Start all over again.

[Caribbean White]

Ok it is so obvious these players are not interested in this league, no heart, no desire, no fighting spirit, it is blatantly obvious that with this set of players the team are moving backwards.

What then is to lose by ditching the under performers to the reserves, and bringing some of the youth through, I would guarantee you would see a lot more determination and pride in the shirt than you are or ever will with the present crop, mix this in with a couple of signings in January and I would wager we will finish higher than if Dougie persists with the crap currently wearing the shirt, time to start again and plan for the future.

[Leyther_Matt]

Very few of the U21's are of a standard even close to League Two, never mind the Championship. Not averse to wholesale changes where possible though.

[SmokinFrazier]

Our first team was built in the Premier League, and we didn't get rid of much talent in the summer. The squad is perfectly capable but the leadership this season, under all managers, has not been.

Bolton are a good horse with a disappointing jockey.

[Leyther_Matt]

Our first team was built in the Premier League, and we didn't get rid of much talent in the summer. The squad is perfectly capable but the leadership this season, under all managers, has not been.

Bolton are a good horse with a disappointing jockey.

It was built in the Premier League, and also relegated from it. I winced when that team was announced this afternoon, and I'm amazed that people still have this delusion about how good we are on paper etc etc. That side today was utter bobbins and we haven't exactly got Péle sat in the reserves waiting for a gig.

[BWFC_Insane]

Our first team was built in the Premier League, and we didn't get rid of much talent in the summer. The squad is perfectly capable but the leadership this season, under all managers, has not been.

Bolton are a good horse with a disappointing jockey.

I think sadly watching them week in week out the failing of the players is all too obvious.

Colin Todd ultimately turned out to be a poor manager, but he had a very good side at this level who stormed the division, despite his lack of organisation.

I genuinely don't think we have the right balance. Not enough scrapers and battlers and too many soft as shiters. Lots like Eagles who can do fancy stuff on the ball but the end product is all too often lacking. Petrov had 5 or 6 chances to put good crosses in and failed every single time. And his set pieces hit the first man continuously. He's not effective. Neither is Lee. None of our strikers score regularly and our back four is as weak as piss.

The only reliable player in the back four this season, Knight has turned to shite recently. But ream, Alonso, Mears, they are sadly proving not to be anywhere near good enough to get us out of this division.

[Prufrock]

I think the determination is a serious point. Too many of them don't take responsibility, don't work hard enough, don't do the ugly stuff that doesn't get applause from Steve Claridge. The 'wearing the shirt pride' is a load of piss. Too many either aren't clever enough, or are too mentally weak to make good decisions. I thought Andrews was one of our better players today but even he at times trued some ludicrous Iniesta-like through ball that he can't do coz every time he did his job and played it quickly out wide he got booed. There are too many of them too interested in tricks and flicks but are absolute cowards with anything that counts. No manager, no doubt Coyle included, has ever told a defender to let a kick from their keeper bounce, yet Ricketts did it once, and Ream and Knight about six times between them. Pathetic.

[SmokinFrazier]

Our first team was built in the Premier League, and we didn't get rid of much talent in the summer. The squad is perfectly capable but the leadership this season, under all managers, has not been.

Bolton are a good horse with a disappointing jockey.

I think sadly watching them week in week out the failing of the players is all too obvious.

Colin Todd ultimately turned out to be a poor manager, but he had a very good side at this level who stormed the division, despite his lack of organisation.

I genuinely don't think we have the right balance. Not enough scrapers and battlers and too many soft as shiters. Lots like Eagles who can do fancy stuff on the ball but the end product is all too often lacking. Petrov had 5 or 6 chances to put good crosses in and failed every single time. And his set pieces hit the first man continuously. He's not effective. Neither is Lee. None of our strikers score regularly and our back four is as weak as piss.

The only reliable player in the back four this season, Knight has turned to shite recently. But ream, Alonso, Mears, they are sadly proving not to be anywhere near good enough to get us out of this division.

I think you're right with that. When Coyle was hated by the supporters, everyone was saying how we've got a 'quality side that would be much better without Coyle' but now that Freedman isn't getting results, the line seems to have changed to 'the players not being up to much'. I don't agree at all with that. I think we've got some excellent players but whilst ability is one thing, it's not the only thing. The manager needs to get them motivated and he needs to get them playing as a unit. The players also have to want to win and give it their all every game. Sadly, the manager hasn't delivered and whilst the players have the ability, their heads are down and they aren't doing enough to get wins.

I do genuinely believe that if we had the right manager, we'd put together wins with few problems. We should be better than sides we're losing too and ultimately, the manager has to take responsibility for that.

Not that I'm saying "Freedman out" or anything like that. I don't even support the booing. However, I do accept that Freedman is not good enough to get us promoted. I don't think he's tactically astute enough nor is he a good enough motivator.

[Caribbean White]

All I will say is that Freedman took a lot more from his coversation with Coyle than he should have done.

[Jez]

Hopefully Stuey returning will bring some real determination back to the side, we havent really shown any since his injury..

[Mar]

Not that I'm saying "Freedman out" or anything like that. I don't even support the booing. However, I do accept that Freedman is not good enough to get us promoted. I don't think he's tactically astute enough nor is he a good enough motivator.

He was a little bit mental moving from Palace to our sinking ship but hey ho, hopefully he saw something worthwhile. I think he's got too big a challenge to take on. Not only does he have to replace large areas of the squad with tougher players but he also has to motivate the depressing atmosphere in the dressing room, get rid of the billy big boots, improve the overall fitness of the squad and sort out the tactics.

Sufficed to say he's been left with a job where he wasn't going to easily succeed and its no surprise he's struggling. We may have a Premiership squad on paper at times but that's a Premiership squad that got relegated and struggled to beat Macclesfield, so its no wonder that we're heading in the wrong direction. Hopefully something will swing in our favour. Back to back league victories would be a start but seeing as we've not managed to do that all season I doubt we'll do it until late into next year (we've not lost back to back games until we played two of the bottom two sides, oddly enough).

It's not Freedman out for me, its more a case I feel sympathy for his situation, its a tough job, all credit to him if he can pull it off, none of the other 3 previous encumbents have managed it.

[midlands exile]

In mitigation of freedman, he's had no opportunity to get rid of any deadwood and bring in some players with a bit of nouse.

The whole misguided transfer policy of getting rid of older, experienced players and bringing in mostly unproven younger faces on the off-chance of flogging them on for a profit, has left us with an unbalanced squad devoid of any leaders. Under BSA, we'd have half a dozen potential captains on the pitch at any time, each with stacks of topflight / international experience. Now we've got a spineless bunch of losers, stuck in a rut of underachievement.

Xmas day discussion with the family came to the agreement that we need a new keeper, a commanding centre back, a ball winning midfielder, a creative midfielder, and a goalscoring striker. Plus two fullbacks who can defend wouldn't go amiss.

So, not too much to do during the transfer window.

[ChrisC]

In mitigation of freedman, he's had no opportunity to get rid of any deadwood and bring in some players with a bit of nouse.

The whole misguided transfer policy of getting rid of older, experienced players and bringing in mostly unproven younger faces on the off-chance of flogging them on for a profit, has left us with an unbalanced squad devoid of any leaders. Under BSA, we'd have half a dozen potential captains on the pitch at any time, each with stacks of topflight / international experience. Now we've got a spineless bunch of losers, stuck in a rut of underachievement.

Xmas day discussion with the family came to the agreement that we need a new keeper, a commanding centre back, a ball winning midfielder, a creative midfielder, and a goalscoring striker. Plus two fullbacks who can defend wouldn't go amiss.

So, not too much to do during the transfer window.

Keeper wise I would be happy for Longeran to take the gloves so save some money there.

Centre back wise we have Wheater to come back but would like to see another in there.

Ball winning midfielder will be covered by Holden with Spearing and Andrews as cover.

I would prefer us to bring Eagles central as an attacking midfielder because IMO he is no winger.. never tries to beat his man EVER! and Mavies will be back soon to help in that area aswell.

Goalscoring striker I would go for DJ Campbell.. Loan is finished in January at Ipswich and scored 9 or 10 goals in 15 games there. If not then Charlie Austin but wouldn't come cheap.

Fullbacks I would get Warnock if we can get him on a free and not sure on the other..

[thebish]

Keeper wise I would be happy for Longeran to take the gloves so save some money there.

what do we know about Lonergan's ability to fill the first team shirt??

[wanderers_on_tour]

Keeper wise I would be happy for Longeran to take the gloves so save some money there.

what do we know about Lonergan's ability to fill the first team shirt??

He's no better than Bogdan. Seen him probably a dozen times, a few of them in person, including when Leeds lost 7-3 to Forrest at Elland Road (sometime in March???). He's your average keeper for this division, and good enough to handle a place in cup runs definitely, but he isn't the saviour. In my opinion Bogdan is probably the safer option as number 1 as well as being most beneficial in the long run. If we could just sort out the 4 in front of him this wouldn't even be a matter for discussion.

[Holden midfielder]

Bogdan is not the problem, our issues defending are a result of the outfield players.

[ChrisC]

Keeper wise I would be happy for Longeran to take the gloves so save some money there.

what do we know about Lonergan's ability to fill the first team shirt??

Like others have said I think the main problem is the 4 infront of the keeper no point in wasting money if Dougie decides on a change. Bogdan doesn't seem to trust his defence and looks to boot the ball as far away from his box whenever he can get away with not rolling the ball out.

[Whookam]

Bogdan is not the problem, our issues defending are a result of the outfield players.

To be fair Bogdan is a problem.

[jaffka]

Bogdan is not the problem, our issues defending are a result of the outfield players.

To be fair Bogdan is a problem.

I'm not convinced by him.

[BWFC_Insane]

Bogdan is not the problem, our issues defending are a result of the outfield players.

To be fair Bogdan is a problem.

I'm not convinced by him.

Me neither but I guess if we get a solid back four then we can see how much ginger bollocks actually does cost us. Now it's kind of hard to tell.

[Whookam]

Bogdan is not the problem, our issues defending are a result of the outfield players.

To be fair Bogdan is a problem.

I'm not convinced by him.

Me neither but I guess if we get a solid back four then we can see how much ginger bollocks actually does cost us. Now it's kind of hard to tell.

Agreed.