We all know where that ends up and it’s not where we want to be.
Sad that, after a very entertaining game of football ( OK a disappointing result, but not one that is likely to be decisive come season end) we are again talking about off field idiocy.
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Post by kenglowhite on Jan 12, 2020 17:36:54 GMT
I have been watching the progress made by Watford since they appointed Nigel Pearson as manager. It is strange to think that he might have been available to us when FV took over....at least his name was mentioned. With that in mind I wonder if FV should have put all their financial resources into the appointment of a proven manager like Pearson rather than a comparatively unsuccessful one like Keith Hill, who talks the talk ( Bolton for the Boltonians etc) but lacks real top level experience and player contacts. Having said that I was very enthusiastic about his signing of Bridcutt and making him captain....but NOT converting him into a central defender.
Wondering also what FV are likely to be thinking about all this now. As Keith has often said there enough games left if we can hit a winning streak, though I fear not with in charge.
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Post by whitesince63 on Jan 12, 2020 18:39:07 GMT
I agree with most of that Kenglo. Hill wouldn’t have been anywhere near my first choice but I was prepared to give him a chance along with Flicker but I have to admit that I am disappointed with the way things have gone. I frankly can’t understand anything he says in his interviews, before or after games and if that’s how he talks to his players then it’s no surprise they don’t know what they should be doing either. Despite the embargo’s I would by now have expected to see some kind of plan and a reasonably settled side. I accept we’ve had injuries to key players and lost the likes of Verlinden and Bridcutt but I’m still not seeing any continuity in the side. He chops and changes as badly as Parkinson instead of letting players get together and get used to each other. I also agree that midfield is weak and doesn’t support the defence. Hopefully if we can get Bridcutt back and Crawford fit again that will improve, especially if Hamilton continues in the way he started but I’m just not confident a KH has what it takes to do the job at hand. I doubt there was ever a chance Pearson would have come here, nor any other similarly quality manager so personally I’d have taken the other option and looked internally.
For me David Lee with his knowledge, relationship and no little success with the development squad might have been a better shout since with little money, the youngsters were always going to be the backbone of our squad. I genuinely want Keith to succeed but after yesterday’s outburst it’s clear that the strain is beginning to show. Perhaps he expected the miracle to happen and him keep us up, or maybe he just underestimated the scale of the task he’s taken on? I don’t know but he now has the second half of this season to build the bones of a team for next year because I don’t know anyone who won’t expect us to bounce straight back up, restrictions or not.
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Post by OohMac on Jan 12, 2020 19:28:15 GMT
Maybe i misread what would happen in Jan. I presumed that August signings where a necessity and that a proper plan would be ongoing. Players who didnt cut the mustard would be thanked and released and the next step in the project would begin.
Well we released 5 players and probably a 6th with Chicksen but incoming seems an after thought.
Never thought in Jan Edwards and Zouma would still be starting XI and maybe Keith didnt either.
So i have much sympathy but why didnt he come out and say were back to bare bones, we didnt need those suspensions, were still carrying injuries and for all that we were better today than the opponents. And Burton was bad but we never gave in. 10 men again over a busy period, fatigue may be setting in but we fought to the end. Scored 3 goals and nearly had a 4th at the end.
Back to back defeats is not nice but there are positives and if your going to judge me please wait until i can name Lowe, Politic, Crawford, Hobbs, Murphy and Brockbank in the team because thats 6 of my best players and no team can consistently play without half the squad.
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