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Ricardo's report v Bolton

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Ricardo''s report v Bolton

Dunno why but when I posted this it went onto the Kings Lynn thread. Must be the cold weather[:)]

It was back to the thermals today and they were sorely

needed as I again resorted to two wheel transport of the pedaling kind.

I haven''t quite got the timing right because again we arrived more than

twenty minutes early although it gave me time to get some puff back and

for my leg muscles to de-jellify.With Klose injured it was no

surprise to see a back four employed and Hernandez given a start out

wide right. From the off City looked neat and tidy with the passing, so

much so that when I sneaked a look at the clock after Bolton''s first

touch we were in the third minute. It was pretty to watch but there was

little penetration until a ball over the top almost got Murphy in.City

might well have had an early lead when some nice inter passing left

Maddison in a position to find space to shoot low past Alnwick only for

the ball to rebound off the face of the left post. Bolton seemed content

to slow things at every opportunity and it wasn''t until the quarter

hour that Le Fondre flicked a header well wide that they showed any

offensive ambition. At the other end Murphy, again almost broke through

only for a last gasp tackle to deny him as he went to pull the trigger.City

continued to dominate proceedings and it was Maddison again who stung

the visiting keepers hands with a pile driver that was punched away for a

corner. Then City won a free kick on the edge of the "D" but Mr.

Strouds spray line was barely set at 8 yards and Maddison couldn''t get

it up and over. Minutes later the lively Hernandez sparked a run down

the right and when the ball was moved inside Oliviera neatly made room

and cracked a low drive from eighteen yards that had goal written all

over it until Alnwick, at full stretch tipped it round the post.It

was almost all one way traffic but the build up play was often too slow

and Bolton always seemed to have either enough cover or a man to step

up and cause an offside flag to be raised. However one sparkling move

really should have brought an opener when neat first time passing

allowed Leitner, to latch on to Oliviera''s first time pass in acres of

space and with only the keeper to beat. He seemed to hesitate for a

split second and I thought he was going to roll the ball across to

Murphy but then decided to take it himself only to tamely chip it well

wide of the far upright with the keeper sprawling in front of him. Oh

dear! it was a dreadful miss and seemed to set the pattern for the rest

of the game.Hernandez had been the bright spark of the first

half and just before half time he won the ball and cut back a low cross

which seemed made for Oliviera but again a Bolton foot got in first and

Maddison''s follow up hit his own team mate then as the ball dropped

Oliviera screwed it horribly wide. A disappointing end to a dominant

half where we could and should have been a couple of goals clear.The

second half was pretty much a continuation of the first with Maddison

having a shot deflect across the face of goal but from about fifty five

minutes it all began to get very scrappy with City getting more and more

frustrated with Bolton''s time wasting and their own inability to beat

the offside trap. Hernandez drifted out of the game and in my opinion

should have made way long before the seventy seventh minute. Tetty was

also swapped for Wes but in spite of six added minutes the game tamely

tailed away to nothingness. I was bloody freezing cold by now and more

than glad when Keith Stroud finally called time although more than a few

warmed up to vent their anger with a storm of boo''s at the death.Hopefully

we can now also call time on the fanciful idea that we could make the

play offs. That bird flew well before Xmas and despite the odd

encouraging string of results it has long been obvious that a goal a

game and an average of one and a half points was never going to be

enough. [:(]

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Whilst it wasn''t a massive surprise to see a back four with Klose injured, it did seem (to me) a pretty much ideal game in which to give Raggett a chance, especially given the how well playing three at the back has been working recently.Maybe an indication that Raggett isn''t quite as ready as we thought, but if that''s the case then you would have thought letting him go back out on loan and playing regularly might have been the better option for the rest of the season?

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It was one of those games that you kind of knew that we would regret not scoring in the first half. The only comfort is that we did not do anything stupid and gift a goal to Bolton, which we have all seen so many times in the past. It is the fact that we now seem difficult to beat that gives me some confidence for next year, despite the seemingly inevitable loss of Maddision and Leitner.

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Many thanks as per ricardo. I''m impressed by your athleticism in the face of such inclement weather, particularly given your advancing years. I don''t think I''d have done it, & I a mere stripling in comparison.

We almost certainly won''t make the top 6 this year, but games like yesterday - first half anyway - give me hope. I suspect we''re beginning to move the ball that little bit quicker as cohesion & familiarity blossom. The big question of course is what happens when James has departed (possibly Leitner too).

We can only pray that Webber''s scouts can unearth some gems this summer (most likely from parts foreign). Otherwise next season could be a tricky one. Yet I remain optimistic! :-)

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We now have a team starting to play good, intelligent, soundly structured football. That''s a big step forward on what we had before, even if there''s still massive room for improvement. The last time the same could be said was during our most successful period, and fans then wrongly attached too much importance to individual players despite the continuous turnover in "stars" on whom our success was always supposed to hinge. People are getting exercised over losing Leitner. Most had never heard of him or knew anything about him before he came in on loan! It was quite a coup to get him, he''s an excellent player, and it would be great if he signed for us. But if he doesn''t, there are other excellent players out there, including home grown ones, affordable and capable of meeting our need. 

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Leitner seemed to be fed up about something towards the end of the second half - was it the fact that he is too good for our level?

I thought Onel had a good first half, and seemed to understand his defensive duties too, but he was anonymous for the second half.

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[quote user="ron obvious"]Many thanks as per ricardo. I''m impressed by your athleticism in the face of such inclement weather, particularly given your advancing years. I don''t think I''d have done it, & I a mere stripling in comparison.

We almost certainly won''t make the top 6 this year, but games like yesterday - first half anyway - give me hope. I suspect we''re beginning to move the ball that little bit quicker as cohesion & familiarity blossom. The big question of course is what happens when James has departed (possibly Leitner too).

We can only pray that Webber''s scouts can unearth some gems this summer (most likely from parts foreign). Otherwise next season could be a tricky one. Yet I remain optimistic! :-)[/quote]Thanks Ron, yes I''ve surprised myself with the cycling but it was a case of needs must and I''m not quite ready yet to give up my season ticket. When that time comes they will have to rip it out of my cold dead hand.[:D]

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Trevor Hockey''s Beard wrote the following post at 25/02/2018 12:24 PM:

Leitner seemed to be fed up about something towards the end of the second half - was it the fact that he is too good for our level?

He didn’t look too good spooning what should have been an easy goal and subsequent 3 points chance wide

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Thought the first half Leitner, Madders & Murphy all passed and moved really well.

Leitner reminded me a bit of Pritchard.

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Do you have a grey gaberdine mack and cycle clips Ricardo?

They were de rigueur when I first started going. Mind you, they had to stand in those days as well.

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[quote user="keelansgrandad"]Do you have a grey gaberdine mack and cycle clips Ricardo?

They were de rigueur when I first started going. Mind you, they had to stand in those days as well.[/quote]Not since schooldays KG.[:D]

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[quote user="keelansgrandad"]Do you have a grey gaberdine mack and cycle clips Ricardo?

They were de rigueur when I first started going. Mind you, they had to stand in those days as well.[/quote]Why, had someone nicked their bycycle seats ?

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Why, had someone nicked their bycycle seats ?

Only to sniff

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My cousin used to get a crossbar to games

a bit of a bugger for my uncle when they went to away games

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[quote user="Trevor Hockeys Beard"]Leitner seemed to be fed up about something towards the end of the second half - was it the fact that he is too good for our level?[/quote]
After running the recording through again on iFollow my impression is that Leitner was exasperated by Bolton''s time wasting. When Bolton were awarded a free kick just before the HT whistle, Morais dawdled over it until the ref blew to end the half. Leitner went straight up to ref and gestured towards where Morais was marching off towards the tunnel, clearly making a point about it. Just before that, when Maddison was waiting to take a corner, Leitner appeared to complain to the linesman about the nearest Bolton player delaying the kick by not backing off the required distance. Added to his obvious frustration at missing his chance, I would imagine he pulled his shirt up over his head as he left the field to let him vent his feelings more discreetly!

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