Season 23/24 Predictions

[BWFC_Insane]

Well it’s here…might as well do our predictions….feel free to expand if you want

Bolton final position
Bolton top scorer
League one winners
League one top scorer


For me……
Bolton final position - 2nd. I think looking at where we are and the general mood round the club it’s time. It feels like Evatt would be gutted with anything less. We’ve assembled a squad that is far from perfect but still has a reasonable blend of experience and youth without having untested 18 year old show offs in key positions. You need a bit of luck with injuries. We are heavily reliant on Charles still for goals which is a risk as is santos not having a natural replacement at the back. But most teams have these issues. Would I be massively shocked if we did one better or indeed one or two worse? No not really in either case.

Bolton top scorer - Charles, can’t see who else.

League one winners - Pompey. Think it could be a few. Us, Derby, Blackpool - wouldn’t rule any of those out. Just have a feeling Mousinho might know what he’s doing. Lot of new players thought which can sometimes be a hindrance initially.

League one top scorer - Jonson Clarke Harris as it stands.
. If he goes elsewhere then Alfie May. Think he will do well at Charlton.

[HMX]

Bolton final position
Ooh, toughie. Third (but scraping the playoffs!). Not totally convinced we have the wing-back roles covered beyond an injury. I think we could blow several teams away this season, but we need to be better breaking the press we struggled against last season.

Bolton top scorer
Charles, then Vic, Dempsey 3rd.

League one winners
Gut feeling is Derby, though I don't know how their summer transfers have been. Barnsley might be up there too.

League one top scorer
Charles – why not! Hope more than anything.

[Dave Sutton's barnet]

Position:
Like a lot, I think third. Partly innate expectation management, but also we've lost our two best players. I also feel a couple of other teams have had busier windows, although I'm aware that busyness isn't always good business, and other people's chips always taste better. Also possible that others need more rebuilding - we're at the tweak stage for now. But I certainly expect us to be a whole lot closer to the automatics; if we're 'resigned to the playoffs' in March, I'll feel that's falling short. And so will Evatt.

Top scorer:
Santos. I mean Charles, obviously. Although I suspect Vic and Dan will not be the goal-deserts people have worried about, Dion is understandably Evo's top choice (for agenda-setting workrate as well as goals). I do think he'll have a dry spell though.

League winners:
I haven't looked enough at rivals - maybe I'll get to it - but I suspect Charlton have had the best window, and Pompey have backed Mousinho's vision. Derby have lost some key players but Warne will have learned, retrofit his squad and he seems to have the financial muscle. Pushed to specify, I'd say Charlton, with Derby a second favourite.

League one top scorer:
Alfie May. He's been very good in a bog-standard team. Sometimes that's a funnelling effect but I think he could excel in a team doing well, and if so I fully expect him to be frequently paraded as a missed opportunity for us. Particularly if we miss opportunities – in front of goal and in the league table.

Looking forward to it though – should be fun, could be unforgettable.

Oh and @BWFCi - add a poll, for easy check? Think you only get 20 options but I'm sure you could roll the relegation slots together, we haven't got many posters *that* pessimistic.

[Worthy4England]

Third.

Charles.

Derby, Charlton, us.

Alfie May.

[Spartan2]

1. Champions
2. Charles
3. Us
4. Non of our lot.

I think this squad is better than last season. The two midfield additions are massive, it was a weak area last season and they're exactly what we needed. We should now be able to play through teams a lot more, particularly with Sheehan playing, as well as down both flanks. Last season there was a lot of side to side then Bradley or nothing. We'll be much harder to defend against. Last season, for most teams, the low block was the optimum counter to our style and I don't think that will be as effective this season. Defense will be best in league again, no reason why that would change. If Vic or Dan or JDB, can hit some form then that will really put the cherry on top. I do think Evatt focuses on peaking right at the start so I expect us to smash Lincoln on Saturday.

[BWFC_Insane]

Added a poll - limited the options as I prefer that to everyone guessing individual positions in such a poll.

[Dave Sutton's barnet]

Defense will be best in league again, no reason why that would change.

Burnley gave City 19 million reasons... but what I would say is that our coaches appear to have the defensive unit much, much better trained these days, even with revolving personnel in the back line. I think that tone is set from the front with Charles' chasing and maintained now throughout the team - no passengers.

It's a huge ask for Baxter to be as good as Traf, but a smaller one for the defensive unit to do as well. And if Baxter can be more of an offensive weapon, we could even have a net gain (ho!).

[Abdoulaye's Twin]

I'm going 4th, but a lot closer to the top 2. My worry is that we might have to make use of Sadlier and John and I don't think either come close to being the answer we need. If we can sort that before the end of the window then I'll happily upgrade us to 2nd

No idea who might be champs as I don't pay much attention beyond ourselves.

Our top scorer might be a surprise. So I'm going Ade. I think Charles peaked and I'm certain he'll have similar dry spells to last season. I'm hoping Ade with preseason download and an improved midfield will see him thrive.

Wouldn't know any of the other strikers in the division and I don't think it will be one of our lot.

[Prufrock]

Where we'll finish: 1-4 but f*ck it I'm going champions. Think the top 4 will be us, Derby, Pompey and Charlton. I'm much happier after we've got CMG and Maghoma who add quality together with physicality where out weakness has been too many players who only offer one. I think we'll get another RWB in before the end of the month.

Our top scorer: tough to see past Dion, especially given he's on pens. I think the others will chip in though.

League winners: see above, one of those 4.

League top scorer: I think JCH will end up in the champ, so I'm going Colby Bishop. I took those 12s on Dion e/w the other day though.

[officer_dibble]

Fully signed up member of the HMS pisss the league crew here. Progression - backing Ian to do it. I think we may need January reinforcements on the wing but we’ll be in the mix still.

[Harry Genshaw]

4th or 5th.
Vic to stun us and the division with 25 league goals.
Derby champs, Charlton, Blackpool and feckin Wigan (to give them their full name) being up there.

[KeyserSoze]

46-0

[brommers95]

Will be interesting to look back on these predictions in nine months.

Bolton final position: I went 3rd-4th in the poll to avoid jinxing anything but we should be up there fighting for automatics looking at how weak the division is this season.
Bolton top scorer: I’m not really enamoured with any of our forwards’ goal scoring ability but I’ll go Adeboyejo, he must surely look more effective this season, right?
League one winners: Portsmouth
League one top scorer: Colby Bishop

[Dave Sutton's barnet]

(slightly off-topic but) Gareth Ainsworth has a prediction: that the new anti-timewsting regulations will be rescinded.

"People who have probably never played the game have made some of these rules," he whined. "I've really challenged some of them. We were the kings of time management at Wycombe. God knows what they will put on, but let's suck it and see. I think that there will be some in-season reviews on some of these rules. I really do, because I can't see them working."

Frig off you twunt. (He also has the brass neck and thick head to then say "It's a brilliant game and let's hope it doesn't get spoiled by too many stoppages.")

Oh and some other little tweaks I didn't know:
• After play is restarted while an injured player is being treated, they can't come back on for at least 30 seconds – more if play is near where he wants to come back on.
• Only one of the manager and coaching staff can stand at the front of the technical area – a second person can stand but "must remain very close to the technical area seating" - and they can't go on the pitch at half-time/full-time to 'have a word' with the officials.

[GhostoftheBok]

(slightly off-topic but) Gareth Ainsworth has a prediction: that the new anti-timewsting regulations will be rescinded.

"People who have probably never played the game have made some of these rules," he whined. "I've really challenged some of them. We were the kings of time management at Wycombe. God knows what they will put on, but let's suck it and see. I think that there will be some in-season reviews on some of these rules. I really do, because I can't see them working."

Frig off you twunt. (He also has the brass neck and thick head to then say "It's a brilliant game and let's hope it doesn't get spoiled by too many stoppages.")

So basically, "We're going to keep spoiling the game and hopefully it'll become so problematic the authorities will give up."

[GhostoftheBok]

The issue with making predictions now is that, as we've just seen with Barnsley, you can't see around corners with transfers and the outlook can change dramatically in a month with an open window.

As things stand I'd have us battling in the top 4 and hoping to get into the autos. I think the RWB we need can have a genuinely significant impact and make us favourites for that top spot against the likes of Charlton, Pompey and Derby. I think we'll get that player and on that basis:

1. Autos.
2. Charles, because he takes the pens. Not sure he'll be top of the non-pen scorers, though.
3. I think we'll win the league, with the aforementioned caveat.
4. Assuming JCH leaves, top scorer will be between Bishop and May. Bishop takes pens, which gives him an edge. May will get in excess of 20 from open play and not many others have a shot of that.

[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.

[Abdoulaye's Twin]

Can we not use acronyms for other teams players. JCH could mean Jonny Cooks Hoes for all I know

[Dave Sutton's barnet]

(slightly off-topic but) Gareth Ainsworth has a prediction: that the new anti-timewsting regulations will be rescinded.

"People who have probably never played the game have made some of these rules," he whined. "I've really challenged some of them. We were the kings of time management at Wycombe. God knows what they will put on, but let's suck it and see. I think that there will be some in-season reviews on some of these rules. I really do, because I can't see them working."

Frig off you twunt. (He also has the brass neck and thick head to then say "It's a brilliant game and let's hope it doesn't get spoiled by too many stoppages.")

So basically, "We're going to keep spoiling the game and hopefully it'll become so problematic the authorities will give up."

Aye. Although given he's gone public on it, every manager of possession-based Champo teams (and that would these days be the majority) will presumably be reminding the officials of his determination to undermine the rules they've been told to apply. For the paying customers.

[BWFC_Insane]

I find it interesting how many of us think May will go well. Yet we spent more money to sign Nlundulu….

I still do wonder how much we might regret that.