Match Thread: Bolton Wanderers v Port Vale

[Jacko51]

20 minutes ago, TylerB said:

 

Today was great, more than anyone could realistically expect, but it still only makes 3 points from the last possible 18. That's still relegation form. 

But 22 points from 16 games isn’t and is exactly where we were at this stage last season. Didn’t we get within a point of the play offs then?  You must have tied yourself in knots finding something negative to say about today’s result, Tyler. 

[TylerB]

4 minutes ago, Quebec_Valiant said:

It’s difficult to be objective about football because it has such an emotional connection.

 

I suspect that we were not quite as bad a recent form suggested but, by the same token, not as good as today might suggest.

 

As many have stated there are issues that we need to sort at the back.  Today every effort seemed to go in, instead of deflecting off one of our own players. Perhaps this is just things evening themselves out.

Personally what I liked most about today was that they players showed a bit of fire and desire from the off. Whether that's for Askey or for themselves, it's the least they should give every game. I'll give Askey credit today for putting out a team that went out on the front foot. It would have been very easy to put 10 or 11 men behind the ball and look very much a side playing without any confidence.

Our defence was shocking again today but all things considered this was a massive, massive improvement on recent weeks. Will we see the same thing next Saturday at home or will we go back into our shell and play the timid tippy-tappy football that's got us absolutely nowhere of late?

[Valiant62]

scoring has been as much of a problem as some have made out. I think although we’ve not played well in November we’ve also had an unusually bad run of luck. I actually don’t think we were lucky today, great away performance and exploited the deficits of their (potent looking) wingback formation. In the interests of balance, as Askey said conceding three is a worry though.

[TylerB]

4 minutes ago, Jacko51 said:

But 22 points from 16 games isn’t and is exactly where we were at this stage last season. Didn’t we get within a point of the play offs then?  You must have tied yourself in knots finding something negative to say about today’s result, Tyler. 

Were you genuinely happy with how we defended today? Or how at 6-1 we still couldn't control the game and see it out comfortably? It was a brilliant result and a good performance going forward. Better than good. But if you think you can only take nothing but positives from today's game, well...

[Jacko51]

9 minutes ago, TylerB said:

Were you genuinely happy with how we defended today? Or how at 6-1 we still couldn't control the game and see it out comfortably? It was a brilliant result and a good performance going forward. Better than good. But if you think you can only take nothing but positives from today's game, well...

I expected us to concede 3 so wasn’t surprised by that with their front players. I didn’t expect us to score 6 so was delighted. Keep taking the positives from it, Tyler.  And our defending was a bloody sight better than theirs for all their much vaunted players like Santos. 

[TylerB]

1 minute ago, Jacko51 said:

I expected us to concede 3 so wasn’t surprised by that with their front players. I didn’t expect us to score 6 so was delighted. Keep taking the positives from it, Tyler. 

Up until today they had scored 17 goals in 15 games. They've hardly been free scoring this season regardless of what names they have up top.

[osprey]

Spoilt their Sunday

https://www.theboltonnews.co.uk/sport/18923822.bolton-players-ordered-sunday-training-six-goal-port-vale-defeat/

[osprey]

Up until today they had scored 17 goals in 15 games. They've hardly been free scoring this season regardless of what names they have up top.

Blimey - you really are a cheery soul

We won .......

[TylerB]

4 minutes ago, osprey said:

Blimey - you really are a cheery soul

We won .......

Still conceded three though. Our defence was the strongest part of our side for a while not too long ago and now it's suddenly become the weakest, and is becoming a problem. It wasn't so much a problem today as we got the 3 points regardless, but as a whole we're conceding goals left, right and centre, and it's concerning. Even Brown is now looking a million miles from being anything like the best keeper in the league. He'll come good again of course, but as a perfectly capable number two surely Visser deserves a go.

[osprey]

Still conceded three though. Our defence was the strongest part of our side for a while not too long ago and now it's suddenly become the weakest, and is becoming a problem. It wasn't so much a problem today as we got the 3 points regardless, but as a whole we're conceding goals left, right and centre, and it's concerning. Even Brown is now looking a million miles from being anything like the best keeper in the league. He'll come good again of course, but as a perfectly capable number two surely Visser deserves a go.

We won - chill for at least a night

[PV1973]

There’s no getting away from the fact that it was great win, especially given the run we have been on. On the face of it the manager is vindicated in his team choice today. There are plenty of positives to take from it, none more so than Monty showing us the Monty that we always hope to see, Rodney doing really well as the lone striker and also Manny looks to be getting better the more games he has too. On top of that we managed to successfully get around their formation and play in the space their wingbacks left us and we got goals from it too. The obvious negatives were the goals we conceded and some of the chances we gave them too. Someone switched off in not helping Mills out by not tracking a runner for the third when he got overloaded. We looked out of shape for their second goal too and that’s been an issue for a few weeks too, whilst Smith was sloppy at times in possession and got caught more than once in dangerous positions. But both centre halfs scored which is a massive positive. It was much a needed victory and it was good to see us being clinical in front of goal for a change. 

[geoff1]

askey in ! ye of little faith.😝😉😉

[geoff1]

4 minutes ago, osprey said:

We won - chill for at least a night
 

for buddahs sake man we won enjoy it!

[vale victory]

It really is a great result and I’m hoping it will lift the players but we have to follow it up against Colchester next Saturday , scoring 6 and beating Bolton will be forgotten if we lose next Saturday

Tough game Tuesday after verses Forest green
Askey isn’t out of the woods yet by any means but today might have bought him some more time

Interesting to hear people’s thoughts on January and what changes can we make

[Jacko51]

16 minutes ago, TylerB said:

Up until today they had scored 17 goals in 15 games. They've hardly been free scoring this season regardless of what names they have up top.

And neither have we but we put six past them in one game when they had only let in six all season before today at home.  If you want to be miserable, go ahead mate.  I'd rather bask in the 6-3 win.