After the break, we were much better in terms of structure and confidence on the ball. We gave less away and generally looked to be the better side. I go on about chances, but aside from the one moment of madness (oh, how I long for the day I don’t have to type those words), we were the better team. They had two shots off target in the second half and the goal, we had seven efforts, two on target and one (O’Connor), which was off target but a great opportunity. This is against a team who can swap a former Bundesliga striker with a former World Cup player. I really want you to remember that because it does add context (in my opinion) to the performance and result.
In fairness, the first 15 minutes of the second half of the game felt like it was done at 1-0. We were working hard across the back, and to read later that we showed ‘no fight or passion’ is (frankly) laughable. What are fight and passion? Because I saw lots of fights, from an engaged and angry Paudie O’Connor to the combative Sean Roughan, Ben House was involved plenty as well; I just don’t see the lack of fight comment. I saw it (for instance) away at Shrewsbury last season and at Cambridge earlier this season, but not yesterday. Comments like that make me not want to engage with anyone about football, it’s that simple. Sorry if this feels spiky, but that’s where I’m at right now, not just with football with a lot of things, and trying to reason and be balanced is becoming increasingly hard.
Here’s something for those who want an argument to seize upon; we were the better team in the second half and on that showing, deserved a point.
What changed for us? Four words; Max Sanders (and) Danny Mandroiu (okay, that’s five). The former gave the midfield a more solid feel when he came on, and I think his renaissance could (and will) be as significant as Sean Roughan’s. He solidified the midfield, whilst Mandroiu making his debut added an element of uncertainty, bravery on the ball that you need to make this formation work. We’d struggled to get Jack Diamond into the game, and in previous games, he’s forced himself into it. Mandroiu, initially on the flank but later making a front two with Diamond, is another who wants the ball, and he showed a real fire when he came on. Actually, he showed some real fight and passion, in my opinion.
For 20-odd minutes, the game shifted in our favour. Paudie O’Connor had the best chance of the game that wasn’t a penalty but headed over when it looked easier to score. It was a powerful header, connecting in the area direct from a set piece, and I can’t recall the last time that happened. I thought O’Connor was Man of the Match yesterday, and he showed signs of having settled. He got a tremendous block in at one stage as well, and I thought he really put his body on the line. I’d also commend House (I think it was) for fighting and harassing their defender into conceding the corner in the first place.
Mandroiu had a half chance with a shot on target, which he made himself by fighting to get in ahead of the defender and watching the highlights back their commentator said we were beginning to create some nervous moments for the Trotters. I genuinely think we could have perhaps forced an equaliser, possibly, had we not again reached for that big red button. This time, Sean Roughan was at fault, inexplicably throwing the ball to Bolton in a dangerous area. It’s a shame, as the young left-back had been a Man of the Match contender up until that point. Afolayan and Bodvarsson exchanged passes after being gifted the ball before the Icelandic man slotted home to kill off the game. It was a horrible moment for Roughan, and to his credit, he came out and spoke to the media afterwards. I thought that showed great character and bravery.
Sadly, it also ended a game in which we’d been on top. Danny Mandroiu certainly added some spice, and Virtue came into his own alongside Sanders; he could have snatched us a late consolation with a powerful effort their keeper beat away, but it was too little too late. Neil Hair blew the whistle and was immediately under fire for his decisions from some fans. For me, there’s a good penalty shout for Jack Diamond, but they had a penalty turned down in the second half, Jackson on Charles, which I’d want giving if it were the other way, so I’ve few complaints about him. The referee is an easy go-to when things go badly, but I thought Hair got most of the decisions right, even if they didn’t favour us. I did think one of their lads could have been red-carded for a choke slam in the area, which (at first watch) I thought was a penalty as well, but the ball was obviously out of play.
This wasn’t a great result, but it was an adequate performance in places. If I’m being harsh, I think Lasse Sorensen’s early-season form has faded, and when we’re going two in midfield, we need a little more strength but also some more positional sense. That’s one of the reasons we looked weaker in the first half; the back three did their job well enough, but they were asked to do too much because the midfield two did not. With that pivot in the centre of the park not working, it left the front three isolated, having to feed on scraps. If the midfield pairing does not work, you have to go longer, and that’s not going to be effective when Ben House is your striker as he’s not a target man. This was the sort of game where we needed Tom Hopper from the start, with House coming on later, perhaps when we went to a two and chased the game. That’s not to say Ben didn’t do well; I thought he had a decent game, if not a successful one, but I think the saying is ‘horses for courses’ and yesterday’s course was not one Ben House favours.
I did enjoy Mark’s interview after the game, although I have only listened back this morning. I agree with him; there were plenty of positives to take from the game and had we not made two simple individual errors, then that game would have been 0-0, with us having had the better of the few chances the game threw up. Actually, if it were not for both errors, Bolton’s xG would have been 0.47 – that’s lower than we had away at Cambridge. That means that in terms of the game plan, we executed it perfectly, and created better chances – our xG was twice that of the Oxford United win and more than we got at home against Fleetwood and away at Portsmouth. I know we lost, and the so-called realists will say, ‘but we did make the errors’, but isn’t it ironic we go to Portsmouth, execute the same game plan, and get praised, but go to Bolton, do the same things the same way, create better chances and apparently it’s boring football with no fight or passion?
We lost, yes, and the errors are frustrating, but I’ve no problem with us going to a game with three at the back, keeping it tight and trying to nick something on the break. Had the players all stayed focused for 90 minutes and not done the odd silly thing, we’d have got a draw yesterday against a top team in this division, and everyone would have been delighted. I can definitely understand those unhappy at some of the sloppy play and the two errors, but a lack of fight and passion? Genuinely? Not for me.
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