Bolton 1-2 QPR

observer wrote:Our descent down the table begins... lose the easy game at home and now two much tougher games later this week!

I'm not so sure obs. Today was disappointing to be sure but I think with a fully fit squad to choose from (assuming Magennis has fully recovered in time for Boro) we might get five or six points out of the next four admittedly tough games. As I've just said to lusty 16 or 17 points from 33 wouldn't be a disaster would it?

We are better playing away games if Parky is so scared of attacking teams that he starts with 3 attacking players at home to QPR, one whom is a 4th Division striker making his debut. I know he went with 5 attackers the last 10 minutes, but do that from the start not when we are losing.
The home games are going to be awful this season if Parky won't be braver with his team selections
The 3 defensive midfielders he picked today will be more effective, or rather less bleeding shite, away from home when the emphasis in on the home team to attack us.
Anything off Middlesbrough is a huge ask either home or away but id rather be playing Ipswich on their ground than ours next Saturday.

Before the season started almost everyone here believed we'd be in the bottom 3 from the off and be there all season. Instead we've made a decent start and while I don't expect us to go up I do think the squad is much better than last year and we won't be in a relegation dog fight next May. I appreciate some games are going to be tough and the next two or three weeks are going to be among the toughest we'll face but I still feel optimistic that we'll get at least 5 points from the next 12. I think Doidge will adapt to this level and that Phil will use more attacking tactics as he and Magennis in particular 'gel'. In all honesty I see plenty of reason to believe we'll be OK this season and finish around mid table.

Report: Bolton Wanderers 1-2 Queens Park Rangers

Bolton Wanderers were defeated 2-1 by Queens Park Rangers at the University of Bolton Stadium on Saturday afternoon, with Josh Magennis getting the sole goal for the Whites in their latest outing.

Team News

Phil Parkinson made three changes to the starting line up from the Preston North End game a fortnight ago.

Craig Noone and Jonathan Grounds came in for Yanic Wildschut and Andy Taylor, with new signing Christian Doidge replacing Josh Magennis up top.

First Half

In the opening ten minutes, both sides had a fair share of possession with no key chances of note.

With 23 minutes gone, link-up play between Hoops players Rangel and Eze resulted with the wide man shooting from range, but his effort flew high and wide.

Wanderers went behind midway through the half, as Nahki Wells drilled a low cross to the front post for Luke Freeman to place past Ben Alnwick from close range.

Jordan Cousins came close for the R's almost straight from the restart, as his speculative strike nearly found the top right corner of the Bolton goal.

Sammy Ameobi was then forced off just after the half hour mark for Yanic Wildschut.

Wanderers came ever so close on the stroke of half-time to equalising, as Wildschut found an unmarked Craig Noone in the penalty area, but the winger's shot was inches from finding the back of Joe Lumley's net.

Second Half

Bolton came out in the second period with a point to prove, as a Gary O'Neil cross found the head of skipper David Wheater, but the towering centre-back's effort flew inches over the bar.

However, QPR doubled their lead ten minutes into the second half, as Luke Freeman's cross found Ebere Eze free in the area to rifle home from 12 yards.

On the hour mark, the Whites nearly found a goal through Mark Beevers as another O'Neil set piece found the centre-half but his glancing header was blocked in the area.

Dutchman Wildschut was a deflection away from bringing the Whites back into it, but the QPR defence flung bodies in the way to halt the flight of the ball.

But on the 69th minute mark, second half substitution Josh Magennis hit a low, thunderbolt of a freekick under the QPR wall and it was too much for Lumley to handle as it trickled into the back of the goal.

With ten minutes of the game remaining, full back Jonathan Grounds lay the ball to Olkowski, who unleashed a rocket goalwards but Lumley was equal to it, as he palmed it over the crossbar.

The Trotters were banging down the door for the equaliser, with a dangerous ball into the area finding substitute Erhun Oztumer, whose deflected effort produced a full length diving save from R's keeper Lumley.

Heading into added time and it was still Wanderers who looked the more likely to score, QPR's resilient defence saw them through to the final whistle.

Full Time

Wanderers XI: Alnwick, Lowe (Magennis 60), Beevers, Doidge, Ameobi (Wildschut 35), Noone, Olkowski, O'Neil, Williams, Grounds (Oztumer 82), Wheater (C)

Unused substitutes: Matthews, Vela, Hobbs, Wilson

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How did Doidge look on debut? Feedback from someone who saw the game, please!

Well that was a load of shite, I thoroughly regret choosing this game over the one at Victory Park.

To answer your question Keegan, Doidge was terrible. If ever a player looked out of his depth, it was him. Fair enough, it was his first game in the Championship, but fuck me, he'd better improve. And quick.

The defence was an utter shambles for the second game running. Grounds looks like a poor man's Taylor. And Taylor is a poor man's average defender. Wheater and Beevers looked like this was their first game playing together. Time to give Hobbs his chance.

Why oh why did we need three defensive midfielders at home to fucking QPR? It put us on the back foot from minute one. Parky has his good points, but setting up a team to win at home isn't one of them. How many times under Parky have we been undone by shit visitors because Parky refuses to attack teams? Too many is the fucking answer.

What was the point of signing Oztumer, lauding him as the next Messi, and then keeping him on the bench at home to fucking QPR? Parky had a chance to send out a statement, but his ultra defensive default setting is hurting us.

We were shit, but QPR were just as bad. We huffed and puffed for the last 15 minutes but it shouldn't take a 2-0 scoreline to spring us into action.

Poor game. Shit players. Shit team and tactics.

Parky out.

Doesn't look like I missed much.

Grounds is awful, does anyone have Moxey's number?

Totally out thought by the plank that is McClaren, 3 defensive midfielders, a debutant up front on his own, and less said about Grounds the better, what's happened to Marc Wilson, he MUST be a better option, Parkinson showing he knows no other way other than playing not to lose.

Really disappointing today, but the way we set up at home gives the opposition the initiative, Bristol City and Sheff Utd are both decent teams, QPR are a poor side however in Eze they had a really good playmaker.

Agree with all things said other than than Doidge in my opinion did ok, considering he was left on his own he should improve, we improved once Josh came on, but to little to late. A really bad week finished off with a bad performance.

wessy wrote:Really disappointing today, but the way we set up at home gives the opposition the initiative, Bristol City and Sheff Utd are both decent teams, QPR are a poor side however in Eze they had a really good playmaker.

Agree with all things said other than than Doidge in my opinion did ok, considering he was left on his own he should improve, we improved once Josh came on, but to little to late. A really bad week finished off with a bad performance.

Truer words have not been spoken.

Natasha Whittam wrote:Well that was a load of shite, I thoroughly regret choosing this game over the one at Victory Park.

To answer your question Keegan, Doidge was terrible. If ever a player looked out of his depth, it was him. Fair enough, it was his first game in the Championship, but fuck me, he'd better improve. And quick.

The defence was an utter shambles for the second game running. Grounds looks like a poor man's Taylor. And Taylor is a poor man's average defender. Wheater and Beevers looked like this was their first game playing together. Time to give Hobbs his chance.

Why oh why did we need three defensive midfielders at home to fucking QPR? It put us on the back foot from minute one. Parky has his good points, but setting up a team to win at home isn't one of them. How many times under Parky have we been undone by shit visitors because Parky refuses to attack teams? Too many is the fucking answer.

What was the point of signing Oztumer, lauding him as the next Messi, and then keeping him on the bench at home to fucking QPR? Parky had a chance to send out a statement, but his ultra defensive default setting is hurting us.

We were shit, but QPR were just as bad. We huffed and puffed for the last 15 minutes but it shouldn't take a 2-0 scoreline to spring us into action.

Poor game. Shit players. Shit team and tactics.

Parky out.

Yup, yup, yup and yup.  But it does get you off of BEL business today. Judging from our next few games, you may not be called upon for a few weeks... when we are firmly ensconced in the bottom 6 or 7.  As it stands now, we are only 6 points ahead of the relegation zone... and some were predicting top six!  Really!

Last year I excused Parky’s defensive mindset at home and put it down to lack of options - that’s no longer the case though he’s got Oztumer and needs to use him - how did he do when he came on?

Also wondering why Grounds is getting in over Wilson, hopefully that was his last chance for now. Sounded like Doidge had little to work with, and Magennis wasnt fit to start but we need to see a reaction next game cant slide into a bad run now.

I thought Doidge looked pretty lightweight in the first half, almost frightened to get involved.  Second half a little better, and could form a good partnership with Magennis in my opinion, after some more game time (acclimatisation).  Can someone tell me why Alnwick never  (or very rarely) throws the ball and prefers to hoof it.

The goals -

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It's disappointing that my worst fears about Grounds (post 25) and Doidge (posts 17 and 38) played out exactly as predicted. Grounds still hasn't shown anything to justify why Parky signed him but Doidge could form a useful partnership with Magennis if Parky ever gets round to playing them both together - but realistically can anyone see that happening unless we're trailing?

Couldn't be boithered posting on here last night as i was so pissed off with that awful performance. Nat's comments above are bang on. Why does every team look like Brazil when we play them? QPR aren't that great but passed it round our very static midfield with ease all afternoon.
It is too far too negative at home, play with 3 defensive midfielders away, that's fine but at home we have to look to take the game to the opposition.
Oztumer needs to be starting at home, we have no creativity in midfield at all with Lowe, O'Neill and Williams. I felt sorry for Doidge as he got no service at all.

As everyone has said Grounds is awful and makes Andy Taylor look like Roberto Carlos and it's time we dropped Beevers, Every ball he gets he just lumps crossfield to no one in particular and we lose possession. Surely Hobbs or Wilson deserve a game alongside Wheater?

Didn't see the possession stats but Parky seems to think we had more of the ball, i must have been at a different game! The only plus as usual is Olkowski, he is a class above, can we clone him by any chance?

I wish we had 2 strikers to play up front as a pair, but I doubt Magennis and Doidge will be good enough as a pair for the Championship.It would just make us weaker in other areas of the pitch
Allardyce had much of his success here playing one striker and i think that's what he would do with this squad.
The problem we've got is that Parky is  too negative in home games with his midfield selection.Playing only one striker there has to be more creativity in midfield.He has to pick Oztumer and two attacking wingers in his midfield 5 at home.He's still got room for two of the defensive midfielders he loves so much.
Playing 3 defensive midfielders in front of a back 4 at home to QPR is laughable really.I bet QPR's team and management couldn't believe the amount of respect Parky paid them by picking so many players designed to stop them playing!

I wasn't at the game on Saturday as I was abroad, but one thing that I've noticed and thought about watching the games last season and so far this- and that our players just don't seem fit enough compared to the opposition who seem not only tactically better equipped than ours but physically seem in better shape.
How did they look against QPR- sluggish as usual?