Beware the man in black..Home v Fleetwood, Sat 29th Apr. 3-0'clock.

[LeverEnd]

I've learnt my lesson from Tuesday. Expecting absolutely nothing and hoping to be pleasantly surprised.
While we're looking quite blunt at the moment, Derby and Peterborough aren't exactly ripping it up, plus they have harder games. Also possible that we draw this, drop to 7th then win as playoff underdogs at Bristol.

[Dave Sutton's barnet]

I do wonder if he's talking about something else by chances given he talks about how the last decision or last pass aren't there. I'd describe that more as we're getting in good areas but aren't turning that into clear cut chances and goals, which I think is true.

+1

While we're looking quite blunt at the moment, Derby and Peterborough aren't exactly ripping it up, plus they have harder games.

Keep talking, you're cheering me up...

Posh have lost 2 in 3 (including to drop-dodgers Cambridge - imagine!)

Derby, worryingly, have pulled out of their March slump but even so, of their 11 games since the start of March, have still only won one by more than a single goal (and that was FGR)

None of us are in form, but of the three of us, I'd still take our position and fixtures

[Bertie Wooster]

1-1

[Montreal Wanderer]

Having followed BWFC for some 70 years, I've come to the conclusion it is generally not relaxing to be a fan as many seasons draw to a close. Indeed it can be quite stressful as with this year.

[LeverEnd]

I do wonder if he's talking about something else by chances given he talks about how the last decision or last pass aren't there. I'd describe that more as we're getting in good areas but aren't turning that into clear cut chances and goals, which I think is true.

+1

While we're looking quite blunt at the moment, Derby and Peterborough aren't exactly ripping it up, plus they have harder games.

Keep talking, you're cheering me up...

Posh have lost 2 in 3 (including to drop-dodgers Cambridge - imagine!)

Derby, worryingly, have pulled out of their March slump but even so, of their 11 games since the start of March, have still only won one by more than a single goal (and that was FGR)

None of us are in form, but of the three of us, I'd still take our position and fixtures

Well that was certainly not my intention! I'll add that Sheffield Wednesday and Barnsley will be booking their Wembley travel regardless .
You're welcome.

[Dave Sutton's barnet]

Well that was certainly not my intention! I'll add that Sheffield Wednesday and Barnsley will be booking their Wembley travel regardless .
You're welcome.

Nah, too late, I’m on such a roll that I’ll counter thusly: three of the last four semi-finals in this division were lost by the team that finished higher. Including a certain team from Owlerton

Also - Saturday could be a very good day. Our dear neighbours, bolted to the bottom of the division, 4pts from safety with two games left, travel to third-bottom Reading. Now that’s a nerve-shredder.

[Worthy4England]

I do wonder if he's talking about something else by chances given he talks about how the last decision or last pass aren't there. I'd describe that more as we're getting in good areas but aren't turning that into clear cut chances and goals, which I think is true.

+1

I think you might be right - and it's a worry. Two years, we've played head to the byline, pull back to the apex, for the most part..Who could possibly spot that, sitting on a low block? We very occasionally mix it up. For me that balance is wrong. When Bradley, John, Randy, Gethin get into that space, we don't need the oppo thinking "95% they're just going to pull back to Demps, Morley etc. On the apex." That isn't pretty, interesting or intelligent, it's boring.and looks like a computer simulation..

[Mar]

Well that was certainly not my intention! I'll add that Sheffield Wednesday and Barnsley will be booking their Wembley travel regardless .
You're welcome.

Nah, too late, I’m on such a roll that I’ll counter thusly: three of the last four semi-finals in this division were lost by the team that finished higher. Including a certain team from Owlerton

Also - Saturday could be a very good day. Our dear neighbours, bolted to the bottom of the division, 4pts from safety with two games left, travel to third-bottom Reading. Now that’s a nerve-shredder.

That Championship table is really interesting. Anyone from 12th upwards can get promoted and 19th downward can get relegated. Madness.


As for Saturday I was in the hopeful camp going into the last game and that went woefully wrong. Now I'm expecting us to fail and try to salvage it on the final day. Doesn't seem like good signs are coming from the club in terms of momentum. We need that for a playoff run.

The strikers being a much of a muchness. I'd be going Charles up top with Kacha. Toal in the squad if fully fit and MJ benched. MJ has done really well to the point where he seemed to be in the gone at the end of the season camp but I think he probably warrants more of a look in given his newly found versatility.


I do wonder if Charles' drop off has been the rotation of strikers lately. Weve not found a decent combo with Dan, Shoretire, Vic and Jerome. Perhaps the ineffectiveness of Kacha up top from a goalscoring point of view is mitigated by his effectiveness at linking up with others. Hardly ideal either way but might be the best option.

I'd pray we go for runners in behind too. Dempsey made those runs against Plymouth and it worked well. Vic came back and passed out wide against Accy. Completely different movements, but telegraphing our game plan in the second instance. Bit of both ideally.

[LeverEnd]

Well that was certainly not my intention! I'll add that Sheffield Wednesday and Barnsley will be booking their Wembley travel regardless .
You're welcome.

Nah, too late, I’m on such a roll that I’ll counter thusly: three of the last four semi-finals in this division were lost by the team that finished higher. Including a certain team from Owlerton

Also - Saturday could be a very good day. Our dear neighbours, bolted to the bottom of the division, 4pts from safety with two games left, travel to third-bottom Reading. Now that’s a nerve-shredder.

They've put up a decent fight but are still going.

[TANGODANCER]

In reality, this is just another game of football to win, the rest is marzipan and icing on what is a Bolton v Fleetwood home cake. Should we win that? ;Of course we should. It may be trumpeted the Shrimpers will fight, so can we not fight harder, better? No matter how you spell it, we're going in the play-offs. We pay strikers four grand a week to score goals. Get em scored. Enough nonsense, see the kipper flippers off and away with the hype. Charles and Kacha need to see football nets, not fishing ones. On with it then..Mr Evatt talks a good fight. No excuses wanted or needed.

[BWFC_Insane]

There weren’t any excuses not to beat a useless Accrington yet we still managed not to. And really didn’t have an excuse on the night as Accrington were probably worse than imagined. We still lost.

This is what sort of worries me. Tuesday we beat ourselves - be it nerves, complacency or whatever.

I feel that our failure to score goals has eroded confidence. We need some of our attacking players to take the responsibility on and say to the team ‘I’m sorting this it’s my job’.

[TANGODANCER]

There weren’t any excuses not to beat a useless Accrington yet we still managed not to. And really didn’t have an excuse on the night as Accrington were probably worse than imagined. We still lost.

Accrington are history. Put em to bed. There's a separate thread to blame our misfortune there. Personally, I don't give a flyer about keep going on about the same old songs. We're playing Fleetwood tomorrow on our own ground. The rest matters not.Like I said, it's just a game of football till it's over. COME ON YOU WHITES...

...

[Worthy4England]

We have to look at both ends of the pitch. Of the three teams fighting for two spots, we've scored the fewer goals, yet we have the same points as Derby and a couple on Posh, and the better GD, although not comfortably so. A 2-0 would be better than a 5-4. A win of any description would be great.

COYWM.

[BWFC_Insane]

We have to look at both ends of the pitch. Of the three teams fighting for two spots, we've scored the fewer goals, yet we have the same points as Derby and a couple on Posh, and the better GD, although not comfortably so. A 2-0 would be better than a 5-4. A win of any description would be great.

COYWM.

Any win will be grand. If we can score a few goals I think it would help. 1-0 is a dangerous score at this stage of the season with the extra pressure and nerves.

[Worthy4England]

We have to look at both ends of the pitch. Of the three teams fighting for two spots, we've scored the fewer goals, yet we have the same points as Derby and a couple on Posh, and the better GD, although not comfortably so. A 2-0 would be better than a 5-4. A win of any description would be great.

COYWM.

Any win will be grand. If we can score a few goals I think it would help. 1-0 is a dangerous score at this stage of the season with the extra pressure and nerves.

No shxt Sherlock? I'll take 4-0, right now if you're offering.

1-0 is always a dangerous score until the final whistle, and I'm not sure that the stage of the season has anything at all to do with it. That 1-0, where they equalised at 90+4, in August, still dropped 2 points, that you just might need in May. But it sorta doesn't matter, team pulls one back to make it 2-1, plenty will obderve "we should have killed it off and made it 3. Right now, I'm not unhappy with any of the 1-0's we've had and the money is already in the bank.

[TANGODANCER]

We have to look at both ends of the pitch. Of the three teams fighting for two spots, we've scored the fewer goals, yet we have the same points as Derby and a couple on Posh, and the better GD, although not comfortably so. A 2-0 would be better than a 5-4. A win of any description would be great.

COYWM.

Ah, you've convinced me. 5-0 us it is then..

[Dave Sutton's barnet]

There is of course a long-running debate - initially part angry argument, recently more jovial - on the premise that "2-0 is the most dangerous scoreline". Man, I'd love some of that danger right now.

[Worthy4England]

There is of course a long-running debate - initially part angry argument, recently more jovial - on the premise that "2-0 is the most dangerous scoreline". Man, I'd love some of that danger right now.

I'm fairly sure a lead of any amount you let slip, is, right in the moment "the most dangerous scoreline." I mean once you get more than 2 in front, you become complacent.

[Dave Sutton's barnet]

Soooo, anyone else who's sitting in front of a computer (of course I'm working on 2023's nicest day so far), what XI would you pick and what do you think Evatt will?

As I've said I'd have Ade back in up top with Dion. Probably retain Dec John and every other Tuesday starter for that matter. I wouldn't rush Toal back in unless Fleetwood have plenty big men at whom they pog the ball at every opportunity.

And I suspect Evatt will do the same.

[Worthy4England]

Hmmm. After watching Tuesday, I think there might be a couple of changes due to shaggedness. If all are in good enough shape then Tuesday's team with Vic for Dan (although Kacha for Dan would be ok)