Simple. Bolton are a big team, dangerous at set pieces, like Stoke, so he picked big tall men, but he forgot that Bolton also have pace down the flanks and picked a 4-3-3 formation that offered his exposed full backs no cover what so ever. The team selection was crass. Utterly crass.
That's all I'm saying on the game because I didn't see it. Thank God Wolves were thumped. Thank God Wigan lost, although only by a single goal at Chelsea, and thank God Blackburn and Birmingham shared the points, meaning they are both just about within reach, although our goal difference took another terrible dent.
Mind you, to stay up, I suspect we need Blackpool, Wolves and Wigan to lose the vast majority of their remaining 6 games. Are we too good to go down? Nope. Bolton should have been there for the taking today and they murdered us. Disgraceful.
Aycliffe, if you look in can you email me a fan's eye report from the away terraces. Sorry it was such a miserable afternoon for you yet again. When are you going to give up on going to Bolton? (And on the day of the National too!)
23 comments:
Do you still think AG is a great manager HF? What a horror show! Bad selections, bad tactics, zero motivation. Congratulations AG you have exceeded yourself today.
In the meantime, Hodgson who took over only a few weeks ago at desperately poor WBA has already saved them!!!
Did you watch Avram's interview on Sky just now? He was rather happy with our play but Bolton has scored some fantastic goals he said. He probably still thinks we lost because we were unlucky and not for any of the reasons you so rightly point out in your article.
And I have ask you once again. Do you still think AG is a great manager capable of saving us? As far as I am concerned, bring back Zola any time. The man is clueless, inept and pathetic and so are his teams! Just look at what Hodgson has managed in only a few games at WBA!
Basically GRANT is still none the wiser what his best formation is.It keeps changing like the wind,there is no continuity in the sides he is putting out.This probably explains why there is so much inconsistency in the team performances.
I agree, I looked at the selection before the game and thought it was a mistake.
Keane can't play in a 4-3-3 and cannot play out wide. Tottenham proved that time and time again, why has Grant not learnt that lesson!!
4-3-3 against Bolton, should have done 4-4-2 somehow.
Too good to go down, no way.
Still in with a chance of escaping relegation but all depends on other teams falling away because we have had our run of form and its over now.
On the 11th of Febuary, West Brom decided to take the decision to bring in Roy Hodgson with enough time for the new manager to do something about their plight. They were 4th from bottom at the time, with just 2 points more than us. Now West Brom are in 10th place on 39 points and are basically safe.
They are undefeated under Roy Hodgson, a real manager.
We continue to stick with this failure, still in the relegation zone with tough games to come.
Can Grant really see the pitch from up in the stands. Played well! they couldn't have played worse. I don't mind them losing as long as I have been impressed they have tried their best which isn't happening.
Three in midfield does not work with our players.Teams that have decent wide men are exploiting us.Why GRANT put out that formation today is beyond me,you would think we were the home team going for goals.BOLTON dominated and really took advantage of our inept shape.He should have played 4-4-2 or 4-5-1
Forget your Grand Indices HF? The only index you need is the one you get when you compare how much Hodgson has achieved in such a short time (and with a lesser skilled team than West Ham) compared to Grant's consistent failings as manager.
It is so sad to have to get relegated because the owners (or some of them at least) couldn't see the real Avram Grant behind the vale he manages to put up to cover his incompetence and hide behind. As far as I am concerned he is a total fake. Even if they replace him now we may still be saved. But I very much doubt they will. So we know who to blame at the end of the season. The owners and to a lesser extent HF!
LOl Sav, yeah blame me, like Sullivan & Gold base their decisions on what I say! I've said that the team selection and tactics today were terrible. I never had this game in my calculations for avoiding the drop so we move on!
yeah all very good but you've always said Grant is a good manager - we will see............
True! You did say that his selection was beyond belief today. But you stopped short of admitting that we have an incompetent manager.
G&S may be reading your blogs. You never know. Why not? I mean, I do. Why shouldn't they?
Move on HF? Tell us about Grant!
Can we see your calculations HF. Because if you didn't have this game down, you can't have had the next three down (Villa, Chelsea, City). Were we losing four in a row?
We were so poor today. sure, the back four was a bloody disgrace and I couldn't understand why he played Tonks on the right either. But our "striking force" made so many mistakes, too. Keano couldn't pass a simple ball...well let's say our whole midfield couldn't pass a simple ball. In the 2nd half we started to look as a team but just for a few moments then they made their third. Coley worked his socks off and gave everything - my personal MOTM (if you dare to pick sb from our team). When I saw Upson "chasing" Davies I knew there was no belief in this side. Instead of running as hell he chose to jog right behind him. A real shame.
We were so bad today we hardly had the ball in their half during the first 45. Game over after 20mins as they did exactly what they wanted. Grant's selection on players and tactics was nothing short of shite and tbh I would not be at all surprised if he got us relegated. The players have no clue under him and surrender before taking the field. I had us surviving just on BBC predictor inc this defeat so we still have a chance. But if Blackpool and Villa both win today we're 3 points adrift and that gap can only widen with Chelsea and Man City to play. It's so tight at the bottom it's unreal but we just don't look like we have any fight whatsoever in us and that could well be the difference come May.
i say tomkins bac kin center back this week along with upson jacobsen back at right back and for god sake scott parker i overrated by everyone apart from HF who underrates him thats 3 poor games in 4 now for him and why does Ba constantly never play a whole game as the striker and coles is f-ing s**t get it in to your heads keane was half decent yesterday and set up some good attacks . and grant was in the stands sure he still picks the team but after that its all paul bloody groves managing yesterday. Grants got 3 points less then zola had last season in 7 games less . And stani you keep banging on about how grants a bad manager and how HF neve rsays hes a bad manager its ab it liek you and zola isnt it you hypocrite
Sorry Fanno didn't look at many sites after the disappointment of Saturday so missed your invitation.
You are right re me going back to Bolton but sadly judged on Saturdays game we might not get a chance for a while!!
BTW what's the chance of you turning off the comment filter?
Surely the level of abuse has died down?
Rev, would still like to carry your account of the day if you have the time to commit your misery to print mate. I've been banned from you know where again. No reason, except perhaps I took on Great Aunt Del! What a joke!
As for moderation, sadly the site is now a victim of its own success. I keep getting SPAM for porn which bypasses the Google filter. So, either I expose young Irons to links to some pretty disgusting stuff or I accept that this has its limits as a forum. I think the latter is the lesser of two evils personally. It's a rotten world out there!
You not banned again?!! Just when I wa sbegining to like you (well dislike you less!!! Lol. And thats even though you know sweet FA about midfielders!!!
LOL Uncle Nev and Auntie Del don't like anybody with a contrary opinion. Bestt I'm gone though, at this rate you'll be trying to sleep with me in six month's time.
Lol.... no chance. We would be awake all night with me extolling the virtues of Scott Parker!!!
LOL Anything to get me to do turn for you in the bedroom! Have you no shame man?
Which of the Orgers are you? Why not leave comments under your Org handle?
Lol.Gosh admitting your being "outhought" Fanno!!! Well at least that rules our a certain poster from down Southampton way then!!! Or does it?!!
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