Who opened the door? My money is on Janus! 2024 January transfer thread.

[Worthy4England]

If we average over 2ppg but stay down due to a ref’s brainfart, did we get away with it? I would argue the process worked without the goal being achieved. If we sneak up despite huge injury problems, I’d argue the process failed but the goal was reached.

Not unreasonable, but if the "test" of managerial competence is "did we get promoted or not" - which clearly some people have it down as, then achieving that aim would be the most part of the victory condition, despite what might have occurred on the journey...

[GhostoftheBok]

Not unreasonable, but if the "test" of managerial competence is "did we get promoted or not" - which clearly some people have it down as, then achieving that aim would be the most part of the victory condition, despite what might have occurred on the journey...

"Managers are judged on results" may be a cliche, but it's also a truism.

The fact is that people are currently pissing and moaning about not being perfect, rather than by any reasonable definition of actually being poor.

We score goals. We keep clean sheets. We win games at the highest rate in the league.

The idea we do that with managerial incompetence and a poor squad is genuinely hilarious and not worth even entertaining.

[Dave Sutton's barnet]

If we average over 2ppg but stay down due to a ref’s brainfart, did we get away with it? I would argue the process worked without the goal being achieved. If we sneak up despite huge injury problems, I’d argue the process failed but the goal was reached.

Not unreasonable, but if the "test" of managerial competence is "did we get promoted or not" - which clearly some people have it down as, then achieving that aim would be the most part of the victory condition, despite what might have occurred on the journey...

Yeah it’s certainly what people will remember. Take Phil Neal - seen as a success in the Fourth, a failure in the Third… but in our 90/91 season (lost in playoffs to Tranmere) we averaged more points than in 87/88 (promoted at Wrexham)…

[Spartan2]

Uggghhhhh sign someone already.

[boltonboris]

Not unreasonable, but if the "test" of managerial competence is "did we get promoted or not" - which clearly some people have it down as, then achieving that aim would be the most part of the victory condition, despite what might have occurred on the journey...

"Managers are judged on results" may be a cliche, but it's also a truism.

The fact is that people are currently pissing and moaning about not being perfect, rather than by any reasonable definition of actually being poor.

We score goals. We keep clean sheets. We win games at the highest rate in the league.

The idea we do that with managerial incompetence and a poor squad is genuinely hilarious and not worth even entertaining.

Nobody's saying we're shit, or the managers shit etc. But you have to admit that the last 2 and bit league games have shown that we're starting to look light and it could be a concern going forward.

It was obvious last night. We looked like we'd been patched up and stuck back together with cheesestrings in that second half. Like towing a caravan with the hand-brake on and that was even after the subs

[BWFC_Insane]

If we average over 2ppg but stay down due to a ref’s brainfart, did we get away with it? I would argue the process worked without the goal being achieved. If we sneak up despite huge injury problems, I’d argue the process failed but the goal was reached.

PPG is irrelevant. What matters is what division we sit in next year. The bottom line is you are in competition with the rest of the teams in your league. We have a clear aim and success and failure imho is either side of that.

If we go up and crawl over the line it’s a success. And judgement was ultimately right.

[Prufrock]

Just sign someone so we can stop arguing about what getting away with it means

I think we're in a great place, so far very much so good, but there's a lot left to do and whether we give ourselves a good chance to do that would seem heavily dependent on a fairly hefty number of incomings over the next week.

It looks like we're going to have to start Ashworth and Morley on Sat, both talented lads but neither had made much of a case to be in the first XI, and the only senior non FWD sub will be CMG. And we're now Saturday-Tuesday for a month.

Time for Markham to earn his coin.

[The_Gun]

Being the best team in the division off the back of two failed transfer windows is no mean feat.

I wouldn't be confident we are currently the best team in the division - Posh are now clear favourites to finish first anyway.

I know as fans we often tend to put too much emphasis on transfers, but it does very much feel like what we do, or don't do, before the end of the month is going to be pivotal for the success of the season. Personally I expect us to bring two more in, which if they're of sufficient quality I hope will be enough to get us over the line.

[BWFC_Insane]

Evatt on injuries “Look, we are going to have to do some business, and we will do some business.”

I hope it’s proper business and the players we get can kickstart us. Certainly what we might have got away with has changed considerably.

[BWFC_Insane]

Being the best team in the division off the back of two failed transfer windows is no mean feat.

I wouldn't be confident we are currently the best team in the division - Posh are now clear favourites to finish first anyway.

I know as fans we often tend to put too much emphasis on transfers, but it does very much feel like what we do, or don't do, before the end of the month is going to be pivotal for the success of the season. Personally I expect us to bring two more in, which if they're of sufficient quality I hope will be enough to get us over the line.

Honestly I think it’s 4 we need. I think 3 as a bare minimum if we risk getting Jones back ok. But a wing back, striker and either centre back or centre mid - maybe one who could do both ala MJ.

I don’t think we will get through with less than that now. You can already see Thomason needs a break (gets one anyway) Demps is quite injury prone, Williams has done the same hamstring twice and seems to take a while after injury and we are down to three fit centre halves.

Gomes comes back but we still don’t know how to get the best out of him.

[Worthy4England]

Just sign someone so we can stop arguing about what getting away with it means

Topical but tangential, there's a great set of videos on YouTube around "getting away with it" - you don't want Jason Beer's "side-eye" heading in your direction and wondering if you're "getting away with it!"

[dave the minion]

Being the best team in the division off the back of two failed transfer windows is no mean feat.

I wouldn't be confident we are currently the best team in the division - Posh are now clear favourites to finish first anyway.

Playing devil's advocate again, why are we not the best or favourites to finish top? We've won the most games, have 2nd best record for clean sheets (and may well have the record when play games in hand) and if - big if obviously - we win our games in hand, we are top......

[GhostoftheBok]

Nobody's saying we're shit, or the managers shit etc. But you have to admit that the last 2 and bit league games have shown that we're starting to look light and it could be a concern going forward.

It was obvious last night. We looked like we'd been patched up and stuck back together with cheesestrings in that second half. Like towing a caravan with the hand-brake on and that was even after the subs

People are, though.

The same wankers come out of the woodwork any time there's a dodgy display of any kind, regardless of caveats.

It's been decided that certain players are crap and the manager is getting away with it and that's that. It's important to them that they've been right all this time and becomes more important the longer lived reality disproves their claims.

I've reached the point where I'm no longer willing to pretend they have a clue what they're watching. I recognise that might come across as dickish, or even aggressive, but it's been years now and I'm past being polite. It's mostly elsewhere on social media and live at games, but I'm done with it. If you can be wrong solidly for 3+ years and still sing the same tune you can also get told. Again...3+ years. Time's time.

In terms of legitimate criticism, I'd say it's actually a wee bit worse than you paint. The past two performances have been dire, but so was the start vs Cheltenham before it was called off and Ian can say "We'd have picked up", but we have shown recently that's unlikely.

We have been chugging a bit for a few games, because teams have picked up on some of our patterns and stolen blueprints off the better coaches we've faced. The effect is cumulative, so we've then officially struggled. That, plus the winter (both physical and mental), is why we've seen what we have.

We need signings and also a response from Evatt to tweak things a bit. If he didn't think that was needed before Cheltenham he likely will now. Teams now know that if you pin our wide centre backs when we're in their 3rd and hold a high line during build-up we're looking a bit blunt. That's where new players are needed, as well as for bodies. The evidence has encouraged more teams to be brave against us. Luckily we've generally had just enough about us to get a result.

Whenever new faces arrive everyone ups their game. Hopefully that's before Carlisle and that'll get us through. Then we can use Blackpool to get everyone introduced to each other and crack on.

I fear for the first team that tries to be brave after we've sorted these issues out, because a lot of managers at this level are just copying homework and won't twig. They'll get smashed.

[The_Gun]

Being the best team in the division off the back of two failed transfer windows is no mean feat.

I wouldn't be confident we are currently the best team in the division - Posh are now clear favourites to finish first anyway.

Playing devil's advocate again, why are we not the best or favourites to finish top? We've won the most games, have 2nd best record for clean sheets (and may well have the record when play games in hand) and if - big if obviously - we win our games in hand, we are top......

'Best' is subjective, and probably comes down to the style you prefer, but Peterborough are objectively the favourites to win the division: 9/4 vs us at 16/5.

[GhostoftheBok]

I wouldn't be confident we are currently the best team in the division - Posh are now clear favourites to finish first anyway.

Posh were always going to be good.

People took the piss when Darren Ferguson went back, but his Peterborough sides are always excellent attacking outfits in League One.

No issue with anyone backing them to do well, but we've coped with issues they've not yet had. They may get through the season clean, they may not.

You can make shouts for Posh, Pompey and us having been the best at various times. At the minute, we are leading the PPG without having fired in the market and that's good enough for me.

Ultimately January recruitment tends to dictate who wins promotion. As was the case last season.

Must admit I'm sulking a bit that the Kioso issue hasn't had a more obvious impact, but Fergie is good at creating an "us against the world" mentality and that will have helped there.

[GhostoftheBok]

Iles this morning is reporting that Ennis has agreed "in principle" to come on loan.

One of "two or three" we aim to have done by close of business.

Hopefully he's fully fit. Could be a big signing if he is. If he's not....well, let's hope he is.

[The_Gun]

Iles this morning is reporting that Ennis has agreed "in principle" to come on loan.

One of "two or three" we aim to have done by close of business.

Hopefully he's fully fit. Could be a big signing if he is. If he's not....well, let's hope he is.

Ennis agreeing to join in principle is not necessarily the same as it being a done deal. To me that sounds like there's still a sticking point between the clubs.

[BWFC_Insane]

Iles this morning is reporting that Ennis has agreed "in principle" to come on loan.

One of "two or three" we aim to have done by close of business.

Hopefully he's fully fit. Could be a big signing if he is. If he's not....well, let's hope he is.

Ennis agreeing to join in principle is not necessarily the same as it being a done deal. To me that sounds like there's still a sticking point between the clubs.

How I read it too.

[GhostoftheBok]

Ennis agreeing to join in principle is not necessarily the same as it being a done deal. To me that sounds like there's still a sticking point between the clubs.

Not suggesting it's a done deal and by "close of business" I mean the window, not today.

What it does indicate is any issue is not related to the player, which is promising.

The sticking point between the clubs, according to all the gossip, has always been the finances. We'll see how it goes. Issues between two clubs who both want the player to move should resolve if the player is keen.

[Worthy4England]

Nobody's saying we're shit, or the managers shit etc. But you have to admit that the last 2 and bit league games have shown that we're starting to look light and it could be a concern going forward.

It was obvious last night. We looked like we'd been patched up and stuck back together with cheesestrings in that second half. Like towing a caravan with the hand-brake on and that was even after the subs

The same wankers come out of the woodwork any time there's a dodgy display of any kind, regardless of caveats.

I haven't seen much evidence of "caveats" impacting the ticket price (not specific to us), I don't recall any Club ever saying "we've got a weakened team out with 5 injuries, so we're only going to charge you 50% of the normal ticket price" so I think on a game by game basis, you should feel entitled to receive the same "money's worth" vs whatever got you to part with season ticket/£25 or whatever.

I don't have a problem with people being angry with a shit display and calling it out on a message board/Twatter or whatever...