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Phil Parkinson has defended his tactical approach at Stoke on Tuesday night, insisting: “We weren’t negative.”
The Wanderers boss held up his hands after a below-par first half at the Bet365 Stadium but reckons his side were worth more than they got in the second half.
Parkinson revealed after the game his plan had been to allow Stoke’s centre-halves time on the ball – but an early goal from Bruno Martins Indi left his own side struggling for confidence.
“We looked at teams which had played Stoke recently, Blackburn and Swansea, and they’d let teams have the ball at the back and the crowd had got frustrated with them. We decided to start the game like that,” he said.
“It wasn’t a negative thing to set up like that.
“We conceded a poor goal and it sent us flat.
“We were up against a couple of very good players in Thomas Ince and Benik Afobe who – let’s get it right – cost a combined £22million in the summer. We did everything we could.
“You always want a bit more quality and I think we gave the ball away cheaply at times, we could have played with more care or belief. We were better in the second period.
“The lads have given us everything again.”
Parkinson disputes that consistency of performance is an issue for Wanderers, who sit 15th, level on points with Blackburn Rovers, tomorrow evening’s visitors to the University of Bolton Stadium.
“Everyone is striving for that (consistency) in a tight division,” he said. “I don’t think we’re far off having it.
“I think through the season, the resources we’ve had, I think our performances have offered a bit of consistency.
“Saturday was right there at the top of our performances. Sometimes getting there to that level is difficult every week.
“But we have got to pick ourselves up again for Blackburn on Saturday and make sure we get closer to those levels.”
Wanderers’ Lancashire rivals head into the game on the back of a three-match winless run, with Wednesday night’s 2-0 loss at home to Sheffield United following a draw with Nottingham Forest and their Carabao Cup exit at Bournemouth.
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The Wanderers boss held up his hands after a below-par first half at the Bet365 Stadium but reckons his side were worth more than they got in the second half.
Parkinson revealed after the game his plan had been to allow Stoke’s centre-halves time on the ball – but an early goal from Bruno Martins Indi left his own side struggling for confidence.
“We looked at teams which had played Stoke recently, Blackburn and Swansea, and they’d let teams have the ball at the back and the crowd had got frustrated with them. We decided to start the game like that,” he said.
“It wasn’t a negative thing to set up like that.
“We conceded a poor goal and it sent us flat.
“We were up against a couple of very good players in Thomas Ince and Benik Afobe who – let’s get it right – cost a combined £22million in the summer. We did everything we could.
“You always want a bit more quality and I think we gave the ball away cheaply at times, we could have played with more care or belief. We were better in the second period.
“The lads have given us everything again.”
Parkinson disputes that consistency of performance is an issue for Wanderers, who sit 15th, level on points with Blackburn Rovers, tomorrow evening’s visitors to the University of Bolton Stadium.
“Everyone is striving for that (consistency) in a tight division,” he said. “I don’t think we’re far off having it.
“I think through the season, the resources we’ve had, I think our performances have offered a bit of consistency.
“Saturday was right there at the top of our performances. Sometimes getting there to that level is difficult every week.
“But we have got to pick ourselves up again for Blackburn on Saturday and make sure we get closer to those levels.”
Wanderers’ Lancashire rivals head into the game on the back of a three-match winless run, with Wednesday night’s 2-0 loss at home to Sheffield United following a draw with Nottingham Forest and their Carabao Cup exit at Bournemouth.
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