Cr.ouch!!! Who will feel the pain? Home v Stoke, Sat 29.12.18

[DJBlu]

Didn't see the 1st half but based on that 2nd and but for Butland we'd have had all 3 points.

Excellent performance 2nd half. Josh Vela take a bow, great display.

Out the bottom 3 on goal difference. Is our 23 game unbeaten run beginning?

[enrdentw]

Good performance and the save from Butland to deny Beevers was superb.

My only gripe from today was the lack of urgency in the last 10mins and injury time with free kicks and throw ins... Yes, a point is decent, but why not go for the 3 and put a nervous Stole side under some pressure.

[enrdentw]

https://mobile.twitter.com/DavidEntwist ... 3683290114

The save from Butland.

[Harry Genshaw]

My only gripe from today was the lack of urgency in the last 10mins and injury time with free kicks and throw ins... Yes, a point is decent, but why not go for the 3 and put a nervous Stole side under some pressure.

Agree with that. The players are putting a real shift in but it's little things like that, that are still missing. Urgency and movement around set pieces, getting in the ref's face for fouls and penalty shouts.

Still, very proud of them again today. Grounds best game in a Bolton shirt, Lowe looks just as composed at right back as he does in the middle of the park and Williams, Vela and Doige ran themselves into the ground.

Stoke need to sack Rowett. If that's the best they can produce with the quality they've got throughout their side, somethings wrong.

[DJBlu]

I've noticed it's oddly quiet on here when we put in a performance and get points.

[TANGODANCER]

I've noticed it's oddly quiet on here when we put in a performance and get points.

I'm happy to make a noise for a few....

[BWFC_Insane]

Good effort. Thwarted by two good saves. We do look very light on attacking quality and goals. Mind, so do Stoke. Can’t fault the effort and lovely to be out of the bottom three albeit by a very narrow margin.

I’d say though that against mid table teams like Stoke, at the Macron we have to find ways to win more often than not. Those will be the wins needed to stay up.

[elhadj]

Good result but for me still parky out .

[TANGODANCER]

As in impartial observer (cough) , I'd be tempted to say our last two performances are a decided improvement on previous disasters. I'll be corrected, but it seems that in both games, after pulling up the drawbridge for the first half, we sallied forth right from the off second half and carried it on to the end. If this was planned, considering our frailities for reasons not entirely our own fault, then we may carry it on and at least get to safety by season end. Nothing certain, mind, but.....quien sabe.....!

[officer_dibble]

It’s a great point - particularly given we had some enforced changes to a winning side (including Grounds) and had Wheater playing another game, plus Ameobi with a knock. I had them both down as being changes given their fitness history. Stokes team is worth about £50 million more than ours, has players who could easily play in the top flight, and we are a collection of free transfers and misfits.

Gary Rowett is a dog shit manager. Say it every time. How he keeps getting decent jobs is beyond me.

Out of the bottom three. Can’t see it staying that way, think February will be fun once every other team has improved their squad. Can’t ever argue with our team spirit though - and if that 11 players on the pitch is giving its all that’s all that we can do.

[officer_dibble]

I've noticed it's oddly quiet on here when we put in a performance and get points.

Meh - Christmas is naturally a time when you have things on - given that’s our only win since September it’s hard to judge. I haven’t been on here for a week or so as been busy.
Having said that it’s natural that people have more to say when there is more to moan at, fact of life.

We’re still in the shit financially and for me we’re only a defeat of another record breaking losing run under parky but I’ll be happily proven wrong!

[BWFC_Insane]

It’s a great point - particularly given we had some enforced changes to a winning side (including Grounds) and had Wheater playing another game, plus Ameobi with a knock. I had them both down as being changes given their fitness history. Stokes team is worth about £50 million more than ours, has players who could easily play in the top flight, and we are a collection of free transfers and misfits.

Gary Rowett is a dog shit manager. Say it every time. How he keeps getting decent jobs is beyond me.

Out of the bottom three. Can’t see it staying that way, think February will be fun once every other team has improved their squad. Can’t ever argue with our team spirit though - and if that 11 players on the pitch is giving its all that’s all that we can do.

Don’t think the bottom end teams will improve much in January. Not many of them. Worry is how many does Ken sell. That is a problem. We are stretched as it is.

[TANGODANCER]

Don’t think the bottom end teams will improve much in January. Not many of them. Worry is how many does Ken sell. That is a problem. We are stretched as it is.

We really can't afford to sell anybody (have we actually got anybody who isn't either on loan or short-term contract. anyway?). We can't afford to buy anybody, and who, knowing our recent history of players not being paid etc, is going to want to come here?
Our only hope since we're losing money , as ever, is a new owner. Even thinking about selling anybody is not a solution to anything. Hanging on and hoping the players we have will hang on with us is all we've got left. New Year needs to be a good one in every respect.

[officer_dibble]

Sell? There is no one buying our shite! Seriously who from that side would improve somebody else’s?

[Jugs]

Yeah, can't see anyone wanting any of our players.

Again, better all-round performance but was sooooo frustrating that we couldn't have a goal to celebrate.

[TonyDomingos]

Highlights https://youtu.be/OKDohzlUbus

[TANGODANCER]

Highlights https://youtu.be/OKDohzlUbus

Thanks Tony. That shot of Vela's was so poor. He could have won the game there and then.

[BWFC_Insane]

Don’t think the bottom end teams will improve much in January. Not many of them. Worry is how many does Ken sell. That is a problem. We are stretched as it is.

We really can't afford to sell anybody (have we actually got anybody who isn't either on loan or short-term contract. anyway?). We can't afford to buy anybody, and who, knowing our recent history of players not being paid etc, is going to want to come here?
Our only hope since we're losing money , as ever, is a new owner. Even thinking about selling anybody is not a solution to anything. Hanging on and hoping the players we have will hang on with us is all we've got left. New Year needs to be a good one in every respect.

What if it’s a choice between keeping the lights on till the end of the season or keeping the current squad as is but going into admin by March?

As it stands we are told we will lose 3M quid. Who is going to bridge that gap in funding without player sales?

I think it is that stark a position now.

[Lost Leopard Spot]

Don’t think the bottom end teams will improve much in January. Not many of them. Worry is how many does Ken sell. That is a problem. We are stretched as it is.

We really can't afford to sell anybody (have we actually got anybody who isn't either on loan or short-term contract. anyway?). We can't afford to buy anybody, and who, knowing our recent history of players not being paid etc, is going to want to come here?
Our only hope since we're losing money , as ever, is a new owner. Even thinking about selling anybody is not a solution to anything. Hanging on and hoping the players we have will hang on with us is all we've got left. New Year needs to be a good one in every respect.

What if it’s a choice between keeping the lights on till the end of the season or keeping the current squad as is but going into admin by March?

As it stands we are told we will lose 3M quid. Who is going to bridge that gap in funding without player sales?

I think it is that stark a position now.

It is not an IF/OR situation. It's both starker than you paint, but less time constrained than you make out. We're fxcked, but by drip drip drip deterioration. Steadily, inexorably, over many years. We will become, At Best, the Leeds United of the twenty-first century, and at worst, the first founder member of the League to flounder in the abyss of non-leaguedom.

[TANGODANCER]

What if it’s a choice between keeping the lights on till the end of the season or keeping the current squad as is but going into admin by March? As it stands we are told we will lose 3M quid. Who is going to bridge that gap in funding without player sales?I think it is that stark a position now.

We can't even be sure we won't be in Division One next season with the players we have. Sell any and what chance then? If that happens we won't need to sell anybody, they'l all be off anyway...