Home
After the week from hell, it was no wonder that Bolton’s players filed out sheepishly up the stairs from the dressing rooms to board the team bus on Saturday afternoon.
This had been an opportunity to show that despite the off-the-field problems faced by the club, there was reason for some optimism on it.
But too few of Neil Lennon’s players grasped the nettle, collapsing instead in an all-too-familiar fashion during the first half to leave themselves with too much to do after the break.
Beaten by a brittle and influent Reading side, it was left to Shola Ameobi to face up to the press on what has been a trying week for all involved at Wanderers.
The former Newcastle United star spoke eloquently and responsibly about the pressures that had been put on the squad and why they owe it to the supporters to get results.
"Outside of the field – it's playing on players' minds,” said the 34-year-old striker, whose own future must be up in the air given that his contract only runs until January.
"But once you go on the field you can't use it as an excuse. And in no way would we.
"We need to start picking up points because that's essentially the only thing we can do to help the club sustain where they are now.
“Every time that shirt is put on you’ve got a responsibility to the football club and I think the only way we can affect anything is on the pitch.
“We are aware of where the club is at right now and we’re trying not to let that affect us on the pitch that much.
“We’re professional footballers and we’re being asked to go out there and win games. We’d be doing ourselves a disservice if we didn’t do that.”
It had been such a familiar story at the Madejski Stadium: Early chances missed followed by a lapse in concentration in defence.
Reading’s unwillingness to press home their advantage rather than Wanderers’ own determination that got them back into the game.
But few could deny it was the brilliance of a former Whites favourite, Ali Al-Habsi, in those early stages of the game that made all the difference on the day.
"It's frustrating when you come away and play that well for 30 minutes and create chances - it's devastating when you concede like that. It knocks the stuffing out of you,” Ameobi admitted.
"Al-Habsi was brilliant. It's the old story, goals change games. We had three or four chances and couple we should have scored. It's indicative of where we are right now; we're playing well and not getting results but we need to trust what we are doing and that it will turn.”
One win in 17 this season could be stretched out to one in 22 if you take into consideration the end of the previous campaign.
Ameobi admits the brittle confidence at Wanderers made it difficult to respond once they went a goal down.
"Heads go down too easily,” he said. “Essentially it's been going on for so long, it takes its toll. We are all fighting in there.
"Goals will affect anyone it's just the way you bounce back - and that's the disappointing thing because we didn't react. I know the manager is disappointed in that too.
"It's not a lack of fight, it's not that we didn't try, we kept going. We got a goal back and made it an interesting last 10 minutes.”
Source
This had been an opportunity to show that despite the off-the-field problems faced by the club, there was reason for some optimism on it.
But too few of Neil Lennon’s players grasped the nettle, collapsing instead in an all-too-familiar fashion during the first half to leave themselves with too much to do after the break.
Beaten by a brittle and influent Reading side, it was left to Shola Ameobi to face up to the press on what has been a trying week for all involved at Wanderers.
The former Newcastle United star spoke eloquently and responsibly about the pressures that had been put on the squad and why they owe it to the supporters to get results.
"Outside of the field – it's playing on players' minds,” said the 34-year-old striker, whose own future must be up in the air given that his contract only runs until January.
"But once you go on the field you can't use it as an excuse. And in no way would we.
"We need to start picking up points because that's essentially the only thing we can do to help the club sustain where they are now.
“Every time that shirt is put on you’ve got a responsibility to the football club and I think the only way we can affect anything is on the pitch.
“We are aware of where the club is at right now and we’re trying not to let that affect us on the pitch that much.
“We’re professional footballers and we’re being asked to go out there and win games. We’d be doing ourselves a disservice if we didn’t do that.”
It had been such a familiar story at the Madejski Stadium: Early chances missed followed by a lapse in concentration in defence.
Reading’s unwillingness to press home their advantage rather than Wanderers’ own determination that got them back into the game.
But few could deny it was the brilliance of a former Whites favourite, Ali Al-Habsi, in those early stages of the game that made all the difference on the day.
"It's frustrating when you come away and play that well for 30 minutes and create chances - it's devastating when you concede like that. It knocks the stuffing out of you,” Ameobi admitted.
"Al-Habsi was brilliant. It's the old story, goals change games. We had three or four chances and couple we should have scored. It's indicative of where we are right now; we're playing well and not getting results but we need to trust what we are doing and that it will turn.”
One win in 17 this season could be stretched out to one in 22 if you take into consideration the end of the previous campaign.
Ameobi admits the brittle confidence at Wanderers made it difficult to respond once they went a goal down.
"Heads go down too easily,” he said. “Essentially it's been going on for so long, it takes its toll. We are all fighting in there.
"Goals will affect anyone it's just the way you bounce back - and that's the disappointing thing because we didn't react. I know the manager is disappointed in that too.
"It's not a lack of fight, it's not that we didn't try, we kept going. We got a goal back and made it an interesting last 10 minutes.”
Source
