The Official Bolton Wanderers Match Thread | Page 6 | Vital Football

The Official Bolton Wanderers Match Thread

Don't know how we didn't win it. Don't how we didn't lose it by the end.

When the team has run out of gas like that, you need subs who come on and make a complete bloody nuisance of themselves. They've got the legs and should put themselves about.

Anyway, a point at Bolton. Up the Gills!!
 
On paper not a bad result, but one of the most depressing results and ends to a game of the season.

I can honestly say that bar the score line we absolutely thrashed them for 60 minutes and should have been and deserved to be 4 if not 5-0 up with an array of chances and Bolton creating little. However, the last 20-25 minutes were depressing and I’m afraid all on Evans. Negative putting 11 men behind the ball tactics and the worst crime, failing to use subs when our on field players were clearly out on their feet. Akinde and Lloyd could barely run and their first goal was blatantly down to our men in midfield having no legs as they just run through and the guy went unchallenged until he had his shot from the edge of the box. Then straightaway after the goal, Evans took Akinde off - talk about wait until the horse had bolted. Then no further subs until we let in the undeserved for Bolton injury time equaliser.

That was two points royally thrown away and completely down to 1. Evans’ tactics, especially his use of subs, 2. Our poor finishing when we were well on top - should have killed the game.

Bolton may come away and think they should have won it in the end and they might have, but overall they can think themselves extremely lucky to get a point - we should have killed the game before they had a chance to get into it and even at 2-0, fresh legs of Adshead in midfield, and Kelman and Sithole to run at their poor defence and spread the game would have seen us safe, but instead we tried to hang on with the same 11 knackered players. Sort it out Evans.
 
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SteveTreacle said:
On paper a not bad result, but one on the most depressing results and ends to the game of the season.

I can honestly say that bar the score line we absolutely thrashed them for 60 minutes and should have been and deserved to be 4 if not 5-0 up with an array of chances and Bolton creating little. However, the last 20-25 minutes were depressing and I’m afraid all on Evans. Negative putting 11 men behind the ball tactics and the worst crine, failing to use subs when out on field players were clearly out on their feet. Akinde and Lloyd could barely run and their first goal was blatantly down to our men in midfield having no legs as they just run through and the guy went unchallenged until he had his shot from the edge of the box. Then straightaway Evans took Akinde off - talk about wait until the horse had bolted. Then no further subs until we let in the injury time equaliser.

That was two points royally thrown away and completely down to 1. Evans’ tactics, especially his use of subs, 2. Our poor finishing when we were well on top - should have killed the game.

Bolton may come away and think they should have won it in the end and they might have, but overall they can think themselves extremely lucky to get a point - we should have killed the game before they had a chance to get into it and even at 2-0, fresh legs of Adshead in midfield, and Kerman and Sithole to run at their poor defence and spread the game would have seen us safe, but instead we tried to hang on with the same 11 knackered players. Sort it out Evans.
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cannot agree any more with you on that post especially the last paragraph
 
In a nutshell its what happens if you don't take your chances and try to hang on when you're not good enough to do so.

No doubt SE will blame the missed chances, but as others have said, changes were needed and fresh legs would've helped.

That result and game sum up how things seem to be at the moment.
 
Managed to survive the game in enemy territory - at two nil up I really was bursting for a big grin but managed to hold it in :censored:

How did we not win that game ? First half, especially, we were all over them (don`t know where BBC get their % stats from) . Really good high press frustrated Bolton into plenty of errors and Lloyd and Dempsey, in particular, made the most of them.

Big John also had an excellent first half and was causing Bolton no end of problems. The Wanderers crowd certainly didn`t like it up `em and there was more than a little displeasure emanating from around me - I felt obliged to add a few jeers in the direction of Ian Evatt - you know, just to keep my cover :detective: (actually I really admire Evatt). To be quite honest Gillingham were well in command as we went into half-time.

Thoughts turned to how many times this season we`ve seen our Gills team have a brill first half then chuck it away in the second. But things were a bit different today (to start with, anyway). Vadaine Oliver will be seriously disappointed with himself as, within the first ten minutes or so of the second half, he had at least two clear opportunities to increase the lead. At twenty minutes or so into the second we should have been "doing a Wigan" on them with a 4-0 lead.

But it wasn`t to be and Bolton started to force their way back, partly assisted by our out-of-puff pressers ! Lloyd and Akinde (especially) were clearly spent at around 70/75 mins and it was a bit baffling that we did nothing about it but watch on as Bolton gained more and more of our end of the pitch.

I suppose, pre-game, we`d have taken a point but this really was two points lost - think we should have handled the last twenty a bit better tactically.

Back four were pretty good; McKenzie and Bennett looked very comfortable. Jack played in front of them again at the base of a diamond - not sure it`s working that well but with a lack of w/back speed options, it`s understandable why SE is putting him there. MOMIMHO, toss up between Lloyd & Dempsey.

Didn`t hear any Scally Out shouts - but then we were winning for most of the game.
 
Trying to be positive, but I can’t help but be annoyed by that.

We were excellent first half, well organised and effective all round. Continued into the second half, albeit with tiring legs, and Oliver should have put us out of sight shortly after half time.

All changed from around the 70 minute mark. Sitting back, time wasting and letting the opposition have 75% of the ball took its toll.
We desperately needed fresh legs to help us close down and press, but for whatever reason Evans doesn’t seem to trust his bench this season. We were out on our feet towards the end and once the equalise had gone in, it could have easily been a defeat.

I’d certainly have taken a draw before the game, so on the bright side, a good result. But given the performance and position of the game 3/4 of the way through, it’s two points dropped, in disappointing circumstances.

Pretty nice stadium and easy to get to by train, so a decent trip. On my way back I’m fairly sure I saw Kyle Dempsey and mates at Preston station getting on a train to Carlisle. I see he has family up that way, so makes sense.

4 points from 6 this week, so on the bright side results are improving. Let’s hope that continues, though the lack of squad depth and inability/unwillingness to rest players is a concern as the games pile up.
 
Steve Evans on Radio Kent said we should have had 7 more goals and Oliver should have had an easy hat-trick. For those of you who watched, should it have ben Bolton 2 Gillingham 8?
 
Would definitely have settled for a draw before the game so I suppose it is great to be disappointed. But given we didn't use our subs when the team were tiring you have to ask why not ?Lee on his day is a excellent player. Has there been a reason why he is almost being ignored?Reeves not really used at all seems like Evans sees him as a mistake. Adshead at least got on the pitch but almost a afterthought hardly time to get into the game.
 
daveycrocket said:
Steve Evans on Radio Kent said we should have had 7 more goals and Oliver should have had an easy hat-trick. For those of you who watched, should it have ben Bolton 2 Gillingham 8?
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I most definitely think 2-4 but that said if we had taken our chances early second half it would have been 0-4 maybe 1-4.

so disappointed with today considering I would have thought a point At the start would have been a good result Still feeling really deflated
 
SteveTreacle said:
On paper not a bad result, but one of the most depressing results and ends to a game of the season.

I can honestly say that bar the score line we absolutely thrashed them for 60 minutes and should have been and deserved to be 4 if not 5-0 up with an array of chances and Bolton creating little. However, the last 20-25 minutes were depressing and I’m afraid all on Evans. Negative putting 11 men behind the ball tactics and the worst crime, failing to use subs when our on field players were clearly out on their feet. Akinde and Lloyd could barely run and their first goal was blatantly down to our men in midfield having no legs as they just run through and the guy went unchallenged until he had his shot from the edge of the box. Then straightaway after the goal, Evans took Akinde off - talk about wait until the horse had bolted. Then no further subs until we let in the undeserved for Bolton injury time equaliser.

That was two points royally thrown away and completely down to 1. Evans’ tactics, especially his use of subs, 2. Our poor finishing when we were well on top - should have killed the game.

Bolton may come away and think they should have won it in the end and they might have, but overall they can think themselves extremely lucky to get a point - we should have killed the game before they had a chance to get into it and even at 2-0, fresh legs of Adshead in midfield, and Kelman and Sithole to run at their poor defence and spread the game would have seen us safe, but instead we tried to hang on with the same 11 knackered players. Sort it out Evans.
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Sounded like the current england team tactics lol
 
markinkent said:
Sorry Chris but for disclosure I'm done once my current ST runs out. I agree with those who say those who want scally out should stay away. The protesters should not disrupt the enjoyment of those at the game. 100% agree.

The appropriate protest is to stay away.

Fair play to anyone whose invested serious money travelling to the North West today. I hope everyone enjoys it and I hope we win.

Oktoberfest in a local bar for me.
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I'm down the other end of the spectrum, I renew my season ticket knowing full well I won't use it much. I see it as my way of "doing my bit".

I appreciate that not everyone is in the same boat financially so I have no judgement on others.
 
daveycrocket said:
Steve Evans on Radio Kent said we should have had 7 more goals and Oliver should have had an easy hat-trick. For those of you who watched, should it have ben Bolton 2 Gillingham 8?
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Evans likes to exaggerate. In theory, we could have had 9, but in theory they could have had 5, but it’s not realistic to say that every good chance you have equates to a goal. However, on balance of the 4 or 5 good chances Bolton created (included an absolute sitter missed), it’s fair to say they could have scored 3 or 4 and of the 9 or 10 good chances we created (including hitting the woodwork again), we could have had 5 or 6. I didn’t hear SE’s interview, but would be interested to know if he was asked and responded to why he chose not to make any subs until after they scored very late on when it was obvious our main problem was that we were knackered.
 
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