Derby 0-0 Bolton

luckyPeterpiper wrote:

Boggersbelief wrote:Back down to earth with a bump. These last few wins mean nothing IMO. Derby will be too good for us and everyone will be calling for Freedmans head when we lose 2-1

I want him to go now boggers, the last three wins notwithstanding because of his overall record. 

However since that clearly ISN'T going to happen anytime soon I sincerely hope he can turn things around next season. I don't want any Bolton Wanderers manager to fail (even though I personally think he already has) so hopefully he can prove me wrong next term. 

Don't get me wrong, the last three games have been superb and I give him full credit for that but in my opinion it's just not enough to save him when you look at the season as a whole.

So the appalling financial situation that prevents us trading our way out of trouble, the legacy of underperforming players, the litany of individual errors and the string of injuries at the worst possible time in key positions don't have anything to do with our results?

Boggersbelief wrote:Back down to earth with a bump. These last few wins mean nothing IMO. Derby will be too good for us and everyone will be calling for Freedmans head when we lose 2-1

I too think we may be set up for a fall, however I'm going for a low scoring draw on this, which l'd gladly take now.

wanderlust wrote:

luckyPeterpiper wrote:

Boggersbelief wrote:Back down to earth with a bump. These last few wins mean nothing IMO. Derby will be too good for us and everyone will be calling for Freedmans head when we lose 2-1

I want him to go now boggers, the last three wins notwithstanding because of his overall record. 

However since that clearly ISN'T going to happen anytime soon I sincerely hope he can turn things around next season. I don't want any Bolton Wanderers manager to fail (even though I personally think he already has) so hopefully he can prove me wrong next term. 

Don't get me wrong, the last three games have been superb and I give him full credit for that but in my opinion it's just not enough to save him when you look at the season as a whole.

So the appalling financial situation that prevents us trading our way out of trouble, the legacy of underperforming players, the litany of individual errors and the string of injuries at the worst possible time in key positions don't have anything to do with our results?

lusty we've been around and around on this one haven't we? After eighteen months he hasn't moved us forward at all imo, you disagree, fair enough. But yes, off field factors do influence results to a degree but not this much. As to underperforming players it is his job to motivate them and stop that from continuing. Coyle had a terrible string of injuries to contend with in pre-season but no one accepted that as an excuse. If anything DF made some of this rod for his own back in not having a backup for Tierney. 

The manager has used the wrong tactics, mindset and systems all season, failed to get the best out of our own players and found himself reliant on loanees to get us away from the drop zone for the second year running. So yes, I blame him because that is his fault. 

That said the last three matches have seen outstanding performances from everyone, the tactics, selection and system have all been spot on and Dougie justifiably gets the credit for that from me at least. I still feel he's not good enough but since it's extremely unlikely he'll be replaced even in the summer I'm hoping he can change my mind albeit I don't think he will.

luckyPeterpiper wrote:lusty we've been around and around on this one haven't we? After eighteen months he hasn't moved us forward at all imo, you disagree, fair enough. But yes, off field factors do influence results to a degree but not this much. As to underperforming players it is his job to motivate them and stop that from continuing. Coyle had a terrible string of injuries to contend with in pre-season but no one accepted that as an excuse. If anything DF made some of this rod for his own back in not having a backup for Tierney. 

The manager has used the wrong tactics, mindset and systems all season, failed to get the best out of our own players and found himself reliant on loanees to get us away from the drop zone for the second year running. So yes, I blame him because that is his fault. 

That said the last three matches have seen outstanding performances from everyone, the tactics, selection and system have all been spot on and Dougie justifiably gets the credit for that from me at least. I still feel he's not good enough but since it's extremely unlikely he'll be replaced even in the summer I'm hoping he can change my mind albeit I don't think he will.

We've moved forward in terms of over hauling the squad and bringing in youth to develop which I'd guess were two of the main objectives he was given when taking the job. The problem has been on the pitch which is obviously the main part of a manager's job and in that respect he's lucky not to have been sacked. I think it's important that the good work he's doing off the pitch is taken into account though, Coyle ended up failing on all 3 accounts which compounded his situation.

You keep mentioning the reliance on loanees LPP but do you really see another choice? That's not a fair criticism in my view, but the fact that he could have changed the system earlier and got more out of the players he had is.

I have no problem with bringing in loanees, in fact I'm fully aware of the financial constraints that make it our only realistic option to strengthen at the moment.  Dougie in the meantime has selected his loanees well and I have no problem with that insofar as it goes but it ISN'T going to take us forward in the long term. I hope that come the summer when we lose the five out of contract players from the wage bill Dougie has some money to play with for buys rather than loans but I'm not confident the board will allow him to invest a lot due to the need to service the debts. 

My problem is that Dougie has failed to get the best out of our own so badly that when loanees come in they have to rescue us rather than bolster and energise a promotion push which is really where this team SHOULD have been this term rather than close to the trap door down.

On the back of three great wins and with Zat rediscovering his scoring touch, you have to feel confident about this one.

Derby 1 - 2  Bolton      Knight(35), Moritz(90+6)

At the beginning of the season I'd have agreed with you, but having seen the performances of our top earners like Lee, Eagles and N'gog my opinion of the quality we have in the squad seriously dipped. I think we were mid table level really, the side playing now is close to top 6 standard IMO.

I think Derby will provide a real test for our patched up defence and that could be our downfall. That said, I was expecting Leeds to do that with the division's top scorer McCullough and the beast that is Connor Wickham but we coped admirably playing two holding mids in Spearing and Medo.

I think Spearing finding a bit of form has been crucial to our recent revival.

luckyPeterpiper wrote:

Boggersbelief wrote:Back down to earth with a bump. These last few wins mean nothing IMO. Derby will be too good for us and everyone will be calling for Freedmans head when we lose 2-1

I want him to go now boggers, the last three wins notwithstanding because of his overall record. 

However since that clearly ISN'T going to happen anytime soon I sincerely hope he can turn things around next season. I don't want any Bolton Wanderers manager to fail (even though I personally think he already has) so hopefully he can prove me wrong next term. 

Don't get me wrong, the last three games have been superb and I give him full credit for that but in my opinion it's just not enough to save him when you look at the season as a whole.

Piper how can you judge him on a "season as a whole"? when we have a chunk of game  still to play.

 IF he maintains this type of performance come May then who could say that a manager fitting our Budget and remit would do a better job or even exists.

It goes without saying that if we performed as per the last three games for the majority of his tenure then EVERYBODY would be happy or insane.
Obviously a return to the wrist slashing form of pre March and it would be hard to defend him. Oh the Thread 2-1 to Doogies boys

This will be a hard one, if we win this, maybe he is on the right track.
A little late for the playoffs, but we can dream. [You must be registered and logged in to see this image.]

Attack from the off, get them on the back foot early and I reckon we could walk away 3-1 winners. They are not firing on all cylinders right now so I see no reason why we can't continue this run.

I'd take a point but I have a feeling we will walk away with all 3 points.

Al the time I've supported this lot, they have always had the knack of turning something good into something either mediocre, or downright piss poor. I cannot see them changing now, especially after such positive results.
To err on the side of caution, I will go for a 1-1, although I wouldn't be surprised to see us come second.

Opposition watch: Derby County

A fixture which has been played on just seven occasions in the past 14 years given the varying leagues in which each team has played in, Derby County currently hold the upper hand with 59 wins compared to Bolton’s 45 in all competitions.

With the two sides having already played out a thriller this season – a 2-2 draw at the Reebok Stadium back in September which saw all four goals come in the opening half of the clash – Tuesday’s meeting has all the makings of a classic.

A game which Wanderers will be going all out to secure maximum points in to ensure that they pick up a fourth consecutive victory, it is one that the hosts will also be keen to emerge victorious in to keep their automatic promotion hopes alive.

Just eight points separate the Rams from second placed Burnley following impressive domestic campaigns for both clubs, but two defeats in recent weeks for Steve McClaren’s men have halted their charge somewhat.

Saturday’s reverse at the hands of Millwall at the iPro Stadium – a result which Wanderers will no doubt be taking inspiration from ahead of Tuesday’s clash – was Derby’s fifth defeat on home soil this season.

That game however saw the Derbyshire outfit forced to compete without influential striker Chris Martin – a man who currently leads the club’s goalscoring charts with 18 strikes so far this term.

With the midweek meeting set to mark the Norwich-born frontman’s return to action though, Wanderers will certainly have to be on their guard to keep him at bay.

A team who have struggled for consistency since their relegation from England’s top flight six years ago, the Rams have been unable to stage any significant attempts at promotion in recent campaigns.

Having recorded league finishes ranging from last season’s 10th to 19th in 2011, this year’s impressive performances and consequent results have ensured that Derby have climbed up the table and slipped under the radar of many around them.

Now well and truly on course to secure at the very least a spot in the play-offs given that they are currently nine points ahead of seventh placed Wigan Athletic, the Derby faithful will undoubtedly be celebrating their highest league finish since their promotion winning campaign of 2007.

It was during that season that the Rams did taste Play-Off Final success with a 1-0 victory over West Bromwich Albion at Wembley, with club will no doubt set to take solace from their previous experiences in the competition should history repeat itself come May.

With twelve games of the campaign still to go however and 36 points up for grabs, McClaren’s side will certainly not be resting on their laurels when Wanderers travel to Derbyshire in midweek.

Ref watch: Scott takes the whistle

Graham Scott will take charge of Wanderers’ clash with Derby County on Tuesday evening.

A vastly experienced official having been involved professional in the game for eight years, the Oxfordshire based referee has been the man in the middle of 25 games so far this term.

Having branded 85 yellow and ten red cards during the current campaign, he last oversaw a Bolton game when the Whites emerged victorious over Millwall at the Reebok Stadium back in November.

Richard Bartlett and Edward Smart will run the line, while Ian Dudley is the fourth official.

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Nailbiter tonight. Bring it on!

wanderlust wrote:Nailbiter tonight. Bring it on!

I think it'll be close but all day my optimism has grown and I think we'll win.   

Now watch us get spanked because I said that.  

Kiss of death is usually Scott's job.

wanderlust wrote:Kiss of death is usually Scott's job.

Really? I thought it was Nat's.  

We're pretty decent odds to win @7/2 but I'm not betting on us to win, as we always lose if I back us.

I went to this fixture last season. Also a Tuesday night game, which finished 1-1.
Pride Park's probably the dullest ground I've ever seen, if you're reading this now, you made the right decision staying at home. Also because I think we'll see some squad rotation (two games in four days) and it won't be four wins on the bounce.