Bolton 5-2 Reading

A must win game but are we now out of contention for 2nd place?

I would say so, we need Derby to implode now for us to go up automatically.

I do think though that we are the best team that will be in the play-offs and there's no reason why we can't go up that way if we play to our full potential.

Depends I guess if we get our best players on the pitch and that Lady Luck doesn't intervene against us on the day.

I don't really see why there is all the wailing and gnashing and all the negativity from everyone, we always knew that Portsmouth and Derby would be the teams to better at the end of the season if we wanted automatic promotion and we would have bettered Derby if we hadn't imploded ourselves focused on the loss of form from Charles (was he carrying an injury perhaps?) and his subsequent long injury and the loss of Baxter.

We've known all season that Adeboyejo and Nlundulu haven't lived up to expectations, that Santos needlessly slows everything down, that Jones hasn't been as good as last season - but none of those stopped  our progress to the automatic promotion spot until the extended loss of Charles and Baxter, so there's no reason why we can't regain promotion form again when they are back and carry that through to a play-off win.

(Also bring in much needed cash for FV too!)

A return to form is the only important thing now - results will look after themselves. We've been dire for the last two months (13 games, 18 points, GD +4) and with the division's form team Lincoln having fast tracked themselves into the playoffs (11 games, 29 points, GD +24 over the same period) whoever finishes third will have to be bang at it to get past them. I expect them to stay in the playoffs in the 3 horse race for 6th given the remaining fixtures - unless they bottle it like we have which would be a shock given their momentum. Oxford and Stevenage have to play each other and Pompey will be on the beach by the time Lincoln come to town.

This was the table on the 30th January:
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If we don't start playing like we did back then again, we're f****d either way, so I'm not worried about the results at this stage. We have the players, but they have to find their form, play with the freedom they used to play with and reconnect as a team. We really don't have to overcomplicate it.

BTID and Karly please could you look at why we can't seem to embed tweets anymore - and fix it so we can - thank you!

Our line-up this afternoon...

Two changes from our trip to Stevenage
Jack Iredale and Jón Daði Böðvarsson come into the starting line-up
Josh Sheehan to make his 100th Wanderers appearance this afternoon[You must be registered and logged in to see this link.]

— Bolton Wanderers (@OfficialBWFC) [You must be registered and logged in to see this link.]

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A fantastic win today but I just don't get why we can't play like this every game!!!

The goals -

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Nowt much to complain about - they had some chances and Coleman made some good saves. Otherwise, a solid performance. Moved the ball quicker - less side to side. Result another five goals which could have been seven.....begs the question, why not play like this every game.
Cogs would be a much better wing back if he would actual cross the ball instead of turning back and passing backwards. And George needs to work on his little flicks and control - half of them turned over today.
Some are wanting Baxter back pronto - I can't see it right now - Coleman has been solid. As far Dion - he will be rusty at best - not to mention he was way off form before the injury.
Play like today and we don't really need either of them IMO.
Come on Pompey

TBF we did play with more freedom today and got the rewards against a side that tried to play a bit themselves in contrast to Stevenage's banks of defenders. We could have scored more to reduce the GD gap, but then again Reading could also have had a few courtesy of our hesitant defending. Attack-wise, hopefully we'll learn from the second half when Evatt obviously told Cogley and Ogbeta to stop putting in high crosses and start keeping it low across and around the box which was far more effective. Despite the scoreline, we still aren't back to our best form, but today was definitely a step in the right direction.
A very entertaining game and a great result.

Thought we played well but Reading were all over the place at the back, they did have pace on the break which did cause us one or two problems.

Happy to see Collins and JDB both score, perhaps they had super soakers and not water pistols?

Norpig wrote:
Happy to see Collins and JDB both score, perhaps they had super soakers and not water pistols?

Hopefully they will gain their confidence back we desperately need!