Bolton Wanderers (A) Feb 11th 3pm

[Guest]

14 minutes, and it's 1-1 :( :(

As a complete aside, Kidderminster Harriers have just gone 3-0 up against Curzon Ashton, with the scorer being one McQuilkin......

Bristol Rovers 1 Bradford City 0

With their home form, Rovers could take that 6th spot by the end of the season.

[Welsh_Saddler]

2-1 down now - again, following a Bolton corner :( :( (BBC reckons it's an O'Connor o.g.)

Bradford City have equalised at Brizzle ... 1-1 now

[Guest]

Not doing too well on defending corners...

[Welsh_Saddler]

Not doing too well on defending corners...

It does seem to be Etheridge's weak point - he doesn't command his own goal area as much as he potentially could. Any header that can be described as "from very close range" should really be the keeper's property.

[Welsh_Saddler]

Here we go .... 3-1 now - we must have upset them. :( :( :( :( :(

[Guest]

Oh dear! :( :(

[Welsh_Saddler]

Surprisingly, the betting exchanges will still let you back Bolton at 1.05. Walsall currently 58/1

Bury 1 Swindon Town 0

[Walsallone]

Someone mentioned the 8-1 ............ :(

[Welsh_Saddler]

At half-time with us being 3-1 down, what can JW pull out of the bag with his little chat??? Time for substitutes as we have very little to lose???

[Guest]

In recent weeks we have performed better in the second half. Let's hope ...

[BarnsleySaddler]

I think JW will need more than a few words this time. But it can be done. (positive thinking to help the lads)

[Welsh_Saddler]

Helluva long half-time break - 4.19pm and the 2nd half has just started ????? (No substitutes detected yet)

Gillingham 0 Port Vale 1

Northampton Town 3 Chesterfield 1

Millwall 1 Southend (10 man) Utd 0

We have our first corner of the game, on 51 minutes!!!

[BarnsleySaddler]

Change to an official caused the delay

Amadou Bakayoko fires into the side netting

[Welsh_Saddler]

Scunthorpe Utd 0 Shrewsbury Town 1 (64 min)

Oldham Athletic 3 Coventry City 2 - still looks increasingly like League 2 for the Sky Blues next season.....

Yellow card for Bolton Wanderers - foul by Taylor on McCarthy

Jabo Ibehre scores for Carlisle at home to Blackpool

[Welsh_Saddler]

Can't resist ........ Villa :lol:

Peterborough Utd 0 Sheffield Utd 1 (86 min)

Oxford Utd 1 MK Dons 0 (88 min)

Scunthorpe Utd 0 Sloppies 1 is a full-time result - that'll put the Iron in a good mood for Tuesday......... :roll:

[Welsh_Saddler]

78 minutes, and Will Randall is replacing Joe Edwards - too little, too late, I fear

Jackson on for Bakayoko at the same time

83 minutes, and a 2nd Bolton yellow card

Chambers and Cuvelier also booked late on

For the egg chasing fans .... Wales take an early 3-0 lead against England

[Welsh_Saddler]

Just to rub it in ...... Bolton Wanderers 4 Walsall 1 now...... still time to go....

4-1 full time, and we're still in the top half of the table (just.....)

[Walsallone]

To those who were there was the Cuvelier shot across the line at 3-1? Press convinced it was!

[realist saddler]

On the m6 on way back to swiftsville, Whitney should of made the changes at half time - Baka useless, all over them 2nd half but nothing up front.

Impressed with 886 saddlers making the trip well done

[PT]

Not surprising but still disappointing none the less. Especially given the glorious start Oztumer gave us.

They did a number on us.

They stopped us doing the things we like doing and forced us to do things we hate.

The things we like doing as evidenced by who has been creating and scoring a lot of our goals is getting our wing backs forward. So Bolton played two widemen who stopped Jason and Joe getting forward. It meant we had effectively a back six if you include Chambers and from there you just can't get out and do anything meaningful going forward.

The thing we hate is defending crosses. So they peppered us and in some ways it became a "Paul Downing at Bradford" day for our three centre halves.

Given that they had a plan that wasn't overly cunning, it was hugely frustrating that Whitney persisted with the personnel and formation they had an absolute number on until there were less than 15 minutes to go. Bordering on stupid.

Baka hasn't been on top form for a few weeks now. Today he reached a low. Not his fault. He needs a break and again Whitney only using him for Checkatrade was a waste at the start of the campaign, he's killing the lad now with too much game time. Bordering on stupid.

This is the next challenge for Whitney. He masterminded (let's be nice) a successful way for us about a month ago. Opposition manager's will have clocked it and will now counter it. They will have also clocked how many we concede from crosses and will seek to exploit it. That happened today and he had nothing. Absolutely nothing.

I'm sure "we go again" and "believe" we can "put it right" on Tuesday. For me, it's all about preparing for next season and hope today makes us better and wiser.

[cumbria-saddler]

To those who were there was the Cuvelier shot across the line at 3-1? Press convinced it was!

I don't think it was, no.

We weren't good, but I think 4-1 flattered Bolton. Sounds far fetched, but I think we played better football in terms of passing it around, and they relied on hoofing it up to Madine. We were caught out as usual with the poor defending of crosses and set pieces, and going forward we were let down by lack of options for the player with the ball to pass to. I think this was in part down to our players not making many runs, but also because Bolton defended well. We needed to have the full backs running forward more often, and on the few times this did happen we looked most like getting anywhere near their goal. Jackson tried to make runs when he came on, which Bakayoko didn't, but I don't think anyone managed to get the ball past their defenders to him. Oh, and Oztumers goal looked brilliant from the other end of the pitch!

Dissapointed by the game and result, but not too upset as they've been up there all season. Hopefully we respond as we often do after a heavy defeat, and can get a draw of nick a win on Tuesday night.

[coop63]

Not being there today I'm reliant on what I've seen and heard on radio/web etc and it seems that we were out thought in the game strategy department..

As said by others, our weakness is defending set pieces and corners and we've seemingly been able to cope against lesser teams but a team like Bolton with their options are going to exploit it without any bother (and seemingly did so..)

I said before the game I thought we would nick it 1-2 (being far too optimistic) and when the wonder goal went in I was a bit hopeful we might do it but got that wrong too..

JW says in the press that the scoreline flatters Bolton but I just hope we can get it out our system quickly and push in with the good recent firm we've shown before today.. UTS

[Cully]

To those who were there was the Cuvelier shot across the line at 3-1? Press convinced it was!

I don't think it was, no.

We weren't good, but I think 4-1 flattered Bolton. Sounds far fetched, but I think we played better football in terms of passing it around, and they relied on hoofing it up to Madine. We were caught out as usual with the poor defending of crosses and set pieces, and going forward we were let down by lack of options for the player with the ball to pass to. I think this was in part down to our players not making many runs, but also because Bolton defended well. We needed to have the full backs running forward more often, and on the few times this did happen we looked most like getting anywhere near their goal. Jackson tried to make runs when he came on, which Bakayoko didn't, but I don't think anyone managed to get the ball past their defenders to him. Oh, and Oztumers goal looked brilliant from the other end of the pitch!

Dissapointed by the game and result, but not too upset as they've been up there all season. Hopefully we respond as we often do after a heavy defeat, and can get a draw of nick a win on Tuesday night.

I agree and you're not far fetched in the slightest. Their second, an own goal from O'Connor was desperately unlucky blocking a cross and the third was mishit with the outside of Trotters foot, he looked just as surprised as Etheridge that the ball swerved off his foot.
We did enjoy a fair amount of the play and had an excellent 10 minute spell when Osbourne 'decided' to drop back and get involved, however, a number of players were off their games perhaps due to Boltons tactics, and misplaced passes were both numerous and disappointing.
We'll see what team turns up at Scunthorpe no doubt, but resting Bakayoko is probably a good idea, Man of the match, Chambers, lacking quality but faultless in effort.

[Gripper]

I had a great view of the Flo chance...wasnt over the line. Their defender cleared it whilst standing behind the line - great clearance.

[wednesburysaddler]

went today

great following great opening goal then it all went downhill.
Bolton were stronger taller more physical and deserved the 3 points.

got to say I hate singling players out but baka was poor today in fact the worst display from a forward for many a year and I mean that.
should have been replaced a lot earlier it took 800 fans singing to whitney to make a sub before he actually did but 20 mins too late for me.

not going to wprry hard place to get a result maybe needed that out of our system and made us realise were punching above our weight
could be worse could be a Coventry city fan

[Guest]

Channel 5

https://youtu.be/rYQLNSRGd9s

[m&m]

1-0 up and the home fans very agitated after 20 mins it couldn't be any better.
Instead of seizing the initiative and going at them what do we do? Simply hand the game to them
By padding the ball between our back 5 whilst looking very disinterested.
We deserved what we got today. Whitney should have made at least 2 changes at half time but once again failed to respond to a situation.
Baka had a mare and needs a break/ Flo ran sideways and the wing backs didn't get forward.

After 5 mins Bolton were there for the taking but we made it easy for them today.
Great following that deserved more.

[Exile]

Great goal from Ozzie. Shame others were all from them.

[SoccerHQ]

Well that will be one away day I won't forget in a hurry.

Never mind the game, in terms of travel that has to be the worst away game I've ever been to.

Rammed trains from Stafford due to Man. United-Watford and then having to get the bus to Horwich from Bolton....a bus that took 40 minutes due to the driver seemingly wanting to navigate round all the back streets of Bolton. :roll:

Then coming back to Piccadilly and seeing the Virgin train at half 6 had been massively delayed. Eventually got to Stafford at 8 and found the last LM train down the Trent Valley was at 7.55...so had to go all the way through Brum again to get to the car that was parked at Tamworth.

All in all a round trip that should've taken about 3 and a half hours took 8.

As for the game...well great start but I think the early goal woke Bolton up.

Big issue I had was everytime you see Bolton on highlights this season every other goal seems to be Wheater (how do they afford him again with all their financial issues) heading in from a corner.

It's a Phil Parkinson team. You know from Bradford down the years he's going to fill his sides with 6ft 5 + giants and play for set pieces.

Very disappointed with 3 CBs out there how weak Walsall looked at defending corners. Why was there nobody on the post for their first goal?

First time I've seen O'Connell live and thought he was abysmal first half...couldn't pass 5 yards and was very weak in the air. Improved a bit second half with some decent forward runs.

Thought Ozzy (a class above in this team) and Flo were the two best players. Probably time to take Baka out as he was getting some stick off the crowd and is lacking a bit of confidence I think.

One thing that bemused me...why is Kieron Morris so out of favour currently? He's one of the best players at the club no? I can understand Whitney wanting to stick with the same 11 but surely he should be on first as an impact sub?

In this formation he could play centrally easily and get forward and have shots as he chips in with goals.

[saddlerbishoff]

1-0 up and the home fans very agitated after 20 mins it couldn't be any better.
Instead of seizing the initiative and going at them what do we do? Simply hand the game to them
By padding the ball between our back 5 whilst looking very disinterested.
We deserved what we got today. Whitney should have made at least 2 changes at half time but once again failed to respond to a situation.
Baka had a mare and needs a break/ Flo ran sideways and the wing backs didn't get forward.

After 5 mins Bolton were there for the taking but we made it easy for them today.
Great following that deserved more.

Parkinson 1 JW 0.

Sorry John but don’t you remember the embarrassment of Bradford City away last season? Hoof ball crosses big blokes pushing and shoving and a weak referee? He sees we play 3 at the back and rely on Jase and Joe to push on and create so he makes sure that his set up counteracts that style.
Well at least we didn’t have Bambi at Centre Back this time but come on.
Wasn’t there an opportunity to have Laird on the left side with his nous and defending ability and then have the two CB’s centrally?
Sorry John but substitutes can be used before xx minutes to change a game. We know you learnt from the master of poor substitution (Deano) but does it really take the 900 fans telling you to substitute before doing something?
What were you thinking bringing Randall on and subbing Edwards? He came on and stood on the wing expecting something to come to his feet instead of getting involved and once Edwards departed Bolton had a free run at our left side and O’Connell. What about Morris?
If you can’t see that Baka was having another mare and O’Connell was struggling then you are in the wrong job. Some clever early subs could well have turned that game as Bolton were at best ordinary and (as big clubs do) thought it was all over at half time.
The little magician did one of his wonderful party tricks again (where would we be without him) and then you hear their crowd getting angry as we initially stopped them coming forward by closing them down well up the pitch. Another 20 minutes of that would have been interesting to see.
But no. A high ball a soft header 1-1. Someone on the post would have helped.
A cross from our left side (no marking) hits JOC. 2-1. Unlucky.
Some pushing and shoving from Bolton (the referee blind to all of that all match) a speculative shot flies into the net. 3-1. Half time and Bolton look ordinary but in charge.
They sat back in the second half whilst we played some football but primarily across the pitch until
late on when Osborne decided to get involved and (thankfully) Jackson started to at least pull their CB’s around at last and Jase got forward.
Pluses and minuses. Chambo worked hard as usual. Flo saw a lot of the ball but never goes forward and never even thinks about a shot. Oz is a little master and also works his socks off.
Baka. Extremely poor. No idea and looks like a big schoolboy picked for the first time. He is modelling himself on Ngoo and is playing at least 3 Divisions higher than his ability. Ama when you make an appearance on Saddlers TV (looking half asleep) and say your ambition is to be at Man Utd you make yourself look foolish. The only chance you have on that score is flipping burgers in the cafe at the Stretford End.
O’Connell looked edgy and nervous most of the game.
Etheridge is a great shot stopper but there it ends. His lack of ability to control the box whilst flapping and doing star jumps has caused the defence to get panicky when crosses come in and this has been the case for many matches not just this one. He obviously isn’t going to sign a contract so let’s see CM instead and let NE sit on the bench. This is the same story as O’Donnell.