[Archived] Bolton 0 - 0 Rovers

[thenodrog]

West Ham and Wigan have come into the Premiership and they're having a proper go at it.

346205[/snapback]

We wouldn't even be in the Prem to see them if we had stuck to 4-4-2 last season. This 4-5-1 option against certain teams is nothing new is it? Teams did it against us at Ewood when we were a top notch team....(I especially rem West Ham playing Hartson on his own up front around that time).

As for Jansen? God only knows why Hughes went with him up front, Matt offered little ........as we all knew that he would really.

As for Emerton? God only knows why Hughes took Ped off before him, at least if Peds having a bad game he does still carry threat with set pieces and especially with Kuqi on.

The defence was excellent (even Dom) with the new guy (easy sp option) looking like he's been here for years.

[thenodrog]

-Firstly, we won this game this time last season

-

346196[/snapback]

We won this game in mid winter last season after MH had been in charge for 3 - 4 months! Last year at this stage we had just 2 points on the board and with Tony Parkes in charge had just succumbed 3-0 to a GS 'inspired' Newcastle.

[thenodrog]

Top post. You're good at the footy stuff. 

346231[/snapback]

Crikey! ...... Doctor Jekyll I presume?

Edited September 12, 2005 by thenodrog

[James No. 7]

Emerton- i always knew that with better players he would play well. And when Kuqi and Bently(who looked classy) came on, Emerton also improved. Because up to that point-he was woeful

To be fair to Emerton, he saw next to nothing of the ball until then because all of the play went through Morten Gamst Pedersen. It's a bit hard to actually do anything when the ball is not being channelled through you.

Also, I don't understand this swapping wingers business. Keep MGP on the left and Emerton on the right, especially so he can help bring more out of Lucas Neill.

[James No. 7]

I wonder if anyone picked up the foul in the box in the 15th minute on Reid? The commentators, much to my surprise, also picked up on it. Reid was shepherded away from a through-ball by a Bolton defender. A clear penalty.

The card for Matteo was also ###### poor. No way was that anywhere near a card, and there were a whole lot of worse challenges that went unpunished.

[waggy]

this is the 3rd game on the bounce we have not scored,it is worrying and lets hope bellars makes that difference

[philipl]

I thought Hughes was right to replace MGP. MGP was pretty anonoymous in the second half and hardly threatening in the first. Whilst not to take anything away from one of the true stars on our books, MGP is still a long way from being a complete winger/midfielder.

Bert on the other hand did get stuck in and involved and generally had an OK match. However, we saw the future this season when Bentley came on and the team gelled into a much more cohesive unit.

In fact, Bentley was playing balls into the front line which Matty would have thrived on but Kuqui didn't have the speed of thought to get onto. I know Matty got little change out of the Bolton defense physically but his movement was drawing them all over the place- we just didn't have the guile to exploit it and that is down to Savage (who was playing the safe balls and retaining posession), MGP and Reid (who were both ordinary) and Bert (we all know about his limitations when it comes to selecting the right out ball).

I'd just add that the Axe had a good game and did exactly what was needed of him dealing with the Bolton balls forward and that Nelsen was immense- as always.

[Ozz]

Good points-

Rovers fans who sang virtually all the way through, esp the kids at the back.

Bentley looked far too good for us.

Zurab looked a good defender.

Savage kept possesion well.

Bad points

£32 to get in.

Matt Jansen looked erm, quiet.

Poor train service back up north.

First half.

[rastan]

No need to shout, never mind talking nonsense with it.

Matteo is so rubbish he was an integral part of the 2nd best defence in the league 2nd half of last season....

In fact pray tell, what has he done wrong recently?

346032[/snapback]

to b honest. he has done v well this season soo far!!! i just realising!! just feel he is better in central defence and hate to see him on left!!! He can b a liability there on occassions. So far this season, been good!!! he cant take central off todd/nelson/zurab and i think we could give gresko another go maybe!!!

But ill admit, keep him in till he done something wrong!!!

[mattyc2422]

Bentley looked class. Added a much needed spark.

Zurab looked reliable for an EPL debutant.

[Cocker]

Savage kept possesion well.

346273[/snapback]

What game were you watching?

[stuwilky]

What game were you watching?

346283[/snapback]

The same one as me.

Hes also been criticised roundly for playing the simple passes to keep possesion, instead of the searching balls to attack.

So the same one as a number of others as well.

[Cocker]

The same one as me.

Hes also been criticised roundly for playing the simple passes to keep possesion, instead of the searching balls to attack.

So the same one as a number of others as well.

346284[/snapback]

In that case apologies. It must have only been me that watched the ball getting lumped into the air towards no one every two minutes.

Off to Spec Savers to get this sorted out

[promoted2001]

I thought the second half was great and that we should have won once Bentley and Kuqi came on. It also seems that Emerton was better on the left wing , overall I was impressed and hopefully when Bellamy is back a striker might score a goal!

[Bing]

What do people really expect from a game at the Reebok? When was the last time you saw an entertaining game there?

Arsenal go there every year with their own brand of nice, intricate, attacking football. They get pummelled with long balls and battered into submission.

Against Fulham at home, people were raving about the best football we'd played for years. Against a decent passing team we can play in that manner. Its all about horses for courses - it'd be foolhardy for us to go to the Reebok and try to play in a similar manner. If we'd have gone 4-4-2, played Tugay, gone gung-ho and then got turned over, serious questions would be being raised about the manager's judgement.

[eddiewac]

They made a good point on skysports, why is the bolton player Stelios allowed his first name to be printed on the back of his shirt but Zurab wasn't allowed to have his on?!

[den]

It still galls me to see Andy Cole doing well for man city. How the hell did we come to the decision to give him away to another premiership side?

I know - get over it, deal with it, move on.

Still annoys me though.

[Neil Weaver]

Eddie, as our man on the inside (Lee) said on this thread,

The player wanted Zura on his shirt, which is his nickname, the Premier League said no to that, but yes to either Zurab or Khizanishvili. The player chose the latter.

345975[/snapback]

[stuwilky]

They made a good point on skysports, why is the bolton player Stelios allowed his first name to be printed on the back of his shirt but Zurab wasn't allowed to have his on?!

346296[/snapback]

He was allowed to have Zurab.

However he wanted his nickname Zura.

The PL said he could either have Zurab or his surname (Im not even going to attempt it!) he chose his surname.

Didnt Lee explain this t'other day somewhere?

[SFW]

Friedel - nothing to do. 6

Neill - promiding going forward and coped well when Diouf went over to his flank. A solid performance. 7

Nelsen - excellent, puts his body on the line and that's all you can ask for in a game like this. 7

Zurab - solid and unspectacular, looked composed on the ball. Would be happy if he can continue that form throughout the season. 6

Matteo - a bit shaky first half, relatively untroubled second half though he struggled when confronted by Diouf. 5

Emerton - was there in body but not in spirit. Yet another negative performance, completely ineffective on both flanks. 4

Reid - struggled with the ball at his feet in the first half, much better when he moved to the right flank and was one of our best in the second half. 6

Mokoena - another decent performance in what I assume to be his preferred role. Puthimself about to great effect and his distribution from deep was pretty good.

Savage - impressed me with his attitude in spite of the needless booking. Looks to have got his fitness back and made a few good runs forward. 7

Pedersen - exposed whenever he got the ball and I think he wopuld benefit from having another attacking option in front of him when he gets the ball. Carried a decent threat though and I was surprised when he and not Emerton came off. 6

Jansen - glad to see him back but that kind of role is not for him. He was dragging the centre halves all over the place but there weren't enough players getting forward to benefit from it. Not good enough in the air to carry off this role on a regular basis though. 5

Subs

Kuqi - caused all sorts of problems for Notlob but isn't sharp enough with the ball at his feet. Hopefully he'll get a goal soon because he deserves one for his superb efforts for us so far this season. 6

Bentley - how refreshing to see a player willing to run at opposition defenders. Linked up well and cut in off the left to great effect, he ran them ragged when he came on and is surely worth a start against the barcodes. Looked a real talent and our best player by some distance. 8

[Ronin]

Happy with a clean sheet (2 games in a row!!!) and a point away from home.

Pleased with the two new guys, Zurab & Bentley. Thought Reid was good and of course Nelsen at the back (keep him captain instead of Todd?). Kuqi at least made the effort when he came on, but Jansen was invisible in the game, and was a bit surprised to see him starting.

Hoping Bentley starts, as does Bellamy, against the Barcodes as we really do need to start scoring more goals. 3 in 5 games isn't good IMO.

Roll on the weekend

[Fife Rover]

watched the game at rcc,the club was packed,the game was dire-but peter sleep now holds the amatuer and professional batting records for rishton,quite a few left the match in the club house to give sleepy the reception he deserved.

friedal 6 please punch and collect crosses

niell 7 best attacker

admiral 6 untoubled

asylum seeker 6 tidy

matteo 6 unoticed

mokena 5 one or two bad tackles in dangerous ares

savage 5 $%^&*()~+

reid  6 unlucky with a good run and shot

emerton 4 ###### off to convict land

jansen  4  forget it matt,play the piano

mgp  5 best off a poor bunch

subs

kuqi  3 how old is he

BENTLEY 8 THANK YOU arsene wenger

346146[/snapback]

WOW!! What a marvelous well balanced asessment of the team.

Waggy, of course you are entiled to your opinions, however unbelievable they may be to the rest of us, but if I may just offer a word or two of advice - Stick to watching cricket, you might just know a bit about that.

[tchocky]

Go on then, I've given you my opinion tell us the reasons why you disagree instead of being a smartarse. 

346140[/snapback]

Sorry rev, I wasn't actually yawning at you, but the game. In fact I hadnt read it when I posted.

For the record, I agree with what you said.

[herbergeehh]

Emerton - was there in body but not in spirit. Yet another negative performance, completely ineffective on both flanks. 4

346311[/snapback]

I think that's a bit harsh. Emerton didn't do anything in the 1st half, but neither did any of the others. 2nd half, especially after Bentley came on for the just as uncreative MGP, I think Emerton did well. Nelsen was outstanding in central defence, and looked comfortable alongside Zura. Matteo was painfully mediocre as always, whilst Neill was man of the match.

Sav was allright, he got a silly yellow card, and his passing wasn't great, but at least he tried. Mokoena did well also, his long passes are actually very good. His short passing though.. Reid didn't convince me yesterday, tbh. Bentley was great coming on, he should really be starting next week. As for Jansen, his job was impossible. Worked hard, didn't get a shooting chance all day.

Kuqi looked lively coming on aswell.. should've started in a game like this.

[FourLaneBlue]

Some random thoughts and questions after only seeing part of the game -

Is this new signing Zurab a good addition or is it the Nelsen effect? Everyone seems to improve with him around. Would Mokoena benefit by his presence if moved back into central defence?

Lucas Neill - where has he gone? Hopefully will continue his good form and this is a season of him being back to his best. Looks assured.

Craig Bellamy - How many chances is he going to get in a 4-5-1? Will his return mean a shift to 4-4-2? If so...a Big Man/Little Man double act with Kuqi would make sense. Is Kuqi good enough? Certainly he's big enough but does he have enough quality?

Football - Really boring at the moment. I'm quickly coming over to the view that football really will die on it's arse unless entertainment improves. Chelsea as champions don't set a good bencmark. At least Arsenal and Man Utd were good, attacking champions even if they were good to hate. Chelsea though have so much talent yet are happy with a dull 1-0 win. Hopefully this is just a phase and more attacking and exciting games will be seen.

Edited September 12, 2005 by FourLaneBlue