Bolton 1-2 Everton. 26th Jan @ 15.00.

[paulbefc]

Yeah, the sub from Moyes was genius, he clearly knew that a centre half being played in midfield who hardly ever scores would get a goal.

The win is hiding the fact that we ran out of ideas against an average Championship side.

It was less a case of running out of ideas than players being out of form/injured. Baines, Pienaar, Felli, Jelavic are all lacking a bit recently (the former two due to knocks). We need new faces to freshen things up. We're predictable and stale, mostly due to squad size.

 

[NewRadical]

Awful performance, great result.

This basically.

 

[canuckblue]

No it wasnt a striker off for a defender. Heitinga didn't take up a defensive position, he took up Fellaini's holding midfield role while Fellaini then took up Jelavic's striking role. The formation didn't change, just the personnel to try and get something to work for us that hadn't been working up to the point of the substituion.

Upsets happen, and people can say "it's only a championship team", but Bolton away in a cup tie is a tricky fixture. What if Moyes had thrown on Vellios for Osman, (striker for a midfield player), and gone 4-3-3 to chase the winner, we got overrun in midfield and conceded a late goal trying to chase the winner? Would that then have been seen as a good substitution or a bad substitution on here?

I think we both know the answer to that one!

So Heitinga in a holding midfield role and pushing Fellaini to play behind whom exactly -- we weren't setting the world alight offensively with who was on the pitch and Fellaini is not a striker, so what's the use? -- isn't a defensive move?
Like I said, Moyes has balls of glass. Knowing we have a threadbare squad, a replay was not what we needed, but it was what he was clearly . I'd have rather he put Vellios on and if we did get overrun and lost, at least it would have showed Moyes had some stones. Why no Oviedo? Someone who could at least add some down the right side and maybe give their defence some issues. But nooooo, he sticks on that goal machine Heitinga and hopes Fellaini can nick the winner with absolutely no support up front.

 

[Allezfan]

Awful performance, great result.

Yeah.

We're in awful form, right now. So the fact we're still in the cup is a bonus. But we need to turn this form around. We need the kind of lift new faces can provide.

 

[Allezfan]

So Heitinga in a holding midfield role and pushing Fellaini to play behind whom exactly -- we weren't setting the world alight offensively with who was on the pitch and Fellaini is not a striker, so what's the use? -- isn't a defensive move?
Like I said, Moyes has balls of glass. Knowing we have a threadbare squad, a replay was not what we needed, but it was what he was clearly . I'd have rather he put Vellios on and if we did get overrun and lost, at least it would have showed Moyes had some stones. Why no Oviedo? Someone who could at least add some down the right side and maybe give their defence some issues. But nooooo, he sticks on that goal machine Heitinga and hopes Fellaini can nick the winner with absolutely no support up front.

Did you just say you'd rather we made a different subsitute and lost than that subusitute and won? Really, you just said that?

 

[MACCA75]

Anyone know what is up with Hitz? I thought he would be a certainty to start this one. We are going to need him as well until Gibson is back. Fellaini/Osman partnership sounds good but realistically we need both of these players in more offensive roles, and cant really afford to have Felli as a holding player.

 

[Netromelo]

When will the highlights be on and which channel?

 

[Bigmaclad]

We were sh*te yet we won, think I'll put this one on the list of games not to remember

 

[toffee-fellaini]

When will the highlights be on and which channel?

11pm itv

 

[Woolly Blue]

Yeah.

We're in awful form, right now. So the fact we're still in the cup is a bonus. But we need to turn this form around. We need the kind of lift new faces can provide.

It's weird. If you ignore the performances in some of the last 6 or 7 games and just look at the results the only major disappointment is the draw against Swansea.

It's tough being a Blue.

 

[Bluenose1995]

wish there was an international break give the lads a rest they look knackered.

 

[Maestro Haze]

I was at the game, absolutely fantastic support from our fans today but really poor turn out from the Bolton crowd. There was two upper tiers completely empty, yet they didn't give any more allocations for us.

Wasn't a great game, Anichebe, Gueye and Distin were our better players today and Pienaar nearly scored with a great shot which was saved.
it was a much better performance today than Monday, but at times it was labored, slow and no cohesion.
Osman had in general a poor game, did what he did Monday, went forward, found some space but lost the ball several times giving Bolton possession.
Fellaini was also fairly poor.
Jelavic, again ran but found chances, the long balls today were a lot better than Monday.
Passing was also very poor at times.
Gueye was unlucky not to score when he hit the crossbar.

In general a great feeling that we won it at the death but again we made it difficult for ourselves.

 

[Bluenose1995]

wish there was an international break the lads look knackered.

 

[andy4efc]

I was at the game, absolutely fantastic support from our fans today but really poor turn out from the Bolton crowd. There was two upper tiers completely empty, yet they didn't give any more allocations for us.

Wasn't a great game, Anichebe, Gueye and Distin were our better players today and Pienaar nearly scored with a great shot which was saved.
it was a much better performance today than Monday, but at times it was labored, slow and no cohesion.
Osman had in general a poor game, did what he did Monday, went forward, found some space but lost the ball several times giving Bolton possession.
Fellaini was also fairly poor.
Jelavic, again ran but found chances, the long balls today were a lot better than Monday.
Passing was also very poor at times.
Gueye was unlucky not to score when he hit the crossbar.

In general a great feeling that we won it at the death but again we made it difficult for ourselves.

What was Gueye's shot like? Give me some context? Long range? etc?..

 

[Maestro Haze]

What was Gueye's shot like? Give me some context? Long range? etc?..

Just inside the box, curled it with left foot, think it hit underside of the bar but went out.

Our first goal was scrappy but a good finish from Pienaar, didn't see very well as I was at the opposite end.
Good play from Bolton which lead to their goal, but very poor defending and movement. Baines struggled at times defending today but Distin was a rock as usual, won nearly all aerial balls.
Our 2nd goal came to Heitinga just inside the box, very good finish with a lot of power.
Then I went berserk!