Felt we played pretty much the same as we did in recent victories, just this time we were playing a good team playing well. Bit of a reality check for anyone who thinks we could make a playoff charge as the difference in quality was significant.
I was pretty happy when I saw Bonne was starting as I thought the only chance we had was to stretch the defence with a quick front 3, but he just got dominated by probably the best centre back in the league. If the tactic was to play direct, why not start Leaburn?
I’m not getting too down after that. We’ve just won three on the bounce, and we were up against a quality side today who have been able to strengthen further in the window.
As Lancs and others have said, we showed plenty of fight today at least, and earlier in the season we might have lost that by more. Santos is arguably the best CB in League One, and they have plenty of other quality players.
Shame we can’t compete with teams like that financially. To get out of this league you probably have to. For me the playoffs are realistically out of reach, so building for next season is key.
I feel more depressed after that than I did watching any of the defeats a few weeks ago.
You really shouldn't.
Bolton well deserved this win. We showed spirit but we are a mid table team and Bolton are contenders. Not sure how they only won by one goal. The bizarre situation is a free kick that wasn't ( brilliant Free kick) and a Inniss error and for once AMB should've done a McGillivray and stayed close to line before charging towards Charles.
I picked up on Evattball two seasons ago and they had 24 shots at our goal as an away team is superb.
Be interesting to see the Players marks as opposed to the Barnsley home game as Barnsley couldn't score, plus Bolton are a much stronger side in my opinion. Rak Sakyi didn't deserve to be on the losing side but if he had taken that chance in front of goal then we may have mugged a draw.
Always gutted when we lose but it could have been a tennis score 1-6 so pleased at the effort from our players despite being short of the required level to challenge the top 6.
Every single decision made from now on should be made with the intention of us finishing top 6 next season. Got 19 matches to decide which players are good enough to be involved.
We were higher in the division than Bolton this time 12 months ago. Painful to see how far apart we are with them now. Hard to see them not being favourites come the start of next season if they don’t win play offs.
Can feel hard done by today. One of those games where both sides had their chances but we were victim to the odd goal in the end. I think a point wouldn't have been an unfair result for either side. Bolton are a very good side in good form and in a different season I think there would be fewer negative feelings about a match like that, reminded me of an 11/12 Powell match, with the difference being that we usually left those matches with the 3 points. We play some nice stuff and it's nice to see a team full of effort, pressing and some intricate play. In the end though Bolton just don't have the gaps we have. We had a debuting left back, a right back who is really just sticking plaster, a young CB who probably should have been swapped out for O'Connell today, a gap in the midfield in Albie despite his goal, and we're switching between a striker who is here on a 6 month deal and a teenager while Bolton can switch out the excellent Dion Charles for a £500,00 striker they just bought. Holden has done well to get what he has out of the team so far but it's frustrating to see the team just come up short against a team with more options and a whole 11 where you're not pointing at obvious gaps. Still frustrating though, that free kick being given for a dive puts us behind inside 4 minutes, but we still pushed and if JRS had taken his chance when he did we would have been 2-1 while in the ascendancy and there's no way we lose after that. Instead we lost our shape completely, Inniss had to come across to deal with a problem because his left centre back and left back were in no man's land which meant he wasn't set for the header and then AMB had a rush of blood where he should have left Clare to deal with the attacker and stayed in his goal to make Charles work. It's not going to happen for us this season but fingers crossed for a takeover and some ability to plug these gaps in the squad,
I really can't believe that anyone else is going to come on here and say we were hard done by today.
We could easily have lost that 4 or 5 -1. And even if rak-sakyi had scored, I would have had a bet on Bolton scoring again.
Not really though. They scored an absolute worldy off a dodgy free kick, then they had a great chance that AMB saved well, which is his job. They really could have scored off another strike from Morley and it couldn't have been much closer but other than that their chances were matched with some great blocks and some decent saves by AMB. We scored a really well worked goal, which the keeper could have done better with but we had some good other chances too; JRS absolutely should have scored, and he had another great effort saved as well. Fraser got his pass wrong when he had a great chance in the first half and CBT wasted some early openings where we could have got at them. We went through phases of being on top and we didn't take our chances, and in the end Bolton capitalised on a defensive mistake. The big difference is the quality of the chances they created was greater than ours, which comes from being a better side with better players, but it's a nonsense to say it could have been 5-1. If you stack up every chance the opposition has across a game and remove things like your good defending, while you discount your own chances then every game can end like that. We could have also won that game 3-1 based on chances created but I think Bolton would have been robbed. We played quite well overall and played very well in patches. Fine margins
We are definitely trying under Holden but there’s a real gulf in class to the top teams in the league. I thought Penney looked very poor so we have to hope he improves. Thought subs were too late and can only assume Sess is injured still.
A horrible team Bolton and I hope they don’t go up. What I’d give for the likes of Adeboyega or Charles in our team.
Every single decision made from now on should be made with the intention of us finishing top 6 next season. Got 19 matches to decide which players are good enough to be involved.
We were higher in the division than Bolton this time 12 months ago. Painful to see how far apart we are with them now. Hard to see them not being favourites come the start of next season if they don’t win play offs.
It's not going to be a very long list.
Good enough to start: AMB, Wollacott, O'Connell, Ness, Egbo, Dobson, Fraser, CBT, Leaburn.
Totally outclassed. Any suggestion of playoffs can be put to bed. Fair play for staying in the game but Bolton had so much quality in the final third, popping it about, we are miles away from doing that. Mid table mediocracy it is.
We lost,...ok Thing is we gave it a real go second half, and if JRS had got some real contact on his chance on the six yard line, we could have gone on to at least draw if not win the game, we weren't brave enough first half that was clear enough, anyway, Bolton are there and into the playoffs, we are trying to climb the table, Exeter next week and we go again. One thing is I am really impressed with Dean and another good post match interview where he is clearly unhappy, but doesn't pick players out to slag off, he is like the rest of us waiting for the takeover, if it is to happen, to bring some much needed stability into the club..God we need that and deserve it certainly..
We definitely need to tighten up. Bolton had 24 shots today, and in the last game (despite us winning), Barnsley had 23 shots and 11 corners to 0.
If you're giving up 47 shots in 2 home games, you're generally going to struggle.
O'Connell needs to come back in and I'd probably start Sess instead of Clare.
Yeah, the fact we've not been able to field two full-strength full-backs this season other than a couple of blessed games of Sess and Egbo has been maybe even more frustrating than our striker situation
To make the play offs, we have to be better than Bolton.
We're not. The lads tried but we just aren't good enough.
No complaints with the players. The owner and how the club operates, yes. The manager is getting an honest shift from a slightly better than average League 1 side.
You think Bolton are only the 6th best team in this division?
The slightly scary thing is that they're probably the 5th best team in the division, with just Plymouth, Wednesday, Ipswich and Derby ahead of them
If we're to make the playoffs, which is unlikely I'd admit, 6th is the only place to target.
To make the play offs, we have to be better than Bolton.
We're not. The lads tried but we just aren't good enough.
No complaints with the players. The owner and how the club operates, yes. The manager is getting an honest shift from a slightly better than average League 1 side.
You think Bolton are only the 6th best team in this division?
The slightly scary thing is that they're probably the 5th best team in the division, with just Plymouth, Wednesday, Ipswich and Derby ahead of them
If we're to make the playoffs, which is unlikely I'd admit, 6th is the only place to target.
Plymouth might be where they are but how - HOW - are they better than Bolton. You can't convince me it's not the falsest position of all time. Offence to Plymouth and their fans intended
Holden has done well to make us semi competitive. But it’s the same old same old. Until the club is on a solid footing behind the scenes the team will forever feel less than solid.
Agree. First one I’ve been able to watch for a while as not going to the games at the moment and as this was on Sky, went to my local to watch it.
Bolton were the better team. For me, they looked a solid outfit and are up there for a reason.
Holden has done well since he’s been here and I think he’s steadied the ship. We don’t know if that will last, but in the first instance, I think he’s more clued up than Garner from what I’ve seen.
The positives for me is that neither Stockley or Kirk were on the bench today, which would suggest he’s worked out they’re not good enough and there’s no future here for them.
The reality is as you say, the club needs to be on a solid footing to progress, or by some stroke of luck, Holden needs to be able to replicate what Bowyer did to get us up in 18/19, which against a backdrop of uncertainty is going to be a challenge
Despite Morgan’s goal, we need better than him, CBT, Payne, Inniss if we’re to get out of this league. Until we have an improvement on those types of players, we’re in league one for a while yet
Pissed of with the standard of the officials at this level every bloody week .. there first goal was a joke never a free kick overall our performance was again pretty good we battled well and again Saki misses a great chance how many points as he cost us ?
Then one error and it’s 1-2 from nothing , but we deserved a share of the points today ..
we were getting overrun in mid especially first half our 3 up against 5 made it very difficult down the flanks at times Clare had 3 men around him ..really surprised at ht we did not match up and go 352 .. which we did finally in the second half .
Typical Bolton game like over previous years always pushing the rules , fouls and time wasting …. The keeper gets warned on 61 mins for time wasting .. then continues to get warned all the way up to 95 mins when he gets booked .. trouble is the officials fell for their tactics .
Well done to the boys .. real battle gave everything .
To make the play offs, we have to be better than Bolton.
We're not. The lads tried but we just aren't good enough.
No complaints with the players. The owner and how the club operates, yes. The manager is getting an honest shift from a slightly better than average League 1 side.
You think Bolton are only the 6th best team in this division?
The slightly scary thing is that they're probably the 5th best team in the division, with just Plymouth, Wednesday, Ipswich and Derby ahead of them
If we're to make the playoffs, which is unlikely I'd admit, 6th is the only place to target.
Plymouth might be where they are but how - HOW - are they better than Bolton. You can't convince me it's not the falsest position of all time. Offence to Plymouth and their fans intended
Plymouth are evidence that you dont need to the best group of players in the League... You need have the best squad both on and off the pitch
Yes there were individual errors, but something seriously wrong with the team to allow Bolton that much space and that many shots.
433 with 2 attacking wide players who aren't good defensively does leave your defence vulnerable down the flanks, plus our defending as a team seemed quite passive, letting their attackers have far too much time to pass the ball forward. Then Inniss had a rick which cost a goal, while Ness had a rick which Inniss covered...
And up front I thought Bonne did ok, but him CBT and JRS didn't seem on the same wavelength. Ditto Bonne and Leaburn when he came on
We definitely need to tighten up. Bolton had 24 shots today, and in the last game (despite us winning), Barnsley had 23 shots and 11 corners to 0.
If you're giving up 47 shots in 2 home games, you're generally going to struggle.
O'Connell needs to come back in and I'd probably start Sess instead of Clare.
Yeah, the fact we've not been able to field two full-strength full-backs this season other than a couple of blessed games of Sess and Egbo has been maybe even more frustrating than our striker situation
Spot on, people always talk about strikers but we haven't actually struggled to score goals. As it stands with the current games going on, we're the 6th highest scorers in the division. Only the top 3, Peterborough and Bristol Rovers have scored more.
The defence is our issue and the lack of 2 decent attacking full backs playing together consistently has killed us. You only need to look at how Chelsea struggle without Chilwell and James to see how vital having good full backs are to a side. Possibly 2 of the most important positions in a team. Sess and Egbo fit all season, you'd have seen a different Charlton i'm sure.
Holden has done well to make us semi competitive. But it’s the same old same old. Until the club is on a solid footing behind the scenes the team will forever feel less than solid.
Agree. First one I’ve been able to watch for a while as not going to the games at the moment and as this was on Sky, went to my local to watch it.
Bolton were the better team. For me, they looked a solid outfit and are up there for a reason.
Holden has done well since he’s been here and I think he’s steadied the ship. We don’t know if that will last, but in the first instance, I think he’s more clued up than Garner from what I’ve seen.
The positives for me is that neither Stockley or Kirk were on the bench today, which would suggest he’s worked out they’re not good enough and there’s no future here for them.
The reality is as you say, the club needs to be on a solid footing to progress, or by some stroke of luck, Holden needs to be able to replicate what Bowyer did to get us up in 18/19, which against a backdrop of uncertainty is going to be a challenge
Despite Morgan’s goal, we need better than him, CBT, Payne, Inniss if we’re to get out of this league. Until we have an improvement on those types of players, we’re in league one for a while yet
Every single decision made from now on should be made with the intention of us finishing top 6 next season. Got 19 matches to decide which players are good enough to be involved.
We were higher in the division than Bolton this time 12 months ago. Painful to see how far apart we are with them now. Hard to see them not being favourites come the start of next season if they don’t win play offs.
It's not going to be a very long list.
Good enough to start: AMB, Wollacott, O'Connell, Ness, Egbo, Dobson, Fraser, CBT, Leaburn.
Keep as squad players: Inniss, Morgan, Clare
Would probably say even that list is too long. We're miles off a playoff side and we have to be ruthless
Bolton were the best team seen down at The Valley this season. That match would not have looked out of place in The Championship. Fine margins but we are not good enough yet. The pitch is not helping us - looked ok at kickoff but quickly showed that it’s not that good.
To make the play offs, we have to be better than Bolton.
We're not. The lads tried but we just aren't good enough.
No complaints with the players. The owner and how the club operates, yes. The manager is getting an honest shift from a slightly better than average League 1 side.
You think Bolton are only the 6th best team in this division?
The slightly scary thing is that they're probably the 5th best team in the division, with just Plymouth, Wednesday, Ipswich and Derby ahead of them
If we're to make the playoffs, which is unlikely I'd admit, 6th is the only place to target.
Plymouth might be where they are but how - HOW - are they better than Bolton. You can't convince me it's not the falsest position of all time. Offence to Plymouth and their fans intended
Momentum, team work, every player knowing their role etc all go a long way.
You wouldn't say that Newcastle are a better team than Man Utd or Liverpool but if a side is that well drilled and get on a roll, they can be very hard to stop.
They looked awful at the Valley but 18 wins in 28 and top as we go into February, their position can't be that false. They're there for a reason.
Comments
I was pretty happy when I saw Bonne was starting as I thought the only chance we had was to stretch the defence with a quick front 3, but he just got dominated by probably the best centre back in the league. If the tactic was to play direct, why not start Leaburn?
Santos is arguably the best CB in League One, and they have plenty of other quality players.
For me the playoffs are realistically out of reach, so building for next season is key.
You really shouldn't.
Bolton well deserved this win.
We showed spirit but we are a mid table team and Bolton are contenders.
Not sure how they only won by one goal.
The bizarre situation is a free kick that wasn't ( brilliant Free kick) and a Inniss error and for once AMB should've done a McGillivray and stayed close to line before charging towards Charles.
I picked up on Evattball two seasons ago and they had 24 shots at our goal as an away team is superb.
Be interesting to see the Players marks as opposed to the Barnsley home game as Barnsley couldn't score, plus Bolton are a much stronger side in my opinion. Rak Sakyi didn't deserve to be on the losing side but if he had taken that chance in front of goal then we may have mugged a draw.
Always gutted when we lose but it could have been a tennis score 1-6 so pleased at the effort from our players despite being short of the required level to challenge the top 6.
We were higher in the division than Bolton this time 12 months ago. Painful to see how far apart we are with them now. Hard to see them not being favourites come the start of next season if they don’t win play offs.
Much better second half, we seemed a bit stunned by them in the first.
A silly gift gave them the winner.
It just shows exactly where we are.
I just hope Holden stays, I really do. I’m prepared for my heart to be broken again.
I’m struggling to see why on earth Bolton have signed Jerome though 😳🫣🤷♀️🤣🤣
Bolton were better so it was a dreadful result for us.
Still not clear of relegation.
We weren’t humiliated so that’s a bonus.
If you're giving up 47 shots in 2 home games, you're generally going to struggle.
O'Connell needs to come back in and I'd probably start Sess instead of Clare.
Better than us on and off the pitch.
Don't feel too bad about this one. We are where we are, anyone talking play offs is on some strong meds...
Takeover? Take on, more like.
Good enough to start: AMB, Wollacott, O'Connell, Ness, Egbo, Dobson, Fraser, CBT, Leaburn.
Keep as squad players: Inniss, Morgan, Clare
Thing is we gave it a real go second half, and if JRS had got some real contact on his chance on the six yard line, we could have gone on to at least draw if not win the game, we weren't brave enough first half that was clear enough, anyway, Bolton are there and into the playoffs, we are trying to climb the table, Exeter next week and we go again.
One thing is I am really impressed with Dean and another good post match interview where he is clearly unhappy, but doesn't pick players out to slag off, he is like the rest of us waiting for the takeover, if it is to happen, to bring some much needed stability into the club..God we need that and deserve it certainly..
Today we just had 2 fit strikers. That strategy wont get you promoted.
If we're to make the playoffs, which is unlikely I'd admit, 6th is the only place to target.
Bolton were the better team. For me, they looked a solid outfit and are up there for a reason.
The positives for me is that neither Stockley or Kirk were on the bench today, which would suggest he’s worked out they’re not good enough and there’s no future here for them.
The reality is as you say, the club needs to be on a solid footing to progress, or by some stroke of luck, Holden needs to be able to replicate what Bowyer did to get us up in 18/19, which against a backdrop of uncertainty is going to be a challenge
Despite Morgan’s goal, we need better than him, CBT, Payne, Inniss if we’re to get out of this league. Until we have an improvement on those types of players, we’re in league one for a while yet
433 with 2 attacking wide players who aren't good defensively does leave your defence vulnerable down the flanks, plus our defending as a team seemed quite passive, letting their attackers have far too much time to pass the ball forward. Then Inniss had a rick which cost a goal, while Ness had a rick which Inniss covered...
And up front I thought Bonne did ok, but him CBT and JRS didn't seem on the same wavelength. Ditto Bonne and Leaburn when he came on
Plenty of work for Dean this week.
The defence is our issue and the lack of 2 decent attacking full backs playing together consistently has killed us. You only need to look at how Chelsea struggle without Chilwell and James to see how vital having good full backs are to a side. Possibly 2 of the most important positions in a team. Sess and Egbo fit all season, you'd have seen a different Charlton i'm sure.
You wouldn't say that Newcastle are a better team than Man Utd or Liverpool but if a side is that well drilled and get on a roll, they can be very hard to stop.
They looked awful at the Valley but 18 wins in 28 and top as we go into February, their position can't be that false. They're there for a reason.