Season 23/24 Predictions

[GhostoftheBok]

We've spent about £800k on the pairing of Adeboyejo and Charles.

The question Evatt and Markham have had to ask themselves is what to add to those two as tactical options.

May was never it.

If Bod wasn't already here we'd maybe have done something different there. We'll see in January or next summer.

[nicholaldo]

By all accounts, May wanted to stay down south. His signing here was always likely a non-starter.

[Dave Sutton's barnet]

By all accounts, May wanted to stay down south. His signing here was always likely a non-starter.

Indeed, he's a man of Kent (or a Kentish man, who cares?) so that's probably why Gillingham's hat was in the ring.

[sonicthewhite]

He's a Kentish Man!

[Bertie Wooster]

1. 5th
2. Charles
3. Blackpool
4. No idea

[GhostoftheBok]

We are exactly half way through the season.

Anyone want a Mulligan?

[Worthy4England]

I'm going to stick. But Charlton are going to have to get a move on!

[officer_dibble]

Interesting reading .
Few picked Pompey as contenders but I’m guessing had hoped we would push them harder. That’s what is the most disappointing thing… we had the squad to push but our only consistency is our inconsistency…

[Worthy4England]

Still pretty happy with mine...

[Mar]

Bolton final position: 3rd
Bolton top scorer: Charles
League one winners: Derby
League one top scorer: May

I think we're over half way there towards improving on last season's squad. Some major concerns over GK and RB given what we've lost but hopefully our new signings can come good. If what i'm reading is accurate, we'll need a new RB to add squad depth or first team depending on how good JDC can be.

I think we'll rue some of the missed signings, attempt to change our play style and play catchup in the second half of the season which will cost us the top spot.

Quite happy with this set of predictions. Certainly pretty accurate in the build up to the final game of the season.

May is top goal scorer, Bolton are third, Top scorer is Charles, its only Derby letting me down just like they're likely to do on the final day of the season.

In terms of what was written, I think the need for an additional RB is probably a good shout given we didn't have JDC for some games and we've struggled with Matheson, Ramsay, CMG and Jones in that position when they are covering. JDC has been great, so not overly badly affected.

It's likely that we've rued missing out on the likes of Alfie May given he's top goal scorer and all, but Collins looks like a decent recruitment.

I suspect any recruitment we're missing out on is due to the plethora of injuries up top, which seems rather unusual in quantity.

[Worthy4England]

^^ Imagine how delighted we'll be when we sneak second!

I too had 3rd, Charles, May and Derby...the poor one for me was Charlton who I had 2nd...

[TANGODANCER]

Not pretending to be as knowledgeable as regular attenders at games, I held fire on voting, but I do firmly believe things change rapidly within the game, making predicting a difficult option.. Take the nonsensical "sack the manager" trend that prevails when teams don't win all the cigars and coconuts. It's inevitably the top managers in the leagues that face the mob frenzy and the "divine righter's " who make the most noise when they don't wipe the floor with the rest. It's always been a winner takes all world, but even perfection can come under the cosh these days.

I also believe managers learn "on the hoof" lessons as they go; the current "How to beat Bolton" being a prime example. Teams we should be taking apart, go for defending like Rourke's Drift heroes and rely on long ball breaks rather than worry about pass the parcel defending of the midfield football. Add the crackpot refereeing rules and Nostradamus is no more a forecaster than an Andy Capp north end pitchfork and bedsheet gobbin. Getting through ninety minutes injury free is a total bonus. Think I'll stick with "Que Sera" with a large dose of faith and hope.

[Mar]

^^ Imagine how delighted we'll be when we sneak second!

I too had 3rd, Charles, May and Derby...the poor one for me was Charlton who I had 2nd...

Saw yours and thought that's decent, so went looking for my own.

I'm sure we'll both be quite happy to be proven wrong if it meant promotion at the end of the season.

[BWFC_Insane]

Pretty happy with my predictions. Saw Pompey as champions thanks to Mousinho and they did it.

We should for me be second. We aren’t and I do think that’s a failure on Evatts part. Time to make it up though and win the play offs.

[TANGODANCER]

We should for me be second. We aren’t and I do think that’s a failure on Evatts part. Time to make it up though and win the play offs.

Must be me. How a failure to come third? If it were carved in stone, all the bookies would be out of business. Disappointing, yes, but the human element, luck and injuries always interfere and play a big part. How many players have we had out of action over the season from injuries and suspensions, Baxter, Charles, Thomason and Santos not the least. How is that Evatt's fault?

[dave the minion]

Baxter as well don't forget - basically the whole spine of the team out for considerable chunks.

I know other teams have had their injuries, but none of us can compare how each absentee impacts each team. I'm as disappointed as everyone that we haven't already secured 2nd, but as you say, a failure or a disaster it isn't......

[BWFC_Insane]

We should for me be second. We aren’t and I do think that’s a failure on Evatts part. Time to make it up though and win the play offs.

Must be me. How a failure to come third? If it were carved in stone, all the bookies would be out of business. Disappointing, yes, but the human element, luck and injuries always interfere and play a big part. How many players have we had out of action over the season from injuries and suspensions, Charles, Thomason and Santos not the least. How is that Evatt's fault?

Every team has their hard luck stories and the top three have all been struck by injuries. Portsmouth worse than anyone.

It is what it is now. Evatt clearly felt we should be in the top two. That was the aim. And he’s said himself that this season there simply isn’t another option we have to go up. We’ve had an absolute hatful of chances to finish 2nd and not taken them. We’ve got one more chance via the play offs.

Ultimately you get nowt for third unless you win the play offs. Finishing third and staying down can’t be regarded as anything other than failure. Third in league one for Bolton has never been regarded otherwise.

[TANGODANCER]

I'm just finding it a bit hard to see where Charles and co missing basic sitters is Evatt's fault. Must be me..

[BWFC_Insane]

I'm just finding it a bit hard to see where Charles and co missing basic sitters is Evatt's fault. Must be me..

I find this a really reductive. Nothing that happens on a field can be directly labelled as ‘managers fault’. But they are accountable for the results and outcomes at the end of the day. Mousinho for me has less talent in his group but found a way to get a level of consistency out of them. We have more talent but find a way to lack the consistency to grind results out week in week out.

Portsmouth miss sitters too but they are still able to get results we don’t.

Phil Neal took us to a league two promotion and two play offs plus the Wembley win. And that was at a time when the club had no investment and no real leadership. But he went because he couldn’t get us out of this league. What happened after was magical. The point for me is that we’ve had the talent and financial backing this season to finish top two.

[Mar]

I'm just finding it a bit hard to see where Charles and co missing basic sitters is Evatt's fault. Must be me..

I find this a really reductive. Nothing that happens on a field can be directly labelled as ‘managers fault’. But they are accountable for the results and outcomes at the end of the day. Mousinho for me has less talent in his group but found a way to get a level of consistency out of them. We have more talent but find a way to lack the consistency to grind results out week in week out.

Portsmouth miss sitters too but they are still able to get results we don’t.

Phil Neal took us to a league two promotion and two play offs plus the Wembley win. And that was at a time when the club had no investment and no real leadership. But he went because he couldn’t get us out of this league. What happened after was magical. The point for me is that we’ve had the talent and financial backing this season to finish top two.

Sure Portsmouth miss sitters, but I can't recall a season where we have been as guilty of missing sitters as this one. Add in the additional 8 points Portsmouth have accrued from their extra penalties and we've got a case for Evatt being considerably unlucky and hard done by with the refs.

Whatever criticism you may have of Evatt there is plenty of stats to back up that he's built a team that creates chances and scores a lot of goals. There's plenty of positives.

Grass isn't always greener. Last manager the board signed was Hill. There's stark contrast between the two managers and I'm not overly keen on rolling the dice to see who we may get.