No Pancakes please on Tuesday. Home v Accrington Tues, 25th Apr. 7.45.

[TANGODANCER]

Nobody ever wins everything in life. No doubt Accrington council are commissioning a statue of tonight's ref, but the fact remains, we lost because we can't convert chances into goals or defeat bus-parking defences. Walking the ball in is okay if you-re Man City or Barcelona, we simply ain't. Jensen is a decent keeper, So when in doubt...SHOOT....
There's nothing to lose, and we did anyway.

[Mar]

We've got Fleetwood (H) and Bristol Rovers (A) left to play. Neither of which have anything left to play for this season. Accy was always the toughest one as they had to get a result.

Thing is though it’s alright saying that, then all of a sudden we play Barnsley or Wednesday and they have to fight for their lives again? If we do make the play offs we play the first leg at home - it’s easy to play a two legged tie against us if you’re at home second! We can’t put games to bed.

As for the January signings - I’d swap Dapo and Sadlier for Adebeyajo, Shoretire and Nlundulu certainly. Jerome I don’t fecking get - why hasn’t he hit the ground running? He was getting some minutes at a very good championship side? Why hasn’t he done it for us? But at the moment I’d be trying to get rid in summer…for a promotion push next year we need better in the forward positions.

The point I was trying to make was that this was the tough game and the most likely banana skin and so it has proved. That playing away in the final play off game will no doubt be somewhat of a death knell for us if we were to get that far. Sadly we've just opened the door for Peterborough today who will be very much getting excited at the possibility of catching us.

Derby's two remaining fixtures have just become dead rubbers. Looks harder on paper than ours but there's no guarantee they'll give a crap.

Regarding the January signings. It's only right they should come under criticism. Adeboyejo looks the best of the bunch but even with that he spent the majority of the match coming back to receive the ball as opposed to getting in behind and onto a pass.

[Worthy4England]

I'm certainly with the signings haven't worked.

N'lundulu gets the ball and you think "yes Dan. Decent position, decent take" then he has zero clue what to do next.

Shola, Mbete. Gambles not paid off.

Jerome dunno what the thinking was.

But Vic had 13 league goals. They can't all have been flukes (He's also got 3 for us at a faster mins per goal rate than Dapo), so still not writing him off yet.

[Worthy4England]

I might go have a look at Owlstalk to lift the gloom...

[Dave Sutton's barnet]

That three points required from the last two games has now turned into 6 points required as I can see Sheff Wednesday and Barnsley potentially looking to play favourites in the who joins them in the play off race.

Sheff Wed-Derby and Barnsley-Posh were final-day fixtures that gave hope. Now they cause fear.

I don't think they'd throw games in order to face the teams they've just lost to, rather than us – that would be some weird psychological trick. But you have to imagine that in both those games, only the away players are going to be charging into the 50-50s.

Before we even get to the final day, Saturday is now absolutely enormous. While we host Fleetwood, Derby host Pompey and Posh host Bristol Rovers. We absolutely have to win and hope one of those 'nothing to play for' teams does us a favour against their nervous hosts.

Weirdly, it could get edgy on Saturday even if we win – cos Derby would still go above us if they won by one more than us (and let's face it, free-scoring we ain't). True, it'd mean we stayed at least two points clear of Posh, but it's all very bloody nervy now.

And for all the ire (including from me) about Accy and the officials, the main blame for Bolton not winning tonight belongs to Bolton. Jensen made six saves but I reckon I could have made at least half of them, and I conceded two in the first five minutes last night... once again we just didn't create many clear-cut chances. And as BWFCi says, that phrase might turn out to be this season's epitaph.

[officer_dibble]

I might go have a look at Owlstalk to lift the gloom...

Haha - I’ll make a prediction now - IF we make the play offs we’ll lose the home leg 1-0, and not have enough in us to turn it around second leg (2-2 draw or summat). Honestly, we’re not ready. Let’s hope the summer recruitment is better than January.

[Worthy4England]

Yes to that last bit, DSB. Trafford probably made the best save between the two keepers.

[TANGODANCER]

Dear Ref, here's a picture to frame for your bedroom...Four penalties in one box.

[Mar]

I'm certainly with the signings haven't worked.

N'lundulu gets the ball and you think "yes Dan. Decent position, decent take" then he has zero clue what to do next.

Shola, Mbete. Gambles not paid off.

Jerome dunno what the thinking was.

But Vic had 13 league goals. They can't all have been flukes (He's also got 3 for us at a faster mins per goal rate than Dapo), so still not writing him off yet.

Mbete seemed ok. Covering defensive prospect learning his trade. Was never intended as first choice so we can't really blame him for being relied upon. The free kick give away prior to being injured for the season probably paints him in a worse light than expected. As does the company he keeps in terms of it being a bad January transfer window.


For me, get N'lundulu out wide, simplify his game, take on the man and cross the ball. Rinse and repeat. He's clearly got talent but he's his own worst enemy at times. Through balls into the channel for him would work too I suspect.

Shoretire, looks like a lost child at times. Another whose learning his trade has just fallen off the wagon. He'd've benefitted substantially from being here at the same time as Dapo. Shame.

Jerome was doing well in a Luton side. The Luton side capable of making the play offs twice in two seasons. They're clearly a decent outfit so much more likely to create chances of quality than us. We've got him for another season, I suspect he's meant to be the competent backup striking option but instead, he's less effective than Nathan Delfouneso at the moment.


Vic just seems like its not clicking yet. Balls in behind at pace and I suspect we can get the best out of him. Trouble we've got is we're not creating enough clear cut opportunities and when we do get the balls in good areas we're snatching at it. When Vic's coming on as a sub its usually in line with the rest of the January signings which aren't working out.

[Mar]

Dear Ref, here's a picture to frame for your bedroom...Four penalties in one box.

Ref saw only MJ holding their player.

[LeverEnd]

Absolute wank. As with most of the handful of games I've been to this season I leave mystified as to how we're in a playoff position.
We have no midfield. Sheehan and Morley are not good enough, the odd flash but no presence. Dempsey better but doesn't dominate. It was all MJ driving past them to give us some impetus. How Morley has kept him out is beyond me.
Up front is even worse. Dion has done well but is limited. The rest are utter gash. January signings appalling.
Those subs as well, feck off evatt.
I think Peterborough will fail to win both and we'll scrape 6th, then get totally outclassed in the playoffs. Because we're shit.

[Mar]

That three points required from the last two games has now turned into 6 points required as I can see Sheff Wednesday and Barnsley potentially looking to play favourites in the who joins them in the play off race.

Sheff Wed-Derby and Barnsley-Posh were final-day fixtures that gave hope. Now they cause fear.

I don't think they'd throw games in order to face the teams they've just lost to, rather than us – that would be some weird psychological trick. But you have to imagine that in both those games, only the away players are going to be charging into the 50-50s.

Before we even get to the final day, Saturday is now absolutely enormous. While we host Fleetwood, Derby host Pompey and Posh host Bristol Rovers. We absolutely have to win and hope one of those 'nothing to play for' teams does us a favour against their nervous hosts.

Weirdly, it could get edgy on Saturday even if we win – cos Derby would still go above us if they won by one more than us (and let's face it, free-scoring we ain't). True, it'd mean we stayed at least two points clear of Posh, but it's all very bloody nervy now.

And for all the ire (including from me) about Accy and the officials, the main blame for Bolton not winning tonight belongs to Bolton. Jensen made six saves but I reckon I could have made at least half of them, and I conceded two in the first five minutes last night... once again we just didn't create many clear-cut chances. And as BWFCi says, that phrase might turn out to be this season's epitaph.

We've got to hope that Posh have the same mental stress we've just gone through. That must win burden certainly hasn't helped tonight.

[BorsdaneWhite]

Subs tonight also absolutely abysmal. What Evatt is doing is beyond me. Shoretire on at left wing back is a nonsense.

No Kieran Lee on is a nonsense. Jerome on is a nonsense.

Thomason should have come on for Morley too.

Evatt clearly buckling under pressure.

In fairness, he started at 10, but then almost immediately gave the ball away which led to a dangerous 3 v 3 and he didn’t make any attempt to get back. Genuinely thought Kachunga was getting ready to replace him after 5 mins—and I wouldn’t have complained.

Morley had a stinker. Given it away far too often and his mistakes, now, have led to a near equaliser for Burton and a winner for Accrington.

Jerome, Christ. He was consistently and obviously offside. How is that? Older head, prem experience, not looking down the line. Ridiculous.

[Dave Sutton's barnet]

Regarding the January signings. It's only right they should come under criticism. Adeboyejo looks the best of the bunch but even with that he spent the majority of the match coming back to receive the ball as opposed to getting in behind and onto a pass.

He was thrown on into a bad situation. As they had every right to do, Accy were sitting deeper; and to get Ade on, we also removed our best crosser in Dec John and replaced him at LWB with Shoretire, who's right-footed.

That killed a lot of our width as Shola's natural inclination is to come inside, where we already had three strikers - this time, the tablecloth could be thrown over Ade, Jerome and Kacha, none of whom looked likely to score. Ade was at least in a proper striker's position when Dempsey's left-footer fell to Shola, who then failed twice: first to ram the rebound home, then (having recalibrated commendably quickly) failing to pass past Jensen to Ade. Mind, Ade was probably offside anyway...

I'm certainly with the signings haven't worked.

N'lundulu gets the ball and you think "yes Dan. Decent position, decent take" then he has zero clue what to do next.

Shola, Mbete. Gambles not paid off.

Jerome dunno what the thinking was.

But Vic had 13 league goals. They can't all have been flukes (He's also got 3 for us at a faster mins per goal rate than Dapo), so still not writing him off yet.

Big Dan is weird, man. He has attributes - strong, tall, quite fast, calm in possession. But I can see which Dibs thinks he's "thick" as a footballer - it does sometimes seem like he has no idea. I thought at first that he was possibly over-relaxed, then that he might be overcomplicating it. But tonight was his big chance and he didn't take it.

Shola has some talent but the longer he's here the more he looks like an Academy player - to use Elvis Costello's phrase, a little boy lost in a big man's shirt. Mbete was similar but he was less of a disappointment as he was more of a late gamble. I also don't think we'll get/need "academy loan" defenders next season - but I bet we'll try for another Shola type.

Jerome - also disappointing. Beginning to hope we can fade him into his coaching role next season. No idea on the wage-bill implication though.

Ade - as you imply, you can't score 13 goals by accident, although striker can be a confidence position. I think he's struggling to dovetail with Charles and as I said after Saturday, it might be because he's rarely played in a two up top. Like you I haven't given up on him but he's hardly firing on all cylinders.

But then, nobody is. Dion's scored two goals in his last 13 league appearances.

[officer_dibble]

Sadly Jerome looks like he’s turned up for a final pay cheque - which wasn’t what Luton fans said at the time IIRC - but he’s got 18 months. There’s time yet but it’s fast running out…if he isn’t worth it we need to pay him off this summer / move him on if at all possible.

[Harry Genshaw]

When Hamilton scored and cupped his ear towards us in the North lower, I was thinking "just you wait you smug git. You'll be so exhausted on 80 minutes you'll not be able to stand up" unless once again I've failed to understand Evatts tactics. He was out thought tonight and the better team won.

[BWFC_Insane]

For all the hype and talk Evatt builds low scoring sides that rely on defence and general negative tactics of keeping it and slowing the game down and hoping we hang on.

Our league two promotion was built on that.

We had a brief period last season with Dapo and Bod and Baka and Charles when we found a few goals.

But other than that it’s pretty consistent aside from the odd moment here or there we are low scoring turgid dullards. He can build a defensive structure but we are overly reliant on it.

It’s not very entertaining watching us Wembley aside. Haven’t scored more than 1 goal in a game (Wembley aside) since February.

[officer_dibble]

Thought Dion looked well out of sorts tonight - played with an injury would be my guess. For me you play Kachunga with him from the off now and stop dicking about with the others.

[Worthy4England]

I'm certainly with the signings haven't worked.

N'lundulu gets the ball and you think "yes Dan. Decent position, decent take" then he has zero clue what to do next.

Shola, Mbete. Gambles not paid off.

Jerome dunno what the thinking was.

But Vic had 13 league goals. They can't all have been flukes (He's also got 3 for us at a faster mins per goal rate than Dapo), so still not writing him off yet.

Mbete seemed ok. Covering defensive prospect learning his trade. Was never intended as first choice so we can't really blame him for being relied upon. The free kick give away prior to being injured for the season probably paints him in a worse light than expected. As does the company he keeps in terms of it being a bad January transfer window.


For me, get N'lundulu out wide, simplify his game, take on the man and cross the ball. Rinse and repeat. He's clearly got talent but he's his own worst enemy at times. Through balls into the channel for him would work too I suspect.

Shoretire, looks like a lost child at times. Another whose learning his trade has just fallen off the wagon. He'd've benefitted substantially from being here at the same time as Dapo. Shame.

Jerome was doing well in a Luton side. The Luton side capable of making the play offs twice in two seasons. They're clearly a decent outfit so much more likely to create chances of quality than us. We've got him for another season, I suspect he's meant to be the competent backup striking option but instead, he's less effective than Nathan Delfouneso at the moment.


Vic just seems like its not clicking yet. Balls in behind at pace and I suspect we can get the best out of him. Trouble we've got is we're not creating enough clear cut opportunities and when we do get the balls in good areas we're snatching at it. When Vic's coming on as a sub its usually in line with the rest of the January signings which aren't working out.

Shola and Mbete isn't a criticism of either particularly. They're young, as you say, but the gamble was what we've witnessed in terms of here and now for a playoff push. Reasonable point re: Mbete, thought defensively he was decent for a 19 year old (who you might think will make the odd mistake)

N'lundulu. Not sure I'd sign him at 25 years old...

Jerome might have been "doing well" at Luton, but it wasn't related to putting the ball in the onion, which is what we're short of.

I forgot Randy...not impressed there either.

Vic, will take a view on next season.

[Worthy4England]

For all the hype and talk Evatt builds low scoring sides that rely on defence and general negative tactics of keeping it and slowing the game down and hoping we hang on.

Our league two promotion was built on that.

We had a brief period last season with Dapo and Bod and Baka and Charles when we found a few goals.

But other than that it’s pretty consistent aside from the odd moment here or there we are low scoring turgid dullards. He can build a defensive structure but we are overly reliant on it.

It’s not very entertaining watching us Wembley aside. Haven’t scored more than 1 goal in a game (Wembley aside) since February.

That said, we're 5th. We might end up 5th and my pre-season guess was 7th. So irrespective of what might happen, should we make the play-offs, it's going to be roughly what I expected...