Blackpool (A)

[Tombwfc]

20 minutes ago, ianofcleveleys said:

I think I recall an interview just after the season ended where SS admitted couldn't fathom how badly we'd fallen away after the Brum performance, when he, like us, was thinking we were onto a big finish. The manner of the Bristol R defeat turned out to be damaging and typical of that squad's true colours, that fully surfaced far too often thereafter.

In reality that Brum performance was a massive crack papering exercise and exercise in deception, we'd seen the flaky mentality too many times already and were in a false position because of how win/lose we were and how others around that 5th-10th area of the table were stumbling along themselves.

We move on though. SS has what he has for now till New Year, hopefully, as each block of five games goes by, we see that consistency of performance and results that has us at least in the mix for the top six when the Xmas decs go up

 

I think that's all reasonable. I just reckon there's a difference between a flawed team and an 'irredeemable car crash that no-one could manage and never had any chance of making the playoffs'.

We were good against Rotherham in mid-April and obviously should've won that game (38 shots & an XG of nearly 4). Had we done that we'd have been six points ahead of Orient with five games to play. 

[Ani]

4 hours ago, gonzo said:

Barnsley away says all you need to know about the mess he walked into.

And Rotherham away says all you need to know about the mess in Evatts later days 

Edited September 3, 2025 by Ani

[Ani]

15 minutes ago, Tombwfc said:

 

I think that's all reasonable. I just reckon there's a difference between a flawed team and an 'irredeemable car crash that no-one could manage and never had any chance of making the playoffs'.

We were good against Rotherham in mid-April and obviously should've won that game (38 shots & an XG of nearly 4). Had we done that we'd have been six points ahead of Orient with five games to play. 

Out of interest Tom how many games a season home and away do you go to ? 

[desperado]

44 minutes ago, Tombwfc said:

 

I think that's all reasonable. I just reckon there's a difference between a flawed team and an 'irredeemable car crash that no-one could manage and never had any chance of making the playoffs'.

We were good against Rotherham in mid-April and obviously should've won that game (38 shots & an XG of nearly 4). Had we done that we'd have been six points ahead of Orient with five games to play. 

I think that game made SS’s mind up about the forwards he’d been left.

Probably why we have a brand new 4/5 up top now.

Now you could question at the moment are they performing any better, as we still have the traits of not converting and translating this into goals/wins.

Add a fit Dalby and Forss Into the mix then I feel most of us think we can start firing and banking 3 points on a more regular basis.

Starting Saturday 😊

[ianofcleveleys]

1 hour ago, Tombwfc said:

 

I think that's all reasonable. I just reckon there's a difference between a flawed team and an 'irredeemable car crash that no-one could manage and never had any chance of making the playoffs'.

We were good against Rotherham in mid-April and obviously should've won that game (38 shots & an XG of nearly 4). Had we done that we'd have been six points ahead of Orient with five games to play. 

Indeed, if ever there was a game that epitomises the need not to concede first at home in L1 it was that one

[Tombwfc]

1 hour ago, Ani said:

Out of interest Tom how many games a season home and away do you go to ? 

Every home. 2/3 away.

[Leyther_Matt]

4 hours ago, Stig said:

"All but the time that mattered" is a bit of a stretch. We edged into the play off positions for a total of 2 weeks, 1 week on goal difference and 1 week by 2 points. This for a team that was in disarray by the time of Evatt's departure.

I just can't understand the leeway given to Evatt versus the lack of patience from some fans for Schumacher.

We were even money to finish in the top six as late as 5th March (just checked my betting slip).

I’m not saying we should be using last season as a stick to beat SS with, but this suggestion he came in to a useless situation just plainly isn’t true. Likewise, I’ve got a good few hundred reasons why the entire season wasn’t a write off post-January, either.

If the players downed tools for games under his tenure then that’s at his door, just as much as it was under Evatt.

Hopefully the tide is turning, but for all the stick the board (justifiably) got for sticking with Evatt too long, those same arguments are being applied for giving SS a free pass for what was a huge failure in managing to turn even money in to 8th place in the space of 6 weeks.

[Ani]

45 minutes ago, Tombwfc said:

Every home. 2/3 away.

Ok , I am not trying play who is the best fan here. 
 

Under Evatt our away performances were awful and getting worse. I am nowhere near a 100% but do the majority of aways and the rinse and repeat performances were so engrained in the club there was an almost sense of apathy across fans and players especially once we conceded a goal. 
 

Getting rid of Evatt provided a blip but at first sign of adversity the players reverted to type and performances dropped off as quickly as the injury list grew. SS spoke to the players and many of them decided it was not for them and they headed out of the door to either drop a level or bench warm higher up. 
 

The results under SS have been underwhelming but the idea he should be judged before even the completion of one transfer window is just crazy. How can anyone expect a rebuild to just happen ? 
 

The only comparison I can think of is someone restoring a property and them being criticised before they have put the roof on. 
 

Other than not signing a leader/captain to play at Centre Half I think SS has bought in the right type of players that we needed, we have decent midfield competition at last. 
 

Of course it has not fully clicked yet but if we had scored an extra goal in any one or more of the 1-1 draws I do not think anyone would be questioning him. The only awful performance this season was Lincoln. 

[Ani]

55 minutes ago, Leyther_Matt said:

We were even money to finish in the top six as late as 5th March (just checked my betting slip).

I’m not saying we should be using last season as a stick to beat SS with, but this suggestion he came in to a useless situation just plainly isn’t true. Likewise, I’ve got a good few hundred reasons why the entire season wasn’t a write off post-January, either.

If the players downed tools for games under his tenure then that’s at his door, just as much as it was under Evatt.

Hopefully the tide is turning, but for all the stick the board (justifiably) got for sticking with Evatt too long, those same arguments are being applied for giving SS a free pass for what was a huge failure in managing to turn even money in to 8th place in the space of 6 weeks.

Without being too dramatic the rot that was in the club was hidden by the boost given by Evatt leaving. The players downing tools shows the issue did not leave with Evatt there were some players who were incapable of taking responsibility.

Santos with his G/F Social Media spats was the most obvious. A player who had potential to become a legend within the club never seemed to recover from all those steps after the Plymouth game. 

Collins as talented a player as we have had for ages became a show pony.

McAtee debated at great length on here admitted he lost a stone over the summer ! A professional footballer getting fit over the summer rather than during a full season is mad. 
 

Other players bought in during Jan transfer window - Randal and the lad from Cardiff were chucked into the mess and they were total wastes. 
 

Evatt should be remberred for building a team from nothing, who would have thought from the   ‘Az it bin fun’ day we would be celebrating a 4-0 win at Wembley. But letting him stay past his sell by date left a much bigger problem than just swapping a few folk around. Some of the bad traits are still there, losing or drawing games we should win is the most obvious. 

Edited September 3, 2025 by Ani

[Wanderlust]

Schumacher's signings have generally been fine and some look really good at this stage. Plus it seems he got everyone he wanted apart from Kenny. His tactics haven't been as predictable as Evatt's although other teams are already cottoning on to the wingers, but i think he has the willingness and options to change their and others style of play if required now, whereas Evatt recruited so many similar players he painted himself into a corner.  Now we have more diverse players which means more options. It's all good. The only thing that is missing is the wins. Surely they will start to come soon?

Edited September 3, 2025 by Wanderlust

[Leyther_Matt]

5 hours ago, Ani said:

Other players bought in during Jan transfer window - Randal and the lad from Cardiff were chucked into the mess and they were total wastes. 

“Wanderers have made Cardiff City striker Kion Etete their third January signing and first under new Head Coach Steven Schumacher.”

JSL

[Ani]

11 minutes ago, Leyther_Matt said:

“Wanderers have made Cardiff City striker Kion Etete their third January signing and first under new Head Coach Steven Schumacher.”

JSL

And you know that deal was done and agreed before Schumacher was appointed.

Signed on 31st and SS started on 30th. 
 

Someone Bolton had been tracking for a while. Who as I said was chucked in there. Do you honestly think it was SS choice. 
 

Giving IE the last transfer window was FVs most obvious mistake. 
 

https://www.theboltonnews.co.uk/sport/24900204.bolton-wanderers-sign-kion-etete-loan-cardiff-city/

 

JSL 

[tomski]

1 hour ago, Leyther_Matt said:

“Wanderers have made Cardiff City striker Kion Etete their third January signing and first under new Head Coach Steven Schumacher.”

JSL

Poor that mate.

[Cheese]

1 hour ago, Ani said:

Giving IE the last transfer window was FVs most obvious mistake. 

Absolute fucking madness in hindsight.

[Leyther_Matt]

Wasn’t being entirely serious, although it did concern me that he gave Etete a further 4 matches after the shambles at Reading!

[gonzo]

13 hours ago, Leyther_Matt said:

Wasn’t being entirely serious, although it did concern me that he gave Etete a further 4 matches after the shambles at Reading!

We had nobody else.

[frank_spencer]

3 minutes ago, gonzo said:

We had nobody else.

As a senior player him losing out to Big Dave was embarrassing

Edited September 4, 2025 by frank_spencer

[boltonboris]

14 hours ago, Ani said:

And you know that deal was done and agreed before Schumacher was appointed.

Signed on 31st and SS started on 30th. 
 

Someone Bolton had been tracking for a while. Who as I said was chucked in there. Do you honestly think it was SS choice. 
 

Giving IE the last transfer window was FVs most obvious mistake. 
 

https://www.theboltonnews.co.uk/sport/24900204.bolton-wanderers-sign-kion-etete-loan-cardiff-city/

 

JSL 

It hadn't been finalised and SS had a chance to veto it, but said he wanted him. Then he played him

[Ani]

35 minutes ago, boltonboris said:

It hadn't been finalised and SS had a chance to veto it, but said he wanted him. Then he played him

He was signed the day after SS was confirmed on last day of window. We had sold Dion and signed JR we had very few options up front.

It was him or nothing. Blaming SS for the signing is pretty pathetic. 
 

Looking back through he played about 4 times and might have reached an hour total time on the pitch. Big Dave was picked before him so the idea ‘he played him’ is not really accurate, he filled in when we had nothing else. 
 

Assume he will score against us this season. 

Edited September 4, 2025 by Ani

[boltonboris]

34 minutes ago, Ani said:

He was signed the day after SS was confirmed on last day of window. We had sold Dion and signed JR we had very few options up front.

Blaming SS for the signing is pretty pathetic. 
 

I'm not! Just stating a fact that Schumacher agreed to sign him and one would assume before he was confirmed, he was speaking with the board about players, as all the agreements were being made.

[Wanderlust]

3 minutes ago, boltonboris said:

It hadn't been finalised and SS had a chance to veto it, but said he wanted him. Then he played him

My favourite bit about Schumacher’s arrival was how he said what attracted him to the club was the squad he was inheriting, how he admired Evatt’s work and how his playing style was similar.

[meanderson93]

19 minutes ago, Wanderlust said:

My favourite bit about Schumacher’s arrival was how he said what attracted him to the club was the squad he was inheriting, how he admired Evatt’s work and how his playing style was similar.

Obvious empty platitudes but necessary ones, would make no sense to come in to a club with less than 48 hours of a January window left and announce publicly that the squad is crap and most of the players have no bottle. 

[little whitt]

6 hours ago, Wanderlust said:

My favourite bit about Schumacher’s arrival was how he said what attracted him to the club was the squad he was inheriting, how he admired Evatt’s work and how his playing style was similar.

Until he seen them play 

[tomski]

On 04/09/2025 at 11:56, Wanderlust said:

My favourite bit about Schumacher’s arrival was how he said what attracted him to the club was the squad he was inheriting, how he admired Evatt’s work and how his playing style was similar.

Honestly that was your favourite bit😂

[gonzo]

On 24/08/2025 at 20:20, L/H White said:

Only one win for these so far surprisingly, now the bwfc charity rolls into town 

Can't see anything other than a defeat 

3-0 Blackpool 

@LH white