The Birmingham City Blues At Home

[thebish]

we're ace!!

Shall look forward to reminding you of that next time you start moaning on

hmmm... well at least I "moan on" when there is summat to moan about - rather than when my club is (say) just outside the top four having won 4 league games in a row, and still in the champions league and FA Cup...

anyway - you don't become a Bolton fan if you don't like a bit of a moan!!! what else is there to enjoy!!

[Abdoulaye's Twin]

we're ace!!

Shall look forward to reminding you of that next time you start moaning on

hmmm... well at least I "moan on" when there is summat to moan about - rather than when my club is (say) just outside the top four having won 4 league games in a row, and still in the champions league and FA Cup...

anyway - you don't become a Bolton fan if you don't like a bit of a moan!!! what else is there to enjoy!!

You don't become a Bolton fan. You are born with the honour/curse (delete as applicable depending on if we won or lost )

[TANGODANCER]

Chungy's goal surely must have a "goal of the month" chance? Pace, effort, ball skill and a superb finish. That'll do his confidence a power of good. Be a while before we score a better one than that.

[boltonyt]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B5G1M5BPNbM" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
the highlights for yesterday

[jaffka]

It was a great finish by lee. That header by alonso was superb

[bedwetter2]

Having been to my first home game this season, not for the first time I am baffled by some of the comments from people who seem to have seen a different game to me. We played well throughout with two notable exceptions; K Davies esq. and Pratley. Both contrived to give the ball away to the opposition at virtually every opportunity in the first half. Pratley may have energy but he is feckin useless as a footballer. Davies is ineffective now that he can no longer flick on or jump above the shortest opposition player - he was lucky the referee was so indulgent as to give him a couple of free kicks for fouls against when anyone with any sense knows he would normally get feckall.

Now on to the real meat. Alonso was a revelation. He is far better than any grudging half-wit on here has ever given him credit for, far better than Mears and at times in the first half the only proper footballer on the pitch. Better still in the second half even when faced with the billy-whizz character introduced by Brum as a sub he recovered every ball although he was challenged for pace. Eagles was wasteful but dangerous; not perhaps his best game but he kept the opposing defenders on their toes. Chungy was, in my view, back to somewhere approaching his best. He can't really take on defenders in one-to-ones but he is damned quick and gets into the right positions. The midfield clearer-uppers of Andrews and Spearing were good and distributed fairly well. Knight still worries me but he and Ream had a decent game yesterday although both got caught once. Bogdan appears short of confidence but wasn't really put under much pressure yesterday.

That team should be allowed to play and gel with the exception of Davies and Pratley. Pratley may be an athlete and "put in a shift" but he is not a footballer as long as I have a hole in my arse. We would have, and indeed did, win that game without Davies. Replace him. If the rest of the 'strikers' are no good, try to get Darren Bent in on loan from Villa. He would get at least 12 goals in the second half of the season in the Championship. Replace Pratley with Holden as soon as possible and get Wheater back to replace Knight. Winning formula and promotion on.

Simple.

One last thing. It was the first time I have been in the lower west stand (usually sat in the East upper) and the thick b'stards were out in force there. Most too inarticulate to string more than four words together, they had the temerity to be proffering advice to the manager like forlorn foghorns. I wanted to shout "shut the feck up" but then realised a once a fortnight outing to the Reebok may be their only outlet for all the pent up stupidity they have lived with throughout their lives.

[TANGODANCER]

Bedwetter. Since I only heard the game, I can't really argue with somebody who went. What I can say is the commentators had a far different view than yours on both Pratley and Davies. The remarks were made more than once on how well the pair were combining, how many times Davies did win flick-ons and I've seen for myself his great ball through for Chungy's goal and him jumping for the ball for the penalty, yet you say we won without him? How?

[bettyrasta]

Bedwetter, feel that your comments on Pratley's
(and Davies) based on yesterday are very unfair. I like many others have had no reason to consider him to be someone who could ever lay football at a decent level. Yesterday though he was a revelation to me and many others who didn't consider him capable. Yes he did run around a lot but this was purposeful harrying nod closing down that we had been missing in soporific performances from others recently. He also linked up with Davies and played nearer to him much more than others have done.
We all felt that his performance was akin to the 'Where is the real N'Gog' cameos against Cardiff and Charlton except for the full game. I know football is subjective and all that but if someone can perform like that and still not be fully appreciated then I guess you can never be satisfied.
Agree that Alonso was really good too. Another revelation after how shite he has often been in the past.

[William the White]

Bedwetter's comments are revelatory, since they demonstrate that not having a hole in your arse doesn't stop you spouting bollocks.

[Jakerbeef]

Bedwetter's comments are revelatory, since they demonstrate that not having a hole in your arse doesn't stop you spouting bollocks.

Lmao doesn't do it justice, but it will suffice for now.

(Though technically, should be 'spouting crap' surely?)

[89bwfc89]

Bedwetter, Pratley constantly made an absolute nuisance of himself time and time again against the Birmingham lot. It was the best game I've ever seen him play. How can you say Andrews distributed the ball well when he made (and always makes) silly passes in dangerous areas resulting in the ball being given away. I rate Andrews I do, but to say he distributed well and slate Pratley for the same thing baffles me. Pratley may have been at fault a couple of times but nowhere near the amount of times Andrews does it.

Seems we all saw what actually happened and you had some Pratley/Davies blinkers on.

[mummywhycantieatcrayons]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B5G1M5BPNbM
the highlights for yesterday

Interesting that those haven't been taken down yet. Surely not the strength of the quoting of fair use defences, none of which apply?!

Another great penalty from Andrews. Wonder how many he's scored in his career because he looks very very assured on the limited evidence for us.

[bedwetter2]

Can't disagee that Pratley made a nuisance of himself. So many opportunities missed by him to really create dangerous situations when in great positions. He is not a footballer.
As for Davies and the radio commentators, I would point to the number of times local radio commentators have been criticised before on this very forum for being clueless. Still, he is a great stalwart and should not be dropped ever. My real point was that instead of standing in front of the opposition goalie, generally wasting time and not creating a great deal a slightly more mobile centre forward will be needed for any chance of promotion.
Andrews, I was being kind about because he came into the game in the second half and did start to do defensive midfielder duties. I have no illusions - he is a Championship standard player and could not hack it at the higher level.
It's all about opinions, but William the White and Jakerbeef's view of my arse don't address the central issue of how this club can mount a challenge for promotion. Freedman is, at the moment, faced with the inconsistency of this squad. I believe that dropping Davies and never playing Pratley ever again would improve matters.

[ChrisC]

Can't disagee that Pratley made a nuisance of himself. So many opportunities missed by him to really create dangerous situations when in great positions. He is not a footballer.
As for Davies and the radio commentators, I would point to the number of times local radio commentators have been criticised before on this very forum for being clueless. Still, he is a great stalwart and should not be dropped ever. My real point was that instead of standing in front of the opposition goalie, generally wasting time and not creating a great deal a slightly more mobile centre forward will be needed for any chance of promotion.
Andrews, I was being kind about because he came into the game in the second half and did start to do defensive midfielder duties. I have no illusions - he is a Championship standard player and could not hack it at the higher level.
It's all about opinions, but William the White and Jakerbeef's view of my arse don't address the central issue of how this club can mount a challenge for promotion. Freedman is, at the moment, faced with the inconsistency of this squad. I believe that dropping Davies and never playing Pratley ever again would improve matters.

We have been inconsistent with Pratley out of the team... he come back in against Brum and we won. I am no fan of Pratley but your point has no substance.

[bettyrasta]

After the performances yesterday I can't get my head around this. Pratley (never thought I would say this) made a real difference. I know he isn't Messi but we're at the level we're at. What more could he have done to please you?

[Holden midfielder]

How much longer does Alonso have on his contract?

[SmokinFrazier]

Pratley is a proven player at Championship level. He wasn't great in the Premier League, though I do think he got a lot of unfair stick, but he is definitely useful in the Championship. I think someone like Mark Davies is better than Pratley but Pratley could outperform Davies in this league because of the attributes he has. That workrate, stamina and determination is essential in this league and covers up for any technical shortcomings.

I'm not arguing he should be a regular for us but I won't groan whenever he's picked. If he's a regular sub/occasional starter, I'll be happy with that.

[jonnycooper]

Bedwetter's comments are revelatory, since they demonstrate that not having a hole in your arse doesn't stop you spouting bollocks.

Lmao doesn't do it justice, but it will suffice for now.

(Though technically, should be 'spouting crap' surely?)

It all depends if ur a new age gay modern type.....

[Abdoulaye's Twin]

Remember that Alonso has a habit of having a good game against a shit team then being really shit for the next 6 months.

[boltonboris]

Davies "doesn't create much"

Except for 2/3rds of our goals on Saturday....