Crawley Town / Wanderers Match Thread

[Verbal]

Millwall away, anyone?

Errr, no!

But then who else will be there to boo with me?

[Athers]

I was there. DSB gives an in-depth view of it all:

http://www.the-wanderer.co.uk/bolton/creepy-crawlies" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Very good thanks, the last few lines...Blimey.

I suppose if evidence of the existing system working was in front of the manager's eyes, it was worse than the theoretical mistake of starting 4-4-2 against 3-6-1 and barely touching the ball for the whole match (Wigan H).

[General Mannerheim]

Millwall away, anyone?

Errr, no!

But then who else will be there to boo with me?

is this on a school night?

[steve leake]

Just read Crawley have beaten 5 of 6 Championship clubs recently during their back to back promotions.

Like a mini-Bolton circa 94. Shame they're unlikable!

Why are we unlikeable? Is it based on facts or hearsay?

Loadsa dodgy-looking money

Employed that criminal Steve Evans

So no facts then apart from us employing Steve Evans.

[Bruce Rioja]

Millwall away, anyone?

Errr, no!

But then who else will be there to boo with me?

is this on a school night?

Sat Oct 6th, to press.

[steve leake]

I was there. DSB gives an in-depth view of it all:

http://www.the-wanderer.co.uk/bolton/creepy-crawlies" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

a tad biased and I don't know where he found the home fans who thought Bolton were the better side. We had more shots than you and scored more goals than you and you honestly could not tell that last year you were in the Premier League and we were in League 2. I do agree that Petrov was a class above everyone else on the pitch though and hope you have a good rest of the season.

[Chrisfu]

Another worrying thing was the off-ball movement. It didn't exist. As said above Petrov had a blinder, putting in ball after ball in the danger area. Not one of our strikers gambled on any of them, until Sordell's attempt at 1-1 when he really should have scored. Similarly at throw-ins, free-kicks, even when we broke from midfield we didn't seem to stretch them. We just stopped, looked wide, and then if that didn't work we looked back. It's not that we're not capable of it either, as we showed at 1-1 we could get through them with little clever interchanges. But it was very rare. It wasn't a team out there, it was a bunch of individuals.Crawley played well, but we lost that rather than they won it. And I fear that the latter part of that sentence will be popping up again and again on this forum unless this 'regime', whatever you want to call it, either changes itself drastically or is removed altogether.

This sums up the crux of the problem since Holden was injured all that time ago. Since he went into the treatment room our movement across the entire pitch has completely disappeared. Holden used to grab the game by the scruff of the neck and was always moving. It rubbed off on the likes of Muamba, making them one of the best central midfield duos in the Premiership (stats for the first half of the 10/11 season back this up). This in itself encouraged better and more intelligent movement from the likes of Elmander, CYL, Petrov and even Paul Robinson. Players like Holden, when in form, are the catalyst for success.

Using Holden and Muamba as an example, if you saw how they played together you'd have seen they were completely unselfish and seemed to play with an almost telepathic link. One would always be backing up the other offering options, with lots of short, space-creating short passes. It really eased the pressure and allowed everyone else to maintain a solid shape around them. There were very little complaints about our style and execution during their time in the middle.

That same intelligent movement offers protection for the back four at the same time as support for the striker(s). These days we're very static and I'd say that rather than not playing for Coyle, it's more like they're not playing for each other. All too often it seems like a lot of the starting eleven are more concerned with playing the blame game, shouting across the pitch in anger following a misplaced pass, rather than just putting themselves in a better position in the first place. How often do we see one of our lot with the ball in midfield, and nearly every player put themselves out of contention to receive a pass. It almost looks like they don't even want the ball sometimes.

One thing I like about Spearing is that he ALWAYS wants the ball, is always looking to play it, and is always moving. I'd hope that this would filter through the starting eleven in the same way that it did when Holden cemented his place in the first team. I can see exactly why Coyle is after him and getting him would turn our fortunes around, even if he doesn't pitch in with a tonne of goals or assists. Just his attitude, passing-mentality, ball playing and work-rate would (should) help galvanise the entire team.

For once, I can't have any complaints about this one. The only problem is we need Jay Spearing more than Jay Spearing needs us, and for that I'm not at all sure he'll be picking the Reebok. In fact, we could probably do with two of him in case one gets injured. Coyle's entire footballing idealism depends on having a player like Holden or Spearing, and we've not had one since Holden was injured. I just now hope there's a backup plan if we can't get him, which there never seems to be with Coyle.

[Verbal]

Millwall away, anyone?

Errr, no!

But then who else will be there to boo with me?

is this on a school night?

Only if you go to Sunday School, camper.

[Verbal]

I was there. DSB gives an in-depth view of it all:

http://www.the-wanderer.co.uk/bolton/creepy-crawlies" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

a tad biased and I don't know where he found the home fans who thought Bolton were the better side. We had more shots than you and scored more goals than you and you honestly could not tell that last year you were in the Premier League and we were in League 2. I do agree that Petrov was a class above everyone else on the pitch though and hope you have a good rest of the season.

No one's got a bone to pick with Crawley, mate. We're just anxious that our club is in freefall. Crawley did well, but our concern isn't with you - our concern is about our downward trajectory.


(Steve Evans is a momentous bell-end who should never have been allowed back near a football club, though).

[General Mannerheim]

Nice report DSB, the last couple of paragraphs sum it up nicely.

we bolted back to Redz when their 2nd went in - did anyone stay to see them off the pitch/did Coyle come over/what was the reaction like?

[Verbal]

Petrov applauded the fans - he got some applause back. One of the few who deserved it.

Can't comment on t'others though.

[Dave Sutton's barnet]

I was there. DSB gives an in-depth view of it all:
http://www.the-wanderer.co.uk/bolton/creepy-crawlies" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

a tad biased and I don't know where he found the home fans who thought Bolton were the better side.

Outside the ground, near the underpass with the exciting painting of a football. You may not agree, but you presumably know the old line about opinions being like arseholes. Speaking of which, it's "a tad biased" because it's written by a Bolton fan for a Bolton website.

Great stuff DSB, echoing my thoughts. Good to meet you too, hopefully again soon. Millwall away, anyone?

Other commitments notwithstanding, I do intend to attend a few more games this season. More of a chat next time, honest.

I suppose if evidence of the existing system working was in front of the manager's eyes, it was worse than the theoretical mistake of starting 4-4-2 against 3-6-1 and barely touching the ball for the whole match (Wigan H).

Indeed. That was the wrong starting line-up; this was dismantling something that was working. When he did that at home to Newcastle and at Norwich and on all those occasions he subbed Muamba, it was gambling to try to win the match. Here, we already were winning.

Nice report DSB, the last couple of paragraphs sum it up nicely. we bolted back to Redz when their 2nd went in - did anyone stay to see them off the pitch/did Coyle come over/what was the reaction like?

A bit of booing from the away end, obviously drowned out by the home-end delirium. (Nice to see that, it did remind me of our own happy cup exploits back in the day.)

Two or three Bolton players (Andrews and a couple of others) nervously tiptoed toward the near side of the centre circle for a bit of a handclap to the 301 travelling supporters, but quickly wandered off. The bench were straight down the tunnel.

Actually, speaking of them, I watched the reaction of the benches when Crawley scored their uber-predictable winner. Theirs was delighted, obvs. Ours was stock-still, to a man, except that Steve Davis threw his little tactical diagrams on the floor in anger. Sadly, I expect they were picked up and dusted off to be used again in Einstein-baiting insanity.

[boltonboris]

Actually, speaking of them, I watched the reaction of the benches when Crawley scored their uber-predictable winner. Theirs was delighted, obvs. Ours was stock-still, to a man, except that Steve Davis threw his little tactical diagrams on the floor in anger. Sadly, I expect they were picked up and dusted off to be used again in Einstein-baiting insanity.

You mean his cartoon penis sketches?

[Lennon'sEleven]

I was there. DSB gives an in-depth view of it all:

http://www.the-wanderer.co.uk/bolton/creepy-crawlies" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

The last paragraph just about sums it up. The switch to 4-4-2 had such a feeling of inevitability about it. I disagree a tad on how well we were performing in the first 71 minutes - I thought we were second best for large periods. But one thing is beyond doubt: we were playing 4-5-1, and we were winning and facing a bit of a battle in midfield. Reducing our numbers in that part of the pitch felt like suicide. And it was.

[Dave Sutton's barnet]

I was there. DSB gives an in-depth view of it all:
http://www.the-wanderer.co.uk/bolton/creepy-crawlies" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

The last paragraph just about sums it up. The switch to 4-4-2 had such a feeling of inevitability about it. I disagree a tad on how well we were performing in the first 71 minutes - I thought we were second best for large periods. But one thing is beyond doubt: we were playing 4-5-1, and we were winning and facing a bit of a battle in midfield. Reducing our numbers in that part of the pitch felt like suicide. And it was.

Yeah, we had a chuckle about that at half-time - opinions again. I thought we were holding them off well and looked very capable indeed of extending our lead, and although I will allow that we always look capable of conceding, I'd say it was less so with a stronger midfield. Crawley came into more after the break, which was to be expected... unlike That Substitution, the Reverse Megson.

[Dave Sutton's barnet]

Actually, speaking of them, I watched the reaction of the benches when Crawley scored their uber-predictable winner. Theirs was delighted, obvs. Ours was stock-still, to a man, except that Steve Davis threw his little tactical diagrams on the floor in anger. Sadly, I expect they were picked up and dusted off to be used again in Einstein-baiting insanity.

You mean his cartoon penis sketches?

I'm tempted to make a Coyle joke there, but I'll rise above it. Oh hang on, speaking of our fearless leader, here's his post-match quotes from bwfc.co.uk:

We were very comfortable in the game at 1-0 and had numerous chances to finish the tie off, but we never took them. Fair play to Crawley they pushed on and chased the game, but my disappointment is that we conceded two late goals. We never reached the levels that we are capable of or gained any fluency or cohesion in the game. 
We made seven changes to give a game to some of those who had missed out but, regardless of that, we know we have enough quality to have won, and that is obviously a huge disappointment. We wanted a cup run - any game you enter into you want to win, so it’s disappointing that we didn't see the game out. We had put ourselves in a good position with the early goal and it should have been the foundation to see us through. Having said that, we felt that we should have had a penalty when Darren Pratley was clipped inside the area. Sometimes decisions don’t go your way.
Both Benik and Josh picked up knocks and so we will see where we are with them. We will get ready to go again for our game at Hull on Saturday.

So, no mea culpa, just a claim that we didn't have "fluency" or "cohesion". Presumably that's 4-5-1's fault.

[TANGODANCER]

Even though I had but the radio, I still couldn't see why he even made the late sub at all. We were a goal to the good with time running out and, an admitted suporter of KD as I am, why put him on and even more-so, not to replace the stiker but to commit two forward. I could accept KD on and Sordell off and keep the same midfield, but to weaken midfiled when they were pushing like mad was sheer nonesense. To lose in extra time because of it was a real kick in the teeth. Barmy.

[Dave Sutton's barnet]

I can see the point in KD coming on - he's our best bet as a target-man escape clause.

I can also see that it would have destroyed Sordell's already questionable confidence to sub the sub.

But clearer than either, I could see that we were in danger of losing the midfield battle and needed to consolidate, not speculate. I don't doubt that Coyle was trying to make sure he won the game, but if he can't see something so obvious, I've finally lost faith in his ability to manage.

[Tals-biggest-fan]

fecking cock...

“We gave them two soft goals – it's nothing to do with formations and tactics. It's players."

Spoken words from the mouth of Owen Coyle.... 442 is staying lads

[Sponge]

He's got to go.