Match Thread City vs Stevenage | League 2 | 26/09/20

Bolton won't be any near where they are come the end of the season, its been 3 games. We were 4th at the start of October in 2006 and look what happened after that. Early days and the table at this point doesn't mean much, happy with a win and hopefully we get a pacey striker in to play alongside Novak because Guthrie isn't that kind of player.

 

What impressed me today was how we controlled the game. Their goal came against the run of okay, and while we didn't create enough first half, we were playing some decent expansive football.

Stevenage hadn't lost yet, and weren't going to be easy.

 

Bolton will probably finish midtable this season. A poor start doesn't really mean much but I'm not seeing much to be positive about for them. Very little chance of challenging the playoffs for me but there should be plenty of clubs worse than them still - it's going to be a really long dull season for them.

Back to us - worth mentioning that none of the team we have played so far have lost a game all season (apart from Stevenage today obviously). I'm fairly happy with how things are with there being more to come

 

I can’t make my mind up who talks the most unintelligible drivel , Andy K. or Clinton Morrison on Sky.

 

I'm not sure about them yet, but we finished 9th last season and for me, that was slightly above what we should have expected given the rebuild - well Bolton's rebuild is an even more mammoth task. I'd be impressed if they finished above 9th.

 

Like Chelsea and others. When you buy a load of new players it takes time for a them to settle. The teams will come good. Bolton, Chelsea and the others.

I would be more concerned with a team with 14 contracted players going into the season struggling to beat Stevenage. Bolton will be fine.

 

I'm sure he will have the nice odd word to say about me on his return

 

Wow you've lost it. Another email in the summer? Ryan? Rupp? Rhodes.

What utter tosh!

 

What bit was tosh?

I'd have thought you'd have mastered replying on a forum by now!

 

It's about time we came from behind to win a game. 65 quid I won from that performance today....if I hadn't cashed out at 20! D'oh!

 

Yes, I have.

Ok, first of all it was Stevenage. Yes, it's a club thats improved but we should be beating them. Even McCall said that.

So the game. I saw two teams with poor quality. We don't control the game at all. The amount of poor passes and giving the ball away was unbelievable. It was poor.

Up front. Guthie was shocking. Awful. Look when Billy Clarke is MOTM but blowing after 60mins something isn't right.

We got the 3 points but anyone happy with that display needs to watch the game again. We look slow. Evans will make a difference but boy do we need a decent forward.

 

Not after 3 league games it doesn’t. You don’t start getting an idea of the table til 10 games at least.

 

By 'controlling a game' I mean 'most of it', not 100% all of it all the time never playing a bad ball. We played a few bad balls, and Cooke was probably the main culprit. So what? I haven't seen the stats, but we definitely controlled in terms of possession and Stevenage had to look to play on the break - which actually isn't the worst thing, because Wood is excellent at recovering, and our midfield is pretty mobile.

Clarke has been very good so far, no real surprise, we know exactly what he's capable of. He's a good footballer, and ideal for Stuart.

Guthrie is poor, I've said that continuously, Cooke was poor, and that was a second choice back line.

I don't really care what people 'think' about Stevenage, whether we should be beating them or not, what does it matter? We DID beat them, that's the vital thing, and we were within a whisker of beating Forest Green away last weekend as well.

Frankly, we haven't hit top gear yet and we're unbeaten, have yet to be outplayed, have yet to be outfought, and have yet to be out-strategised. I'm sorry if you feel you have to defend your typically negative stance, but I'm not really seeing it so far.

 

a few more players needed for sure but until they scored it was a definite upgrade. Nice movement spoilt by a lack of quality of player at times but hey thats lge 2.

 

if u look in the mirror does rcbantam look back?

 

Neither have learnt the Queens English.

 

You got nervous! Where was your belief, man!!

 

Do you mean the Queen's English?

 

Yesterday we played some of the best football we have played for a long while. With good performances from Sutton Watt and Clarke all new arrivals this season and Staunton whilst still a lot to learn again showing what a good prospect he is. All in all after a very gritty point last week playing with 9 men for thirty minutes and very nearly getting all three points it’s a decent start to the season I think the addition of a bit of pace and there is no reason we can’t have a good season

 

Welcome back Park, hope you've had a nice rest