Re: Twixt Cups and Lips. Home to Shrewbury Town, Tuesday Apr 16th 7-45.

[BWFC_Insane]

Yaaaaaay!

I noticed the lurking yesterday. Actually pleased to read that post.

Almost like the missing peice is back.

COYWM!!!

On my phone at the ground didn’t realise I was signed in on there - wanted to wait to post till I had calmed down from the frustration of the events last night.

[boltonboris]

I've been so confident that things will go our way. Didn;t see that coming last night

a joke of a game. The referees are not just complicit in football being ruined, they actively encourage it.

Ref telling the keeper to go to the other side of the area, then giving him the thumbs up. Deliberately turning their back to players upto no good.

I was so angry last night and today, I just feel totally deflated. What's the point?

[Bertie Wooster]

IMO if we don't go up via the play off's he has to go - end of. He's improved absolutely nothing this season in a weaker league despite good financial backing from FV. I've said it before and I'll say it again tactically he's a robot, everything is pre planned & he isn't flexible enough - look at what the Shrewsbury manager said about changing his system to counter the way we play, Evatt has a plan A and that's it, if it doesn't work he can't or doesn't change anything to counter. When we are behind in games we desperately need to win why doesn't he sacrifice a defender and go 4 at the back, he can't bring on a tricky winger to change games and take people on as he doesn't like skilful, tricky wingers as they are not the robots that he prefers.

Our form since Xmas is shocking, mid table at best - six wins in the last 17 league games since January, 9 wins in 24 games in all comps since 1st Jan. His stubbornness will be his undoing, both tactically & his signings. Many fans in the summer said we wanted some steel in the side, a bit more physical, more leaders in the team - all he does is sign more of the same type of players as we already have. He's wasted a fantastic opportunity to get us up this season and I suspect one or two of the directors agree.

I really hope he does manage to get us up through the play off's, however I'm certainly not confident, knowing what the team are like mentally in big, high pressure games (Plymouth final apart, although that wasn't a high pressure game IMO). Even if we did somehow manage to go up if he doesn't change tactically and bring in one or two more physical/leader, street wise type players we would get absolutely hammered in most games in the champ.

Btw welcome back BWFC Insane - the forum is poorer without you.

[DJBlu]

Yaaaaaay!

I noticed the lurking yesterday. Actually pleased to read that post.

Almost like the missing peice is back.

COYWM!!!

On my phone at the ground didn’t realise I was signed in on there - wanted to wait to post till I had calmed down from the frustration of the events last night.

It's never an issue and I've taken time out before too. Always welcome here.

[Dave Sutton's barnet]

Knew he'd be back when the shit hit the fan

[BWFC_Insane]

Knew he'd be back when the shit hit the fan

I did consider waiting till we won the play offs and then you know it would be glorious. I genuinely hope we do. I just find what we’ve built since coming up to league one is that horrible and slightly arrogant ‘we play the right way’ type of club and team yet one that consistently fails under pressure and when the chips are down, like Arsenal back in the day (a side we took great delight in mocking) or indeed championship nearly promoted era Derby (ironically).

To me it’s the worst thing because you end up clinging to a manager and the cycle of ‘nearly but not’ continues. I find this the worst place to be in. Rather like Owen Coyle. It’s the same sort of feeling. A useless manager will be dumped but one that flatters to deceive….but never will quite get over the line….I think that’s the worst and most disappointing scenario to be in.


I don’t think FV will sack him but I just don’t share the faith in what has been built. Players we have are excellent. Maybe a few balance issues but it’s league one. Maybe could do with a couple more experienced pros. But again who can’t down here? We should have finished in the top two comfortably and have been handed a lot of chances to do it. I just don’t see how it isn’t the same pattern repeating itself time and time again of flattering to deceive when it matters.

[Worthy4England]

Knew he'd be back when the shit hit the fan

I'm delighted he's back. Much prefer to have differing opinions than everyone saying ain't milk brill to the lactose intolerant.

[Dave Sutton's barnet]

Knew he'd be back when the shit hit the fan

I'm delighted he's back. Much prefer to have differing opinions than everyone saying ain't milk brill to the lactose intolerant.

Oh don't worry Worthy, you did a grand job filling in of turning the milk sour

[Dave Sutton's barnet]

I've been so confident that things will go our way. Didn;t see that coming last night

a joke of a game. The referees are not just complicit in football being ruined, they actively encourage it.

Ref telling the keeper to go to the other side of the area, then giving him the thumbs up. Deliberately turning their back to players upto no good.

I was so angry last night and today, I just feel totally deflated. What's the point?

Yeah, me too. But at least some folk are happy.

Might wander off for a bit till we start winning again.

[Worthy4England]

Knew he'd be back when the shit hit the fan

I'm delighted he's back. Much prefer to have differing opinions than everyone saying ain't milk brill to the lactose intolerant.

Oh don't worry Worthy, you did a grand job filling in of turning the milk sour

I felt a bit under-prepared for it tbh.

[Bertie Wooster]

I've been so confident that things will go our way. Didn;t see that coming last night

a joke of a game. The referees are not just complicit in football being ruined, they actively encourage it.

Ref telling the keeper to go to the other side of the area, then giving him the thumbs up. Deliberately turning their back to players upto no good.

I was so angry last night and today, I just feel totally deflated. What's the point?

Yeah, me too. But at least some folk are happy.

Might wander off for a bit till we start winning again.

See this I really don't get, just because a few are critical doesn't mean that they are happy when we falter or struggle - it's utter rubbish. I'm sure that everyone on this forum and others would prefer us to be successful.

It's comments like this that put people off - not allowed to be critical, just have to accept the situation and accept Evatt.

[jmjhb]

The way we play is, broadly speaking, fine. It's just that extra 5% and killer instinct/'nastiness' for lack of a better word that we lack.

[BWFC_Insane]

So we can’t get Peterborough over two legs in the play offs. Which is good as they trouble me. Obviously that potentially means they will be the opponents in the final but cross that bridge if we get there.

So it’s one of Barnsley, Lincoln, Oxford and Blackpool. Blackpool an outside shot.

Who would people prefer? Lincoln or Oxford for me if I had a choice. Barnsley might be ok as they’ve struggled too but then they seem to be a bogey team for us under Evatt often.

[jmjhb]

Peterborough seem even more capable than us of stinking the place out on occasion.

Barnsley for the revenge factor, but Oxford I feel would be the better fit in terms of style of play.

[officer_dibble]

See my fear with Oxford is we would assume we would coast the home leg, and that usually spells trouble.

Fundamentally we are finishing third or fourth and really should beat anyone we play. Blackpool wouldn’t want to play, given our record of bottling local derbies.

[DJBlu]

He's resting players to give us the best chance of getting through the playoffs.

They'll be up for it. What I fear is our luck. 44 shots and 3 goals in the last 2 games. Just a sprinkling of luck gives us possibly 2 more.

Away first, got to win it as we're more than capable of drawing at home.

[Prufrock]

Also, above and beyond any systems or otherwise we absolutely have to stop getting done over and over by the same cut back set piece!

[BWFC_Insane]

See my fear with Oxford is we would assume we would coast the home leg, and that usually spells trouble.

Fundamentally we are finishing third or fourth and really should beat anyone we play. Blackpool wouldn’t want to play, given our record of bottling local derbies.

Yeah Oxford I had the same thought. They won’t make it as easy and will be up for revenge. By the same token we know psychologically we can beat them. Which hasn’t been the case for Barnsley this season say.

But I think the issue is we go in as favourites against all of them. So pressure. And that’s where we usually struggle.

[BWFC_Insane]

Also, above and beyond any systems or otherwise we absolutely have to stop getting done over and over by the same cut back set piece!

Yeah but that should be easy to sort. The other two goals we conceded in the last two games where we showed an unbelievable amount of softness and lack of defensive desire mixed with crazy naivety would concern me more.

[officer_dibble]

Aye - both the goals prevented by someone putting a crunching tackle in and possibly taking a yellow card. George Thomason of all people last night!