Bolton 3-2 Stevenage

Dark horses Stevenage have had a brilliant start to the season but got put back in their box by a strong Oxford (promotion contenders?) side on Saturday. Stevenage certainly know how to put "weaker" teams to the sword and have plenty of goals in them and Oxford apart they've done OK against the "stronger" sides e.g. drawing with Portsmouth.

A few clappers are expecting a stroll in the park against Stevenage on the basis that they are "a newly promoted side" - having forgotten that when we were promoted we upset the applecart and finished the season 9th so couldn't be taken lightly. Like us, Stevenage signed a few decent players on getting promoted as well as taking loanees from the Premiership.

I reckon they're just about playoff contenders even though they currently sit 3rd.

It seems like one of those where we're likely to be in for a game, but if we play well should win especially with home advantage if the fans turn up. Wondering if the confidence of a newly promoted side has worn off has been tarnished by the Oxford defeat? Steve three-bellies Evans is a canny manager though, so I imagine he'll fire them up. Also wondering if Wildin and Butler have genuine pace - as pace down the flanks has been our Achilles' heel recently (thank f*** it took Crosby until half time to realise it on Saturday) - we'll see.

I'd be 100% confident of beating these if we had a full squad available but with our current injury list I reckon it's a potential banana skin. If we do manage to win it will be a massive endorsement of the strength and depth of the squad.
Bring it on.

Maybe it’s just me Lusty but I’m genuinely not worried about this, nor the following game against Carlisle. I do think Stevenage have punched above their weight probably due to the follow on effect of promotion but I don’t see them staying there and if we seriously consider ourselves automatic candidates then even with a depleted squad we should be far too good for these. I actually like our defence at the moment and think it’s the best we can field even when everyone else is fit and with the midfield clicking now we shouldn’t fear anyone. Obviously the front players have to start supporting Dion on the scoring front and the midfielders need to join in too but I’m sure they will so I’ll go for a comfy 3-0 win the the Whites.

It's all down to Charles because no other bugger is going to score.

Perhaps this will be the game Evans realises he'd get even more out of Charles if he had a partner who could actually control a football. But perhaps not.

It'll probably be a terrible 1-1 draw, but I live in hope for better.

Natasha Whittam wrote:It's all down to Charles because no other bugger is going to score.

Perhaps this will be the game Evans realises he'd get even more out of Charles if he had a partner who could actually control a football. But perhaps not.

It'll probably be a terrible 1-1 draw, but I live in hope for better.

Bit negative Nat so let’s hope the others surprise you tomorrow?

We have a 100% record against Stevenage. Played 2 won 2, let’s hope that continues tomorrow!

BoltonTillIDie wrote:We have a 100% record against Stevenage.  Played 2 won 2, let’s hope that continues tomorrow!

I think we’ve only played them twice in our history BTID, once home and once away but at least we have a 100% record which with any luck will continue tonight.

I see Lustys on their site again telling them what a good team they are. Let’s hope their players read it and take it to heart.

The goals -

[You must be registered and logged in to see this link.]

How we won that game I'll never know.  Flat from the start - I think they had two shots before we crossed the halfway line. Ireland MOM and a nod to Baxter who kept us in it. Young George is a red card waiting to happen and surely time to start Bod. 
I'll take the three points, but we are riding our luck currently.
Onwards.

I see the human weeble Steve Evans is moaning as usual saying we should have been down to 8 or 9 men 

It was a tough game and they were very route one and physical and it was a battle for us. Thomason needs to calm down a bit as he's been booked in every game so far. Jerome is a waste of space, came on and gave a foul and a penalty away within a couple of minutes of coming on.

Glad to see us win a game like that, we normally struggle against the bruisers in the division.

We played dreadfully from start to finish but I suppose that’s what “good teams” do. Grind it out. 

Ndundulu was absolutely atrocious and then Jerome was even worse when he came on.

Hipster_Nebula wrote:We played dreadfully from start to finish but I suppose that’s what “good teams” do. Grind it out. 

Ndundulu was absolutely atrocious and then Jerome was even worse when he came on.

Got the job done in the end, but Dan is a worry. I admire his enthusiasm, but his first touch is atrocious. He's in danger of becoming Brickfeet Mk2.

My god we were absolutely dire to watch last night, as we have been most of the season, we are so poor in every game I’m amazed we are still in touching distance of top spot. Relying too heavily on Charles to find the net. Nlundulu might be the worst striker we’ve ever had, it’s a shame because I thought he’d kick on this season. Don’t get me started on Jerome.

We are so painfully slow knocking it around at the back there seems to be no urgency to drive forward. The sooner Maghoma and Gomes are back the better as they seem the only two capable of doing this

You say that boggers but Evatt never plays them when they are fit.  [You must be registered and logged in to see this image.]

Boggersbelief wrote:My god we were absolutely dire to watch last night, as we have been most of the season, we are so poor in every game I’m amazed we are still in touching distance of top spot. Relying too heavily on Charles to find the net. Nlundulu might be the worst striker we’ve ever had, it’s a shame because I thought he’d kick on this season. Don’t get me started on Jerome.

We are so painfully slow knocking it around at the back there seems to be no urgency to drive forward. The sooner Maghoma and Gomes are back the better as they seem the only two capable of doing this

I agree with you boggers and now all three at the back have adopted this ridiculous stop with your foot on the ball nonsense which completely removes any flow and just allows the opposition to fill all the gaps. Still, we’re not professional so what do we know? I actually don’t think having anybody back will make any difference because unless you play to Evatt’s instructions you basically won’t play and I wonder if that’s why Bod doesn’t get much game time? You just think that with the players we have a slightly more forward thinking attitude might just pay off instead of always allowing the oppositions midfield and defence to stifle us?

Boggersbelief wrote:My god we were absolutely dire to watch last night, as we have been most of the season, we are so poor in every game I’m amazed we are still in touching distance of top spot. Relying too heavily on Charles to find the net. Nlundulu might be the worst striker we’ve ever had, it’s a shame because I thought he’d kick on this season. Don’t get me started on Jerome.

We are so painfully slow knocking it around at the back there seems to be no urgency to drive forward. The sooner Maghoma and Gomes are back the better as they seem the only two capable of doing this

You get a 3-2 win, a Djorkaeff-type winner and an inflatable bath at half-time, what more do you want?

You don't think the inflatable bath might be an improvement on Dan up front, do you?