What Age is Steven? Bolton v Stevenage Tues. 3-11-2023 7-15.

[Dave Sutton's barnet]

Iredale's sixth yellow card of the season, BTW, but two were in cups so luckily he's alreet for Saturday

Yellows in three successive league games though, he needs to nip that in the bud

His booking looked a nonsense to me.

Nah. Their centre-forward pinned him and rolled him, and Jack held him back. Wasn't a vile foul but we'd have been screaming for a yellow had that been their mon on Dion.

What's more worrying is that Jack then kept pushing their lads in the back, which is about the softest way possible to get a second yellow.

We'll need Rico at theirs. Maybe Toal and Forrester either side as the wider centre-backs.

[Spartan2]

Stevenage are very good going forward but poor defensively and that's pretty much how it played out tonight. A decent performance in the circumstances, well taken goals, mixed defending, a good effort. 10 games in 20 points you can't really grumble at that.

A note on a few of our players. Iredale, won the penalty, scored and assisted, made a goal line clearance, a vital last minute Cahill-esque challenge in the box and yet he gets slagged off by some, and I can see why, he just makes too many defensive errors, if he could cut them out then he'd be an amazing player but it's just one great moment followed by one disaster. Fwiw his overall contribution tonight was extremely positive and we don't win that game without him. Similar to Sheehan, similar to a lot of our players really, I suppose that's what you get in league 1, good players with big flaws. I do think Evatt needs help picking forwards though.

[BWFC_Insane]

Iredale's sixth yellow card of the season, BTW, but two were in cups so luckily he's alreet for Saturday

Yellows in three successive league games though, he needs to nip that in the bud

His booking looked a nonsense to me.

Nah. Their centre-forward pinned him and rolled him, and Jack held him back. Wasn't a vile foul but we'd have been screaming for a yellow had that been their mon on Dion.

What's more worrying is that Jack then kept pushing their lads in the back, which is about the softest way possible to get a second yellow.

We'll need Rico at theirs. Maybe Toal and Forrester either side as the wider centre-backs.

Would need to see it back but will take your word for it. He looked aghast did Jack.

Their strikers were impressive. Maybe we can swap our three for one or two of them in January as truly Jerome, Nlundulu are dreadful.

[officer_dibble]

And how the feck do we stop George Thomason getting yellow cards? He was great tonight, stand out midfielder across the game. Shows for the ball, makes brave passes and can change shape to get us out of a spot. But he gets a deserved booking every game, and often gets away with another!

Maybe the other two could stand up to some physical challenges instead of expecting young George to do it all? Just a thought.

They did second half to be fair. Maybe more Dempsey than Sheehan - Dempsey was deeper second half and more involved I think. Rocket at half time I’m guessing.

[truewhite15]

I was sat right behind that Iredale yellow. He was being fouled by the striker, the ref gives it the other way and books him. Ludicrous.

Great win tonight. Champions find a way. Maybe we're not as big a bunch of bottlers as some would like us to believe...

[officer_dibble]

Iredale is still learning that position I think. Ultimately he was the George Johnston back up this season - he’s doing alright - Williams more of a winger don’t forget.

[BWFC_Insane]

And how the feck do we stop George Thomason getting yellow cards? He was great tonight, stand out midfielder across the game. Shows for the ball, makes brave passes and can change shape to get us out of a spot. But he gets a deserved booking every game, and often gets away with another!

Maybe the other two could stand up to some physical challenges instead of expecting young George to do it all? Just a thought.

They did second half to be fair. Maybe more Dempsey than Sheehan - Dempsey was deeper second half and more involved I think. Rocket at half time I’m guessing.

Yeah he had a better second half Dempsey but still….you just can’t let teams out fight you in there and it’s leaving Thomason way to much to do.

[Dave Sutton's barnet]

Evans:

“They should be down to nine men, eight men maybe, the challenge on Piergianni (by Jerome) is a penalty but it is also a red card. Every day of the week it is a straight red.

“The one before half time, the player (Iredale) has already made two fouls since he got a caution, it is another one, he should go.

“Then the wee ball boys and ball girls, they were sent away for their cocoa, a night off. But that’s nothing on Bolton, this is a fantastic football club. We made a really good team look average at home but we got nothing for it.”

[Dave Sutton's barnet]

[jmjhb]

Evans:

“They should be down to nine men, eight men maybe, the challenge on Piergianni (by Jerome) is a penalty but it is also a red card. Every day of the week it is a straight red.

“The one before half time, the player (Iredale) has already made two fouls since he got a caution, it is another one, he should go.

“Then the wee ball boys and ball girls, they were sent away for their cocoa, a night off. But that’s nothing on Bolton, this is a fantastic football club. We made a really good team look average at home but we got nothing for it.”

Nothing I wouldn't expect from him

[Prufrock]

Ha he's such a c*nt you almost gave to admire it.

This is a week that's about just finding a way to win. They've shown superb character so far, other than the front two is basically 9 players for 8 positions. Go again. 2/3 down. One more win then wait for the cavalry.

Didn't play well, but found just enough quality and fight.

As for Iredale's booking, you can argue both ways but it's so thick. Never understand defenders under a bouncing ball getting into a wrestle, you're asking for trouble. Stand your ground and beat them on the turn back to Baxter. Wholeheartedly agree with the post above, he does nothing average, 90% superb and then 10% wtf is that.

Sheehan's goal was superb. He's not going to get bigger, there might be games he doesn't suit, and basically every game we have to get the balance right with him, but what a footballer.

[sonicthewhite]

A second result on the spin where the opposition asked questions and where it could have gone wrong for us on another day. Hopefully this is building mental resilience into our squad and instilling a belief in them, that actually, they're good enough for automatic promotion. We shall see. Up the Whites!

[BWFC_Insane]

Pressley who impressed me tonight joined Stevenage for a compensation fee from Brentford. He’s 21. Has had a couple of loans at this level. Far from prolific but he worked very hard last night was a real handful and held the ball up.

Our striker recruitment really has not been good and January the task will be to ship them out and bring in some far better players if we are to have any hope.

[Prufrock]

It's a lot easier when you play 3v3 in half a pitch, like!

First half showed how important Santos is. Toal, and particularly Iredale really struggled against direct pace and power.

Found the Morecambe comparisons funny when I got in as that's exactly what me and my brother were talking about watching. A much better version like, but my least favourite combination of clogging shithouses who are also soft as shite trying to get people sent off.

I don't think they'll maintain it, so to be beat them when they're flying could be an important one come the end of the season, but they're far from a bad side.

[boltonboris]

They were a good side! A real handful. If we're looking for bookings and reds though, their Number 8 & 20 did enough to be booked more times than a Santa impersonator at Christmas.

Sheehan has quality. Iredale won a penalty, scored, then set up the winner, but still somehow played pretty shite! Football eh?!

Unfortunately Nlundulu morphed back into his usual self. Honestly one of the worst performances I remember seeing. He's so f-in shite it's untrue. First touch bounces off, second touch is usually a tackle and if he ever gets a third touch, it's out of play!

Jerome same. Offers sweet F.A - Jerome and Dan were so bad, that it was like playing with 10 men, but almost worse in a way as a missing player doesn't constantly give the ball away. People say Dans issue is between the ears. It's not. He knows what he needs to do. He's just not good enough with his feet to do it.

Positives. Charles, Sheehan, Thomason (despite nearly getting himself sent-off again) and Iredale's headline stats

A LOT of work to do on Saturday if we're to win that

[boltonboris]

Iredale's sixth yellow card of the season, BTW, but two were in cups so luckily he's alreet for Saturday

Yellows in three successive league games though, he needs to nip that in the bud

His booking looked a nonsense to me.

Nah. Their centre-forward pinned him and rolled him, and Jack held him back. Wasn't a vile foul but we'd have been screaming for a yellow had that been their mon on Dion.

What's more worrying is that Jack then kept pushing their lads in the back, which is about the softest way possible to get a second yellow.

We'll need Rico at theirs. Maybe Toal and Forrester either side as the wider centre-backs.

Would need to see it back but will take your word for it. He looked aghast did Jack.

Their strikers were impressive. Maybe we can swap our three for one or two of them in January as truly Jerome, Nlundulu are dreadful.

Striker had his arm round his back and was fouling Iredale. FK to us, but Refs aren't smart enough to spot it. Officials really are terrible. The ref was asking players to take their time last night because he was fooked. Stopping quick FK's to have a breather and petty 1 yard back ups.

Miles behind the play all the time. Every booking, he had to run 30-40 yards over to the players to caution them as he couldn't keep up

[boltonboris]

First half showed how important Santos is. Toal, and particularly Iredale really struggled against direct pace and power.

Yep. If Santos was on the pitch, they don't score that first goal. I really like Toal. But he struggled with their pace and directness last night. Their strikers were jumping into us, instead of the ball and rather than be clever and roll them, lean or faint, we just half headed it in the back-step and they won a million second balls as a result

[Dave Sutton's barnet]

I don't think they'll maintain it, so to be beat them when they're flying could be an important one come the end of the season, but they're far from a bad side.

Interesting on that one. It's a fairly simple scheme, not much content to download, but like all systems it depends how successfully the players can implement it. It's possible they'll get some injuries and the reserves will be less efficient, and the top end of this division now has more "passy" teams, but the odd long-baller still gets through - Shrewsbury were top-8 for much of last season, and I see Wycombe popped back up again (altho TBF I dunno how 'long' they are post-Ainsworth).

If they do fade it's perhaps "unlucky" that we played them while (1) they were top-3 and (2) we were understaffed - but the fact we beat them, and the way we beat them after twice being pegged back, not to mention facing down Big Bad Bully Boys, can only be good news.

Obviously much to improve on - none of us were happy at half-time, and one or two were predictably hyperbolic - but the result was good, the vibes is good, and on we go.

By the way: we play at Oxford on Tue 28 Nov and the very next scheduled league game is at Pompey on Sat 9 Dec. In between we have the first Pizza Cup knockout (Tue 5 Dec) and possibly, on Sat 2 Dec, the FA Cup 2nd round; I guess if we get knocked out and so do Barnsley, we might reschedule our internaational-postponed trip to Oakwell for that day. Which would make for a tough run of league fixtures...

[Dave Sutton's barnet]

First half showed how important Santos is. Toal, and particularly Iredale really struggled against direct pace and power.

Yep. If Santos was on the pitch, they don't score that first goal. I really like Toal. But he struggled with their pace and directness last night.

Yeah, I said so first-half re Rico. We miss the pub player when he's absent.

That's not to decry Toal, who could become a good player but is still on a learning curve. He's probably not previously faced a forward with that combination of strength and cunning/skill. He may need some sessions with Jerome playing the baddie - backing into him, niggly fouls etc - to broaden his education. It's a different proposition to facing Dion or, er, Dan...

[BWFC_Insane]

First half showed how important Santos is. Toal, and particularly Iredale really struggled against direct pace and power.

Yep. If Santos was on the pitch, they don't score that first goal. I really like Toal. But he struggled with their pace and directness last night.

Yeah, I said so first-half re Rico. We miss the pub player when he's absent.

That's not to decry Toal, who could become a good player but is still on a learning curve. He's probably not previously faced a forward with that combination of strength and cunning/skill. He may need some sessions with Jerome playing the baddie - backing into him, niggly fouls etc - to broaden his education. It's a different proposition to facing Dion or, er, Dan...

Look at it two ways. We miss Santos when we were playing a high line against Stevenage. Sure.

Did we miss him for the last half hour defending in our own box? I’d say Toal is better there than Santos. Really doesn’t make many errrors defending his box for long periods.

But ideally want both back in. Will be interesting to see who is left out as both Iredale and Forrester for me have done well.