Blackpool 0-0 Bolton

The knives are out for Dougie, despite a much-improved performance.
I guess this "we should have done more to try an win it" business is a sign that he's given us some optimism, even though committing more players forward as Coyle (more so than Allardyce) would have done may have compromised a good defensive performance.

It all comes down to whether or not that performance level can be consistently repeated and whether good performances start to translate into good results.

Although I'd have thought that most people would have thought last night's result was good given all the pre-match doom and gloom, but we need to start winning soon.

Hipster_Nebula wrote:Allardyce always used to "shut up shop." A lot of the time it would cost us points as well.

Big Sam would fall on the defensive or "negative" end of the scale if you were totting it up, where as Coyle would go the other end.

Fair enough, but we were rarely rooted in the bottom 3 under Allardyce. When you've made your worst start for 100+ years you have to take what limited opportunities come your way.

We won't stay up drawing two, losing two.

Natasha Whittam wrote:

Hipster_Nebula wrote:Allardyce always used to "shut up shop." A lot of the time it would cost us points as well.

Big Sam would fall on the defensive or "negative" end of the scale if you were totting it up, where as Coyle would go the other end.

Fair enough, but we were rarely rooted in the bottom 3 under Allardyce. When you've made your worst start for 100+ years you have to take what limited opportunities come your way.

We won't stay up drawing two, losing two.

We spent our fair share of time in the bottom 3 under Allardyce whilst he was learning his trade and shaping his squad - but the Board stuck by him and gave him the time he needed despite many fans calling for his head on a stick. Patience with a manager can pay off. In Allardyce's case it was a 10 year contract.

"Bolton went top of the Premiership after gaining ten points from the first four games of the 2001–02 campaign. However, the Bolton squad was not strong enough to mount a sustained challenge and their safety was not ensured until the penultimate game of the season. They continued to struggle in 2002–03, avoiding relegation by just two points and one place.
After two years in the bottom half of the table, Bolton substantially improved, and established themselves in the Premiership"

Even the most anti Dougie people have to admit the last two games we've been very unlucky.

hit the post three times, strikers just simply missing guilt edge chances coupled with a one a season goalkeeping blooper.

Quite honestly we should be sitting here with 6 points right now.

Hipster_Nebula wrote:Even the most anti Dougie people have to admit the last two games we've been very unlucky.

hit the post three times, strikers just simply missing guilt edge chances coupled with a one a season goalkeeping blooper.

Quite honestly we should be sitting here with 6 points right now.

 

Reebok Trotter wrote:

Hipster_Nebula wrote:Even the most anti Dougie people have to admit the last two games we've been very unlucky.

hit the post three times, strikers just simply missing guilt edge chances coupled with a one a season goalkeeping blooper.

Quite honestly we should be sitting here with 6 points right now.

 

I agree but our finishing is woeful. As bad as we have played this season, it is not unreasonable we would have picked up a lot more points when Beckford or N'gog have been in front with the ball.  Beckford almost fell over a second time last night when going in one on one on goal. Beckford finishes well, and we are midtable.

Klasnic would have 8 goals by now.

Natasha Whittam wrote:Klasnic would have 8 goals by now.

I'll agree with you on that one.

Natasha Whittam wrote:Klasnic would have 8 goals by now.

A born finisher if there ever was one.  Somehow always found the back of the net.

Sounded like a much more solid display last night, I think Dougie would have been more than happy to walk away with a 0-0 draw last night after recent away games.

I liked the sound of our back 4 last night and IMO Mills and Ream are starting to gel together, I think once Beckford gets his first couple of goals then we will see him banging in the goals as long as we continue to play to his feet.

The birmingham game will be very interesting, if we can come away with something it will be 3 undefeated which doesn't sound much but I think it will do morale no harm going into the international break.

Let's get this into some perspective, Yeovil at home and who will go down and a very poor Blackpool team who were there for the taking yet we still couldn't even score a goal. The team is still poor and the management still inept. As soon as Freedman saw how poor Blackpool were he should have got some additional support up front with Beckford. Can't see us being as lucky at Birmingham who are just coming into a bit of form. Nothing's really changed and it's back to defeat this weekend.

I think we were unlucky, not lucky to come away with a draw last night.

Plenty of work to be done, but our first clean sheet of the season (should have been our second if not for Bogdan last week) is encouraging, does anyone know the last time we kept a clean sheet away? Must have been a long time ago. 

Our best performance so far this season, sounds as if the new boys have helped to reinvigorate the side a bit. 

Looking forward to the Birmingham game, they've won 3 on the bounce at home but hopefully our confidence will be on the up too. Same team for me, preferably with Eagles in for Pratley but I'd be surprised if that happens.

Whitesince63 wrote: Nothing's really changed and it's back to defeat this weekend.

I disagree. The last two games have been much more positive. I reckon either 0-0 or 1-1 because I don't see Birmingham taking all 3 points.

Blackpool are in the top 6 and most of us, myself included, expected to taste defeat and they're now a "very poor" side.

Reebok Trotter wrote:

Whitesince63 wrote: Nothing's really changed and it's back to defeat this weekend.

I disagree. The last two games have been much more positive.

I think the Blackpool game was much more positive.

Yeovil had their fair share of chances, and we only looked a threat once Plan B was put into place, i.e. long balls up to Zat Knight up front.

Whitesince63 wrote:Let's get this into some perspective, Yeovil at home and who will go down and a very poor Blackpool team who were there for the taking yet we still couldn't even score a goal. The team is still poor and the management still inept. As soon as Freedman saw how poor Blackpool were he should have got some additional support up front with Beckford. Can't see us being as lucky at Birmingham who are just coming into a bit of form. Nothing's really changed and it's back to defeat this weekend.

Correct,Yeovil will go down for certain,Blackpool may be in with a shout of the play offs ? but we couldnt beat either of them ! Df and LL tactics,team slection is shocking,to play a player completely out of position ( El Prat for those of you who couldnt attend ) when Eagles and Chungy were on the bench and with one leg in plaster could do a better job than that tit, is to be frank effing frightening. I fear he is not the man for the job no matter how optimistic we were on his appointment,his subsequent selections,utterances belie his credentials !

Reebok we played two weak teams and we couldn't beat either. I agree it may have been better than previous weeks but that in itself doesn't say very much since we've been absolutely dire. I think too many are clutching at straws here and missing the point that we're basically not very good and sorry but I put most of that down to poor management. I don't see it getting better under Freedman and I genuinely believe you'll see that demonstrated again on Saturday.

Hipster, we were nearly in the top 6 last season but we were still a poor side. For what it's worth Blackpool won't be up there much longer in my opinion.

Fans that actually attended the game at Bloomfield Road were impressed by Feeney who ran the Blackpool left back ragged. Indeed had him on toast at times. Curiously the Blackpool Gazette gave their man of the match award to the left back for keeping Feeney quiet?? Must be something in the sea air there!

Whitesince63 wrote:Reebok we played two weak teams and we couldn't beat either. I agree it may have been better than previous weeks but that in itself doesn't say very much since we've been absolutely dire. I think too many are clutching at straws here and missing the point that we're basically not very good and sorry but I put most of that down to poor management. I don't see it getting better under Freedman and I genuinely believe you'll see that demonstrated again on Saturday.

I agree with that apart from blaming it on poor management. Don't think DF can be held responsible for errors like Bogdan's which cost us 2 points and the string of defensive calamities that cost us points in earlier games which were also individual errors. Why?
Because DF seems to have gone a fair way towards sorting out the defence as shown by a solid performance at Blackpoohole and his willingness to drop Knight and bring in others.
Not much more he could do with what he's had to work with although it does look like buying Beckford was an error atm.
Poor players, bad luck and individual errors are the problem, not the manager IMO.