Bolton 3-6 Port Vale

wanderlust wrote:
Someone else - Wessy I think - pointed out that we missed Tutte. If we are sticking with three CB's with a view to pushing the wide ones forward, we definitely need a solid screen in front of them to break up attacks and help create in possession. The lads that came in were OK but couldn't do the dirty work so I think we need an athletic defensive mid.

Only weeks ago most on here were screaming Tutte was rubbish - now we miss him drastically???
A tweak in the system is required with maybe a back four setup - anyhow a left winger, good right back, and a good backup keeper would be my picks for this window - if such people are even out there.

Tutte has been decent for me TA, he breaks up play and keeps it simple.

The defence was shocking and the right hand side with Baptiste showing that last week was a blip was back to being poor and Kioso left big gaps behind him was especially bad. Kioso is good going forward but needs to work on the defensive side of the game.

I would also say that Crawford needs dropping, far too often his passing lets him down and he was completely anonymous on Saturday. 

Isgrove deserves a start for me and with him in the side we can change from 3412 to 343 if needed during a game. Other alternative would be to play Darcy as the number 10.

terenceanne wrote:
Only weeks ago most on here were screaming Tutte was rubbish - now we miss him drastically???
A tweak in the system is required with maybe a back four setup - anyhow a left winger, good right back, and a good backup keeper would be my picks for this window - if such people are even out there.

I can't see Evatt abandoning a back 3 now that we have breathing space between us and the relegation spots.
As regards Tutte, form is temporary as they say and he finally found his before the injury.
Santos was rubbish, then dominant and at the weekend was poor again. Crellin was rubbish, then was Ok and saved a couple of pens, then was error prone again.
Crawford was great for a couple of games but since then has been wasteful.
FWIW I think Kioso is a decent defender especially in the air and his work rate is phenomenal - I just wish Gilks and the CBs would stop aiming for his head to get knock downs all the time.
But Tutte came good in the last few games and provided a solid platform for us that was sadly missing on Saturday. IMO our front four are OK and our CBs are OK when they don't get over-confident as was the case on Saturday so the obvious weakness for me is the midfield in which we need two defensive mids and two creative attack-minded players. Personally I'd be happy with any combo of Crawford, Isgrove, Darcy, Thomason etc  in the former role as it's pretty much what we might expect at this level and we've got loads of players that can do it, but it's the DM's that are the problem IMO.
If we can't find a Muamba type who can put it about, break up play and generally shield the back I'd be inclined to push Big Reiss in there and stick with Baptiste, Santos and Delaney as a back 3 who if they paid as much attention to their defensive positioning as they do to getting forward, would be half decent.