Bolton Wanderers 0-1 Manchester United: The fans’ view

Sunday January 18th, 2009

: Image by Getty Images via Daylife

The Bolton Wanderers match report you won’t read in the papers (or see on Match of the Day)

Here’s what the various Bolton Wanderers discussion forums made of the 1-0 home defeat to Manchester United:

- ‘Andy O’Brien is solely to blame for the defensive lapse that led to Dimitar Berbatov’s goal’ … but ‘if you pack the team with that many defenders then they’re bound to get in each other’s way eventually.’

- ‘Ariza Makukula should not have played ahead of Ebi Smolarek’ … and ‘Why were Mustapha Riga and Danny Shittu sitting on the bench too? The tactics and team selection were totally wrong yet again’ …. the problem was that ‘we invited them on to us and it was no surprise that we got exactly what we deserved for those tactics.’

- ‘Whatever happened to the attacking tactics we used against Portsmouth… which was the last game we won by the way?’ … ‘And what the hell is Kevin Davies’ role in the team meant to be?’

- ‘When you can’t string two passes together you’ve got no chance, however well you defend.’

- ‘We are now a decimated club in near-terminal decline‘ … ‘If we lose the next game at Blackburn then Gary Megson has to go.’

- ‘Phil Gartside has to swallow his pride and get rid of Megson. Even if we do stay up there will still be a mass exodus of season ticket holders over the summer.’

- OR… ‘we played really in a difficult, backs-to-the-wall situation’ … ‘Jussi Jaaskelainen was again brilliant and United were lucky to get their winner.’

- ‘Full credit to Chris Basham for coming from nowhere to play well against two of the best teams in the country.’

- ‘Makukula played well, he just wasn’t fit enough.’

- ‘The referee had a good game too.’

- ‘Man United should be punished for that fan who ran on the pitch‘ … ‘the stewards were useless as usual.’

Disagree? Have your say in the comment box below…

Watch video highlights of Bolton 0-1 Man United here.

Sources: BBC 606, The Bolton News, Rivals, Bolton Banter, Bolton Wanderers Mad, The Wanderer.