desperado

I’m not sure I’ve read anywhere that we’d be happy finishing 6th - I said yesterday this is the worst case scenario. It’s merely to point out to those - and there’s quite a few - who think we won’t finish in the play-offs. You’ve also indicated yourself that once we’re there anything can happen.

Might make some of those doom mongers feel a bit more positive about finishing in the play-offs

Thought we’d lost against these. Got to keep up this decent record.

If ever there was a game for an early goal from us, this is the one.

We’d have said the same about Lincoln for the previous 3 seasons. I’m beyond being a snob about who Bolton “should” be winning against. This win is important, regardless of who it’s against.

That sounds rough mate. I’m hoping it is just football related. But the essence of the post suggests not. Hope all ok and the footy can give you some positive distraction

Brilliant from Rory 👏 His best golf was Friday. But he showed all kinds of skill, experience and resilience after that to win the Green Jacket. He’s one of the greats

Cracking leaderboard this. Come on Rose!

Of course I agree 😂. But other than the tub-thumping one-eyed fan prediction, there’s a reasonable footballing case to make for us to, especially compared to our competitors. Lets get the shit stuff out of the way. Off the top of my head, purely going off my opinion, there’s the Peterborough and Cardiff games where we were completely outplayed. There’s also been some other games where we’ve been appalling too - Port Vale, Northampton, Burton. Then plenty of games where our “Achilles Heel” of not converting and giving up a goal out of nothing has been our undoing. That could happen in the play-offs. But when I think back to our games against Luton, Huddersfield, Bradford, Stockport, Stevenage, Reading, Luton - there’s only Stockport that have beaten us isn’t there? Even that game we played well. I’ve not seen anything in those games or consistently in their form this season to be afraid of. These last 4 games will tell a story too. I really don’t think we will fall out of the play-offs the worst case scenario for me is finishing 5/6th - that would be a tough ask, but I still wouldn’t be writing us off even then.

I can tell our form is hitting you hard @Johnnyrotten But I’ve grown to enjoy our weekly debates and as always your opinion is detailed and well-reasoned. Its a bit of a gloomy outlook which has some substance… ..but I do think @Eddie makes a very good point which you shouldn’t overlook and may make you reconsider your gloomy prediction for the season end. It’s an insular way of looking at our position without considering our competitors. Our competitors for those play-off places are as (arguably more) inconsistent as us. Stockport (losing at Wembley and having to play Wootton at CB), Bradford & Huddersfield & Plymouth messing up yesterday and a good opportunity to turnover Stevenage on Tuesday - none of them make me think at the moment that they are better than us. Folk seem to change their opinion from week to week. No doubt it’s Luton’s turn at the moment - but they’ve a lot to do to get there and they’ve had some really dodgy games and spells throughout the season. So I don’t know how anyone can call a team out for being play off favourites. Who’s your prediction to win the play-offs and why?

To add to the circular discussions, your contribution also adds to the same paradoxical debate! The haters aren’t going to stop hating. I’m not going to stop calling out the haters and you are not going to stop calling out those calling out the haters! As @gonzo and @Traf pointed out it’s a massive over-reaction from some. And it wakens up those who have a personal agenda against players (and quite frankly all things BWFC), quiet after victories, but guaranteed to be repeating their doom after a defeat. You talk about being in a pub and I get it and I’d say the same to them face-to-face. “Change your tune you miserable bastard” (not you! 😂) before going on to debate with them - just like on here. That’s what we do 🤷‍♂️ I just think the debate after a defeat from some can have a little bit more depth and balance than “Johnston’s shit” “Sheehans shit” “The manager is clueless” etc etc…. Everytime

That seems bonkers! I’d snap your hand off now if someone said you can take playing Spurs next season!! 🤷‍♂️

It’s a big game this. One thing we have done well this season, is respond after a bad result. It needs to happen again. A win on Tuesday against a potential play-off rival would be a good response to yesterday.

It’s Groundhog Day after every result that doesn’t go our way. Every player gets grief, those posters who have their pet player hate come out of hiding to call Johnston shit, Sheehan shit, Schumachers shit, fans know better, play-off failure is ahead. While I don’t think those posters want us to lose, there’s a definite coping mechanism in posting on social media to call out their negative opinion, to make them feel big/better/controversial, almost as if they can’t wait to post their negative thoughts to be proven right - I’ve always found it strange, each to their own

That would be the most typical of WWs reactions! Up as champions, but the doubters are claiming that was the bare minimum, I’m pissed off we didn’t with the Vertu trophy and play Man Utd on the 3rd round of the FA Cup 😂

I like it. You have to try different things. And I’m really pleased that they are trying new/different things to grow an already brilliant fan-base. …however the reality is we already have a shit-load of kids tickets that don’t get used in mid-week home games. Ive got a couple I’ll give away for free 😂

All footballers are uber-confident in their own ability/confidence. There’s fuck all chance that some are out there thinking “I’d prefer Bolton to fuck-up this season because I know I’m not good enough for the league above and it’s better for me, because I’ll continue earning a decent corn from this club in L1”.

Back end of last year he played lots of them. Off the top of my head I remember Big Dave, Inwood, Lawrence, Sharples-Ahmed, Hutchinson. Seen some of them this year too along with Smith, Irwin, Ritchie? Think you’re off the mark calling that one out.

Well that was a bit shit! Hard to disagree with the negative outcry today. And I’ll also include the criticism of Schumacher. Definitely wrong team/formation to start (despite the omissions) and too slow to react (which TBF is unlike him) The only positives I’ll take away from that are - Seeing Toby getting a run out - Ticking off number 83 (yes @Marc505 😂) - We are not now comparing ourselves to Lincoln and Cardiff - it’s the other inconsistent fuck ups around us. Our best 11 can still do this. Tuesday is a little dress rehearsal.

Oh bloody hell mate, that’s a tough one to take! The “tick” was the deciding factor for me today 83/92 (in my rules not @Marc505 😉)

That’s what I thought at first. But I’m now thinking @Traf might be right with Christie as a holding midfielder like he did when he came on last week. Welcome back the Ivan Campo role! 😂

Forino and Kenny are obviously the ones injured/ill/unavailable this week - as SS alluded to in his pre-match presser. Looks like 3CBs with WBs

Don’t come crying on here about not having your preferred derbies! 😂 You’ve had Cardiff this season, Portsmouth last season (and surely fairly regularly this last decade?) Imagine having had to have made do with Morecambe, Fleetwood, Accrington and Wigan, when prior to that it was Blackburn and Preston and two decades ago United and City!

Wagons rolling!

Settling or setting out for a draw I agree. To be honest I don’t think that’s ever Schumacher’s way. Crazy really when you consider how many draws we’ve actually had! But off the top of my head I can’t think of a game where we set out or ended up settling for a draw. But if the context is battling back to get a draw, showing some mettle before the play-offs that would be ok IMO