bolton/baggies match thread

[Armchair Wanderer]

From the highlights the cross maybe came in a bit too easy. Knight was over there, so what people are saying about Petrov might have been the case. I don't think you can blame Taylor for getting out-sprinted by Odemwingie.

[Bruce Rioja]

I don't think you can blame Taylor for getting out-sprinted by Odemwingie.

Oh, so it's perfectly acceptable for our players to be out-manouvered by their opponents is it? Must be me and my high expectations then?!

[SonsOfThunder]

From the highlights the cross maybe came in a bit too easy. Knight was over there, so what people are saying about Petrov might have been the case. I don't think you can blame Taylor for getting out-sprinted by Odemwingie.

The cross came from Odemwingie; Morrison was the one who outran Taylor to head the goal. Having watched their goal again (it's nice to have the full match on your hard drive ) Robinson is defending Odemwingie, Steinsson is marking someone at the far post and Taylor is trying to mark Morrison who was charging in from midfield. If the fault lay with anyone, I would say it laid with Knight and Cahill who were pretty much standing around marking space. Knight less so because he was trying to protect Robinson from being double-teamed by Odemwingie and Barnes, but Cahill was literally standing in front of Jussi doing nothing.

Re: Petrov, I'm not sure what to make of him. Doesn't play much defense but is likely to have a moment of brilliance or two. He had a very bad game yesterday in which the negatives outweighed the positives. He has to get a shot like the one he had on target at the least. And I remember one particular play where he tried some silly backheel in our own half which led to a dangerous West Brom break. However it's a bit unfair to say that he lost the ball which led to the goal. He lost the ball on the left touchline close to their 18-yard box. Hardly his fault, although he did have options he could have passed to instead of trying to take on two defenders by himself.

As for Lee, I'm glad he was involved in the buildup to the goal as he has been for the past several weeks, but something is not right with him. I'll let you guys know how he plays for Korea during the break, but my guess is he will look tired again. I hope he doesn't have to play the full 90 in any case.

All in all, I think the entire team didn't play particularly well but still got a point. We can't be too upset with that, especially considering West Brom's recent form. The mark of a good team is grinding out a result even on a bad day.

[boltonboris]

From the highlights the cross maybe came in a bit too easy. Knight was over there, so what people are saying about Petrov might have been the case. I don't think you can blame Taylor for getting out-sprinted by Odemwingie.

???

It matters not one jot about pace in those positions, it's about nous.. Put your arm across him, tug his shirt a little, stop dead in front of him.. Anything to either slow him down or put him off.

[TKIZ!]

Who me?

yeah - he means you!

I thought he meant you?

no - either you or LK for my money...

Fair do's.

[Tombwfc]

From the highlights the cross maybe came in a bit too easy. Knight was over there, so what people are saying about Petrov might have been the case. I don't think you can blame Taylor for getting out-sprinted by Odemwingie.

???

It matters not one jot about pace in those positions, it's about nous.. Put your arm across him, tug his shirt a little, stop dead in front of him.. Anything to either slow him down or put him off.

Which I still don't think matters if the ball lands straight on the other guys head.

Taylor covered almost the entire length of the field to even get anywhere near Morrison (he was on their 18 yard line when their attack started) and I honestly don't see much that he could've done to stop Morrison when the ball is that good. Similar for Jussi, some things you just can't do much about. Any questions should be about the cross getting put in, and where our two centre halves were.

[boltonboris]

Taylor covered almost the entire length of the field to even get anywhere near Morrison (he was on their 18 yard line when their attack started) and I honestly don't see much that he could've done to stop Morrison when the ball is that good. Similar for Jussi, some things you just can't do much about. Any questions should be about the cross getting put in, and where our two centre halves were.

Indeed.. The ball shouldn't have been allowed into the box in the first place, you're right with that.. What I don't understand though, is if Taylor made such a big effort getting to Morrison, why did he not 1) have the momentum 2) get nowhere near him or 3) look as though marking him was a token gesture

If he had any REAL desire to defend that ball, he would have won the header.

It's a good goal from WBA's point of view.. But a poor one from ours. Just like the Nani goal

[Lord Kangana]

It all develops because Robinson allows 2 of them to be goal side of him. And then is burned for pace, no fault of his. After that the centre halves are at sixes and sevens, Matt Taylor doesn't track his runner sufficiently, and I haven't checked, but was anyone running in far post on Steinsson, or could he have covered?

And yes, Jussi should more readily have come for the ball, but at 35 I doubt he's going to change the habit of a lifetime.

Still, on reflection, we've only lost 1-in-7. And a point away (against a team that had beat City and Arsenal in their previous 2) is always a bonus. This result, and the opening of the season, will be put into context by the Stoke game.

[boltonboris]

It all develops because Robinson allows 2 of them to be goal side of him. And then is burned for pace, no fault of his. After that the centre halves are at sixes and sevens, Matt Taylor doesn't track his runner sufficiently, and I haven't checked, but was anyone running in far post on Steinsson, or could he have covered?
And yes, Jussi should more readily have come for the ball, but at 35 I doubt he's going to change the habit of a lifetime.

Still, on reflection, we've only lost 1-in-7. And a point away (against a team that had beat City and Arsenal in their previous 2) is always a bonus. This result, and the opening of the season, will be put into context by the Stoke game.

Asking Steinsson to do that sort of defensive work, is like asking Arsene Wenger to stop whining.. He may want to.. He just can't

[Lord Kangana]

Anyway, I've checked, and there was someone there.

[BWFC_Insane]

It all develops because Robinson allows 2 of them to be goal side of him. And then is burned for pace, no fault of his. After that the centre halves are at sixes and sevens, Matt Taylor doesn't track his runner sufficiently, and I haven't checked, but was anyone running in far post on Steinsson, or could he have covered?

And yes, Jussi should more readily have come for the ball, but at 35 I doubt he's going to change the habit of a lifetime.

Still, on reflection, we've only lost 1-in-7. And a point away (against a team that had beat City and Arsenal in their previous 2) is always a bonus. This result, and the opening of the season, will be put into context by the Stoke game.

Odemwingie was offside, so yes he was "goal side" and offside.

He was also Knights man which is why Knight was out there and not in the box. He should have blocked him out if anything. You have to ask, though he had a good game, a ball in the box like that what was Cahill doing? Once crosses like that come in surely its the centre halves primary job to deal with them?

[boltonboris]

You have to ask, though he had a good game, a ball in the box like that what was Cahill doing? Once crosses like that come in surely its the centre halves primary job to deal with them?

It should be, quite right. But other things dictate this.. I haven't yet noticed the positiong (or lack of) of Cahill, having not seen the goal apart from the stream. It seemed like a perfect ball for the striker to attack, so they're always the favourite. But whoever finds himself marking the runner into the box, has to make the forward work feckin' hard to stick it in the net. We didn't. Defending is a team game. We didn't do enough.

[TANGODANCER]

Things don't always go to plan in football. If they did, there'd be no need to play.

[CAPSLOCK]

So Robinson gets done for pace by a bloke who had a start on him cos he was offside o he's culpable

Is this what it's come to?


And lets remember...Taylor was playing wide right, yes?

Ping pong wouldn't have been in the picture, never mind failing to do the job by a yard


Top and bottom, its the same old story, a fcuk up in defence often results in a goal being conceded, while forward players can miss 2 or 3 if they get one

[Athers]

Ping pong

come off it Caps

[Lord Kangana]

Well yes, because its always been harder to score than to defend. If you're organised, that is.

[BWFC_Insane]

Morrisson is their left winger is he not?

So technically Taylor shouldn't even be picking him up, Steinsson should. I think once balls like that come in with that quality the forwards are always likely to be favourite.

[Worthy4England]

Morrisson is their left winger is he not?

So technically Taylor shouldn't even be picking him up, Steinsson should. I think once balls like that come in with that quality the forwards are always likely to be favourite.

We should also have a similar expectation at the other end, when our players are through on goal, like say Elmander last week and Petrov this.

[BWFC_Insane]

Morrisson is their left winger is he not?

So technically Taylor shouldn't even be picking him up, Steinsson should. I think once balls like that come in with that quality the forwards are always likely to be favourite.

We should also have a similar expectation at the other end, when our players are through on goal, like say Elmander last week and Petrov this.

Expectation of what? Getting on the end of quality crosses? Tis what I was talking about.

[Worthy4England]

Morrisson is their left winger is he not?

So technically Taylor shouldn't even be picking him up, Steinsson should. I think once balls like that come in with that quality the forwards are always likely to be favourite.

We should also have a similar expectation at the other end, when our players are through on goal, like say Elmander last week and Petrov this.

Expectation of what? Getting on the end of quality crosses? Tis what I was talking about.

Expectation that the forward should be favourite, when there's no defenders between him and the goal.

I have to say this talk about Taylor, for me is bollocks in some measure (as opposed to complete bollocks). Morrison should have been his man, and he doesn't pick him up. But Robinson, we know had things to do, Steinnson has a bloke coming in behind him. Cahill and Knight? Knight's off over to help out Robbo in case he gets done for skill and Cahill also heads over there too. There wasn't a central defender anywhere between our posts.

Result when the ball comes in?

Morrison's got acres of space in which to run, Cahill's in the middle of nowhere, picking no on up, we leave it to Taylor to clear the lines (not noted for his heading ability - well according to many Bolton fans, not noted for very much of anything). It didn't even have to be a very accurate cross.

It was poor from Taylor, but it was poor from a good few others as well.

Looking at it from West Brom's perspective, it was a good goal with a late break from Morrison.

I suspect had it not been Taylor tracking him there wouldn't be half the "analysis" going on, but as Petrov's hardly ripping up trees at the minute, people need to point out just how shit Taylor is to make Petrov look like he's having a blinder.