Did pratley deserve todays MOTM

As it says on the tin

Seriously, apart from the mental woman in the bedsit in Preston, who voted yes?

I'm not saying I'm an expert pundit (I'm just a fan like everybody else, obviously) and I know it's all about opinions, but I thought he was terrible today.

He created nothing, gave the ball away constantly, fell over pretty much every time he went on a run, gave away several needless free kicks and got himself booked for a daft challenge.

What did you see that I didn't?

Darren speaks well of you, though ......but, yes, he was not the best player on the pitch. Surprising choice. Was it Beagrie who chose him? Even more surprising if it was, as his knowledge of players and clubs at this lower level is unsurpassed. Would make a good manager.

I thought Derik was the best player on the pitch today. He was everywhere and really got stuck into - and won - loads of tackles which is surprising for a former Real Madrid ponce plus he was the only midfielder with decent passing. My only disappointment was that he wasn't played as DM earlier in the season.

Whilst I was a little surprised that Pratley got the MOM today I do feel that he gets dogs abuse every week, some of it undeserved and some of it out of order, booing his name when the teams are announced.for example. For as long as I have been following Bolton the crowd always seems to have a whipping boy that is targeted for stick, Darren is the current holder of that particular position, formerly held by Chris Eagles. In his defence he always works hard for the team and tries to lead by example, he will never win over some people but he doesn't hide even when things are not going well and we will need him next season.

I like pratley. Today he was dog shit.  Captains armband curse

if the award was for player who spends most time on the floor then he would win everytime. How he got man of the match i'll never know, yet again Derik was our best player, in fact they all did ok apart from 'the Captain'

Norpig wrote:if the award was for player who spends most time on the floor then he would win everytime. How he got man of the match i'll never know, yet again Derik was our best player, in fact they all did ok apart from 'the Captain'

Thats what i said

But what do i know

#shitfan

Derik for me.

I voted yes. I was there and for the most part he was pretty solid, in fact he did the job he was originally signed to do. Pratley was never meant to be a silky skilled attacking mid, he was a blocker, there to break up the opposition play and get the ball. His passing has never been good but it didn't matter back then because of the other support he had in midfield. Don't forget we had CYL, Chris Eagles and Mavies to do that sort of thing, all he and Fabrice Muamba were meant to do was guard the back door while those three went off on forward runs etc. Pratley was at his best when he got the ball and gave a simple short pass to someone else who could do all the other stuff. 

On Saturday he was solid in defence, led the midfield line in particualar well enough and didn't do a lot wrong for me. I agree Derik played decently too but in truth there wasn't a single really GOOD performance from anyone. It was a decent team effort but nothing wonderful and frankly I suspect a lot of that was down to the presence of TV cameras and the fact Sky showed the match live which always seems to lift us.

luckyPeterpiper wrote:I voted yes. I was there and for the most part he was pretty solid, in fact he did the job he was originally signed to do. Pratley was never meant to be a silky skilled attacking mid, he was a blocker, there to break up the opposition play and get the ball. His passing has never been good but it didn't matter back then because of the other support he had in midfield. Don't forget we had CYL, Chris Eagles and Mavies to do that sort of thing, all he and Fabrice Muamba were meant to do was guard the back door while those three went off on forward runs etc. Pratley was at his best when he got the ball and gave a simple short pass to someone else who could do all the other stuff. 

On Saturday he was solid in defence, led the midfield line in particualar well enough and didn't do a lot wrong for me. I agree Derik played decently too but in truth there wasn't a single really GOOD performance from anyone. It was a decent team effort but nothing wonderful and frankly I suspect a lot of that was down to the presence of TV cameras and the fact Sky showed the match live which always seems to lift us.

So translation at the moment would be to avoid losing the ball in possession give it to Mark Davies so he can lose it instead.

whatsgoingon wrote:

luckyPeterpiper wrote:I voted yes. I was there and for the most part he was pretty solid, in fact he did the job he was originally signed to do. Pratley was never meant to be a silky skilled attacking mid, he was a blocker, there to break up the opposition play and get the ball. His passing has never been good but it didn't matter back then because of the other support he had in midfield. Don't forget we had CYL, Chris Eagles and Mavies to do that sort of thing, all he and Fabrice Muamba were meant to do was guard the back door while those three went off on forward runs etc. Pratley was at his best when he got the ball and gave a simple short pass to someone else who could do all the other stuff. 

On Saturday he was solid in defence, led the midfield line in particualar well enough and didn't do a lot wrong for me. I agree Derik played decently too but in truth there wasn't a single really GOOD performance from anyone. It was a decent team effort but nothing wonderful and frankly I suspect a lot of that was down to the presence of TV cameras and the fact Sky showed the match live which always seems to lift us.

So translation at the moment would be to avoid losing the ball in possession give it to Mark Davies so he can lose it instead.

As I said on another thread he wasn't brilliant by any means but neither was anyone else. It was a match in which we played OK but the lack of quality was glaringly obvious for all to see. Let me put it this way, Pratley's performance was competent and solid, more so than anyone else's imo. Derik played well in parts but woeful in others which is why for me Pratley edged it for MOTM. Is that the same as saying there should even have been an award? Maybe not because frankly both sides were average at best but since there was one then Pratley would have been my shout for it although in truth that's not saying much.

I was quite impressed with young Mr Newell. I know he only came on as a sub but I was impressed with his running. The son of Mike Newell by all accounts. Certainly one for the future.

Reebok Trotter wrote:I was quite impressed with young Mr Newell. I know he only came on as a sub but I was impressed with his running. The son of Mike Newell by all accounts. Certainly one for the future.

Impressed by his running? Fuck me, you're easily pleased. Personally, I feel it should be a given that a professional footballer can run.

I'm pretty sure everyone in that crowd under 40 could run about for 10 minutes, while doing fook all.

I thought he was awful.

Agreed, he didn't do anything. Definitely needs to bulk up if he's any chance of making it

im all for giving the youngsters a chance but at least play the ones that score goals for fun..

I thought Newell tried hard and ran around in a gangly sort of way a lot. Mike Newell Jnr makes sense in hindsight. 
He needs to be faster and stronger and be able to retain the ball better - then we'll see what he can actually do.