Will Burton suit us? Bolton v Brewers, Tues 25-10-22. 7.45.

[TANGODANCER]

A made to measure fixture that might suit us, or will Burton serve up a hubble, bubble, toil and trouble witches brew? The table makes it look like a banker bet for a home win, but I'm sure Mr Evatt will be aware that appearances can deceive. Early post because reading anything is better than the news right now. Three home fixtures in a row, Burton, Oxford and an F.A.Cup date against Barnsley make tasty reading, but the Brewers first. Mild or Bitter?

[Worthy4England]

We have a terrible record against Burton. I know, I know - what's in the past, is in the past, but we're still in October...

[Prufrock]

We hadn't won at Accrington since 1890 something. The times they are a-changing!

[Dave Sutton's barnet]

I'm not a big one for being influenced by what happened when Lloyd George was PM. More immediately, we should know by now that even making assumptions from the current league table is dangerous stuff. Accy were 17th when they went 2-0 up on us, Cheltenham were 17th when they beat us, FGR were third-bottom when they beat us. Tranmere were fourth-division. You get the picture.

Burton are fourth-bottom but they're only 12pts behind us, we're 11pts off the top. Moreover, that table doesn't tell the full story. Hasselbaink got the boot after 7 games in which they'd won 1pt. Assistant-turned-careteker Dino Maamria has turned them round with 11 points from the last 8. Take a table from Maamria's elevation to now, and they're 11th. They've won at Exeter and at home to Cheltenham and FGR.

Despite getting the job just after the window closed, Maamria hoovered up some experienced freebies – ex-Watford defender Adrian Mariappa, ex-Boro winger Mustapha Carayol, ex-everyone striker Sam Winnall, plus young ex-Leeds forward Bobby Kamwa. In each case he brought them in for at least a week's training to assess their character - quite Evattian - and has praised the older players' organisational skills, especially Mariappa at the back. In Hasselbaink's 7 games they conceded 20; in Maamria's 8 that has shrunk to 9.

Also Evattian were his words after Saturday's victory over Cheltenham: “There was only one team in it and we had over 60 per cent possession (against Cheltenham). We had 16 shots on goal and we hardly had a shot to save. I didn’t enjoy our game against Morecambe last week as we didn’t really pass the ball, and that is not the type of football we are trying to play here. That was much better today and leading up to the penalty we made 26 passes. At half-time I just asked them to keep playing the same way but to up the tempo, and we did that.”

So don't expect the booming long ball. Last season, they rarely treasured possession - they had the division's sixth-lowest number of attacks with 10+ passes, down between Morecambe and Shrewsbury. Where they were annoyingly (and, against us, devastatingly) effective last season is on set-pieces, with the division's fifth-most attempts from dead balls. And there's nothing to say a team that treasures the ball can't also be good from set pieces.

They tend to play a 4-2-3-1, occasionally a 4-3-3. Victor Adeboyejo has scored six league goals in a month, including the winner on Saturday, to take him to 9 for the season already. Attacking midfielder David Keillor-Dunn has scored six, although half of them came in one early game against Accy.

[TANGODANCER]

We have a terrible record against Burton. I know, I know - what's in the past, is in the past, but we're still in October...

Surely no one knows better than us the folly of taking things for granted? A succession of managers have blown us up higher than hot air balloons only to be shot down lke fairground ducks. Like Pru says, the times they are a changing. Time for them to change our way. let's not wait till we're two down this time..COME ON YOU WHITES.

[officer_dibble]

We need to absolutely smash these bastards off the park. Scabbed a point last season, goal ruled out incorrectly, spent the game fouling us finally had a man sent off when it was too late. Same feck* managed to score twice against us at their ground on the worst pitch I’ve ever seen! They might be claiming they are trying to play football (against another set of cloggers Cheltenham) and I haven’t seen them under this new manager but we have to putting these feck* to the sword. Six points needed against these nice people this season. I think we play on their beach at the end of the season so that will no doubt be a test. Got to play em off the park this time, no excuses.

[Harry Genshaw]

We need to absolutely smash these bastards off the park. Scabbed a point last season, goal ruled out incorrectly, spent the game fouling us finally had a man sent off when it was too late. Same feck* managed to score twice against us at their ground on the worst pitch I’ve ever seen! They might be claiming they are trying to play football (against another set of cloggers Cheltenham) and I haven’t seen them under this new manager but we have to putting these feck* to the sword. Six points needed against these nice people this season. I think we play on their beach at the end of the season so that will no doubt be a test. Got to play em off the park this time, no excuses.

Beautifully put. Totally agree

[Bruce Rioja]

I've a horrible feeling that we're about to be schooled in the value of set pieces again.

Nothing, since they rinsed us on set plays at their place last season, suggests to me that we've paid any attention to them at either end.

[The_Gun]

Any chance we might try out four at the back from the off tomorrow? History suggests there is only a slim possibility of this happening, but perhaps Evatt might be swayed by Saturday's epic comeback. I am a tactical simpleton who is easily influenced by recency bias, so I'd make the change.

Traff

Bradley Santos Johnston Iredale

MJ

Dempsey Thomason

Sadlier Dad Bod Dapo

[Dave Sutton's barnet]

I've a horrible feeling that we're about to be schooled in the value of set pieces again.

Nothing, since they rinsed us on set plays at their place last season, suggests to me that we've paid any attention to them at either end.

Neither the fact we've got one of the league's best defensive records, nor the fact we've even started scoring off them ourselves? (Occasionally - Geth's header at MK, our first goal at Accy)

Nor the elaborate routines we've been doing of late, with the lads queuing up like a Full Monty tribute?

I mean we've still got miles to go but to suggest we've paid no attention to them is at best harsh, Bruce.

[Harry Genshaw]

I suspect he'll stick with 3-5-2 tomorrow. It's served us pretty well at home so far this season. Keep a high tempo and despite their recent improvements, we should have too much for them.

[Bruce Rioja]

I've a horrible feeling that we're about to be schooled in the value of set pieces again.

Nothing, since they rinsed us on set plays at their place last season, suggests to me that we've paid any attention to them at either end.

Neither the fact we've got one of the league's best defensive records, nor the fact we've even started scoring off them ourselves? (Occasionally - Geth's header at MK, our first goal at Accy)

Nor the elaborate routines we've been doing of late, with the lads queuing up like a Full Monty tribute?

I mean we've still got miles to go but to suggest we've paid no attention to them is at best harsh, Bruce.

The number of times we either hit the first defender or send the ball out of play tells me not.

Granted, they do now queue up like they're waiting for a bus but I'm yet to see any benefit.

Seriously, Fella, to point out that we've managed to score from a couple is rather like pointing out that a broken clock gives the correct time twice a day. To me, anyway.

[truewhite15]

It seems clear to me that we have indeed been working on set pieces in training. The fact that our delivery in match situations has been, by and large, woeful shouldn't disguise that.

[Worthy4England]

We have a terrible record against Burton. I know, I know - what's in the past, is in the past, but we're still in October...

Surely no one knows better than us the folly of taking things for granted? A succession of managers have blown us up higher than hot air balloons only to be shot down lke fairground ducks. Like Pru says, the times they are a changing. Time for them to change our way. let's not wait till we're two down this time..COME ON YOU WHITES.

I hope you're right TD. What we have seen a few times that Evatt has commented about, is slow starts, the "not quite on it in the first half" type comments. If you're not careful, you find yourself 2 down as we did on Saturday. More often than not, that sorts the points out.

Quick start would be great.

[Dave Sutton's barnet]

I've a horrible feeling that we're about to be schooled in the value of set pieces again.

Nothing, since they rinsed us on set plays at their place last season, suggests to me that we've paid any attention to them at either end.

Neither the fact we've got one of the league's best defensive records, nor the fact we've even started scoring off them ourselves? (Occasionally - Geth's header at MK, our first goal at Accy)

Nor the elaborate routines we've been doing of late, with the lads queuing up like a Full Monty tribute?

I mean we've still got miles to go but to suggest we've paid no attention to them is at best harsh, Bruce.

The number of times we either hit the first defender or send the ball out of play tells me not.

Granted, they do now queue up like they're waiting for a bus but I'm yet to see any benefit.

Seriously, Fella, to point out that we've managed to score from a couple is rather like pointing out that a broken clock gives the correct time twice a day. To me, anyway.

Two’s not great, but it’s not remarkably bad. Joint 15th in the league. Intriguingly, Plymouth haven’t scored any from set pieces. Besides, you will note I repeat that we’re not very good at them.

Where we are much much better than last season is in defending them. Rarely a game went by last season without some or other avoidable catastrophe. The first concession of this campaign at Ipswich made me fear the same was in order but it seems those brainfarts are much rarer - who CJ made Accy’s second so annoying. I’m not yet at Parky’s First Season levels of confidence but we are certainly much less of a set piece soft touch than we were.

Your suggestion was that we hadn’t paid them any attention. I disagree. Maybe the improvements are accidental, and maybe they’re queuing through genuine confusion rather than a plan, but o doubt it. Attention has been paid. It’s not all paid off, but it’s been paid.

[officer_dibble]

Do they still have that useless ginger prick who wouldn’t be anywhere near a football field if he didn’t have a long throw? By far and away the worst player I’ve seen at this level.

[BorsdaneWhite]

Do they still have that useless ginger prick who wouldn’t be anywhere near a football field if he didn’t have a long throw? By far and away the worst player I’ve seen at this level.

I think he’s a Boltonian, too

[LeverEnd]

I'm sensing a mild dislike for the Brewers from Dibs here! And after the way they spoiled this fixture last year I'd love to see an early goal or two ruin their plan.
Anyway, fear not, I'll be in attendance.
After 2 defeats in 2 games this season I'm due a win.

[Dave Sutton's barnet]

I'm sensing a mild dislike for the Brewers from Dibs here! And after the way they spoiled this fixture last year I'd love to see an early goal or two ruin their plan.
Anyway, fear not, I'll be in attendance.
After 2 defeats in 2 games this season I'm due a win.

Surround his house! Don't let him out!

Ilesy article on set pieces
https://www.theboltonnews.co.uk/sport/2 ... ad-burton/

Burton easily the division's best in terms of xG, but they've still only scored four goals. Maybe they've got two clocks.
I'll try to dig into those numbers, and ours from past seasons (are we improving?), later on if I get time. Busy newsdesk shift today but you know me, I usually create time to poke around....

[Worthy4England]

I'm sensing a mild dislike for the Brewers from Dibs here! And after the way they spoiled this fixture last year I'd love to see an early goal or two ruin their plan.
Anyway, fear not, I'll be in attendance.
After 2 defeats in 2 games this season I'm due a win.

You're not helping settle any nerves...