If you can have a ‘must-win’ just 13 games into the season this was one. 10-game winless run, three consecutive defeats, 10 goals conceded in four games. And against a newly-promoted team on the same number of points, one which had lost its previous two and themselves averaging letting in two a game. We knew they would be no mugs; they won at Wolves after all. But with no disrespect to them they are among the favourites for the drop and the onus was on us to show greater quality. But if Boro was more about the performance, this one would be about the result, nothing else.
Instead, as against Watford, we committed the sin of letting them score first, in this case putting an end to what had been another quite bright start. That gave Bolton something to hold onto, enabling them to focus on getting everyone behind the ball and denying us space – although in the second half playing on the break as we through caution to the wind they looked more likely to add to their lead than us to score. It was a situation which called for precision and playing to a plan, accepting that we couldn’t play through them. Instead, after Leaburn came on at the break and had a positive impact, we threw on bodies in a strange fashion, creating confusion in our ranks, not theirs, and failed to deliver the ball into good areas (our crossing was appalling). We had a few chances to equalise but they went just wide and, once again, looked a sorry bunch at the final whistle.
Ahead of the game it was anyone’s guess what formation and team/squad Jones would opt for. After all, we had four changes for Norwich then five for Middlesbrough. And the number did keep rising as this time there were six. In goal Mannion came in for Okonkwu, while a reversion to a back four (and the 4-2-3-1 set-up) saw McNamara and Bell as full-back either side of Jones and Koumetio, with Binden and Mesik the defensive subs, with Ramsay presumably not available after his injury on Saturday. In midfield Chalobah came back into start and Coventry returned too, replacing Skipp and Rankin-Costello, with Knibbs in the centre of the three, Campbell and Grant both returning on either side. Along with Rankin-Costello and Skip, Carey and Alli were on the bench. Kelman would be lone striker, with Leaburn on the bench, along with Godden, a very welcome return. It looked like a return to Plan A, but would it prove that way on the pitch?
In the early stages it seemed it might. It was scrappy from both sides, but in the first 15 minutes we had the better of things and might have scored. First Kelman laid it off for Campbell and his cross to the far post found McNamara of all people in space but with not much to aim at. He effort was saved, but it gave us hope. Then Grant played a good through ball for Kelman to run on to, but he was outpaced/outmuscled by the defender. Then a ball was knocked back into the box and Kelman put it in the net, but he was clearly offside.
Then we went behind, to a horrible goal. We had everyone up front for a set piece and when the ball was cleared had Chalobah and Coventry as the last line of defence. All seemed OK as Chalobah won the ball, but he then seemed caught in two minds, whether to tap it back for Coventry or knock it all the way back to Mannion. The end result was in between and Coventry, caught flat-footed, was never going to catch their forward. It was just a matter of whether he would beat Mannion, which he did with ease.
And the whole game changed in that moment (of course we might have gone on to lose anyway). What confidence there was drained away. We made strange choices: TC skinned his opponent for pace and, although nothing came of it, you thought ‘go on, do it again, the guy will be scared’. Instead of that he and Grant switched sides. Knibbs went in late with his studs up and took a yellow (VAR might have interpreted it as meriting a red), Bell and Koumetio had to make desperate tackles as Bolton threatened, and right at the end we almost gave them another gift as we gave the ball away from our goalline.
At the break the stats showed 49% possession for us with five attempts on goal and two on target (the one from McNamara, can’t remember the other) against four and just the one (the goal) from them. We needed something to gee the crowd, attacking the Covered End, to lift the spirits and put Bolton under pressure.
It seemed we got that as Leaburn came on for Chalobah (later confirmed as a repeat of his injury, not tactical, which means that he returned, played 59 minutes, gifted the opposition two goals, and is now back on the treatment table). Of course it was a risk, with Knibbs dropping deeper to cover, making it a sort of 4-4-2 (I guess). And Leaburn started running down everything, putting in challenges and showing the sort of endeavour we would need to break them down.
We did as a result push them back, although they were reasonably content to surrender possession and play on the break – to reasonable effect, they might easily have scored again. They had the lead. Leaburn played in McNamara and his decent low cross was almost converted, then Leaburn was unable to get on the end of a cross but was appealing for a penalty for handball. Kelman was played in on the right and his low cross was cut out. And just before the hour Campbell delivered a good cross from the left and it was met well by Kelman, only for his header to go just wide of the post with their keeper beaten.
That was Kelman’s final contribution as he was withdrawn for Godden in what looked like a planned timing but appeared strange as the guy had just almost scored. No matter. Just after Knibbs played the ball back for Coventry but his decent strike from outside the box went wide. Then on 66 minutes we got a break as Grant’s miscontrol in the box ended with the defender knocking the ball back to their keeper, who opted to pick it up – then try to pretend he hadn’t. An indirect free kick on the edge of the six-yard box. Not easy to score though and predictably Bolton players were almost on Knibbs after Grant touched the ball to him and the shot was blocked.
On 76 minutes, as we seemed to be running out of steam, Jones brought on Rankin-Costello and Alli for Knibbs and McNamara. That meant we had Campbell, Alli, Leaburn and Godden to hopefully provide and finish. Instead the numbers seemed to compress the space in and around the box even more as Bolton sat tight, while set-piece deliveries continued to be poor (corners not clearing the near post, where we had nobody). On 83 minutes Carey replaced Grant, his only material contribution was to put in a corner which went behind for a goal-kick.
There was one final moment, in the six minutes of stoppage time. TC managed to cut inside to good effect and his curler ended up inches beyond the far post. On the night just not to be.
When you look at an account of the game it might read like a succession of Charlton chances which we somehow failed to convert. In truth, we managed no efforts on target in the second half (the Kelman header and Campbell’s shot notwithstanding) and most of the time Bolton were content. They ended up with 11 attempts on goal to our 14 and one more on target than us. The fact that we dominated possession in the second half (from 49% for the first half to 57% for the whole game) counted for nothing.
To say we needed a win last night was an understatement. I don’t know what the level up from that is, but come Saturday the need is immense, to change the atmosphere ahead of the international break, perhaps even to save Jones’ job. My only thought for that one is that we can’t keep making so many changes and expect cohesion – and a lack of cohesion leads to poor/safe passes and an inability to create and exploit space. Jones will have to make at least one for Sheff Utd as presumably Chalobah will be out, along perhaps with Ramsay. Depending on analysis of the opposition I’d be tempted to just replace Chalobah with Skipp, or Mwamba, and just hope that a good start leads to goals for us.
One thing is sure. The fans need to be absolutely behind the team, and Jones, ahead of and during the game. It can change games. Remember Cardiff at The Valley, also in November (2012). 0-2 down in the first 25 mins against a team chasing promotion and the players anticipating groans and boos. Instead ‘Chrissie Powell’s Red and White Army’ started echoing around the ground, inspiring Johnnie Jackson to take the game by the scruff of the neck. Back to 2-2 at half-time and then on to 5-2 up in the second (we’ll gloss over their two late goals to make it 5-4). Jones deserves that backing for the game, the team will have to show they are worthy of it.
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