Match Thread Away V Newport Tue 9th March. 7pm kick off.

So where does Cooke fit in? He's was our best attacking option before a slight recent dip.

 

I don't understand why some think Saturday was all doom and gloom. Sure we were outplayed by a very good side who have an exceptional midfield for this division but our defence coped admirably and up front, we matched them even in the limited time we were in the game. When you bear in mind that the only goal they scored had a big slice of luck then maybe we didn't actually get away with one. All about opinions.

 

@trevor has been asking for Cook and Rowe for a couple of weeks now, and always seems to omit Cooke in his plans - at least from what I've seen.

 

I agree.

The second we scored a good, well-executed equaliser, we deserved the point.

Had they been really unlucky not to score three or four, then fair enough, but that wasn't the case.

 

Sorry am misunderstood in my post, I think both Cook and Cooke should play, one centre forward and one centre midfield with Rowe replacing one of the wingers, so Crankshaw, Cooke and Rowe in midfield and Cook as centre forward

 

It certainly wasn't all doom and gloom, but we were outplayed by a better team, there's no shame in that and it's a massive positive that we stayed in there and were able to grab the equaliser. While they did, like us, only have a couple of shots on target there were two or three occasions where the ball flashed across goal which are often better chances than shots on target (that can just trickle to a keeper from 40 yards) but are never really reflected anywhere.

My boss is a Bolton fan, we were chatting about the game today and wondered if there had ever been a pair of fixtures in the same season that contrasted so much in terms of quality between the game at theirs in October and Saturday - I certainly can't think of a better example.

 

I don't think it's a bad option but your original point was that playing both Vernam and Crankshaw leaves the midfield too weak and playing Danny Rowe instead of one of those two definitely won't strengthen it.

I'd be more tempted to try that sort of line up in a home game where we would be more likely to have to force the tempo and try to open them up.

 

mmm.. If Bolton have only played one more game than us and we had nearly 4 weeks off, we must have played a lot more in a short period of time - could this be more significant (especially on the issue of mental fatigue, which is what T&S seem to imply)? There were I think 3 or 4 instances on Saturday when the right through ball would have put us clear, but Watt, Sutton and AOC didn't quite have the vision to deliver.

 

Depends what his context of fatigue means. If he means its had any effect on our performances so far then i don't believe him. No that it will bother him one iota. But i am allowed to disagree.

 

I stated exactly that point in the post you refer to.

 

Certainly think BW will finish top 3 - hope so, if only because we won't have to face them in the play-offs!

 

Yes you are right about trying it at home, But I think 2 wingers is a luxury we cannot afford, Crankshaw does his defensive duties and think Rowe would do his bit, certainley as much as Vernam does but Rowe gives the attraction of more goals especially from deep and working off a centre forward, We play Vernam in midfield at moment and he is a striker not a winger so why not Rowe who is a better goalscorer

 

Doyle didn't sulk off like a baby, i guess you could accuse Vaughan of doing something akin to that with the way he left. Both wanting to leave might be down to how appallingly our club was being run both on and off the field as both have gone to pastures new and been very succcessful in doing so.

 

Bowyer one of the most boring managers in our history. No one Vaughan was getting fed up but for me he did well for us all considering.

 

He could have left in better circumstances and was disruptive but i can understand his frustrations.

 

Interesting that they won six in a row against off form, bottom half sides, but the second they faced a team in the top half they reverted to type.

They still have only beaten three top half sides this season.

They've got more to prove before I consider them for top three

 

I was a lot more impressed with them than i was earlier in the season. It seems getting rid of the guy with the moneyball idea and allowing Evatt to dictate signings has paid dividends in January. It won't take much to get in that top three as none of the teams currently there are anything special. Cheltenham have only been beaten by us in a over a dozen games and i didn't think they looked stand out.

 

I would wager that Kieran Lee is on at least as much money as all 3 of our midfielders(albeit being paid by SW) and should not be in this division so credit Bolton for getting him.

 

Who knows? He did look a level above everyone else in midfield bar the West Ham loanee on Saturday.