Onwards and Upwards Everton vs Bolton (Match thread)

[BWFC_Insane]

Its interesting that we're getting results away from home, yet he's prepared to tinker with the system, yet home has been a graveyard for us and he doesn't seem willing.

I still can't get my head around the good away results we've had this season. They in no way square with the manner of how the rest of the season has panned out.

No statto but it seems to me [mostly from fixed odd betting] that a lot more teams outside the top 5 or 6 are picking up more results away from home.. Perhaps less pressure from unrealistic supporter expectation is a factor?... a point away is an acceptable outcome so sitting in and taking the Megson type approach is more palatable away from home . Whereas the pressure to win at home makes teams force the pace and leaves them [ and us in particular it seems] susceptible to the counter punch...

last night [before the stream fell over] there were long passages of possession where we had the ball in front of them and went sideways and backwards without the merest suggestion of threat.. I don't think the Reebok collective moron would put up with that without baying for attacking intent... and getting on the teams back....

but I could be mistaken

I think pressure plays a part...but we were so good at home last season yet terrible away...

I suspect some of it is just coincidence.

But some is probably down to the pressure of being bottom feeling you "must win" games at home, and not managing it.

Also the likes of Eagles, M Davies, Ngog, Petrov thrive in the extra space they usually get away from home, whereas when a team sits in at the Reebok and makes it tight they all seem to struggle to an extent with that...

Last season at home we had two big willing lads up front to hit.....didn't need as much space in midfield or out wide all the time....

[BWFC_Wyles]

I would like to think that the formation last night will be used at home too. I see it as a 4-2-3-1 with Petrov, M. Davies and Eagles all supporting Ngog, with Muamba & NRC covering the back 4.

I think we all knew that defeat last night would have probably meant the end for us due to the next set of fixtures, however the win now gives us immense confidence to take in to those games. I'd resigned myself to relegation yet..... there is still hope.

[boltonboris]

Probably our best option on paper, but we won't score with that line up.

How wrong I was.. And how happy I am about it!

[Owen_Coyle]

feck me, we had overall 57% possession. When was the last time this happened?

away from home too. AMAZING.

It makes such a difference when we keep the ball longer, and the stats prove it, as I believe that is the key to our survival.

Don't get me wrong we still gave it away several times too easily, but 57% proves we are starting to keep it better, and that is a definite positive, and gives even my pessimistic self some hope.

[Annoyed Grunt]

Well what do we think

2-1 Bolton (i'm a optimist)

It's hard but let's get behind the team

I'd love to share your optomism, but best we could do is get a draw...nothing more.

Glad to be wrong on this one.

[thebish]

Well, I think we're in a sticky toffee bumming. 3-0 to the home side

nah Bruce - this is the day when the tide turns, the sun dawns, the mechanism clicks, the penny drops, the corner is rounded and we fecking win! I will accept no other outcome!

glad to be right on this one...

[Dave Sutton's barnet]

No statto but it seems to me [mostly from fixed odd betting] that a lot more teams outside the top 5 or 6 are picking up more results away from home..

Liverpool, Everton, WBA, QPR, us & Wigan have won more away games than home; MU, Stoke & Sunderland have won as many away as at home.

[Sponge]

Mark Davies' touch in the lead-up to Ngog's goal was exquisite.

[Bruce Rioja]

Well, I think we're in a sticky toffee bumming. 3-0 to the home side

nah Bruce - this is the day when the tide turns, the sun dawns, the mechanism clicks, the penny drops, the corner is rounded and we fecking win! I will accept no other outcome!

glad to be right on this one...

And I'm delighted to be wider of the mark than Klasnic was with that outside-of-the-left-boot effort against Wolves

[Dave Sutton's barnet]

Mark Davies' touch in the lead-up to Ngog's goal was exquisite.

Coyle claimed "10 or 11" passes in the build-up. The BBC footage shows eight but we were already on the ball by then.

MD's back-flick was to the onrunning NRC. We can do that if we've got two defensive midfielders. Playing 4-2-3-1 is so bloody obvious, some of us have been saying it since at least October...

[Sponge]

Mark Davies' touch in the lead-up to Ngog's goal was exquisite.

Coyle claimed "10 or 11" passes in the build-up. The BBC footage shows eight but we were already on the ball by then.

MD's back-flick was to the onrunning NRC. We can do that if we've got two defensive midfielders. Playing 4-2-3-1 is so bloody obvious, some of us have been saying it since at least October...

Can I see the goal including the build-up somewhere online? I can't view the BBC footage as I'm outside the UK...

But yes, 4–2–3–1 was such an improvement. Again please, Owen.

[Worthy4England]

Mark Davies' touch in the lead-up to Ngog's goal was exquisite.

Coyle claimed "10 or 11" passes in the build-up. The BBC footage shows eight but we were already on the ball by then.

MD's back-flick was to the onrunning NRC. We can do that if we've got two defensive midfielders. Playing 4-2-3-1 is so bloody obvious, some of us have been saying it since at least October...

Can I see the goal including the build-up somewhere online? I can't view the BBC footage as I'm outside the UK...

But yes, 4–2–3–1 was such an improvement. Again please, Owen.

http://www.101greatgoals.com/gvideos/ev ... -bolton-2/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[plymouth wanderer]

Well what do we think

2-1 Bolton (i'm a optimist)

It's hard but let's get behind the team

I'd love to share your optomism, but best we could do is get a draw...nothing more.

Glad to be wrong on this one.

Glad to be right on this one
i just prefer to get behind the team knocking them does't help coyle is here for the time being it's hard but let's get behind them

[Worthy4England]

Well what do we think

2-1 Bolton (i'm a optimist)

It's hard but let's get behind the team

I'd love to share your optomism, but best we could do is get a draw...nothing more.

Glad to be wrong on this one.

Glad to be right on this one
i just prefer to get behind the team knocking them does't help coyle is here for the time being it's hard but let's get behind them

I'm still pessimistic.

Knocking the team on here probably has no noticable effect.

[TANGODANCER]

A great game.

Thought we would win for sure during the first half.

Howard Goal I was in two minds, one obviously was gutted Everton Scored. But I was happy to see a goalkeeper score from his position.

Against us, you were happy?

[truewhite15]

A great game.

Thought we would win for sure during the first half.

Howard Goal I was in two minds, one obviously was gutted Everton Scored. But I was happy to see a goalkeeper score from his position.

Against us, you were happy?

It's 2399. He's a nutter. Slack must be cut.

[TANGODANCER]

Biggest noticable difference in the last couple of games, for me, has been attitude, effort and commitment. It's almost as if our testosterone levels have risen. Chasing players down and closing spaces has made a marked difference and there's a real energy about the side..Tactics, team selection and game plans matter greatly, but it's the desire that matters just as much. Good to see and it's most evident in the midfield. Muamba, Reo Coker and Mark Davis shone for me last night and it seemed to spread. Cahill was excellent and (dare I say it?) even Knight was fully committed. Rickets has made a difference at the back , Petrov seems like a new man right now and the whole thing looked so much more encouraging. Howard's fluke goal could have knocked the stuffing out of any team struggling like we've been, but it had the opposite effect. Real confidence boost, keep it up lads.

[truewhite15]

Biggest noticable difference in the last couple of games, for me, has been attitude, effort and commitment. It's almost as if our testosterone levels have risen. Chasing players down and closing spaces has made a marked difference and there's a real energy about the side..Tactics, team selection and game plans matter greatly, but it's the desire that matters just as much. Good to see and it's most evident in the midfield. Muamba, Reo Coker and Mark Davis shone for me last night and it seemed to spread. Cahill was excellent and (dare I say it?) even Knight was fully committed. Rickets has made a difference at the back , Petrov seems like a new man right now and the whole thing looked so much more encouraging. Howard's fluke goal could have knocked the stuffing out of any team struggling like we've been, but it had the opposite effect. Real confidence boost, keep it up lads.

It's better than that. It actually looked like our lads knew what they were supposed to be doing. At times last night the formation almost resembled a 4-1-4-1, with Reo-Coker staying back in the channel between defenders and midfielders. Which shows that, at last, they've learned not to bomb everybody forwards.

[boltonboris]

Yep. there was a nice fluidity about the team. Good transition between attack and defence and it looked as though we've finally been working on phases of play.

[ChrisC]

One factor about last nights lineup is what a lot have called for in the final third and that is plenty of pace!