Vale of tiers: Port Vale (A), Division Three, Sat 30 Sep @ 3pm

[Worthy4England]

Since COVID, the top 6 at end of September, was largely complete for rest of the season. Obviously, doesn't mean it will always be so, but you're setting yourself up for a toughie, if you don't stay there or there about.

Previous seasons when we were building a squad on a budget, you might get some leeway. Previous seasons where we've had some pretty large gaps between 1st XI and rezzies you might get leeway. We've discussed whether some of our signings are glass canons...so we got a bit better quality but at a higher risk of injury. When you've raised a few mill through a bond, got a bonus from winning a cup and you said in Jan, you weren't spending all the Jan money in Jan and that the board were backing you with additional transfer funds in summer and still leave yourself a long way short of a full squad. It's down to you, Mr Manager...

[The_Gun]

Everyone's confident, then?

[Worthy4England]

Everyone's confident, then?

We'll shit 'em. 2-0.

[officer_dibble]

Couple more defeats in the next month and the knives will be out for the reasons Worthy says above. I think Evatt is nearing ‘must win’ territory whether he likes it or not.

[Spartan2]

We are now on the cusp of must win territory, if we lose pace with the top teams it'll be too difficult to catch up. Assuming the autos are roughly 2ppg if we fall 6 points behind we have to average 2.5ppg for twelve games to catch up, that's not happening, not with this squad. To go up in the autos requires relentless winning with only as few as possible, short as possible bad spells. 6 points from the next two sees us right on par and everything rosy, anything less and we're drifting away.

Worryingly when you look at the teams we battered early season, two of them are bottom two, with a combined points total of 3, one of them yet to score and a combined GD of -25. Those are the easiest points we'll get all season, so realistically we should be a little bit above where we need to be instead of where we are which is a little bit behind.

It's time to stop making excuses and win games.

[Worthy4England]

We are now on the cusp of must win territory, if we lose pace with the top teams it'll be too difficult to catch up. Assuming the autos are roughly 2ppg if we fall 6 points behind we have to average 2.5ppg for twelve games to catch up, that's not happening, not with this squad. To go up in the autos requires relentless winning with only as few as possible, short as possible bad spells. 6 points from the next two sees us right on par and everything rosy, anything less and we're drifting away.

Worryingly when you look at the teams we battered early season, two of them are bottom two, with a combined points total of 3, one of them yet to score and a combined GD of -25. Those are the easiest points we'll get all season, so realistically we should be a little bit above where we need to be instead of where we are which is a little bit behind.

It's time to stop making excuses and win games.

Aye - we've not played any "top 6" yet, either...

[HMX]

“The resources are stretched but there’s nothing we can do about that..."

Not now, but there was in summer.

[Worthy4England]

Hope they all managed to get out of bed without further injuries. Still feeling bizarrely chipper about today! COYWM.

[The_Gun]

I obviously hope that JDC is available today, but if he’s not then I’d like to see Matheson given a go rather than switching Randy to the right.

With JDC I’d be reasonably confident of a win, with Matheson slightly less so. Still think we can put a pretty good team out, and after Tuesday I’m a bit more encouraged about our bench strikers.

1-2 Bolton

[BWFC_Insane]

I obviously hope that JDC is available today, but if he’s not then I’d like to see Matheson given a go rather than switching Randy to the right.

With JDC I’d be reasonably confident of a win, with Matheson slightly less so. Still think we can put a pretty good team out, and after Tuesday I’m a bit more encouraged about our bench strikers.

1-2 Bolton

Wow. I don’t think I’ve ever been more confident we are going to lose.

[The_Gun]

You always seem fairly confident we’re going to lose.

[Worthy4England]

You always seem fairly confident we’re going to lose.

Yeah, that's gotta be a fine margins call!

[Dave Sutton's barnet]

Just last weekend, we were definitely going to lose because Jonson Clarke-Harris is an infallible god amongst men. And who among us can forget that semi-final at Accrington, when fans reacted to the loss by erecting a Wicker Man and burning Kachunga alive?

What I will say in BWFCi's defence is that Evatt seems to have a particular thing for talking up Vale as a horrible place to go. I mean, it is for fans - it's not often you see tattooed beer-bellies at pub doorways try to "start" on septuagenarians - but isn't it a massive pitch? It was always the biggest pitch when I was a kid. (That and Maine Road.)

I do sometimes think Evatt is a little guilty of overstepping "expectation management" into downplaying our chances - while also oft repeating "Give a player an exucse and they'll take it." Mind you, he's also overplayed us a time or two, too...

[Prufrock]

Yeah if Matheson is going to be a realistic option he's not going to get a better chance than Geth suspended and JDC out.

Hopefully he can play, understandable if he can't. But it would be Matheson over the West Brom lad for me.

Every week Insano is more sure we'll lose than the last. Constantly pushing standards.

Feels like one of those games we'd expect to win at home but away becomes a coin toss. Could certainly do with a win though.

[officer_dibble]

For me we need a good win to balance out the loss at the shambles that is Reading. Professional job needed, not ‘take a point’.

[TANGODANCER]

I'll just settle for COME ON YOU WHITES...

[Worthy4England]

JDC, Demps, Dion all in. Vic, out so Dan starts...

[Dave Sutton's barnet]

JDC, Dion and Demps are in... VIctor is not. Dan starts and young Andreucci is drafted onto bench.

Ooh and Coleman's back.

[jmjhb]

Coleman back is a surprise.

[Worthy4England]

What is an Anderucci?