Bolton game

[AucklandRover]

Well, there was certainly no lack of effort and commitment.
What was lacking though (as usual?) was someone to play clever, decisive passes from midfield. In fact, the two most accurate passers were Raya and Henley!
Of course, it didn't help that Bolton brought so many promising moves to an end with cynical fouls.
Having said that, the tackling techniques of Lowe and Hanley were questionable too. Lowe stands too far off as he makes the challenge and is always likely to catch a trailing leg, while Hanley has this tendency to charge at players without considering the moment of impact.
Generally, though, we defended well enough.
In attack? Rhodes isn't good enough at laying the ball off to be used as a target-man, but, in any case - although he worked hard - I thought he looked sluggish.
Overall, a performance typical of a team lacking in confidence. (Lowe fiddling about on the edge of the Bolton area when he had a clear shooting-chance was a good example). Some of the midfielders

[robinrover]

We missed akpan tonight in the middle
I thought delfounso worked hard sadly he looks more like an attacking midfielder than a forward
as for Lowe he is the first down on the sheet so any hopes of him being dropped Should be forgotten about
positives:a clean sheet
Conway was great worked hard and was threatening from set pieces/crosses
negativesur constant squandering of chances will see us sucked into a relegation fight
full backs need to close down wingers better too many crosses went in
middle looked very brittle a better team would of punished us tonight.

[Bobcrompton1896]

Yes indeed. Generally the team worked hard,but the lack of quality was quite painful to watch......how Evans managed over an hour on the match beggars belief.
Id have substituted him before half-time!!

As usual both Evans and Lowe drifted out of the game for large intervals.Neither pass forward and neither defend all that much either.And certainly neither of them hardly ever score.....but you all know that much already.
The one positive to take away was an outstanding performance from Shane Duffy(correctlyd "man of the match")because without his outstanding goal-line clearance that would have been yet another defeat. Considering this was against another team lacking confidence with little quality i.e.most teams will be better than Bolton,a relegation fight looks very much on the cards...........

[DanRrr]

If games were scored on corners won, we'd have been outta sight.

[DanRrr]

Seriously, the effort is what was lacking when we had the quality to pull it off. We're a very average Championship side now, so effort is all we have. Play the tactics of the last two seasons with what we have now and we're anyones's for the taking. Hopefully effort will keep us above the drop zone, and may even pay off here and there. Delfounso could be the key to servicing Rhodes. But Rhodes has to start trying to read him, rather than peeling off when anyone tries to pick him out.

Regarding Evans, it was the best I've seen him play in a long time. He was much less awful than usual. Hanley is looking better, but his immature side came shining through with about 20 minutes to go. Rhodes was all over the place, when he should just hover round the box. He can't play football, but he can score goals. He should just do what he's good at. He's wasted getting involved, as he can't pass on the 5% of challanges where he wins the ball, so it's pointless. Duffy was good tonight. Delfounso d

[AucklandRover]

Dan - Steele might be the safer option, I agree, but I like a keeper who believes in himself, like Raya.
My problem with Evans and Lowe is that they do a job, but it's a limited one. They protected the central defence well, but neither of them (Lowe, especially) can spot the immediate-response pass which would release a quick counter-attack. I agree with you that Bowyer played a team with the first purpose of not conceding, and the players responded in terms of effort. (Talk of GB having "lost" the dressing-room is rubbish on that evidence). However, when you play a team like Bolton, who had clearly been instructed to stop wide attacks by any means - fair or foul - it is essential, I'd have thought, to have a little more creative ability in central midfield. Bowyer is what he is, though - essentially conservative - and when he tried more attacking methods last season, the crowd soon got on his back. A braver manager would probably have tried O'Sullivan or Tomlinson by now, but with lu

[AucklandRover]

I know what you're saying in your final sentence, Bob, but on the other hand, we might find it easier to score against better teams who have more attacking intent!

[AucklandRover]

Robin - crying out for Dunn or Tugay, weren't we? Without that touch of class, you have to rely on a very good striker, at the top of his game, or goals from set-pieces.
As I said in my reply to Dan, I can understand GB's selections, but if Rhodes is short of his best, the tactic is not going to yield many goals.
I will be panned for this, but given the nature of the opposition , we might have done better today with Brown as a target-man and Rhodes playing off him. (I can't believe I wrote that. Sorry, Pat!)
At some point, we are going to have to sacrifice a wide man or one of the defensive midfielders so that we can try O'Sullivan or Tomlinson. It's not so easy, though, when you're starting from low in the table.
The biggest disappointment of the pre-season, for me, was that the regulations stopped us signing Kim Bo-Kyung. All the players actually signed have been holding midfielders or secondary strikers, but it is obvious what we are missing most.

I recorded the game and I've

[robinrover]

You are right about Evans he did play ok I originally said the middle was brittle but thinking back through it he wasn't too bad
however akpan(hopefully will return next match)will come in for Evans as no way will bowyer drop Lowe.
I don't agree with the raya comment he is very confident in the air and a good shot stopper yes last night he would of got the blame had heskey scored but he's raw and the more he plays the better he will get

[robinrover]

Aucks we were crying out for just that jury is out on Guthrie he seems off the pace but I guess that is through match fitness
I like akpan he is of that box to box mould so his return we be a positive at the sacrifice of who?
I would choose Lowe but will bowyer?
doubt it very very much.