 |
Bolton
Wanderers v West Bromwich Albion
Reebok Stadium,
Bolton. 1st January 2005, 3.00pm. |
| Back
to Previous Page |
Match
Preview |
 |
 |
| Result |
Bolton Wanderers |
1 - 1 |
West Bromwich Albion |
| Scorers |
El-Hadji Diouf (85) |
Zoltan Gera (13) |
| Attendance |
25,205 |
| Teams |
4-1-4-1
1 - Kevin Poole (GK)
16 - Ivan Campo
18 - Nicky Hunt
15 - Radhi Jaidi
5 - Bruno N'Gotty
11 - Ricardo Gardner
4 - Kevin Nolan
10 - Jay-Jay Okocha
6 - Gary Speed
14 - Kevin Davies
21 - El-Hadji Diouf |
4-4-2
(GK) Russell Hoult - 1
Neil Clement - 19
Darren Purse - 6
Paul Robinson - 3
Riccardo Scimeca - 2
Ronnie Wallwork - 24
Jonathan Greening - 8
Andy Johnson - 10
Zoltan Gera - 11
Geoff Horsfield - 9
Nwankwo Kanu - 25 |
| Substitutes |
13 - Andy Oakes (GK)
26 - Tal Ben Haim
20 - Fernando Hierro
9 - Henrik Pedersen
28 - Ricardo Vaz Te |
(GK) Tomasz Kuszczak
- 29
Martin Albrechtsen - 14
Jason Koumas - 7
Robert Earnshaw - 34
Rob Hulse - 17 |
| Substitutions |
R Vaz Te for K Davies (57)
|
R Earnshaw for N Kanu
(66)
R Hulse for G Horsfield (80)
M Albrechtsen for J Greening (82) |
| Yellow Cards |
None |
Nwankwo Kanu (59) |
| Red Cards |
None |
None |
| Referee |
M Dean (Wirral) |
This report is based
on the extended highlights on Sky's Football First as I was unable
to attend the game.
Despite a feeling of disappointment at losing the lead so late in
the game, this was another positive performance. The team battled
well, defending extremely well at times and they didn't fall apart
after the equaliser. They also played some good football at times
and three points are not far away, in my opinion.
Robson surprised us all once again by playing Kanu alongside Horsfield
up front, possibly because Bolton are a very big side, and Wallwork
got another start. The defence had a slightly strange look with
Clement in the middle thanks to Gaardsoe's suspension, and Robinson
at left back once again. Contra was strangely ignored having been
suspended for the Man City game.
Bolton had most of the early play, but Albion did look dangerous
going forward with Kanu showing excellent skills on the ball, and
Gera looking good on the right. As the rain pelted down, Albion
took the lead on 13 minutes. Robinson's quick throw-in was picked
up by Jonathan Greening and his mishit cross found Gera on the edge
of the box. He cut back inside Gardner and fired the ball beyond
the outstretched arm of 41-year-old Kevin Poole into the corner
of the net.
It should've been two-nil five minutes later when a long ball evaded
all the Bolton defence and left Horsfield through on goal, but he
could only find the side netting. Had that gone in, I believe Bolton's
spirit may have been broken.
As it was, the remainder of the first half consisted mostly of Bolton
attacking, with the Baggies defending well and breaking on occasion.
Bolton probed for an opening but rarely found a way through a solid
Albion defence. Purse and Clement may have been an unlikely central
defensive partnership, but they were handling everything Bolton
could conjure up. Robinson was having a decent game at left back
and Wallwork was working hard in the middle alongside Johnson. Both
Gera and Kanu were defending like stalwarts on set pieces and always
offering themselves well when the defence looked to break out.
There was the odd desperate moment, one coming when Gera lost possession
near the byline to Davies. Hoult did well to save the resulting
shot and Purse saved the follow up from Okocha with his midriff.
At the other end, Wallwork tried his luck with a long range shot
and Neil Clement was unlucky when his free-kick was deflected inches
wide.
The second half was a similar story. Hoult, who was having another
impressive game, saved well from Diouf and Gera forced a good stop
from Poole with a twenty yard effort.
Robson kept with two strikers which served to provide an outlet
when Albion regained possession, although Bolton continued to do
most of the pressing. As the game went on, Bolton players and fans
seemed to be getting increasingly frustrated as passes began to
go astray.
Okocha hit the bar with a free kick with Hoult stranded but there
were few other chances until the last six minutes. Bolton can consider
themselves unlucky not to have been awarded a penalty when a shot
from Nolan struck Scimeca's arm. But it proved immaterial as they
equalised just a minute later.
Substitute Martin Albrechtsen had switched off slightly allowing
Hunt to get behind the defence and his ball across the six yard
box was finished by Diouf.
Hoult had to save well from Okocha minutes later but Albion held
on well as Bolton pressed for a winning goal, and had a good chance
for a winner themselves but Earnshaw failed to connect properly
when just eight yards out.
I'd have taken a point before the game, although it's always disappointing
to lose a lead so late on. But the organisation and effort displayed
is a very positive sign and the players can take confidence from
the last two games and look to push on in the next two months as
we play Palace, Norwich, Southampton and Fulham before the end of
February. If we are to get out of this, and it remains a very long
shot, those are games that we have to win.
Marks
Russell Hoult - 8 - Another excellent performance from Russell.
Neil Clement - 7 - A decent display from Clem in central defence.
Darren Purse - 7 - Another encouraging display from Purse.
Paul Robinson - 7 - The odd dodgy moment, but generally a good performance
Riccardo Scimeca - 6 - Did OK, but it's a problem position.
Ronnie Wallwork - 7 - Decent performance from Ronnie.
Jonathan Greening - 7 - Quiet first half but looked very good in
the second.
Andy Johnson - 5 - Still the weak link in midfield.
Zoltan Gera - 8 - MOM. Excellent; dangerous on the ball, hard working
in defence and great finish.
Geoff Horsfield - 5 - Below par from the Horse.
Nwankwo Kanu - 8 - Excellent display, superb on the ball and worked
extremely hard.
Robert Earnshaw - 6 - Worked hard but had little service.
Rob Hulse - 5 - Worked hard but to little effect.
Martin Albrechtsen - 4 - At fault for the goal, but he was in an
unfamiliar position.
Bryan Robson - 7 - Didn't do anything wrong although maybe Earnie
would've been the better choice to play alongside Kanu.
Jon Want, 1st January 2005.
|
| ^ Back to Top
|
|
