13-01-2016, 12:52
Time may change me
But you can't trace time
Firstly, just pleased that I could make the game after a few bad days.
Secondly, what an entertaining game with both sides going for it with verve & swagger whilst being pretty inept at the back.
I remember writing a list of ten key moments in our promotion season from L1 and there were several that were important wins against weak sides and cold Tuesday evenings. This could be a key win when we look back in May.
CC went with the expected team. Hutchinson didn't make it and he preferred Nuhiu to Joao up top but most importantly, both FF & Hooper made it.
Before the game, Young Padawan & myself both feared that Wellington Silva might give Hunt another doing over as he did at their place and yet again he repeatedly tore Hunt apart. It was an open game and looked like it would be important to get the first goal. As it happened, FF scored with a blinder from 30 yards.
Bolton were never out of it with Bannan, Wallace & Lee all poor in midfield and giving the defence little protection. It was no surprise when Bolton equalised with Madine poking in from close range after Hunt had got lost. Fair play to Madine, who barely celebrated. In fact, Madine was the best player on the pitch, winning just about everything and doing just what we could do with up top. If he could do that every week ........sigh
We went in front after a great run and cross from Pudil which Hooper forced home from close range. Our least spectacular goal of the night but the sort of goal that promotion teams score.
Bolton made it 2-2 with a clever Wheater header from a free kick. At this stage, Bolton were the better side but the brilliance of Wildsmith kept us level with two instinctive saves. You felt that would be crucial & so it proved.
There seemed no danger as the ball headed Hooper's way just inside the area but somehow he brought it down from head height, turned his man & fired home and that was that.
The substitutions were interesting. CC brought on Joao for Nuhiu when Bolton made it 2-2 although it looked as though he intended to bring him on anyway. Clearly CC still sees Joao as more of a match winner than Nuhiu.
He brought FF off when we went 3-2 ahead so clearly he had some injury issue. Helan did his usual competent job as a late sub.
He put Hunt out of his personal agony by withdrawing him. Palmer gave Wellington Silva no space, dumped him on his backside & nicked the ball off him, showing up Hunt's inadequacies even further. Bolton then subbed him.
The truth is that we won this game because of Hooper. He scored two, was unlucky not to score two others and missed three good chances. That is seven good scoring situations for one player. He is so difficult for defenders to pick up because he drifts between the midfield & the attack. One minute he is linking play in midfield, the next he is busting a gut to get on the end of a cross. Our season probably rests on whether we keep him until May.
Wildsmith - 6 - kept us in it, no-one calling for Westwood says it all
Hunt - 4 - torn apart by Wellington Silva
Sasso - 5 - given torrid time by Madine
Loovens - 6 - tough time as well
Pudil - 7 - bright, great assist for second goal
Bannan - 5 - can't question his effort but loads of mistakes, played much deeper
Wallace - 5 - struggled to impose himself
Lee - 6 - not quite enough influence
FF - 7 - magic goal & great work ethic
Hooper - 8 - two goals & assist, match winner
Nuhiu - 5 - little influence
.........................................................
Joao - 6 - gave defence more to think about
Helan - 6 - ran the clock down well
Palmer - 6 - showed Hunt how to defend
Stat Attack:
Goals: 2 - Hooper, 1 - FF
Assists: 1 - Hooper, Pudil, Wallace
Tackles: 5 - Lee, 2 - Sasso, Pudil, 1 - Hunt, Bannan, FF, Hooper, Joao
Interceptions: 4 - Loovens, 3 - Pudil, Bannan, 2 - Sasso, 1 - Wildsmith, Palmer, Joao
Clearances: 4 - Hunt, 3 - Loovens, 2 - Sasso, Pudil, 1 - Palmer, Joao
Attempts: 6 - Hooper, 2 - Wallace, FF, 1 - Pudil, Nuhiu, Joao
Attempts On Target: 3 - Hooper, 2 - Wallace, 1 - FF, Nuhiu
Key Passes: 3 - Wallace, 2 - FF, Hooper, 1 - Pudil, Lee, Joao
Dribbles: 1 - Hunt, FF, Hooper, Helan
Dispossessed: 2 - Hooper, 1 - Sasso, Wallace, Bannan, FF, Nuhiu, Joao
Bad Control: 2 - Lee, Hooper, Joao, 1 - Hunt, Pudil, Bannan, FF
Crosses (Accurate in Brackets): 6 - Wallace (2), 3 - Hunt (0), Pudil (1), 2 - Bannan (0), FF (0), Helan (1)
Passing Accuracy (Total Passes in Brackets):
Helan - 100% (4)
Sasso - 87% (31)
Hooper - 87% (23)
FF - 86% (29)
Lee - 85% (41)
Loovens - 84% (64)
Bannan - 82% (84)
Joao - 78% (9)
Pudil - 76% (45)
Wallace - 68% (41)
Nuhiu - 65% (20)
Hunt - 63% (27)
Palmer - 60% (5)
Wildsmith - 40% (35)
This wasn't a neat win like the one at Fulham but it was a win. In fact, Bolton were a lot better side than I expected & if they play like that every week then they will take some scalps. In the long term though, we need to be less sloppy against weaker teams. We missed Hutchinson and Bannan was far less effective playing so deep.
The movement of FF & Hooper will mean that we can score at any time. If we just had the man up top of the highest quality then I would say the Playoffs are a certainty. Even mix & matching with Nuhiu & Joao gives us a fair chance.
It was quite interesting to watch Madine last night. He had a tough role as a lone striker but won just about everything both in the air & on the ground. In fact, it was the complete strikers performance & I couldn't help thinking that if he hadn't been such an idiot, he could have been leading our attack instead. It was just a glimpse of an alternative universe and suggested that maybe if Madine had grown up a bit quicker, he might be leading us to promotion. Anyway, despite a lot of what I have said about him before, he conducted himself perfectly last night and showed a glimpse of what might have been. Hopefully he scores plenty against our promotion rivals.
Saturday will be tougher & I think we will need Hutchinson, either at CB or in midfield, which will release Bannan to play further forward. Leeds have been resolute in recent weeks and we have to be solid & find that magic as well.
But you can't trace time
Firstly, just pleased that I could make the game after a few bad days.
Secondly, what an entertaining game with both sides going for it with verve & swagger whilst being pretty inept at the back.
I remember writing a list of ten key moments in our promotion season from L1 and there were several that were important wins against weak sides and cold Tuesday evenings. This could be a key win when we look back in May.
CC went with the expected team. Hutchinson didn't make it and he preferred Nuhiu to Joao up top but most importantly, both FF & Hooper made it.
Before the game, Young Padawan & myself both feared that Wellington Silva might give Hunt another doing over as he did at their place and yet again he repeatedly tore Hunt apart. It was an open game and looked like it would be important to get the first goal. As it happened, FF scored with a blinder from 30 yards.
Bolton were never out of it with Bannan, Wallace & Lee all poor in midfield and giving the defence little protection. It was no surprise when Bolton equalised with Madine poking in from close range after Hunt had got lost. Fair play to Madine, who barely celebrated. In fact, Madine was the best player on the pitch, winning just about everything and doing just what we could do with up top. If he could do that every week ........sigh
We went in front after a great run and cross from Pudil which Hooper forced home from close range. Our least spectacular goal of the night but the sort of goal that promotion teams score.
Bolton made it 2-2 with a clever Wheater header from a free kick. At this stage, Bolton were the better side but the brilliance of Wildsmith kept us level with two instinctive saves. You felt that would be crucial & so it proved.
There seemed no danger as the ball headed Hooper's way just inside the area but somehow he brought it down from head height, turned his man & fired home and that was that.
The substitutions were interesting. CC brought on Joao for Nuhiu when Bolton made it 2-2 although it looked as though he intended to bring him on anyway. Clearly CC still sees Joao as more of a match winner than Nuhiu.
He brought FF off when we went 3-2 ahead so clearly he had some injury issue. Helan did his usual competent job as a late sub.
He put Hunt out of his personal agony by withdrawing him. Palmer gave Wellington Silva no space, dumped him on his backside & nicked the ball off him, showing up Hunt's inadequacies even further. Bolton then subbed him.
The truth is that we won this game because of Hooper. He scored two, was unlucky not to score two others and missed three good chances. That is seven good scoring situations for one player. He is so difficult for defenders to pick up because he drifts between the midfield & the attack. One minute he is linking play in midfield, the next he is busting a gut to get on the end of a cross. Our season probably rests on whether we keep him until May.
Wildsmith - 6 - kept us in it, no-one calling for Westwood says it all
Hunt - 4 - torn apart by Wellington Silva
Sasso - 5 - given torrid time by Madine
Loovens - 6 - tough time as well
Pudil - 7 - bright, great assist for second goal
Bannan - 5 - can't question his effort but loads of mistakes, played much deeper
Wallace - 5 - struggled to impose himself
Lee - 6 - not quite enough influence
FF - 7 - magic goal & great work ethic
Hooper - 8 - two goals & assist, match winner
Nuhiu - 5 - little influence
.........................................................
Joao - 6 - gave defence more to think about
Helan - 6 - ran the clock down well
Palmer - 6 - showed Hunt how to defend
Stat Attack:
Goals: 2 - Hooper, 1 - FF
Assists: 1 - Hooper, Pudil, Wallace
Tackles: 5 - Lee, 2 - Sasso, Pudil, 1 - Hunt, Bannan, FF, Hooper, Joao
Interceptions: 4 - Loovens, 3 - Pudil, Bannan, 2 - Sasso, 1 - Wildsmith, Palmer, Joao
Clearances: 4 - Hunt, 3 - Loovens, 2 - Sasso, Pudil, 1 - Palmer, Joao
Attempts: 6 - Hooper, 2 - Wallace, FF, 1 - Pudil, Nuhiu, Joao
Attempts On Target: 3 - Hooper, 2 - Wallace, 1 - FF, Nuhiu
Key Passes: 3 - Wallace, 2 - FF, Hooper, 1 - Pudil, Lee, Joao
Dribbles: 1 - Hunt, FF, Hooper, Helan
Dispossessed: 2 - Hooper, 1 - Sasso, Wallace, Bannan, FF, Nuhiu, Joao
Bad Control: 2 - Lee, Hooper, Joao, 1 - Hunt, Pudil, Bannan, FF
Crosses (Accurate in Brackets): 6 - Wallace (2), 3 - Hunt (0), Pudil (1), 2 - Bannan (0), FF (0), Helan (1)
Passing Accuracy (Total Passes in Brackets):
Helan - 100% (4)
Sasso - 87% (31)
Hooper - 87% (23)
FF - 86% (29)
Lee - 85% (41)
Loovens - 84% (64)
Bannan - 82% (84)
Joao - 78% (9)
Pudil - 76% (45)
Wallace - 68% (41)
Nuhiu - 65% (20)
Hunt - 63% (27)
Palmer - 60% (5)
Wildsmith - 40% (35)
This wasn't a neat win like the one at Fulham but it was a win. In fact, Bolton were a lot better side than I expected & if they play like that every week then they will take some scalps. In the long term though, we need to be less sloppy against weaker teams. We missed Hutchinson and Bannan was far less effective playing so deep.
The movement of FF & Hooper will mean that we can score at any time. If we just had the man up top of the highest quality then I would say the Playoffs are a certainty. Even mix & matching with Nuhiu & Joao gives us a fair chance.
It was quite interesting to watch Madine last night. He had a tough role as a lone striker but won just about everything both in the air & on the ground. In fact, it was the complete strikers performance & I couldn't help thinking that if he hadn't been such an idiot, he could have been leading our attack instead. It was just a glimpse of an alternative universe and suggested that maybe if Madine had grown up a bit quicker, he might be leading us to promotion. Anyway, despite a lot of what I have said about him before, he conducted himself perfectly last night and showed a glimpse of what might have been. Hopefully he scores plenty against our promotion rivals.
Saturday will be tougher & I think we will need Hutchinson, either at CB or in midfield, which will release Bannan to play further forward. Leeds have been resolute in recent weeks and we have to be solid & find that magic as well.
The ultimate measure of a man is not where he stands in moments of comfort and convenience, but where he stands at times of challenge and controversy.