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The groans from the Macron crowd said it all as Wanderers toiled in possession against Derby County.
Two goals to the good in 21 minutes, Gary Rowett’s Rams seemed content thereafter to sit back, observe and pick off on the counter. Coupled with the Whites’ blunt lack of cunning in midfield, it made for a frustrating 70 minutes of football.
It was no easier in the dugout. Phil Parkinson’s attacking options may be restricted with Josh Vela and Sammy Ameobi side-lined but he was nevertheless disappointed with the lack of creativity his team had shown in the 2-1 defeat.
“We lost our way,” he shrugged. “They sat back in and let us have the ball. It was difficult because the crowd were getting frustrated with it but they did well, they were ready to soak it up.
“We didn’t have that inventiveness teams need, someone to unlock the door by going past someone or finding the killer pass.”
Questions were asked post-match about whether the 3-5-2 formation played a part in Wanderers’ downfall.
The shape which saw Parkinson’s side through to promotion in League One was carried through to the Championship, yet has looked more convincing away from home in stubborn draws at Millwall and Birmingham City than in home losses against Leeds, and now Derby.
“Defeat hurts,” Parkinson reasoned. “Everyone will have an opinion on what we need to do, but we’ll sit down as a staff and starting Tuesday make sure we’re ready to stay in the game better than we did there, give ourselves a chance.”
Parkinson has kept faith with Adam Armstrong up front ahead of Adam Le Fondre but switched the pair at half time with Wanderers trailing by two.
“It was just a tactical switch,” the manager explained. “He was excellent on Tuesday.
“Sometimes you’ll look back and think ‘shouldn’t have made the change’ but he’d played 65 at Birmingham and looked great in training. He just didn’t have that same spark. We needed Alfie’s experience on the pitch at that time when the going is tough.”
Derby boss Gary Rowett reckoned his side should have been completely out of sight before Gary Madine’s injury time effort gave the score-line a more flattering appearance.
Rowett, who was appointed at the iPro Stadium in March, believes the task would have been made easier had Mark Beevers been handed a red card for a professional foul on Johnny Russell midway through the second half.
Referee Stephen Martin opted to give a free kick on the edge of the box and issue a caution – but the Derby boss found other reason for cheer, not least the two-goal performance of striker David Nugent, who has nudged ahead of Chris Martin for a starting place.
“Nugent is a brilliant all round player in the Championship,” said Rowett. “Not only can he score goals but his work rate is tireless.
“To score two goals in the way we did was great. But we should have come in four or five nil up.
“The fact we didn’t made the game edgy in the second half. We started the second half a bit sloppily for five or 10 minutes and made a few poor decisions.
“That invited an opportunity for Bolton to get a bit of momentum. Luckily for us the goal wasn’t 10 minutes earlier.”
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Two goals to the good in 21 minutes, Gary Rowett’s Rams seemed content thereafter to sit back, observe and pick off on the counter. Coupled with the Whites’ blunt lack of cunning in midfield, it made for a frustrating 70 minutes of football.
It was no easier in the dugout. Phil Parkinson’s attacking options may be restricted with Josh Vela and Sammy Ameobi side-lined but he was nevertheless disappointed with the lack of creativity his team had shown in the 2-1 defeat.
“We lost our way,” he shrugged. “They sat back in and let us have the ball. It was difficult because the crowd were getting frustrated with it but they did well, they were ready to soak it up.
“We didn’t have that inventiveness teams need, someone to unlock the door by going past someone or finding the killer pass.”
Questions were asked post-match about whether the 3-5-2 formation played a part in Wanderers’ downfall.
The shape which saw Parkinson’s side through to promotion in League One was carried through to the Championship, yet has looked more convincing away from home in stubborn draws at Millwall and Birmingham City than in home losses against Leeds, and now Derby.
“Defeat hurts,” Parkinson reasoned. “Everyone will have an opinion on what we need to do, but we’ll sit down as a staff and starting Tuesday make sure we’re ready to stay in the game better than we did there, give ourselves a chance.”
Parkinson has kept faith with Adam Armstrong up front ahead of Adam Le Fondre but switched the pair at half time with Wanderers trailing by two.
“It was just a tactical switch,” the manager explained. “He was excellent on Tuesday.
“Sometimes you’ll look back and think ‘shouldn’t have made the change’ but he’d played 65 at Birmingham and looked great in training. He just didn’t have that same spark. We needed Alfie’s experience on the pitch at that time when the going is tough.”
Derby boss Gary Rowett reckoned his side should have been completely out of sight before Gary Madine’s injury time effort gave the score-line a more flattering appearance.
Rowett, who was appointed at the iPro Stadium in March, believes the task would have been made easier had Mark Beevers been handed a red card for a professional foul on Johnny Russell midway through the second half.
Referee Stephen Martin opted to give a free kick on the edge of the box and issue a caution – but the Derby boss found other reason for cheer, not least the two-goal performance of striker David Nugent, who has nudged ahead of Chris Martin for a starting place.
“Nugent is a brilliant all round player in the Championship,” said Rowett. “Not only can he score goals but his work rate is tireless.
“To score two goals in the way we did was great. But we should have come in four or five nil up.
“The fact we didn’t made the game edgy in the second half. We started the second half a bit sloppily for five or 10 minutes and made a few poor decisions.
“That invited an opportunity for Bolton to get a bit of momentum. Luckily for us the goal wasn’t 10 minutes earlier.”
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