Dougie Freedman - New Manager

[Jugs]

Huge mistakes, even if they are just one, are sometimes unforgivable. Todays was a huge mistake because it simply hasn't dawned on him that he now has a very able pool of strikers to choose from and yet insists on picking out the wrong one. He hasn't started for a couple of games, granted, but somehow that just makes his recall today even worse. Cravies hasn't even started at all.

[gavlat2872]

Freedman just isn't a good manager. We're 1-0 down right now, but even if we win, it's unacceptable to play so poor for such a long time. We aren't progressing under him at all, and surely nobody would have the audacity to claim we're doing anything but going backwards under his reign.

His arrogance is disgraceful too, considering what direction we're going in. I'll accept arrogance when the results merit it, but given the pathetic form under Freedman, he should be sucking up to the fans.

I'll bite. He made one mistake today, and granted it was a huge one, but three regimes so far this season and each has picked Kevin Davies rightly or wrongly so I won't crucify him on this alone.

Throughout the rest of the side however we look 10x the side under Coyle and one clearly on the up. Dougie has stopped us leaking goals at an alarming rate and through match stats and the fleeting appearences i've made to see them in the flesh (such as today) we look alot more comfortable on the ball but just lack an offensive spark, which again isn't something il crucify the manager for especially away from home.

By now I feel Dougie has had a good look at the side (especially the strikers) so will concede Dougie cannot go on ignoring our best chance of winning a game until the 60th minute but must press that dropping the club captain (again Freedmans only mistake today) isn't so easily done.

spot on mate.

Why on earth do some people think we should be smashing teams every week?

different managers have come in and implemented "their own type of football". It hasn't worked, but at least they got a fair crack of the whip. DF has had very little time and inherited a demoralised squad. The players he got in Jan were good. Dawson and Cravies have both impressed and im looking forward to seeing Medo.

if fans are booing and calling for him to go, i have one question:

what do you think the answer is?

get a new manager - who would take the job?
bring in new players - limited funds, best bet, get some decent youngsters on loan

IMO he needs time, and as much as it hurts to see where we've ended up, the fact is, its happened. deal with it. as a club we need to get behind players and DF and show everyone we are scrappers that can get through the shit times.

COYW!!!

[bettyrasta]

Yay! That definitely roused me.

[TKIZ!]

Freedman just isn't a good manager. We're 1-0 down right now, but even if we win, it's unacceptable to play so poor for such a long time. We aren't progressing under him at all, and surely nobody would have the audacity to claim we're doing anything but going backwards under his reign.

His arrogance is disgraceful too, considering what direction we're going in. I'll accept arrogance when the results merit it, but given the pathetic form under Freedman, he should be sucking up to the fans.

I'll bite. He made one mistake today, and granted it was a huge one, but three regimes so far this season and each has picked Kevin Davies rightly or wrongly so I won't crucify him on this alone.

Throughout the rest of the side however we look 10x the side under Coyle and one clearly on the up. Dougie has stopped us leaking goals at an alarming rate and through match stats and the fleeting appearences i've made to see them in the flesh (such as today) we look alot more comfortable on the ball but just lack an offensive spark, which again isn't something il crucify the manager for especially away from home.

By now I feel Dougie has had a good look at the side (especially the strikers) so will concede Dougie cannot go on ignoring our best chance of winning a game until the 60th minute but must press that dropping the club captain (again Freedmans only mistake today) isn't so easily done.

spot on mate.

Why on earth do some people think we should be smashing teams every week?

different managers have come in and implemented "their own type of football". It hasn't worked, but at least they got a fair crack of the whip. DF has had very little time and inherited a demoralised squad. The players he got in Jan were good. Dawson and Cravies have both impressed and im looking forward to seeing Medo.

if fans are booing and calling for him to go, i have one question:

what do you think the answer is?

get a new manager - who would take the job?
bring in new players - limited funds, best bet, get some decent youngsters on loan

IMO he needs time, and as much as it hurts to see where we've ended up, the fact is, its happened. deal with it. as a club we need to get behind players and DF and show everyone we are scrappers that can get through the shit times.

COYW!!!

Some of his results have been poor but I think it's best to give him some time. Those two in the bold are spot on

[Lost Leopard Spot]

Why on earth do some people think we should be smashing teams every week?

We clearly aren't. I'd quite like two wins back to back, if you don't mind though! Why on earth do some people think that what we are doing at the moment is anywhere near competent?

[Annoyed Grunt]

Why on earth do some people think we should be smashing teams every week?

We clearly aren't. I'd quite like two wins back to back, if you don't mind though! Why on earth do some people think that what we are doing at the moment is anywhere near competent?

Come on LLS....you're not toeing the party line.....

[Lost Leopard Spot]

Why on earth do some people think we should be smashing teams every week?

We clearly aren't. I'd quite like two wins back to back, if you don't mind though! Why on earth do some people think that what we are doing at the moment is anywhere near competent?

Come on LLS....you're not toeing the party line.....

I know. I've had a bad day...

[SmokinFrazier]

The results wouldn't matter as much if the performances were promising. I said before the Burnley game that we should win, and I said I'd be happy with a draw against Forest, so you could say I should be happy with the results. However, the performances in those two games were deserving of losses. In the first 60 minutes against Burnley, we were utterly dire and a better team would have put a handful past us by half time. In the first half against Forest, we didn't have a single shot which is an indication of how poorly organised we are.

The results have been lucky in our favour. We deserved two losses against Burnley and Forest because in both games, we've been outplayed, Freedman has been tactically outclassed, we've not looked solid defensively and going forward, we have created very little, especially in the 4-5-1 formation Freedman persists with.

We all want wins, and we need them, but performances are important. We are riding our luck right now, and had things gone differently and we'd got what we deserve, we'd have been down in or just above the relegation zone.

I don't want to sound like I'm calling for Freedman to be sacked but things have got to improve on the pitch. The tactics aren't working right now and it needs to be addressed.

[a1]

We clearly aren't. I'd quite like two wins back to back, if you don't mind though! Why on earth do some people think that what we are doing at the moment is anywhere near competent?

coz the past season or two were like having that alcholic pissed uncle who 'once had a trial at stockport' in charge.

he's got four points from the last two games. nothing about this has the unpredictability of coyle's games which were like a watching some 11 year old on a computer sim trying 1-3-6 for a laugh.

[TANGODANCER]

Why on earth do some people think we should be smashing teams every week?

We clearly aren't. I'd quite like two wins back to back, if you don't mind though! Why on earth do some people think that what we are doing at the moment is anywhere near competent?

Thing is LLS, what we're doing right now wouldn't seem half so bad except for our league position which, in fairness is mainly due to results back a bit, having got one loss three draws and a win in the last five games of which three have been away fixtures..six points. (Cup games in red). There are never going to be walk-overs in this league, much as we might wish differently. We'll just have to dig in and keep scrapping.

Bolton 2-2 Sunderland
Bolton 1-1 Millwall
Sunderland 0-2 Bolton
Cystal Palace 0-0 Bolton Wanderers
Bolton 1-2 Everton
Watford 2-1 Bolton
Bolton 2-1 Burnley W
Nottingham Forest 1-1 Bolton.

[Lost Leopard Spot]

Why on earth do some people think we should be smashing teams every week?

We clearly aren't. I'd quite like two wins back to back, if you don't mind though! Why on earth do some people think that what we are doing at the moment is anywhere near competent?

Thing is LLS, what we're doing right now wouldn't seem half so bad except for our league position which, in fairness is mainly due to results back a bit, having got one loss three draws and a win in the last five games of which three have been away fixtures..six points. (Cup games in red). There are never going to be walk-overs in this league, much as we might wish differently. We'll just have to dig in and keep scrapping.

Bolton 2-2 Sunderland
Bolton 1-1 Millwall
Sunderland 0-2 Bolton
Cystal Palace 0-0 Bolton Wanderers
Bolton 1-2 Everton
Watford 2-1 Bolton
Bolton 2-1 Burnley W
Nottingham Forest 1-1 Bolton.

But TD it is the league position, along with the seemingly (to me) random changes to the starting lineup that are being made, that is driving me to despondency. If he was making these changes when we were in 10th or 7th position, then OK, maybe it is what we'd require, but to be doing them when we are so close to what might easily become a disastrous end of season fight to stay up seems a little... desperate, and we didn't appoint him to be doing 'desperate'. Did we?

[thebish]

get a new manager - who would take the job?
bring in new players - limited funds, best bet, get some decent youngsters on loan

3) manage the squad we have better??

[Worthy4England]

There seems to be a huge amount of detailed and well explained argument from folk who haven't seen the game. I didn't see today's game, so I'm not sure how I could really comment to the depth some folk seem able to on the basis of radio commentary. Perhaps if I set it up on Champ Man, I could run it at the same time as the actual game and be able to tell we should have been 442 not 451.

[SmokinFrazier]

There seems to be a huge amount of detailed and well explained argument from folk who haven't seen the game. I didn't see today's game, so I'm not sure how I could really comment to the depth some folk seem able to on the basis of radio commentary. Perhaps if I set it up on Champ Man, I could run it at the same time as the actual game and be able to tell we should have been 442 not 451.

I think having no shots, never mind one on target, in 45 minutes is appalling and clearly indicative of things not clicking. Would being at the ground really make a difference? I don't think so. You simply can't play good football and not manage a single shot in half of the game.

Reading Bolton fans defend some recent performances is like listening to a thoroughly biased England fan during the Euros, when we were being outplayed by everyone. Eventually, playing sh*t, being dominated, relying on great saves and not creating anything will bite you on your arse. We didn't deserve a single point from the last two games and unless things change, when we need points in the future, we won't get that bit of luck to keep us in the game which we've had recently.

[Mar]

I get the impression that Dougie's game plan is to ensure we're still in it at half time and then push on to try to win the game with attacking substitutions. The despairing thing is that I reckon Dougie knows what will cause the opposition problems and yet he persists with a style that won't get us knocking on their door all too often.

Against Burnley we weren't very threatening up until they scored against the run of play. It took their goal for us to kick into action and really press them. Dougie brought on SKD, Craig Davies and N'Gog and completely changed the match, prior to that we had Sordell as a lone front man without any service.

Against Forest we had SKD up front on his own without much service. It was seemingly the same mentality as the Burnley game and yet Dougie changed it of his own accord today (subs came on then they scored) but after we changed we looked a lot more threatening.

Why we aren't starting with the players that provide a threat I don't know. We can only guess but I doubt he'll get an easy ride if we continue to persist with one man up front for half a match where we don't look threatening.

[SmokinFrazier]

I get the impression that Dougie's game plan is to ensure we're still in it at half time and then push on to try to win the game with attacking substitutions. The despairing thing is that I reckon Dougie knows what will cause the opposition problems and yet he persists with a style that won't get us knocking on their door all too often.

Against Burnley we weren't very threatening up until they scored against the run of play. It took their goal for us to kick into action and really press them. Dougie brought on SKD, Craig Davies and N'Gog and completely changed the match, prior to that we had Sordell as a lone front man without any service.

Against Forest we had SKD up front on his own without much service. It was seemingly the same mentality as the Burnley game and yet Dougie changed it of his own accord today (subs came on then they scored) but after we changed we looked a lot more threatening.

Why we aren't starting with the players that provide a threat I don't know. We can only guess but I doubt he'll get an easy ride if we continue to persist with one man up front for half a match where we don't look threatening.

I think you're right and if you are, it's not a good sign about Freedman's managerial ability. Eventually, we're going to run into a side who will be far more efficient going forward and seeing as our defence isn't great, they'll put a couple past us in 30 minutes and by the time Freedman makes his changes, the game will be lost.

If we are playing for to keep things tight until half time, why not go with a defensive midfielder instead of an attacking one? Mark Davies barely touched the ball in the first half, so if the mentality is to defend, surely you'd want someone like Spearing sit in front of the defence and then have Mark Davies in central midfield? At least he wouldn't be an absolute passenger like he was today, who makes it into 10 vs. 11. And then when you go for it in the second half, move Spearing into the centre of the pitch and push Davies just behind the striker.

I'm fine with us being a defensive minded team but it has to be effective. In the last two games, we've been dominated for around 110 minutes of those games, played useless, created nothing and got into a losing position, and then when we have changed and gone more attacking, it's worked and we've played much better, got goals and been fine defensively. When will the penny drop before we start with the team which is proven to be far more effective?

For me, the defensive style we've seen at the starts of games just doesn't work. We invite pressure, start to panic and concede goals which shouldn't happen but that's exactly what happens when you allow teams to dominate you. I think we're far better off putting our opponents on the backfoot, using attack as our form of defence.

On Tuesday, I hope we'll play 4-4-2 and put them on the backfoot from the off but I fear we'll go 4-5-1, be ineffective going forward and defending, and then we'll see something better in the second half. I just hope we are still in with a shout of winning when those changes happen.

[Annoyed Grunt]

There seems to be a huge amount of detailed and well explained argument from folk who haven't seen the game. I didn't see today's game, so I'm not sure how I could really comment to the depth some folk seem able to on the basis of radio commentary. Perhaps if I set it up on Champ Man, I could run it at the same time as the actual game and be able to tell we should have been 442 not 451.

I went. We were shite and lucky to get the point.

[Hoboh]

http://www.theboltonnews.co.uk/sport/10 ... on/?ref=la

“You do come across certain sections of the fans wanting their players to play, people who have opinions on who should be playing and that we should have the same starting 11 for the last 46 games, it’s mind-blowing to me as a coach how people can think that way".

He really does think the fans, en-masse, are fckg clueless.

Bit of a modern trait that.

Who thinks we should "the same starting 11 for the last 46 games" ?

... though just imagine any of us "people who have opinions on who should be playing " ! Shame on us.

You know, I want him to succeed. I certainly hope he does. But if he doesn't he'll have brought on the push back that he gets.

He can be an arrogant bastard if he wants, but it does require that it comes off.

He's the type of person our idiot chairman gets his rocks off over!
Gentlemen may I introduce you to Megson mk11, struggling for results consistantly, fecking about playing it 'his way' and because it ain't working the fans are thick!
Personally I've had it with him and think he is nowt but a mid-championship manager and always will be, full of ideas but hey lets chuck the baby out with the bath water.
Football Mr Freedman is a results game you were brought in to get results and you are not nor look like delivering any on a consistant enough basis to get this club back in the prem this millienium.
I'll repost this next season same time when we are chugging along mid table watching players who 'know' and suit this league.

[boltonboris]

Huge mistakes, even if they are just one, are sometimes unforgivable. Todays was a huge mistake because it simply hasn't dawned on him that he now has a very able pool of strikers to choose from and yet insists on picking out the wrong one. He hasn't started for a couple of games, granted, but somehow that just makes his recall today even worse. Cravies hasn't even started at all.

Apparently he picked him because of his performance against them earlier in the season.

Bit Coyle-esque, that and brought back memories of Wigan at home last season.

[Worthy4England]

There seems to be a huge amount of detailed and well explained argument from folk who haven't seen the game. I didn't see today's game, so I'm not sure how I could really comment to the depth some folk seem able to on the basis of radio commentary. Perhaps if I set it up on Champ Man, I could run it at the same time as the actual game and be able to tell we should have been 442 not 451.

I went. We were shite and lucky to get the point.

Indeed, and I'm not disputing that, just pointing out that largely from second or third hand reports during the game, there's some folk seemingly able to tell us that it was because player x had the wrong length studs in.