Bolton v Forest thread

[SmokinFrazier]

I'm quite optimistic after that game, more so than the result against Derby. This is a team which finally looks like it's getting it's confidence back, which is great news. Yeah, things were often too simplistic and poor - the long balls from Mills were incredibly frustrating - but the weakness we are showing are mainly down to a lack of confidence. When we were passing in triangles, working at a high tempo etc., we looked very promising but that couldn't be sustained long enough. Forest are a good side though and we created the better chances by far. Sordell had two great chances, Davies had one and Chungy was unfortunate with another due to a push which could have been a penalty.

As I said before, the results don't really bother me too much because the most important thing is getting our confidence back and playing with the arrogance we need to show. The players can take plenty from this draw today and I hope we can build upon it for our next league game. A win against Crawley would help morale too, I'm sure.

When teams go down, they often struggle to play good football straight away, just like how promoted teams often play out of their skin at the early part of the season. Right now, we're in that awkward period where nothing is seamless but things are improving. If we had played Burnley on tonights form, we'd have beaten them quite easily which shows how quick the improvement has been.

We aren't there yet and even though there are plenty of negatives, I'm just happy we're moving in the right direction.

[Wandering Willy]

I knew nothing about Forest before tonight,

I do now - they're feckin' shite.

What's more annoying is that we couldn't beat them AT HOME and everyone wearing a white shirt on that pitch tonight MAKES MORE THAN A MILLION POUNDS A YEAR.


Yes that's a million pounds, not Yen or Dong.

What a load of bollocks.

[TKIZ!]

Feel more positive from that second half performance than I did from seeing the Derby game...

The championship is always going to throw up these banana skins. Need a bigger midfield prescence and the back four to sharpen up and get a bit of chemistry but after suffering that first 35 im relieved if anything.

Probably how I feel, I've said it once and I'll say it again it's only three games in. Team is just adjusting, we didn't lose, we should have won but we didn't lose. Too much dwelling on the negatives, personally I thought Coyle had told them to try and win at 2-1 for us to be caught on the break, a big strapping DM will sort that out

[wanderers_on_tour]

Their first goal came because we never closed down the opposition. Just like the numerous goals we conceded of the same ilk last season. The second came from a longball that amazingly left Knight and Mills stranded versus three Forest players. Our defence never recieved any support and shielding, they played too high and the fullbacks were woeful.

On the flip side, everytime Forest lost the ball they had two banks of four close together. Not one of them giving any time to a Bolton player within 40 yards of goal.

Our defence cost us time and time again last season. Why can't Coyle see it?

He can see it alright. Bringing a new centre back in last month (ok, ok Wheaters injury sort of forced his hand) looking at grabbing a holding midfielder this week and changing the defence from that who performed woefully against Burnley are all signs Coyle is aware of our defensive frailties. Whether or not he can do anything about it is a different question, they did ok against Derby but tonight was back to square one..at least for Forrest's second.

[boltonboris]

Good game, that! Shame we can't defend for toffee, but enjoyable nonetheless. Keep playing with the tempo and quality we showed in flashes (last 15 mins of 1st half and then the next half an hour) on a more consistent basis and we'll be okay.

[TKIZ!]

Good game, that! Shame we can't defend for toffee, but enjoyable nonetheless. Keep playing with the tempo and quality we showed in flashes (last 15 mins of 1st half and then the next half an hour) on a more consistent basis and we'll be okay.

Yup, this.

[Tals-biggest-fan]

Something must have gone down after the game cuz Afobe was straight onto twitter and said

"Coming off Twitter for a few days before I tweet/say something I may regret. Laters people x"

[Wandering Willy]

Good game, that! Shame we can't defend for toffee, but enjoyable nonetheless. Keep playing with the tempo and quality we showed in flashes (last 15 mins of 1st half and then the next half an hour) on a more consistent basis and we'll be okay.

Too many beers in the fanzone with the ginger one.

[Spartan2]

Mavis is the worst midfielder i've ever seen play for Bolton. Every game we play, we play with 10 men. 6M turned down is gutting. I'd've been happy for him just to leave. OC is the worst manager i've ever seen at Bolton. He effectively plays a 4 1 5 formation filled with championship players. No ammount of spending will fix our problems until he feck* off. Second goal was a perfect demonstration of our midfield problem since Holden's injury. We could conceed that same goal 20 times this season unless something changes, but i've lost all faith in that.

[plymouth wanderer]

Something must have gone down after the game cuz Afobe was straight onto twitter and said

"Coming off Twitter for a few days before I tweet/say something I may regret. Laters people x"

Unless im mistaken i think he just did

[Dave Sutton's barnet]

I thought that were alright.. ....
I'll await the abuse..
I think we need a holding midfielder who can organise and get a foot in...
Most of what Knight and Mills will get called for on here comes from the midfield runner being the man over.. I'd like five in midfield or at least three on their three and full backs pressing, but it won't happen.. Forest are decent and quite tidy..

The defence was not too bad.. Tyrone Mears x certificate, seems unecessary, Ricketts was the Ricketts I remember..
Mills and Knight were pretty solid..
poor to lose the lead but I would have had the draw off you before we started..
Ref was feck awful... the SKD [who was again decent despite apparently not having any legs] yellow was an absolute joke..

3 down 43 to go - lets not get too excited..

Pretty much sums it up for me. Utterly outmanoeuvred first half-hour but then just as completely dominated the next 35-40 minutes before the game somewhat petered out. KD unlucky and arguably our best player - neither goal would have happened without him. Still to be convinced by Sordell but Afobe was anonymous.

This matters if we change, as we must, to five in midfield, especially away: as most have noticed, if we're outnumbered in central midfield we lose control of the game. That happened in the first half hour but then our wingers, who had already been switching flanks, frequently stayed more central - and funnily enough we dominated, until we tired.

Much talk of a strong squad but for second consecutive game the only sub was one young forward for another; had we had another central midfielder - even Pratley - that might have been worth a switch as we tired. Not to take anything away from Andrews and Mavies who looked good in possession for that middle half-hour, if dangerously outnumbered all game (see both goals for painful evidence). As Norm says, much of the pressure on the centre-backs comes from the lack of central midfield cover.

CYL and Eagles clearly the first-choice wide men; both played consistently and intelligently, and I thought the full-backs also joined in well, as they have to in a 4-4-2, although Mears' crossing was disappointing.

Signs of promise for the optimists. Trouble is, they're in the minority, understandably so after the last 12-18 months. Tonight showed the strengths and weaknesses of OC's Plan A 4-4-2; I just hope we get the necessary reinforcement, and tactical guile, to play Plan B when necessary. I live in hope.

Interesting season ahead....

[BWFC_Insane]

We are in a real pickle. We can't defend, can't control the pace of a game and attack a bit haphazardly.

We can't cope with our system. Do we go 5 in midfield? Cos as it stands that means KD plays up front alone. Not something I want to see, but he's causing enough trouble to merit it, more so than Sordell and Afobe at the minute.

When you compare ourselves and Forest what marks us out is lack of movement. They were fluid and mobile, we are rigid and predictable.

Our centre midfield is caught square constantly. It's like they are table football players with a metal bar through them keeping them in a straight line.

We have bags and bags of quality for this league. But the manager does not know how to get the best out of it and as said by others, players individually perform a lot worse for us than they did for their previous teams. Andrews seems like he is not comfortable. Sordell to me looks sluggish and indecisive, well short of the live wire I saw for Watford a few times and to a lesser extent for team GB.

The second Forest goal was a fecking disgrace, how do you concede from a long ball downfield like that? We opened up more easily than Katie Prices legs after a night on the town....

We are in no way compact or organised. And yes I use that word, organised because when you look up the definition of unorganised in the dictionary, Owen Coyles Bolton Wanderers shows up.

We need to be drilled as a unit for when we don't have the ball, sometimes half the players press whilst half drop off and other times they all do neither. We need one player to drop deeper in midfield, even if we play a four.

When you're 2-1 up at home you have to see it out, close it down, be compact, deny the opposition space, grit you're teeth and make it hard for the opposition.

Anyhow we are now watching Colin Todd mk11 and not the Todd that won the league with 99 points, the one that flukes a seriously good side into the play offs and lost to Watford.

I feel sorry for Owen because I genuinely don't think he can change it now whatever he tries. He simply doesn't have that knack. Remember that season when we lost to Watford, I feel this will be remarkably similar. More than good enough to go up, but far too soft to earn the right!

[plymouth wanderer]

We are in a real pickle. We can't defend, can't control the pace of a game and attack a bit haphazardly.

We can't cope with our system. Do we go 5 in midfield? Cos as it stands that means KD plays up front alone. Not something I want to see, but he's causing enough trouble to merit it, more so than Sordell and Afobe at the minute.

When you compare ourselves and Forest what marks us out is lack of movement. They were fluid and mobile, we are rigid and predictable.

Our centre midfield is caught square constantly. It's like they are table football players with a metal bar through them keeping them in a straight line.

We have bags and bags of quality for this league. But the manager does not know how to get the best out of it and as said by others, players individually perform a lot worse for us than they did for their previous teams. Andrews seems like he is not comfortable. Sordell to me looks sluggish and indecisive, well short of the live wire I saw for Watford a few times and to a lesser extent for team GB.

The second Forest goal was a fecking disgrace, how do you concede from a long ball downfield like that? We opened up more easily than Katie Prices legs after a night on the town....

We are in no way compact or organised. And yes I use that word, organised because when you look up the definition of unorganised in the dictionary, Owen Coyles Bolton Wanderers shows up.

We need to be drilled as a unit for when we don't have the ball, sometimes half the players press whilst half drop off and other times they all do neither. We need one player to drop deeper in midfield, even if we play a four.

When you're 2-1 up at home you have to see it out, close it down, be compact, deny the opposition space, grit you're teeth and make it hard for the opposition.

Anyhow we are now watching Colin Todd mk11 and not the Todd that won the league with 99 points, the one that flukes a seriously good side into the play offs and lost to Watford.

I feel sorry for Owen because I genuinely don't think he can change it now whatever he tries. He simply doesn't have that knack. Remember that season when we lost to Watford, I feel this will be remarkably similar. More than good enough to go up, but far too soft to earn the right!

Who were the other 9

[Tucking Fypo]

Their first goal came because we never closed down the opposition. Just like the numerous goals we conceded of the same ilk last season. The second came from a longball that amazingly left Knight and Mills stranded versus three Forest players. Our defence never recieved any support and shielding, they played too high and the fullbacks were woeful.

On the flip side, everytime Forest lost the ball they had two banks of four close together. Not one of them giving any time to a Bolton player within 40 yards of goal.

Our defence cost us time and time again last season. Why can't Coyle see it?

He can see it alright. Bringing a new centre back in last month (ok, ok Wheaters injury sort of forced his hand) looking at grabbing a holding midfielder this week and changing the defence from that who performed woefully against Burnley are all signs Coyle is aware of our defensive frailties. Whether or not he can do anything about it is a different question, they did ok against Derby but tonight was back to square one..at least for Forrest's second.

Personally, I think we have the personnel but just lack the organisation you'd get under Allardyce or Megson. I'd like to see us defend as a team rather than have a yawning chasm between the midfielders and defenders. Dare I say it, I'd like to see us slow down the tempo and be more conservative when we have the lead too.

[TANGODANCER]

Personally, I think we have the personnel but just lack the organisation you'd get under Allardyce or Megson. I'd like to see us defend as a team rather than have a yawning chasm between the midfielders and defenders. Dare I say it, I'd like to see us slow down the tempo and be more conservative when we have the lead too.

Personally, I'd like us to up the tempo and show a little more labour.

[CrazyHorse]

Enjoyed large parts of that game, hated just as much of it too.
Zat Knight looks good. Chungy is rusty as hell. Ref was an utter joke.

And goody goody, we let two goals in. Again. Keep up the good work, Owen.

[Armchair Wanderer]

Didn't see any pre-season, this is the first game I've seen in the championship. After last season at least we can get a point from a game like that. I liked (s)KD's tackle after 10 seconds, new kit looks alright, is that a new haircut on Eagles? Andrews chips in might have made two goals. Mears didnt seem as terrible as it sounded like he was. Happy that Marvin scored, first of many please. Shame it was only the draw.

For as long as I can remember most games I've seen have started with us being rubbish for the first 30-60mins. Someone would normally turn to me as say we're keeping it tight to try and wear the opposition out before sticking a few past 'em. I'm not sure that's the plan these days, yet we're still slow to get going. Any ideas?

At least we seemed to pick up after the goal, before then we were lucky to be 0-1 down.

[lovethesmellofnapalm]

Spearing or someone of that ilk in M,Davies out and we can play 4-4-2 in this league no problem IF Forest are the yardsick.
CYL and Eagles by far the best players on show tonight- best players not best performances - but i'm sure with a couple of yard dogs in CM ie Andrews and an other in the middle of the park and we will murder teams out wide with those two.
NGog fires and all will be reet going forward but defensively we're in for a bumpy ride until Wheater gets back.

[Harry Genshaw]

Just back beer in band. Had a £1 on us to win 3-2 at 25-1 so bit peeved about that but;

I enjoyed what was a good game of footy tonight and a fair result imo.

We still look very weak defensively as a unit and in this system we may as well have sold Mark Davies cos we'll never get much from him when he's outnumbered every week. SKD was immense. LCY is getting better each game and I thought Eagles & Andrews were both impressive.

Forest were well organised and passed it about well. They'll have a good season, I'm sure.

I'm sure its not news to anyone but there is no way Coyle is taking us up. A real shame because we are more than capable.

[Tucking Fypo]

Personally, I think we have the personnel but just lack the organisation you'd get under Allardyce or Megson. I'd like to see us defend as a team rather than have a yawning chasm between the midfielders and defenders. Dare I say it, I'd like to see us slow down the tempo and be more conservative when we have the lead too.

Personally, I'd like us to up the tempo and show a little more labour.

I guess I didn't quite phrase that right. What I was trying to get at is the fact that when we took the lead we continued to throw everyone barring the two center backs forward. As a result we lost the ball in their half with only two back, they lumped it up and scored. When maybe Andrews could of sat back along with the two fullbacks. Letting the others pose a threat on the counter.

It's the total opposite to Megson when we'd be winning 2 - 0 versus Pompey after two minutes and defend for the remainder of the game. I'd like a happy medium!