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QUITE why Wanderers look so petrified to play football away from their own doorstep when they can bank on such fantastic support is a mystery – but one Phil Parkinson must solve if his side are to survive in the Championship.
Once Mark Little was sent off for a two-footed lunge on Massimo Luongo eight minutes into the second half at Loftus Road, a point was all Bolton could really hope for. But prior to the full-back’s moment of madness, it was hard to fathom why a draw was all they were aiming at.
Travelling fans sang on regardless. Their backing looked at one stage as if it would inspire the 10-men to hold out.
It was not to be, however, as QPR eventually bludgeoned their way through for two goals in the last 18 minutes, prompting yet another away-day autopsy.
The enduring memory of Wanderers’ solitary away win at Sheffield United in December was that their gritty defending had been matched by a willingness to break forward. The Whites actually managed just five shots at goal – but ask anyone who was at Bramall Lane that day and they will swear their team gave as good as they got.
In two successive defeats at Cardiff and QPR Parkinson’s side have shown little enterprise. Yes, they went mighty close with two set pieces on Saturday, headed goalwards by Derik Osede and David Wheater, but in open play there was very little to admire.
Having proved at the Macron against Bristol City and Fulham they can cope without Gary Madine, their performances on the road suggest otherwise.
Tyler Walker worked tirelessly on his own up front at QPR. His thankless afternoon was summed up in the second half as he rose to challenge the muscular Nedum Onuoha in the air and both players bounced spectacularly off each other like a well-rehearsed move in WWE.
Wanderers will feel they got a raw deal from referee Scott Duncan. The Northumberland official did not give a lot their way but got the game’s big decision right. Little has been one of Bolton’s most consistent customers this season and though there seemed little malice in his challenge on Luongo, he left the ground with boots raised – a big no-no in the modern game.
The game had been an ugly one to that point. Wanderers’ one effort of note, a near-post flicked header from Derik was saved brilliantly by Alex Smithies.
QPR made no secret of their game-plan. Everything but the kitchen sink was thrown in towards big man Matt Smith, who was thankfully pretty wasteful with the couple of efforts he got in on goal.
Luke Freeman offered the Hoops’ only real touch of class. His movement caused problems, particularly on the left side of Bolton’s defence where Antonee Robinson was getting precious little help from his midfield.
Ben Alnwick – outstanding at Cardiff – was again so at QPR. He had his work cut out in a constantly-packed penalty area but dealt with everything literally thrown at him.
At the half time break it emerged Josh Vela had twisted his ankle, giving Jem Karacan his first opportunity in four months. He had a decent half, creating the Whites’ only real chance in open play for Walker.
Post sending-off and fuelled by some astonishing noise behind the QPR goal, Wanderers fancied their chances of holding on for a point.
Adam Le Fondre was sent on in the hope something would drop for him in the penalty box but within a couple of minutes Smith’s far-post header was bundled over the line by Lynch and the game took on a completely different look.
Having moved from 3-5-2 to 4-4-1, Parkinson then brought on Fil Morais and threw David Wheater forward as an emergency striker in the last 10 minutes in the search of an equaliser. He could afford to go for broke at that stage – but fans may be left asking why the attacking intent was not more forthcoming earlier in the game?
Smith added the punctuation mark with another header in stoppage time but the damage had already been done.
Wanderers had worked hard, competed for everything, given their best. But not for the first time this season we have been left wondering whether their best really is going to be good enough to keep them in this division.
http://www.theboltonnews.co.uk/sport/wanderers/16030820.BIG_MATCH_VERDICT__QPR_2_Bolton_Wanderers_0/
Once Mark Little was sent off for a two-footed lunge on Massimo Luongo eight minutes into the second half at Loftus Road, a point was all Bolton could really hope for. But prior to the full-back’s moment of madness, it was hard to fathom why a draw was all they were aiming at.
Travelling fans sang on regardless. Their backing looked at one stage as if it would inspire the 10-men to hold out.
It was not to be, however, as QPR eventually bludgeoned their way through for two goals in the last 18 minutes, prompting yet another away-day autopsy.
The enduring memory of Wanderers’ solitary away win at Sheffield United in December was that their gritty defending had been matched by a willingness to break forward. The Whites actually managed just five shots at goal – but ask anyone who was at Bramall Lane that day and they will swear their team gave as good as they got.
In two successive defeats at Cardiff and QPR Parkinson’s side have shown little enterprise. Yes, they went mighty close with two set pieces on Saturday, headed goalwards by Derik Osede and David Wheater, but in open play there was very little to admire.
Having proved at the Macron against Bristol City and Fulham they can cope without Gary Madine, their performances on the road suggest otherwise.
Tyler Walker worked tirelessly on his own up front at QPR. His thankless afternoon was summed up in the second half as he rose to challenge the muscular Nedum Onuoha in the air and both players bounced spectacularly off each other like a well-rehearsed move in WWE.
Wanderers will feel they got a raw deal from referee Scott Duncan. The Northumberland official did not give a lot their way but got the game’s big decision right. Little has been one of Bolton’s most consistent customers this season and though there seemed little malice in his challenge on Luongo, he left the ground with boots raised – a big no-no in the modern game.
The game had been an ugly one to that point. Wanderers’ one effort of note, a near-post flicked header from Derik was saved brilliantly by Alex Smithies.
QPR made no secret of their game-plan. Everything but the kitchen sink was thrown in towards big man Matt Smith, who was thankfully pretty wasteful with the couple of efforts he got in on goal.
Luke Freeman offered the Hoops’ only real touch of class. His movement caused problems, particularly on the left side of Bolton’s defence where Antonee Robinson was getting precious little help from his midfield.
Ben Alnwick – outstanding at Cardiff – was again so at QPR. He had his work cut out in a constantly-packed penalty area but dealt with everything literally thrown at him.
At the half time break it emerged Josh Vela had twisted his ankle, giving Jem Karacan his first opportunity in four months. He had a decent half, creating the Whites’ only real chance in open play for Walker.
Post sending-off and fuelled by some astonishing noise behind the QPR goal, Wanderers fancied their chances of holding on for a point.
Adam Le Fondre was sent on in the hope something would drop for him in the penalty box but within a couple of minutes Smith’s far-post header was bundled over the line by Lynch and the game took on a completely different look.
Having moved from 3-5-2 to 4-4-1, Parkinson then brought on Fil Morais and threw David Wheater forward as an emergency striker in the last 10 minutes in the search of an equaliser. He could afford to go for broke at that stage – but fans may be left asking why the attacking intent was not more forthcoming earlier in the game?
Smith added the punctuation mark with another header in stoppage time but the damage had already been done.
Wanderers had worked hard, competed for everything, given their best. But not for the first time this season we have been left wondering whether their best really is going to be good enough to keep them in this division.
http://www.theboltonnews.co.uk/sport/wanderers/16030820.BIG_MATCH_VERDICT__QPR_2_Bolton_Wanderers_0/
