Player Ratings - Bolton 1-0 Villa

WANDERERS produced a perfect performance against Aston Villa to restore a six-point gap on the bottom three in the Championship.
Adam Le Fondre scored the goal - but how did the players rate on a snowy night at the Macron?
Chief football writer Marc Iles gives his view.

WANDERERS (4-2-3-1)

BEN ALNWICK…8.5 A quite brilliant save from Bree in the dying moments – Alnwick is playing some top drawer football at the moment. Has been a huge part of the survival bid.
JON FLANAGAN…8 Another assured and professional display from the Liverpool loanee. His clearance off the line in the second half from Scott Hogan defied logic.
REECE BURKE…7.5 Maturing well alongside Mark Beevers in the centre of defence, the West Ham youngster is unflappable on the ball and his distribution helped settle the game.
MARK BEEVERS…8 Saving his best performances for last this season. Wanderers’ recent improvement has been built from the back – with Beevers as a central pillar.
ANDY TAYLOR…7.5 Digs in so well to protect his penalty box and offers the same sort of calm assuredness as Flanagan on the opposite flank. Great professional.
KARL HENRY…8 Villa’s fans probably wouldn’t agree, having groaned at his every challenge, but this was Henry at the top of his game, snarling, snapping and organising.
DERIK OSEDE…8 Dismissing doubts on a weekly basis at the moment – Derik’s screening job on the back four left Villa’s talented midfield with nowhere to go.
WILL BUCKLEY…8 This is the Will Buckley we were looking forward to seeing when he arrived last summer. Been a tough year for him so far – but capable of carrying the ball so well.
DARREN PRATLEY…7 After a clever flick to create the first goal it was upsetting to see the captain hobble off with a shin injury. Fingers-crossed there is nothing seriously wrong.
SAMMY AMEOBI…7.5 Steve Bruce said it wasn’t a day for wingers – but Ameobi managed just fine. Close control gave fans something to applaud and keep their hands warm.
ADAM LE FONDRE…8.5 Described himself as a “pest” and John Terry might share his view. In the right place to score the goal, should maybe have had another, but ran himself to a standstill.

Subs: Vela 7, 27 (for Pratley) – Showed his worth, never letting Villa settle
Robinson 81 (for Buckley) – Did well to run the clock down for Wanderers

Not used: Howard, Noone, Wilbraham, Wheater, Clough

Aston Villa (4-4-1-1): Johnstone; Elmohamady, Terry, Chester, Taylor; Snodgrass, Bjarnasson, Hourihane, Adomah; Grealish; Hogan.

Subs: Hepburn-Murphy 53 (for Hourihane), Hogan 72 (for Adomah), Davis 82 (for Snodgrass)
Not used: Bunn, Lansbury, Jedinak, Onomah.

Referee: Robert Jones (Merseyside) 7

Attendance: 19,304

Atmosphere: 8

Entertainment: 7

http://www.theboltonnews.co.uk/sport/wanderers/16095144.PLAYER_RATINGS__Bolton_Wanderers_1_Aston_Villa_0/

You'd think we'd won the FA Cup the way everyone is whacking each other off about beating Villa.

Just in case anyone missed it - we're exactly where we were before a Championship ball had been kicked this weekend. 6 points and two wins above relegation. 24 points still available.

Villa didn't even turn up. One of them played ref. Their best player, clutching his face for 90 minutes, rolled around the pitch trying to clear the snow. And, the all-conquering Iceman has clearly settled into the new English game well by giving Alli and Sterling a good run for their money in the cheating stakes.

I'm delighted we played well as a team and we ground out a result but let's be honest eh?

Flanagan, Beevers and Buckley 8?  Burke and Taylor 7.5? Get real, Iles!

finlaymcdanger wrote:You'd think we'd won the FA Cup the way everyone is whacking each other off about beating Villa.

Just in case anyone missed it - we're exactly where we were before a Championship ball had been kicked this weekend. 6 points and two wins above relegation. 24 points still available.

Villa didn't even turn up. One of them played ref. Their best player, clutching his face for 90 minutes, rolled around the pitch trying to clear the snow. And, the all-conquering Iceman has clearly settled into the new English game well by giving Alli and Sterling a good run for their money in the cheating stakes.

I'm delighted we played well as a team and we ground out a result but let's be honest eh?

Flanagan, Beevers and Buckley 8?  Burke and Taylor 7.5? Get real, Iles!

Idiot. We beat Aston Villa. Yes, THAT Aston Villa. Big club, loads of fans, spent millions.

We beat them. If I want to whack myself off I will do.

Do you mind. I'm having my Horlicks!

Natasha Whittam wrote:

finlaymcdanger wrote:You'd think we'd won the FA Cup the way everyone is whacking each other off about beating Villa.

Just in case anyone missed it - we're exactly where we were before a Championship ball had been kicked this weekend. 6 points and two wins above relegation. 24 points still available.

Villa didn't even turn up. One of them played ref. Their best player, clutching his face for 90 minutes, rolled around the pitch trying to clear the snow. And, the all-conquering Iceman has clearly settled into the new English game well by giving Alli and Sterling a good run for their money in the cheating stakes.

I'm delighted we played well as a team and we ground out a result but let's be honest eh?

Flanagan, Beevers and Buckley 8?  Burke and Taylor 7.5? Get real, Iles!

Idiot. We beat Aston Villa. Yes, THAT Aston Villa. Big club, loads of fans, spent millions.

We beat them. If I want to whack myself off I will do.

THAT Aston Villa? Robert Snodgrass and Albert Adomah are their best players FFS!

finlaymcdanger wrote:

Natasha Whittam wrote:

finlaymcdanger wrote:You'd think we'd won the FA Cup the way everyone is whacking each other off about beating Villa.

Just in case anyone missed it - we're exactly where we were before a Championship ball had been kicked this weekend. 6 points and two wins above relegation. 24 points still available.

Villa didn't even turn up. One of them played ref. Their best player, clutching his face for 90 minutes, rolled around the pitch trying to clear the snow. And, the all-conquering Iceman has clearly settled into the new English game well by giving Alli and Sterling a good run for their money in the cheating stakes.

I'm delighted we played well as a team and we ground out a result but let's be honest eh?

Flanagan, Beevers and Buckley 8?  Burke and Taylor 7.5? Get real, Iles!

Idiot. We beat Aston Villa. Yes, THAT Aston Villa. Big club, loads of fans, spent millions.

We beat them. If I want to whack myself off I will do.

THAT Aston Villa? Robert Snodgrass and Albert Adomah are their best players FFS!

Do we even have a best player?

Sluffy wrote:

finlaymcdanger wrote:

Natasha Whittam wrote:

finlaymcdanger wrote:You'd think we'd won the FA Cup the way everyone is whacking each other off about beating Villa.

Just in case anyone missed it - we're exactly where we were before a Championship ball had been kicked this weekend. 6 points and two wins above relegation. 24 points still available.

Villa didn't even turn up. One of them played ref. Their best player, clutching his face for 90 minutes, rolled around the pitch trying to clear the snow. And, the all-conquering Iceman has clearly settled into the new English game well by giving Alli and Sterling a good run for their money in the cheating stakes.

I'm delighted we played well as a team and we ground out a result but let's be honest eh?

Flanagan, Beevers and Buckley 8?  Burke and Taylor 7.5? Get real, Iles!

Idiot. We beat Aston Villa. Yes, THAT Aston Villa. Big club, loads of fans, spent millions.

We beat them. If I want to whack myself off I will do.

THAT Aston Villa? Robert Snodgrass and Albert Adomah are their best players FFS!

Do we even have a best player?

Karl Henry

finlaymcdanger wrote:

Sluffy wrote:

finlaymcdanger wrote:

Natasha Whittam wrote:

finlaymcdanger wrote:You'd think we'd won the FA Cup the way everyone is whacking each other off about beating Villa.

Just in case anyone missed it - we're exactly where we were before a Championship ball had been kicked this weekend. 6 points and two wins above relegation. 24 points still available.

Villa didn't even turn up. One of them played ref. Their best player, clutching his face for 90 minutes, rolled around the pitch trying to clear the snow. And, the all-conquering Iceman has clearly settled into the new English game well by giving Alli and Sterling a good run for their money in the cheating stakes.

I'm delighted we played well as a team and we ground out a result but let's be honest eh?

Flanagan, Beevers and Buckley 8?  Burke and Taylor 7.5? Get real, Iles!

Idiot. We beat Aston Villa. Yes, THAT Aston Villa. Big club, loads of fans, spent millions.

We beat them. If I want to whack myself off I will do.

THAT Aston Villa? Robert Snodgrass and Albert Adomah are their best players FFS!

Do we even have a best player?

Karl Henry

Certainly his signing turned our season around but BEST player, I'm not too sure about that.  Indeed at his age he might not even be resigned at the end of the season (being replaced by Kirkoff?)!

Alnwick, possibly (Madine probably for the first half of the season), but it's been more of a team effort over the season for me than having a standout player.

Get off your armchair sluffy, Henry has been the standout player all season. Without him we'd be relegated already.

Natasha Whittam wrote:Get off your armchair sluffy, Henry has been the standout player all season. Without him we'd be relegated already.

Fwiw it was me that went to the trouble to dig out all the stats to prove how well Parkinson was actually managing when fans (like Martin!) were seriously calling for his head some months back - by showing how comprehensively he was able to turn the season around from the time (well actually allowing two games for him to settle into the team) of Henry's signing - following the relaxing of the embargo.

I posted the form tables (before and after Henry) both on here and Wways - and it was even 'stolen' by Marc Iles to do write an article on - not that I minded.

So if anything I was the first to shout out about Henry's crucial importance to the club - and his 'Most Valuable Player' status for which he richly does deserve - but that isn't the same of being the 'BEST' player for us.

As I've said above, for me it's been an outstanding team effort and spirt to keep us up, with no real outstanding 'best' player this season.

That's how I see it anyway.

Haha might have known you’d see yourself as some sort of pioneer Sluffy!

Plenty of us were defending Parkinson and talking up Henry’s value (yes even before you). You don’t need to be Pep Guardiola to have spotted an upturn in form as dramatic as that.

Sluffy wrote:That's how I see it anyway.

From your armchair.

T.R.O.Y wrote:Haha might have known you’d see yourself as some sort of pioneer Sluffy!

Plenty of us were defending Parkinson and talking up Henry’s value (yes even before you). You don’t need to be Pep Guardiola to have spotted an upturn in form as dramatic as that.

I'm not claiming to be a pioneer, I simply think for myself instead of following the crowd, like many are inclined to do.

Not for the first time either.  

I took tons of abuse on forums for pointing out Coyle was not the messiah as many believed him to be, long, long before the Stoke hammering at Wembley, and also took dogs abuse for over a year at least before the penny dropped with most that the ST were not working in open and constitutional basis as their standing in law and their own rhetoric, required them to act - any news on their 2017 AGM (and filing of accounts) yet - let alone one for this year!

I first produced statistics proving how team performances had turned around as far back as the away loss to Middlesbrough last December (link to thread below).

As you will see there are plenty on there who didn't have much faith in Parkinson by that time!

To be fair to you though, you did post to support what I had said in that thread - but checking back through a number of previous match reports to that game on here I couldn't seem to find any posts from you either fully endorsing Parkinson's position nor talking up Henry's value to the team - nor anyone else if it comes to that.

I don't claim to be Guardiolaesque, nor anyone else - I'm simply myself - but I don't recall people shouting about what a turn around we had achieved under Parkinson, with the key signing of Henry (on here, Wways or The Bolton News) before I posted those stats.

In fact if I recall correctly there were even boos starting to be heard at matches around that time!

http://forum.boltonnuts.co.uk/t17118-middlesbrough-2-0-bolton

Natasha Whittam wrote:Get off your armchair sluffy, Henry has been the standout player all season. Without him we'd be relegated already.

Our season turned around with the addition of Henry.  You are so correct.

I think the player ratings for Villa are pretty reasonable inasmuch that nobody played badly and some were excellent, especially Alnwick, Flanagan, Derik, Henry and ALF. Villa were poor by their standards and we were solid - if not that creative - throughout. Knock 1 point off each player to leave headroom for potential and it would be more or less right IMO. As long as the players don't start believing the hype or thinking we're already safe we should be fine. Problem is that we have seldom followed up good performances with another in the next game, so I am still concerned.