A Storm Brewing. Burton Albion V Bolton, Saturday Aug 26th 3 0'Clock,.

[BWFC_Insane]

Maybe. I don't see 4 quality signings heading inwards. Not even sure there'll be one (unless there are significant outgoings)

Are you being more negative than usual, Worthy? Maybe you’re always like this and I’ve not been paying attention, idk.

Negative or realistic? I dunno, You seem to back youth over cunning, I think there's a balance... either way I'm not launching HMS Piss the league...

We're ahead of out points tally from last year. We'd like to be doing better of course but we're still up. If we continue to be ahead of our points tally from last season we can call it progress, which is all we can realistically ask for every season. Sure its harder to picture how we're going to do that given the last two results but it's still progress.

Points totals aren’t a sign of progress. Only sign is finishing higher and achieving more.

Bottom line we need promotion or this season is a failure to progress and meet targets.

TBF, I think the two are pretty closely connected. But I reckon you're saying 79 points will do us, If that gets us 1st or 2nd we're on target...

Yeah exactly. Conversely 90 points and missing out won’t. Points are relative to the season and league you are competing in. They aren’t absolute measures other than within that season.

[Worthy4England]

Missing our first 2 choice centre backs for lengthy periods ain't going to help either, don't forget...

For me, this is all part and parcel. Occasionally we're going to be unlucky with injuries as are most teams. When it's regular and rolled out every season, then I start to question whether we're buying players who are generally up to it, physically. I guess they're looking at better player will give us edge, if only they stay fit. But then we can't bellyache as much, if they get injured more...they're only an "advantage" when they're on the pitch.

I don’t think it’s that. For me it reflects on the fact that an Evatt side looks unstoppable when everything is going for them and going well. Yet awful when any conditions are against it. But you aren’t going to have a season where everything goes right. The sides that go up are good enough to fight under all conditions and compensate when things go wrong.

Flat track bullies

[dave the minion]

Bottom line we need promotion or this season is a failure to progress and meet targets.

Sweet Jesus. Give it a rest please.

FFS we're 5 games into a 46 game season. We've won 3, drawn 1, lost 1. We're not yet out of any cups. We're 3rd in the (very early) league table

The world - as far as I can tell at least - hasn't yet imploded into a massive black hole.

We don't have a good given right to get promoted. Yes, we've stated that as our aim, but it will only happen if the planets align. There will be many twists and turns before the end of the season - promotion or not. We will lose to some crap teams, and we'll beat some good ones. Well pick up injuries and some players we don't expect to will come good. And if we don't get promoted, guess what, well try again next season.....

I genuinely can't make my mind up whether you prefer us doing well, or doing badly so you can wallow in the "joy" of somehow being proved right...

[BWFC_Insane]

Bottom line we need promotion or this season is a failure to progress and meet targets.

Sweet Jesus. Give it a rest please.

FFS we're 5 games into a 46 game season. We've won 3, drawn 1, lost 1. We're not yet out of any cups. We're 3rd in the (very early) league table

The world - as far as I can tell at least - hasn't yet imploded into a massive black hole.

We don't have a good given right to get promoted. Yes, we've stated that as our aim, but it will only happen if the planets align. There will be many twists and turns before the end of the season - promotion or not. We will lose to some crap teams, and we'll beat some good ones. Well pick up injuries and some players we don't expect to will come good. And if we don't get promoted, guess what, well try again next season.....

I genuinely can't make my mind up whether you prefer us doing well, or doing badly so you can wallow in the "joy" of somehow being proved right...

The best managed teams with the best players go up. It has nowt to do with planets aligning.

The target is the target and success and failure defined by the club and the fans. If Evatt is right and has the players in he needs then why would you want to suggest otherwise?

This is the season of judgement.

I’ve had enough of this league and it’s time for Evatt to show how good or otherwise he is.

[Mar]

General consensus is we've all had enough of this league and want promotion.

We can't always get what we want but we can work sensibly and make progress year on year without hitting our targets.

Weve seen us promoted from league two and successive finishing positions higher than previous. Weve seen us sell players while still gaining higher league positions. It's progress off the field and on it.

Sure it's not us getting out the league last season, but we did lift a trophy. A promotion, a cup win and improving clubs stature and finances within the game. It's progress.

Saying its time for Evatt to show how good or otherwise is seemingly ignoring his success previously. He's a good manager, but like the players he's still got room for improvement.

Not everything is going to work out right, Sarcevic for example, but predominantly we are going in the right direction.

Big Sam lost to Bury in the cup in 2002. Crap results against rivals happen. We bounce back and move on. Enjoy the ride while it lasts.

[BWFC_Insane]

General consensus is we've all had enough of this league and want promotion.

We can't always get what we want but we can work sensibly and make progress year on year without hitting our targets.

Weve seen us promoted from league two and successive finishing positions higher than previous. Weve seen us sell players while still gaining higher league positions. It's progress off the field and on it.

Sure it's not us getting out the league last season, but we did lift a trophy. A promotion, a cup win and improving clubs stature and finances within the game. It's progress.

Saying its time for Evatt to show how good or otherwise is seemingly ignoring his success previously. He's a good manager, but like the players he's still got room for improvement.

Not everything is going to work out right, Sarcevic for example, but predominantly we are going in the right direction.

Big Sam lost to Bury in the cup in 2002. Crap results against rivals happen. We bounce back and move on. Enjoy the ride while it lasts.

It’s promotion or nowt. There is no room for ‘progress’ now. Promotion is what is required and Evatt is under pressure to deliver.

It’s fine saying ‘yes he’s done well before’ but so did Phil Neal. Phil Neal however wasn’t the man able to really turn us round and now it’s down to Evatt to prove he isn’t Neal and that we aren’t stuck in this division. We all know that he and the club feel this is the season. So I don’t think we need excuses or whatever.

Management is sometimes about accepting the pressure and delivering. Now is that time.

[Abdoulaye's Twin]

The thing is Insane, you have taken a stated aim/target/wish/desire and turned it into a shit or bust end of the world scenario, along with all the angst and teeth gnashing that goes along with that. I seriously doubt anyone on here or at the club wants anything other than promotion, the only difference is some of us don't view it as the utter disaster that you do.

There is no issue with you questioning Evatt and his signings, but you seem to have violent/extreme reactions to things which can't be healthy. Lets see what the rest of the transfer window brings and give the new boys a chance to bed in, though as you were with Dan

[Worthy4England]

^^ In fairness, "This is the season of judgement" has a bit of a ring to it!

It's conjoured up a picture of them all sat in WSL in judges outfits passing round Werthers.

[Prufrock]

*BWFCi dons a black cap*

[Abdoulaye's Twin]

^^ In fairness, "This is the season of judgement" has a bit of a ring to it!

It's conjoured up a picture of them all sat in WSL in judges outfits passing round Werthers.

I think it is fair to judge, less the verging on hysteria after a handful of matches before the window slams shutTM. I've a pack of fisherman's friends on standby

[BWFC_Insane]

^^ In fairness, "This is the season of judgement" has a bit of a ring to it!

It's conjoured up a picture of them all sat in WSL in judges outfits passing round Werthers.

I think it is fair to judge, less the verging on hysteria after a handful of matches before the window slams shutTM. I've a pack of fisherman's friends on standby

It’s not hysteria. The thing is you have some kind people who want to hedge their bets. They want to say Evatt has done a great job the recruitment is all spot on *but we might still fail to go up*. You can’t have it both ways for me.

I believe we are still quite a ways short of a team that is really going to knock the top two places down. There is some growth potential with signings but I still think we are missing some key ingredients. And some of the recruitment has been poor.

I accept that we might not go up but if not it will be for that reason.

It’s an unreasonable place in my view to consider everything is absolutely great no mistakes have been made but we might still miss what we set out to do because ‘it happens’. We are financially as competitive this season as we will ever be in this league - as Evatt himself said the league is weaker in that regard but that’s unlikely to be the case again. It is a season we absolutely need to get right especially given the clubs future with the bond relies on being able to pay back that loan.

[Dave Sutton's barnet]

I think it's fine that Evatt be judged on this season. I wouldn't necessarily sentence him to the electric chair for non-promotion.

Then again, I don't share the absolute insistence that it's a shit-or-bust season, and non-promotion dooms us to everlasting damnation or at least purgatory. I agree that it looks like a good season to have a damn good go at it, with the relegated teams not looking as strong as previous seasons and some of last season's contenders - Derby, Posh - also looking like they're having somewhat transitional seasons.

I think it's a bit early to judge - small data sample - but I do acknowledge that promotion seasons are often built on strong starts. However, I would suspect we won't get a repeat of last season's breakaway, when there was already a three-point gap below the top four by mid-September and the top sides maintained a 2ppg pace throughout the season.

And things change. That mid-September top four included Pompey, perennial promotion tips, then still managed by Danny Cowley.

IDK. All feels a bit too early to tell, either way; judging by the school holidays and the transfer window, it's still summer. Seems best to take Kipling's advice about treating triumph and disaster with a modicum of restraint. And perhaps to acknowledge that everyone might have their own opinion, which might not chime with our own, but it doesn't make them unreasonable: they just reason differently.

[Abdoulaye's Twin]

^^ In fairness, "This is the season of judgement" has a bit of a ring to it!

It's conjoured up a picture of them all sat in WSL in judges outfits passing round Werthers.

I think it is fair to judge, less the verging on hysteria after a handful of matches before the window slams shutTM. I've a pack of fisherman's friends on standby

It’s not hysteria. The thing is you have some kind people who want to hedge their bets. They want to say Evatt has done a great job the recruitment is all spot on *but we might still fail to go up*. You can’t have it both ways for me.

I believe we are still quite a ways short of a team that is really going to knock the top two places down. There is some growth potential with signings but I still think we are missing some key ingredients. And some of the recruitment has been poor.

I accept that we might not go up but if not it will be for that reason.

It’s an unreasonable place in my view to consider everything is absolutely great no mistakes have been made but we might still miss what we set out to do because ‘it happens’. We are financially as competitive this season as we will ever be in this league - as Evatt himself said the league is weaker in that regard but that’s unlikely to be the case again. It is a season we absolutely need to get right especially given the clubs future with the bond relies on being able to pay back that loan.

Who is saying everything is great? Even Ghost isn't saying that, though I don't share his optimistic view of Dan.

If Evatt could control every element of a football season then I might agree with you, but he can't. Things will happen and how we stand up to them is how it should be judged, not promotion. If all the stars align come May and we completely bottle it then fine, I think it fair to call it failure.

I believe most people think we are short of where we need to be to finish top 2. I think we should do better than last season, but we could equally smash last season if the new guys click fairly quickly and with another couple of additions. All I'm saying is give it a little time. We're not behind in the race yet and if you start the season gnashing your teeth this much you aren't going to have any teeth left for the celebration photos come May

[Worthy4England]

It is possible we wouldn't go up with Kane Wilson, Baccus, Flick and JCH...we'll never know. That bet is just hedged the other way against something that can't ever be measured.

I mean if you want to get to the place where a public execution can be made then we're in good shape this year. It's been a long time coming, especially if pretty much every player in the team has been slated for (in some cases) heading into their 4th season, despite some decent progression along the way.

He probably isn't getting sacked for making the playoffs, although IMO it might get interesting were we to miss out...

But as other have said, we're 5 games in. For me we'll have a better idea in one month's time, when we've played a better spread. Whilst there are outliers, most of the top 6 are likely pretty settled by then.

[Dave Sutton's barnet]

as other have said, we're 5 games in. For me we'll have a better idea in one month's time, when we've played a better spread. Whilst there are outliers, most of the top 6 are likely pretty settled by then.

You'd expect so. Here's the table after we beat Lincoln at home last season on October 1st, and the final table:
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The attachment 11 games in.jpg is no longer available

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And the previous season, on Oct 2 we beat Shrewsbury 2-0 at home thanks to goals from some dudes call Sarcevic and Afolayan. Here's the table then and at season-end, with slightly more movement – specifically plummeting fortunes for Sunderland and Plymouth, who both must have gone out of existence as they haven't been heard of since.
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11 games in.jpg (105.34 KiB) Viewed 25634 times

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We used to give managers "the first 10 games" before throwing either them, or ourselves, into the sea.

[TANGODANCER]

Bottom line we need promotion or this season is a failure to progress and meet targets.

Sweet Jesus. Give it a rest please. I genuinely can't make my mind up whether you prefer us doing well, or doing badly so you can wallow in the "joy" of somehow being proved right...

He's been re-watching "Spooks" again...

[BWFC_Insane]

I note Evatt is complaining in the press about the reaction and criticism in the stands from Bolton fans during this game.

How to tell me you are under pressure without saying you are under pressure….

[officer_dibble]

I note Evatt is complaining in the press about the reaction and criticism in the stands from Bolton fans during this game.

How to tell me you are under pressure without saying you are under pressure….

All stems from a needless capitulation against Wigan. If we’d have ‘won the second half’ or at least put up a fight they would have bought themselves more time. It’s not getting forgotten anytime soon I’m afraid - probably cost a few hundred / thousand off the gate tonight as well.

[BWFC_Insane]

I note Evatt is complaining in the press about the reaction and criticism in the stands from Bolton fans during this game.

How to tell me you are under pressure without saying you are under pressure….

All stems from a needless capitulation against Wigan. If we’d have ‘won the second half’ or at least put up a fight they would have bought themselves more time. It’s not getting forgotten anytime soon I’m afraid - probably cost a few hundred / thousand off the gate tonight as well.

I mean yes and no. It also stems from being abject against Burton. And then perhaps more frustration that he takes off Vic and Charles and we end up with two up front who in a lot of minutes have one goal between them for the club.

I think the expectations are rightfully much higher this season and the last two games fell significantly and in Wigans case unacceptably below them. Evatt will have to cope with that. The Derby game is a crucial one now and one we have to win or at the very least not lose. It’s pressure yes. But that’s what comes with the territory.

[officer_dibble]

Wigan was before Burton, that’s the stem
Not seen much from the weekend tbf

Anyway Sharon isnt happy - https://www.bwfc.co.uk/news/club-statem ... age-sharon

Am I missing something? I haven’t seen anything of abuse either online or at game?