Season Expectations

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Minimum Expectation For The Season

Poll ended at Fri Sep 11, 2020 1:19 am

League Champions
2
7%
Automatic Promotion
7
26%
Playoffs
11
41%
Top Half Finish
6
22%
Avoid Relegation
1
4%
 
Total votes: 27

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BWFC_Insane
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Re: Season Expectations

Post by BWFC_Insane » Wed Sep 02, 2020 9:24 am

irie Cee Bee wrote:
Tue Sep 01, 2020 8:37 pm
Top 6 is my expectation. Promotion through Playoffs a possibility but not likely given that the squad looks light to me. Needs more depth than it has now for me to predict outright promotion.
I'd say virtually every league 2 side will be in a similar boat - keep key players fit is key. I guess weakness we have is we have to loan are younger pros out to balance squad numbers. BUT still there isn't a squad in this division without some issues.

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Re: Season Expectations

Post by Dave Sutton's barnet » Wed Sep 02, 2020 9:50 am

The_Gun wrote:
Wed Sep 02, 2020 9:05 am
I don’t know whether this has been mentioned elsewhere, but the bookies have priced us as quite strong favourites to win the league (best priced 5/1). The traders pricing these markets up are clearly working with less complete data than usual, but they generally do know their onions, so have obviously been impressed with what’s been going on at the UniBol. Whatever our more tempered internal expectations are, there can’t be any doubt that we’re going to be the biggest scalp for all our opponents this season.
They also minimise losses, so those who will get backed most heavily tend to have lower odds than might be realistic. That's why England are usually in the top three favourites for any tournament they're in, even if they couldn't hit a barn door with a shovel. So our price will be brought in by our relatively large fanbase - not to mention that many of them happily clambered aboard HMS Piss The League: I saw one tweeted betting slip that had backed us to go the season unbeaten.

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Re: Season Expectations

Post by Bruce Rioja » Wed Sep 02, 2020 4:58 pm

Promotion, by whichever route.
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Re: Season Expectations

Post by LeverEnd » Thu Sep 03, 2020 9:10 am

Dave Sutton's barnet wrote:
Wed Sep 02, 2020 9:50 am
The_Gun wrote:
Wed Sep 02, 2020 9:05 am
I don’t know whether this has been mentioned elsewhere, but the bookies have priced us as quite strong favourites to win the league (best priced 5/1). The traders pricing these markets up are clearly working with less complete data than usual, but they generally do know their onions, so have obviously been impressed with what’s been going on at the UniBol. Whatever our more tempered internal expectations are, there can’t be any doubt that we’re going to be the biggest scalp for all our opponents this season.
They also minimise losses, so those who will get backed most heavily tend to have lower odds than might be realistic. That's why England are usually in the top three favourites for any tournament they're in, even if they couldn't hit a barn door with a shovel. So our price will be brought in by our relatively large fanbase - not to mention that many of them happily clambered aboard HMS Piss The League: I saw one tweeted betting slip that had backed us to go the season unbeaten.
I saw that slip as well 😁
Will be delighted to apologise to said Twitterer for laughing at him if he turns out to be correct.
...

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Re: Season Expectations

Post by Abdoulaye's Twin » Thu Sep 03, 2020 11:06 am

LeverEnd wrote:
Thu Sep 03, 2020 9:10 am
Dave Sutton's barnet wrote:
Wed Sep 02, 2020 9:50 am
The_Gun wrote:
Wed Sep 02, 2020 9:05 am
I don’t know whether this has been mentioned elsewhere, but the bookies have priced us as quite strong favourites to win the league (best priced 5/1). The traders pricing these markets up are clearly working with less complete data than usual, but they generally do know their onions, so have obviously been impressed with what’s been going on at the UniBol. Whatever our more tempered internal expectations are, there can’t be any doubt that we’re going to be the biggest scalp for all our opponents this season.
They also minimise losses, so those who will get backed most heavily tend to have lower odds than might be realistic. That's why England are usually in the top three favourites for any tournament they're in, even if they couldn't hit a barn door with a shovel. So our price will be brought in by our relatively large fanbase - not to mention that many of them happily clambered aboard HMS Piss The League: I saw one tweeted betting slip that had backed us to go the season unbeaten.
I saw that slip as well 😁
Will be delighted to apologise to said Twitterer for laughing at him if he turns out to be correct.
Arse and town hall steps spring to mind

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Re: Season Expectations

Post by BWFC_Insane » Thu Sep 03, 2020 11:39 am

Yeah I think we may struggle early doors but get stronger. We've built a new team, a new coaching setup and whilst they've mainly had a full pre season, a luxury we've rarely had - it still takes time to adjust to surroundings and each other and form that sort of really strong team bond and understanding.

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Re: Season Expectations

Post by GhostoftheBok » Thu Sep 03, 2020 12:16 pm

BWFC_Insane wrote:
Thu Sep 03, 2020 11:39 am
Yeah I think we may struggle early doors but get stronger. We've built a new team, a new coaching setup and whilst they've mainly had a full pre season, a luxury we've rarely had - it still takes time to adjust to surroundings and each other and form that sort of really strong team bond and understanding.
Yup, but if Evatt can pick up some early results it should be that mid-term he is in a much stronger position than a lot of managers, because he is only dealing with players he chose himself plus the youth system. A lot of managers start okay with the bounce and then fade a bit. Some never recover, but others come roaring back once the previous manager's lot leave over time and they can impose their own identity. IE won't have those "developing his own squad" and "let's see how he does once he has his own team" excuses (he's basically playing Championship Manager), but he should be able to play his brand of football from the get go.

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Re: Season Expectations

Post by Dave Sutton's barnet » Thu Sep 03, 2020 4:41 pm

Guess his excuse would be “embargo” and/or “entrenched losing mentality established over the worst half-decade of the club’s existence.” But let’s hope no excuse is needed..

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Re: Season Expectations

Post by GhostoftheBok » Thu Sep 03, 2020 8:25 pm

Dave Sutton's barnet wrote:
Thu Sep 03, 2020 4:41 pm
Guess his excuse would be “embargo” and/or “entrenched losing mentality established over the worst half-decade of the club’s existence.” But let’s hope no excuse is needed..
Excellent excuses if they are needed, though.

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Re: Season Expectations

Post by Dave Sutton's barnet » Thu Sep 03, 2020 8:27 pm

Certainly valid.

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Re: Season Expectations

Post by TonyDomingos » Thu Sep 03, 2020 9:41 pm

Dave Sutton's barnet wrote:
Thu Sep 03, 2020 8:27 pm
Certainly valid.

But, who has the "entrenched losing mentality"? The ball boys?
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Re: Season Expectations

Post by GhostoftheBok » Thu Sep 03, 2020 10:01 pm

TonyDomingos wrote:
Thu Sep 03, 2020 9:41 pm
But, who has the "entrenched losing mentality"? The ball boys?
The fans, arguably, for a start. A couple of bad results and a good section of the crowd turn. We have had bloody negative fans for at least as long as I've been going and I'm told longer - though it's got worse since Big Sam left. We assume the worst and have to be won over, instead of starting out supporting and people losing that support. It can't help the lads on the pitch and certainly doesn't help our relationships with the players.

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Re: Season Expectations

Post by TonyDomingos » Thu Sep 03, 2020 10:24 pm

GhostoftheBok wrote:
Thu Sep 03, 2020 10:01 pm
TonyDomingos wrote:
Thu Sep 03, 2020 9:41 pm
But, who has the "entrenched losing mentality"? The ball boys?
The fans, arguably, for a start. A couple of bad results and a good section of the crowd turn. We have had bloody negative fans for at least as long as I've been going and I'm told longer - though it's got worse since Big Sam left. We assume the worst and have to be won over, instead of starting out supporting and people losing that support. It can't help the lads on the pitch and certainly doesn't help our relationships with the players.

Yes, I agree entirely that it's the fans who understand the history and, therefore, have a certain mentality. But, while we're playing behind closed doors, I can't really understand why entirely new owners, management and players would have a losing mentality. Not trying to cause an argument, just not clear why past failings would impact an entirely new set-up (other than the ball boys :D).
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Re: Season Expectations

Post by GhostoftheBok » Thu Sep 03, 2020 11:13 pm

TonyDomingos wrote:
Thu Sep 03, 2020 10:24 pm

Yes, I agree entirely that it's the fans who understand the history and, therefore, have a certain mentality. But, while we're playing behind closed doors, I can't really understand why entirely new owners, management and players would have a losing mentality. Not trying to cause an argument, just not clear why past failings would impact an entirely new set-up (other than the ball boys :D).
I don't think it's argumentative, seems like a reasonable question to me.

There are certainly legacy issues that are worth looking at.

We are clearly a big club at this level and that puts pressure on everyone in the building. The idea that Bolton is a club on the way down is pretty ingrained in football at the moment. Regardless of the turnover of owners and staff, that image of the club can still play a part in the backs of people's minds. That's the legacy we have to shake off this season.

The players we have brought in have all been keen to say what a "massive" club we are and it'll be interesting to see if that's a good or bad thing. These are lads who will see this is as their big break in the game, the chance to play for Bolton Wanderers instead of Dulwich Hamlet. That's its own pressure and I think that's one of the big reasons we are looking at lads who have come through the academies at big clubs. Not just because it gives them a technical grounding, but also because they will have some experience of the pressure involved here. If there are enough players who can't hack the demands then that is no only a mentality issue, it's also a legacy of previous failure.

I think there are lots of psychological walls we will have to break down in order for players, staff and fans to begin to see us as a club on the way up, rather than the way down.

The legacy of previous failures won't be broken just by getting rid of the people who oversaw it. The club has a living identity. Only winning will change the shape of it, for me. The manager can knock down some of the walls, but not all of them. We'll see whether everyone is able to handle the pressure.

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Re: Season Expectations

Post by GhostoftheBok » Sat Sep 05, 2020 8:28 pm

Anyone changed their minds or tweaked their ideas off the back of today's game?

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Re: Season Expectations

Post by brommers95 » Sat Sep 05, 2020 8:59 pm

Nah it'll be reet. I still think we'll get playoffs at least. There were enough signs today to suggest that Evatt is getting through to them on the training pitch on how he wants to play.

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Re: Season Expectations

Post by officer_dibble » Sat Sep 05, 2020 9:52 pm

I think we’ll start slower than I hoped! I do think we need a presence up front. Sign someone to tick that box and I’ll be happier!

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Re: Season Expectations

Post by Worthy4England » Sat Sep 05, 2020 10:30 pm

officer_dibble wrote:
Sat Sep 05, 2020 9:52 pm
I think we’ll start slower than I hoped! I do think we need a presence up front. Sign someone to tick that box and I’ll be happier!
We have someone who ticks that box. Despite some intricate midfield play he got fcuk all service today.

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Re: Season Expectations

Post by BWFC_Insane » Sat Sep 05, 2020 10:48 pm

Expectations are not changed by reality. I think it’s perfectly reasonable to expect promotion. Also perfectly likely it won’t be possible to achieve.

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Re: Season Expectations

Post by GhostoftheBok » Sat Sep 05, 2020 10:48 pm

Worthy4England wrote:
Sat Sep 05, 2020 10:30 pm
We have someone who ticks that box. Despite some intricate midfield play he got fcuk all service today.
Not really. You are right that we did Doyle absolutely no favours today, but he's not the sort to make himself felt and ruffle feathers. He'd have liked the stuff Novak got, but when we had lads turn in midfield to pass you didn't see Bradford looking uncomfortable. Delfouneso caused them far more problems than Doyle did.

Doyle isn't a presence, he's a threat, if you see what I mean. Get him the ball and he'll bag you a few. Without service he's a passenger

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