Bolton Wanderers v Sheffield Wednesday - Depression at the Macron
Article by Alan HoughtonFollow e-Bolton Wanderers on Twitter!
I was looking forward to this match about as much as a trip to the dentist. Both are as likely to inflict similar levels of pain and discomfort. It is heartbreaking to see the club we love, struggling on and off the pitch. The mood in the crowded Fanzone was solemn with only the super-optimists backing the Wanderers on the grounds that we must kick start our season some time. The big debate was whether this current squad is the worst we’ve ever had and can things get any worse?
For the younger supporters this is probably their nadir but I remember in May 1987, whilst on my honeymoon in Majorca, hearing that we had lost the play-off against Aldershot and had been relegated to the Fourth division for the one and only time in our history. It was at that very moment, my new bride asked me “Are you happy?” You can guess my reply.
We’re in dire need of inspiration and heroes and these are in very short supply at the Macron. The much anticipated return of Mark Davies proved to be a false dawn as he struggled to get into the game and clearly needs time to regain his match fitness. The crowd responded to pleas from the players not to get on their backs. The players responded with effort but no real creativity. On the bright side we doubled our points for the season and kept a clean sheet, thanks to Andy Lonergan, a generous referee and poor finishing from Wednesday. The last fifteen minutes were like the Alamo again. There was more entertainment in the half-time penalty shoot out.
In the 35th minute on what would have been his 35th birthday, the Lower North Stand sang a tribute to fellow supporter Peter Mather who sadly passed away recently.
The fans understand the difficult conditions that Dougie Freedman is operating under but it is the manager’s responsibility to get the best out of what resources he has and this just isn’t happening. Two points from six matches is not good enough, especially as we have not played any top teams other than Notts Forest. We can all offer advice but it is Dougie Freedman who needs to come up with the answers and soon.
He’s made 14 signings since the end of last season and none of them have looked good enough to help the cause. The signings who were on loan here last season have failed to produce the goods now that they have a permanent contract. He says that we cannot afford to sign the quality attacking players that we need. Perhaps if we stopped signing uninspiring midfield players that we don’t need, we might be able to afford to bring in an attacker we do need. We’ve got to stop signing players just because they are available and sign players that we really need.
Constantly changing the team is not going to foster team spirit or cohesion in the team. At times we are playing like strangers meeting up for a kick-around on the local park. We need to bring youngsters through for our survival and yet they don’t get a fair crack of the whip. Dougie Freedman is telling them they are not good enough at the moment. But we need to give them a chance. Yes, they probably won’t manage a prolonged spell in the first team right away but give them a decent run. Young Hayden White did alright at Brighton, certainly no worse than the rest of them and was then dropped for the next match at Crewe. Oscar Threlkeld came in at Crewe and struggled in the first half but then stuck to the task and had a decent second half. Then, for the next match at Leeds, you’ve guessed already, it was back to Hayden White, who held his own. Today neither were even on the bench and left-footed central defender Tim Ream ends up at right back! It’s a standing joke under Dougie Freedman that if you get the man of the match award, you will not play the next match and sure enough, Craig Davies who has just won the Player of the Month for August, ended up on the bench today, coming on for a cameo last ten minutes. It was difficult to pick a man of the match today, so I’ll go for the fans. I just hope that we’re not dropped for the next match at home to Rotherham United on Tuesday night. But that might help lift the depression at the Macron.
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