Official Match Thread Bolton Wanderers v Southend United

[The Big Dady]

The Official Match Thread brought to you by ShrimperZone.com

So here we are the seventh away game of the 2020/21 season and Mark Molesley’s 7th away game since he was appointed Manager of the Mighty Shrimpers.

Our seventh away match is against Bolton Wanderers



It is now time for ALL of us to get behind Mark and the team whether you are at the University of Bolton Stadium in spirit, listening on the radio, or listening/watching on ifollow.

Mark Molesley’s Southend United League Two Away Team against Bolton Wanderers



The University of Bolton Stadium is ready for action at 3.00pm Saturday 28th November 2020, it looks like we will have heavy cloud cover for this afternoon’s game, with the chance of a shower, we will also have a light breeze.





The weather forecast for this afternoon at the University of Bolton Stadium



Current League away record after 6 away games

Won 1
Drawn 1
Lost 4
Goals scored 4
Goals conceded 11

League Positions Last Season

22nd (2019/20) League One Southend United (Relegated)
23rd (2019/20) League One Bolton Wanderers (Relegated)

League Positions Current Season

13th (2020/21) League Two Bolton Wanderers
24th (2020/21) League Two Southend United

Recent League Positions Change



Previous five Meetings

Bolton Wanderers 3-2 Southend United (L1 21/12/19 Att. 12,055)
Southend United 0-1 Bolton Wanderers (L1 04/04/17 Att. 9,340)
Bolton Wanderers 1-1 Southend United (L1 03/09/16 Att. 13,519)
Bolton Wanderers 3-1 Southend United (D1 28/12/96 Att. 16,357)
Southend United 5-2 Bolton Wanderers (D1 07/09/96 Att. 4,475)

Head to Head record

Southend United Wins: 5
Draws: 6
Bolton Wanderers Wins: 8

Come On You Blues!​

 

[The Big Dady]

Managers Pre-match Views​

Bolton Wanderers

Bolton Wanderers Manager talks to The Bolton News ahead of the game against Southend United

Bolton Wanderers boss warns players against Southend slip-up

Bolton Wanderers Manager Ian Evatt​

Wanderers are enjoying the winning habit, but Ian Evatt knows they will have to keep working hard for it to continue.

Southend, Bolton’s next opponents, are propping up the Football League – sitting bottom of League Two with just five points from their 13 games.

But it wasn’t so long ago that Bolton were languishing near the relegation places, so Evatt knows how quickly things can turn. And he has seen enough in the Shrimpers to suggest their luck will change – just not yet if he has anything to do with it.

“I’ve watched two or three of the games and I think they’ve been very unlucky in the games I’ve watched. I think they’re a much better team than people are giving them credit for,” said the Bolton boss.

“They’re a young team, they’ve got energy, they press from the front and it’s going to be a tough, difficult game.

“All this that Southend are bottom of the league and they’ve only got five points and it’s going to be a walk in the park for Bolton...we need to get that out of our heads straight away. We need to give them the respect that they deserve and make sure we treat this opposition like we do anyone else and I know they’ve got ability in the team so we have to be at it.

“We’re not just going to be able to turn up and win. We have to play to our strengths and make sure we nullify them, same as any game, so we’re treating this like we would any other game.

“Where they are right now does not mean to say they’ll finish there. I think they’ve done a lot better than the results have suggested in previous weeks.”

A few weeks ago the same was being said of his own side.

Sticking to their footballing beliefs and methods and not being tempted to waver, Evatt says, has helped them to turn a corner.

“Obviously repetition and the way we work in training will in turn help improve players and get used to the system and what we want out of the system and the players individually,” he said. “It was always going to take time.

“We’re not hiding behind the fact that we didn’t start well. We haven’t got the results we wanted earlier in the season but the good thing for us is that was very early on and we’ve got still 32 games to go. It’s a long, long time in football – 90-odd points. I’ve always thought that we’d turn the corner and obviously it’s helped when we’ve got bodies back on the pitch but I also see what we do, day in and day out in training and I must say (yesterday) in training, we rested the ones that started the game on Tuesday, but the rest of the team and squad trained and the tempo and intensity and the desire to want to train properly and well was incredible.

“The standard was brilliant and that’s what we need from everybody in the squad.”

That collective effort is one key factor in helping Wanderers switch from a side that won just once in their opening 11 games in all competitions to be among the division’s form teams now thanks to four consecutive wins.

But for Evatt it is a constant work in progress.

“I’m never satisfied. We strive for perfection but I don’t think perfection is something that can ever be achieved. I think you’ve got to work towards it but always strive to improve and get better,” he said.

“I think we can improve in every area. There’s no doubt we haven’t cracked it, we’ve got loads to improve on.”

“There’s lots to play for and we’re not too far away from where we want to be right now and we’re nowhere near where we want to be, I get that, but the league is quite condensed because everybody beats anybody. It seems that way, so we have to just focus on ourselves, focus on the next game, we’re not looking too far ahead.

“Yes, we have an end goal and an end ambition but that can only be achieved by winning the next opportunity and the next game put in front of us – that is Southend and we are fully focused on them on Saturday.”

Full text can be found here:-
Link

Southend United

Mark Molesley speaks to ifollow ahead of this afternoon's game against Bolton Wanderers

Mark Molesley Southend United’s Manager during interview

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Link to ifollow interview:-
Link

Mark Molesley talks to the Chris Phillips at the ECHO before travelling to Bolton Wanderers

Mark Molesley feels Southend United are facing 'one of League Two's toughest tests' at Bolton Wanderers

Facing a tough test - Mark Molesley takes Southend United to Bolton Wanderers this weekend​

Mark Molesley feels Southend United are facing one of the toughest challenges in League Two this weekend.

The bottom of the table Shrimpers head to in-form Bolton Wanderers looking to secure just their second win of the season.

But Molesley believes Bolton, who were relegated alongside Blues last term, will be tough to take on as they bid to secure their fifth win in succession.

“Bolton are a big hitter in the League,” said Molesley.

“They brought in a very good manager who did great things at Barrow.

“They’ve got some very established players and it’s going to be one of League Two’s toughest challenges going to their stadium.

“But, despite our result on Tuesday, there were lots of positives for us and we’re going to have to take them into this game and build on it.

“We know we have to show more in the attacking third and we’ll certainly be looking to do that.”

Bolton are 13th in the League Two standings after recovering from their own slow start to the season.

Full text can be found here:-
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The Big Preview

Bolton Wanderers vs Southend United


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Overview

After a brief visit back home, Southend are on the road again as they travel to The University of Bolton Stadium to take on Bolton Wanderers tomorrow afternoon (3pm KO).

The game was brought forward from the 2nd of December following both side’s exit from the Emirates FA Cup, allowing both a chance to grab a head start on the sides around them. The only other Sky Bet League Two game sees Port Vale hosting Leyton Orient (1pm KO)

And having won last time out on the road against Walsall, Southend will travel in good spirits hoping they can come home with another three points in the bag.

Form

Blues were unfortunate to come away empty-handed on Tuesday night after a battling display from a patched-up side ended in a narrow 1-0 defeat against fourth-placed Forest Green Rovers.

Prior to that defeat in midweek, Southend won at Walsall to claim their first win and clean sheet of the season which ended a run of seven league games without a win.

Bolton have had a resurgence in form in recent weeks and have won their last four in a row in all competitions, with their only defeat in their last six coming against Crewe Alexandra in the Emirates FA Cup.

Last Meeting

Saturday 21st December 2019
Bolton Wanderers 3-2 Southend United
Dodoo 36’, L Murphy 45’, D Murphy 64; Lennon 10’, Dieng 81’

Southend fell to a 3-2 defeat against Bolton in the pair’s last meeting back in December with goals from Joe Dodoo, Luke Murphy and Daryl Murphy enough to overcome the visitors.

Harry Lennon had put Blues in front early on before being stretchered off, but Bolton rallied with three goals to put the home side in control. A late Timothee Dieng strike was a mere consolation.

From The Boss

"They're a big hitter in the league, the size of the club and they've brought in a very good manager who did very well at Barrow.

"They've brought in some well-established players and it's going to be one of League Two's toughest challenges going away to their stadium.

"Despite the result on Tuesday there were lots of positives for us and we're going to need to take those into the game [against Bolton], and build on them.

"We have to show more in the attacking third and we'll certainly be looking to do that.

"We are so close, despite everything being thrown at us. We know that better times are around the corner because we're only going to get stronger with our injuries clearing up and getting those players back who are missing due to Covid.

"We're still being competitive despite that and the teams we have played so far will think they've played us at a good time because they can see that we're not far away."

Blues Team News

Mark Molesley is waiting to hear the extent of Tom Clifford’s back injury which ruled the youngster out of Tuesday’s match with Forest Green right before Blues were about to walk onto the pitch for kick-off. The Blues boss said they would know more on his availability on Friday.

Harry Kyprianou deputised for the left-back following the end of his loan spell at Bromley which puts him in line for a second successive start, at the stadium where he made his league debut.

Alan McCormack is in contention after returning from injury to play 20 minutes in midweek, while Southend remain without the likes of Kyle Taylor (hamstring), Nathan Ralph (knee), Lewis Gard (knee) and Harry Lennon (knee and leg) due to injury.

That's on top of the absence of Emile Acquah, Kazaiah Sterling and Ashley Nathaniel-George who missed out due to COVID-19 and are currently isolating.

Bolton Dangerman

Eoin Doyle will undoubtedly be one of Bolton’s biggest threats tomorrow afternoon having scored three times in his last five appearances for the Trotters.

Doyle was nicknamed the ‘Ginger Pele’ by fans of his former club Swindon Town after scoring 25 goals last season, which included a run of 11 games in a row getting on the scoresheet.

A goalscoring record like that made his signing a clear signal of intent from Bolton in the summer who will hope he finds his shooting boots once more tomorrow afternoon.

Ref Watch

John Busby will be the referee in charge on Saturday, being assisted by David Avent and Mark Cunliffe, with Andy Haines standing in as the fourth official.

Busby has issued 33 yellow cards and three red cards during his 12 games so far this season, with his last appointment coming at the Keepmoat Stadium as Doncaster drew with Sunderland.

The last time Busby took charge of Blues was back in September last year when a late Stephen Humphrys strike earnt Southend a point in a 3-3 draw against Fleetwood at Roots Hall.

iFollow Blues

Blues fans can watch Saturday’s clash with Bolton Wanderers at The University of Bolton Stadium by picking up a Match Pass for iFollow Blues for £10.

Overseas supporters can buy a pass for just £7 with the pass allowing you to catch the game on your laptop, computer, tablet or mobile device.

Click here to secure your Match Pass.

Full text can be found here:-
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Come On You Blues!​

 

[The Big Dady]

Bolton Wanderers Team

 

[Shrimpergonzo]

2 of the COVID players back and on the bench - what’s that all about?

 

[Shrimper]

A full bench!

 

[Chapperz]

2 of the COVID players back and on the bench - what’s that all about?

Retested and came back negative I guess

Looking at that lineup and the way it has been posted just looks like Dieng and Goodship are up front together.

 

[jimmy55]

2 of the COVID players back and on the bench - what’s that all about?

Very confusing Sterling and Aquah on the Bench. Don't think it's been 10 or 14 days since Sterlings positive test and has he already been training this week too? I hope we don't get fined or worse with this move.. has this been explained by MM yet?

 

[blueblueblue]

Retested and came back negative I guess

Looking at that lineup and the way it has been posted just looks like Dieng and Goodship are up front together.

That's what I thought, worth a go I guess.

 

[jarvisyeh]

Very confusing Sterling and Aquah on the Bench. Don't think it's been 10 or 14 days since Sterlings positive test and has he already been training this week too? I hope we don't get fined or worse with this move.. has this been explained by MM yet?

I'd assume so long as they have been re tested twice and it's come back negative, they are free to continue, although with this club you really never know.

 

[Evening Echo]

BOLTON Wanderers boss Ian Evatt has warned his side to ignore Southend United’s lowly League placing ahead of this afternoon’s League Two clash.

Read more on this story


Help with Echo links

 

[brigg blue]

Lets smash these phoenix nights loving two bit mugs

 

[Stourport Shrimper]

2 of the COVID players back and on the bench - what’s that all about?

It maybe that they had false positive test results and have now been retested as negative? When the prevalence of Covid in the community is running at 1 in 100 then as the test has a minimum 1% false positive rate, then up to 50% of positive tests could be false positive. Also there was a whole batch of 1300 tests recently reported on the BBC that all gave erroneous false positives due to a chemical reagent problem in a particular testing centre

 

[Shrimpet steve]

2 of the COVID players back and on the bench - what’s that all about?

Yeh and where's nathanel George? Thought he had covid

 

[Barling Magna]

Some very generous statements by the Bolton manager. I hope he's right as far as our luck changing, that we are in a false positipn and that we won't finish bottom. It's always good to hear such comments from an opponent with nothing to gain.

 

[Cricko]

Just to reiterate people ..any ifollow moans, (not that we will get any because it will be perfect for us all) ? the thread to post them in is now stuck at the top of this forum.

I-Follow - you get angry!

I’ve just received a email from the EFL, saying I’ll get Tuesdays match pass refunded because of the issues.. I didn’t have any issues ? I emailed straight back and told them to save the apology email template as they will undoubtably be needing to send it on countless further occasions this...

www.shrimperzone.com

Come on you Blues!

 

[Leigh_Seasider]

I’m tempted to watch now Dieng appears to be leading the attack ...

 

[Tommy2holes]

Weird that ANG is not available but acquah and sterling are

 

[Rayleigh boy]

I’m tempted to watch now Dieng appears to be leading the attack ...

RM been reading the Zone for tips

 

[Spaceman Spiff]

come on you blue boys!!!

 

[euroshrimper]

Come on you mighty Shrimpers please give us a win, fingers crossed........