Stockport 5-0 Bolton

karlypants wrote:Ian Evatt said he was “embarrassed” by Wanderers’ 5-0 defeat at Stockport County.

The Bolton boss suffered the heaviest defeat in more than four years in charge of the club at Edgeley Park, with a number of travelling supporters staying until after the final whistle to express their anger.

Fans chanted: “Evatt Out!” after a stinging defeat which included four second-half goals for the Hatters, who had themselves been beaten 5-0 by Wycombe on Tuesday night.

Evatt’s job security once again comes under scrutiny after a dismal result which leaves the club 10th in the League One table.

“I am hurt, embarrassed, frustrated, all the words and phrases you can use – it’s just not acceptable in any way, shape or form,” Evatt said after the final whistle.

Asked if it was the worst performance of his time as Bolton boss, he added: “I think so. We have had some dark moments and bad spells but, yes, it was very, very disappointing.

“There are always things you can look back on. We haven’t been able to train all week, we have had players off ill, players who have had to have IV electrolytes before the game – four or five of them in the starting XI. It has been a disastrous week and it has finished in a disastrous manner.

“It is not excuses, it’s the truth. I will always try and tell the truth. It has been a very difficult week and today has been as difficult as it gets.”

Wanderers had won six of their last seven games in the league to move back into the play-off positions, and fancied their chances against a Stockport team whose confidence had theoretically taken a hit in midweek.

“I’d say it did come as a surprise, but I don’t think we did anything well,” Evatt reflected.

“I don’t know what the players expected. I was here on Tuesday and it was a similar thing to what just happened to us. We knew they would react, try and put pressure on us, and all we did from the first minute was to play into their hands. We didn’t win any duels, second balls, first contacts, we played short to often into their press and gave them sugar and courage to go and get on the front foot. From start to finish there was nothing about today, apart from Rico and Josh (Dacres-Cogley) who have been the most poorly this week, they were the most competitive.”

Asked if he would be thinking about his own position as manager, Evatt admitted: “I always reflect on myself, look at myself before anything or anyone else. No doubt I will do the same.

“I know what you are trying to ask me. As I said, I reflect on myself more than anything, I’ll do the same again.

“The minute I think enough is enough, I’ll be the first to say it.”

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Time to say it Ian and if you can’t then Sharon must.

time to go Evatt.

Please come and save us Robins!!!

If the players are ill put some academy lads out there who will fight for the bloody badge. 

No shame in going down after giving it all but you’re playing bloody Stockport. Having the sniffles or the runs isn’t an excuse I’m afraid. 

The players and manager are mentally weak. They’ve proven that again and again. “Big” occasions and they shrink. No problem beating chuff at the bottom of the league. You make your name in the big games. 

This isn’t even a particularly big game but it’s one of them that you just knew we’d fuck up because it meant progress. 

Gary O Neill will be sacked soon. Wonder if he’d take a huge pay cut having said that I’m sick of this style of football that’s destroying football. Put the ball down the wings. Get it into feet and have a fucking shot. Christ sake. 

Absolute chuff like Wycombe mansfield and Barnsley are up there even crap like Lincoln. We’ve spent a relative fortune compared to that lot. 

Sharon thinks the sun shines out of his arse for some reason. He’s done a decent job getting us in the mix but that’s all we are.

Hipster_Nebula wrote:
No shame in going down after giving it all but you’re playing bloody Stockport. Having the runs isn’t an excuse I’m afraid. 

I can just see it now…Dion and Co running around the pitch with brown streaks of poo running down their legs and the opposition running away from them.

Why is he picking players that need IV electrolytes. What a bunch of fannies. Have a lucozade. If you can’t function without an IV you shouldn’t be playing. Pick someone else. Christ on a bike.

Hipster_Nebula wrote:Why is he picking players that need IV electrolytes. What a bunch of fannies. Have a lucozade. If you can’t function without an IV you shouldn’t be playing. Pick someone else. Christ on a bike.

Fair comment that.

The goals and some of my analysis of them

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Goal 1 - Looks like Schon was anticipating the tackle and flick the ball round the corner but got it wrong.  The problem really starts from then on.

If you look in our half of the centre circle Matete seems to pick up the player who is stood there (he goes on to score the goal) but then runs after the ball that has now been passed to the far side of the pitch.

You will see if you are quick enough that there are FOUR Wanderers players hunting the man man on the ball.

That's ok if you win the ball back.

But we don't.

He goes on to beat the defender and lay the ball back to the player that was initially in the centre circle and allowed to wander complete unmarked and unopposed all the way to the 6 yard box for a simple tap in!

Note how Sheehan makes no attempt at all to mark him on his run and note also the three players who went out to close their 'winger' down, all simply stopped running (they switched off).

If any one of them hadn't or Sheehan had marked and jogged back with the bloke from the centre circle then hopefully the shot would have been blocked and the goal prevented.

Goal 2 - Bit of a pinball affair this one.

The thing that stands out for me is that at the end of the ball pinging about there were two Stockport players left unmarked at the back post.

Looks as though we were playing the much favoured zonal defence these days - so maybe allowing player overloads is to be expected - or maybe Stockport's coach had seen something in the scouting perhaps - but the final ball was played into the back post where there were 4 blue shirts and just 3 white ones.

Just to add our last defender was impeded (or somehow distracted) by a Stockport player and they seemed to be holding each other down whilst the last completely free and unmarked Stockport player got his uncontested and unchallenged shot off which was brilliantly kept out by Baxter but was knocked into the goal from his parry by the player the ball had been rebounded to.

Fwiw Forrester was appealing for something before the goal was scored (offside perhaps?).

Goal 3 - Header at the back post (I wonder if Stockport did scout a weakness of ours there?).

Goal 4 - The worst of the lot!  It started from a goal kick of ours, through SIX passes until Matete mis-controls on the edge of our penalty area, their player then simply takes the ball on scores.

Why oh why do we take such stupid risks in such a dangerous area on the field, time after time again?

Do we never learn?

I know I'm from a different generation but the golden rule drummed into me as a defender was to never pass the ball in front of the goal.

Having 60% ball possession in front of your penalty area will never win any game yet the 40% possession the opposition will have increases their chances of winning no end!

Goal 5 - We've lost by now but crazy lunge in an attempt to win the ball by young Forrester gives their player a free run and shot to make it 5-0.


Just one other final thought - once goal 4 went in with 30 minutes to go we had lost the match - why not then bring on our remaining 3 subs and give them playing minutes and allow those who were playing with upset tummies (or carrying injuries), to get some rest?

Only one sub came on after the fourth goal and two remained unused.

Yes it is the international break but I can't see the point of players who probably have their heads down by that point, remain playing and not get fresh players on - with nothing to lose - and tell them 'look you've got 30 minuets to go out there and show the crowd how good you are and make a memory for yourself and something good that we can all focus on rather than how shit we've been all game'.

Then again what do I know?

Stockport boss Dave Challinor hailed his side’s emphatic response as they hit five past Wanderers at Edgeley Park.

The Hatters were thrashed by Wycombe in midweek but showed no signs of a hangover against the Whites.

“I expected a reaction, I didn’t expect the scoreline,” Challinor admitted. “You hope that there’s a performance there but ultimately, there is still uncertainty.

“As much as you can trust the players and believe in what they can go and do, they have to walk across the line, go out into the middle of the pitch and be able to produce that.

“I have just said to them, that is a lot easier to do at three and four up than it is at three or four down.

“But regardless of what the score is, we have to blank out everything going on around us and have that attitude and application.”

The hosts were aggressive in their pressing at times, which paid off when Louie Barry pounced on Jay Matete’s error to slot home.

“A press only works if you commit to it with everybody," the manager continued. “If one person goes by himself, they will be played around and look stupid.

“Everyone has got to go and commit to it, and Louie’s goal comes from a moment like that. Playing against a good team, at times you will get that slightly wrong.”

He added: “We wanted to be front foot. We knew that at times we would pretty much be man for man against a good Bolton team, so we would have to win a lot of those duels.”

Kyle Wootton was a nuisance for the Bolton backline and got on the scoresheet early in the second half.

“He is a focal point for us,” said Challinor. “Playing against Santos, there is a physical battle there. Watching England v Australia rugby union, it was more akin to that than football!

“The two of them wouldn’t be lost in a rugby match! He got his goal, which was a brilliant save and a brilliant finish.

“We did get him support, counter press well and pick up those second balls especially in the second half. But I thought our discipline in terms of our shape, when we had to be a block, was very good.

“We limited a very good team to minimal opportunities and situations, which is a credit to the players.”

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karlypants wrote:

Were you not offered a "happy ending" by the lovely ladies?

Behave!

DIRTY DOG

Listened to the game on radio Manchester and had to agree with Keith Hill. He kept pointing out that we needed to change our style of play and mix it up and he was 100% right. Trouble is our manager still can't see it and still believes his possession style is the only way to play.

Stockport pressed us high up the park just like a lot of teams do now and we have no answers, Its time for Evatt to go as he is just too stubborn. As for all the excuses about players needing IV fluids, just more excuses i'm afraid.