Clinic Touch Is Sorely Missing

20 Monday, September 1, 2008 theboltonnews.co.uk/wanderers Premiership W First half 6 mins – Gavin McCann just fails 15 mins – A concussed Joey 22 mins – Steinsson heads wide to connect with Joey O’Brien’s O’Brien is replaced by Riga from Ricardo Gardner’s deep action shots free-kick at the back post. following a clash of heads. corner in a rare lively moment. Wanderers (4-5-1) JUSSI JAASKELAINEN Quite magnificent saves from Morrison’s curler and Miller’s header underlined the Finn’s 8 class. Otherwise, a mere spectator. GRETAR STEINSSON Had a tough time shackling South Korean Kim but did REEBOK SNORE DRAW enough to keep West Brom 6 shooting from distance. DANNY SHITTU Much better performance than against Northampton. He has his limitations but 7 Clinic defends and attacks the ball with passion. ANDY O’BRIEN touch is Two fine pieces of defending in the second half to track Miller and block MacDonald’s 7 goalbound shot. sorely JLLOYD SAMUEL A few minor aberrations missing aside, the full-back was solid enough against a fluid 6 Baggies midfield that kept him busy. WANDERERS . .0 JOEY O’BRIEN WEST BROM . .0 An unlucky afternoon for the young Irishman. Replaced early after clashing heads with Gretar 5 Steinsson. KEVIN NOLAN Certainly not his finest performance and should AT one point in the second half perhaps have scored at least 6 at the Reebok Stadium, the one, but does not deserve stick from the crowd. club’s cameras panned round to show Johan Elmander and FABRICE MUAMBA potential new signing Ebi Smolarek watching from the Like McCann, wasn’t at his stands – leaving anyone who best, but Muamba improved saw it feeling like a beaten as the game wore on with 6 some telling challenges. contestant on Bullseye. The two former Feyenoord team- RICARDO GARDNER mates would surely have injected some class into a game which at Perhaps the only player who times, particularly in the first half, looked likely to break the was downright hypnotic in its stalemate early on. His pace 8 monotony. and trickery gave West Brom headaches all afternoon. The young fan who was also caught by the TV cameras taking a GAVIN McCANN doze on his dad’s lap probably had the right idea. A few misplaced passes It will not be until af blotted his copybook but his week’s international break that graft in the middle helped 6 Wanderers finish the game Wanderers fans get a chance to on a high. see either player in action, and it is a safe bet that Gar KEVIN DAVIES side will have to be a sight more creative if they are to puncture There didn’t seem any love lost Fulham’s defences in 12 days time with former team-mate at Craven Cottage. Abdoulaye Meite as Davies 6 revelled in the physical battle. As the game wore on to the Not much went his way though. climax, things did improve somewhat to leave us with a few SUBSTITUTES talking points – most notably whether West Brom winger Kim Subs: Al-Habsi; Hunt; Fojut; Helguson; Dzemali; Riga Do-Heon’s blockbusting shot had 8 (for Joey O’Brien 18); Vaz Te. crossed the line after cannoning off the crossbar or whether any of three Wanderers borderline penalty calls had been rightly West Brom rejected by Dorset referee K Stroud. (4-5-1) But like those who had gone before them, neither Megson or SCOTT CARSON . .7 Tony Mowbray were able to whip PAUL ROBINSON . .6 up much of a storm, both reluctantly agreeing that the LEON BARNETT . .6 officials probably got ever ROBERT KOREN . .6 call quite correct. P JONATHAN GREENING . .7 FA’s Respect the Referee ISHMAEL MILLER . .5 campaign really is working, af DO-HEON KIM . .7 GETTING PHYSICAL: Wanderers striker Kevin Davies competes for a high ball with West Brom goalkeeper Scott Carson all. GIANNI ZUIVERLOON . .6 ABDOULAYE MEITE . .6 JAMES MORRISON . .8 Second half 50 mins – Gianni Zuiverloon 61 mins – Ismael Miller runs 62 mins – Gardner is hacked BORJA VALERO . .7 heads Greening’s free-kick over onto Paul Robinson’s long ball down on the edge of the area by action shots from six yards. Lucky escape. but blazes over. Robinson, sparking penalty claims. Subs: Kiely; Hoefkens 6 (for Meite 45); Cech 5 (for Valero 58); Bednar; Brunt; McDonald 5 (for Koren 70); Moore. p Wanderer theboltonnews.co.uk/wanderers Monday, September 1, 2008 21 n heads wide 24 mins – Jussi Jaaskelainen 32 mins – The Bolton keeper is 34 mins – Kevin Nolan is booked 43 mins – Nolan is fortunate to er’s deep produces a stunning one-handed once again called into action, this for a late lunge on Jonathan escape a red card after catching y moment. time denying Borja Valero. Greening on the halfway line. SNOREsave to deny James Morrison. DRAWLeon Barnett with a high challenge. nical ch is ely sing ERS . .0 DAVIES V MEITE OM . .0 Honours were even between the former team-mates until Meite did not appear for the second half due to a calf injury, which will come as no surprise to anyone at the Reebok following the defender’s appalling behaviour at Old Trafford last season. Davies nearly won the game late on the second half but his two goals were, correctly, Stadium, the disallowed for offside. panned round Elmander and igning Ebi hing from the g anyone who ke a beaten Bullseye. Feyenoord team- ely have injected game which at y in the first half, ypnotic in its RIGA vROBINSON ho was also Easily Wanderers best outfield player, cameras taking a the lively Riga was full of invention lap probably had and offered the hosts’ biggest threat. The rugged Robinson stood up to l after next the test well, though the full-back nal break that was fortunate not to give a penalty get a chance to away after scything down Gardner on in action, and it GOING DOWN: Wanderers defender Ricardo Gardner is sent crashing to the ground under a challenge from West Brom’s Carl Hoefkens the edge of the area. Gary Megson’s be a sight more re to puncture If either side had managed to themselves close enough to three minutes on the very edge of Jonathan Greening. The West es in 12 days time break the deadlock, it looked Carson to worry the scoreboard. West Brom’s area and Riga, on as Brom skipper was unfortunate, the e. unlikely that the other would be Things got physical as the half- a replacement for O’Brien, had his ball hit him on the thigh, but was able to muster a response. That is time whistle approached and free-kick tipped away by Carson. also in the penalty area, which e on to the what made Stroud’s decisions so d improve Kevin Nolan could perhaps be Nolan then wasted a free header made Stroud’s decision to award a pivotal. thankful Leon Barnett made little from Jlloyd Samuel’s cross but the ve us with a few free-kick outside the box all the The first half was noteworthy only of a high boot to the shoulder with Baggies hit back on the break and most notably more galling. om winger Kim for a handful of half-chances and the Whites skipper already on a came within inches of taking the busting shot had the loss of Joey O’Brien to a head yellow card. lead when Kim cut in from the left There was still time for Nolan and after cannoning injury after clashing with his own Kevin Davies, too, was becoming and hammered a 30-yard drive Miller to trade close-range misses, or whether any of team-mate, Gretar Steinsson. increasingly frustrated – penalised which beat Jaaskelainen but further heightening the sense of bounced back off the line. borderline Gavin McCann, Ricardo Garnder with virtually every touch. Perhaps dissatisfaction among their own GARDNER V ZUIVERLOON been rightly and Steinsson put efforts wide of there was a touch of irony as The profligate Miller followed up sets of supporters, and for Kevin Scott Carson’s goal while at the former Wanderers defender but could only send a weak shot et referee Keith Davies to show them how it was The Jamaican’s first Premier League other end, Jussi Jaaskelainen Abdoulaye Meite did not emerge back toward the big Finn, who had start of the season showed much done with two cool close-range expertly tipped a curling shot from from the tunnel after the break, got back to his feet with promise, especially after the break ho had gone finishes, albeit both from offside her Megson or James Morrison round the post. although this time at least he impressive agility. when he saw more of the ball, though ere able to whip West Brom’s football was could point to a legitimate calf With most of the supporters now positions. his best moment came in the first half rm, both attractive at times, particularly injury. shaken out of their malaise, what Both managers later agreed that, following a mazy dribble which forced ing that the through the industrious Morrison The game burst into life on the was going on down on the pitch on the balance of play, a draw was a save from Carson. and their new £4.6million signing, now resembled a proper game. got every major hour mark as Ishmael Miller the right result. Defender Zuiverloon’s most telling . Perhaps the Borja Valero, but if they are to sprung the offside trap before Referee Stroud gave Wanderers’ contribution came in attack when he Referee survive this season, they really do lashing a shot over the bar.

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