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Matchday Thread Bolton Wanderers v PNE | 15.08.26 | KO:12:30pm | Championship

Matchday Thread Bolton Wanderers v PNE | 15.08.26 | KO:12:30pm | Championship

OB1 said:
Iversen - hopefully puts to bed the idea that he’s the best in the league. Butterfingers from the first cross, garbage for the first goal, tragic distribution. Not been the same since injury.
Pol - get him gone. One of the worst showings from a fullback since Ledson at Hull. Should’ve been pulled by 20 mins
Storey - somehow looks like he’s gotten slower. Totally gormless, had no idea where Dalby or McAtee were all game
Lindsay - usual. Totally lost for the first goal, typically useless in the box at the end with the two chances. But at least he scored in that dead rubber last year.
Hughes - garbage too. Spent more time kicking it in to touch and didn’t win a header against Stephenson despite being half a foot taller
Thompson - mastered the art of looking like he’s doing something whilst offering nothing. Another booking because he couldn’t control his head
McCann - terrible first game as captain. Lost the ball at every occasion for the first hour or so and a totally unnecessary yellow
Devine - only one of the starting XI to actually offer anything but wasted on the right
Lang - offered nothing. Not seeing anything that suggests he’s worth what we paid. Looks slow and weak
Burgzorg - another that was totally ineffective. Bullied by the much smaller Stephenson, didn’t seem to know where he was supposed to be, didn’t look like he had much pace either
Osmajic - striker offside 6 times should be a fine, and that’s before the unforgivable pass

Subs were the only bright sparks

Leroy - should’ve started. Best player on the pitch, can’t wait for that to be coached out of him
Offiah - totally shut down Gale and with it most of Bolton’s threat. Braindead decision not to start him.
Erabi - should’ve started based on last week, showed why again. Mobile, aggressive, aerial threat
Vuk - another assist from a cross
Small - looked lively but understandably rusty
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All 4 subs had a positive impact. Why were they not introduced earlier or even from the start in the case of Offiah, Leroy, Erabi. They and possibly Small should all start against Wolves instead of Storey, Thompson, Lang and Burgaus( sp). Also Gibson for Lindsay and Clarke for Valentin. McCann pretty ineffectual again and McConnell should perhaps replace him.
 
Perhaps I should be putting this on a Forum Technical Feedback thread.

Mods - I've tried pressing this button a dozen times - but it's not working. My memories of today's horror show are still completely clear. Please fix.

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norfolk white said:
It wouldn’t surprise me if Zedan is closely watching PH and how he performs, especially given the amount of money we are spending this transfer window which must be a record high. If PH does not impress as soon as the takeover happens Zedan will then get rid. However, if PH does start to get the lads playing very well together I think he will be given longer to impress.
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what upset me was how unapologetic Heckinbottom was
 
rich4pne said:
Didn't watch the whole game as I was too peed off at 2-0 down but the Sky report has us being pretty much completely outplayed.

Far from our best team (hopefully) I know but looking at their teamsheet they were eminently beatable so to lose to a team who are expected to struggle is a bit of a concern.
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The more pertinent question would be why wasn’t it our best team?! I’ve generally been reluctant to criticise PH but today’s selection was inviting the inevitable. Changes were also made far too late, as usual. A blind man could have noted that Pol was getting rinsed and should have been replaced after 30 minutes. Good managers don’t shy away from these decisions. Sadly, PH generally won’t make any subs until 60 minutes have elapsed (64 today) thus inevitably leaving less time to recover the deficit. His comments about seeming to “catch us cold” beggar belief. Any manager worth their salt would know that local rivals back in the same league for the first time for some years are going to come out of the blocks quick!

We need to see a very different eleven for Wolves or there’s a danger of it being a miserable start to the new campaign.
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He needs to go ...there is no excuse for that performance
 
Some baffling reactions and takes after that today.

PH got it wrong today, and it’s yet another mark against his name - but let’s look at it properly, instead of being lazy about it.

I’ve heard the quite funny remark that he’s been backed in this window - as if he’s been given a new team of players that should have turned it round. The reality however, is that he’s only got some of those players. Some of those player’s names have barely dried on the contract, so expecting us to be a new team at this point is lunacy.

He’s absolutely being backed, but the team is no where near complete and still not good enough.

We are absolutely in transition, and until it’s complete, this team will not be settled and operating at 100%. Fitness and patterns of play?…how on earth can we properly develop this without a squad in preseason that will be representative of the squad in the season?

Hopefully we are seeing ‘the future’ and ‘the past’ at a crossroads in terms of players. PH needs to react quickly or he will get potted.
 
Was at the game today in upper tier block G, just before half time an elderly chap fell and cracked his head against my seat. He was unconscious for what seemed an age and a lot of blood. Anyone any info, hope he was ok
 
I think, if we’re being rational… Today he fucked up with his team selection. Pol should never start over Offiah, and you could probably make the same case for Vuk over Hughes.

Thompson is terrible, and McCann (who I think has a spot in the side when we’re at our strongest.) cannot be relied on to be the footballing man in the middle of the park. HOWEVER.

I don’t think many managers were going to throw in the French man, who literally signed yesterday, doesn’t know a soul in the city of Preston and or the way teams in this league setup, play, etc. It’s a brand new environment. With that being said, he’s then lumped with a pretty mediocre squad still at this point.

We know now we’re in transition, we know there’s 3 or 4 (alleged) faces to come through the door, and that those faces will impact us finally playing the system Heckingbottom has said he’s wanted to play.

Calling for heads on a spike at this point, isn’t entirely dumbfounded, but I do think it’s a little too early. Let him get his men, have his squad and his side, and I’ll judge him from there.

Storey, Lindsay and unfortunately Hughes, who I think has been great for us, are absolutely spent forces if we are serious about transitioning. That Gibson red fucked things for us a fair bit as I think he would of started and automatically then it’s not as calamitous pre kick off, I know he’s not been great but his name on the team sheet still relaxed in comparison to those on there today.

We where shit, and he fucked up today with two definite mistakes from the off with Pol and Hughes, the other changes where never going to happen due to proximity imo.

I’m still very excited, and once the window shuts we’ll be a different side i’m sure of it.

Horrendous game to go into next, so I imagine there’ll be some serious complaints after that one but I’m happy to keep the faith until Christmas personally.
 
Tarkovsky said:
I think, if we’re being rational… Today he fucked up with his team selection. Pol should never start over Offiah, and you could probably make the same case for Vuk over Hughes.

Thompson is terrible, and McCann (who I think has a spot in the side when we’re at our strongest.) cannot be relied on to be the footballing man in the middle of the park. HOWEVER.

I don’t think many managers were going to throw in the French man, who literally signed yesterday, doesn’t know a soul in the city of Preston and or the way teams in this league setup, play, etc. It’s a brand new environment. With that being said, he’s then lumped with a pretty mediocre squad still at this point.

We know now we’re in transition, we know there’s 3 or 4 (alleged) faces to come through the door, and that those faces will impact us finally playing the system Heckingbottom has said he’s wanted to play.

Calling for heads on a spike at this point, isn’t entirely dumbfounded, but I do think it’s a little too early. Let him get his men, have his squad and his side, and I’ll judge him from there.

Storey, Lindsay and unfortunately Hughes, who I think has been great for us, are absolutely spent forces if we are serious about transitioning. That Gibson red fucked things for us a fair bit as I think he would of started and automatically then it’s not as calamitous pre kick off, I know he’s not been great but his name on the team sheet still relaxed in comparison to those on there today.

We where shit, and he fucked up today with two definite mistakes from the off with Pol and Hughes, the other changes where never going to happen due to proximity imo.

I’m still very excited, and once the window shuts we’ll be a different side i’m sure of it.

Horrendous game to go into next, so I imagine there’ll be some serious complaints after that one but I’m happy to keep the faith until Christmas personally.
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Far too tolerant, professional sport is a ruthless business and the results over his tenure are not good enough.
You point out 2 mistakes he made today but those are mistakes he has made before.
He could have started with the new guy from the start, no need for time to get used to our style of play because we don't really have one, unless hoof and chase is considered a style.
If I was the prospective new owner I would want him gone before committing extra funds.
 
One bad defeat, we never win opening matches, majority of our new players either didn't play or came on from bench. Judge after 10, I'm very positive about the season - the takeover gives us the hope and belief regardless of individual results.

Lots of be positive about. And I say that after finally arriving in Palma after a two hour flight delay and everlasting passport control muppetry.
 
StLedger's Halo said:
Agreed but for me i’m more concerned by how they got in for the initial shot that he saved. Its genuinely scary how fragile we look in behind with the lack of pace back there.
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Repeat after me - gotta change out Lindsay and Storey. First goal - Lindsay only started to run to the goal scoring opp after it had left Darby’s foot. 23 have suffered these muppets for 3 seasons now. Their standard was Div1 last year . It’s unsettling the whole team
 
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