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Post by davidm on Jan 3, 2015 18:51:15 GMT
Another good performance. Good rather than outstanding but a well deserved victory.
Wigan created a few chances second half but we had bossed it first half and also created in the second.
For any neutral, it must have been a good game to watch.
We set off well. Feeney missed a great chance one on one with Al-Habsi. Wheater headed wide from a corner when the goal appeared wide open. And we had lots of half chances. Wigan though were woeful in the first half.
Second half Wigan made a contest of it. We slept at the back and Bogdan saved a header very well. The Wigan player should have headed it into the corner so we were lucky there. The game became end to end but Zac Clough brought it to boiling point with some superb runs from midfield. He picked up the ball and ran at the Wigan defence. He got in a couple of shots and scared Wigan.
Then Trotter totally surprised me, and probably the Wigan team also, by running at them and putting a superb ball into Clough for him to lift the ball over Al-Habsi into the net.
Bogdan saved a Malone free kick well but we were more than competent at playing time out.
After I slagged off premiership refs last time, I thought Phil Dowd was excellent today.
A deserved victory. A decent performance. The start of another unbeaten run, I hope.
Bogdan - 7 A couple of excellent saves and steady with everything else. Lonergan has justly earned the No 1 spot so he must wait for his next chance.
Vela - 6 Got turned once and earned a booking otherwise his usual calm collected performance.
Wheater - 6 Other than a golden headed chance that Wigan wasted early in the second half, he held the Wigan forwards well.
Dervite - 6 Same as Wheater; very confident in his defending.
Ream - 6 Very steady. Not much wrong. Still needs to learn the attacking side of his role and also how to use his right foot.
Danns - 7 Hard work throughout. He is in a different role to earlier in the season but he is doing it well.
Pratley - 6 Again worked hard but tired badly in the second half.
Clough - 9 What can you say! An incredible debut performance. He actually picked up the ball and ran at the Wigan defence on lots of occasions whereas most of the other midfielders tended to pass sideways. Took his chance brilliantly.
Heskey - 6 Worked hard and tired in the second half.
Trotter - 6 I am not his biggest fan as I find him very laboured in what he does but he put 2 excellent passes in. One to put Feeney clean through and the second to feed Clough for the goal.
Feeney - 6 Played more or less as a front man. Could have had 3 goals in the first half. Two were not taken as he reacted too slowly to half chances and the second Al-Habsi saved well but he should have scored. When he went wide, he found space but his centering lets him down.
Manager - 8 Again, a magic decision in playing Clough. We are still a bit short in midfield in that we do not create enough for the strikers but he finds ways to overcome this problem.
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Post by Trotter on Jan 3, 2015 18:55:43 GMT
Thanks for the report DavidM, another good read and match report is in the Daily Mail.
Was Zach that good?
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Post by davidm on Jan 3, 2015 18:58:34 GMT
Thanks for the report DavidM, another good read and match report is in the Daily Mail. Was Zach that good? He was Trotter. He played in Gudjohnsen's position and picked up the ball just behind Heskey. What he did well was to run at Wigan's defence and scare the life out of them. The goal was excellently made and taken. |
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Post by andyl on Jan 3, 2015 19:26:31 GMT
I thought we saw a quite splendid game today at least from a BWFC point of view. When Lennon consoled Feeney at half time it was because he had missed three really good chances two by not shooting promptly and one foiled by the excellent Al Habsi who reminded us of just how good he can be all afternoon save for one aerial blunder.
I thought we saw the best of Trotter in flashes today. Two mazy dribbles all but took him through the Wigan defence, two defence splitting passes and much as Clough his willingness to mo e forward with the ball and pick a good pass was impressive
Clough was with Bogdan the star of the show. He dinked his goal magnificently Bogdan pulled off two excellent and one superb saves. Lonergan will know he cannot afford a slip and that has to be good. The debate re who is No1 should be reignited by this commanding and assured performance. He had something to prove and was a man with a mission. Clawing out the late free kick from the top corner he made his case but the earlier point blank save was quite magnificent
Wheater too was dominant. He missed a chance but I do like the way he meets the ball in the air first time. Mills so often stands off and Wheater is much the better at this aspect.
I thought Danns was living on the edge at times .He keeps turning into trouble and Pratley ran out of steam too after a strong first half. The skill gap between Pratley and Trotter was evident today and we need room for both
Feeney! Was he good or dire.? He kept going, got some dangerous crosses in but also lost the ball at key moments and dropped his head too. Heskey's had thirty good minutes and struggled after that but he could have slid a goal in after good work by Clough and Feeney
At the end NL invited us all to applaud Clough twice once on his exit and again after the game. A star is born? A mouth watering debut!
Bogdan 9 Vela 8 Wheater 8 Dervite 7 Ream 8 Pratley 6 Danns 6 Feeney 5 Clough 9 Heskey 6 Trotter 8 Craig D 6
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Post by thegrud1 on Jan 3, 2015 19:52:55 GMT
Just come back from the game and seen one of the best debuts in a Bolton shirt for a long time Without going overboard Zac Clough was outstanding ,a talent to to be nurtured,cultivated. Please look after hin Neil. AND a great touch to bring him off with ~5 mins to go to a standing ovation,also the hug you and your assistant gave him didnt go unnnoticed...Great man management ! OH a the team performance was a credit to us all
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Post by Trotter on Jan 3, 2015 21:42:09 GMT
Great to be able to read such positive comments especially about the debut from 19 yr old Home grown lad, the one thing that keeps coming from all these good positive reports either from this forum or the media is NEIL LENNON long may this reign.
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Post by socalwanderers on Jan 3, 2015 22:13:49 GMT
Cracking result! A cracking managerial ploy to stick the young Zach in at the last minute!
We even made the tabloids print something positive about Bolton! Yes that's right Young Zach was the main attraction!
Well done lads! Keep it up.
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Post by socalwanderers on Jan 3, 2015 22:24:39 GMT
Tabloids views:
Bolton Wanderers fans are constantly bemoaning the lack of young talent emerging from the club's ranks, but the full debut of Zach Clough suggests they've unearthed an excellent young starlet. The 19-year-old put in a man of the match performance as he scored the only goal in Bolton's third round FA Cup win over local rivals Wigan Athletic.
Wanderers dominated this clash with the 2013 FA Cup winners and last year's semi-finalists, yet for long periods of the match it seemed a lack of killer instinct could come back to bite them. But Clough's composed strike on 76 minutes was the moment of class the hosts were largely lacking and proved the difference between the two sides.
Bolton dominated the first-half without finding a vital goal, with former Whites goalkeeper Ali Al Habsi proving a constant irritation as he denied efforts from the two Liams, Trotter and Feeney. While David Wheater, in for the injured Matt Mills, saw a header go narrowly wide and Trotter had a goal disallowed for offside early on.
But the second half was the Zach Clough show, as the young forward won Wanderers the match. Moments into the second half Clough collected the ball and ran half the length of the pitch only to see his shot well blocked, then on the hour mark he slalomed a couple of challenges before hitting a shot that was saved by Al Habsi.
Then the Manchester-born youngster's big moment came with quarter of an hour to go. After being played clean through on goal by Trotter's pass, Clough showed composure beyond his years as he took his time and lifted the ball over Al Habsi to nestle it into the bottom corner. It was a brilliant finish which topped off a superb performance from the young forward.
Special mention also has to go to Adam Bodgan, who has been starved of performances of late due to the exceptional form of Andy Lonergan. The Hungarian goalkeeper made several key saves, including a superb point-blank stop from Adam Forshaw's header just moments after Clough's opener, and a late stop from Shaun Maloney's top corner-bound shot.
Clough's goal sees Wanderers progress to the fourth round of the FA Cup, which will be drawn on Monday evening.
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Post by Pedro on Jan 4, 2015 1:48:35 GMT
Solid performance from the whole team who are playing so much more like a team these days. Great solo performance by Zach Clough. What a thrill for the lad to get a goal and such a huge ovation when he came off. I like and respect and am impressed by NL more and more with every game. www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/football/30668142 |
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Post by Trotter on Jan 4, 2015 7:33:53 GMT
Solid performance from the whole team who are playing so much more like a team these days. Great solo performance by Zach Clough. What a thrill for the lad to get a goal and such a huge ovation when he came off. I like and respect and am impressed by NL more and more with every game. www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/football/30668142Good link Pedro ...... NL is like a good wine, he is getting better as the clock ticks by just what our club needs. |
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Post by andyl on Jan 4, 2015 9:39:46 GMT
I wrote my earlier post on the train home in the immediate aftermath of euphoria. I see David M above is a touch more measured save in the matter of Clough's amazing debut. This morning I still feel uplifted and there are various reasons which make this so
1. Clough and Vela, two academy players with great talent. If Clough rightly takes the plaudits Vela is a star too. I like his quiet assurance. When he is beaten or chasing he keeps his head and hustles opponents away from goal. He gets a foot in and makes tackles. He is a splendid first time passer. He runs quickly forward into attack with no little skill. He crosses better than most. And we even saw some fire when a late tackle got him booked. Not good that but in contrast to some of the pussy footing stuff we have had to put up with? Do we want Baptiste back ? Noooo!
2 it was a great crowd squashed into limited seatingg. Open areas were full. We haven't seen that at a cup game in a decade. I'd say the crowd was better than in early home games this year. It wasn't because it was a derby. We had a much more sparsely attended game v Wigan a few years ago. They of course have enjoyed two great cup runs and one triumph. Their interest was understandable. But we now have a touch of glamour with Heskey and Eidur and a great sense of purpose
3 After three seasons of bumbling inadequacy and barely a forward pass or surge yesterday we could delight in Clough, Vela, late on Eidur and throughout the game Trotter. I have repeatedly held on to hopes that he could deliver Yesterday he did. Two incisive passes, two incredible close footed dribbles into their box several important interceptions, one preventing a goal scoring chance just by being in the right place. I have no difficulty seeing why DF and now NL rate him. He splits the fans and his air of lethargy compared to Pratley' visible endeavour inevitably brings unfavourable comparison. But when he does well we look good. That Leeds game last year being a case in point.
4 Bogdan was terrific. I'd have marked him at 10 but for one bit of hesitancy at a corner. When he plays like this he is an intimidating presence. And for me for that he has the edge on Lonergan. His near post save was perhaps the least outstanding of three yet a season and a half ago he was missing those. I think he will reclaim his place at some point but how good is it that Lonergan's form keeps him out. I can't remember when last we had two keepers vying in excellence. We had a fading Jussi ousted by a hesitant and unready Bogdan. Al Habsi should have had a longer run but was not allowed to compete with Jussi when he should have. Banks was well below Branagan. For a very short time Davidson ousted Branagan. I hope NL doesn't trade one to Everton or anywhere else. But given contracts I think we may only enjoy this rivalry briefly
5 Chungy wasn't missed at all. Amazing in the light of his stand out supremacy.And can anyone even remember Mark Davies? I'd hazard no one in the crowd wished him back yesterday... But they are both first team players of standing.
6 We had a proper centre half. Heading the ball at its high point and battling. The ghosts of Higgins, Hulme, Hurley ( if he is a ghost) and more recently the benign spirits of our great age Gudni , Bruno Hendry. Taggart and even Seagraves, Came, Big Sam and best of all Paul Jones will have thought well of some of Wheater's strong and commanding challenges. Something we used to take for granted had evaporated and now Mills and Dervite will have to be at their best to keep him out.
7 And we are in the hat. Is this the year?
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Post by whitesince63 on Jan 4, 2015 10:12:22 GMT
Excellent summary Andy, agree with every single word of that. Like you I think long term Bogdan would be a better pick than Lonnergan and that is not in any way an implied criticism of Lonnergan's abilities, he has been brilliant this season, but at his age and improving capabilities Bogdan has the makings of being a top class keeper.
Without getting carried away we seem to be on the cusp of something good if we can only keep hold of NL and our better youngsters including Boggers, Chungy and mini Davvo. With way Vela, Clough, Thrlkeld and Wilkinson are improving there hasn't been so much promise for years. How incredible given the lows we all felt just a couple of months ago under Freedman.
A good cup run would be the icing on the cake so roll on 2015 and what lies ahead.
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Post by realtrottersforever on Jan 4, 2015 13:02:28 GMT
I agree with most of what has been said above, but I still really do not see in Trotter what AndyL does, yes the pass to Clough that led to the goal was a good one but apart from that a lot of the time he looks laboured, whereas Pratley (and I was no great fan of his) has shown why OC made such efforts to sign him, he is everywhere every game I wish i had his energy.
The one thing I did notice, being sat in the West Lower for a change was how much Bogdan communicated with the team. It has been intimated that he doesn't communicate at all, but yesterday he never stopped shouting at the team, even when we were on the attack he was shouting, whether this is a new thing I can't comment, but it was good to see.
Just to add my plaudits to those above for Zach Clough. What a magical debut. He's been with the club since he was 8yrs old. 2 years ago DF said he was travelling with the first team (although not in squad) and was saying we would be seeing a lot more of him and yet we never even saw him on the bench, true he may have been too young then, but it was a master stroke of Lennon's to give him his debut yesterday. Here's hoping for more displays like this.
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Post by joanna on Jan 4, 2015 16:21:51 GMT
Despite such good displays yesterday, I presume we wouldn't be stupid enough to start thinking of cashing in on our proven talent, on the presumption that Clough, Bogdan and Trotter can repeat on a regular basis what they showed themselves capable of against a weakish Wigan team.
The saves that Bogdan made were from efforts that fans would have been lambasting him for if he had failed to stop them; the header, in particular, was straight at him, even if pacy. Rather, we should be saying that the Wigan striker should have given Boggers no chance.
We know Trotter can very occasionally produce something worthwhile but there is simply not enough quality output per match to merit his regular inclusion. He simply does not do enough. By contrast, notice how often Pratley bust a gut to get beyond Clough and take defenders away, which allowed Zach space to move into.....which he did very well. Can Clough do this against better sides that close down energetically in midfield? We shall see!
In the meantime, let's not assume that he can do Chungy's job, nor that Bogdan is now blunder-free and will not parry centrally any more. Certainly, Trotter will need to rouse himself far more often before he convinces most supporters of his worth.
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Post by riochforthereebok on Jan 4, 2015 18:30:18 GMT
I'm just so happy reading so many positive comments about the Wanderers, the youth, the management, the veterans, the improved attendances, it's all completely stunning to see, read and hear following on from the extremely worrying Freedman era. It has, of course, deflected all attention away from the parasite that is Darkslime and I'm certainly not going to be the one to alter such positive comments on this thread by bringing the tone down to negative levels mentioning his name!!
That said, it would be good for Phartside to get himself in the news once more by tying down the ever impressive Neil Lennon with a longer term contract, as I do feel that BWFC could prove to be NL's shop window once the Premier League sack race gets into full swing. We need the vibrant, positive, energetic, exciting, youthful Lennon to carry us forward and he could be the man to emulate, or even surpass Allardyce's achievements.
COYWM
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