Bolton Wanderers v Aston Villa Post-Match Thread

[cheltenhamlion]

You can't defend like that and miss those sort of chances and expect a win.

[sfx412]

Teams rarely win anything with kids a fact proved by the poor start to the season, the cup exits and yesterdays game. I've seen people blaming Friedel, zonal marking, all sorts but in the end Bakers poor marking of Cahill cost us 2 goals. As it was only his 2nd PL game I don't blame him.
Like others of the reserve side he lacks the necessary experience to cope with the likes of a PL game.
I doubt dunne, cuellar or collins would have allowed so much room on 3 occasions.

[Percy McCarthy]

I've seen people blaming Friedel, zonal marking, all sorts

Oh God.

[ROBBO]

We've blamed everyone else so why not him Percy.

[koreanmeatballs]

Teams rarely win anything with kids a fact proved by the poor start to the season, the cup exits and yesterdays game. I've seen people blaming Friedel, zonal marking, all sorts but in the end Bakers poor marking of Cahill cost us 2 goals. As it was only his 2nd PL game I don't blame him.
Like others of the reserve side he lacks the necessary experience to cope with the likes of a PL game.
I doubt dunne, cuellar or collins would have allowed so much room on 3 occasions.

 

...but they have though haven't they and have done for the whole of the season. Have you seen the amount conceded this season? Have you seen which team has conceded the most from corners?

Let's not be daft this terrible defending isn't a one off, it's been happening all season. Something needs to change with the coaching, Dunne/Collins/Carlos have already proved this season that having them on the pitch doesn't really have much impact on the standard of defending defending - we're still shit at it.

Them playing yesterday would have very likely made sweet f.a. difference.

[villa1]

His record at pens is good, inevitably eventually he will miss one. I don't think he deserves stick for it.

Today, though, I did find myself wondering why Barry didn't take it.

If I remember rightly, he was off the pitch at the time?

[john e]

You can't defend like that and miss those sort of chances and expect a win.

also up the other end, you cant keep missing sitters [Bent, Downing] and expect to win

Edit,  just noticed you already said that, so take no notice of me

[Rip Van We Go Again]

Let's be clear, ash scoring the pen would have won the game. But he didnt lose the game, it was shit marking that did that.

Disagree.
I still think they'd have got it back to 3-3.
The utterly shit defending is going to cost us our Premier League place.

Unless Houllier can somehow fix it.

[TimTheVillain]

Let's be clear, ash scoring the pen would have won the game. But he didnt lose the game, it was shit marking that did that.

Disagree.
I still think they'd have got it back to 3-3.
The utterly shit defending is going to cost us our Premier League place.

Unless Houllier can somehow fix it.

Can't see Houllier at the back myself.

Seriously, we had 3 central defenders out, so it was very much a makeshift defence, and man, did it look it.

At least we're creating chances - Albrighton's crosses yesterday were a centre forwards wet dream.

NRC played well too, but after a night's sleep, I am encouraged ( and I'm not easily pleased).

Friedel is on his last season too - he's not agile enough these days and doesn't come off his line.

So, this is my wish list:-

1) Scraping up by the skin of our teeth
2) Replacing the Manager as soon as the season ends
3) Re-engineering the squad

These are the 3 core things I see as where our club is at the moment.

 

[Rip Van We Go Again]

Let's be clear, ash scoring the pen would have won the game. But he didnt lose the game, it was shit marking that did that.

Disagree.
I still think they'd have got it back to 3-3.
The utterly shit defending is going to cost us our Premier League place.

Unless Houllier can somehow fix it.

Can't see Houllier at the back myself.

Seriously, we had 3 central defenders out, so it was very much a makeshift defence, and man, did it look it.


 

But even with our first choice defenders we've defended like amateurs.

[Percy McCarthy]

Let's be clear, ash scoring the pen would have won the game. But he didnt lose the game, it was shit marking that did that.

Disagree.
I still think they'd have got it back to 3-3.
The utterly shit defending is going to cost us our Premier League place.

Unless Houllier can somehow fix it.

Us missing the pen gave them a massive boost though. Had it gone in it might have knocked the stuffing out of them a bit.

This one game in isolation, in spite of the result, was quite promising. Good going forward, and midfield seems to have sorted itself out, with any two from NRC, Makoun and Delph to play from now until the end of the season. Walker looks better with every game, and to be fair, the defenders who would be playing when fit have improved since the (first) shambles at Man City. I was probably the most pessimistic poster on here after that game, but as long as Bent, Young, Downing and Albrighton keep playing with confidence from now on I can see us staying up. After that, I'd give Houllier another go, but I'd hope he can get this Berges (sp?) bloke to join him to coach a bit of steel into them. Apparently, the timing was wrong before, maybe he'll be prepared to join in the summer. This team with a solid, well-organised defence and keeper behind them could be contenders. We've just got to limp over the line. Easy to say I know.

[WikiVilla]

Re: penalty taking, I always try and chip mine in ala Dwight Yorke Sheff Utd
Re: central defenders, Clark out now for wolves! Collins should be back, dunne out, when is Carlos back ?

[pauliewalnuts]

Re: penalty taking, I always try and chip mine in ala Dwight Yorke Sheff Utd
Re: central defenders, Clark out now for wolves! Collins should be back, dunne out, when is Carlos back ?

I hit mine weakly and down the middle in fifa 11

[ozzjim]

Cuellar and Collins are fit for Wolves apparently. We can say a million things about the defense, but since the turn of the year they have been a bit better and I genuinely don't think we would have conceded 3 yesterday with Collins and Cuellar in there as they are both good in the air, something neither Clark or Baker can claim and something you desperately need away at Bolton. Wolves is a big game, but as Percy rightly says, going forward we have enough to beat them, and at the back 2 big experienced defenders coming in, probably with Clark or Luke Young even at left back will make us more solid. The side is taking shape and when we survive, I would certainly back GH to replace Young and Walker more effectively than most will seeing who he has got in so far.

[CJ]

Re: penalty taking, I always try and chip mine in ala Dwight Yorke Sheff Utd
Re: central defenders, Clark out now for wolves! Collins should be back, dunne out, when is Carlos back ?

According to Physioroom Carlos is back 19th March. Having said that it also says Luke Young is back 19th March, and he played yesterday. Collins isn't even on there as injured.

So not much of a guide really.