Bolton 2-0 Millwall - Five Things

It was a great, if cold, afternoon at the Reebok when Bolton Wanderers overcame Millwall with great ease.

My Five Things are thus:

1) Josh Vela is really suiting the advance role

The academy graduate has come in for criticism in the last year or so, but it has to be said that since he was pushed forward by manager Phil Parkinson he has been one of our best players.

Against Millwall he ran the attacking third and scored a brilliant goal. His volley looked brilliant on the day, and looked even better on the telly afterwards.

He showed great energy on the attack and pushed the Millwall defence back with his pressing play. It was, in my opinion, his best game for the club.

Long may this good form continue.

2) Andrew Taylor was brilliant

The Wigan Athletic loanee came in with the endorsement that he was a '6/10' player.

In his Bolton career thus far he had more or less fulfilled that prediction - but against Millwall he was absolutely superb.

Taylor dealt with the pace of Onyedinma and was an effective attacking presence throughout. It was the best game of his Bolton career too and it means that Dean Moxey will be waiting even longer to get back into the team.

3) Millwall were hopeless

The worst team we've faced this year? Possibly. To go through the whole game with no shots on target (I know the BBC said they have one, but I don't recall) is pretty pathetic.

I don't know how much the injury to Lee Gregory disrupted their flow, but they were absymal.

We haven't had many comfortable wins at the club in the last few years but this was one of the easier outings that we have had.

4) Mark Beevers form is no longer a surprise to anyone

The Calvin Harris-lookalike (or is Harris a Beevers-lookalike?) was again imperious at the heart of the Bolton defence.

His signing went a little under the radar with me - he was always a solid if unspectacular centre half when at Sheffield Wednesday and Millwall, but he has given an 8/10 performance in more of less every game that I have seen him in.

He is looking to be the best centre half that we have had since Gary Cahill. Just look at how he has dragged David Wheater up from a centre back (partially) responsible for the worst Bolton defence in a generation to a competent and reliable partner to Beevers.

I know there was a line in the Sun this morning about him being sold - I can only pray that was bollocks.

He needs a proper song though. The one that our neds have come up with is pretty naff.

5) Where do we go from here?

With Coventry City due at the Reebok tomorrow and Bolton to travel to Northampton at the weekend I think we are really well placed to make an assault on the top two over the winter period.

We have four games in December and at the moment I am predicting us to win them all. Scunthorpe United come to town on New Year's Eve which will be tough but this team have, I believe, the character to overcome this sort of challenge.

It's going to be a very interesting time to be a Bolton fan.