Hard to get a Haydon over this one. AFC Wimbledon (H) - 04/03/17 3pm

[jetsetwilly]

It was slightly better than Tuesday night's performance, but not good enough. I know we have players out, but just feel that PP is being a bit too defensive minded, at home, to a midtable? team, albeit who beat Scunthorpe on Tuesday. If we had played the majority of the first half like the first 15 minutes, I think we would have gone in at half time with a better scoreline. Now, I think we will slide a bit because I don't see anything much from our away games. Hope I'm wrong

If we were capable of playing 90 or even 45 minutes like we did the first 15 we'd already be promoted.

The fact is we were never going to keep that up. Then we couldn't cope with Wimbledon's physical long ball game.

Our problem is at the minute that when we lose control of a game, as every side in history will, we can't keep the lid on things, primarily because we've lost our midfield. And our only two options to play there today weren't good enough to gain any control at all during that period.

It isn't anything to do with 'being defensive'. The players simply couldn't do what was required.

Also we are carrying a total passenger up front in Le Fondre who offers us absolutely nothing. A waste of a shirt at present. But again we've nobody else if we are going to play 2 up front (which we shouldn't as after Madine we've nobody worth a shirt up there).

Wimbledon were good on the counter. Only one team playing long ball today and they were wearing white. Looked so much better when we played it on the floor out wide. Guess though, if you play hoof it all week in training it is hard to sustain a passing game on match day

[Harry Genshaw]

Wimbledon long ball and Le Fondre a waste of a shirt? I'm not having that.

They played some decent football through midfield in the first half. Certainly, over the 90 minutes we were more direct than they were.

ALF was fine yesterday and with him up top we were actually hassling their defenders in possession for once. He battled hard for possession and got us into good positions with his endeavour. At the moment we're not creating the chances for him but stick with it and they, & the goals will start to come

[Tombwfc]

First time I've seen ALF since his return, and I thought he was fine. He looked lively and, much like Klasnic, his reputation as a poacher belies the fact he's a clever footballer in possession. You couldn't design a side to play less to his strengths than the team we played yesterday though. Other than Morais, not a single player you would ever describe as inventive or comfortable in possession.

I don't think next week is a must win as much as it is a musn't lose. Four points behind Fleetwood with a game in hand (generously giving us the game in hand as a guaranteed win despite the fact we've won twice in two months) is doable, seven points behind and we're done.

[officer_dibble]

Josh velas twitter feed makes interesting reading post match.

[Peter Thompson]

Josh velas twitter feed makes interesting reading post match.

Its pathetic IMO - but a player responding to getting poor comments & match rating from a fans blog, arguing with a fan - I've not read them because I'm not on twitter but I've been told about them this afternoon.

Is it true that he's also involved Madine in the argument & offered to meet the fan face to face to sort things out or is that fabrication ?

I would add, if the players performed at a decent standard they would get decent marks

[Bruce Rioja]

Josh Vela was man of the match yesterday by a mile. What's the problem?

[Little Green Man]

Its pathetic IMO - but a player responding to getting poor comments & match rating from a fans blog, arguing with a fan - I've not read them because I'm not on twitter but I've been told about them this afternoon.

You don't have to be on Twitter to view them. That said, it's all a bit puerile so I wouldn't recommend Googling for the links on Twitter or LoV.

[DJBlu]

Josh velas twitter feed makes interesting reading post match.

Its pathetic IMO - but a player responding to getting poor comments & match rating from a fans blog, arguing with a fan - I've not read them because I'm not on twitter but I've been told about them this afternoon.

Is it true that he's also involved Madine in the argument & offered to meet the fan face to face to sort things out or is that fabrication ?

I would add, if the players performed at a decent standard they would get decent marks

The offer was to come and show off his footballing skills.

[officer_dibble]

Arguing with clickbait dickheads isnt very clever and it shows the players are rattled as well.

Neither come out of the incident looking very good. Just another sour note on this season post christmas.

[Prufrock]

I can't believe anyone reads that sh*te, never mind the players. Even "Big Gary Madine".

[BWFC_Insane]

Josh Vela was man of the match yesterday by a mile. What's the problem?

Indeed. Lad never stops running.

This is all about some agenda driven clickbait nonsense. Vela should ignore it. But I can understand how over time it gets under the skin.

[Andy Waller]

Parkinson post match "I'm really scratching my head in regards to what the fans expect me to do, do they realise we've just got 2 good home points against 2 good ex conference sides in Bristol Rovers & AFC Wimbledon - the fans and that cnut Peter Thompson are just unrealistic, what more could they have expected from games against those 2 sides"

PP continued "I think we've been good these last two games, we actually recorded a 40 miles an hour 80 yard pass to ALF today it was just a pity it was 20 ft over his head, but don't worry he's coming in tomorrow for heading practice"...."fans like that cnut Thompson have to realise that we have serious injuries and league 1 is so full of quality and I only have the likes of Wheater, Beevers, Adam Le Fondre, Madine, Spearing, A Taylor, Vela, James Henry, Clayton & Morais to call upon - we simply can't be expected to compete on a level playing with Bristol Rovers & AFC Wimbledon, and I can't see any of those players getting in to their teams with the household names that they have".

Are you going to offer anything constructive, or are you just gonna sit there being Billy Big Bollocks "Oh, we're Bolton Wanderers, we should be shitting all over this league, our manager's a joke and should have us playing like a combination of 1970s Brazil and current day Barcelona despite the fact that we're in LEAGUE F*CKING ONE and we've lost our best players to injury and departures"?

The only creative player we have available is Morais. The rest are functional and workmanlike at best. We don't have the players to play fancy free-flowing attacking football like you seem to demand. Fact is, they're just not very good, and the recent run of form has left them low on confidence. You can't honestly believe that the team we put out today, which happens to be pretty much the only side available, is capable of passing it around and through any team's midfield with any degree of success?

I asked you last week to name names. If there's a manager available, within our budget, who could do a better job than Phil Parkinson with NO MONEY and the injury list we currently have, then tell us who it is.

Or, y'know, just carry on sniping from your armchair.

I thoroughly agree mr True,

I know we were poor again, but really, who have we got to change a game? The players we need like that we certainly can't afford.

We've overachieved this year really, playoffs would be a bonus.

Saying that, hat's off to Madine for one of the worst shots I've ever seen from a professional footballer in the second half...

[BWFC_Insane]

Parkinson post match "I'm really scratching my head in regards to what the fans expect me to do, do they realise we've just got 2 good home points against 2 good ex conference sides in Bristol Rovers & AFC Wimbledon - the fans and that cnut Peter Thompson are just unrealistic, what more could they have expected from games against those 2 sides"

PP continued "I think we've been good these last two games, we actually recorded a 40 miles an hour 80 yard pass to ALF today it was just a pity it was 20 ft over his head, but don't worry he's coming in tomorrow for heading practice"...."fans like that cnut Thompson have to realise that we have serious injuries and league 1 is so full of quality and I only have the likes of Wheater, Beevers, Adam Le Fondre, Madine, Spearing, A Taylor, Vela, James Henry, Clayton & Morais to call upon - we simply can't be expected to compete on a level playing with Bristol Rovers & AFC Wimbledon, and I can't see any of those players getting in to their teams with the household names that they have".

Are you going to offer anything constructive, or are you just gonna sit there being Billy Big Bollocks "Oh, we're Bolton Wanderers, we should be shitting all over this league, our manager's a joke and should have us playing like a combination of 1970s Brazil and current day Barcelona despite the fact that we're in LEAGUE F*CKING ONE and we've lost our best players to injury and departures"?

The only creative player we have available is Morais. The rest are functional and workmanlike at best. We don't have the players to play fancy free-flowing attacking football like you seem to demand. Fact is, they're just not very good, and the recent run of form has left them low on confidence. You can't honestly believe that the team we put out today, which happens to be pretty much the only side available, is capable of passing it around and through any team's midfield with any degree of success?

I asked you last week to name names. If there's a manager available, within our budget, who could do a better job than Phil Parkinson with NO MONEY and the injury list we currently have, then tell us who it is.

Or, y'know, just carry on sniping from your armchair.

I thoroughly agree mr True,

I know we were poor again, but really, who have we got to change a game? The players we need like that we certainly can't afford.

We've overachieved this year really, playoffs would be a bonus.

Saying that, hat's off to Madine for one of the worst shots I've ever seen from a professional footballer in the second half...

To be honest it was nowhere near as glaring as Le Fondre being sent through by Madine only for him to weakly pass it back straight to the keeper.

Madine gets a lot of stick. But scores and offers a ton more than Le Fondre does right now (who is literally getting away with being absolute bobbins).

[Prufrock]

Parkinson post match "I'm really scratching my head in regards to what the fans expect me to do, do they realise we've just got 2 good home points against 2 good ex conference sides in Bristol Rovers & AFC Wimbledon - the fans and that cnut Peter Thompson are just unrealistic, what more could they have expected from games against those 2 sides"

PP continued "I think we've been good these last two games, we actually recorded a 40 miles an hour 80 yard pass to ALF today it was just a pity it was 20 ft over his head, but don't worry he's coming in tomorrow for heading practice"...."fans like that cnut Thompson have to realise that we have serious injuries and league 1 is so full of quality and I only have the likes of Wheater, Beevers, Adam Le Fondre, Madine, Spearing, A Taylor, Vela, James Henry, Clayton & Morais to call upon - we simply can't be expected to compete on a level playing with Bristol Rovers & AFC Wimbledon, and I can't see any of those players getting in to their teams with the household names that they have".

Are you going to offer anything constructive, or are you just gonna sit there being Billy Big Bollocks "Oh, we're Bolton Wanderers, we should be shitting all over this league, our manager's a joke and should have us playing like a combination of 1970s Brazil and current day Barcelona despite the fact that we're in LEAGUE F*CKING ONE and we've lost our best players to injury and departures"?

The only creative player we have available is Morais. The rest are functional and workmanlike at best. We don't have the players to play fancy free-flowing attacking football like you seem to demand. Fact is, they're just not very good, and the recent run of form has left them low on confidence. You can't honestly believe that the team we put out today, which happens to be pretty much the only side available, is capable of passing it around and through any team's midfield with any degree of success?

I asked you last week to name names. If there's a manager available, within our budget, who could do a better job than Phil Parkinson with NO MONEY and the injury list we currently have, then tell us who it is.

Or, y'know, just carry on sniping from your armchair.

I thoroughly agree mr True,

I know we were poor again, but really, who have we got to change a game? The players we need like that we certainly can't afford.

We've overachieved this year really, playoffs would be a bonus.

Saying that, hat's off to Madine for one of the worst shots I've ever seen from a professional footballer in the second half...

To be honest it was nowhere near as glaring as Le Fondre being sent through by Madine only for him to weakly pass it back straight to the keeper.

Madine gets a lot of stick. But scores and offers a ton more than Le Fondre does right now (who is literally getting away with being absolute bobbins).

[BWFC_Insane]

http://www.theboltonnews.co.uk/sport/15 ... dy_Taylor/

Reading between the lines of that Taylor interview, it sounds to me like there is a feeling in the squad that they aren't good enough. Perhaps the loss of Ameobi and Clough, was psychologically more damaging than anything else. I mean I do think we're weaker now than we were in December, but to me above and beyond the quality those two had, losing them seems to have drained belief on and off the pitch.

The cockiness we went into games with pre Christmas, where even if we didn't play particularly well (Scunthorpe for example), we always stayed in games and found ways to win, in my view evaporated suddenly in January. The old mental weakness creeping back in?

[Tombwfc]

It is a bit bizarre that you've gone from slating Zachariah and saying you'd happily swap him to have ALF and Ameobi on loan, to now saying we really miss Clough and Le Fondre is a waste of skin.

I'm not really convinced that there has ever been a sustained period where we looked like waltzing our way through this division. It's been a grind from the start. We might have played with a swagger against Gillingham at home on Sky for example, but then we immediately went and lost to second bottom Chesterfield. We showed great spirit to beat Scunthorpe, but then needed a last minute goal to salvage a draw against doomed Coventry.

Where I will agree however, is that scoring first at home and not winning (which has happened in four of our six games at the Macron this year) is visibly taking a toll, but then that goes back to us not being able to regularly score more than one goal per game.

[TANGODANCER]

Media consensus seems to be that their keeper's two wonder saves were the main reason we didn't win rather than much else. Even their manager was of like mind it seems, although our trigger-pullers seem lacking in confidence a bit. Still time to put the pedal down.

[BWFC_Insane]

It is a bit bizarre that you've gone from slating Zachariah and saying you'd happily swap him to have ALF and Ameobi on loan, to now saying we really miss Clough and Le Fondre is a waste of skin.

I'm not really convinced that there has ever been a sustained period where we looked like waltzing our way through this division. It's been a grind from the start. We might have played with a swagger against Gillingham at home on Sky for example, but then we immediately went and lost to second bottom Chesterfield. We showed great spirit to beat Scunthorpe, but then needed a last minute goal to salvage a draw against doomed Coventry.

Where I will agree however, is that scoring first at home and not winning (which has happened in four of our six games at the Macron this year) is visibly taking a toll, but then that goes back to us not being able to regularly score more than one goal per game.

I'd have taken Ameobi and Le Fondre all day, to be honest.

The problem is we have Le Fondre and nobody to create chances for him. I do think Le Fondre is a bit off the pace still which is disappointing to be honest.

My main points re. Clough AND Le Fondre is they get away with a lot more than Madine.

Madine has been doing the business of getting the ball in the net recently alongside battling the centre halves. Yet is given criticism for blazing one over from 30 yards. Le Fondre (or Clough when he was here) can be awful but everyone just ignores it.

The agenda against particular players, especially when they are so patently and demonstrably critical to us as a team, has to stop.

Its like LoV having a pop at Vela. Vela works as hard as any player I can remember. Does it always pay off? No. But based on this season it is hard to criticise him that much. I've been no fan of Vela or Madine but can see the work they put in. They may in their own ways, be 'not good enough' (though I'd argue that is more what is around them doesn't always offer), but I can't say either isn't grafting.

I take your point re pre Christmas, but I don't think any side is walking many games in this league. We were grinding enough results out with that team. Had we maintained that form even with the occasional poor away result we'd be clear in second now, given what has happened to others.

[Bruce Rioja]

Its like LoV having a pop at Vela.

Just had a look at that. It came as no surprise to see that it's the work of the old Keyboard Corinthian, Batman.

[Tombwfc]

I've no time at all for LoV or Batman, but to be fair it's not as if they were actively tweeting @JoshVela (or whatever his handle is) and calling him out. If Vela wants to click through to a fan site, he can't expect to like everything he reads, same as if he logged on here.

Josh will deservedly win player of the season and he's made huge strides this year, but he needs to grow up a bit.