"I was truly shocked at how we were both lacklustre and devoid of a game plan, even compared to last season. There has been a marked downturn in our performance", "I've had it with Dougie. I wanted him to do well, but he's not got it and we cannot afford to wait".
Bolton's 1-1 draw at home to Sheffield Wednesday last Saturday saw them stretch their unbeaten run to four games. They have not won at home in six league games this season, and the prosaic nature of this draw increased the number of supporters losing patience.
"That was a depressing game to watch. If you went to watch football, then Wednesday tried to provide it. From the Wanderers today it was totally absent. We were hardly able to string two passes together. It was just a rank bad performance."
"Today I did something twice that I have only ever done before when playing Sunday league football. I counted how many players the opposition were playing with. Wherever the ball went, we seemed to be outnumbered due to Wednesday's hard work and commitment."
"The problem we have at home is that the fans expect us to go and win the game. If we don't go ahead early, the crowd start getting impatient, transferring nervousness on to the pitch."
"Put it this way. If everything behind the scenes is rosy and the players are playing for Freedman, then we may as well seriously f****** turn the light off and lock the doors", "I don't like manager hopping, but Freedman is running out of time."
"Let's continually twat aimless high long ball after aimless high long ball to the striker and wingers and miss out the midfield. Freedman talks like he's a student of the beautiful game, but in reality, week in and week out he's a mix of John Beck and Mike Bassett."
"Freedman is trying to control the game both with and without the ball like he did at Palace. The problem he has here is the lack of work rate and movement from our players."
The 4-2-3-1 system which worked successfully at Palace has come unstuck with Bolton this season: "We don't have the players to play the possession football which most of us want to see. We give the ball away far too often and make the wrong decisions in attack. Dougie has to go right back to basics, and make us hard to beat with an emphasis on defence."
"We are seriously in trouble, with players without heart, confidence or spirit", "Everyone looks lost and bereft of confidence. I'm not saying that Freedman should shoulder the whole blame, but he is paid to steer the ship, and right now it is in danger of running aground."
"We give the ball away far too easily. When the ball is played forward out of defence, we can look as good as any side, but it can be painful when the nerves kick in", "Unless this changes, we will deservedly be relegated", "Who is taking responsibility on and off the field?"
"We sit back and stand off too much and don't look for the ball often enough. Time and again we are forced to play along the backline as the midfielders run away from the ball. We made Wednesday look like Barcelona with their passing such was the extent of the room we gave them."
"Defensively we allow ourselves to be bullied by opponents because we don't close them down. There's no urgency at all. We let opponents come on to us until they are in a threatening area, which is ridiculous. It is some of the worst defending I have ever seen."
"I like Lonergan, when he has been played." With the Hungary International Adam Bogdan missing the game through injury, former Leeds keeper Andy Lonergan will deputise. The 29-year-old has featured in League Cup victories over Shrewsbury and Tranmere.
"It's always been a mixture of good and bad whenever I've seen Lonergan play so I'd love to know why so many think he's so good. He's almost 30 and apart from one year at Leeds, he's barely played for anybody higher than mid-table League One."
"I never thought he was great defensively on the right, but he's no better on his wrong side." Former Blackpool centre-back Alex Baptiste has been deputising as a left-back for the injured ex-Budgie Marc Tierney. "He did well to cope with the threat of Chris Burke against Birmingham."
"Matt Mills is commanding in the air and is finally showing the reason Leicester paid all that money for him", "His positioning is good and he wins everything in the air", "Defensively superb, but the only problem is his shoddy passing".
The 27-year-old centre-back's partnership with Tim Ream has been regularly praised: "I really like the partnership of Mills and Ream, a big ball-winner and a smaller, quicker sweeper."
USA international Tim Ream is "calm on the ball. He takes no chances and clears danger at every opportunity", "Ream has been very comfortable on the ball and is one player who could play possession football".
The 26-year-old former New York Red Bulls player "is quick and can pass to a team mate", "It's great to have a centre-back who can pass so comfortably". Many Trotters would like to see him play in a central midfield role giving his passing ability.
Cardiff loan player Kevin McNaughton is "a calming influence on the defence. He doesn't panic and doesn't try what he isn't capable of doing". The 31-year-old is "a steady and steely figure", "He has slotted in well and will make the right-back position his own".
"He doesn't get forward much, but that is tactical on Freedman's part." The Scotland international's lack of match fitness is the only issue highlighted: "McNaughton looked like a very tired old and fat pub footballer when running back late in the game against Wednesday."
"I don't know about Zat Knight. He comes across as too laid back and this team needs drive which I don't believe he possesses." The former England international has hardly figured in recent games although he came on to form a back five to defend their lead against Birmingham.
"He was in disbelief when he was subbed recently. He had clearly grown complacent with his place in the side as captain, and was happy to coast."
The ex-Villa player has regularly been bracketed by fans with Chris Eagles and David Ngog as overpaid poor performers.
"Our midfield is non-existent. The ‘plan' seems to be to sit back until opponents lose control of the ball and then knock it around the back four for a while. Then we hoof it up, completely bypassing the midfield. It doesn't work, and is horrible to watch."
"Sitting deep and launching long hopeful balls to a lone striker is futile and mind numbing", "People were correctly pointing out that Mills and Ream were playing the ball long, but that was because very often they were the only out ball and there were no short options available to them".
"The lack of movement, purposeful passing and closing down is just embarrassing. I really can't see what it is the team are trying to do. The worst thing is that I don't think they know what they are trying to do either."
"All I see is a team who lose possession very quickly whenever they get over the halfway line", "Until our midfield, especially the central midfielders, start to boss and control games we will ultimately struggle".
"Improving the relationship between Medo and Spearing is paramount if we are to dig ourselves out of this mess." Bolton's two holding midfielders have comfortably attracted the most criticism from frustrated supporters.
"What I could not understand through the match was the number of times our centre backs had the ball at their feet, and Spearing and Medo would not make themselves available for an easy pass with which they could build play through possession."
"Spearing and Medo spend too much time sitting back, so they make hardly any decent forward passes as they are crowded out", "Instead of Medo and Spearing, we need an incisive passer who is willing and able to release the three in front of him".
"They are not able to turn and take the ball forward to the opposition. This really is the bread and butter of a central midfielder, and both have been generally poor at running with the ball, picking out passes and creating opportunities for our attackers."
Sierra Leone International Medo Kamara "will usually play it safe, but this tends to slow us down, and doesn't get the ball to the attacking midfielders."
Trotters are highly critical of the 25-year-old's distribution: "His passing was woeful for most of the game against Wednesday."
Jay Spearing joined the Trotters this summer from Liverpool, having played on loan for them last season. He was also specifically criticised for his "same old headless chicken running around."
"Neil Danns has lots of energy and works hard, but needs to be more patient on the ball. He rushes things where he can play a simple pass." The 30-year-old joined from Leicester this summer, having played on loan for the Trotters last season.
"Danns can be out of the game for long periods", "The central role behind the striker is pivotal and he simply doesn't get enough of the ball to be an influence", "I'm not overly convinced that a natural footballer lives inside Danns. He really was anonymous for most of the Wednesday game".
"Darren Pratley offers little going forward and was an obstacle in helping Baptiste deal with Chris Burke (in Bolton's one league win at Birmingham just before the international break) on our left", "He played as if he had a big night out the night before."
The former Swansea player "was lost against Blackpool out on the left, where he does a job, but is devoid of attacking ideas", "Pratley looked bewildered on the left", "He has only been brought in because of his defensive capabilities, but should be played through the centre".
"I feel that everything Eagles does is for show with no substance behind it", "I have often thought that he plays as if he is watching himself in the mirror", "He thinks he's better than he is and needs to put a shift in", "He looks like a man who doesn't want to be here anymore".
Former Burnley winger Chris Eagles "should stay on the bench. He loses the ball and makes the wrong decisions far too often. This puts pressure on our defenders and leaves us open to counter attacks". The 27-year-old "has been a shadow of last season's player".
"Robert Hall looks eager but is a bit naïve." The former West Ham player, who played on loan for Birmingham last season, has been a fringe player. "He was incredibly lucky not to be sent off for a horror tackle" against the Owls on Saturday.
"Losing Marcos Alonso to Fiorentina is one of the biggest reasons for this season's failure. We miss his attacking mentality at left-back. He used to launch counter attacks, and without him Lee looks lost." South Korean Chung Yong Lee's loss of form this season has alarmed many fans.
"What has happened to Lee this season? He is seriously lacking in confidence and tries to be a bit too clever", "Against Wednesday, he was one of the players who actually looked for the ball", "He could learn from Feeney's example and keep things simple".
Liam Feeney has returned to Millwall after a brief loan spell. "He plays things simple but he is so effective. He gets down the line and gets a cross in. Neither Lee or Eagles can match him in this simplistic approach." His uncomplicated wing play will be greatly missed.
"I'm probably on my own, but I can see what Freedman is trying to do. However, his game plan revolves around lots of movement from his four attacking players. Our attacking players are too static and offer no outlet."
"Our system relies on the front man being able to hold the ball up like Murray did at Palace, but unfortunately we don't have a player like him. Maybe the squad we have is different to what he had at Palace, but that is irrelevant."
"I'm not excusing Spearing and Medo's poor passing, but the lack of movement doesn't help them, and it was evident that they were unhappy with Eagles and Beckford not moving off the ball", "Our attacking options are very weak".
Jermaine Beckford has been heavily criticised: "If Beckford cannot head, won't tackle, won't move off the ball and make himself available, and doesn't stick away the few chances he does have, is he really the basket to have all our eggs in?"
"I got fed up with punting it long to Jermaine Beckford, who hasn't got a header in his locker, never mind on the pitch", "He hardly ever wins a long ball, and doesn't do the chasing that he ought to." "He is a confidence player who is seriously lacking this at the moment".
The 29-year-old, who played on loan from Leicester at Huddersfield last season "is becoming our new Manchester United era Diego Forlan".
Some fans think that he is struggling by being so isolated. "If Beckford makes a break, can our players support him instead of leaving him to his own f***ing devices?"
"Ngog is the most unnatural striker I have ever seen." Former Liverpool striker David Ngog "should be handing out the oranges at half time". The 24-year-old "had a good run against the Owls, but decided against shooting", "Ngog isn't producing enough for what he is likely to be earning".
"We looked more of threat with Ngog on the pitch. He turned players, ran at them and has pretty good close control", "Outside the box, Ngog is pretty good. It's just when he gets into the box to do the actual striker bit is when he gets lost."
"We've got the Tractor Boys next. That should prove interesting", "0-3 defeat. Dougie praises our courageous 4-6-0 formation for having a real go at them in the final five minutes." All of their match day threads have been hijacked with arguments about their manager thus far.
One predictable name did pop up: "Jim Magilton gets a hat-trick. 5-3 win to the Tractor Boys, Barry Knight to send off all our players", "The very sight of that name sends me to the drink. I'd, still today, gladly string that f***er up".
The wounds from our 2000 play-off victory still run deep. I will update the forum on Saturday morning with their immediate thoughts about the game.
There are several busy message boards, but the biggest is The Wanderer.