Rival Son

I get that, and vice versa. My view (and it is only a view) is that 5-3-2 is best served by full backs who can also push forward (Cogley) while 3-4-3 requires wingers who can also track back (Schon). Those who are equally good at both roles, are usually playing at a higher level than we are!

Apologies for the double post. It’s late 🍻

I’ve explained how I believe 3-4-3 differs from 5-3-2. To clarify, Cogley (as it stands) and Schon as the wide 2 of the 4, while the 3 up top would be, for example, Lolos - Charles - Collins. You seem to be saying 3-4-3 is exactly the same as 5-3-2. If I’ve misunderstood you, please correct me.

I’ve explained how I believe 3-4-3 differs from 5-3-2. To clarify, Cogley (as it stands) and Schon as the wide 2 of the 4, while the 3 up top would be, for example, Lolos - Charles - Collins. You seem to be saying 3-4-3 is exactly the same as 5-3-2. If I’ve misunderstood you, please correct me.

If we’re setting up in the rumoured 3-4-3 formation, that’s only two centre midfielders. The bigger wish for me is a right winger. Cogley is a right back, who’s been playing RWB. Hence, the inability to go past a man and deliver quality into the box. 3-4-3 requires a winger who can track back, as we’ve just signed for the left.

Have you only just noticed? He also can’t head it in any other part of the pitch. He just puts his head on the ball.

Cogley is an automatic pick and made League One team of the year, despite having a very poor final ball! Seriously, if the rest of his game looks up to it, I wouldn’t mind Conway slotting into the role of deputy LWB. i agree with Radcliffe and others, Williams is a sick note and poor in the brief periods he is fit. I’d be looking to offload if we can, or deputy at best, if Conway is not up to it. If we’re continuing with five at the back, as seems likely, a fit and more than capable LWB should be right at the top of the shopping list.

We have certainly got quantity of centre back numbers to sell Santos. The question is, have we got the quality. If all are fit, then maybe, but there are questions over fitness for both Firmino and Johnston. While we don’t want to lose him for peanuts in January and bugger all in June, I don’t think we can risk a sale, unless the money is sufficiently high to allow similar spend on proven fit and quality replacements.

Unless you have a private jet that takes off from your back garden, this is absolute bollocks. if we assume you live next to Whitt in Bolton, and you drive to the airport and park in long stay, you’ll travel side by side for the first 30 minutes, down the M61, M60 and M56, and only separate when you pull off for the airport. By the time you parked up your car and your transfer vehicle departs for the concourse, Whitt will be around Chester on the M56. By the time your start queuing for check in, Whitt will be at Mold and on the road to Bala. By time your plane takes off, he’ll be into mid-Wales. Etc., etc.

I’m sure they have, but Southgate has also earned considerably more than that. He is paid £5 million per year and has been manager for nine (long) years. Add on employer costs, and you can easily add a zero to that £5 million figure.

To me, plan A v2.0 indicates a new default shape from the start; plan A being just that! However, not every message from Evatt is logical and cohesive.

Or Arfield has been brought in to mentor and develop Thomason, make him more effective in what he does well, and remove those elements that lead many (including me) to believe him to be as much a liability as an asset. If Arfield can do this, then it’s a great job, irrespective of anything he does on the pitch.

If the quality of the national side is any guide, I’d rather us break our duck in Slovakian players or get some Danes back in!

@desperado This one? https://x.com/BBCRMsport/status/1686359121589575680

If you’re correct, Radcliffe is right to be concerned. I go further than him and say we need to recruit 2 x LWBs and 1 x RWB.

You are making an assumption that we’re setting up the same, next season. Evatt has always maintained that 4-3-3 is his preferred system; I.e. no wing backs. Thus far, we have done nothing but release players who play in this position. Of the two wing backs who remain on the books, one is long-term injured, while the other is rumoured to be attracting interest from a recently promoted rival. if we’re switching systems, we already have the personnel to put out a strong back four; perhaps another left footed defender is required. The recruitment of Lolos has improved our options to play three up top, with one central and two wider. I may be barking up the wrong tree but releases and recruitment to date, lends itself to a switch to 4-3-3. It also suggests that bids would be encouraged for Santos. We have a surplus of central defenders and I don’t believe Santos would be suited to a back 4; he certainly wasn’t in League 2.

Some will, but I don’t think the Wrexham game will be affected. Big game for them.

You missed Nlundulu from that list of shite young uns. Oh shit, we did then pay hundreds of thousands for him!

As a literary work of art, Shakespeare, Dickens et al, have little to fear. As a trip down memory lane to matches and days out still talked about, fondly remembered and sometimes forgotten, I thoroughly enjoyed the book.

2024/25 Season Ticket just found in Junk folder! By the way, remind me how many hundreds of thousands of pounds Toughsheet paid to still have the University of Bolton logo on the season ticket image? Still, it’s only their second season of sponsorship. Nice work, Neil. Have some more share options.

Corrected for you: The way this is going, he could be the worst manager to win the Euro's.

He’s definitely not quiet on the pitch, but goes about it a calm, considered manner, rather than the screaming and gesticulating that Thomason may fall into. The Welsh manager was comfortable enough to give him the job; albeit for a single match, while others were away.

Sheehan. Good enough to captain the Welsh national team, guaranteed starter, calm, and can read the game from back to front in his position.

Norris, Vela, at least three keepers including one international (Ramsdale, Lynch and Turner). And there’s probably more; including lads we rejected at 16 (Ramsdale is one) who then were finished at other clubs.

Burnden Park