Pre-season 2023-24

[BWFC_Insane]

I don't disagree Worthy, but surely it has to be £5M.£6M,£7M etc. not £500k or £1M

I'll be totally honest as well that I haven't got a clue whether we will be competitive or not this season, the negativity amongst some fans is growing rapidly and to be honest unless we pull a couple of seriously good players out of the bag. the current squad would be lucky to reach the play offs - zero creativity & zero goals, we have a team of Evatt robots.

Agree, first part Bertie.

I'm still on let's see where we land second part. But certainly in the "need to see something land." Just think Evatt's probably earned the right to work his way through transfer window, without the benefit of my expert guidance.

How has he earned the right ?, he's just spunked £3/4M on two strikers who haven't a clue how to score goals and his signings in general have been 50/50 - please don't over inflate Evatt's ability based on winning the Papa Johns.

He doesn't like creativity, flair or width - as I've said previously IMO it looks like he wants a team of robots. I honestly want to be proven wrong but at the moment I can't see it, I'll be the first to say I'm wrong should we sign 2 or 3 top players before the season starts, but for me it'll just be more 20, 21 year old loans. At is stands today we are worse than we ended last season in terms of quality, creativity and more importantly goals. The decision by Evatt to sign Nlundulu for £200k or so really has me questioning him.

I’m not also seeing this Evatt working magic in windows or even doing well either. First window disastrous. Second one better and had to be. Third window - not good. Fourth better and had to be but was in the main down to Fossey. Fifth window not good, didn’t get enough and turned down ‘top players’. Sixth window I’d describe as incredibly dodgy at best and that’s with some benefit of the doubt. This window thus far as some say on social media is teetering on disastrous.

He’s mainly improved our standing on the back of loans and some improvement in players who started poorly like Dempsey.

I know we are ‘waiting’ for all these fantastic players who will magically arrive here not expecting top dollar and other clubs will not also be sniffing round them. But I can’t help but feel that Evatt’s transfer business history doesn’t give me huge confidence. Especially when it’s not involved loans. The permanent deals especially fees I’m far from convinced by.

[Dave Sutton's barnet]

I see we drew a pre-season friendly.
.

cp3o-star-wars.gif (581.51 KiB) Viewed 12069 times

[truewhite15]

Evatt out. FV out. Because we've failed to beat Chester in pre-season. And we haven't spunked all the money we don't have on ten Lionel Messi's three weeks before the season opens.

[Bertie Wooster]

Aye because its all about a meaningless friendly - but do carry on #can't post any criticism of Ian Evatt.

[Dave Sutton's barnet]

Aye because its all about a meaningless friendly - but do carry on #can't post any criticism of Ian Evatt.

You can post what you want, Peter, and I'd fight for your right to do so.

But I don't have to agree.

[BWFC_Insane]

I’m at the point where I can’t imagine Evatt wouldn’t be more proactive if he has a choice. So has to be a finances issue. Pitch being delayed. Perhaps the reason we simply don’t want to say what happened with Wilson and Baccus is the board had to pull the plug?

[Bertie Wooster]

Aye because its all about a meaningless friendly - but do carry on #can't post any criticism of Ian Evatt.

You can post what you want, Peter, and I'd fight for your right to do so.

But I don't have to agree.

Absolutely 100% DSB, I honestly respect everyone's opinions on here & without it this would be a crap forum. It's only my personal opinion whether it be unpopular or wrong.

We don't all have to agree although I'm sure that we all have the best interests of BWFC at heart.

[Worthy4England]

I don't disagree Worthy, but surely it has to be £5M.£6M,£7M etc. not £500k or £1M

I'll be totally honest as well that I haven't got a clue whether we will be competitive or not this season, the negativity amongst some fans is growing rapidly and to be honest unless we pull a couple of seriously good players out of the bag. the current squad would be lucky to reach the play offs - zero creativity & zero goals, we have a team of Evatt robots.

Agree, first part Bertie.

I'm still on let's see where we land second part. But certainly in the "need to see something land." Just think Evatt's probably earned the right to work his way through transfer window, without the benefit of my expert guidance.

How has he earned the right ?, he's just spunked £3/4M on two strikers who haven't a clue how to score goals and his signings in general have been 50/50 - please don't over inflate Evatt's ability based on winning the Papa Johns.

He doesn't like creativity, flair or width - as I've said previously IMO it looks like he wants a team of robots. I honestly want to be proven wrong but at the moment I can't see it, I'll be the first to say I'm wrong should we sign 2 or 3 top players before the season starts, but for me it'll just be more 20, 21 year old loans. At is stands today we are worse than we ended last season in terms of quality, creativity and more importantly goals. The decision by Evatt to sign Nlundulu for £200k or so really has me questioning him.

Make your mind up! If N'lundulu is 200k, then the top end of your £4m on two strikers is £3.8m for Vic. I don't think that's likely (other than maybe 3.5 year cost).

I do agree we look way too predictable (the robots comment)...and think there's lots to do before I'd say I was anything like confident.

[Bertie Wooster]

Make your mind up! If N'lundulu is 200k, then the top end of your £4m on two strikers is £3.8m for Vic. I don't think that's likely (other than maybe 3.5 year cost).

I do agree we look way too predictable (the robots comment)...and think there's lots to do before I'd say I was anything like confident.

Worthy what are you on about ?

Make my mind up about what ? I said £3/4M (three quarters of a Million) spunked on 2 non scoring strikers (£500k Victor & £200k N'lundulu)

[Worthy4England]

Make your mind up! If N'lundulu is 200k, then the top end of your £4m on two strikers is £3.8m for Vic. I don't think that's likely (other than maybe 3.5 year cost).

I do agree we look way too predictable (the robots comment)...and think there's lots to do before I'd say I was anything like confident.

Worthy what are you on about ?

Make my mind up about what ? I said £3/4M (three quarters of a Million) spunked on 2 non scoring strikers (£500k Victor & £200k N'lundulu)

Oh I see! Thought you were saying three to four million. My apologies, mate.

I was rather hoping he might get one, and hopefully both, "working" I am starting to wonder. But realistically he isn't getting sacked this side of Christmas unless we're bottom, so I'm buckling up for the ride...

[Bertie Wooster]

Worthy, he's got the full season for me - promotion or do one.

I don't go for this 'in Evatt we trust'....as its utter bollocks.

[Dave Sutton's barnet]

See, it's interesting. I don't think it's promotion or resignation, but it really depends on context.

If we get 96pts but finish 3rd, then lose in the play-off final to a blatantly offside goal, I'm not sure I'd hire the desk-clearers. But if we finish 17th, then yeah, probably – unless there was absolutely overwhelming evidence not to.

The question I ask either way is "Are we progressing?" Well, in Evatt's first 3 seasons we've had promotion, consolidation and play-offs (plus an unforgettable cup win), so yes. It's kinda hard to "progress" from there without promotion, and it's worth noting that manager and chairman have brought high expectations upon themselves by citing automatic promotion as the aim. As I say, I wouldn't necessarily say it's do it or do one, but I understand why folk might feel so.

[Worthy4England]

Worthy, he's got the full season for me - promotion or do one.

I don't go for this 'in Evatt we trust'....as its utter bollocks.

I didn't put a timeline on it, Bertie. Maybe I should have added "for now." If he's got a full season, and I think he has, then I'm going to leave him to sort out this transfer window, until it's complete and I see if he gets Jan's failed (so far) working... I think he'll be in bother if we don't go up, not sure yet how I'd react to a "near miss:

[Dave Sutton's barnet]

Evatt: “We’ll have Rico back by next week and hopefully by the back end of next week have some transfer news."

[Worthy4England]

See, it's interesting. I don't think it's promotion or resignation, but it really depends on context.

If we get 96pts but finish 3rd, then lose in the play-off final to a blatantly offside goal, I'm not sure I'd hire the desk-clearers. But if we finish 17th, then yeah, probably – unless there was absolutely overwhelming evidence not to.

The question I ask either way is "Are we progressing?" Well, in Evatt's first 3 seasons we've had promotion, consolidation and play-offs (plus an unforgettable cup win), so yes. It's kinda hard to "progress" from there without promotion, and it's worth noting that manager and chairman have brought high expectations upon themselves by citing automatic promotion as the aim. As I say, I wouldn't necessarily say it's do it or do one, but I understand why folk might feel so.

To this, young Sir, I think there is still a shitload of debate about "style of play." Not going to recant the multiple threads where this has been discussed. But I do think this is probably Evatt's first binary "pass/fail" year....

[Prufrock]

Done well tbf if he's not had a good window and taken a squad of 1 (one) senior player up a league and won a cup.

Obviously there's lots to do this window. And I guess folk have to fill the time somehow.

[Dave Sutton's barnet]

I do think this is probably Evatt's first binary "pass/fail" year....

I thought he did nothing but pass, and that's what annoys some folk...

[brommers95]

I do think this is probably Evatt's first binary "pass/fail" year....

I thought he did nothing but pass, and that's what annoys some folk...

IMG_0908.gif (448.58 KiB) Viewed 11913 times

Don’t think I’ll be calling for Evatt’s head if we miss out on promotion this season. He’s progressed this club in each of the three season’s he’s been here and you can’t ask for much more than that. He’s got some credit in the bank and deserves a bit more time to get us into the Championship.

[GhostoftheBok]

It was good to see Thomason boss a midfield today. Vocal, intelligent with the ball and hammering tackles in. It's what you want to see from him. The fact he chipped in with a goal rounded off a MotM performance.

Their goal was far too easy and we generally looked sloppy in certain phases, but you can see where we want to be. Cogley continues to look very impressive, including cutting inside onto his left.

Sadlier and John were so frustrating in the second half. Sads had to be told where he was supposed to be standing by junior player. John didn't cover Conway defensively half the time. Senior pros shouldn't be getting told how to play by young lads.

Last season we played a more loose system, but what we are working on now is close to classic positional play in the Brighton and Man City mould. Rotating in and out of an imagined grid system, no more than 'x' players occupying any one row or channel at any time.

We're also working on La Pausa, especially when Forrester is on the ball. It worked a couple of times and we probably should have scored at least once from it. The third-man runs aren't there yet, though. Hopefully it'll come with time.

If we can get this positional play working alongside a press when required, it'll be very interesting.

[GhostoftheBok]

I’m not also seeing this Evatt working magic in windows or even doing well either. First window disastrous. Second one better and had to be. Third window - not good. Fourth better and had to be but was in the main down to Fossey. Fifth window not good, didn’t get enough and turned down ‘top players’. Sixth window I’d describe as incredibly dodgy at best and that’s with some benefit of the doubt. This window thus far as some say on social media is teetering on disastrous.

He’s mainly improved our standing on the back of loans and some improvement in players who started poorly like Dempsey.

I know we are ‘waiting’ for all these fantastic players who will magically arrive here not expecting top dollar and other clubs will not also be sniffing round them. But I can’t help but feel that Evatt’s transfer business history doesn’t give me huge confidence. Especially when it’s not involved loans. The permanent deals especially fees I’m far from convinced by.

We've gone from almost no players in League Two to the play-offs in League One and a cup victory with the following windows:

Disastrous.
Better and had to be.
Not good.
Better due to one player who played 15 games for us, not the 5 players still in the squad.
Not good.
Incredibly dodgy.

Sometimes you have to test your assessment against lived reality, mate.

Promotion - stabilisation - play offs and cup. On the back of spending pretty much sod-all. I imagine quite a few clubs would love to be as terrible in the market as we are.