MATCHWATCH : Bolton Wanderers (h) sponsored by Notlob is Bolton backwards

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Sutekh
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MATCHWATCH : Bolton Wanderers (h) sponsored by Notlob is Bolton backwards

by Sutekh » 15 Aug 2018 10:33




When : Saturday 18th August, 3pm
Where : Madejski Stadium, Reading, RG2 0FL
Capacity : 24,161

Well here we go, second home league game of the season and already the biggest game so far and probably a real 6 pointer that Reading really cannot afford to drop points in

As ever with Reading they approach a game with a trail of injuries and a good half the squad already “unavailable”. A very real concern is for attacking wide men as of the 6 available (Popa, Aluko, Barrow, Meite, Harriott, McCleary) all are currently injured. Perhaps Aluko and Meite have the best chances to be fit for the game but should Barrow be missing then Clement might need a different gameplan.

Bolton have had a pretty good start and are unbeaten in the league on 4 points. As ever a Phil Parkinson team is expected to be tough, gritty, difficult to beat and well organised and though the squad is without any star names it is a good well balanced team. Both Jem Karacan and Adam Le Fondre have left Bolton (Jem is currently a free agent while Adam is thinking over a move to Sydney FC) so Phil is the only remaining Reading connection now.

Note : haven’t all league games that Reading have played against sides managed by Phil Parkinson finished as draws, the two draws last season and a 2-2 with Charlton back in 2008/9? Anyone confirm?

As to Reading, they’re on a magnificent run of 3 league wins in 2018 (from 23 games) and 5 wins in all competitions (27 games). League wise 15 points have been gained in 2018 giving a ppg ratio of around 0.65 :lol: Extrapolate that over a whole season and Reading will finish well clear at the bottom of the table on 30 points.

Still Reading are now on a roll of 1 successive win having managed to win a league cup game and the performances (so far) are better than last season but as we all know there is still something not quite right about the attacking threat posed by the team overall. Just something missing that would make it all click.

Other than the issue over wingers, the management have a headache as to whether to restore Moore to the team.
Personally I would play him but should Ilori or McShane accompany him? I think PC will play Moore and opt for McShane alongside. Yiadom and Blackett will remain as full/wing backs but – if there is a real problem with wingers then Yiadom could play wide right with Bacuna filling in as a right back. Up front, think Bod will start alongside Baldock meaning just a couple of midfielders (Meyler and Swift?) rather than the three we normally see.

As ever get down to the ground and get behind everyone for 90 minutes and encourage as much positivity and “good vibrations” as possible. The better and more encouraged the players feel then the better and more encouraging the performance should be and that might mean a first league win which really is needed with two horrible away trips to Blackburn and Villa looming rather immediately

Referee

James Linington returns to the Madejski for the third time this year and for the second time against Bolton. His last four games have seen 2 Reading goals and 11 conceded not to mention that appalling New Year performance against Birmingham last season.



06 Mar 18 > Bolton Wanderers 1-1 Reading
02 Jan 18 > Reading 0-2 Birmingham City
09 Sep 17 > Reading 0-1 Bristol City
08 Apr 17 > Norwich City 7-1 Reading
24 Sep 16 > Reading 1-0 Huddersfield Town
21 Nov 15 > Reading 2-1 Bolton Wanderers
02 May 15 > Derby County 0-3 Reading
28 Dec 14 > Reading 2-1 Norwich City
21 Nov 14 > Cardiff City 2-1 Reading
12 Aug 14 > Reading 3-1 Newport County (League Cup)
10 Sep 11 > Reading 0-2 Watford
30 Apr 11 > Coventry City 0-0 Reading
22 Jan 11 > Reading 1-1 Hull City
02 May 10 > Reading 4-0 Preston North End
30 Jan 10 > Reading 1-0 Barnsley

Historically

Fifteen previous league head to heads played against Bolton Wanderers in Reading. Of those games Reading have won 9, drawn 3 and lost 3 scoring 25 to Bolton's 13

How to follow the game

  1. Get a ticket and travel to the game
  2. Listen to Radio 5 Live and/or a myriad of other radio stations for score flashes
  3. Ring/text a mate for updates
  4. Use an iFollow subscription
  5. BBC Radio Berkshire (FM : 104.4, 104.1 or 95.4 depending where you are in the area)
Last edited by Sutekh on 15 Aug 2018 10:35, edited 1 time in total.

Old Man Andrews

Re: MATCHWATCH : Bolton Wanderers (h) sponsored by Notlob is Bolton backwards

by Old Man Andrews » 15 Aug 2018 10:34

Any word on David Coote?

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Re: MATCHWATCH : Bolton Wanderers (h) sponsored by Notlob is Bolton backwards

by Sutekh » 15 Aug 2018 10:35

Old Man Andrews Any word on David Coote?


Apparently he's as sick as a parrot over not getting this one.

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Re: MATCHWATCH : Bolton Wanderers (h) sponsored by Notlob is Bolton backwards

by JoeyJoeJoeJnrShabadoo » 15 Aug 2018 11:56

thanks

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Re: MATCHWATCH : Bolton Wanderers (h) sponsored by Notlob is Bolton backwards

by genome » 15 Aug 2018 12:02

Sutekh Note : haven’t all league games that Reading have played against sides managed by Phil Parkinson finished as draws, the two draws last season and a 2-2 with Charlton back in 2008/9? Anyone confirm?


That's correct, but there have only been three league games, so it's not a hugely spectacular stat

2-2 vs Charlton in 08/09
2-2 vs Bolton (A) last season
1-1 vs Bolton (H) last season

Two cup games,
0-0 vs Bradford in the FA Cup and the subsequent 3-0 win in the replay


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Re: MATCHWATCH : Bolton Wanderers (h) sponsored by Notlob is Bolton backwards

by windermereROYAL » 15 Aug 2018 12:32

I`ve checked over the stats in Bolton`s two league games so far, in total they have had 59% possession ( 28% v WBA, 31% home against Bristol city)
They have conceded 36 shots in those games with only 8 being on target resulting in 3 goals conceded. while being unbeaten I think these stats are encouraging on our part.

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Re: MATCHWATCH : Bolton Wanderers (h) sponsored by Notlob is Bolton backwards

by Hound » 15 Aug 2018 13:05

Tough to pick a team for this.

Do you go McNulty and Baldock again up front? Showed promise but against a poor side. And that means dropping Bod who has done ok in the first couple of games

I don't think I'd want to see Kelly back in over Swift, or Bacuna tbh. Presumably Meyler will come back in.

Who plays on the wing if Barrow was injured? Maybe Bacuna? Clement didnt look great imo

Moore has to play surely. As does Ilori who has been our best player this season imo so far. So drop captain McShane?

Walker looked better than Mannone imo as well.

Tough choices for PC. Be interesting to see what he does

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Re: MATCHWATCH : Bolton Wanderers (h) sponsored by Notlob is Bolton backwards

by Old Man Andrews » 15 Aug 2018 13:06

Bodvarsson and McNulty for me. Thought McNulty did really well.

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Re: MATCHWATCH : Bolton Wanderers (h) sponsored by Notlob is Bolton backwards

by Hound » 15 Aug 2018 13:08

Old Man Andrews Bodvarsson and McNulty for me. Thought McNulty did really well.


He looked good didn't he? Different sort of player to what I was expecting - has a great touch and decent passer. Had him down as just a poacher. That pass to Meite for the goal was obscenely good on what I think is his weaker foot


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Re: MATCHWATCH : Bolton Wanderers (h) sponsored by Notlob is Bolton backwards

by genome » 15 Aug 2018 13:10

Hound
Old Man Andrews Bodvarsson and McNulty for me. Thought McNulty did really well.


He looked good didn't he? Different sort of player to what I was expecting - has a great touch and decent passer. Had him down as just a poacher. That pass to Meite for the goal was obscenely good on what I think is his weaker foot


My Coventry supporting mate keeps telling me he's utterly class and is more than good enough for the Championship

Old Man Andrews

Re: MATCHWATCH : Bolton Wanderers (h) sponsored by Notlob is Bolton backwards

by Old Man Andrews » 15 Aug 2018 13:10

Hound
Old Man Andrews Bodvarsson and McNulty for me. Thought McNulty did really well.


He looked good didn't he? Different sort of player to what I was expecting - has a great touch and decent passer. Had him down as just a poacher. That pass to Meite for the goal was obscenely good on what I think is his weaker foot


Really impressive, looks really confident and sure of himself which is what we need. Baldock was a bit headless chicken at times and tried the flicks and tricks almost every time the ball came to his feet. I think Bodvarsson and McNulty would be a great big man/little man combo, certainly would cause issues for a team of Bolton's ability.

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Re: MATCHWATCH : Bolton Wanderers (h) sponsored by Notlob is Bolton backwards

by Coppells Lost Coat » 15 Aug 2018 13:28

Would be nice to see the same match day squad with Meyler and McShane coming in. Need a stable squad, not what stam did and chopped and changed every game.
Would not mind any combination of Bod, Baldock or McNulty up top in a 442.

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Re: MATCHWATCH : Bolton Wanderers (h) sponsored by Notlob is Bolton backwards

by windermereROYAL » 15 Aug 2018 14:03

I`m wondering if Richards could be an option wide left if Barrow doesn`t make it? got a couple of goals already from the LB position.


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Re: MATCHWATCH : Bolton Wanderers (h) sponsored by Notlob is Bolton backwards

by Snowflake Royal » 18 Aug 2018 10:30

Genuinely excited to see us play in the flesh today with a decent right back for the first time in about 5 years.

This game has it all. No Gunter. Parky. Winnable. New season. New hope. Off the back of a cup win.

G'arn URRZZZ!!!!

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Re: MATCHWATCH : Bolton Wanderers (h) sponsored by Notlob is Bolton backwards

by Hound » 18 Aug 2018 11:09

I’m actually suprised How different it feels this season despite not having great results so far.

We really could do with the 3 points though, very big game already. Win it and I think we’ll start moving up the table fairly quickly over the next month or so

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Re: MATCHWATCH : Bolton Wanderers (h) sponsored by Notlob is Bolton backwards

by Sutekh » 18 Aug 2018 14:12

Mannone

Yiadom
Moore
McShane
Blackett

Swift
Meyler
Kelly

Meite
McNulty
Baldock

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Re: MATCHWATCH : Bolton Wanderers (h) sponsored by Notlob is Bolton backwards

by Sutekh » 18 Aug 2018 14:13

Subs

Walker
O’Shea
Bodvarsson
Popa
Clement
Ilori
Bacuna

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Re: MATCHWATCH : Bolton Wanderers (h) sponsored by Notlob is Bolton backwards

by BR0B0T » 18 Aug 2018 14:15

Can Clement survive three league losses in a row?

Let's hope we don't have to find out!

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Re: MATCHWATCH : Bolton Wanderers (h) sponsored by Notlob is Bolton backwards

by Snowflake Royal » 18 Aug 2018 14:29

BR0B0T Can Clement survive three league losses in a row?

Let's hope we don't have to find out!

Of course he could. He would probably survive 5/6 at least.

Really couldn't work out the shape looking at that XI but Meite RF and Baldock LF in a three does make sense.

Feel sorry for Ilori, but I can understand the desire to have an older head in defence and a bit more of a bruiser. Bod's also a bit unlucky. Glad to see McNulty in. Obviously going to miss Barrow, hopefully see a cameo from Popa... shame he wasn't fit for the cup perfect low pressure low risk chance for a run out.

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Re: MATCHWATCH : Bolton Wanderers (h) sponsored by Notlob is Bolton backwards

by Hound » 18 Aug 2018 14:34

Personally think it’s a mistake playing McShane and also Kelly, but let’s see how it goes. Ilori has been our best player this season, very harsh to drop him

Front 3 should be interesting and Bod and Popa give us a clear plan b

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