Bolton 0-1 Sheffield Utd

The daftest thing last night was watching the useless Referee walk ten steps get out his can and draw the line at 8 yards, what a pillock he was.

second daftest was i posted twice lol

Match highlights -

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Yes there was more commitment last night, but there needs to be even more. The teams we are playing in this league chase everything,  even lost causes, we don't. We need a serious upgrade in our tempo. Too many times we didn't win second ball. A few times last night, Utd retained possession after careless first touches, you can't afford to not win those balls back in this league. 

It was better than Satdy's outing, and we can still afford to lose last night's match, even though that was our level. But if we keep losing to teams like Utd it's gonna be a long haul.

Yes, the ref was awful. Why he booked Morais I'll never know.

If we assume we are stuck with these players and this manager and we get as close as we did last night to a decent performance the focus has to be on what can be done, not what might be in an alternative reality and there are definitely things that can be done.
Consistency: A lot of players have shown good spells at various times but haven't kept to that standard. Robinson for example was lost against Boro but folk are saying he looked good last night. If Parky can get the best out of them week in week out.....
Workrate: Always room for improvement all over the park
System and tactics: Still not convinced Parky has genuinely explored all options
Returning players: Notably Vela

It's up to Parky to find the right configuration and motivation and you never know, we might claw our way out of the mire.

We would have to start scoring first Lusty and i can't see that happening anytime soon, we are toothless. We aren't even scoring from set pieces which was a strength last season.

We are very close to being adrift at the bottom..... Ipswich away is next so I think it's safe to say there will be nothing for us there.
I predicted 4th bottom at the beginning of season....that was based on us losing most of our away games and picking up points at home. Doesn't seem to be working out that way unfortunately.
Parky needs to be more aggressive with this tactics and he still doesn't know what his best 11 are. Of course he doesn't have much to work with. As others have said I can't see where a goal is coming from never mind a win.

This is my first proper post so don't tear me a new one. I haven't watched a full game for ages but I still think I can make some relevant points.
We clearly have players of limited ability and intelligence so lets keep it simple. 4,4,2. Diamonds and zonal marking is not working.Play it wide from defence, into the channels and into the box for Madine and knock downs. This relies on 1) at least playing wingers in the right role and on their natural side. 2) At least having somebody to react to Madine's knock downs. He has been bustin his tripe all season for fuck all because there is nobody there. Possession football across the back achieves nothing because we don't have a player of Yourri's ability anymore to play a through ball, so lets not pretend that we do. Traore destroyed us and we will meet players of his calibre all season. But why is Assombalonga in the middle for an unmarked header? I am sure that our defenders do not know their role. Parky is trying to be too clever and it is not working. It is not all doom and gloom. I think we will get points soon and go on a run, but I think we have to keep it simple. COYW.

BTW I know I am on about the Middlesbrough game and haven't even watched the highlights (lowlights) of the Sheff Utd game but my comments still stand.

ege66 wrote:This is my first proper post so don't tear me a new one. I haven't watched a full game for ages but I still think I can make some relevant points.
We clearly have players of limited ability and intelligence so lets keep it simple. 4,4,2. Diamonds and zonal marking is not working.Play it wide from defence, into the channels and into the box for Madine and knock downs. This relies on 1) at least playing wingers in the right role and on their natural side. 2) At least having somebody to react to Madine's knock downs. He has been bustin his tripe all season for fuck all because there is nobody there. Possession football across the back achieves nothing because we don't have a player of Yourri's ability anymore to play a through ball, so lets not pretend that we do. Traore destroyed us and we will meet players of his calibre all season. But why is Assombalonga in the middle for an unmarked header? I am sure that our defenders do not know their role. Parky is trying to be too clever and it is not working. It is not all doom and gloom. I think we will get points soon and go on a run, but I think we have to keep it simple. COYW.

Good post ege,with some valid points. We need posters like you,so keep it coming.

I agree. Back to basics and build from there.

I dont think Madine won a header in the first half against Sheff Utd. His decision making in front of goal was poor. Like Pratley, he's League one level.
I'd like to see Madine give way to Armstrong and ALF, the midfield up the tempo, run at people, and play it through the middle. At least mix it up a bit. We are too predictable at the moment.

Think your being a bit harsh on Madine KB, I thought he has been playing well recently but gets absolutely no support, even when Armstrong was supposed to be playing upfront with him. I would go back to a Madine/ALF partnership and see what happens.

ege66 wrote: But why is Assombalonga in the middle for an unmarked header? I am sure that our defenders do not know their role.

I think it's because Beevers got dragged out to the wing, perhaps under instructions from Parky to help Robinson out. Reminds me of when Cahill first played for us - unable to hold his position.

boltonbonce wrote:

ege66 wrote:This is my first proper post so don't tear me a new one. I haven't watched a full game for ages but I still think I can make some relevant points.
We clearly have players of limited ability and intelligence so lets keep it simple. 4,4,2. Diamonds and zonal marking is not working.Play it wide from defence, into the channels and into the box for Madine and knock downs. This relies on 1) at least playing wingers in the right role and on their natural side. 2) At least having somebody to react to Madine's knock downs. He has been bustin his tripe all season for fuck all because there is nobody there. Possession football across the back achieves nothing because we don't have a player of Yourri's ability anymore to play a through ball, so lets not pretend that we do. Traore destroyed us and we will meet players of his calibre all season. But why is Assombalonga in the middle for an unmarked header? I am sure that our defenders do not know their role. Parky is trying to be too clever and it is not working. It is not all doom and gloom. I think we will get points soon and go on a run, but I think we have to keep it simple. COYW.

Good post ege,with some valid points. We need posters like you,so keep it coming.

+1

Totally agree.

Great post.

Madine is a bit of a conundrum, I can't work out if it is that he has no support or that he is unable to either flick the ball on to a runner (on the rare occasion he has support) or that he is unable to win the ball in the air and keep hold of it to allow players to get in around him in support.

Quite a few times he seems to try to chest the ball into space where no one is then just stand there and look on as the nearest opposition player picks up the pieces.

I remember the like of Davies and Jutkiewicz who where able to win the ball and keep hold of it then bring others into the game.

One of the main reasons we got relegated to Div 1 was that we kept putting ourselves under too much pressure by giving the ball away easily, not winning second balls and having to constantly defend, unfortunately this season looks horribly familiar.