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Post by OohMac on Feb 15, 2020 0:39:22 GMT
Seems a long time ago that we started this season, after some doubt, at Adams Park. A gutsy performance from the Bolton babes/Jr Whites. Remember the team coach being stationary for hours outside the Unibol unsure if it was to set off, and if so would any senior players be on it.
Ive considered for a long time a "where are they now" thread looking into bolton strikers squad of 2019. Hard to believe we started the season with Oztumer and Magennis.
What does Hill do? Change the back four? Too much chopping and changing fans will say. Keep it the same? Definition on insanity doing the same thing but expecting different results. He cannot win....which is one of his biggest flaws.
I think it will be a bad day of office tomorrow. 1-3 defeat.
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Post by whitesince63 on Feb 15, 2020 8:53:20 GMT
I think Keith’s really feeling the pressure now OM. I think he expected it to be much better than it’s been and that the job is much bigger than he ever thought. His comments seem to reflect that, including his complaint this morning about the U23s not being ready to step up. I’ll go back to my point that I believe David Lee and Tony Kelly should have been appointed and built a squad from the best of the Development squad and selected, available imports. I fully accept the constraints of the embargo and that the job would be difficult but I just don’t think that KH has gone about it in the best way he could have. Pulling the 12 points back should have been well within the capability of a competent manager but a Keith’s constant chopping, changing, unintelligible comments and ready criticism of everything but himself is bad enough for supporters but must be worse for the players. I don’t know what’s going on behind the scenes but I suspect his position is not quite as strong as some think it is. As for today, I can’t see anything other than a defeat, despite Wycombe recent unspectacular form. Like you I’ll go for 1-3 to Wycombe and yet more defensive howlers.
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Post by davidm on Feb 15, 2020 11:39:18 GMT
I am still in the position of believing we can always win the upcoming match. There is not much evidence to back up this theory mind.
The opposition in league 1 is really poor but then we are really poor also.
I expect more or less the same team – hopefully Politic will be back.
I would break up the Lowe/Murphy midfield. As I said in an earlier post, I believe this is the area which is killing us. Yes, we will make mistakes at the back and not be able to shoot particularly well but we lose most matches because we have little or no skill in midfield. Hamilton is also looking poor – after his Rochdale debut, I hoped for more but I can see now how he couldn’t get in the Southend first team.
As always, a positive forecast (positive but foolhardy) – a 1-0 win
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Post by OohMac on Feb 15, 2020 18:16:49 GMT
Seems pointless at this stage to even start to pick the bones anymore.
Keiths views will be thier XI hands down better than any XI we can put out. So 90/100 they win.
My point of view is that we looked far better with Wright Earl and Chicksen at the back. And results back that up. Someone needs to explain why we made that choice.
FV, not sure how much they Fin know about the F but they need to really consider did they get they wool pulled over thier eyes. Did they really give the manager to do the tools. Or perhaps they feel that nothing has gone wrong and that relegation was planned for and to get relegated as cheap as possible would be the real target. Someone really needs to start speaking. Marc Iles "ive asked them already" really doesnt cut the mustard as a chief reporter.
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Post by davidm on Feb 15, 2020 19:35:14 GMT
Totally, totally dispiriting. After a brightish first 30 minutes, we just faded away to an appalling second half display.
We could easily have been 2 goals down within the first 5 minutes.
First we failed to clear a long throw; the ball went back to a Wycombe player who centred for a man, totally unmarked, who headed over. A bad miss – Hobbs was marking Akinfenwa but Nsiala was just stood in space marking no-one.
A couple of minutes later Hobbs was skinned by their right winger and the guy ran unchallenged into the box but shot into the side netting.
After 10 mins, we then had a chance when Politic created a chance for DMurphy. He had a clear view of goal from just inside the box but shot too close to the keeper. That was a good chance missed.
From then on, it was even for a while. Hamilton had 2 long distance shots – one just wide and other was saved by the keeper.
Wycombe also had chances, most of which were caused by Akinfenwa winning headers. Hobbs had a nightmare against him. The right winger Smyth was also causing problems too and he eventually created the first goal.
Luke Murphy lost possession in midfield with a pathetic attempt and Smyth got the ball on the right. He skinned Fleming and went for goal. Matthews came out and saved well but the ball ran loose along the goal line. We froze and, of course, a Wycombe player got the ball. He lobbed it over Matthews but both Emmanuel and Nsiala were on the goal line. Comical behaviour then came in with Emmanuel heading the ball off the line into Nsiala and the ball rebounded into the net.
Typical crazy Bolton defending – every match we show how poor we are as defenders.
1-0 down which tends to indicate a defeat but we had a whole half to put things right.
But we were terrible in the second half.
Emmanuel was taken off at half time. We pushed Lowe back to right back but did not bring a midfielder on. We brought Dodoo on. From then we were totally disjointed. We had Dodoo and MurhyD upfront, O’Grady wide left and Politic wide right. MurphyL and Hamilton were left to hold the midfield together which they could not do.
There is little to say about the second half. We couldn’t put more than 2 passes together. Wycombe just passed the ball accurately to colleagues and waited for our next mistake. And it came.
A high ball was lumped forward. A simple clearance for Nsiala who let it bounce in front of him which resulted in the ball going over his head to Akinfenwa and 2 passes later they were clean through on goal. Matthews dives in feet first to try and tackle but brought the man down. A penalty – well dispatched – 2-0.
We were terrible after that. We got our first shot on target in the second half in the 95th minute. That tells a tale.
I cannot describe how bad we were.
Wycombe are not a strong promotion contender. They have lost their last 4 away games badly. They are efficient and pass accurately. They also fall down well when challenged but we are so poor we fall for all that.
We need to get rid of all the loan players and play players who will be with us next year. Players are going through the motions and appear not to care.
I am totally disillusioned. This brand new start has gone terribly wrong.
And I can’t understand a word the manager says after the match. He managed to slag the U23s off overnight. So today, why can’t he say that the second half performance was unacceptable rubbish?
Marks
Matthews - 5 Nothing he could about the goals. But his distribution is still poor. Compare his kick-outs to Wycombe’s keeper.
Emmanuel - 3 OK going forward but defensively he sleeps. What a mess the first goal was.
Nsiala - 3 In a mess for the first goal. Terrible mistake for the second. Is he better than Zouma or Edwards or Wright or Earl?
Hobbs - 3 Beaten for high balls every time by Akinfenwa. He was bullied and lost out badly.
Fleming - 4 Totally skinned in the build up to the first goal.
Lowe - 5 Defensively he was OK and as a full back, he did more attacking than from midfield.
Hamilton - 4 Two decent long distance shots in the first half but after half an hour Wycombe had the measure of him and he was just not in the second half.
Murphy L - 2 No impression at all
O'Grady - 2 Apart from taking down some Matthews’ long punts, he was ineffective.
Politic - 4 After the first half hour, he struggled to get a touch
Murphy D - 3 Missed a good chance after 10 mins but then just nothing
Dodoo - 3 He never got in the game
Mellish - 3 20 minutes of action but I struggle to think of anything from him
Bunney - 3 Some poor touches but no better or worse than Fleming or Chicksen!
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Post by davidm on Feb 15, 2020 19:49:30 GMT
I forgot to mention that Wycombe could easily have had a penalty in the first half when DMurphy got his arm in the way of a centre
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Post by kenglowhite on Feb 15, 2020 22:39:45 GMT
FV have a quite simple decision to make with a view to retaining season ticket holders for the future. Hill's record is not improving...in fact it's going downhill faster than an Olympic skier. As hard as he has tried there is no future with him at the club. For heaven's sake , FV, put him and us out of our misery ASAP. He can't even properly analyse a losing performance. Just one nice thing to say about today. In the first half hour Denis (not the storm)Politic was top hole. Reminded me of David Beckham.
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Post by davidm on Feb 15, 2020 23:26:27 GMT
Comical behaviour then came in with Emmanuel heading the ball off the line into Nsiala and the ball rebounded into the net. I was wrong about this. It was all Nsialas own work. He tried an overhead kick and kicked it against his own face. Still classed as comical defending.
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Post by bonaparte on Feb 16, 2020 9:56:16 GMT
After a spell of pressure by Wycombe we played some good football, the stats show we had most possession, most shots and most shots on target, looked the better side. Then came the goal and we went to pieces. Emmanuel was taken off,yellow card and refs warning, lost shape, couldn't find Politic, who had been everywhere in the first half. Seems a patern. Not a 2 nil result for me, David's scores a bit harsh,but understandable. Disappointing.
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Post by Deleted on Feb 16, 2020 10:33:37 GMT
No comment just another defeat and closer to 4th division football again 4 points from 27 says all we need to know. No I didn’t go I have seen enough to know we are heading down I will save my money for division 4. COYWM
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Post by Alptrotter on Feb 16, 2020 11:19:33 GMT
I agree fully with Davidm, another dispiriting performance from team devoid of confidence, sound tactical planning and definitely pace. It did, however, remind me of some of the games under Parky, a very bright 15-20 minutes after an almost disastrous start, but having failed to score, a lapse into utter nothingness for the rest of the game and the inevitable concession of goals. Too many players are being required to play in the wrong positions on the pitch. Is O’Grady a wide player? He has no pace and is far too bulky. Politic similarly is no wide player - his pace is not his strong point. Anyone can see that his close control, ability to fashion a shooting opportunity and shooting itself are his strengths. Get him in the middle as a No 10. When Hamilton is pushed out wide, he too is simply like fish out of water. What is Hill looking at? We actually don’t have any competent wide forward players so why doesn’t he fashion a formation that doesn’t require them. Is Lowe a central midfield player? No, his passing and allround vision is inadequate. He’s better than Emmanuel as a traditional full back. Both Emmanuel and Fleming are clearly more at home as wing backs, but are being asked to play both as wide midfield and full back because of the inadequacies of Politic and O Grady as wide players. No wonder they’re often caught out. The majority of our defensive problems derive fron wide areas and we’ve never been able to block crosses well enough. Luke Murphy is simply not good, or committed enough. He spends most of his time trying to avoid getting involved. Pick the central midfield from Hamilton, Darcy, Mellis, Graham and Crawford when fit.
The players are shrinking before our eyes. Given the squad Hill has, incompetently in my view, assembled, and given that he seems to still believe we could escape relegation, would he not be better trying a 3-5-2 Nsiala the stopper, Bryan and Hobbs or Delaney as the other two, Emmanuel and Fleming as wing backs, 3 from Hamilton, Darcy , Mellis and Graham in midfield and Politic just off D Murphy.
Subs should be players who will be here next year and must include Brockbank, Zouma, Bunney, Faal , Edwards even Brown. O’Grady ( if he might be here next season)
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Post by thegrud1 on Feb 16, 2020 12:17:56 GMT
Everyone can see that Emmanuel is not fullfilling his promise as a right back...BUT,,he is more than efective going forward...Wingback or Right winger???!!!
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Post by andyl on Feb 16, 2020 14:45:52 GMT
Alas, I didn't make the journey yesterday. Was all packed, train tickets booked and then having looked at the latest guidance form national rail somehow didn't go out of the door. In my considerations I found more pull in my lunch plan and meeting friends than in the game. In the event I would have seen the 0-2 and waited two hours on Wigan NW for my delayed train. So allowing train compensation I paid £20 or thereabouts not to go relative to the usual £70 or so for the day out or £100 + if I stay over. I think from all the reviews that I got it right? Of course I know full well that once I repeat this kind of interruption ( and I miss Accrington because of holiday) I'm less likely to get out the door next time and then I might find a season has passed. The seat dislocation if such there be may also bring pause for reflection.
All of this could be overcome with a wave of enthusiasm and something to look forward to. I as quite optimistic at the start of the season because KH appeared to be departing from the stifling tactics of his predecessor and even before that we had seen young players giving their all and doing rather well in a fluent, optimistic and energetic style of play.
I want KH to succeed but how is this possible? The man cannot string sentences together, fancies he can make things clearer with bizarre attempts at similes and errant hyperbole and lacks any kind of incisiveness to his thought processes. His pre- and post match observations tend to be defeatist rather than realist. I ask myself how on earth can this man motivate players or even explain what he wants to them if he cannot speak simply and to a point and most of all briefly.
So, here we are with a collection of young, loaned and short contract players. We pick up injuries a- plenty. Does he listen to physio and medical advice? and as others have remarked above there seems to be no strategy towards playing and developing the youth players nor maintaining a coherent playing style and we are losing every game not necessarily because players are weaker or fewer but because they are more brittle in key moments. Even watching twitter and matchday live and Sky from afar I found I could predict with almost perfect accuracy the time of teh first goal conceded. I just knew without being there when it would happen and I bet you all did too. And I knew it was game over thereafter.
The way we are going I can see us being a mid to lower table Div 2 side next year and even flirting with relegation from Div 2. No foundations are being built that I can see. We have to get the likes of Zouma, Edwards, Brockbank to make the progress Darcy and Politic visibly have ( one plus point for KH- maybe the only one) and that means game time. Also we ned to have a style of playing which cannot indulge Murphy and Lowe in midfield. By all means try 3-5-2 ( that was how PP got us out of Div 1 last time) or the diamond or the 4-4-2 or the 4-2-3-1 .. It doesn't matter so long as we stick to something players can learn. It's now all about next year.
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Post by Deleted on Feb 16, 2020 16:05:08 GMT
Alas, I didn't make the journey yesterday. Was all packed, train tickets booked and then having looked at the latest guidance form national rail somehow didn't go out of the door. In my considerations I found more pull in my lunch plan and meeting friends than in the game. In the event I would have seen the 0-2 and waited two hours on Wigan NW for my delayed train. So allowing train compensation I paid £20 or thereabouts not to go relative to the usual £70 or so for the day out or £100 + if I stay over. I think from all the reviews that I got it right? Of course I know full well that once I repeat this kind of interruption ( and I miss Accrington because of holiday) I'm less likely to get out the door next time and then I might find a season has passed. The seat dislocation if such there be may also bring pause for reflection. All of this could be overcome with a wave of enthusiasm and something to look forward to. I as quite optimistic at the start of the season because KH appeared to be departing from the stifling tactics of his predecessor and even before that we had seen young players giving their all and doing rather well in a fluent, optimistic and energetic style of play. I want KH to succeed but how is this possible? The man cannot string sentences together, fancies he can make things clearer with bizarre attempts at similes and errant hyperbole and lacks any kind of incisiveness to his thought processes. His pre- and post match observations tend to be defeatist rather than realist. I ask myself how on earth can this man motivate players or even explain what he wants to them if he cannot speak simply and to a point and most of all briefly. So, here we are with a collection of young, loaned and short contract players. We pick up injuries a- plenty. Does he listen to physio and medical advice? and as others have remarked above there seems to be no strategy towards playing and developing the youth players nor maintaining a coherent playing style and we are losing every game not necessarily because players are weaker or fewer but because they are more brittle in key moments. Even watching twitter and matchday live and Sky from afar I found I could predict with almost perfect accuracy the time of teh first goal conceded. I just knew without being there when it would happen and I bet you all did too. And I knew it was game over thereafter. The way we are going I can see us being a mid to lower table Div 2 side next year and even flirting with relegation from Div 2. No foundations are being built that I can see. We have to get the likes of Zouma, Edwards, Brockbank to make the progress Darcy and Politic visibly have ( one plus point for KH- maybe the only one) and that means game time. Also we ned to have a style of playing which cannot indulge Murphy and Lowe in midfield. By all means try 3-5-2 ( that was how PP got us out of Div 1 last time) or the diamond or the 4-4-2 or the 4-2-3-1 .. It doesn't matter so long as we stick to something players can learn. It's now all about next year. I think your dead right Andy when these two got the job I shuddered my eldest went to school with KH and says he a right W$**&er as flicker I know all the flitcrofts went to school with their uncles and both were in the scout group I ran tossers to say the least so stayed away go to Fleetwood some times as my best mate lives there , so see you next season in div two .
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Post by whitesince63 on Feb 16, 2020 16:47:21 GMT
Alas, I didn't make the journey yesterday. Was all packed, train tickets booked and then having looked at the latest guidance form national rail somehow didn't go out of the door. In my considerations I found more pull in my lunch plan and meeting friends than in the game. In the event I would have seen the 0-2 and waited two hours on Wigan NW for my delayed train. So allowing train compensation I paid £20 or thereabouts not to go relative to the usual £70 or so for the day out or £100 + if I stay over. I think from all the reviews that I got it right? Of course I know full well that once I repeat this kind of interruption ( and I miss Accrington because of holiday) I'm less likely to get out the door next time and then I might find a season has passed. The seat dislocation if such there be may also bring pause for reflection. All of this could be overcome with a wave of enthusiasm and something to look forward to. I as quite optimistic at the start of the season because KH appeared to be departing from the stifling tactics of his predecessor and even before that we had seen young players giving their all and doing rather well in a fluent, optimistic and energetic style of play. I want KH to succeed but how is this possible? The man cannot string sentences together, fancies he can make things clearer with bizarre attempts at similes and errant hyperbole and lacks any kind of incisiveness to his thought processes. His pre- and post match observations tend to be defeatist rather than realist. I ask myself how on earth can this man motivate players or even explain what he wants to them if he cannot speak simply and to a point and most of all briefly. So, here we are with a collection of young, loaned and short contract players. We pick up injuries a- plenty. Does he listen to physio and medical advice? and as others have remarked above there seems to be no strategy towards playing and developing the youth players nor maintaining a coherent playing style and we are losing every game not necessarily because players are weaker or fewer but because they are more brittle in key moments. Even watching twitter and matchday live and Sky from afar I found I could predict with almost perfect accuracy the time of teh first goal conceded. I just knew without being there when it would happen and I bet you all did too. And I knew it was game over thereafter. The way we are going I can see us being a mid to lower table Div 2 side next year and even flirting with relegation from Div 2. No foundations are being built that I can see. We have to get the likes of Zouma, Edwards, Brockbank to make the progress Darcy and Politic visibly have ( one plus point for KH- maybe the only one) and that means game time. Also we ned to have a style of playing which cannot indulge Murphy and Lowe in midfield. By all means try 3-5-2 ( that was how PP got us out of Div 1 last time) or the diamond or the 4-4-2 or the 4-2-3-1 .. It doesn't matter so long as we stick to something players can learn. It's now all about next year. Excellent summary AndyL, couldn’t have put it better myself. I’m sure FV were under no illusions how difficult this year would be and that given the embargo’s and restrictions imposed, survival was an extreme long shot but I’m not sure they expected things to go quite so badly as they have and getting worse. It seems that pretty much all the rushed signing targets were already identified before KH was appointed so although he claims success of getting them to sign, the fact that he then binned them all as quickly as he could was probably so he could bring in players he had identified? Sadly they are no better and indeed somewhat worse. His reluctance to play Brockbank, Zouma and others of our youth also smacks of wanting to do it his way. Unfortunately as we have now seen, his way is totally unintelligible. We should by now have been seeing some signs of pattern emerging but the only pattern visible is the total lack of cohesion, players played out of position and comedic errors continually made. He now quotes that there’s no point criticising players for their mistakes. Like others on here I’m rapidly losing the will to go having battled through storms and gales to do my duty but no more, I’ll pick any games I want to go to. If we’re still going, I will get my ST for next year because I deeply want to support my club through its difficult times as I have done for many decades but if KH is still serving up the same fare as he is now then I don’t think my seat (wherever it’s is?) will be filled too often. I want him to succeed and if he can prove us wrong in the remaining games then more power to his elbow but I’m afraid I have severe doubts he has that ability from what I’ve seen so far.
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