FIVE THINGS: Bolton Wanderers 1-2 Preston North End

That was appalling. Bolton Wanderers gave up and allowed Preston North End to leave with the points.

I don’t care how many goals were between the two sides, this was one-way traffic.

Five Things:

1 - BEN PEARSON AND THE PAUCITY OF CHOICE

He might well have come from Manchester United, but Pearson gave what I consider to be one of the finest performances at the Reebok in recent memory.

His ability on the ball, his tenaciousness and his desire to win showed up EVERY single member of the Bolton midfield.

Josh Vela, Craig Noone, Callum Connelly and Sammy Ameobi were as appalling as Pearson was impressive.

I wish we had someone like that, instead we are stuck with these losers.

2 - STRIKING PROBLEMS

Josh Magennis is an honest workhorse but he isn’t going to score enough to make his continued inclusion justified. It’s probably not a stretch to say the same about Clayton Donaldson.

Neither is good enough.

Together they are not wholly responsible for our slide down the table but their struggles are indicative of why we are where we are. The meek acceptance of mediocrity has left us without a choice. We have to go with one of two shoddy strikers.

What can we do?

3 - DEFENSIVE WOES APLENTY

Jason Lowe, Marc Wilson, David Wheater, Jonathan Grounds.

I hope to GOD (and I don’t believe in your magical sky fairies) that we never ever have to see these four clowns play together ever again.

Their lack of pace is one thing, their lack of cohesion is another - their lack of desire to fight and win the ball is something that cannot be tolerated.

Preston employed a pair of nippy forwards to bewilder our slow and ponderous backline to the point where we could easily, on another day, have lost by five goals.

Wilson also gets points knocked off for missing our best chance.

4 - REWARD CONNELL’S BOLLOCKS

Luca Connell is 17. Luca Connell played about 10 minutes. Luca Connell showed more bollocks than the rest of our midfield did all day long.

As mentioned above, our midfield was nothing short of missing during the Preston game, given the runaround by Pearson and his mates.

What I was encouraged by, however, was Connell’s cameo. I can’t remember ever seeing a 17 year old lad dictate to his elder-statesman teammates what they should be doing. I really admire that about him.

The rest of them are cowards. Luca should be captain.

5 - PHIL PARKINSON

Well, what can you say about Parky.

Long gone is the dignified presence on the sideline. Instead you will regard a withered husk of a manager seemingly incapable of getting a new tune out of an old piano.

Wanderers put in a pathetic performance bereft of any hope, desire or attacking inspiration - and it should lead to the end of Parky’ reign at the club.

The players need a fresh voice. I don’t care who this is.

Parkinson needs to go.