Bolton Wanderers 2 - West Bromwich Albion 0

Dave Watkin:

Albion chose to deal with Bolton's ugly long ball game by playing an extra defender. With just ten minutes remaining it seemed that these tactics had earned the Baggies a point, but as at Blackburn two late goals meant we went home empty handed.

There were two crucial incidents in the match and close analysis, aided by Match-of-the-Day 2 coverage, show that it was Albion errors rather than the referee or opposition brilliance that cost us the game. Firstly, we were given an early penalty, Kamara scored, but what aberration caused Horsfield to race into the box ahead of the kick being taken, thus giving the official the perfect opportunity to order a retake? Secondly, late on, they were given a free kick on the edge of the box, Kirkland screamed for the wall to move right, they ignored him, he didn't change his position and it didn't need a David Beckham to take advantage. In our situation we can't afford to be so generous.

Overall, Chris Kirkland put in another fine performance making several critical saves, the defence was generally sound, Steve Watson was the pick of the midfield winning and distributing the ball well and Diomansy Kamara was a danger throughout up front.

Whether the manager would have been more positive if Gera and Ellington had been fit we don't know, likewise we can't say for certain that playing Kanu from the start would have been an improvement. What is clear is, we've missed the chance to build on the Arsenal victory and take advantage of Bolton who must have been tired after their midweek trip to Turkey.

TEAM NEWS

Bryan Robson made two changes whilst switching to a 5-3-2 formation. Darren Moore was included at the centre of a back three, Darren Carter replaced Ronnie Wallwork in midfield with Kanu returning to the bench.

HIGHLIGHTS

There were few notable incidents in the opening quarter-of-an-hour, but then an early ball into the box reached Davies and his shot on the turn was well saved by Chris Kirkland with his legs. Next the home side had a good heading opportunity which was nodded over the bar.

In the 19th minute came a crucial moment in the game. Jonathan Greening chipped a free kick into the area and a weak header away fell to Diomansy Kamara. He dribbled into the crowded box and was clipped by Diouf - penalty! Kamara stepped up to take the kick himself and calmly sent the keeper the wrong way as he slotted the ball into the bottom corner. However, the "goal" was ruled out because Geoff Horsfield had encroached into the area. For the retake Kamara went for the same side but this time the keeper guessed right and the Senegal international lifted his shot high and wide.

Bolton created two other good opportunities before the break. First, a deep ball was headed back across goal to Nakata but with the goal at his mercy his rising shot ricocheted wide off his own player. Then from another cross Nolan rose high to head powerfully for the top corner but Kirkland leapt backwards to tip the ball over the bar.

It was the Baggies turn to come close midway through the second half. Greening fed Kamara on the edge of the area and he drifted past two defenders before hitting a low drive which Jaaskelainen had to be agile to block.

Albion were coming under pressure but defending resolutely until in the 81st minute it all went wrong. When Albrechtsen won the ball on the edge of the penalty area, the referee harshly gave a free kick. From our vantage point high up behind the opposite goal it appeared there were problems with the wall and so it proved, for NAKATA was able to blast his shot past it into the unprotected corner of the net.

Earlier Kanu had replaced the ineffective Horsfield, now Rob Earnshaw was thrown on for Clement as we switched to four at the back. This positive move was too little too late for, deep into injury time, it was Bolton who scored again. Albion, with Earnshaw and Greening back, had difficulty clearing their lines near the corner flag. The ball was knocked inside to NOLAN and a lucky bounce off his shin set him up for a shot at goal, which he curled round a defender into the bottom corner of the net.

ALBION FORMRATE : FAIR

MAN-OF-THE-MATCH : STEVE WATSON

AND FINALLY

The fixture list set up three West Midlands v Lancashire matches this weekend, for besides Bolton v Albion, there was Villa v Wigan and Blackburn v Blues. Every one of these matches ended 2-0 in favour of the Lancastrians, a thorough thumping for the local sides.

John:

Just back from the ground.

It was dire!! No fight and no idea as far as I am concerned (and that is just the manager)

• Kirkland 7 Thought he may have to go off with bad injury. Once again some top saves.
• Davies 6 Some really good stuff mixed in with some dodgy stuff at times but is getting better and stronger each week
• Moore 7 Solid enough, only down side is the passing, only 1 option which is to knock it long.
• Clement 6 Steady without really impressing
• Albrechtsen 5 Thought the role may suit him but never got forward (under instruction?) to have a go at Pedersen.
• Greening 5 Very poor and has been a real let down so far this season.
• WATSON 8* Took to holding role very well and was only player in the middle to win it and try and be inventive with it.
• Carter 5 Is he fit? Never in the game and in 2nd half his 2nd touch was a tackle (see his booking for proof) Yet lasted for 90 minutes!????
• Robinson 6 Poor first half but back to his best in the 2nd. Not a wing back though.
• Horsefield 4 Gave us nothing !
• Kamara 6 Lively and our only real threat, could have had 2 in the 2nd half just down to his pace.

SUBS

• Kanu 5
• Earnie (never touched the ball )
• Chaplow (why did he not come on !!)
• Scimeca (not used)
• Kuz (Not used)

Martin C:

Just back from the match and I am absolutely flabbergasted by Robson's remarks. We were dire. Worse than against Blackburn (I didn't think that was possible). 5 away games and 1 goal! We pass the ball back to the keeper more than any other team in this division (probably all four). Robson needs to be shown the door and get Burley in pronto.

Marks:

• Kirkland 8 (2 world class saves in first half)
• Alby 5
• Robbo 6
• Davies 6
• Big Dave 7
• Clem 6
• Greening 5
• Watson 7
• Carter 4
• Kamara 6
• Horsfield 3

mitch:

I CANT UNDERSTAND WHY THEY PLAY R EARNSHAW FOR 10 MINS EVERY GAME. ITS NOT FAIR HE IS THERE BEST PLAYER BY FAR

B ROBSON IS STUPID - I THINK WE NEED A NEW MANAGER?

didge:

So the wheel has turned full circle and we are now back to the Megson brand of Alamo football. I thought we had kicked the habit becase we were excellent last season away at Charlton, Spurs and Boro. Playing some purposeful football and creating numerous chances.

Playng every man behind the ball and trying to pinch something has been proven to fail and what happens is that we generally hold out for much of the match and then lose by the odd goal. Then the manager bemoans bad luck, bad decisions, bad defending etc.

The truth is that the teams that prosper show some enterprise. West Ham and Wigan have squads which are probably inferior to ours, but any luck they are having, they deserve for their positive attitude. The constant change of players and formations is leaving everyone bemused and not surprisingly the lack of coherence and organisation has left us with the worst defence in the division.

I just can't undersand why Robson has changed what was a winning formula.

smethwick batman:

I've been to the game today and I've now had enough of this pillock, principally because of the rubbish he keeps coming out with in the week leading up to and then after every game which suggests to me he's on some kind of PR cover up for his own inadequacies.

How many times am I going to add to this statistic:

1. Eleven games played and eleven different line-ups. Eleven different subs benches.
2. People who disappear literally without trace (I'm no fan but is Wallwork now the new Inamoto?).
3. Now its the bloody referee's fault. Anyone at the ground could see that Horsfield, the unprofessional prat, was standing NEXT to Kamara when he put the ball in the net. That's not encroaching, it's bloody ungentlemany conduct. We're lucky he let us take it again. Albie's challenge was brave but reckless and you're always taking a chance when you tank somebody from the back even if you get the ball. The point about the goal is what is going on at the training ground? Rule one of a wall is the keeper's in charge so f!!!!! look at him. One faces backwards and instructs the others. Who's in charge out there? I learnt this at school. It was an absolute shambles.
4. Why play three big men at the back against a team that plays 4-5-1 with constant, permanent width. Bolton could have been four up at half time with this trick as their half time cameras couldn't wait to gloat. We didn't look like anyone of the back three knew who the others were, what their job was, who to mark, where to go. Big Dave won plenty of aerial cos that's what he does but only by intimidating Clem and Davies as much as their Davies.
5. Carter looked like a schoolboy against grown men. Where's he suddenly get 90 mins from? Watson (MOTM for us) did his job for him and his own but should have been in the Wallwork sitting role. We were swamped in midfield because of the line-up.
6. If Ellington can't do better than Horsfield ("feed the horse, he'll be offside") why did we play ?3 million for him? What's Kanu being thrown on again as a hit and hope target man like at Chelsea when any damage he does is in the blockhole feeding people in. Oh. and don't forget he was Cantona on Thursday.
7. This manager is bonkers and he's ruining an opportunity for our club to stop up in a weak (lower end) prem with a decent enough squad to do it. I've never booed him or Wallwork but he truly doesn't know what the hell he's doing.

Asbourne Exile:

Dreadful.This was back to Megson when he was making the most out of an inferior squad to pinch things 1-0. It won't work in the Premier and is not something I want to watch. After the great escape I was hopeful of watching some positve stuff this season but this sums it up for me.

Robbo has no idea. If he won't change then the Board must change him or we are down - and down with a hugely disenchanted fan base.

AJ-B:

Well, where do we start, what do we do next, when & how will it all end? Perhaps I may be turning into a grumpy old man, I sure hope not, but even my enormous sense of humour is being strained from me these days, watching inept performance after inept performance. I have now begun asking myself "what the hell are you doing travelling to all parts of the country in trying to SUPPORT this shambles of a football team"? Sureley I can find better things to occupy myself, spend quality time with the wife, play more golf, see more of my grandson etc. etc. etc. Is senility galloping in on me? Sadly most of the passion I had for my once beloved club is now being sqeezed out of me as week by week we are presented with a plethira of team personnel changes that would keep Alfred Marks Bureau very busy, this together with abortive tactics trying to be acted out by incompetent players at the bequest of apparantly even more incompetent managerial staff, all this is making it very difficult to continue the purgatory in giving this lot my support.

Having entered into this season - just like about every other Baggie nut I suppose - in the sense that we were on the verge of establishing ourselves in our rightful place in the echelons of footballs hierarchy - the Premiership - so I renewed both my home & away season tickets with so much enthusiasm, I have bought all the new replica kits each season, together with other clothing items that display "Albion", my car is decked like a shrine with all the knick-knacks, pennants, air freshners, mini shirts stuck to windows etc. etc. But now I just slump into despair, what a sad old man I am becoming, what was once a pleasurable release from running my business, now has become even more stressful than my occupation.

So I have now reluctantly decided that when this season ends - whatever the outcome - my season tickets will NOT be re-newed, instead I will just select a few games I feel I might want to watch and for the remainder - just get on with my life!!!

Yes this final debacle at Bolton has at last brought me to Terra Firma, now with feet firmly on the ground & the little Grey cells functioning more clearly, I now see a better life beyond the Baggies, I will still support - but from a distance.

It has now become clear as to why Bryan Robson was kept in the 'wilderness' for so long after Middlesborough, he just cannot cut it as a premier manager. I am not giving my usual player review except to state that Steve Watson was head & shoulders above anyone else, & so I made him my Star Man with Chris Kirkland some little way behind as runner up, as for the rest - well I could not give 10 points BETWEEN THE LOT! - and for Mr. Robson, he scores nil points. All very, very sad isn't it?

Lamp Baggie:

Not at game so wont comment on it - however, team selection says it all - did we take anyhthing positive from the Arsenal game - simple answer no.

Once again another poor away performance & all BR can do is moan about the referee - 2 shots on goal against 19 says it all.

BR finally drops Woodwork & changes formation!!! 5-3-2 Pleased to hear BR finally have a go at boo boys & then next match drops him!

Bolton played Thurday night in Turkey yet we handed them the game on a plate - we should have been much more positive & actually tried to win the game - aiming for a point & getting nothing appears to be our game plan away from the Hawthornes - the premiership is getting weaker and the differences between most teams smaller - but the fear factor in BR's attitude to games is costing us dearly.

BR stay with 4-4-2 decide on your best team & stick to it.

No doubt more changes next week.

Lord Charles:

I thought it would be better to cool off rather than go on a rant so I have waited the best part of a day before putting my thoughts into words.

On hearing the line-up my initial reaction was: The Wallwork haters have had their wish and Carter after his wonder goal last week was given a start. Also a sense of disappointment that Horsfield started given that he gave us nothing last week but maybe Bolton would suit his style more. I felt that the inclusion of ?Big Dave? was wise given the expected number of high balls that would be directed towards our box.

By the end of 90 minutes I, like many other Albion supporters was consumed with anger and frustration. I have to admit that I do not enjoy watching Albion at the moment. We seem to go into games looking not to lose rather trying to win. Someone commented that we seem to have gone back to the Megson days. We have gone back to the long aimless balls but whereas a Megson team would run all day this team is sadly lacking in that department. I can forgive my team for not being good enough but what I cannot forgive is not matching the opposition for work rate. One passage of play summed up this current team. A long aimless ball ended up by the Bolton corner flag. No pressure was put on the Bolton defender and eventually the first challenge came from Big Dave who conceded a corner!! Every time our full-backs had the ball they were under pressure and inevitably made mistakes. Jason Koumas has been all but kicked out of the club for his failure to track back but I have to say that I do not see Kamara tracking back and whilst he is not too bad on the ball he is not in the same class as Koumas.

How Carter remained on the pitch for 90 minutes is a mystery. He looked totally un-fit and his first touch was usually his last. Horsfield?s contribution was to foul consistently and play a leading role in the penalty incident. It seemed to me we were playing with 9 men against a very average Bolton team. What happened to Ellington?? Was he injured? Why oh why won?t the manager give Inamoto a chance? I?m not advocating that we should re-call Johnson but we miss someone who can play that role and put pressure on the opposition instead of watching them play.

In the last two away games we have managed just 3 shots on target!!! When you consider who we were playing against that is disgraceful. Robson should look at the likes of Wigan and West Ham who are having a go. What happened to that wonderful football I saw at Norwich and Tottenham? This rubbish is not acceptable and will drive our fans away.

• Kirkland 8 top drawer performance
• Albrechtsen 5 struggled
• Davies 6 did ok but missed a great chance
• Moore 7 very good in the air
• Clement 5 not one of his better performances
• Robinson 6 improved as the game went on
• Carter 2 dreadful
• Watson 8 MOM for me.
• Greening 4 should be dropped
• Kamara 5 missed the best chances
• Horsfield 2 rubbish
• Kanu 6 an improvement on the hoss
• Earnshaw 4 no impact
• Ref: Mike Dean 2 rubbish

Tony Spittle:

Having supported the team since the late 1950's and with my geographical location preventing me watching matches nowadays it was with some anticipation that I managed to get to Bolton this week.

Tell me truthfully was this display typical of what is on offer from the players of WBA? I spent most of the match with my head buried in my hands with sheer disbelief at the ineptidude of these players.

I could not even begin to fathom out either the team selection or tactics. Bolton were bigger, stronger, fitter and quicker than the plods of WBA and, was I at the same match as Bryan Robson? His excuses at the end were truly pathetic. I could find no redeeming features of this display and they were well beaten by a better team who appeared to want to win.

I am afraid that this club has missed the boat and it would be a merciful release for relegation to happen. What a pity the Chairman appears to be an ardent supporter of Robson. Now George Burley..................