Bolton v Leeds Utd Match Thread

[Norm]

60sUnited wrote:
Top of the League ! Can't argue with that BUT although its great 'grinding results out' it would be a relief and confidence booster to actually play really well and get a 3-0 result sometime OR am I being greedy

Nope - I agree. Not sure what the future holds though if we lose Saiz - unless Clarke is given his chance.

[rab_rant]

I would like to see Ayling, Berardi or Dallas back at the RB position
and Shackelton replacing Baker in the midfield. He may not be
a silverbooted trickster like Saiz but he had poop coming out the
pants of the Bolton defenders when he was running straight at them.
Samu would always cut across field or turn back on himself when
going forward, and principally he was used as a player to move
the ball quickly up field, but often his final ball let him down
except when he did those cushioned lobs onto Pablo's head
for him to score goals. That was a joy to behold.
WIth Shackelton the moving of the ball forward would be more direct
and it would play to the strengths of either Bamford or Roofe, both
of whom can work the channels. Make it happen.

[1964white]

Well we made hard work out of that game against a very poor side who looked like a relegation outfit on today's showing. After a bright opening ten minutes we created nothing in the first-half apart from a Hernandez header that Alnwick tipped over the bar.

The turning points came when Jack Clarke came on for the inept Baker with Pablo moving into the middle of the park in the 46th minute plus the introduction of Bamford 15 minutes later coming on for Roofe who was very poor today. Hernandez's sublime pass to our £7 million signing who instantly slotted his shot away with a smart finish sending the Leeds faithful in a joyous rapture. Pablo has now scored 7 goals & provided 7 assists to his name this season. Apart from Klich's lovely low curling shot heading into the corner of the net only for Alnwick to make another fine save there wasn't much to shout about from our attacking moves.

Positives

Three points.
We won even though we were poor.
We're top of the league.
First time we've won five consecutive games since 2009.
Bamford's goal.
Hernandez's sublime pass + what he gives to our team
Pontus a rock at the back yet again.
Jack Clarke trickery gave us something different in the 2nd half.

Negatives

No celebrations from Pontus at the end as he hobbled off at the final whistle, really hope he is ok.
Pablo also hobbling late on, we desperately need to keep Hernandez & Jansson fit
We waste the first 45 minutes of games far too often.
Far too many stray passes/errors although the conditions were horrendous
We struggle to kill the opposition off.
Roofe's poorest game of the season
Baker still doesn't look good enough.
What was that Alioski back-heel & the feigning of injury all about?
Atmosphere was lukewarm to say the least.

Ratings

6 Peacock-Farrell
7 Shackleton
9 Jansson MOTM
6 Phillips
6 Douglas
7 Forshaw
8 Hernandez
3 Baker
6 Klich
4 Alioski
4 Roofe
Subs
7 Clarke
8 Bamford
n/a Halme

[Durly]

Alioski's backheel was crap but he was definitely caught straight after, on the ankle/achilles............

[1964white]

Alioski's backheel was crap but he was definitely caught straight after, on the ankle/achilles............

He got up very quickly after going down like a lead balloon

[1964white]

Alioski - 4 - He needs a rest and a rethink ..very poor today and really only his fouls and back chatting to the officials would let you know he started (and shockingly finished)

He is a irritating little runt whose petulance attitude annoys me intensely

Roofe - 6 - Starts on 6, finishes on 6. Stays on and he gets on the end of that delightful Hernandez chip. No idea why he came off when Alioski was still stinking the place up. Fortunately we got the goal, but he's still the most likely to score

Thought your man was was poor mate, he never got into the game although tbf our midfield didn't assist him well & when the ball did arrive at his feet he struggled to hold or control it with his back to goal probably due to the horrendous conditions.
I said to mate just after half-time I think Bamford may come on for Roofe, at the time of the sub I don't think he approved as he said "that is a real gamble". Well the gamble paid off as all three changes, Clarke down the right, Hernandez in the middle & Bamford up top worked a treat

[leic white 63]

Alioski's backheel was crap but he was definitely caught straight after, on the ankle/achilles............

Hardly touched him fella. he was rolling around like he's been f**king shot trying to cover for his embarrassing back heel . f**king puff.

[weasel]

Great to see more slagging off of Leeds players. Last season everyone knocking Phillips and Saiz. Cooper been getting it for years. Hernandez got loads of abuse before that with fans saying he couldn't play in away matches. Wood slaughtered by fans even in the middle of his superb season. FW slaughtered till he lost all confidence.

[The Subhuman]

Great to see more slagging off of Leeds players. Last season everyone knocking Phillips and Saiz. Cooper been getting it for years. Hernandez got loads of abuse before that with fans saying he couldn't play in away matches. Wood slaughtered by fans even in the middle of his superb season. FW slaughtered till he lost all confidence.

Good post, I do think there's a good player in Alioski but he's struggling right now and for me needs a time out. Confidence maybe down, he maybe tiring as he's worked harder than anyone this season so far.

[1964white]

Great to see more slagging off of Leeds players. Last season everyone knocking Phillips and Saiz. Cooper been getting it for years. Hernandez got loads of abuse before that with fans saying he couldn't play in away matches. Wood slaughtered by fans even in the middle of his superb season. FW slaughtered till he lost all confidence.

The difference is Alioski is being slagged off with good reason, he has a streak in his demeanour our fans are appalled to see, it's embarrassing. He can sod off back to Europe if he wishes to continue cheating & feigning injury for all i care !

[1964white]

Good post, I do think there's a good player in Alioski but he's struggling right now and for me needs a time out. Confidence maybe down, he maybe tiring as he's worked harder than anyone this season so far.

He cheats to cover up his deficiencies

[leic white 63]

Good post, I do think there's a good player in Alioski but he's struggling right now and for me needs a time out. Confidence maybe down, he maybe tiring as he's worked harder than anyone this season so far.

Hahaha you need to give your head a wobble. hes s**t and an embarrassment to lufc.
Honesty is a great virtue !

[dezzy]

Agree with Weasel and Faaip, all players have poor runs of form, how about ripping players apart, call for them to be dropped, some comments are out of order, what happens when these guys play well? Score the winner in a game? For a team top of the table, I’ve never seen such negative comments.
Alioski is on a poor run of form, looks like he’s trying too hard, he’ll come back better and show us the good player we have seen, popping up with important goals and assists.

[Cjay]

Nice to have Bamford back, 1 chance 1 goal, thats what we need when we arent at our best.

I thought it was a pen, Forshaw ballsed up and Phillips showed he isnt a cb as he dallied and had no awareness of the player behind him. I fear for us next week with Abraham surely targeting Phillips.

We will need to play much better next weekend or we could get a kicking.

But grinding out results is the mark of a top side.

[The Subhuman]

There was that lovely pin point cross in the fist half that could easily have been an assist and released the pressure early had Alnwick not made a good save, (he made about four by the way which could easily have resulted in a much more comfortable win...I thought he looked like what we need...an experienced goal keeper who commanded his defence well and made three/four very good saves

[BGwhite]

Ali is just making up the numbers for now. MB has his hands tied as I'm sure he'd love to start Clarke but he knows he's not fit enough even for 60/70 minutes and wether he would track back like Ali is another question which leads me to believe Ali is playing for defensive reasons not offensive but if he produces anything it's seen as a bonus. Ali is petulant and frustrating and I couldn't care one jott if he happens to fall over which gives us an advantage...name one team in any league who don't have players doing this every game. Any advantage gained which helps us get out of this bloody league is more than welcome and medals are not given out for being honest and no one will be thanked for it if it stops us going up. We've taken enough crap over the years so right now let's take any slice of luck that comes our way and be grateful for it. Merry Xmas !

Sent from my XT1032 using Tapatalk

[NorfolkWhite]

Great to see more slagging off of Leeds players. Last season everyone knocking Phillips and Saiz. Cooper been getting it for years. Hernandez got loads of abuse before that with fans saying he couldn't play in away matches. Wood slaughtered by fans even in the middle of his superb season. FW slaughtered till he lost all confidence.

So many of our players slammed way too quickly / easily. I agree with Faaip, I think there is a decent player in there he is just not as good as he thinks he is. If he concentrated on the football and less of the theatrics I’m sure he’d seem a better player instantly. He works his socks off and that can’t be underestimated as a starting point. Sometimes wonder whether it would be better to swap him and Douglas

[danhirons]

Don't see any problem criticizing those who are under performing. It's hardly been one game for alioski, it's been about ten or fifteen in a row now where he hasnt performed. We want to be constantly improving. Just because we're winning doesn't mean all the players are performing well, alioski has been carried by the team almost the whole season now. If we got a better left winger we could, in theory, improve our performances and results even more!

[1964white]

Alioski is on a poor run of form, looks like he’s trying too hard, he’ll come back better and show us the good player we have seen, popping up with important goals and assists.

Alioski has been in a poor run of form for some time now, his last very good game was at Norwich back in the autumn, he rarely produces a 8/10+ performance, more like 6 or under. Even his most ardent fan Cjay says he should be rested. Our young kids Clarke, Shackleton & Halme produce & show more consistency than Ali. What riles our fans even more are his diving antics & petulance towards the officials, personally I'm sick of it !

[1964white]

So many of our players slammed way too quickly / easily. I agree with Faaip, I think there is a decent player in there he is just not as good as he thinks he is. If he concentrated on the football and less of the theatrics I’m sure he’d seem a better player instantly. He works his socks off and that can’t be underestimated as a starting point. Sometimes wonder whether it would be better to swap him and Douglas

I sorry Norfolk, working his socks off doesn't make him a good player, he's had endless chances producing next to nothing in the majority of his appearances. Jack Clarke comes on & instantly improves our team performance every time he's played.

Take the two opportunities he had at West Brom, any coach will tell you to shoot across the keeper from an angle, Alioski chose the wrong option twice hitting both his shots into the side-netting. He is one of these glory boys that fans latch onto, the type of players that often do my head in !

Saiz has gone, hopefully Alioski will follow next summer as he certainly won't hack it in the prem if we are promoted