[Archived] Bolton Vs Rovers

[RevidgeBlue]

No excuses at all for tonight, in the previous four games the attitude of the team was excellent irrespective of the result. Tonight they looked like they couldn't be bothered. I wonder if Berg's honeymoon period with the players such as it was is over after 4 games?

Whilst the bulk of the blame lies with the players, Berg also got the tactics wrong tonight. Channeling play through Rochina in the middle has by and large worked well. Sticking him out on the left on the wing left him looking a frustrated disinterested and peripheral figure. Similarly moving King into the middle didn't suit him either. (Although I've not seen anything from King to suggest he's any better than a number of our players)

The difference came when CKR came on providing a bit of support for Rhodes up front and proving he can play a bit when he's not sulking and throwing his arms about.

Pedersen? Gave the ball away every time he received it apart from one cross to CKR.

Hanley and Robinson each look well overweight.

Not good enough from anyone.

[Oklahoma]

Is Joshua King that good that he is already a starter?

Only one change made after a poor display.

If you have a squad of players with similar quality, use it.

The number of games in this league is absurd so it is necessary to change the squad.

But Berg always uses the same players and today there was not even a proper striker on the bench.

Poor!!!

[Amo]

Shebby out on the pitch at half time for the second game in a row, this time to a chorus of boos

He was? That would explain why we lost.

[arbitro]

He wasn't on his own. This supposedly best squad in the league needs a total clear out. Out of a squad of what - 25 to 30 players, there might be three or four at the most worth keeping.

Berg has inherited a squad which clearly isn't good enough. Rochina, Formica, Hanley, Etuhu, Murphy to name a few either haven't got ability or lack heart. No leadership at all. Berg needs January to come quickly and move the dross out and revamp the squad with some quality and character (difficult I accept).

[Dunnfc]

Why gomes rodent play is beyond me. He's one of our top goal scorers.

[den]

Gomes rodent?

[Proudtobeblue&white]

The consensus is we were kean poor - we all have our opinions, but on this form, with this group of players, and a manager who hasn't brought the "feel good factor" - we are also rans with the worst owners in history - better get used to it.

[JAL]

Berg has inherited a squad which clearly isn't good enough. Rochina, Formica, Hanley, Etuhu, Murphy to name a few either haven't got ability or lack heart. No leadership at all. Berg needs January to come quickly and move the dross out and revamp the squad with some quality and character (difficult I accept).

If Berg is bringing in the quality of Joshua King, then he, and us, have very little chance of promotion this season.

[SIMON GARNERS 194]

Nearly 10 points now off second place in this league,we need to start winning games and building some self belief before its too late.

[Amo]

Berg has inherited a squad which clearly isn't good enough. Rochina, Formica, Hanley, Etuhu, Murphy to name a few either haven't got ability or lack heart. No leadership at all. Berg needs January to come quickly and move the dross out and revamp the squad with some quality and character (difficult I accept).

Come on. Have any of the sides above us really got a better squad than ours?

And I don't say that in a blinkered way. I just don't think the teams above us are a cut above in terms of quality.

What they do have is organisation and a gameplan. They also play their best players, which always helps.

[Ewood Spark]

The starters haven't been great .... let's hope the main course is up to scratch.

[Mike E]

Didn't go. Saw bergs response on ss. Seems quite stern and a bit keaned off. Hopefully we see a big change at the Burnley game. I'd have taken a draw tonight but disappointed with a loss. Better BEAT burnley or I'll be losing patience. Far from berg out yet tho.

[JAL]

Thought Bolton even though they won and could have won by a few more goals, thought they lacked pace in their team which could be a handicap for them over the season.

[Waggy76]

Whilst we have a central midfield partnership of Murphy and Etuhu , we will be nearer the bottom , than the top !!!!

The pair of them were awful tonight , granted they weren't on their own but these two can't run , tackle ,shoot and are obtaining money under false pretences !

[Athlete]

Absolutely pathetic, men against boys.

We were out fought, out thought and out played.

Bolton for 75 minutes were streets ahead of Rovers.

Wee Dougie has done a remarkable job with Bolton - 10 points from 6 unbeaten games. I am a big Freedman fan and tonight, it was evident why.

IMO, Berg just looked like a slimmed down Kean in terms of posture and body language.

A long and difficult road ahead I fear.

[LDRover]

We had no heart or desire anywhere in that team tonight, exactly the traits needed in a derby match.

I'd be ecstatic with 0-0 on Sunday.

[Tyrone Shoelaces]

Come on. Have any of the sides above us really got a better squad than ours?

And I don't say that in a blinkered way. I just don't think the teams above us are a cut above in terms of quality.

What they do have is organisation and a gameplan. They also play their best players, which always helps.

Of course they have, that's why teams come to Ewood and go away laughing. This is the worst collection of players we've had since the Don McKay era, possibly worse than that.

[Athlete]

Berg is totally out his depth that was a disgrace we only started playing after the substitutes came on...the midfield again dreadfull, King looked lost RochIan awful don't start me on murphy and Etuhu....

[Tyrone Shoelaces]

Thought Bolton even though they won and could have won by a few more goals, thought they lacked pace in their team which could be a handicap for them over the season.

What does that say about us then ?

[Waggy76]

Of course they have, that's why teams come to Ewood and go away laughing. This is the worst collection of players we've had since the Don McKay era, possibly worse than that.

I would say Jim Iley , Radford ,Birchenall , Aston , etc

What as happenend to our Portugese starlets ?

I have a good idea , they are no good !

[Amo]

Of course they have, that's why teams come to Ewood and go away laughing.

And that has nothing to do with any of my points?

[Tom]

I don't want to even mention the ref as it sounds like an excuse when in fact there is no excuses at all for tonight but he let Kevin Davies get away with whatever he wanted tonight it was ridiculous, then blew for a foul at the end when Dann did what Davies had done all game

[Mercer]

I don't want to even mention the ref as it sounds like an excuse when in fact there is no excuses at all for tonight but he let Kevin Davies get away with whatever he wanted tonight it was ridiculous, then blew for a foul at the end when Dann did what Davies had done all game

Strange how views differ, I thought that he gave Rovers plenty for nowt whereas Bolton seemed hard done by on several occasions.

Definitely, a 'homer' and we were still dire.

[JAL]

I don't want to even mention the ref as it sounds like an excuse when in fact there is no excuses at all for tonight but he let Kevin Davies get away with whatever he wanted tonight it was ridiculous, then blew for a foul at the end when Dann did what Davies had done all game

Now we are clutching at straws. Davies simply outmuscled Grant Hanley many a time tonight.

[jim mk2]

SOARING EAGLES DELIGHTS FREEDMAN

By Dominic Farrell, Press Association Sport

Dougie Freedman hailed the contribution of Chris Eagles after the winger inspired Bolton to a 2-1 victory over Blackburn

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Former Burnley man Eagles silenced boos from the home crowd when he delicately played in Kevin Davies to open the scoring after 93 seconds.

The 27-year-old combined superbly with Jacob Butterfield and Lee Chung-Yong in a lively attacking midfield trio that led Rovers a merry dance in the first half.

Blackburn goalkeeper Paul Robinson thwarted Eagles from long range on a number of occasions but when the ex-England international turned his free-kick onto the post in the 61st minute Lee was on hand to make it 2-0.

Jordan Rhodes nodded home to reduce the arrears eight minutes from time but Freedman deserved the luxury of basking in Eagles' contribution when addressing the post-match press conference.

``He's been performing very well - let's not tell him that, knowing Chris,'' joked Freedman when asked about his star man, who is not knowingly low on confidence.

``He's a good guy, he's a fine football player who's still getting better.

``It's up to me and my staff to try and put on sessions that test them every day and he is one that's certainly responding to training every day.

``Of course he can get better, there's a lot more to come. He has huge potential.

``His apprenticeship was at Man United, he's played in the Premier League.

``There's a lot more to come from Chris Eagles and I don't mind telling him that.''

Bolton are unbeaten in six games under Freedman and the former Crystal Palace chief labelled tonight as their finest display since he succeeded Owen Coyle at the Reebok Stadium.

``That's been the best performance in terms of all-round performance,'' he said after seeing a run of four consecutive draws come to an end.

``I think we've actually played decent at Blackpool but I think as an all-round performance - defending very well at the end and our passing and moving, we played quite expansively with two wingers and I felt that we created opportunities.

``But I've been seeing it at the training ground. The lads have been working terrifically well, they've really responded to the methods.''

By contrast, opposite number Henning Berg appeared seething having taken in a second successive home defeat.

``To start the game like we did was very, very surprising, I must admit,'' he said.

``We're playing a local derby, we're playing against a team we played in the Premier League last season and we give them that much space.

``They played in front of us, they played in-between us, they played behind us, they scored a goal.

``For us to expect to win the game by starting that way is very frustrating, very surprising and nowhere near where we want to be.

``We have enough experience to know that when we start the way we do we give ourselves a mountain to climb and at the moment we're not good enough to get back into it.''

Rovers face further local hostilities when they make the short trip to face bitter rivals Burnley on Sunday and Berg is demanding a response from his player in a fixture he believes should be all the motivation they need.

``It can't be too difficult (to pick the players up), we're playing Burnley,'' he added.

``Everybody knows what that means for everybody - the fans, players, staff.

``If you can't pick yourself up for a game like that you shouldn't be in football.''