The Real Plan A 2.0?

Evatt said the above in June 2024:

With the appointment of Schumacher, I figured we now have the Real Plan A 2.0.

Q - What do we think about targets for the second half of the season?

Just looked through our fixture list and fuck me, it’s got potential to be spicy!

Upcoming Fixtures:
Sat, 1 Feb – Reading (A) (10th)
Sat, 8 Feb – Crawley Town (H) (22nd)
Sat, 15 Feb – Shrewsbury Town (A) (24th)
Sat, 22 Feb – Leyton Orient (H) (6th)
Sat, 1 Mar – Wrexham (A) (3rd)
Tue, 4 Mar – Birmingham City (H) (1st)
Sat, 8 Mar – Burton Albion (A) (21st)
Tue, 11 Mar – Bristol Rovers (A) (19th)
Sat, 15 Mar – Stockport County (H) (5th)
Sat, 22 Mar – Rotherham United (H) (14th)
Sat, 29 Mar – Blackpool (A) (13th)
Tue, 1 Apr – Wigan Athletic (A) (16th)
Sat, 5 Apr – Bristol Rovers (H) (19th)
Sat, 12 Apr – Barnsley (A) (9th)
Fri, 18 Apr – Wycombe Wanderers (H) (2nd)
Mon, 21 Apr – Lincoln City (A) (11th)
Sat, 26 Apr – Peterborough United (A) (18th)
Sat, 3 May – Stevenage (H) (15th)

I've underlined some of the tougher runs. It starts off fairly chill, so maybe we can build confidence before the Wrexham and Birmingham games. Then from 15 March - 1 April, we’ve got a local derby bonanza (plus Rotherham).

Q2 Are automatics on the table?

14 points off 2nd-placed Wycombe with 18 games remaining!?

I’ve run the numbers, and if Wycombe kept up their current 2.07 PPG, we’d need a ridiculous 2.9 PPG just to catch them—basically winning every game. But factoring in a 10-20% drop-off and leapfrogging the teams below them, we’d still need 2.4-2.7 PPG—that’s at least 14-15 wins from 18.

Doable? Maybe. But it leaves zero room for slip-ups.

Can we finally put together the kind of ruthless run we’ve been waiting for? Or is it playoffs again?

10 hours ago, Wanderlust said:

Evatt took us to one game from the Championship - a game in which the opposition crocked our best player in the opening minutes and weren't punished for it and a game in which several of our current squad didn't show up. It seemed like we were victims of a tactical masterclass but IMO Evatt lost us because he didn't change tactics or make subs when it was blindingly obvious what was happening - and as usual he kept faith in his starting eleven and his plan until it was too late - even though some of the players were having an off day and seemed to have the attitude that they had a right to win.

I think it's because he didn't know how to

neither did the players

which is why everyone who was asked said they don't know what happened

then Evatt spent the summer looking for a different way to do the same thing

and he didn't know how to do that either and made a right mess of it

4 minutes ago, Zico said:

I think it's because he didn't know how to

neither did the players

which is why everyone who was asked said they don't know what happened

then Evatt spent the summer looking for a different way to do the same thing

and he didn't know how to do that either and made a right mess of it

probably didn't help that his two modes were dull or shouty.

much prefer the SS energy vibes.

Just now, wakey said:

probably didn't help that his two modes were dull or shouty.

much prefer the SS energy vibes.

don't forget "self pity"

1 minute ago, Zico said:

don't forget "self pity"

thinking about it, he could sound dull and whiney even when he was boasting.

God, I'm glad he's gone. 

48 minutes ago, Zico said:

I think it's because he didn't know how to

neither did the players

which is why everyone who was asked said they don't know what happened

then Evatt spent the summer looking for a different way to do the same thing

and he didn't know how to do that either and made a right mess of it

Yeah, he knew how the system was supposed to work but had nothing when it was countered except "do it better"

Hence Plan A 2.0 and not Plan B

The only thing he didn't try was changing from a back 3/5.

Daft thing is doing that could fixed a whole lot more than the bonkers line ups we started the season with.

31 minutes ago, gonzo said:

The only thing he didn't try was changing from a back 3/5.

Daft thing is doing that could fixed a whole lot more than the bonkers line ups we started the season with.

In my football manager simulator moments, I still believe we can switch to 4 at the back and all of a sudden it all clicks and we go on an unbelievable run to promotion 😂

1 hour ago, desperado said:

In my football manager simulator moments, I still believe we can switch to 4 at the back and all of a sudden it all clicks and we go on an unbelievable run to promotion 😂

Yep me too.

Flat back 4. 2 full backs that don't past the halfway line.

2 fast wingers running to byline putting crosses in.

2 centre mids, one passer, one combative. 

2 lads up front, one good in air other a poacher with a bit of class.

Fuck me it's 1993 all over again

11 minutes ago, gonzo said:

Yep me too.

Flat back 4. 2 full backs that don't past the halfway line.

2 fast wingers running to byline putting crosses in.

2 centre mids, one passer, one combative. 

2 lads up front, one good in air other a poacher with a bit of class.

Fuck me it's 1993 all over again

I was happy with 4-2-3-1 like in 2020

He was not a taker of advice either.

Took him half a season to drop Crellin. Even then he 'just' brought back his retired coach.

His persistent 'no keeper on the bench' of seven. I don't care that he got away with it.

He poo-pood the idea of a tough midfielder. 

Despite claiming 4 at the back was his favourite he continually played 5, or 3. OK, if doing that recruit wing backs ... but no, he continually bought wingers but then forced them into defensive players. Worst of both Worlds.

The fans call for Plan B. He actively mocked the fans for it.

No hold-up centre forward. Like he was allergic to the idea.

His 2 man midfield. Seriously, wtf ?

40 minutes ago, Dr. Feelgood said:

He was not a taker of advice either.

Took him half a season to drop Crellin. Even then he 'just' brought back his retired coach.

His persistent 'no keeper on the bench' of seven. I don't care that he got away with it.

He poo-pood the idea of a tough midfielder. 

Despite claiming 4 at the back was his favourite he continually played 5, or 3. OK, if doing that recruit wing backs ... but no, he continually bought wingers but then forced them into defensive players. Worst of both Worlds.

The fans call for Plan B. He actively mocked the fans for it.

No hold-up centre forward. Like he was allergic to the idea.

His 2 man midfield. Seriously, wtf ?

He did show an unfeasible amount of loyalty to some players almost as if he always believed they would get it sorted eventually. Similarly his system - wouldn't change it for the world although he tried to tweak it occasionally. And to be fair it did take us a long way as his win ratio shows.  But I reckon his total belief in what he was doing severely limited his ability to chop and change even when it became patently obvious he needed to react to what was happening on the pitch.

I like a bit of confidence in a manager - and a manager who shows faith in his players - but when things start going wrong something has to change and he just couldn't bring himself do it and that's blind faith.

If a player has a stinker, dropping him for the next game helps IMO.

TBF though, he did mix it up with "hold up CFs" in the form of CJ and JBD - with mixed results - so he wasn't totally averse to the idea.

I just think and hope that SS is more willing to adapt the plan and selection to suit specific opposition rather than Evatt's one size fits all approach.

Edited February 5, 20251 yr by Wanderlust

1 hour ago, gonzo said:

Yep me too.

Flat back 4. 2 full backs that don't past the halfway line.

2 fast wingers running to byline putting crosses in.

2 centre mids, one passer, one combative. 

2 lads up front, one good in air other a poacher with a bit of class.

Fuck me it's 1993 all over again

I like the sound of that.

Then I realised we used to have a flat back 4 where the full backs definitely crossed the half way line and contributed to attacks, but kept it solid too (Bergsson, Phillips at Burnden - other eg's too).

2 fast wingers - Lee, Thompson, Sellars - so much more than just wingers

2 centre mids - both passers and both combative - eg Sheridan, Thompson, Kelly, McAteer, Sneekes

2 up front, both poachers and good in the air (take your pick from McGinlay, Mixu, Coyle, Walker)

Blimey we were good, we are a million miles from that class aren't we.

1 hour ago, Dr. Feelgood said:

He was not a taker of advice either.

Took him half a season to drop Crellin. Even then he 'just' brought back his retired coach.

His persistent 'no keeper on the bench' of seven. I don't care that he got away with it.

He poo-pood the idea of a tough midfielder. 

Despite claiming 4 at the back was his favourite he continually played 5, or 3. OK, if doing that recruit wing backs ... but no, he continually bought wingers but then forced them into defensive players. Worst of both Worlds.

The fans call for Plan B. He actively mocked the fans for it.

No hold-up centre forward. Like he was allergic to the idea.

His 2 man midfield. Seriously, wtf ?

I think he got worse as he went on.  I wouldn't say he was the worst manager I've seen here, but if I was just judging his last 18 months, yes he was the worst I've seen taking everything into account like finances and standard of opposition (excluding very short term managers like Sammy Lee). 

I thought he peaked that season he got in Bakayoko, JDB up front and we had Kieran Lee and Fossey etc, it all made sense then, we played with purpose and a plan for a while.  Then as you say he actively dismantled the idea of having anyone that could hold a ball up, along with all the other points you make.

And we still kept him till mid January.

Nice visual of our squad and strength In depth for all positions.

Forrester should be in that CB position though.

11 minutes ago, desperado said:

 

Fucking nobody is beating that starting lineup.

 

33 minutes ago, desperado said:

Nice visual of our squad and strength In depth for all positions.

Forrester should be in that CB position though.

Amazing 

Strength and Depp 

41 minutes ago, gonzo said:

Fucking nobody is beating that starting lineup.

6-9-3-4, with 3 keepers. It's the future.

1 hour ago, Wanderlust said:

 

 but when things start going wrong something has to change and he just couldn't bring himself do it and that's blind faith.

 

Attributes of a gambling addict and born again Christian right there

1 hour ago, gonzo said:

Fucking nobody is beating that starting lineup.

 

You have seen our recent record against Wiggin I take it ?

1 hour ago, gonzo said:

Fucking nobody is beating that starting lineup.

 

I'm a bit concerned we might be overrun in the right of centre midfield area though

17 hours ago, Wanderlust said:

Evatt took us to one game from the Championship - a game in which the opposition crocked our best player in the opening minutes and weren't punished for it and a game in which several of our current squad didn't show up. It seemed like we were victims of a tactical masterclass but IMO Evatt lost us because he didn't change tactics or make subs when it was blindingly obvious what was happening - and as usual he kept faith in his starting eleven and his plan until it was too late - even though some of the players were having an off day and seemed to have the attitude that they had a right to win.

With SS at the helm I doubt very much those mistakes will be repeated.

Mistakes will almost certainly happen but not the same mistakes for a season and a half, week in week out despite 20,000 (inc no show) fans telling him it's not working.

1 hour ago, Cheese said:

6-9-3-4, with 3 keepers. It's the future.

Tannoy man will be all day announcing the team. And wearing number ---- sponsored by ----

We've had great strength in depth for 2 years, if only we had 11 starters that IE could get to score a goal against a decent side 😀

No change for 15 of the 25 since last season (except loss of Dempsey to injury).

9 new outfield players: 

Schon, Murphy, Desmond and Forinho replaced Iredale, Ogbeta, Ramsay, Taylor, Ashworth and Williams

Matete, Lolos and Randall replaced Maghoma (and Dempsey) 

McAtee and Etete replaced JDB, Charles, Dan and Jerome

Hard to say which department of the team we (IE) strengthened, probably midfield overall if Lolos and Randall are midfielders, but Maghoma a huge loss.

Strength in depth never an issue, we haven't struggled to have a squad full of 1st teamers despite injuries.

We just need SS to get more of a tune out of them than IE could manage.

Edited February 5, 20251 yr by Johnnyrotten

2 hours ago, gonzo said:

Fucking nobody is beating that starting 

Would we keep one up for an opposition corner ?

17 hours ago, Chadderton said:

Would we keep one up for an opposition corner ?

No and we'd still let them have two men free on the edge of our box.