Bolton 0 SAFC 2: not getting carried away, but hailing Wickham

Ian Porter offered this instant analysis at the Blackcats list soon after the final whistle at the Reebok – an impressive blend of realism and approval …

We totally dominated the second half, but didn’t really make out possession and domination hurt too much.

Mignolet kept us in the game with a good save, but wasn’t really bothered much apart from that.

Defensively, I thought all the back four looked solid. Richardson’s had his critics, myself included, but he played well today.

In midfield, the major improvement was simply that Elmo wasn’t playing.

Larsson ran his socks off, but his set-pieces weren’t up to his usual standard.

For all that we had five “giants” in the box for corners, we never won one first ball in the air.

Colback had a good game I thought; he’s getting more involved all the time, rarely loses possession and gets tackles in.

Personally, I think in six months’ time, as long as he plays, he’ll be a better player than Henderson.

Sessegnon continues to frustrate me. OK, he scored a good goal and set up the second goal well, but for 75 minutes he saw lots of the ball, but was regularly just easily nudged off the ball.

I still think he’s too small and lightweight for this league. Vaughan worked hard, defended well when he needed to, broke things up and played the ball forward.

Up front, Bendtner played OK, but wasn’t as effective as he has been in previous games I thought, but his finish for his goal was perfect.

Finally, taking everything into account, 18 years old, making his first PL start against an England centre half and a bruiser who was on the verge of the England squad a couple of years ago – Wickham was absolutely awesome! In the second half he really stepped up. OK, he made a few mistakes, and was berated by Bendtner in the final minutes – I don’t think that will worry him. Wasn’t intimidated, held the ball, took on players and hit the bar. If he meant it, and I think he did, that shows wonderful confidence way above his age.

Whilst I don’t want Cashamoa back on principle, the loss is nothing because Wickham will shortly be a better player. I don’t think Cashamoa’s ego would be able to withstand having a youngster in the side before him anyway – good riddance !

Bottom line is a vastly improved performance, but we should have scored more with the possession we had.

4 thoughts on “Bolton 0 SAFC 2: not getting carried away, but hailing Wickham”

  1. It’s great to see everyone still having a moan , after we win !!
    We played really well 2nd half and scored 2 goals away from home . Bolton will turn it around and i’d bet they win more home matches than they lose , even after their abysmal start

  2. I remember Jim Baxter was too smart for the players around him too!!!
    Sessegnon is my player of the season to date because he makes things happen. He got both centre backs booked at Arsenal and for his size gave them a good tussle.
    He must however be frustrated with the way Bruce uses him with seven shades of the proverbial kicked out of him on a weekly basis.
    Yesterday he was able to operate behind the front two very effectively but I can’t see better teams allowing him the sort of freedom he had against Bolton.
    Bruce has to decide if he’s a forward, a winger or a central midfield playmaker. I would agree with Ian Porter that he’s too small for 1 & 3 so which wing do we put him on?

  3. I tend to agree with the majority of Scotter’s comments. The only thing that I would argue with Sessegnon is that he is sometimes too smart for the players around him. He’s a very intellgent as well as tricky player and the lads around him need to work on their understanding with him a bit more. That will come in time. He never hides in games and is a great pro.

    We are a long way from being out of the woods. Bolton’s form and home record shows that winning there is no real achievement. That will be even more evident at the end of the season. 7 successive defeats at home is the worst run in their entire history.

  4. Good win against mediocre opposition thank goodness we didn’t get Ngog, he and Eagles were very poor.

    First 15 minutes were all Bolton and the lads chased down every ball and got right in their faces. I thought Vaughan was excellent.

    Some of our passing out of defence was iffy and the Nuggsy 50 yard punt was back with a vengence.

    I agree the comments on Colback great prospect (but so was Leadbitter!!). Sessengon is a different player when he hasn’t got his back to goal getting thumped by huge centre backs. But I agree he sometimes takes the wrong option and frustrates.

    Better balance to the side without Clattermole who must be worried about Meylers continuing rise to fitness.

    Not out of the woods yet!!!

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