We Must Beat-a-borough - Away v Peterborough, Sat Apr 27th 12:30

[DJBlu]

With all due respect, I’m certain that neither set of players will give a feck what Marc Iles writes.

Allardyce would have this stuff pinned up in the dressing room all week.

Let's hope they're without manager all week then.

[irie Cee Bee]

No time to be tinkering with the side. Not much difference between Jones and Iredale to me, but Jones just edges it. When they both play, Jones on the right and Iredale on the left, our defense is all over the shop and very exposed. They make us significantly weaker playing together. Evatt prefers to have a right footed Toal on the left rather than playing Iredale there because I think he trusts Jones more as his senior lieutenant, and he and DC seem to have a good understanding.

Thomason, despite his drop off in form, no doubt due to him trying to adjust his game to avoid yellow cards, is our only consistent combative ball winner in that midfield. He has to play. Without him, our midfield becomes soft. This is not the time to be trying something else. The best team now needs to be on the pitch, and that includes Thomo.

[BWFC_Insane]

Thomason definitely not been at his best recently but everyone seems to ignore their second goal where Sheehan has a head start and just lets his man run past him for half the pitch. In a game that doesn’t matter much ok. But show that lack of desire, workrate and intensity in any of the play off games, and for me any player who does that can go.

That’s the thing for me with leaders. Whether they are the in your face sort or the lead by example types. I don’t see many if any in this group. And if young Thomason is having to do the rallying ahead of more experienced pros that probably sums up my concern and reflects why I don’t think we’ve built the right stuff. It’s all very well being the best squad in the league technically which I think we are, but it’s the other stuff, the desire, intensity and graft and just sheer will and determination that I don’t think we possess enough of.

First goal, santos could have got back in but was half hearted. Second goal, Sheehan was as above shocking.

When the chips are down who stands up to be counted in this team? Who physically drags us over the line when we need it?

Thinking back to previous play off wins you could go through the teams with say, Stubbs, Mcateer, McGinlay, Gudni, Frandsen, Charlton, Jussi heck even Hendry. Leaders, and also when the big games came round most of them raised their games too.

So whilst it’s not about captains or scream at other types exclusively it is for me about that real desire, intensity and demanding of professional standards. Cogley says we got complacent in the season. So who was sorting that out? Who was getting hold of the group and saying ‘right stop this’. Who is there when we concede to lead and get us back on track. Who does the role of demanding the ball when we are struggling and says like a Jay Jay style ‘I’m going to have to make it happen myself’?

Thats the issue for me with this team and the big question they have three more games to answer. I don’t think you get many Terry Butchers nowadays and I don’t expect one necessarily. Though I think one would help. But it’s attitude and standards. I don’t think we are strong enough on either consistently.

[irie Cee Bee]

Now is the time for the players to show that they have the fight for this. Neither Barnsley, Oxford or Peterborough are going to just hand it to us. We will have to fight for every ball and have the stomach for it. A "take no prisoner" mentality. Not seen that consistently in this team, so really hoping its drilled into them. The games will be the last man standing affair. We have to have the desire for it.

On another matter, tactically, our captain is being dragged high up the pitch by the player who is being marked man to man by him, and then the ball is played in behind to a runner, leaving Santos high up the pitch, with no one covering. I hope Evatt has noticed this and stop the run either by having a covering defender, or having a midfielder stopping (blocking/fouling) the runner as he sets off.

[DJBlu]

Now is the time for the players to show that they have the fight for this. Neither Barnsley, Oxford or Peterborough are going to just hand it to us. We will have to fight for every ball and have the stomach for it. A "take no prisoner" mentality. Not seen that consistently in this team, so really hoping its drilled into them. The games will be the last man standing affair. We have to have the desire for it.

On another matter, tactically, our captain is being dragged high up the pitch by the player who is being marked man to man by him, and then the ball is played in behind to a runner, leaving Santos high up the pitch, with no one covering. I hope Evatt has noticed this and stop the run either by having a covering defender, or having a midfielder stopping (blocking/fouling) the runner as he sets off.

Plenty of fight in the first half. Foot was taken off the gas when they knew Carlisle had no chance.

[boltonboris]

Plenty of fight in the first half. Foot was taken off the gas when they knew Carlisle had no chance.

Exactly!! Fvckin meltdowns on here when we don't win. I'm sick of seeing people rounding on the players like we should steamroll every team we play and when we don't it's because they're leaderless cowards etc.

A few players were going through the motions on Saturday when it became evident that were now playing for nothing.

What I would say, is it's a little concerning that some of our senior players are out of form. Jones, Toal, Thomason have all been off it and look a bit sluggish. Number of Games catching up with them.

[boltonboris]

Probably not worth its own thread, so I'll put it on here. One thing I have noticed recently and it's a problem for me, but obviously not them..

Recently, we've dropped valuable points in games where we've scored but drawn. At this stage of the season where every win was crucial, I saw players all over social media congratulating themselves and re-sharing posts relating to the fact they'd scored, despite us not winning.

It's pissed me off a bit to be honest and whilst I don't want to come across as all Roy Keane, their goal ultimately meant fvck-all as the team 'failed' in it's mission on that day. Probably a generational thing, but do we not have anybody in the club, whether it be management, or playing staff to say; "lads, don't be celebrating your goal and giving it billy big bollocks when we've drawn 2-2 at home to Shrewsbury"

[boltonboris]

It ain't a good look

[The_Gun]

Who are you referring to? Presumably Maghoma.

[Abdoulaye's Twin]

I think it is part of the culture Evatt has created. It's good that it creates a togetherness and a confidence in each other, but it also makes the noises coming from players and manager sound a bit hollow when they're saying we didn't do enough/play well enough etc. That togetherness needs utilising not against criticism, but against the opposition. You are not going to score. Kick lumps out of us and we'll embarrass the feck out of you - deeds not words. Everything feels a bit nice and here's a medal for doing well rather than a big feck off trophy for winning.

[boltonboris]

Who are you referring to? Presumably Maghoma.

Maghoma, Dempsey, Charles to name 3 recent examples

But it happened earlier in the season. This week has been more evident though, as it was the business end.

[BWFC_Insane]

Plenty of fight in the first half. Foot was taken off the gas when they knew Carlisle had no chance.

Exactly!! Fvckin meltdowns on here when we don't win. I'm sick of seeing people rounding on the players like we should steamroll every team we play and when we don't it's because they're leaderless cowards etc.

A few players were going through the motions on Saturday when it became evident that were now playing for nothing.

What I would say, is it's a little concerning that some of our senior players are out of form. Jones, Toal, Thomason have all been off it and look a bit sluggish. Number of Games catching up with them.

Our own players have said we ‘switched off too often’ were ‘too complacent’ and today we have Dempseys rallying call that we ‘need to turn up for the play offs’.

You can say the second half didn’t matter. It didnt. But as Iles suggested and plenty of our fans have was it not somewhat indicative as to why we’ve missed out? Brilliant but then when it gets tougher we can’t see it through.

Thats always going to be more frustrating than ‘we aren’t good enough’ because ultimately it’s easier to fix than lacking ability.

[Worthy4England]

You're playing the team in 4th, who if the seedings go to plan, you'd meet in the final so your foot comes off the gas and you allow them three goals? I'd be disgusted (of Tunbridge Wells) if that was the case. As it happens, I don't think that was the major part of what I saw on Saturday.

I think Posh got bollocked for a poor first half, came out second half carrying receipts for said bollocking and we weren't cute enough to work out how to stop it for maybe 20-30 minutes. The Derby second was somewhere near 60 minutes, and the whole game and momentum had changed 15 minutes prior.

[BWFC_Insane]

I think it is part of the culture Evatt has created. It's good that it creates a togetherness and a confidence in each other, but it also makes the noises coming from players and manager sound a bit hollow when they're saying we didn't do enough/play well enough etc. That togetherness needs utilising not against criticism, but against the opposition. You are not going to score. Kick lumps out of us and we'll embarrass the feck out of you - deeds not words. Everything feels a bit nice and here's a medal for doing well rather than a big feck off trophy for winning.

This. Far better worded than I could put but it’s this.

There is too much talk. Too much ‘keeping of receipts’. Not enough ‘we are going to internalize this and come out and absolutely win every game we need to’.

It feels as you say a bit ‘nice’. Oh we’ve scored loads of goals - but the play offs won’t be like that. It will be a horrible trudge like battle to get through. You’ve got to really as a group want that to want to win it. I worry that if we aren’t able to play ‘our best stuff’ that’s when we panic and lack the substance to just find ways through. Through sheer desire and togetherness.

[boltonboris]

There is too much talk. Too much ‘keeping of receipts’. Not enough ‘we are going to internalize this and come out and absolutely win every game we need to’.

He's get criticised if he came out and said that

[Abdoulaye's Twin]

There is too much talk. Too much ‘keeping of receipts’. Not enough ‘we are going to internalize this and come out and absolutely win every game we need to’.

He's get criticised if he came out and said that

Doesn't need to say it. Just do it. For the press etc he can just trot out all the cliches managers do and focus the team on just getting it done, however they need to do it.

[BWFC_Insane]

There is too much talk. Too much ‘keeping of receipts’. Not enough ‘we are going to internalize this and come out and absolutely win every game we need to’.

He's get criticised if he came out and said that

It’s not a suggestion for what he should say. It’s more that when you’ve not won a game you needed to or not got automatic promotion or whatever you don’t need to defend your record or blame everything else.

Ultimately Evatt has spent the whole season talking about automatic promotion and how good we are. We’ve missed out but the thing is there is another chance but it’s action not words that matters. I want the sense that the whole squad and Evatt are together, heads down, determined to fix what went wrong and put the performances their lives together for the play offs.

We don’t need to say how good we are or talk about injuries or whatever. It’s about delivering.

Big boy pants on. Full focus. Full intensity. No excuses.

The issue I have with a lot of what’s said is that it gives me the feeling Evatt has the same doubts that I as a supporter of the club looking in have. Defensiveness and justification suggest there is a doubt there rather than sheer confidence and focus.

[Worthy4England]

There is too much talk. Too much ‘keeping of receipts’. Not enough ‘we are going to internalize this and come out and absolutely win every game we need to’.

He's get criticised if he came out and said that

This needs a healthy dose of management bullshit. We've heard the words, we now need the pictures. No talk the talk, walk the walk....yadda, yadda, etc. and so on....

[boltonboris]

I'm not sure I'm as comfortable with him holding everyone to account over a failure when there's still the chance of us NOT failing. He knws the players better than we do and maybe him telling them how good they are publicly and that we've been unlucky etc, is what the players need to hear? Maybe giving them sugar gets them going?

We just don't know. We don't know what they are like to coach, manage, motivate etc

I'm sure if they responded well to a right kick in the bollocks, they'd get one.

[Worthy4England]

I'm not sure I'm as comfortable with him holding everyone to account over a failure when there's still the chance of us NOT failing. He knws the players better than we do and maybe him telling them how good they are publicly and that we've been unlucky etc, is what the players need to hear? Maybe giving them sugar gets them going?

We just don't know. We don't know what they are like to coach, manage, motivate etc

I'm sure if they responded well to a right kick in the bollocks, they'd get one.

More than happy to leave that to him - it's part of what we pay him for - but it's still a results business...