[Archived] Bolton V Rovers - 28/12/15

[Doug]

Not gonna comment too much on that performance as we all know it was bad but the transfer window opens soon thankfully.

The sooner we move Marshal to RB the better.

442 does not suit this batch of players as we always get dominated in midfield, a 451, 4231 may suit us better as we should have more of the ball.

Our forward line needs a complete overhaul.

Oh, and please spare a thought for us Rovers fans who live in Bolton

[Pedro]

Fans WERE blaming him today !

If you mean at the match, I can't comment. But you are coming on here insinuating people on here hate him - I just don't see that at all. Just people criticising him and saying he has to improve as he isn't offering enough.

[rigger]

Jordans record of goal scoring is always quoted. A record is history, we also need a future.

[ABBEY]

Today's result is now in the record books ? We ignore that ?

[Jimmy612]

I think Lambert has to take some blame for his recent comments about Marshall needing to score more goals. He does, but Marshall has taken that as shoot on sight, therefore reducing supply line to Rhodes.

Lots of talk that Rhodes doesn't get proper service or the right passes or the right partner etc but today he dawdled on a great chance which a couple of years ago he would have almost certainly have taken, and chose to blast it against a defender whilst totally ignoring Conway on his right in yards of space, in a much better position and with a virtual open goal at his mercy.

People really need to stop trying to defend the indefensible and treat every player's performance on his last game and not on last season or the season before. On recent evidence Rhodes is clearly our worst attacker or to put it another way the worst of a bad bunch.

[Husky]

Take your main striker off and concede. You get what you deserve. F all

[Dunnfc]

NO EXCUSES!!!

Worst game I've ever seen! Devoid of any ideas let alone the concept of passing a football. This mirrored a Steve Kean performance against Spurs. It was diabolical, self served tripe an utter turgid display and back downed to a Trotters side whom despite not being paid this week showed more desire and hunger to do something. Despite Bowyer being an utter clown at times i've not seen a Lambert team yet play better football. I don't mind long ball or physical play but it has to be effective, the percentages i.e set plays and long throw ins have to be effective. The way we set-up is like waving a white flag, he must tell the team to keep it tight for 60 and go for it. Rhodes is the best finisher in the league, not one bloody ball played into him. If i was Jordan i'd be asking for a transfer, utter utter rubbish.

The team looked despite an extra two day break .... p1ssed! no cohesion not even mentally let alone physically! Second to every ball, no 50-50's won. Absolutely poor. I saw Irvine trudge to give tactical advice on 50 minutes, what on earth did they say at HT? Memorized by such in coordination they couldn't keep the ball longer than 30 seconds throughout the game. Lawrence the sub hasn't in my eyes been too great but bringing on Delfouneso and remaining 4-4-2 when clearly out run via athleticism in the midfield five of Bolton was shambles, lad should of been on far earlier to give a link between midfield and forwards.

Prince and Wheater are equivalent to our Duffy and Hanley, giants and a colossus in the air, so at what point did we think over the ninety minutes to play the ball behind them and test there lack of pace? MoM was Prince!!!

Its like watching Michael Appleton again!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Shambolic.

Steele - What could he do? 6

Henley - It's men against boys or pretend gangster in this case. Run with the ball, put a decent cross in but nothing other than hesitation 4

Duffy - Clumsy but a last line of defense, whens he going to learn to head a ball on target at a corner? 6

Hanley - Feet on the pitch but head in the pub. 6

Olsson - Good goalsave but utterly lacking any sense of positioning what so ever, Spurr please!!! 5

Conway - Always wanting the ball, when played LW he looks for the overlap, he had nothing today from Henley. 6

Aaron Akpan - Nicknamed the axe 2 with my mates, can't pass, cant dribble with the ball, cant head only good thing is he gets his body in the way. 5

Guthrie - I Didn't realise he was playing till that shot on 21 mins, missed the line ups. No legs in a 4-4-2. 4

Marshall - Better than recent games, not good enough, where has that drive to get beyond the last man gone? 6

Koita- Best player till he went off, like a poor version of Paul Dickov. The ball hit his back when through on goal. 6

Rhodes- No service, not even scraps today. Poor lad, deserves so much better. 5

[Husky]

Take your main striker off and concede. You get what you deserv

e. F all

Tbh, he Was simply awful. The touch of Jack the ripper and the shot of a marshmallow boot laiden Andy Cole. And as we all know he already has the pace of David Goodwillie's great grandfather in lead boots.

[grizfoot]

Lots of talk that Rhodes doesn't get proper service or the right passes or the right partner etc but today he dawdled on a great chance which a couple of years ago he would have almost certainly have taken, and chose to blast it against a defender whilst totally ignoring Conway on his right in yards of space, in a much better position and with a virtual open goal at his mercy.

People really need to stop trying to defend the indefensible and treat every player's performance on his last game and not on last season or the season before. On recent evidence Rhodes is clearly our worst attacker or to put it another way the worst of a bad bunch.

If you are on about that chance in the first half, then it was a dreadful pass from Conway to Rhodes, he made a perfectly timed run and the pass from Conway should have been passed to him earlier and infront of him. But instead it was behind him and he had to check back to control the ball, he did that well and still managed to get a shot off that was heading goalwards but the Bolton defenders had a chance to get back and get a block in because the original pass from Conway was behind Rhodes instead of infront of him.

I agree Rhodes in general play has been poor in recent games (that's never been a strength of his though). But he did get two shots in the game today which very well might have been goals if not for good blocks from defenders. Already mentioned on here but you have to feel that Rhodes would have done a lot better with that chance at the near post that Lawrence got towards the end of the game as well had he still been on the pitch.

[Tyrone Shoelaces]

The only good thing about today for me was that it should reinforce Lamberts opinion that we have too many players who simply aren't good enough. In fact some of them are bottlers, probably the worst accusation that can be laid at a professional footballers door. I sensed in the first ten minutes that we weren't at it as Bolton looked a yard quicker, ran and tackled better than us. That tells me that the players attitude was questionable and maybe Lambert has to accept some blame here. It was the worst Rovers performance for me since the 4-0 defeat in Horwich a few years ago. This is a massive job and potentially any player could go. I am not a Rhodes hater but he is playing from memory at the moment. Marshall and Conway have contributed the arse end of nothing under Lambert. Henley once again looks like a rabbit caught in the headlights. The midfield two were out fought and lost out massively to their Bolton counterparts.

I saw the players warm up today and saw something really interesting. One of the last drills they do is to break off in pairs or small groups, each with a coach so Hanley and Duffy, Olsson and Henley etc. Rhodes, Marshall and Conway were doing shooting practice with Rob Kelly but Koita was near the half way line literally walking about. He broke into a half spring across the width of the pitch and walked again. I just couldn't understand why he wasn't involved with the other. It just didn't look right and maybe things are not as right as we thought at Ewood.

Signing " Bottlers " was a Bowyer speciality. I can't think of one player he's signed that is a fighter when the chips are down, just a lot of " soft lads ".

[chaddyrovers]

extremely poor performance.

we got what we deserved today. nothing at all.

we never got started all game.

Koita, Henley, Akpan, Guthrie, Rhodes were awful

Today's game highlighted showed what we lack to even be promotion contender and we have to give Lambert time to build HIS squad. We lack players with pace and I hope Lambert sort this out in the Transfer window.

I was pleased that Lambert said post match that the performance wasn't good enough. I hope Lambert shouted and told them straight that wasn't good enough for him, club and the fans

[allanncd]

PL reckons that Koita did well until he went off. That either shows how utter crap the others were or puts PL's judgment into severe question. He also admitted the team lacked "creativity" - so why did Lawrence not come on earlier as there were plenty of candidates for the hook such as the invisible Guthrie?

[jim mk2]

I see comparisons are being made between Lambert's style of play and that of Michael Appleton. It hadn't occurred to me before but those observations are valid - the "football" being served up at present is far worse than Bowyer's and is reminiscent of the scorched earth policies of Appleton which were devoid of any sort of entertainment and not even effective either. Lambert has it all to prove in my book - even allowing for the lack of talent in the squad. If the new manager has anything about him, we should be playing much better than this.

[chaddyrovers]

It was embarrassing, even the Rovers fans were quiet. Can't believe we took more than 2K looking at it on telly.

Major surgery is required -

they were over 3500 fans there today. Fans were in lower and upper tiers

I agree that Major surgery is required to this squad. hopefully 3 or 4 in January and the 4 or 5 in the summer.

I think this season is all about Lambert building his squad for the big promotion push next season. (hope it this season)

[thewarhurstward]

That was shocking and jejune bravado from a bunch of overpaid,underperforming invertebrate.

Totally spineless showing.

Sheer obduracy from Lambert, at this rate our Derby match next season will be at Accrongton Stanley.

I seriously and honestly think the second half of the season will be a struggle, no depth or quality in a very small squad.

May be an idea to try and poach Wheater, Clough, Moxey and Feeney from them lot in January.

Even Heskey would be worth a punt ?

Rhodes can go for me, he isn't suited to Lambert's style of play, the sooner he goes the better it is, team for a rethink and major rebuild.

I'm fearing the worst now.

[Dunnfc]

extremely poor performance.

we got what we deserved today. nothing at all.

we never got started all game.

Koita, Henley, Akpan, Guthrie, Rhodes were awful

Today's game highlighted showed what we lack to even be promotion contender and we have to give Lambert time to build HIS squad. We lack players with pace and I hope Lambert sort this out in the Transfer window.

I was pleased that Lambert said post match that the performance wasn't good enough. I hope Lambert shouted and told them straight that wasn't good enough for him, club and the fans

Dont blame the likes of Rhodes, its PL your'e mate.

Awful appointment. Time yet and i'l stick buy but as i said when he was appointed, i can't see it ending well.

Worst performance in years.

[Jock]

Souey would have tvvatted a few after that so called performance. He'd probably be able to take them on with one hand behind his back.

Total clear out for me. Bloody cowards

[G Somerset Rover]

Feeney? Heskey? Jesus wept. I know our squad is terrible but bloody hell. We've got enough dross who we'll struggle to get rid of.

As for writing off PL yet DunnFC, little premature don't you think? It's been a bang average start but give him time to bring in his own players before even contemplating such talk.

[thewarhurstward]

Feeney? Heskey? Jesus wept. I know our squad is terrible but bloody hell. We've got enough dross who we'll struggle to get rid of.

As for writing off PL yet DunnFC, little premature don't you think? It's been a bang average start but give him time to bring in his own players before even contemplating such talk.

I'm with Dunn here Gavlar, PL is a stubborn mule and has his favourites, time will prove this.

You enjoy the fantasy of Gavin and Stacey, you Rovers Fan.

Get a grip on reality son.

[Dunnfc]

Feeney? Heskey? Jesus wept. I know our squad is terrible but bloody hell. We've got enough dross who we'll struggle to get rid of.

As for writing off PL yet DunnFC, little premature don't you think? It's been a bang average start but give him time to bring in his own players before even contemplating such talk.

Gavlar!

Hope the xmas was a good one!?

Not writing him off, i didn't want him and i don't rate him so anything more is a bonus!!!!!!!! Eternal optimist!

You have to admit though this is turgid, i'd rather we kept Bowyer on with what I've seen thus far. No excuses for what has manifested itself to date, we've gone backwards even for those who endured enough of Gary "Give it a right go" Bowyer. I had to poke myself in the eye today to make sure it was still there!

Preston was heaven compared to today!

[G Somerset Rover]

I'm with Dunn here Gavlar, PL is a stubborn mule and has his favourites, time will prove this.

You enjoy the fantasy of Gavin and Stacey, you Rovers Fan.

Get a grip on reality son.

I'm a Rovers Fan? I'm most definitely a half cup full man when it comes to Rovers! It's absurd to write off PL yet. As I say, let him bring in his own men and then see how we fair.

Is this Saxo again?

[Dunnfc]

I'm a Rovers Fan? I'm most definitely a half cup full man when it comes to Rovers! It's absurd to write off PL yet. As I say, let him bring in his own men and then see how we fair.

Is this Saxo again?

You've a point with his own men, but as a bare minimum as a motivational position surely the hallmarks should be getting the best of what you've got until change can be action ed?

[thewarhurstward]

I'm a Rovers Fan? I'm most definitely a half cup full man when it comes to Rovers! It's absurd to write off PL yet. As I say, let him bring in his own men and then see how we fair.

Is this Saxo again?

Paxo more like due to the stuffings we will receive under PL.

I'd rather have Lambert and Butler in charge.

Enjoy your evening squire and the half cup offerings.

[rigger]

Today's result is now in the record books ? We ignore that ?

There is absolutely nothing that can be done to change todays result. Concentrate on the next game

[chaddyrovers]

Dont blame the likes of Rhodes, its PL your'e mate.

Awful appointment. Time yet and i'l stick buy but as i said when he was appointed, i can't see it ending well.

Worst performance in years.

Blame Lambert?

Nobody performance well today. everybody didn't performance.

I expected that Lambert will start to get rid of the players he wants out

I think you got to judge him next season at Christmas time. far too early to judge him

As for writing off PL yet DunnFC, little premature don't you think? It's been a bang average start but give him time to bring in his own players before even contemplating such talk.

Totally agree there. He have to give him time to bring in his players and play to his tactics