Knicked off statto on Wednesday Ways, average position of teams left to play

 

Edited February 13, 20233 yr by green genie

Just now, Wanderlust said:

Exactly my point.

We need to play at our absolute best - which is a lot better than we've played recently - and hope that it's enough.

I can accept not qualifying if we've given it our best shot.

Seems the actual return over the last 4 does not line up with the negativity surrounding some folks here at the moment. I honestly don't know whether we will make the playoffs or not but I'm struggling to see how going unbeaten in the last 4 and showing that on the biggest of stages the team can perform is generating so much negatively. I'll be down hearted if we don't make it but we've still progressed and that isn't nothing.

1 minute ago, perth_white said:

Seems the actual return over the last 4 does not line up with the negativity surrounding some folks here at the moment. I honestly don't know whether we will make the playoffs or not but I'm struggling to see how going unbeaten in the last 4 and showing that on the biggest of stages the team can perform is generating so much negatively. I'll be down hearted if we don't make it but we've still progressed and that isn't nothing.

I think the negativity stems from the nature of recent performances mate - made worse by the fact we can play a lot better as demonstrated at Wembley.

I agree we seem to have made progress insmuch that this season the playoffs are in our hands.

6 hours ago, Wanderlust said:

I think the negativity stems from the nature of recent performances mate - made worse by the fact we can play a lot better as demonstrated at Wembley.

I agree we seem to have made progress insmuch that this season the playoffs are in our hands.

Agreed. Wembley showed what this group of players are capable of.  In the league lately we just haven't been working the opposition keepers hard enough, yet we created 7 or 8 good chances at Wembley.

7 hours ago, perth_white said:

Seems the actual return over the last 4 does not line up with the negativity surrounding some folks here at the moment. I honestly don't know whether we will make the playoffs or not but I'm struggling to see how going unbeaten in the last 4 and showing that on the biggest of stages the team can perform is generating so much negatively. I'll be down hearted if we don't make it but we've still progressed and that isn't nothing.

People are panicking after the poor show against Cambridge- yes we are capable of blowing teams apart but also can be awful like the games leading upto Sheff Wednesday. We need a confident Bolton to turn up and I am sure we will get over the line

19 minutes ago, RUREADY2ROLL said:

People are panicking after the poor show against Cambridge- yes we are capable of blowing teams apart but also can be awful like the games leading upto Sheff Wednesday. We need a confident Bolton to turn up and I am sure we will get over the line

Look at the teams up top, all underperforming right now.

Some of the reaction to our draw on Monday is bonkers.

no one, absolutey no one should expect us to batter teams week in week out. Madness.

Not long ago we’d probably have lost that game.

Its the end of the season, injuries are biting and nerves play a part.

Its probably the time of season when the fans can be of most help.

If the 4 points we picked up over Easter weekend were reversed, we'd all be extremely pleased I'd imagine.

Virtually all of the top 8/9 all dropping points fairly regularly at the moment. Plenty of twists and turns left. 

FWIW I think 4 wins will get us in.

12 minutes ago, Spider said:

Look at the teams up top, all underperforming right now.

 It's just Derby and SW both getting five points from last 5 matches -  then BWFC and Wycombe with 6/15

The rest are doing OK:

Argyle, Pompey and Barnsley all 9/15

Posh and Ipswich 13/15

Realistically we need to build up a head of steam like Pompey and Ipswich right now, not only to get into the playoffs but to have a winning run behind us and players in form so that we have a chance of doing something when we get there.

 

 

Think expectations across the board need to be tempered a tad. 
 

when we’re good we’re very good. But it requires all players to be on it. If they’re not we end up with performance levels and results like Monday. Ultimately these are L1 players. If they could perform at our very good level week in week out they wouldn’t be in L1 it’s as simple as that. There’s peaks and troughs throughout the season for all so judgement will come after 46 games

if we don’t make the play offs will it be deemed a success? I personally don’t think it will. There’s been progress yes but we should be in them. 
 

but when you then look at what play off success looks like, we’re some distance off competing in the champ. When you watch those games, the way teams move the ball, the pace, movement, we’d get torn to shreds on many an occasion. 
 

sounds Barmy but I want us to get to the play offs and lose. Play offs and a cup win would be a very good season but allow us to mature and build again next season and give any potential promotion a better crack

2 minutes ago, barrycowdrill said:

sounds Barmy but I want us to get to the play offs and lose. Play offs and a cup win would be a very good season but allow us to mature and build again next season and give any potential promotion a better crack

Not that barmy, really.

I think we'd really struggle if we went up this time around. If, however, we could keep our 'better' players and then strengthen again like Plymouth did last/this season, we'd be in a better long-term position.

That said, the summer window would have to be miles better than January's poor effort and if we're losing in the play-offs, I'd rather it was pre-Wembley.

13 minutes ago, Traf said:

Not that barmy, really.

I think we'd really struggle if we went up this time around. If, however, we could keep our 'better' players and then strengthen again like Plymouth did last/this season, we'd be in a better long-term position.

That said, the summer window would have to be miles better than January's poor effort and if we're losing in the play-offs, I'd rather it was pre-Wembley.

There is only Ipswich that I would say are much better than us so on basis we would struggle if we went up you could say the same for any other team. 
 

your right the last window weakened us and if we did manage to make it (big ask) we would need 5-6 quality signings to compete. Not sure we have the cash 

26 minutes ago, barrycowdrill said:

if we don’t make the play offs will it be deemed a success? I personally don’t think it will. There’s been progress yes but we should be in them. 

sounds Barmy but I want us to get to the play offs and lose. Play offs and a cup win would be a very good season but allow us to mature and build again next season and give any potential promotion a better crack

This 100% apart from the hope we lose in the play-offs bit!!!!

In my opinion clear progress will only be defined by a play-off place.

We finished 9th last season with a far far weaker team/squad. 7th or 8th then will therefore be absolute minimal progress if any at all.

I know we aren’t ready for Championship and don’t think we will go up in the PO but that experience will be important for a proper promotion challenge next season.

32 minutes ago, Wanderlust said:

Pompey

Your Pompey example, is the best to highlight your negative slant on form. 

They’ve drawn their last 2 against relegation candidates! Monday at home to Morecambe.

I watched their game against MK Dons last week they weren’t that great, let me tell you.

As @Spider said nobody is faultless in this run-in.

You can pretty much find what you want in “form”  to back up whether your team can get what they need or not. 

At the end of the day it comes down to your mindset as to whether you feel we will do it or not.

I’m pretty much always on the positive, which is why I think we can go unbeaten till the end of the season and make it into the play-offs.

I’ve seen enough in our “form” in our last 3 games to suggest that will be the case. 

That’s the reason I’m going to Oxford Saturday and won’t be sat in front of Soccer Saturday or ifollow panicking about the other teams. 

 

17 minutes ago, desperado said:

Your Pompey example, is the best to highlight your negative slant on form. 

They’ve drawn their last 2 against relegation candidates! Monday at home to Morecambe.

I watched their game against MK Dons last week they weren’t that great, let me tell you.

As @Spider said nobody is faultless in this run-in.

You can pretty much find what you want in “form”  to back up whether your team can get what they need or not. 

At the end of the day it comes down to your mindset as to whether you feel we will do it or not.

I’m pretty much always on the positive, which is why I think we can go unbeaten till the end of the season and make it into the play-offs.

I’ve seen enough in our “form” in our last 3 games to suggest that will be the case. 

That’s the reason I’m going to Oxford Saturday and won’t be sat in front of Soccer Saturday or ifollow panicking about the other teams. 

 

I will be at both Oxford and Burton and believe we can get maximum points if we raise our game again.

might go to one of the three remaining home games; and Brissle

31 minutes ago, captainmed said:

This 100% apart from the hope we lose in the play-offs bit!!!!

we aren’t ready for Championship 

Weird one isn’t it as I don’t want us to lose any game. Suppose your wording about not thinking we will go up in them is more apt. But you get my point

sometimes promotion can come too soon and whilst it might give some more wiggle room in the budget in the short term, over the medium / long term I can’t see it helping. 
 

clubs who are stable in the higher leagues generally go through a phase of reaching the play offs - losing in them - getting in them again but losing the final then going up. It’s about small building blocks. Us going up this season could potentially turn us in to a Rotherham / Barnsley where you’re too good for one but shit for the other. 
 

additionally there’s a lot of optimism in the fan base at the min. Growth in sales etc. primarily because 6/7 times out of 10 we win the game. As we are currently but with maybe a couple of additions we’d turn in to a getting beat 6/7 times and that would quickly turn off the fan base. We know that as we’ve been through it already. 
 

id much rather us be a good L1 side bit by bit building to hold our own in the champ than a poor champ team clinging on for dear life 

The new influx of 'fans' will want to see winning football and that's more likely if we don't go up this time. A narrow failure provides hope for next season too.

It's all a bit mad, because I'd love us to go up, but staying down might benefit us more in the long run. Difficult call.

2 minutes ago, Traf said:

The new influx of 'fans' will want to see winning football and that's more likely if we don't go up this time. A narrow failure provides hope for next season too.

It's all a bit mad, because I'd love us to go up, but staying down might benefit us more in the long run. Difficult call.

Only have to look at Wigan this year. Going up before being ready potentially worse long term?

I want to see us go up; agree we could struggle but with IE still with us I believe we could do a Luton and recruit to compete first season up and get mid table 

I think we would be better having another season in league 1. I dont think the league will be a as strong next season, with the teams that are coming down, so think autos would be a distinct possibility next season.

I agree with you Barry apart from fearing promotion.

It's true the current squad would get battered in the Championship without considerable investment in players but we don't know what FVs plan is.

I reckon being in the Championship would be more attractive for investors or FV might want to flip it having got us there.

 

2 hours ago, Spider said:

 

Not long ago we’d probably have lost that game.

 

When?  

I'm not being negative but that seems a throwaway line not based on anything 

We rarely lose at home and we've won twice as many as we've lost this season 

I'd say we normally win that game 

But for the first hour we may have

@Traf @barrycowdrill @captainmed I can’t disagree with your realistic outlook. All your points are valid and with good substance and reasoning. 

It’s for this reason, that if we don’t go up, come the summer,  I won’t be that disappointed. I’ll be looking forward to August in L1 with an optimism that we can go that one step further. This season will have been a building block and one of progress to set us up for one challenging for automatic promotion, putting Wigan and Blackpool to the sword along the way…

But that’s for then. For now, the Bolton way is never conventional or predictable.

We have history of drama and of upstaging our competitors around us.

While promotion is still in our hands, we try to grasp it while we can. When we were promoted to the prem who would have thought we’d remain there for 10 years? 

We need to embrace every game, every victory, every point that this season has left in store. 

It would be a remarkable, historic BWFC season if we pulled it off and its still very much possible.

Surely we have to go for promotion?

If we're being positive, promotion could bring in new money or new ownership to the club - and given how quickly we've risen, the PR exercises, the growth of the fan base, the much publicised engagement with the community and the style of football, it seems as if the whole season has been geared to putting the club in the shop window.

If we are being negative, we don't know to what extent FV have bet the ranch on promotion this season - so there's no guarantee we'll be able to replicate anything like this squad if we don't get promotion whilst it's still in our hands.

2 minutes ago, Wanderlust said:

Surely we have to go for promotion?

Don’t think anyone is saying we don’t.

Just some intelligent reasoning that realistically in the long run this season being a stepping stone to promotion  might not be a bad thing.

FWIW as you can see above I’m truly in the camp of embrace and aim for promotion this year.

Going up doesn't concern me.

I remember Evatt's comments about needing more than physicality when going into the championship.

Perhaps wasn't the best thing to say at the time, as it may have spurred on Wigan, but he has since been shown to have had a point.

Strangely, I reckon us getting there may be more difficult for him than keeping us there.

Peterborough United has received a three-point deduction to be suspended until 31 December 2023 and been fined £50,000 after failing to comply with EFL Regulations.

 

Shame this has been suspended.