Eddie

Intensity. A rare beast in our team, usually seen for 15-20 minute periods every 4th or 5th game. Our whole setup is based around slow, controlled, keep the ball (so they can’t score, ha), methodical. I’m a broken record but it makes it so hard to switch it on when needed, drains the life out of a fanbase and feeds the opposition when they knick it / a pass goes astray. Evatt’s philosophy at the start was around fitness, players wouldn’t play until they got up to the fitness required for this team, you ran and ran and ran, even when the half time whistle went you ran off the pitch. We were supposed to run teams ragged, we’d outlast them due to the possession but also the constant movement. Now, we keep the ball but at a snails pace, the opposition don’t need to move and so they are never warn down - it’s a completely different possession stat compared to what we used to have.

I don’t think it’s on formation anymore though. I honestly reckon he could go 4231 next match and you wouldn’t see much difference. @jeep has it right for me, consistent lack of application/ effort from the players and general demeanour points to only one thing… and it doesn’t usually switch around once it goes that way.

Looks pretty official then 😂 Leaning out of a rooftop garden is a new one for a signing announcement.

£1 free bet on a Collins hat trick. Today’s the day his season starts

Has Dan actually gone then? Saw the rumours but nothing official. Iredale to Hibs permanent Morley to Wycombe on loan Dan to Cambridge on loan Anyone else out?

Geordies are a different breed. Sold out away end at Forest and they’ve just celebrated like they’ve won the cup - it’s the 2nd round of the league cup, chill out!

I think a fit and in form Dempsey might well be the missing link in Evatt’s masterplan. Play him in those 2 10s at the top of the ‘box’ and it all becomes very fluid as TMGJ says - 3 in midfield one minute and then 3 breaking forward the next. We don’t have anyone that has that engine and ability to cover ground like he does. I like @Casinos suggestion for just Baxter and Collins to replace Southwood and Arfield (Toal and Sheehan just because they are out of form and nobody should be undroppable), but I doubt we’ll see it. Whatever happens, if Dempsey is fit enough then he has to start on Saturday for me if we want a balanced system.

Was that an indirect free-kick for some reason? If not, I’ll never understand why players do that little nudge to another and then shoot. No difference in angle, the ball isn’t moving and it just gives the defenders time to close it down. Get in Dion

Not that I want to brand myself as a GT knocker - I think he’s slightly limited and don’t rate him as highly as others seem to, but certainly no knocker - I do think you have to take into account the level of the opposition. It’s all well and good bossing a game against cannon fodder but that won’t get us promoted. He has time and space and that’s when he’s at his best. I do think he’s been excellent by the way, and some of his passes as I said earlier have been unreal, but you can’t really use this game as a genuine comparator of performances.

Half time observations - Forino looks a player - Dempsey’s energy and late runs into the box are excellent. I’d have him starting if he’s back on form - Midfield 3 looks really good. GT has played some incredible balls - JDC’s final ball is absolutely woeful - Johnston with another solid 45 mins under his belt - We should be 5-0 up - Shrewsbury are shite

We played him left wing back 😂

Exactly, and there are too many games in this league, especially at home, where we will still win, regardless. It makes us look like we go on good runs but like you say it tells us nothing. We’ll still lose the big games and when it matters and ultimately fall short. Look at that last 15 games breakdown - other than Barnsley away you could have pretty much picked every one of those that we didn’t win. Too predictable, flat track bullies.

He needed a quick start after the damage of Oxford. Signings built a bit of positivity but it was papering over the general consensus that Evatt had lost all credit he ever had. He got lucky with Orient due to them having their version of Billy Crellin in net. The warning signs for this new formation but with the same old tactics were there, as always he’s doubled down rather than correcting and he’s already got plenty of fans on his back. I really do think that the way we lost that Oxford game will be his ultimate downfall. It won’t be forgotten and will be used as a stick to beat him with (rightly or wrongly) whenever things aren’t great. Not only does he have to go up this year to have any chance of getting the fans back, he needs to do it by getting us up there from the off, otherwise I really don’t think he’ll get the chance to get us up.

The midfield wasn’t good enough last year. Since then he’s taken out the creator and replaced with nobody - what the fuck did he expect? Leopard and spots and all that, I just don’t have any patience left for him. In the place now that I’d be pretty happy if it was announced he’s gone tomorrow before we waste the season

Last year was just about the perfect away performance, we looked so good. Same again please 2-0 Collins and Vic