Portsmouth away, 4th August

[William the White]

Well you could be the last team we ever play, so I hope at least a few of you will come down!

Could you do us a favour and turn the lights off in the Milton End when you leave at the end of the game, please?

Just got back,
Your fans were superb, they never stopped the nosie from kick off until way after the match had finished, good luck with everything,

TO ALL BOLTON FANS,
We must all take our rose tinted glasses off, I have never witnessed such a shambolic attempt to play professional football in my life.
We are nowhere near match fit, our skill level is worse than it was in the prem, so based on that I warn you now we could easily go down, yes I will get abuse for this but after watching a team that has been put together for the sole purpose of jumping straight back into the prem '' forget it ' not a chance.
All players were pathetic in attitude, fitness, skill and the will to at least try.

Not from me...I was at Morecambe...

[jaffka]

Any defeat hurts but the the game against Burnley is the one that counts.

[Devon White]

Any defeat hurts but the the game against Burnley is the one that counts.

yep agreed, i really hope coyle shows all the players the tape, i may be wrong and the lads that know will be onto this but i think our players were wired up so they will be viewing the stats, it wont happen but i would love oc to make them public,
But then again oc didnt seem to have any tactics or idea's for the game.
burnley ticket bought

[a1]

he's a terrible manager.

we knew this when he were at burnley.

he says wacky things. and its creepily dogmatic.

'cept some folk find comfort in religion .

this though ; is "football blisstonia" and its been nearly two year now.

his interstellar spaceship must have to be ginormous to accomodate all the brainwashees.

i'll bet that "Lay" bets on bolton games are a primary source of funding, too.

owen out.

[thebish]

Not that it really excuses the loss but I can understand players not being arsed about anything but their fitness and also being cautious about trying too hard. Remember, this time last year, we were all pissed off because our best player had just broken his leg because he was too committed against someone not fit to lace his boots, and yet people now are wondering why the team aren't up to much? I think it's perfectly understandable that you get sub-par performances against opposition like this.

yes - I understand that pre-season friendlies are not the same as competitive league games.

BUT

there are more options than the two you present:

1. get your legs broken
2. play utter crap and as if you don't care and are unfit

you don't increase the chances of breaking your leg by passing it through midfield, or arranging a defensive wall for a free-kick properly.

the way we played yesterday - there was simply no point doing it - I doubt any of them achieved more "match fitness" by playing at walking pace and dreaming of the match ending so they could bugger off down the beach and get some chips.

[thebish]

But otherwise, Bish ?

otherwise I had a lovely day out!

[HMX]

Disappointed about yesterday. Expected to see a decent bit of football, and the promising players we'd signed (but Afobe does look good), instead it was all very toothless and weak. Decent results in pre-season can breed conference. Players staying longer in the dressing room being yelled at by Coyle does not (not that I disagree).

[Worthy4England]

Not that it really excuses the loss but I can understand players not being arsed about anything but their fitness and also being cautious about trying too hard. Remember, this time last year, we were all pissed off because our best player had just broken his leg because he was too committed against someone not fit to lace his boots, and yet people now are wondering why the team aren't up to much? I think it's perfectly understandable that you get sub-par performances against opposition like this.

yes - I understand that pre-season friendlies are not the same as competitive league games.

BUT

there are more options than the two you present:

1. get your legs broken
2. play utter crap and as if you don't care and are unfit

you don't increase the chances of breaking your leg by passing it through midfield, or arranging a defensive wall for a free-kick properly.

the way we played yesterday - there was simply no point doing it - I doubt any of them achieved more "match fitness" by playing at walking pace and dreaming of the match ending so they could bugger off down the beach and get some chips.

That's pretty much with where I would be with the pre-season preps. It's fine putting it all down to "match fitness", but the basics you mention - aligning a defensive wall, picking up players at a corner, understanding who's stood on the post for a corner, who should I be looking to pass to - that type of thing, let us down on sooooooo many occasions last season, you'd have thought they would have tried to nail them in the closed season. You don't need to break a leg to do any of them.

What we seem to be getting from the manager is "we're creating plenty of chances"

What he said after the mighty 1-1 draw against Ayr

"Tonight was a terrific exercise and the lads did everything we asked of them."
"Tonight was a terrific advert - both teams were trying to play the right way, trying to pass and move the ball."
"...scored a very good goal. We could have had a few others if truth be told."

So - we're playing pass and move, and could have had lots of goals

On the defeat Against Hamilton

"we should have come in at least 3-0 up on the chances we had."
"Pre-season is all about fitness and that will always be the main aim. We will make sure we step that up over the next few weeks"
"Their goalie made some great saves with his legs"

Ok, fitness is improving, but we should have had a hatload if it wasn't for their pesky goalkeeper

About the draw against Falkirk

"It showed us that you can't start games slowly because you will get punished. And for the following ten minutes, Falkirk were in the ascendency because they started really well"
"After that it was chance after chance."
"We aren't too worried about that because in pre-season, you get sharper as the games go by."
"Both of Falkirk's goalkeepers - McGovern and the young lad who came on in the second half - made some wonderful saves"

Is this still the same interview - chance after chance, going to waste - but what's this, they have not one but two goalkeepers, who have the fcuking audacity to make saves!!! Oh and something you should know at the age of 5 in Cub's soccer, it showed us that you can't start games slowly - fcuk me we're a "professional" football club - why the fcuk do we need Falkirk to show us that? Did no one on the management team know about it?

The Draw against Crewe

"All in all, it's another pleasing exercise,"
"Again we passed the ball well and created a number of chances"
"their goalkeeper made some fine saves"
"With every game that goes by, we will get sharper"

Oh good, back to pass and move, chances again, but that soddin goalkeeper - this is getting really frustrating, we create chances, ther keeper saves them.

Morcambe

"We started brightly and played very well over the piece,"
"we could have had a few more with the chances we created."
"key for us at this stage to build up the fitness throughout the squad and we are pleased with the progress on that front."
"We passed and moved the ball well and thoroughly deserved the win."

Their keeper must've been shite. but we're playing the old pass n move like Barca-fecking-lona - wake up and smell the coffee.

Portsmouth

“We always knew it was going to be a game of intensity but we didn’t do ourselves any credit and reach anywhere near the standard we are capable of,”
"had a great chance to score when their goalkeeper made a good save."

We were shite, but their goalkeeper still added to our shiteness.

It's like a broken fcuking record.

[BWFC_Insane]

So in short, if the other teams didn't bother playing a keeper Coyle would be managing Barcelona by now?

[Worthy4England]

So in short, if the other teams didn't bother playing a keeper Coyle would be managing Barcelona by now?

Pretty much.

[Wandering Willy]

So in short, you're analysing comments from pre season games.

FFS.

[elfil76]

Reading this thread is disheartening.

[Worthy4England]

So in short, you're analysing comments from pre season games.

FFS.

No that was just a "boredom" 5 minutes.

I analyse what I see on the pitch - which has been shite for the best part of a season and a third.

He sees something different than is actually happening, but like some of our fans.

FFS.

(I just added that last bit for effect)

[thebish]

Reading this thread is disheartening.

as is watching the pre-season build-up...

[officer_dibble]

Look, if we're all wrong and we perform to our capabilities as one of the most expensive squads in the league all will be well.

If it looks shit and we're not looking good he'll be fired, and we'll get someone better in. Either way by christmas it'll be reet.

[thebish]

Look, if we're all wrong and we perform to our capabilities as one of the most expensive squads in the league all will be well.

If it looks shit and we're not looking good he'll be fired, and we'll get someone better in. Either way by christmas it'll be reet.

depending on who replaces him... Graeme Souness, anyone? Steve Bruce??

[officer_dibble]

Steve bruce has got teams promoted before?

anyway im not getting into it now. I think most people could of done a better job than captain clueless last year im hoping he has learnt.

[BWFC_Insane]

Look, if we're all wrong and we perform to our capabilities as one of the most expensive squads in the league all will be well.

If it looks shit and we're not looking good he'll be fired, and we'll get someone better in. Either way by christmas it'll be reet.

depending on who replaces him... Graeme Souness, anyone? Steve Bruce??

Souness would be a massive improvement on what we have so yes please. As would Steve Bruce. In fact anybody who isn't completely naive.

[thebish]

Look, if we're all wrong and we perform to our capabilities as one of the most expensive squads in the league all will be well.

If it looks shit and we're not looking good he'll be fired, and we'll get someone better in. Either way by christmas it'll be reet.

depending on who replaces him... Graeme Souness, anyone? Steve Bruce??

Souness would be a massive improvement on what we have so yes please. As would Steve Bruce. In fact anybody who isn't completely naive.

note: I didn't say better or worse than Coyle - I highlighted the "It'll be reet" association..

do you really think it'd be reet with Sourness in charge?? really???? I mean - really????

[Worthy4England]

Look, if we're all wrong and we perform to our capabilities as one of the most expensive squads in the league all will be well.

If it looks shit and we're not looking good he'll be fired, and we'll get someone better in. Either way by christmas it'll be reet.

depending on who replaces him... Graeme Souness, anyone? Steve Bruce??

Every time we play "guess the next manager", Graeme Souness and Steve Bruce get "rolled out" as Bogeymen - both better managers than Coyle has displyed at the top level. During the season proper and the closed season, West Brom, Swansea, Norwich and Wolves changed managers - none of them have either Steve Bruce or Graeme Souness in charge now.