Bolton V Exeter.... match thread

Shockingly bad 2nd half.

Poor passing throughout and rank bad defending for both goals.

Poor tackling and closing down throughout. How will we cope with Naveson next week?

Very predictable. The best team won and let's hope we don't face them in the play offs. Hopefully we can win at Crawley because I don't think we can beat any of the play off teams actually

We just have so many glaring weaknesses or perhaps shortcomings. Above all we have no set piece threat.Some very poor showings today . Thomason and Gnahoua bright. Sarcevic faded and that cost us the game with great gaps on that side. John faded. Dapo offered no cover and Delfouneso gave away the final free kick.

Gilks 7 Jones 5 Baptiste 8 Santos 7 John 6
Williams 7 Lee 7 Dapo 2 Doyle 0 Sarcevic 5 Thomason 6 Isgrove 5 Gnahoua 6 Delfouneso 1 Miller 2

What an absolutely shocker of a second half that was.

First half, we had are usual raggy first 10 minutes in a home game. We then played well for a while and scored a good goal. We had a real chance when Exeter’s defence lost the ball and Isgrove was breaking into the box. Sarcevic was totally unmarked for a tap in if Isgrove could get it to him but he was pulled down. A yellow card? Could have been a red but I also think that Isgrove could have been stronger and resisted the foul. If he had, we would have had an open goal for 2-0 but he is too weak.

Exeter then took over for the rest of the first half.

Second half, there was only one team in it as Exeter dominated us. Our passing went to pot and Exeter just ran through us. The centre of the defence was also wide open and Exeter had the ball on numerous occasions on the edge of the box. It very quickly paid off as they ran through us again, The complete defence backed off and backed off and Jones allowed their man to shoot unchallenged straight into the corner. Rank bad defending from the whole team. We were just hanging on from then on with the odd flurry upfield.

The inevitable winner came when Delfouneso needlessly (and maybe unfairly penalised) gave away a free kick and 2 men were left at the far post with just Jones near them, A simple winning header. Shocking, shocking defending.

A very deserved win for Exeter.

So on to Crawley for a must win match. Morecambe are at home to Bradford so will win. We must win



Marks:-

Gilks - 6 Should have organised the defence better for the winning goal. Jones was marking 2 men and no one within 5 yards
Jones - 5 Good goal but badly at fault for Exeter’s first and outjumped for the winner
John - 5 Passing seems to be letting him down. Second half just nothing from him
Santos - 5 Caught out a few times. Too many Exeter men unmarked throughout the game
Baptiste - 6 Won some tackles but the Exeter attack seem to have acres of space
Williams - 5 Won some balls but passing poor. Second half, he was over run
Sarcevic - 4 A real struggle
Lee - 5 Exeter midfield dominated the 2nd half too much
Afolayan - 3 Headless chicken today. He would beat one man and run straight into the next man
Isgrove - 3 Hardly anything creative from him and he gets knocked off the ball too easily
Doyle - 5 A shot and a header – both off target in the 2nd half but largely anonymous
Delfouneso - 4 Hard to notice him until he gave away a stupid free kick in the 95th minute
Thomason - 4 He has lost his passing ability
Gnahoua - 3 Like Afolayan, he runs and dribbles straight into the opponent

A point that has been concerning me during the last few games is the positional play of Williams. From being a rock just in front of the centre backs he is now to be seen running all over the place -thus leaving Santos and co very unprotected. Gethin Jones tends not to tackle back, and these facts together make a lot of space for opposing attacks. For their winner I didn't see a free kick foul by Delfouneso.

Very angry tonight. Really disappointing and not just losing it at the depth. Even 1-1 was a poor showing.

Just slow, lethargic. Did anyone look like they cared. Where was the urgency where is the leadership?


We're not learning. We still look awful at set pieces. Its not bad luck that so many of our players have failed to score.


How can they need a win and create so so little. Even after getting a goal and going in up at HT. Today should have been the day we didnt leave it at 1 that we hunted and killed off. Exeter did nothing first half but were invited back.


Thought it was a very poor showing for game management. All subs ineffective. GT has looked a bag of nerves recently, he has got into games but not really excelled and now hes an impact sub? Well he showed he wasnt. I dont honestly know how were still seeing Delf. Hes proven he has no attributes. I'll be happy to see him go. Ghanoua just doesnt have the quality same for Isgrove and Dapo.

A lot of these players are League 2 at best.

Just gutted tonight but no one can say that hasnt been coming.

Chip
I honestly believe that if Bradford can’t help us out, we’ll be in the playoffs and I can somehow see our destiny being decided by a ‘Bolton fan’ - One Keith Hill
Oh the irony 😬😬