Red cards and Red Kits, Bolton v Charlton - 17th Feb 2024 3pm

[officer_dibble]

All fair mate.

I see these games in hand as a weight on our shoulders at the moment. We’re not playing well and everyone’s expecting us to magic our way into the top two. We look play off bound, at which point everyone will be bedded in, hopefully.

[BWFC_Insane]

Mousinhio and Warne do look to have the edge over Ian. I wonder if we left it too late to make signings in January - a couple of weeks with Taylor and Ramsay bedded in and they might not still be getting up to speed. Colins as well - wasn’t very good today.

See, some of that couldn't be helped because it depends on the clubs we're hiring from - by all accounts WBA didn't decide to let Taylor out until the last few days, Leeds were sniffing round Ramsay earlier, Collins hadn't yet decided to leave.

But we need to change the things we can, control the controllables – and I come back again to the questionable decision of rearranging the Cambridge game so imminently. What we could do with now is a week on the training ground, not a nervy nine-hour drive. Both clubs have to agree to a date, there's plenty midweeks in April, and we already had players already out injured (Santos was out, Baxter in question). I genuinely think that's a big balls-up on our part. I hope to God it doesn't cost us because we now need that three-point bonus.

Yeah a balmy April evening or a chewed up pitch on February with another weather warning beforehand?

Looks a massive balls up to me. We could have a full side back by March or April.

I fear this selection we have now is likely to lose. Back three we had out today isnt it. Maybe Forrester starts but that’s not ideal either.

Midfield a major worry too. Dempsey might as well not have been on the pitch today for all the influence or not he had on the game.

[BWFC_Insane]

Vic off? JDB on.

Is he trying to lose?

Haha!

[Dave Sutton's barnet]

I see these games in hand as a weight on our shoulders at the moment. We’re not playing well and everyone’s expecting us to magic our way into the top two. We look play off bound, at which point everyone will be bedded in, hopefully.

First of those games in hand is Tuesday, and a 3-0 win would still have us third - albeit still with one in hand on Derby.

Second one in two weeks and four games later, at Barnsley.

Everybody plays everybody twice, but we've still got to go to Derby, Posh, Stevenage and Blackpool too. Hmm. Looks like we're doing it in style...

[officer_dibble]

Plus Wigan away.

Ultimately the results that cost us will be your carlisles at home, today. Unless we suddenly turn it on like Ipswich last season.

[BWFC_Insane]

Portsmouth have injuries but have new players in, Lang scoring goals. We look like an injury and we bottle it.

I think a lot of fans have felt for a couple of seasons that something isn’t quite right and it’s hard to put your finger on it. But too often when we need to stand up and be counted we do the opposite. It’s a pattern. Mentality? Lack of leaders? Evatt’s naivety? Maybe all three.

But the thought of another season in this league is incredibly depressing. The problem is that I don’t think anyone really believes we have it in us to dig deep when it really matters and get the results we need. We have a lot of very tough games left. Games where teams will make it a physical battle. Test our bottle. Just like Charlton did today. We can’t afford a single minute where we aren’t completely on it. And I do think we will get stronger but I also think we have left it too late. Derby and Portsmouth won’t drop many. We have to win at Barnsley, Wigan, Derby, Blackpool etc….and even in the best of circumstances I can’t see that.

[Worthy4England]

Vic off? JDB on.

Is he trying to lose?

Haha!

Vic and Collins (who I thought was comfortably the poorer of the two, on the day) got pretty much zero service 1st half. The one time either got a decent ball in, they scored. The first half problem, wasn't in the main, the front two, albeit our press was adjacent to zero.

For me, the main problems in cause were behind them. Coleman's distribution is very uncertain and it shows. That back three (as you say), just don't work very well. All three mf were pretty poor first half. For a possession based team, we gave it away cheaply and as you also said, against a team that was also no great shakes.

I get that you can't wait to drop Vic, but he wasn't our major problem today, nor was JDB the answer. The whole team stepped up from a low baseline in the 2nd half to at least parade as mediocre rather than downright piss poor.

It was never going to take too long for you to start questioning the overall set-up. Plenty of games left...

[BWFC_Insane]

Vic off? JDB on.

Is he trying to lose?

Haha!

Vic and Collins (who I thought was comfortably the poorer of the two, on the day) got pretty much zero service 1st half. The one time either got a decent ball in, they scored. The first half problem, wasn't in the main, the front two, albeit our press was adjacent to zero.

For me, the main problems in cause were behind them. Coleman's distribution is very uncertain and it shows. That back three (as you say), just don't work very well. All three mf were pretty poor first half. For a possession based team, we gave it away cheaply and as you also said, against a team that was also no great shakes.

I get that you can't wait to drop Vic, but he wasn't our major problem today, nor was JDB the answer. The whole team stepped up from a low baseline in the 2nd half to at least parade as mediocre rather than downright piss poor.

It was never going to take too long for you to start questioning the overall set-up. Plenty of games left...

I don’t think the front two were the problem first half. But we were notably better because JDB didn’t lose the ball. He was superb when he came on and could play football through him.

JDB has two in two now and I think has made the case to start next game. Obviously if he’s got enough in the legs.

He was for me the catalyst because he didn’t get great service lots of straight balls into him but he made it stick and that let us play in their half.

[dave the minion]

I thought Vic did ok today - especially considering he's apparently a liability that can't control a ball....

[The_Gun]

I agree with Insano - JDB and Collins look our best forward partnership at present.

[officer_dibble]

Ian Evatt must have disagreed with you, hauling him off at half time?

[Worthy4England]

Ian Evatt must have disagreed with you, hauling him off at half time?

He looked like he caught a knock in 1st half...

[BWFC_Insane]

I agree with Insano - JDB and Collins look our best forward partnership at present.

I wouldn’t mind Vic and JDB up top either on Tuesday. I just don’t think Collins and Vic works.

[dave the minion]

I'd be surprised if he got "hauled" off as a result of his performance. Of the 2 strikers, Vic was far better than Collins today

[dave the minion]

I agree with Insano - JDB and Collins look our best forward partnership at present.

I wouldn’t mind Vic and JDB up top either on Tuesday. I just don’t think Collins and Vic works.

Have we ever tried that partnership? Think I'd like to see it too TBH

[Bertie Wooster]

I'd be surprised if he got "hauled" off as a result of his performance. Of the 2 strikers, Vic was far better than Collins today

He got poked in the eye and couldn't see properly - that's why he was brought off.

[Worthy4England]

Vic off? JDB on.

Is he trying to lose?

Haha!

Vic and Collins (who I thought was comfortably the poorer of the two, on the day) got pretty much zero service 1st half. The one time either got a decent ball in, they scored. The first half problem, wasn't in the main, the front two, albeit our press was adjacent to zero.

For me, the main problems in cause were behind them. Coleman's distribution is very uncertain and it shows. That back three (as you say), just don't work very well. All three mf were pretty poor first half. For a possession based team, we gave it away cheaply and as you also said, against a team that was also no great shakes.

I get that you can't wait to drop Vic, but he wasn't our major problem today, nor was JDB the answer. The whole team stepped up from a low baseline in the 2nd half to at least parade as mediocre rather than downright piss poor.

It was never going to take too long for you to start questioning the overall set-up. Plenty of games left...

I don’t think the front two were the problem first half. But we were notably better because JDB didn’t lose the ball. He was superb when he came on and could play football through him.

JDB has two in two now and I think has made the case to start next game. Obviously if he’s got enough in the legs.

He was for me the catalyst because he didn’t get great service lots of straight balls into him but he made it stick and that let us play in their half.

Don't disagree JDB has made a case, last couple. It's more whether IE thinks he's got 60/70 in him, then whether I'd haul Vic or Collins. I'm not convinced by Collins yet - not in a dramatic way and we've seen flashes, but I don't think he was great in either half today...

[Prufrock]

Performance in general was far from good, but I didn't think it was awful. You just can't concede soft goals like that. Doesn't matter how good you are.

[Worthy4England]

I'd be surprised if he got "hauled" off as a result of his performance. Of the 2 strikers, Vic was far better than Collins today

I thought so too, although the paucity of balls in to them first half didn't help.

[BWFC_Insane]

Vic off? JDB on.

Is he trying to lose?

Haha!

Vic and Collins (who I thought was comfortably the poorer of the two, on the day) got pretty much zero service 1st half. The one time either got a decent ball in, they scored. The first half problem, wasn't in the main, the front two, albeit our press was adjacent to zero.

For me, the main problems in cause were behind them. Coleman's distribution is very uncertain and it shows. That back three (as you say), just don't work very well. All three mf were pretty poor first half. For a possession based team, we gave it away cheaply and as you also said, against a team that was also no great shakes.

I get that you can't wait to drop Vic, but he wasn't our major problem today, nor was JDB the answer. The whole team stepped up from a low baseline in the 2nd half to at least parade as mediocre rather than downright piss poor.

It was never going to take too long for you to start questioning the overall set-up. Plenty of games left...

I don’t think the front two were the problem first half. But we were notably better because JDB didn’t lose the ball. He was superb when he came on and could play football through him.

JDB has two in two now and I think has made the case to start next game. Obviously if he’s got enough in the legs.

He was for me the catalyst because he didn’t get great service lots of straight balls into him but he made it stick and that let us play in their half.

Don't disagree JDB has made a case, last couple. It's more whether IE thinks he's got 60/70 in him, then whether I'd haul Vic or Collins. I'm not convinced by Collins yet - not in a dramatic way and we've seen flashes, but I don't think he was great in either half today...

The problem for me with Collins is he drops deep and therefore needs some running in behind. He’s not getting that from Vic or JDB.

He also has a habit of playing out wide which I’m not sure is suiting us.