Eagle85

The difference ACD makes cannot be understated, and I dont just mean the goals. I often think our squad can freeze a bit in the high pressure situations, with nobody seeming to take responsibility. HIs determination and work rate both out of possession and also in position constantly looking for space is exceptional. Not only has it driven the team forward but I'd imagine it makes it easier for others to find space on the back of the chaos he causes the opposition.

Not exactly sure why but hearing about football teams losing loads of money has always stressed me out, even more so after what happened to us a few years ago. I'd give anything for some kind of salary cap on overall wages spend to prevent these kinds of losses, with it being increased as a percentage of your incoming gate receipts. That way there is still a hierachy same as now with bigger clubs having a slight advantage but it gets the smaller clubs a bit closer. And a rugby league style incentive of any youth players coming through your system you get some of their wages at a discount towards the cap. It's impossible though as it would have to be a worldwide thing or else all talent would just move abroad.

Also the rest of league one this year. Huddersfield and Luton with similar expectations finding it tough. Plymouth a disaster all year and now on a great run once it seemed like any chance of promotion was off the table so pressure was gone. The current top 2 include a team nobody expected and the other, whilst a big(ish) club, still get poor crowds for an established championship team that's been top for most of the season. Big clubs with similar expectations promoted from league 1 last few years - Sunderland needed playoffs, Sheff Weds needed playoffs, Derby needed multiple ugly/nervy 1-0 wins to scrape 2nd. Birmingham last year the obvious exception.

I think we underestimate how much pressure there is playing for a club as big as ours in the current level, with such a demand on expectations. I think it makes it much harder for players and managers to achieve with those demands. Look at this season so far - Our players know that too many sideways/backwards passes or small mistakes, particular against poor teams with low blocks, will invite pressure from the fans. This might explain our first half performances. I also think we are so good at late comebacks because when behind with a few minutes left you can't overthink things and have to go for it. It then becomes an automatic response rather than a thought process so thoughts of the bigger picture briefly go out the window. If this is part of the problem I know the obvious answer is to have staff and players that can handle it, but then how much do you compromise quality, and how easy is it to spot who will be able to cope and who won't.

Very late to the party catching up with this thread but that pass you mentioned almost made me melt in my seat. Sublime stuff.

With the exception of those that have genuine reasons, so many of our fans leaving early was shocking. Especially considering how many late goals we've got although that should be irrelevant. As an example theres one guy who sits near me who always leaves around 60-70 mins when we're losing, muttering that hes had enough as he storms off. He's missed all our late goals this season, and I'm not exaggerating, every single one. Today he left at half time. Injury time winners are the best bit of football by a mile, how can someone repeatedly deny themselves the possibility of seeing it just because they cant handle a bit of adversity. Absolute madness.

That last 10 minutes was something truly special. What an entertaining season this has been so far. Seemed to me that coming off the back of a 5-1 away win and creating a clear cut chance in the first minutes our lads thought this would be easy street. There was no desire to do the basics or show any level of fight early on. I knew we'd be ok 2nd half after a rollocking but being 2 down makes it so difficult. Not keen on booing the team at HT but felt it was warranted today as it was clear a massive wake up call was needed. Thought SS had messed up with the triple subs as it seemed we were on top and it took the steam out of things, I know being 2-0 down at home hes got to be seen to be going for it but leaving us with no central midfield was crazy, thought we would lose by 4 or 5 but what do I know. Well played to all involved. Absolutely buzzing.

+ Dalby sensational, his improvement over the last few games has been remarkable. + It's been a bit grim down the Reebok recently but the atmosphere on Saturday was brilliant. Added to such an exciting game. + We did really well to hang on. Their first was one of those things that happens, maybe SS could have reacted after that but it was hard to imagine them really threatening after that first half. They were always going to have the best of it late on with such a massive momentum swing so fair play for showing the fight needed. - Referee/Linesman for that keeper handball. Absolute joke, bang in line with it 15 yards away. Probs not giving it because deciding on a red or yellow would be (understandably) too difficult a decision. - Gale. 3-2 up with under 20 mins left. I know grafting and discipline isn't his bag but good players adapt and do whats needed. Just stayed wide waiting for those skill moments. Shows he cares more about himself than the team.

- Signing any proven goalscorer in January is always an unrealistic ask as the price will be massively inflated and likely unaffordable. It's about signing a player that has the potential to score based on what you're trying to do so its always an educated guess from the manager/scouts. I'm glad we've not lowered ourself to desperately signing injured players though (Hardie), even though that might have been the best option. - Mcatee has looked really sharp recently, was that to try and engineer a move away or fighting for his place? Hopefully the latter. Really think he can make a difference but might lose his head if back on the bench. - A nice mix of power (CBT,Dalby), speed (Mcatee, Kenny, CBT), and skill (Rubes, Apter). Good to have different ways to attack. As always there's no guarantee of success, but that's a great window compared to what we've been used to recently. Very excited moving forward.

Only time I've ever cried as a Bolton fan as well for exactly the same reason. How did this thread get so depressing all of a sudden, came on here to get excited about new transfers 🤣

Iredale slowly walking over to take that corner when 2-0 down somewhere around 70 mins is probably the most angry I've ever been as a Bolton fan.

Aye fair point I've probably stereotyped them a bit there based on last few seasons.

You might be referring to me there as I said something along those lines and not seen anything else. Not sure why you're having a dig at that, it was just a theory and a fair point for discussion especially as lots were questioning why SS was using different methods to the one that got him promoted with Plymouth. I would imagine in all interviews the board will ask the manager how he is likely to go about things from a playing perspective. It totally makes business sense that a better style would attract more fans, particularly casuals and therefore more revenue. Obviously it doesn't trump winning but it comes a close 2nd for a lot of people.

+ Dalbys biggest critic me but was MOM by a mile. Linked play up well, pressed well and still managed to get into the place where it counts to get those scruffy goals that we have been lacking over the last few seasons. Still slow as hell not easy to watch but If he plays like that everyone around him will find it easier and have more success. + Another injury time winner, been so many this season, nothing better. + Seeing an anti-football team get what they deserve after getting their hopes up of a point. + Erhahon really good again, that 3-5-2 bringing out the better side of Forino and Demps. - Awful to watch, which to be fair was expected missing Sheehan and ACD whilst playing against such a shithouse team on a cold January evening. - Our defenders looking confused at what to do against the low block as though its a massive surprise that is happening.

Sorry for giving myself a plug, but think this is exactly what we saw in the first half yesterday. A terrified bunch of players trying to knock it about low on confidence knowing that the fans will be on their back as soon as they make an error. Higher tempo 2nd half which turned the game into a bit of a lottery but thankfully we came out on the right side. Playing it faster makes things a bit more instinctive which probably helped the players get out of their own heads. Great to get a win not playing well. Gutted about ACD though, might not be on the best form but his hard work alone will be a big miss. Erhahon was good, strange that he usually gets subbed off around 65-70 even when playing well, suggesting he isn't fit enough, but was still pressing well deep into injury time yesterday.

I think it becomes slow, panicky and dreary when the team loses confidence. There were games under Evatt ball when we would absolutely dominate against top sides, scoring great goals, then during difficult periods slowly labouring against poor ones with the players looking like heads had gone. We've seen the same to a lesser extent with SS (Mansfield really affected us). I agree that asking league one standard players to play that patient controlling style when confidence is low, and in front of 20,000 expectant fans is a recipe for disaster. It's also more difficult to do away from home when the opp are more likely to be riled up by their fans and pounce on any errors more effectively. But I really hope we stick with it and just sort the striker situation out which would hopefully bring that confidence back, rather than trying to change too much. Winning games and getting promoted that way, whilst harder, would be much more fulfilling

Would be a terrible decision to get rid of Morley. Set pieces and crossing are our 2 big weaknesses, and they're what hes best at in our current squad. Over the years the home games when we struggled against a low block him coming on late for those reasons were a massive bonus. I would never start him but for the sake of 250k and about 5k a week we should try to keep him just for the impact sub ability when something different is needed.

As much as I would love to see it myself sometimes, I don't think it's as simple as attack faster, hit it forward earlier and get early crosses in. Most teams in this league are not as good as us in terms of player skill, but they still have good athletes. The more we up the tempo the more it plays into their hands as it then becomes less about skill and more about athleticism during transitions, this gives them much more of a chance. I don't think there's actually anything wrong at all with the way we are doing things based on XG and XG against, we just need a player or 2 that knows how to score from open play and at least some kind of set piece threat.

Not thinking about a new manager at this point. SS ticked most boxes for me and was happy with him coming, and happy with most things that's gone on since. Concerned about Saturdays events though, and he seems to be visibly stressed/suffering under the pressure when I see his interviews. Might be a wild theory but it wouldnt surprise me if as part of the interview process our owners advised that playing attractive footy is part of the gig, maybe they think the rise in attendances over last few years was down to Evatts possession footy. It was that which convinced my mrs and daughter to come watching us and even get season tickets a few years ago, no way they'd come if we played like Wrexham or Derby the other year. If that's the case then it makes it a difficult job for whoever is in charge, its hard enough playing patient, controlling styles with prem players, almost impossible with league 1. What makes me think this is that people have noticed SS is using a much different style to the one that got Plymouth up. Seems odd after having the chance to bring his own players in.

Can't believe we're getting rid of Cogley. Happily accept him giving the ball away a few times for the energy and pace he offers. Not saying its the only reason but ACD drop off happened exactly at the time he started getting less games. Christie is no improvement and is helping contribute to our slow lethargic play recently. Don't get me wrong though, Cogley not good enough to play the lone wide man if he does link up with Evatt again. Takes a special talent for that role. Can't see it going well.

Confidence in attack looks to have gone after failing to score against Mansfield. Happens to all teams but times like this you need a set piece to get by or galvanise things and we don't seem capable. Maybe that corner shouldn't have been disallowed to be fair but with how many we get should be scoring more. I play for a very low level amateur team and we have 2 lads that can consistently put in better corners than any of our lot, on much worse pitches as well. Can't get my head round 10 pros being that standard. Pissed me off hearing SS talk about the fixture pile up. Biggest squad in the league with hardly any injuries against the likes of Doncaster and Northampton. Shithouse excuse.

Top tier - Sheehan, ACD Good - Toal, Conway, Gale Hit and miss - Simons, Erhahon, Johnston, JDC, Jordi, Forss, Morley (for set pieces, late game crossing/passing) Bad - Christie, Dempsey, Randall, Dalby, TSL Get rid - Burstow, Cissokho, Forrester, Unsure - Mcatee, Taylor (try at LCB?), Forino, Johnston is hit and miss because of a lack of set piece threat, would rather try Taylor or Forino for that reason. Erhahon hit and miss due to lack of fitness, would be top tier if could play most games for 90 mins. Always loved Demps but think with better players around him his lack of quality is starting to show, doesnt seem to put it about as much these days as well which was his main asset. Burstow attitude has been awful lately and is showing why he cant get a game for what at the start of the season was supposedly a lower mid table championship team. Forrester can only play well defending charging around clearing a ball but thats not the skillset our CBs need in this league. Simons, Randall, Forss and Erhahon have the potential to climb those rankings.

I've got a lot of sympathy for SS at the moment. Going back to that Thierry Henry Pep thing about its the managers job to get us up the pitch and players job to score, hes doing everything right from his side. Whilst it could be argued that he could have signed a better striker, goalscorers dont grow on trees, and any available cost a fortune. Dalby seemed like the right choice, someone for the rest to play off as well as someone who scored regular last season. I think this season more than any we're realising how weak the Scottish league is (especially if you add how well Iredale is doing and Ndlundulu winning a trophy). TSL's error last night was a howler, worse than a usual GK mistake. But again a young player performing so well in League 2 last season and a year older seemed like an obvious choice. Apart from those can't see where we can realistically improve. A dominant centre half to help us score some set pieces and a number 10 that can get into the box for a few headed goals against a low block maybe, but then you're trading away some of our on the ball ability that makes us so dominant in most games.

+ Solid defence again, was Toal and Johnstons biggest critic early this season but both been fantastic. + Gale, can dribble, cross and finish. Particularly like his quality of delivery which compliments ACDs running ability, giving us multiple avenues to attack. + Forss work rate + Yes Exteter are shite, but breaking down that low block twice was far from easy. + Subs from SS, was frustrated no JDC especially when we needed the extra attacking threat going one down but having the option of Tutu there was a great alternative. + Sheehan again, knows when to pass backwards, knows when to spread it wide, knows when to do a little burst forward into space. - Burstow, he looks really lazy recently, lots of walking about sulking. Forss had to do much more running to cover for him. He worked really hard his first few games, theres no excuse for such a big drop in effort. - Cissoko. Surely our 4th choice wide man now. We work so hard to get the ball to our wingers with enough space to cause damage, but when it comes to him he just stops then starts with the multiple unnecessary stepovers.

The biggest problem with us in the view of many over the last few seasons is our high possession not leading to chances, partly due to not crossing enough having someone that can win headers in the box. I would rather watch that all day than hitting it to an absolute lump on the halfway line that can't run and isnt even that great at heading or holding it up. One of the best things about us over the last few years, whether under Evatt or SS, is our ability to create chances when needing a goal second half. Since we've started using Dalby as a sub this has tailed off massively (best examples Bradford and Cardiff). Hes not only an awful player but he hinders our team massively and makes us awful to watch as well as ineffective. Bodvarsson was twice the player of him and Vic combined. I'm happy to give a player lots of time to settle in (still haven't given up on Randall), but when its someone that cant even run or kick a ball properly there is no hope.