Backs to the Millwall, Sat 9/3 3pm

[DJBlu]

Good win, now we need at least 4 from the next 2 games.

12 points would do nicely from those 2 games!

[nicholaldo]

Wigan go 2-1 up at Reading - our former target Joe Garner scores again. Undoubtedly Parky is a naturally conservative manager, but results would have been easier had he been able to hire better forwards.

Don't wanna be negative but he wouldn't have played 'better forwards' lol

I see what you're saying, but what I'm saying is that he's been left to plait fog with Josh Magennis, who's willing but limited, and Clayton, who's willing but very limited. Let's not get too simplistic with Parkinson: yes, he struggled to accommodate ALF but he's also the bloke who turned Gary Madine from a vilified washing machine into a £6m striker who scored 10 in 28 Championship games. He'll never be gung-ho but all I'm saying is that if he'd been able to hire even a reasonable forward – say, David McGoldrick, who's scored 11 in 35 for Blades despite being subbed off in more than half of them - we might have got a lot more of those tight wins that come from scoring first, as Nicholaldo points out.

Anyway, I'm not here to squabble, just to say... hooray. As you say, it'd be good to get a win against Wednesday on Tuesday, it could really tighten things up, especially if Wigan struggle again at Blackburn and Reading don't get a surprise win against Leeds; the next night Rotherham are at QPR while Millwall, three days before an FA Cup quarter-final, have a tricky trip to Birmingham.

So if we could get a Surfing On Takeover Excitement win and the others lose - yes, a big ask, but bear with me - it'd be:
Screen Shot 2019-03-09 at 18.42.16.png
...ahead of the six-pointer with wobbling Wigan... ah, let me dream, it's Saturday night...

He did good things with a washing machine but does anyone trust him with smaller, more dynamic strikers? ALF and Armstrong are two cases in point. Not sure he would have known what to do with Garner or even Nugent.

On the other hand, McGoldrick might have worked out. Alas.

And yep, it's all about Tuesday night now. Massive - and difficult - game. Three points are the dream and from there - who really knows?

He regularly partnered Nahki Wells with Jim Hanson at Bradford City and they helped him win promotion, so he knows how to play with two up front and succeed. He hasn't here, in my opinion, because he felt that we weren't strong enough behind the forwards to accommodate them (as in the case with le Fondre, when he brought in Henry to play with Pratley as covering midfielders ahead of two slow centre-backs and Vela in front of them to close down the space left further forward) or that we haven't had a good enough front two (as in the case of Magennis, Donaldson and Doidge, though he did sometimes try).

But it's also reflective of a wider trend. The majority of teams now play with a central midfield three of some description, usually as either a 4-3-3, a 4-5-1 or a 4-2-3-1, and on the whole that has been at the expense of the le Fondre types (see Michael Owen's career trajectory or le Fondre's struggles at the three clubs he played for in between his spells here). If the opposition are playing with three in the centre of midfield, there's naturally a temptation to match that to avoid being outnumbered, and consequently, outmanoeuvred (hence Parky often preferring a 3-5-2 to a straight 4-4-2 when playing two up front). That obviously isn't to say that it can't still work but there are very few teams that play with a “little and large” combination up front today; and generally, I think you have to have much better all-around players to play a good 4-4-2 than you do to play a good 4-2-3-1.

[nicholaldo]

Wigan go 2-1 up at Reading - our former target Joe Garner scores again. Undoubtedly Parky is a naturally conservative manager, but results would have been easier had he been able to hire better forwards.

Don't wanna be negative but he wouldn't have played 'better forwards' lol

I see what you're saying, but what I'm saying is that he's been left to plait fog with Josh Magennis, who's willing but limited, and Clayton, who's willing but very limited. Let's not get too simplistic with Parkinson: yes, he struggled to accommodate ALF but he's also the bloke who turned Gary Madine from a vilified washing machine into a £6m striker who scored 10 in 28 Championship games. He'll never be gung-ho but all I'm saying is that if he'd been able to hire even a reasonable forward – say, David McGoldrick, who's scored 11 in 35 for Blades despite being subbed off in more than half of them - we might have got a lot more of those tight wins that come from scoring first, as Nicholaldo points out.

Anyway, I'm not here to squabble, just to say... hooray. As you say, it'd be good to get a win against Wednesday on Tuesday, it could really tighten things up, especially if Wigan struggle again at Blackburn and Reading don't get a surprise win against Leeds; the next night Rotherham are at QPR while Millwall, three days before an FA Cup quarter-final, have a tricky trip to Birmingham.

So if we could get a Surfing On Takeover Excitement win and the others lose - yes, a big ask, but bear with me - it'd be:
Screen Shot 2019-03-09 at 18.42.16.png
...ahead of the six-pointer with wobbling Wigan... ah, let me dream, it's Saturday night...

Welcome to the optimism pub, what will it be?

You'll have to tell us what you have on tap, we don't often get to drink in here.

[Dave Sutton's barnet]

ah, let me dream, it's Saturday night...

Welcome to the optimism pub, what will it be?

Ah hello landlord, I like this place, it's much better than that hole you used to have... cup of tea please...

[nicholaldo]

Here are the highlights.

We actually scored before they had the chance that was cleared of the line, it's funny how you remember things. Still, scoring the first goal was everything.

[nelson66]

lucky to be given that first goal - two of our players in offside position in front of the goalkeeper..... who cares lol

[TANGODANCER]

lucky to be given that first goal - two of our players in offside position in front of the goalkeeper..... who cares lol

Who cares indeed. They didn't touch the ball or the keeper. We beat a team playing decent football and our goals owed nothing to luck. Both from school of cool. O'Neil especially took his chance superbly. Loved it.

[TonyDomingos]

Wigan go 2-1 up at Reading - our former target Joe Garner scores again. Undoubtedly Parky is a naturally conservative manager, but results would have been easier had he been able to hire better forwards.

Don't wanna be negative but he wouldn't have played 'better forwards' lol

I see what you're saying, but what I'm saying is that he's been left to plait fog with Josh Magennis, who's willing but limited, and Clayton, who's willing but very limited. Let's not get too simplistic with Parkinson: yes, he struggled to accommodate ALF but he's also the bloke who turned Gary Madine from a vilified washing machine into a £6m striker who scored 10 in 28 Championship games. He'll never be gung-ho but all I'm saying is that if he'd been able to hire even a reasonable forward – say, David McGoldrick, who's scored 11 in 35 for Blades despite being subbed off in more than half of them - we might have got a lot more of those tight wins that come from scoring first, as Nicholaldo points out.

Anyway, I'm not here to squabble, just to say... hooray. As you say, it'd be good to get a win against Wednesday on Tuesday, it could really tighten things up, especially if Wigan struggle again at Blackburn and Reading don't get a surprise win against Leeds; the next night Rotherham are at QPR while Millwall, three days before an FA Cup quarter-final, have a tricky trip to Birmingham.

So if we could get a Surfing On Takeover Excitement win and the others lose - yes, a big ask, but bear with me - it'd be:
Screen Shot 2019-03-09 at 18.42.16.png
...ahead of the six-pointer with wobbling Wigan... ah, let me dream, it's Saturday night...

He did good things with a washing machine but does anyone trust him with smaller, more dynamic strikers? ALF and Armstrong are two cases in point. Not sure he would have known what to do with Garner or even Nugent.

On the other hand, McGoldrick might have worked out. Alas.

And yep, it's all about Tuesday night now. Massive - and difficult - game. Three points are the dream and from there - who really knows?

He regularly partnered Nahki Wells with Jim Hanson at Bradford City and they helped him win promotion, so he knows how to play with two up front and succeed. He hasn't here, in my opinion, because he felt that we weren't strong enough behind the forwards to accommodate them (as in the case with le Fondre, when he brought in Henry to play with Pratley as covering midfielders ahead of two slow centre-backs and Vela in front of them to close down the space left further forward) or that we haven't had a good enough front two (as in the case of Magennis, Donaldson and Doidge, though he did sometimes try).

But it's also reflective of a wider trend. The majority of teams now play with a central midfield three of some description, usually as either a 4-3-3, a 4-5-1 or a 4-2-3-1, and on the whole that has been at the expense of the le Fondre types (see Michael Owen's career trajectory or le Fondre's struggles at the three clubs he played for in between his spells here). If the opposition are playing with three in the centre of midfield, there's naturally a temptation to match that to avoid being outnumbered, and consequently, outmanoeuvred (hence Parky often preferring a 3-5-2 to a straight 4-4-2 when playing two up front). That obviously isn't to say that it can't still work but there are very few teams that play with a “little and large” combination up front today; and generally, I think you have to have much better all-around players to play a good 4-4-2 than you do to play a good 4-2-3-1.

I've read this three times and i still don't understand: do we win or lose under Parky?

[Athertonian]

I made an appearance today in hope the Andersons will soon be history.

Decent atmosphere created by the fans and a special moment remembering those that lost their lives at the Burnden disaster.
Witnessed two poor teams today, Millwall being probably one of the worst teams seen this season. Parkinson did his best to prevent a win by telling his players to defend soon after they went two up. Goes to show how poor his football management really is. On this showing I don't hold much hope for survival but, I shall make a show again Tuesday.

[DJBlu]

Parkinson did his best to prevent a win by telling his players to defend soon after they went two up. Goes to show how poor his football management really is.

Sorry but this isn't correct.

There were three sometimes four players up in attack for most of the time between 2 nil and the full time whistle. We had 3 decent opportunities, Williams over the bar, Olkowski forcing the keeper into a save down to the left and Buckley into the keeper. I'd say it was a good balance between defence and attack. He got it right today and both the team and Parky deserve credit.

[jonnybwfc]

Parkinson did his best to prevent a win by telling his players to defend soon after they went two up. Goes to show how poor his football management really is.

Sorry but this isn't correct.

There were three sometimes four players up in attack for most of the time between 2 nil and the full time whistle. We had 3 decent opportunities, Williams over the bar, Olkowski forcing the keeper into a save down to the left and Buckley into the keeper. I'd say it was a good balance between defence and attack. He got it right today and both the team and Parky deserve credit.

Agree. We were more likely to score a 3rd or 4th, than they were to score a 1st. If Buckley was a bit better (I don't know - like Djorkaeff, or even Chris Eagles, for example), we would have been 4 up before they scored.

Although the 5 minutes after the first, we were on the back foot, and looked like conceding right away. But after the second, we pushed on, and played with much more confidence.

Despite a couple of long-rangers in the last couple of seasons, Ameobi should be banned from shooting 30+ yards out. He has a decent cross, and often a couple in the box to aim at.

Millwall were crap.

[Jugs]

Wigan go 2-1 up at Reading - our former target Joe Garner scores again. Undoubtedly Parky is a naturally conservative manager, but results would have been easier had he been able to hire better forwards.

Don't wanna be negative but he wouldn't have played 'better forwards' lol

I see what you're saying, but what I'm saying is that he's been left to plait fog with Josh Magennis, who's willing but limited, and Clayton, who's willing but very limited. Let's not get too simplistic with Parkinson: yes, he struggled to accommodate ALF but he's also the bloke who turned Gary Madine from a vilified washing machine into a £6m striker who scored 10 in 28 Championship games. He'll never be gung-ho but all I'm saying is that if he'd been able to hire even a reasonable forward – say, David McGoldrick, who's scored 11 in 35 for Blades despite being subbed off in more than half of them - we might have got a lot more of those tight wins that come from scoring first, as Nicholaldo points out.

Anyway, I'm not here to squabble, just to say... hooray. As you say, it'd be good to get a win against Wednesday on Tuesday, it could really tighten things up, especially if Wigan struggle again at Blackburn and Reading don't get a surprise win against Leeds; the next night Rotherham are at QPR while Millwall, three days before an FA Cup quarter-final, have a tricky trip to Birmingham.

So if we could get a Surfing On Takeover Excitement win and the others lose - yes, a big ask, but bear with me - it'd be:
Screen Shot 2019-03-09 at 18.42.16.png
...ahead of the six-pointer with wobbling Wigan... ah, let me dream, it's Saturday night...

He did good things with a washing machine but does anyone trust him with smaller, more dynamic strikers? ALF and Armstrong are two cases in point. Not sure he would have known what to do with Garner or even Nugent.

On the other hand, McGoldrick might have worked out. Alas.

And yep, it's all about Tuesday night now. Massive - and difficult - game. Three points are the dream and from there - who really knows?

He regularly partnered Nahki Wells with Jim Hanson at Bradford City and they helped him win promotion, so he knows how to play with two up front and succeed. He hasn't here, in my opinion, because he felt that we weren't strong enough behind the forwards to accommodate them (as in the case with le Fondre, when he brought in Henry to play with Pratley as covering midfielders ahead of two slow centre-backs and Vela in front of them to close down the space left further forward) or that we haven't had a good enough front two (as in the case of Magennis, Donaldson and Doidge, though he did sometimes try).

But it's also reflective of a wider trend. The majority of teams now play with a central midfield three of some description, usually as either a 4-3-3, a 4-5-1 or a 4-2-3-1, and on the whole that has been at the expense of the le Fondre types (see Michael Owen's career trajectory or le Fondre's struggles at the three clubs he played for in between his spells here). If the opposition are playing with three in the centre of midfield, there's naturally a temptation to match that to avoid being outnumbered, and consequently, outmanoeuvred (hence Parky often preferring a 3-5-2 to a straight 4-4-2 when playing two up front). That obviously isn't to say that it can't still work but there are very few teams that play with a “little and large” combination up front today; and generally, I think you have to have much better all-around players to play a good 4-4-2 than you do to play a good 4-2-3-1.

Fair point about Wells but I guess it all boils down to this: Parky has struggled to get goals out of his team and the players here are the type of players he chose to build a team around.

I guess a more pertinent question is this: If a Bolton manager was handed a couple of million quid to spend on reshaping the squad next season, would you trust Parky with it or would you rather give it to another manager?

[Dave Sutton's barnet]

Millwall were crap.

This might be important. For starters, we'll face a much better team in midweek: Steve Bruce has started to turn them round. But also, Millwall are falling away: six points from the last ten games (only QPR are worse) – since the FA Cup Third Round, not uncoincidentally. Maybe they'll beat Brighton next weekend and remain distracted a while yet. Yes, players fight for places, but they also pull out of tackles.

And once the cup run is over, the air goes out of the balloon: after we lost to Oldham in the Sixth Round thanks to Paddy's backpass, we got two points from the next seven games. Millwall are already on four straight losses, and their next five league games are Brum, Leeds, West Brom, QPR and Blades. Here's hoping.

[Harry Genshaw]

Parkinson did his best to prevent a win by telling his players to defend soon after they went two up. Goes to show how poor his football management really is.

Sorry but this isn't correct.

There were three sometimes four players up in attack for most of the time between 2 nil and the full time whistle. We had 3 decent opportunities, Williams over the bar, Olkowski forcing the keeper into a save down to the left and Buckley into the keeper. I'd say it was a good balance between defence and attack. He got it right today and both the team and Parky deserve credit.

I can see Athertonian's point.

At 2-0 up we were still knocking at the door for a 3rd. However, from about 82 minutes on it appeared the players were being told to close the game out. We had a corner, where just two players were in the box and then played two short free kicks when the option of a cross into the box was on.

Normally, I'd be in favour of this approach but we're often so poor in possession that we soon lose it anyway and find ourselves under pressure.

Anyway, a minor gripe. We won and it gives us a little optimism. A nice feeling

[officer_dibble]

Come on Bolton. We might be down but we need to give the fans a performance today. No shirking, maximum effort and score a goal for f*cks sake! Lift the crowd from the off and they will back you - no matter what the attendance.

Come on man, let's stop with all this 'we might be down' talk. It's not over until it's over.

Rotherham losing.

I might change my mind with 6 points from the next two...infact I’m sure I will!

Excellent result. Worked hard and took two difficult chances. They ain’t great either so could be dragged into it yet.

[Dave Sutton's barnet]

[TANGODANCER]

I'll happily stand correction as not being there, but based on seeing enough of highlights, odd televised games and regular comments from match-goers, radio and media, I still maintain that Parky should adopt a Championship reality attitude to our games. "Told to close games out"! Really, with our record of losses, last minute capitulations and "retreat at the first sign of danger" attitude, I'd say Parky should realise everybody knows how to beat us because they know our game and we are just about the worst examples of this in the division. . We back off repeatedly where most other teams adopt a pack attitude to opposition attackers and jump all over them right off. Surely the way three,even four players smother Sammi every time he gets into their half supports this? Back off from a decent ball player, or approach them alone is just asking for it. Stop them having space (more that most satelite missions usually) and get at them right off. They won't be half as keen to try a Ronaldo that way. Somebody else claims Sammi should shoot less. For me. the opposite applies. Goals are scored by shooting and off rebounds just as well as trying a Barca approach.

Like I said, I'll stand correction, but results tend to favour rather than contradict.

[Lost Leopard Spot]

Wigan go 2-1 up at Reading - our former target Joe Garner scores again. Undoubtedly Parky is a naturally conservative manager, but results would have been easier had he been able to hire better forwards.

Don't wanna be negative but he wouldn't have played 'better forwards' lol

I see what you're saying, but what I'm saying is that he's been left to plait fog with Josh Magennis, who's willing but limited, and Clayton, who's willing but very limited. Let's not get too simplistic with Parkinson: yes, he struggled to accommodate ALF but he's also the bloke who turned Gary Madine from a vilified washing machine into a £6m striker who scored 10 in 28 Championship games. He'll never be gung-ho but all I'm saying is that if he'd been able to hire even a reasonable forward – say, David McGoldrick, who's scored 11 in 35 for Blades despite being subbed off in more than half of them - we might have got a lot more of those tight wins that come from scoring first, as Nicholaldo points out.

Anyway, I'm not here to squabble, just to say... hooray. As you say, it'd be good to get a win against Wednesday on Tuesday, it could really tighten things up, especially if Wigan struggle again at Blackburn and Reading don't get a surprise win against Leeds; the next night Rotherham are at QPR while Millwall, three days before an FA Cup quarter-final, have a tricky trip to Birmingham.

So if we could get a Surfing On Takeover Excitement win and the others lose - yes, a big ask, but bear with me - it'd be:
Screen Shot 2019-03-09 at 18.42.16.png
...ahead of the six-pointer with wobbling Wigan... ah, let me dream, it's Saturday night...

He did good things with a washing machine but does anyone trust him with smaller, more dynamic strikers? ALF and Armstrong are two cases in point. Not sure he would have known what to do with Garner or even Nugent.

On the other hand, McGoldrick might have worked out. Alas.

And yep, it's all about Tuesday night now. Massive - and difficult - game. Three points are the dream and from there - who really knows?

He regularly partnered Nahki Wells with Jim Hanson at Bradford City and they helped him win promotion, so he knows how to play with two up front and succeed. He hasn't here, in my opinion, because he felt that we weren't strong enough behind the forwards to accommodate them (as in the case with le Fondre, when he brought in Henry to play with Pratley as covering midfielders ahead of two slow centre-backs and Vela in front of them to close down the space left further forward) or that we haven't had a good enough front two (as in the case of Magennis, Donaldson and Doidge, though he did sometimes try).

But it's also reflective of a wider trend. The majority of teams now play with a central midfield three of some description, usually as either a 4-3-3, a 4-5-1 or a 4-2-3-1, and on the whole that has been at the expense of the le Fondre types (see Michael Owen's career trajectory or le Fondre's struggles at the three clubs he played for in between his spells here). If the opposition are playing with three in the centre of midfield, there's naturally a temptation to match that to avoid being outnumbered, and consequently, outmanoeuvred (hence Parky often preferring a 3-5-2 to a straight 4-4-2 when playing two up front). That obviously isn't to say that it can't still work but there are very few teams that play with a “little and large” combination up front today; and generally, I think you have to have much better all-around players to play a good 4-4-2 than you do to play a good 4-2-3-1.

I've read this three times and i still don't understand: do we win or lose under Parky?

I've read it five times. Believe me, invariably we lose.

[TANGODANCER]

I've read it five times. Believe me, invariably we lose.

Had we not exerted ourselves and scored two goals (a rare occurrence indeed) we'd have lost to a last minute goal....again....

[Lost Leopard Spot]

I've read it five times. Believe me, invariably we lose.

Had we not exerted ourselves and scored two goals (a rare occurrence indeed) we'd have lost to a last minute goal....again....

I'm celebrating the three points gained like a lost son from my youth. Rare and exceptional.