[betterthanbaird]

Pretty poor affair if I'm honest, but glad for the 3 points.

We need reinforcements if we're serious about going up. The win papered over the cracks tonight. Bolton missed chances and we didn't create much.

We're really desperate for a midfielder who can boss the game and a creative forward to replace Barnes.

I'm not a Robson Kanu hater by any means, but he's far more effective coming from the bench than he is starting. Our midfield tonight is nowhere near good enough to mount a challenge. Harper showed glimpses and can play, but he needs to be eased in because the game often passes him by. Excellent goal by Field, but didn't see enough from him overall.

Obviously we have Livermore and Phillips (hopefully) to come back, but we need more strength in depth because that side will get turned over against anybody half decent.

Tbf we did have Livermore, Phillips, Morrison and Brunt all unavailable, granted some of those absences should be expected by now but it's still a lot of midfielders to have out.

I agree we didn't play well and those performances won't do against most teams, certainly everyone we're playing in February, but I can't see us playing that poorly again.

We're still very close to the top of the league, the clean sheet might boost our defenders a bit and the youngsters are playing and scoring, so we can take cautious optimism from that game.