Most liked posts in thread: City Versus Bolton

Its just been announced there'll be an open top bus parade down Manningham Lane tomorrow with a reception at the town hall for the players. They'll of course be showing off the extra point they won from tonight's shootout

 

He could make life easier for himself by just being honest. If he came out and said something along the lines of 'its very early in the season, we've had a big turnover of players and we've tried a few different systems to get a sense of what might work and what won't. That's probably not helped the players in turns of finding rhythm but we're planning over the longer term and the players also have a responsibility to perform in whatever system we play. We're rapidly approaching a point whereby the players have all been given an opportunity and we need to settle on a more consistent way of playing. No one can say they haven't been given a chance'.

That, I could buy into.

 

Better in the second half.

POC and BRE should be the pairing at the back. Longridge looked decent and should keep the left back spot. I thought French looked decent too but would expect Mellor to come back in

Pritchard was a plus. Definitely has something and while Ismail looked rusty he also had pace and beat his full back more than I've seen Scannell do all season. Patrick was lively but toothless on the right and completely anonymous up front. Gibson gets into good pockets of space but makes awful decisions and has no composure. I dont think hes good enough. And Jermaine Anderson was dog shit from start to finish.

OD
Mellor POC BRE Longridge
Ismail/Connolly Palmer Cooke Pritchard
Donaldson Vaughan

That could actually be a good side.

 

Hornby 5 - when he arrived he said he wasn’t here to be a No. 2. He wasn’t joking. He’s third or fourth choice material! He made a hash of the goal and looks little better than Sattelmaier.

French 6 - did his best filling in at RB. Didn’t let anyone down but doesn’t offer same attacking threat Mellor does

Longridge 6 - similar to French really. Not disgraced but didn’t do enough to start on Sat

Richards-Everton - 8 - solid as ever and showed some willingness and urgency with several good runs carrying ball out. Lovely pen in shootout.

P. O’Connor 7 - clawed us back into the game and good to see him get another 90 mins under his belt. Has a bit of class about him.

Devine 4 - his hospital pass to Anderson led to the goal. His natural instinct is to turn backwards and he kills the game. We want confidence and urgency - not him and Anderson together in the same side.

Anderson 5 - sloppy at times and surely he’ll be sweating on his place for Sat.

Gibson 5 - will go to bed very frustrated, fluffing a great chance first half when he hit the post. Also tripped over his own feet early on etc. Not one of his better games.

Pritchard 8 - looked our main attacking threat. Looks a bit like Charlie Adam but crossed for the goal and shaped with plenty of encouragement before being subbed to keep him fresh for Sat.

Donaldson 5 - struggled to influence game before being hooked after an hour to keep fresh for Sat. Hit side netting early on but often chased lost causes and was surprisingly sloppy in possession a few times

Devitt n/a - subbed early with what looked a hamstring injury

Patrick 5 - he must still wonder how Edin gave him a three year deal. He’d struggle in the Conference. Not good enough.

Ismael 5 - worked his way into some good positions but lacked an end product. May need bit more time to get up to speed. Early impression was he seemed a bit head-down-and-hope like ‘Ben Muirhead’

Wood 5 - whipped in a few balls after coming on but nothing to write home about.

Fair play to Bolton’s kids but it was an embarrassing first half performance lacking urgency. The game served a purpose for getting Paudie and Ismael more game time but other than Pritchard and the CB’s we already knew all about, don’t think anyone else really pressed for a start.

Hornby, Anderson, Gibson, Devine and Patrick should be nowhere near the XI if we have top seven aspirations.

 

Except that has been by L1 teams. You know, ones currently much much better than us. It’s painful to say that, but it’s true.

We’re a L2 team yet to find it’s feet properly in the division and yet to turn in a convincing 90 mins, who made several changes to our league team (the one that has still to be convincing) for this fixture.

So why were we expecting to steamroller them again?

Poor result? Yeah OK I’ll just about go with that. But it’s a fixture that means virtually nothing to anyone, ultimately. Some of our squad players got game time and if we’re clinical, we’d still have won it comfortably in the end. @JonButterfield is right, it was a glorified friendly.

Using this as another stick to beat Bowyer with is a bit pointless IMO.

 

I’m not glossing over anything. I’m trying to establish why - given the current issues people continue to highlight - we thought we’d easily beat them because that seems to be the pervading attitude. Just saying “well they’re young ergo we should” is too simplistic IMO.

We are poor. We’re in this league for a reason and we’ve yet to establish any kind of rhythm or settled team. I agree with the criticism of Bowyer on that.

These ‘children’ as you call them - they have been getting generally well beaten, agreed, but by teams in the league above who are much better and much more clinical than us.

Those teams have, by and large, been taking advantage of Bolton tiring in the 2nd half because that’s when they’ve been conceding the majority of those goals. That would have been the same tonight if we could take our chances.

God forbid a team coming down from the Championship actually having some decent young players, though. People would have attached zero credence to this game had we won given how derided the competition is, yet now all of a sudden because we didn’t it’s further evidence of some kind of crisis?

I’m not suggesting it’s a “take a lot of positives” game, because it’s not and the 1st half wasn’t good enough, obviously. All I’m saying is that in the current circumstances and coming off the last 2 performances/muddled tactics etc in particular, I’m puzzled why anyone thought this would/should be a stroll.

 

Hang about, didn't these same players, to a man, talk about a big reason for joining City being the opportunity to play in front of big crowds? But we shit it playing in front of 9k fans? What's his logic for FGR turning up at our place and controlling the game?

Excuses. Hes prepared the team poorly, again.

 

2 weeks

 

Anderson having a go at a kid for missing a penalty. At least he went up to take one. Shit footballer and terrible attitude. Would quite happily never see him in a City shirt again.

 

Said it a few weeks ago - Richards-Everton will end up our best signing of the season.

I know strikers score goals, win games and win all the individual trophies but Ben could prove to be the signing that pulls the rest of the team together.

 

Maybe it is an early kick off as so the kids can play before school

 

Got the feel of a pre-season friendly tonight. Bolton kids v yet another experimental side and formation from us, no doubt.

Whilst not in the slightest bit interested in this competion, I do think we need to put out a strong side, and hopefully a confidence boosting victory, to take into the coming weeks league games

 

Who'd have thought that having no midfielders who can tackle would result in the same pattern of teams just being able to play through us....? Oh yeah, EVERYONE but the f*cking manager!!!

 

Anderson, Patrick, Gibson, Devine. None of them are good enough to be professional footballers.

 

Pritchard to start on saturday then?

 

Mccartan and ismail should feature. Bowyer has been telling us for the past week they're both back in full training so it's about time they got some match fitness.

 

As I say, plenty of numbers but not enough quality. I'd happily melt down Devine, Anderson and Patrick for 1 proper footballer.

Tbf, I'd happily just melt them down.

 

Anderson is an embarrassment. What an earth did Bowyer see in him?

 

Whilst I agree with your sentiment of the competition. The fact that were being beaten by a team of kid's whom are getting spanked 5-0 every week is of most concern

 

Pritchard done enough to start Saturday I’d say.

Him down left. Ismail/Connolly on right. 2 up top. Put central midfielders in a bingo ball and see who we get for midfield 2