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Match day thread: Bolton

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  • That switch to 442 was fantastic - I was convinced Fossey would at least get Bolton back to 2-2 but Obita and Horgan smothered him and Thompson and Scowen bossed the midfield. I know we scored the goals beforehand and it's lovely having Mehmeti, McCleary and Hanlan on the pitch but I'd prefer to have that bit more stability and structure to the midfield with Scowen and Thompson on together.

    Forino has played brilliantly over the past few weeks but Tafazolli and Stewart back just gives you so much more confidence. They stand up so strongly and know exactly where Stockdale needs them.

    Grimmer's goal was a work of art and Hanlan had a barnstormer. Our squad is looking so good at the moment; it's just that midfield stability we need to work on and then we'll be properly motoring this second half of the season.

  • Absolutely brilliant! I was worried at half time, as we were indulging in far too much time wasting and generally winding up the home crowd and players. GA obviously had a word at half time and that was a thoroughly professional 2nd half performance. We attacked from the off, got the 2nd goal and saw out the game very effectively. Quietened the home crowd rather than incensed them.

    We did look tired towards the end. Hope we're ok for Saturday!

  • Excellent tactical switch. We looked much more in control with the back four and Tomo alongside Josh.

  • As usual timewasting was a bit of a sideshow, a little bit at the right times probably overdone a touch at the end of the first to send them in spewing, but we were miles better than them and comfortable once we made the switch and when they withdrew their wide player it was all fairly straightforward. I don't really get where they think they are promotion chasers unless points are awarded for history and empty seats. You can tell it's bandwagon stuff on twitter as the same types moaned about playing style as if they were any better, and we played some lovely stuff.
    Poxford will be more of a threat at the weekend.

  • One nil up. 1 min to go in injury time if you don’t try and disrupt the game to get to half time you are mugs. Their manager has shown repeatedly he has to do the bluster act when the reality is his team is bang average and he’s not up to it.
    Run of the mill win against a below average opposition.

    Onto Saturday for a real important one. A defining one.

  • Hang on, we didn't have a winter slump!

  • Well, we still could, but we didn't have one at the traditional time. This is new!

  • Well done tonight Wycombe!!

    In other news I’m just about to go on the Sunderland forums to find out about their thoughts on their latest tinpot opponents, Lincoln.

    I must say, it appears JJ completely nailed it in his interview, saying we carry momentum and positive thoughts into Bolton whereas they would be on a downer going into Lincoln after that late goal.

  • Second half particularly was an excellent performance. Started quickly to get the 2nd goal and they managed the game pretty comfortably. That was apart from a 10 minute spell when Fossey was electric down the right, but an excellent tactical change shut that down really well.

    So a comfortable 2-0 away win against a former Premier League side when playing very much within ourselves. Fantastic!

    Taf, Scowen and Obita I thought we’re excellent. Great goal from Grimmer. And Vokes and Hanlan were exceptional up front again.

  • We have coped with injury and illness better this season than any season I can remember. The depth of the squad this season is the key to success with lots of replacements who can step in and step up. Kudos to Gaz and Dobbo.

  • Start of the 2nd half was fantastic and won the game for us. I think they were expecting us to to carry on in the same vein we'd finished the first half. Instead we went for them from the off, got the 2nd goal and made it a very comfortable second half without having to resort to any of the tactics that marred the end of the 1st half. Strange thing to say, but without ever getting out of 2nd gear, I thought we were excellent in the 2nd half! Subs made a real difference as well. Thompson and Horgan were great in helping us see the game out and TJ was also a nuisance and a good substitution for Hanlan.

  • Casually out here beating former Premier League teams. I could watch this every week.

  • edited January 2022

    TJ almost scored…needed a better cross for him but he was well placed. Mind you he got muscled off the 50/50s.

  • I wish that, in homage to the 'opposition view' segment on RTB, someone could put together a video of our best moves and goals from this season to a backdrop of disparaging quotes from opposition fans.

  • edited January 2022
    The user and all related content has been deleted.
  • Wycombe v Oxford

    Bloody hell

  • We have a 100 pc league success against both Bolton and Manc

  • My favourite…
    We had the opportunity to get it, we were on top in the first half, but the last team you want to concede a goal against is Wycombe. They are experienced and manage the game really well.’

    Yeah by scoring another goal Ian. Another deluded idiot that knows he can’t be honest else he’s out of a job.

  • That really wasn’t a bad match summary from the Bolton boss. He is obviously going to highlight their positives.
    Good luck to Bolton and I hope they survive in this league and thank you for the six points.

  • Who imagined even 3 years ago that we'd play Charlton, Sunderland and Bolton in a row and take 7 points from 9. Or that we'd travel up to Bolton as favourites to win.

    These really are the good times.

  • I don't think even that is bitter is it?

    Not sure there's much to disagree with there

  • @eric_plant said:
    I don't think even that is bitter is it?

    Not sure there's much to disagree with there

    Yeah, Could have been worse and probably fair given that spell at the end of the first half. Still a bit weak as an excuse. They just really aren't very good.

  • The end of the 1st half did get embarrassing and I don't think it did us any favours. Pretty sure Ainsworth had a word at half time, as we seemed to come out with a completely different attitude for the 2nd half, stringing together passes and having a good spell of possession straight from the kick off. We clearly knew we could get at them defensively and it worked. I thought we managed the game superbly in the 2nd half, without needing get involved in time wasting and niggles.

  • I don't agree with this idea that we 'barely got out of second gear'. What we saw was every single player giving 100% work rate for the entire game and our defence being incredibly sharp to snuff out their numerous attacks. This was not an easy game. The team pressing in their half was particularly impressive.

  • I'm not really sure we particularly took the piss at the end of the first half?

    Almost all the added time was for two sets of head injuries.

    McCleary got booked for kicking the ball away yes, but it did only land a few feet from where the free kick should have been taken from, just their keeper had sprinted 10 yards further forward

    And yes Tafa took longer being treated, but he was fully bandaged up on the field whereas their guy went down the tunnel and had it done over half time. Why would we not want our big CB on to defend for the last minute or so before HT?

    Overall, good performance, we were just better than them when it mattered at both ends. For all their decent build up play, their only penetration came through Fossey, and they barely challenged Stockdale. Can't think of a single one of their opportunities where I thought they "should have scored", even when they hit the post.

    On the other hand, I think we had 5 of those....
    We scored two, Mcleary missed a clear 1v1, Hanlan spurned a glorious chance to put Vokes in, and at the end Vokes put it behind DeBarr for an easy tap in.

  • I think my favourite little moment outside of the key bits of the game was when a Bolton attacker had whined on at length about a non existent foul and thrown his shinpad on the ground and then Grimmer stood on it as he went to pick it up.

  • @MindlessDrugHoover said:
    Who imagined even 3 years ago that we'd play Charlton, Sunderland and Bolton in a row and take 7 points from 9. Or that we'd travel up to Bolton as favourites to win.

    These really are the good times.

    'favourites against Bolton' did you see the price? Garreth Ainsworth is making us all rich.

    These are great times indeed. We are so lucky to have a manager like him and everyone behind the scenes

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