After the disappointing display at home to Preston last time out, Garry Monk has had plenty of time over the international break to revisit his mental chalkboard and envisage what his most effective combinations on the pitch are. Surely Boro will see a trip to the bottom-of-the-table Trotters as an opportunity to flex (or reflex) their promotion credentials as the players go fishing for points in an attempt to address their year-long empty haul on the road. Whether it requires a back to the drawing board approach for the Boro manager or a return to the system that was working in most parts with just a tweak or two is the call that needs making.
The foamless fingers pointed after the last home game by the supporters were squarely aimed at the apparent hasty change in formation with an awkward unbalanced team selection. It didn’t appear on first reading to play to the strengths of the squad and there was little in the performance to suggest it had been something worked on to any significant degree. Most would be happy if the manager’s experiment before the break was simply filed away under cunning plans that even Baldrick would have dismissed.
Up until Preston there were embryonic signs that a front three of Assombalonga, Bamford and Gestede each offered something different with the ability to link-up together for periods during games. However, it is the midfield which has proven to be a difficult berth to fill, with Forshaw and Howson often starting but not really delivering any oomph. It appeared to leave Clayton to fill the breach and try to tidy up, as well as providing cover in his occasional back-three slot. In the process of executing this role he has been picking up cards faster than blackjack croupier on a busy night in Vegas, with four yellows in five games. If this cautionary trend continues he is on course for a theoretical recording-breaking 36 cards this season – a total that will only be curtailed by the lengthy bans he’ll incur along the way as he becomes well acquainted the disciplinary panel.
It’s entirely possible that Monk may be tempted to re-introduce the familiar double-act of Clayton and Leadbitter once more in a bid to shore up the midfield – but whether it will be in their historic roles of a midfield shield is debatable and perhaps two weeks on the training pitch may have resulted in more creative options. Lewis Baker has shown that he’s comfortable on the ball and an advanced midfield playmaker role looks to put him ahead of other possibilities – especially given his two-footed attributes and ability to strike a ball.
Though one change in attack has been forced upon Monk with news that Rudy Gestede has suffered complications from a ‘freak’ dead-leg and is facing a lengthy spell on the sidelines. The big Benin forward has featured prominently this season with four starts after coming on as a sub in the opening game and there is no obvious physical like-for-like replacement unless Dimi has developed some additional skills while waiting for his chance to wear the gloves again.
It may be hard for many who grew up with the culture of the dead-leg being the playground retribution of choice for minor slights and indiscretions from those who ran the dinner-money extortion rackets – though I’ve no recollection of it being a long-term injury that kept a fellow classmate out of action for more than an hour. Indeed it seemed infinitely preferably to a one-sided game of ‘bloody knuckles’ with a fresh pack of playing cards for the enforced entertainment of the rather bored school psychopath Smudger ‘Giz-a-penny’ Smith on wet Monday lunchtime.
So I suspect with Gestede we’re not talking about the innocuous dead-leg of our youth, but given the need for him to have had a minor op, my fully unqualified internet doctor’s diagnosis is that it’s perhaps more likely a Grade 3 Intramuscular Quadriceps Contusion, to give it the full medical seriousness. Basically, the muscle is crushed against the thigh bone causing a soft-tissue tear within the sheath and the swelling will persists for more than 2-3 days as the fluid is unable to escape (other more expert second opinions are available). The prognosis for such an injury is between 3-12 weeks for full recovery along with a lot of pain and discomfort – so let’s wish Rudy a speedy recovery and he may now regret not handing over his dinner money to that discreetly unnamed team-mate with the rather bony knee.
Luckily Boro have a good depth to their squad to compensate for the loss of players – though there’s always the risk that having too much competition for places may ultimately give an undue edge to training as fringe players try to impress the boss. Perhaps with nearly two-weeks of an international break for the players to experiment with novel ways to kill time some may have drawn inspiration from the pre-silicon chip pastimes of a bygone era. Still, at least there was no news of any missing toes due to an over-exuberant game of ‘knifey’ as the conditioning team perked up the groin-stretching exercises with some retro bonding – though one wonders what the missing digit count would be if the wayward throwing Barragan hadn’t have been shipped out.
For the uninitiated, the game involved throwing a knife towards your opponents legs so that it stuck in the ground. The opponent then moves their foot to the point the knife was stuck (nicely working those hamstrings) and then threw it back in an attempt to make it stick in the ground outside the reach of the opponent. The game ended when the opponent simply wasn’t able to spread their legs to reach the knife or the often partially rusty sharp projectile missed the ground and stuck in the opponent. Perhaps on reflection MFC’s health and safety regime would possibly frown on such innovations to warm-up routines.
So does the loss of Gestede and the still injured Braithwaite require a major rethink at the sharp end? There have been calls in some quarters for Bamford to reprise his role as Boro’s number nine and in theory he’d be a good finisher – but I believe there is now a much more creative element to his game that perhaps would be under-utilised leading the line. Though ideally some form of rotation among the front three (should it remain a front three) would allow Paddy to continue in displaying his range of talents. It’s possible that new signing Marvin Johnson may get the nod on the left attack – though there are plenty of options still available with either Tavernier or even Downing capable of the role.
Whether Adama has got his head cleared after his Preston no-show is unclear – though much will depend on what if anything is actually going on in his head when he takes to the pitch. He must realise that opportunities to impress will need to be taken and he was almost starting to look convincing before he stuck his head out of the transfer window and took a little breath of Lille air. Will he be another Gaston with his mind elsewhere? if so will we notice the difference? Incidentally, the former Uruguayan spoke of the Teesside climate in a recent Italian interview, claiming there were perhaps 15 warm days during his stay at Boro – clearly an exaggeration that does him no favours as from my recollection such a sustained heatwave hasn’t been witnessed since 1976.
Something else that may need explaining to Traore is the concept of the shoulder charge – I’ve noted on several occasions his propensity to flatten an opponent by thrusting his ample deltoid muscle between their shoulder blades, leaving them to gingerly wipe away the grass stains from their forehead whilst he turns innocently to the ref pointing repeatedly at his shoulder. A shoulder charge is meant to be shoulder to shoulder – it’s not your shoulder against any part of your opponents anatomy. Though, he’s not alone in giving away unnecessary fouls – Boro have been on the high end of fouls conceded and many of those have been due to needless challenges with no hope of winning the ball in areas of the pitch that were no threat to our goal. These fouls have often given the opposition time to regroup, relieve the pressure and wind down the clock – we just need to show a bit more patience and composure.
Our opponents on Saturday have not had a good start to the season and have lost both of their home games narrowly to Leeds and Derby, picking up just two draws on the road at Millwall and Birmingham. You would think if Boro put them under pressure and got an early goal the crowd would start to murmur and their players would feel the pressure. Though this is the Championship and we still need to avoid complacency as despite the Trotters being thumped 4-0 at Hull last time out, they’ve always been in the other games. Manager Phil Parkinson won promotion last season as Bolton finished runners-up and the club are perhaps still re-adjusting to the next level – plus old boys David Wheater and Andrew Taylor will no doubt be keen to impress and show that Stewie is not the only academy veteran with something more to give.
It may well be that Garry Monk will surprise us once more as there is often a inclination for managers to over-think if given enough time in which to do it. Perhaps the arrival of Shotton will have emboldened the Boro boss to go for his three at the back and use Christie and Johnson as genuine wing-backs. The risk for Monk is that he can’t afford another botched tactical change so soon after Preston and in theory Boro should be able to out-class Bolton without the need for anything new or fancy. He may first revisit his 4-3-3 and try to bank some points before opening his playbook – it’s going to be a long season and he may choose to keep the powder from his chalkboard dry for now.
So will Boro Chalk up their first win on the road this season and put themselves back in contention or will Bolton run their fingers down the tactical blackboard and fray our nerves as our promotion aspirations screech to a halt. As usual your predictions on scorer, scorers and team selection – plus will Clayton be left with a five-card trick and an early ban.
See previous post “Can we really let it go?” for leading Boro goal scoring records.
Do we have too many players ? Who are thinking what they are going to do when they receive the ball , but forget what to do when the other team have it.
I don’t care whether Bamford plays #9, #10 or #7. He needs to play. For me he is our best player. Baker may turn out to be our best, but for now, Paddy is.
I’ll settle for a win no matter how we perform !
Guaranteed if Bamford plays at some point the Redkerr Rock will be on his back.
After the Preston debacle I wonder a) how soon Boro can actually get into the game b) what the generic level of confidence is in the team c) will we hav another hotchpotch of a team selection and cii) if it continues who’ll be the new manager at Xmas (Aggers step forward from the shadows).
Finally, are we so bereft of money or contacts we cant find a managerial no.2?
UTB
I thought Beattie was No 2, so what happened there ?
A draw for me I’m afraid, a win would be great, but a draw. Please do not lose Boro and remember the game starts when the ref blows the whistle at the beginning of the first half.
Right, that’s the team talk over. Safe travelling to all the fans crossing th e moors.
UTB,
\John
Thanks Werdermouth for the explanation of a dead leg; have heard the expression many times but didn’t know what it meant.
A good interview by Dominic Shaw with Andrew Taylor in the Gazette, a player along with Tony McMahon I was sad to see leave Boro at the time.
As for today’s game I can’t really see a Boro win, but I think there will be goals, possibly 2-2 with David Wheater a sure thing for Bolton and Assombalonga a brace for Boro, and another yellow card for Adam Clayton, hopefully not two yellows.
I posted a list of Boro’s leading goal scorers yesterday from Heathrow on my way to Warsaw where I’m starting a 10 day tour of Poland so am not too sure when or where I’ll hear next week’s results, but am anticipating two 1-0 wins at Villa and at home to QPR. Here’s hoping anyway as I think 7 points this week would be very welcome.
Thanks as usual to Werder for another interesting and amusing article. Safe and enjoyable travels to Ken.
Not sure what Boro will turn up at Bolton but going for 1-1.
Really need a win and that GM reverts to a flat back four, and four one/one or four two two.
Doesn’t really matter about the shape it’s about the intensity from the off and the work rate from all the team.
CoB
KP
It is always about the intensity but you have to be solid as well.
The age old truism of earning the right to play still apples, we have plenty of attacking options but if you start slow AND are too open you will end up chasing the game. At Wolves and Forest we had given control of the game to the opposition before a brave but futile response.
The 433 with Clayton dropping deep seems to leave us undermanned in midfield, that is why my instinct is to go back to the 4231. The central solidity should give free rein to the full backs to press on and front four to attack.
In theory that is. You fear another banana skin.
Ian
I agree entirely that is also about solidity as well. Hence my preference for a flat back four with the ability to flex the six in front.
I certainly do not think that we should play four/three/three as we have been overrun in two many matches. I would even go 4/5/1 away from home or 4/1/4/1and adjust as necessary as the match progresses and as personnel dictate.
It will be interesting to see what GM/team has learnt from the Preston experience.
Out celebrating our neighbours 50th so will have to catch up with highlights on TV tonight and the website later.
CoB 😎
We’re well overdue for an away win. I keep seeing 12 months being quoted as the time since the last 3 points on our travels but that was only Sunderland so it can’t be counted. Therefore you have to go back to the 2015-16 season, which is shameful.
I could cry when I think of how much time and money I’ve spent (and much more by many others) to follow the Boro over the last year and seen very few wins or goals and not many half-decent performances. The Emirates was probably my last one.
Boro will have to beat this particular weakness/hoodoo if we are to mount a promotion challenge and now is as good a time as any. Discounting the Mackems, our last meaningful away win was at Bolton so does that mean there is an alignment of the planets today?
I meant to say ‘…seen very few points’. I didn’t see any wins.
Vile day in the NW with 12 hours of heavy rain interspersed with frequent cloudbursts. The pitch today will definitely take a stud, and may even be unplayable come 3 o’ clock. Motorways will be difficult too, so leave early and take care. The weather will be a great leveller and it remains to be seen how our expensively assembled squad fancies a wet Saturday in Bolton.
I smell a 1-0 defeat, but will still battle my way through the elements to witness it.
Daft I call it.
Is Ken MI5, ?
What, all of it?
🙂
I agree with Ken that we’re starting too slowly. This is a weakness that goes back to AK: the tendency to start cautiously, almost as if we’re weighing up the opposition before deciding how best to counter them. The trouble is, by that time, we’ve handed control over and are often behind.
Confidence, momentum and intensity are everything if a team is to dominate, especially in the Championship, and cannot be frittered away. It’s time Boro looked like a promotion team, and showed they believed they were one, by seizing the initiative, wresting control of a match and dominating the opposition. I fondly remember a game at the Hawthorns when Big Jack’s team started like Champions and imperiously swept away WBA. The memory that has been treasured was a little Baggies supporter in front of us who said, longingly: ‘Why can’t we play like that dad?’
When I think of the various outstanding promotion teams I’ve seen over the last 50 years (Leeds ’64, Derby ’69, Burnley ’73, Boro ’74, etc.), they all dominated games from the off.
Sorry: I was agreeing with Ian, not Ken. But I do agree with Ken – whatever he said. I must check before pressing the button.
Nikebor
The slow starts go back to Mogga, he was a real b***** for wait and see. He even said we would sit back and wait and see what the opposition did. He set his teams out to mirror the opposition whatever level they were. Remember the defeat at home to Bristol City who hadn’t scored since the end of the slave trade?
When we had that good run at the end of the season he took over from stricken we had a run of home games where over 80% we were behind at.
So easy again to lay everything at AK’s door.
Or Theresa May’s!!!!
Agree with Ian. I would go back to a 4231 with, probably, Clayton and Leadbitter holding the line while the fullbacks and front four get at them. That front four for me would definitely include Britt and Bamford, probably Baker and the left side up for grabs.
We have had our troubles away but could easily have had four points. Bolton have been very shaky indeed at home so I don’t share the cautiousness of the above predictions.
Away win for me and if we score early, a handsome one. This is on the assumption that a sensible team and set of tactics is employed this week.
0-3. Lift off.
Off topic, but here’s a couple of interesting quotes on football management structure. The first, I heard on today’s Football Focus. The second is from a book I frequently quote and directly counters the first view.
“The traditional UK model is to have a manager who will be responsible for the whole football operation… scouting, medical, picking the first team. We just take a view that that’s too big a job for one person. Head coaches will always move on, and with the traditional UK model, that creates turmoil, because when the coach goes, everything around him has to be replaced. When we lose a coach, or replace a coach, all the infrastructure around him remains the same. So we believe it gives a real degree of stability and allows long-term growth for the club.”
— Scott Duxbury, Watford chairman and CEO
“I didn’t bring other people in quickly enough – straightaway. Chris Kiwomya was there, and Bryan Klug, and Steve McCall was the chief scout. They’d all played for Ipswich. It had the feel of a family club that didn’t need breaking up. But that was exactly what it needed… You need to bring in three or four people with you. Make your mark. And, if you want to be cynical about it, if the manager’s having a hard time, the club will stick with him longer, because it costs a lot more money to get rid of four or five people.”
— Roy Keane, The Second Half
GM is perfectly entitled to set up his team with pace and power as the watchwords up front, and for example to bring in Fletcher to replace Gestede, leaving PB on the bench again. It’s his job to decide and it could be we can win promotion this way, if our teamwork is really slick and firing.
However, I hope he puts PB in from the start and includes Baker, so that we can have some quality and creativity on the ball and can retain some possession higher up the pitch – I think that’s the way we need to go.
The game itself has banana skin squelched all over it, and given that we don’t even know what system the team will play, it’s impossible to predict what Boro might do, although we are capable of a convincing win if things click. I would expect Britt to have chances, and let’s hope he dispatches them clinically.
NikeBoro:
I have to add, you yourself, in a brilliant comment following the 2-2 draw against Charlton at the end of 2012-13, highlighted a stark weakness in the Boro set-up.
“Generally, once we go behind, you fear the worst.”
And why? Quite possibly, because “we have too many players whose confidence and form are brittle and dependent. They can only give their best surrounded by sound players in a team that is on top and playing well.
“Rhys Williams is a case in point. All too often, he looks fragile and erratic… However, he can be impressive, and look like an imperious Rolls-Royce – but only when in a successful team and surrounded by the right players.
“Emnes is an even better example. His searing pace can be invaluable but, in the dross that has been the second half of this season, he has been an invisible passenger.
“Understandably, most of the younger players also fall into this category, which might explain Mogga’s reluctance to play them.
“We have very few players who can rise above the mire and give the team a lift. How often, this last couple of seasons, have we seen somebody take a game by the scruff of the neck, lift it out of bogged-down ineptitude, and transform a match?
“Every team needs resilient players of inherent character and experience who don’t get dragged down by prevailing mediocrity and can have a positive effect on those around them.”
Replace R. Williams with Ayala, and Emnes with Adama Traore, and Mogga with Karanka and you’re not all that far away from history repeating itself.
Thanks to Werder and his extension into the realms of medicine. Very enlightening, especially when I thought a “dead leg” meant no more than a couple of missed matches. Of course with the Boro you get a couple of months. Also surprised with Braithwaite, he has been out an eternity. All we need now is Britt to pull one.
The weather as has been said could be a good leveller today, there will be plenty of long balls into our box, shots when they can. So what will the Boro do. In fact does Mr Monk know what he is going to do??. He has had two weeks now to get over the Preston game……so I am not going to accept excuses.
Not the XI I was entirely looking for and Bamford must be wondering what he has to do but it’s a sensible team that above all looks balanced. Happy enough, let’s see how we go.
Not happy Bamford not playing and Adama in place. Still lets see how it goes. I expect something more from SD than he has delivered in the last two years.
Well the line up has raised a few eyebrows. I get the Fabio for Friend switch which is fair enough. Clayts and Leadbitter back together again is a positive and will instill some order in the middle where it has been very poor fayre to watch.
Up front is the cause for most of the head scratching. Traore coming in from the cold is interesting. Baker presumably playing the No.10 role could be a risk if the lad hasn’t cut out his showboating but I guess with Clayts and Grant behind as insurance maybe its worth the gamble? Is there some sort of appearance clause on Baker’s loan? Downing presumably will be out left to cover and link up with Fabio but I’m not sure thats his best position now but he is at least capable of finding a Striker with a cross.
The omission of Bamford is the biggest concern. For some reason Monk doesn’t appear to rate him as much as the fans do. If it goes badly wrong today GM may find his honeymoon period is over. Bamford dropped, Downing going from persona non grata to a starter doesn’t fill me with belief of planning or confidence. If it goes well today with a goal fest then he will be lauded a tactical genius, I hope its the latter!
Weather WILL be a factor with mud and surface water making tippy tappy beauty play obsolete.
Glad to see Claytz n Leadbiter in front of the back four. Really pleased to see Adama in from the start. Should be hilarious watching Bolton defenders trying to keep their feet while scutterlin after his shadow once he’s already gone. Love to see him chargin down t middle headin for Wheats while Britt hangs off his shoulder.
Could b a good one.
UTB
Looks like 4-2-3-1 with some thought to Tuesday,I would have liked Clayton kept for Tuesday so we don’t lose him for QPR.
Come on BORO.
Exmil, I think with Grant restored Clayts will be less exposed so hopefully he will avoid another card (fingers crossed). Interesting no Ayala and Shotton on the bench, I would have thought that the understanding and familiarity with Ayala and either of Fry or Gibson would have provided synergy if needed.
Ooooh, ‘synergy’ – power drink or new boyz band?
🙂
Not quite the line up I would have preferred, would have been happy with Bamford in for Baker. Nit picking.
The main thing is to impose our game on the Trotters and take it from there.
No iFollow today but found a link on VIPLeague with french commentary instead – just need to zoom in a bit for a larger picture – Randolph just made a good save but no real chances for Boro so far
13 mins Assombalonga bullet header with an assist from Traore.
Come on BORO.
Goal! Adama assist! He made one of usual runs and ran into defenders and fell over got up quickly got the ball then beat another three defenders down the right and crossed a ball perfectly onto Assombalonga’s head – Amazing!
Urrraaahhhhh!
First LOL moment – Adama barged over an opponent and then turned to the ref repeatedly gesturing to his shoulder…
Downing over a free kick on the left. Played it sidewards then it went back, then back, then back to Randolf.
Why why why.
Bolton won’t do that, they will put it in the mix .
When will we learn that you only score goals if you put the ball towards their goal.
GET THE BALL IN THE F/ ING BOX.
It makes me so angry.
Apart from that rant OK so far.
C’mon Boro
That’s BoreO, so keep on ranting OB. Alternatively you can analyse it like many on here until the cows come & still not get an answer.
It’s beyond belief why Bamford didn’t start but hey, we don’t know the inside information. Maybe Bamford was / did / said / maybe…….
Cue another ‘Talking Point’ eh ?
Need to push on, so easy for us to let it drift and let them back in to the game.
60 odd minutes and still 1-0. The more it goes on, the more I squirm.
Come on lads, settle the game. As the commentators say, tide may be turning. Johnson on for Baker, Downing in to the hole.
71 mins same pair MOTM Traore feeds Assombalonga 2 nil.
Come on BORO.
Adama assist No 2! Superb lightening run after an interception to set up Assombalonga again for a tap in!
A second assist, he’s gone mad.
UTB,
John
78 mins Magic Johnson 3 – 0
Come on BORO.
So, the good old Drawing Board comes up trumps again. Let’s hope this is the ‘smashing’ start we’ve all been waiting for.
Rumour has it that GM wore white socks today….
Looks like Andy may be spot on…
Final score 3 – 0 away from home maybe people might believe GM knows what he is doing, then again probably not as they will say it was only against bottom of the table Bolton.
Come on BORO.
Well three points and finally an away win – Adama showed what he’s about with two superb runs and two cool perfectly executed assists – they were terrified of him. Also a great performance from Leadbitter in the middle that almost gave Clayton the day off and he didn’t even come close to a booking. Plus I thought Randolph showed that he’s a pretty decent keeper and was alert when needed and made three very good saves and cleared any danger. Also shouldn’t forget a debut goal for Johnson – beat the keeper on the near post from a long range angled effort but they all count!
Mon Dieu! Trigger-happy Britt and lovely jubbly Adama help cushti Boro make plonkers of the Trotters.
This time next year…
#UTB
They’re all millionaires
Well, I’m chuffed with that score
Someone earlier on this ere blog (no names mentioned) welcomed the inclusion of Adama and in the words of the great Brucie ‘Didn’t he do well!’
Looks like GM as got to right boxes ticked and now we can all look for some positive results in the future.
Randolph 7
Leadbiter 7
Traore 8
Britt 8
Still someone bound to whinge – it’s in the Yorkshire blood 😉
It’s in the Boro blood. And Newcastle blood. And Sunderland blood. And almost certainly the Leeds blood. Apparently. Being on the island of Ireland, I’m more distant from it all, which may explain why I’ve never fully understood the level of whinging.
Pleased for Adama as I have been one of his critics.
Great performance with bonuses.
1. Adama assists at long last
2. Clean sheet
3. New boy scores on debut ( when did that last happen, my guess would be Rav against Liverpool, prepared to be corrected)
4. Ledbetter was a warrior
5. Clayton didn’t have to take one for his team.
6. Keeper gave me confidence
7. The fans were terrific, never stopped singing.
Well done lads, do the same against Villa
Not quite smash territory but we may be getting towards crush/ pulp/ press/ flatten.
UTB
OB
It starts from the back with the keeper, then up through the spine of the team to the striker -all else follows. Then, there’s creme on the cakkie with Adama comin good (I reckon both GM & Beattie got a hell of a lot to do with it).
Simon
There’s whingin and there’s whingin. Barcodes under Spuin Cashley have had a gud right to whinge. The Mackems even more so and still do. Leeds fans are Yorkshire, so they’ll always find somert or someone to whinge at.
Boro fans are betwixted and between, so many whinge for the sake of it, while others coz they want more for their club.
Key for me today was the inclusion of Grant. The man is central to the Boro matrix and IMHO should only b rested for non essential duties ie cup games.
UTB
And another bonus, I didn’t spend the last 10 minutes sweating, looking through my fingers, biting my nails and
Hiding behind the couch.
Looking forward to RR’s report.
Spartak,
Totally agree about Grant,
I know Howsen is still finding his feet but in today’s showing, Grant and Clayts are the bedrock.
1 Adama
2 Grant
3 Clayts/ Randolf
Happy is the word.
Solid keeper and back four, grant and clayts in midfield, 4231 with four attackers.
It is a hangover from AK, that is who to blame.
Maybe we now have the right type of player to play the one up front, a sort of Drogba lite.
Just smiling like.
As I posted pre match, would have preferred Bamford to Baker, as I posted yesterday players in the mix.
Delighted for Traore, credit goes to the coaching team and most of all to Traore if he has now cottoned on.
Thrown out of Barca, shunned at Villa, problem child under AK and Aggers, penny appears to be dropping under Monk. Still early days.
What was it Len said about the AK days, circa early February 2016?
“(There are) differences between the experience of supporting the Boro from afar, and actually going to the matches. From half-way across the world, seeing the Boro at the top of the table and regularly picking up points is hunky dory. Going to the games is a much more nuanced experience. And when you’ve travelled 400 miles to see us lose at home to Bristol City, or witnessed games against the likes of Preston, or QPR when we scarcely even had a shot, then ‘nuanced’ doesn’t even cover it.”
Redcar Red has filed his match report and is now celebrating our first away victory on Diasboro…
https://diasboro.club/2017/09/09/bolton-v-boro-match-report/
It could have been 3 3 !!
Then again it could have been 5 3 !