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Avoided reading stuff today. Here are my thoughts. Yesterday another packed away end watched one of the strangest passionless performances of the season at a time we need the exact opposite. Whilst there are excuses it seems there is always an excuse. It is not just the odd player it is the whole group and IMO you have to question the manager. His whole demeanour in recent has been downbeat with the weight of the world on his shoulders, now he has said the players were scared yesterday. Managers are 'mood magnets' for a team, sure we have all worked for positive managers and that rubs off on the team, equally when the manager is down it drags the team with them. Jose Mourhino is an example of how this works both ways. For the first time I am now questioning Evatt as our manager, you can only blame bad luck for so long, 2 games ago we had maybe our best result and performance of the season , what has happened that players are scared and underperforming ? The Charles and Baxter situation is just bizarre. Things have been creaking for 2-3 months now and it feels like IE has run out of ideas , energy and inspiration. Horribly painful to watch.

Hard to describe my feelings after that. Love my away days, that will never change, win lose or draw. But I’m pleased I’m not going to Bristol and I’m saving my money, because from a footballing perspective, I’m sick of this rollercoaster of having a door of opportunity open to us, but not being good enough to take advantage. I think there’s some valid reasons/ excuses that have been discussed about; squad quality, selection, mentality, injuries and Evatt (even from a fan of his, he’s not immune to criticism). The game seemed to have 0-0 written all over it from minute 1. Struggled to impose ourselves. We looked flat, maybe the Charles/Baxter “thing” has affected them and maybe Evatts pre/post match comments don’t instil confidence in the rest of the team. However, I try to keep my positive outlook realistic, so here goes; - Reading should be a good day, big crowd, occasion and win. - We’ll probably get ANOTHER window of opportunity if we beat Reading as I reckon Derby will lose to Portsmouth. - Barnsley and Peterborough losing takes a little pressure off behind. - We’re not losing lots of games - We should believe we have a great opportunity to win the play-offs - Expected (beating Reading/Shrewsbury/Port Vale) things and unexpected (Us/Derby/the rest winning/losing points in other games) will still happen, so it’s not over yet.

Fuck off prick how many games have you travelled this season?

What would be any different with Evatt in charge next season in league 1 though? I'm still broadly behind him, but his biggest weakness is being adaptable so I reckon we'd have another season just like this, i.e. not quite good enough. If he doesn't get us up definitely best for both parties that he moves on. He's showing signs of strain and needs a fresh start as well as the fan base. If he does get us up, it's a different story, as it would most likely boost him and us. But to get us up, he really needs to start being more positive and getting the players up for it. The late Mourinho comparisons are spot on and he needs to snap out of it. He's sapping energy from the fans and team

This. COYWM

Come on Gonzo, turn that avatar upside down. We're still in it. Next instalment is Monday. Three points, a good win, and a good performance,with four homes in April. It's still on Gonz.

so we've gone from a forum of armchair coaches/managers to armchair psychologists now? maybe he's just got a bit of toothache? or his cats died

You really are an arse hole

Only a select few are elite

to be fair, it came across as you meaning by all the fans, if you meant just in your opinion then that's different 🤔

Think we all feel there's a tendency not to show up in the big games. To be fair, looking at other teams forums they all tend to feel the same way. I love a spurious stat, so thought I'd compare this season to last and to previous successful seasons. These are our results against teams who were in the top 8 at the time we played them (hence differing number of games over different seasons). 2023/24 P W D L Pts ppg Home 6 4 2 0 14 2.33 Away 7 2 2 3 8 1.14 Total 13 6 4 3 22 1.69 2022/23 P W D L Pts ppg Home 8 3 3 2 12 1.50 Away 6 2 1 3 7 1.17 Total 14 5 4 5 19 1.36 Improvement on last season due to better home results. Not yet bettered our away form, but a win today at Stevenage will pull that up. 2016/17 P W D L Pts ppg Home 5 4 1 0 13 2.60 Away 6 2 2 2 8 1.33 Total 11 6 3 2 21 1.91 Bit behind when we went up under PP, but again a win today takes us to 1.79 ppg, a bit closer (and win v Portsmouth and Pbro and we better it). 2000/01 P W D L Pts ppg Home 6 2 1 3 7 1.17 Away 5 1 3 1 6 1.20 Total 11 3 4 4 13 1.18 Worst of this bunch, when we went up with Sam. Surprisingly poor results against those around us. And just for a comparison we can all dream of .... 1996/97 P W D L Pts ppg Home 10 5 5 0 20 2.00 Away 9 5 4 0 19 2.11 Total 19 10 9 0 39 2.05 Interpret however you want, but for me shows we're in the ballpark compared with previous successful seasons (and will be when we win our three remaining!)

I think what also puts it in perspective is that even struggling teams get the occasional away win at a promotion contender. Looking at games away at the top 10 (to Orient), plus Wigan who would be top 10 without the deduction: Derby and Pompey top (17 and 16 points). Then Posh (12), Charlton, Wigan and Orient 11, Barnsley and Blackpool 10. We have 6 points, this is below the likes of Northampton, Exeter, Burton, Port Vale and even Carlisle. The only teams with less than us are Wycombe, Shrewsbury, Cheltenham, Fleetwood, Cambridge (their win at Barnsley was their only one). Just a small improvement against top 10 teams would make a huge difference to our chances.

I'd add iredale to that, For me yesterday (albeit with hindsight) I'd have gone 5 4 1 with wingback as usual but with either dempsey or Morley pushing up.

I'd say that's exactly what the manager and coaching team is there to do. Teams even have psychologists as part of the coaching set up to improve mentality and character of their players.

Perhaps there is a reason only Jerome had a career at league one above… he’s got the desire and mind set that’s light years ahead of most of our squad, from the current squad I don’t see many with the required mental strength, to play at a higher level the ones who look to me like they might have it are Toal, Forrester, Thomason, Baxter, Dempsey, there is a raft of them who look bereft of mental strength. I’d love to see a Karl Henry type in this squad.

Correctamundo. I'm really not sure how a manager can instill that into a group of players.

The other clubs who had injuries found the character, dug in and changed style of play to try to negate injuries, for me it’s a character issue with this squad.. weak as piss when the chips are down. It’s not an ability issue it’s the character and desire within the squad that I think is lacking.

I think the over reation to a poor display yesterday will disappear when we beat Reading and Pompey beat Derby. Were 3rd in the league two games ago we put 5 passed Oxford followed by a good performance, if unlucky at Derby. Some of the comments on here are way over the top. Calm down.

Think the problem is that he's trying to be a link up man and supply to a 47 year old or a fella who couldn't finish a plate of toast.

Aye I totally get the Vic criticism. But I always go back to he's probably the best man to get the most out of Charles. Our league position suggested that anyway. Charles head went with all the shit going on in his private life and he started missing open goals. ....that perfect storm again

We've literally being playing long ball. Folk were moaning yesterday we needed to stop.

37 points from the last 23 league games (1/2 a season). Been off for a while. When was it that the coachy bloke (Hird ?) left for England ?

You mean one did? One press conference where he shut the conversation down because he was absolutely fuming Dion had done his knee again whilst away? He already kicked off about the international break and was called a moaning fucker and told to get on with it.

We can still go up automatically it’s not gone yet but do the players believe it and as several posters have said mentally they are weak and too easily beaten on the pitch. IE needs to believe it as well he looks a beaten man atm which must pass onto the players?

Think it's because of Colemans hair to be honest. He's holding onto it like Trafford used to hold onto the ball on thr ground after minute 75. Let it go mr Coleman let it go.

Ian evatt in blowing all the twitter pricks and some on here out of the water shocker . Some things that people type 'we pay our money, we deserve to know how long players are out for' ! Wow

Fucking hell I was fuming. If I’d have stopped to engage in further conversation/confrontation it might not have ended well, probably for me rather than him, he looked a crackpot. 🤣 But honestly, calling Coleman shit and a wanker within earshot is the work of a madman. Coleman had a decent game as well! Not that that should have any bearing whatsoever. These “fans” are up there if not top of the tree for negative things to moan about. As @CSW will vouch for I needed some calming down after that! 🤣

Think it's fair to set IE was mightily fucked off in that interview last week because Charles picked up a knock on international duty

Freedman Hill Coyle at the end To name 3. Evatts been nothing but a success...unitll this wobble where its probably going to count most. It's not over yet old bean.

What goes on is that they start to think we might have blown any chance of getting an automatic promotion spot - and they also question the manager's post match response in which he actually cited George Johnston's pre-season injury as one of the reasons we didn't win today. What he didn't bother to mention was the fact that our passing was comedic at times, their goalie could have taken the day off and our defending was tragic. None of that means that those people don't love or support the club any less than the most ardent fan - it just means they aren't blind.

sorry but that's fucking stupid, think you need to goto bed pal

Finishing outside of the top 2 is definitely a failure this season and questions has to be asked. HOWEVER I think 99% of us have associated the play offs as the end of promotion hopes, and it's true to an extent, nothing is guaranteed and it's doing it the hard way. Yet, I still have a tiny little bit of faith, that despite recent performances, we could still get to Wembley and do the job, similarly to Wednesday last season who bottled March & April, finished 3rd but got over the line. Either way, I'm personally already over today's game. 2nd is still more than possible and if it's not to be, then let's believe that we can do it in the play offs and go for it. Despite being top 3 all season it's not been enjoyable personally, however, by June, I'll be thoroughly missing watching the Wanderers play and be excited for the season ahead regardless of the division we are in. Easter Monday, Reading at home, potentially 25,000+ supporters in attendance. It's why we all do what we do, for this team. Looking forward to it. COYWM.

Perhaps with the main strikers out, rather than just using the remaining players in the same system, switch systems? Play with 1 up top and 2 attacking midfielders just behind or similar? With 2 weeks on the training ground, we had the chance to be more flexible. Just feels like we're trying the same stuff week after week and it's clearly no longer working.

Just a solid performer compared to JDB and Collins twatting about with his shin pads. Proper pro and defenders don’t know how to deal with him

33/1

Collins playing defensive midfield is the fault of the midfield three. I’m not saying Jerome is the messiah but fuck me the way folk carry on you’d think they’ve stuck one of us lot up top rather than someone who has been a solid 7/10 every time he’s pulled on a shirt (and that’s one I’d defend to the hilt btw) In fact out of all the issues today I’d say Jerome is very, very low on that list

4 OUT OF 5 ANT BAD i want you i need you sing along Apart from that anyone who thinks we are going up is on KET

Maloney? you can fuck off, then when you get there fuck off some more!

One thing that has become ridiculously apparent over the past few weeks are the amount of fans that seem to think Evatt is bigger than the club and we should just be glad he is here. He’s above criticism in some peoples eyes. There are plenty of managers out there that would kill for this job and a lot that would no doubt do a better job

Just done tour of Vietnam and apart from square mile of Saigon populated by expats it felt really safe bar the traffic in Hanoi.

Just showed your earlier message as we were talking to 2 guys who live in Vietnam, but are here for holiday. Never met them before. One just smiled knowingly and the other said “Another bitter English prick”. Try experiencing life and travelling a bit. Just a thought.

The “fight” was lost years ago. “Sticking it out” is all it will inevitably be. You only live once though dont forget. Anyway, each to their own.