Bolton v Forest

[danm1992]

First home league game of the season.
The crowd's bound to be as hostile as ever, so an early goal might come in handy.

It'll be interesting to see if Dougie sticks with 4-5-1 or if he shifts to 5-4-1 in light of Forest beating Blackpool 2-0 last week.

Are you going? Looking forward to it?

[nvent]

Me and my son are going,but I can,t say I,m looking forward to it. Based on the last two games it looks as though it will be more of the same,which means going home feeling angry and frustrated by the team selection,tactics and lack of goal threat. I wasn't,t going to renew my season ticket but was talked into it by my son ,as it's our chance to spend some time together without the other halves.

[JimmyJazz64]

Nope. Not going. Can't afford it.

We'll get absolutely gubbed or we'll play a tactical game making them look good for over 90 minutes and then steal it at the death.

Hope it's the latter, suspect it will be the former

[itsintheblood]

I'm going and Tuesday, like the Saturday games a few beers a bowl of chips and i'm reet,


Think i'll be a draw 1-1 long as Pratley and Trotter are not starting.

Forrest are probably the favs to win just a gut instinct it will be a draw.

[donboy]

I'm going but not looking forward to it. Dougie will be terrified by Forest so we'll be lucky if we manage a serious attempt on goal in the whole 90 minutes. 2-0 Forest.

[danm1992]

Entertaining first half. Very poor second.

I can't believe the amount of hoofing we do. So often Bogdan gets a chance to roll it out to a full back in space. He just clutches onto it for five seconds, before booting it up to nobody. And it's not just Bogdan, the whole of the back line is hitting aimless long passes all the time.

I've no real complaints about the starting line-up, the substitutions were obviously silly as usual. Danns and Medo for Trotter and Pratley? I despair.

There's something fundamentally wrong with this team and I might be tempted to take a mid table finish now. They look demotivated and low on confidence, various players seem to just switch off, there's no togetherness, there's no direction in our play, particularly the passing. As I say, if it's not Bogdan or a defender hammering it long, it's midfielders passing it backwards and sideways needlessly, and nobody seems to be on the touchline urging them in the right direction.

[garyp1803]

I thought we did okay in the first half against a better team. Spearing gave away a needless penalty though and it wasn't easy after Forest scored their second. I said to my mate, just watch Medo, keep an eye on him and see how wasteful he is when in possession, Medo didn't let me down, just awful and I actually think Trotter is a much better player. I thought going into halftime even, was just about right.

The second half was much different though and even though Forest weren't particularly potent up front, they had much of the possession in our final third and I would have taken a point after about 60 minutes or so.

I was hoping for much improvement this season, but I think we'll be at best a mid table Championship side. I know Dougie can't shop at a Lacoste shop for his players, but the players he's brought in from say Primark are exactly that, poor quality.

[Trickytreesreds]

Don't know what you're moaning at lads. Dougie says you were good value for a point? :/

[eric1953]

It was a point gained against a team that I believe will finish in the top six. So I suppose to get a point against a totally superior team is Ok.

But I saw nothing to suggest that there would be any difference to the style we played last season, ie the other team having almost total possession for long periods.

I know that Trotter is not everyone's favourite player, but he is comfortable on the ball, and if he had good players around him he could prove a lot of people wrong.

But this is a desperately poor football team, managed by an equally desperate defence minded man.

This is going to be a long season, hopefully with a few worse teams than us.

Gary is 100% correct with his observations on Medo, there is no structure to his play, running around like mad March Hare. But the Dogeater was no better, very weak, easily knocked off the ball.

WORRYING.

[danm1992]

Trotter is like the Bolton Fellaini.

He should be a great physical presence given his build, but isn't difficult to outmuscle and is wasteful in possession.

Medo is a very depressing case. He looked like such a classy player when he first arrived, but his head hasn't been in it for 12 months. It seems keeping players motivated is yet something else Freedman isn't much chop at.