Haven't seen any of the game but listened to it on CCP. Initial reaction at the time was a great start to the game with some wobbly bits in between, followed by 3 points in the bag and into a playoff spot. Looking at things this morning I just wonder how good we had to be to beat a demoralised bottom table club by the odd goal in five. Apart from the fact that Sheff Wednesday aren't playing until today anyway and could well beat Derby, to get into that playoff spot we also had to rely on Birmingham, Ipswich and Reading losing their games - and they all duly obliged. At the risk of starting a verbal war on here, do the members of the panel see the result yesterday as clear evidence of our future direction in the table, or has it as much to do with the problems and results at other clubs?
I think both points have some merit. We are doing ok. Watt has added movement and energy that was a major issue before he arrived. Slade dropped Whits which in my world is progress. We sounded very comfortable before Bolton hit a wonder strike. We stuck at it and got the result at a real bogey ground for us. As for the other sides no one wins all the time in this league. If they do they walk the division. It's ****ing tough and there's rarely more than the odd goal separating sides. If we'd seen it out against Burnley we'd actual have a little gap down to 7th. I know you can play the what if game forever but we really did throw away 2 points last Saturday and certainly deserved to take all 3. I like the 11 that started against Bolton and we've got some winnable looking fixtures coming up this month. Our bench was very strong as well. Macheda couldn't even get on there! Radio Wales kept pointing out how we were 6th when leading and 11th when we weren't.... Sums it up I suppose but we're there or thereabouts. I think things might look even better by the time we get to January.
I really do think it is time for a bit of optimism. Let's be honest........ I know f*** all about football and blindly follow. (That's maybe why I enjoy being on here and learning something and have the crack). But we have , for years, done the usual thing of beating the good teams and losing at home to crap and giving away position and points. I'll take a loss to the better teams so long as we start to beat the rubbish. And maybe Slade is slowly learning or having the confidence to step outside the box a bit and experiment. Given we are still flirting with play-offs I'm happy and would like to think that we can slowly get into a better position and eventually climb to the dizzy heights once more. Yes! It's all illogical and based on nothing........but if ANYONE used logic they wouldn't follow football nor certainly ever buy a team and pour money into it.
I believe if Slade was replaced with a good replacement coming in and the new man was given the funds to sign 3 quality Championship players wed get automatic promotion. In reality we are going to keep Slade and lose players. Mid table for us. However we are 6th in a very average league. Its not impossible that we could make 6th spot and then anything can happen.
A crucial run of games coming next then. We play 3 of the four teams below us before Christmas. Feel we'll be able to tell if we're able contend for the playoffs at the end of that run.
A win's a win and that was important for confidence before 2 big home games. I agree that was possibly our best team apart from Peltier at rb and Fabio at left but Malone has not let us down recently. With Watt, Pilks and Noone we at last have some pace through the team. The bench now has some strength too if Slade knows how to employ it. With the Wendies drawing today we stay 6th and 6 points from the next 2 will cement our position. I'm not relying on that though. A little slither of hope maybe?
Manga needs to play or he'll be gone and that would be the loss of one of the few potential Prem quality players at the club. I often wonder how we'd have faired had Turner and Manga not been injured - they would probably have been Slade's preferred CB pairing at the start of the season. As it is, backups Morrison/Connolly have done pretty well up until recently, Connolly especially for me standing out. It seems to have gone a bit soft just now conceding 2 goals in each of the last three games, Derby, Burnley and now Bolton - to be honest Bolton have only got themselves to blame for not scoring at least another 2 or 3 on Saturday. Time for a change? I can't dislike Morro but I'd bring Manga in for him to provide more mobility back there and at the same time stick with Pilks instead of Whitts for now. It worked on Saturday with Watt making the whole setup in front of the back 4 far more fluid - Manga would do the same for that back line.
Winning by the odd goal in 5 at the bottom club; and there is now talk of play offs? Certainly a chance if they have a decent run this month, and if City get in some quality players in January, and maybe sign Watt full time but whilst 3 points is great, a narrow win does not totally convince. Changing Slade now would also be a bonus. How long has it taken him to work out that Whittingham is not what he was? Glass certainly half empty for me.
I think it has t For all Fabio's quality and he's been superb at times this season, Malone produces goals and assists. I really like him, hopefully Fabio can nail down the right back spot if Peltier is out for any length of time.
While Manga is a talented footballer, I'm not sure he is fully on board for the physical side - as Morrison is. Also, he is not the same goal threat at set pieces and, as we saw on a couple of occasions last season, he has errors in him too, which cost us goals. In addition, he is match rusty and can we afford 2 cb's who are comfortable on the ball and like to bring it out from the back. Great going forward but could leave us light in defence if not managed properly. I prefer an old fashioned nuts and bolts cb which Morrison certainly is and I like the balance of him and Connolly notwithstanding the 6 goals conceded in the last 3 games. Nevertheless, it is a problem worth having and hope Slade can make the right decision.
Morrison's set piece potential is not in doubt and if we are going to have to rely on that sort of method of scoring, he's a worthwile inclusion. The big difference is that we scored 3 goals from open play on Saturday and let 2 in the other end through poor closing down and defending. Don't get me wrong, I like Morro and he's very strong and effective when facing up field with the ball in front of him - it's when it gets behind him that's the problem. Manga is quicker to react and far more open to playing an effective ball out of defence to our midfield than Morro. Both have their merits but if the inclusion of Watt and Pilks can make the difference in the outfield play like Saturday, then Manga at the back with Connolly could see us start playing some very effective stuff for the full length of the pitch instead of relying on lumping it and set piece plays.
Cheers Dai, that's comforting to know. We all feel a lot better now. It's a truism that ranks alongside "you can only beat what's in front of you", but Bolton are bottom of the League for a reason, and that doesn't lie either.
Moaning about boring football, we get to see 11 goals in 3 games (albeit too many at the wrong end) and still people are not happy!!! I'd like to see Manga in for Morrison (Connolly deserves an extended run given the way he's played this season) and a fit Dikgacoi in for Gunner. That would get some go forward. I still think we have a lot of potential in the squad, just need to tease it out. Jury still out on whether we have the right man to do that. My glass is half and half!
