Burton Albion (A)

[desperado]

10 minutes ago, Zico said:

I'd take a draw at Burton, and Huddersfield, if it was reflective of the game

I just don't want to see another away game where we spaff enough opportunities to win then concede on any random occasion they attack and come away ruing our performances in either final third 

 

As long as we won against Cardiff that wouldn’t be too bad.

1992, drawing at Chester, drawing at Preston before we got going 😊

[Ani]

2 hours ago, desperado said:

 

 

Offering a bit of balance, long term thinking and evidence I’ll side, just, with @Casino

Despite understanding and acknowledging that our away form so far is poor and not winning on Saturday only adds to this. And FWIW, if we don’t win we should be disappointed and accept It’s below the expectations we should have.

But I really do think this must win talk just out of September and if we don’t win here, then it’s never going to happen talk is OTT and reflective of our X-factor must happen now society.

@wakey pointed out some of our historical promotions from L1, and evidence from our past that poor away starts can be overturned and not necessarily when you expect it.

If we were playing really shit away and creating nothing, then I might be more concerned.

What happens Saturday has little bearing on what happens when we go away to Doncaster, Rotherham and Exeter later in the season. 

If we don’t win Saturday, it ramps up the pressure against Huddersfield - but I won’t be throwing in the towel and saying there’s no point because we can’t even beat Burton - It would be typical Bolton if that’s our next away win.

 

 

 

2 very long posts. 
 

If we lose Saturday is the season over ? Of course not.

We start the week with 3 points from 5 away games. We have 2 away games this week. If we have serious and realistic hopes of play offs or promotion we need to improve. If we go to Burton and only draw, our next 3 away games are Huddersfield , Luton and Stevenage. 1st, 6th and 11th in the league. So why are people not thinking that improvement needs to start against the team in 21st who lost 0-4 in their last home game ?

My question to Casino was if we do not start winning away Saturday when does he think we will ? He ain’t answered maybe you will ? 
 

I am a long way off throwing the towel in and will be at Burton and Huddersfield but we can not keep saying it will get better eventually. We are 2 points off the play offs despite our away form. Imagine if we improved ! 

[desperado]

1 minute ago, Ani said:

If we go to Burton and only draw, our next 3 away games are Huddersfield , Luton and Stevenage. 1st, 6th and 11th in the league. So why are people not thinking that improvement needs to start against the team in 21st who lost 0-4 in their last home game ?

My question to Casino was if we do not start winning away Saturday when does he think we will ? He ain’t answered maybe you will ? 

With pleasure.

Winning by 3 at Huddersfield 😁

Probably about as likely as our 1-4 win at Fulham in 92

As likely as Charltons  0-5 win at Northampton last year

And Derbys 0-3 in 2023 at Orient

All unexpected, coming off the back of some poor early season away form. 😊👍

[Casino]

4 minutes ago, Ani said:

 

My question to Casino was if we do not start winning away Saturday when does he think we will ? He ain’t answered 

I could have said we will win at Huddersfield, but then Id just be guessing

Ive no idea when we will win, but win we will

And it could be anywhere as we are good enough

Results dont bother me at this stage, not so much as some of the shite I watched at Blackpool and home to Lincoln

[Ani]

38 minutes ago, Casino said:

I could have said we will win at Huddersfield, but then Id just be guessing

Ive no idea when we will win, but win we will

And it could be anywhere as we are good enough

Results dont bother me at this stage, not so much as some of the shite I watched at Blackpool and home to Lincoln

When you say at this stage…. We are 11 games into a 46 game season so about a quarter of the way through the season. 
 

Points dropped now are just as important as those dropped in the run in. The longer we go without an away win the more we need to catch up. 
 

Blackpool was miles better than Northampton , early season I was happy that we were playing well and thought things would click. We are getting there at home, no such signs away from home. All I think L/H and I are saying is that our away form needs to improve and Saturday is the best chance of doing this. If we do it makes Thursday a much better prospect with the monkey off our backs. 

[desperado]

1 minute ago, Ani said:

When you say at this stage…. We are 11 games into a 46 game season so about a quarter of the way through the season. 
 

Points dropped now are just as important as those dropped in the run in. The longer we go without an away win the more we need to catch up. 
 

Blackpool was miles better than Northampton , early season I was happy that we were playing well and thought things would click. We are getting there at home, no such signs away from home. All I think L/H and I are saying is that our away form needs to improve and Saturday is the best chance of doing this. If we do it makes Thursday a much better prospect with the monkey off our backs. 

Can’t disagree with any of that.

My only issue was L/H’s idea of having to win this game to have a chance of the play-offs and thinking If we can’t beat these, then you can’t see us beating anyone.

My Huddersfield prediction was just a little bit of fun, while not dodging your question. 

@Casino gives the sensible answer.

If it’s not Burton it could be any game. 

Even an unexpected one like my little bit of research shows. 

[Ani]

34 minutes ago, desperado said:

Can’t disagree with any of that.

My only issue was L/H’s idea of having to win this game to have a chance of the play-offs and thinking If we can’t beat these, then you can’t see us beating anyone.

My Huddersfield prediction was just a little bit of fun, while not dodging your question. 

@Casino gives the sensible answer.

If it’s not Burton it could be any game. 

Even an unexpected one like my little bit of research shows. 

Aye you only had to go back 33 years to find a result to show how likely it was.

I think we are much likely to win at Huddersfield than I did for the same fixture a week in advance last year. 

[desperado]

8 minutes ago, Ani said:

Aye you only had to go back 33 years to find a result to show how likely it was.

I think we are much likely to win at Huddersfield than I did for the same fixture a week in advance last year. 

I’m not sure what answer you wanted or were hoping for when you asked, if we do not win here where are we likely to win? 

In fact you asked twice after Casino ignored you at first 😂

You had a sensible one, a serious one, one in jest, one from 33 years ago, recent ones based on sides starting with poor away records.

Your previous post was a good one I agreed with it. 

So lets hope it turns this weekend.

Enjoy it when it does, you’ve earnt it putting in the miles. 

[Wanderlust]

4 hours ago, Zico said:

I'd take a draw at Burton, and Huddersfield, if it was reflective of the game

I just don't want to see another away game where we spaff enough opportunities to win then concede on any random occasion they attack and come away ruing our performances in either final third 

 

Spaffing opportunities wasn’t as much evident on Saturday but it has been our downfall as much as switching off so I’d like to see the finishing Burstow had at the weekend at the same time as a solid defensive performance. We can do both, but when we do it in the same game consistently, we’ll be unbeatable.

It is all about Schumacher dragging those performances out of the squad every week.

[Ros Coe]

I think it’ll come, we have the best squad we’ve had since being back in league 1. Serious competition for every position. Whether it’s the best squad in the division I have no idea.

SS seems a genuine grounded guy who I would want to try and do well for.. as long as the pressure doesn’t get to him and he starts making rash decisions or comments I think he is strong enough to tweak the areas that need tweaking and get us up to where we should be.

He made a lot of changes in the summer and it’s understandably taking time to bed it all in.

Keep the faith!

[Stig]

Think there's a bit of pedantry on here. If we don't win against Burton, yes of course we can still win other aways and get promoted, but not winning against these would be a bad result. Combined with not winning any of our other 5 aways it would be a very bad start to the season away.

And the key point is that to get promoted you have to be averaging 2 PTS per game for autos (or around 1.7 to get in the play offs) so the longer we're off this the harder it is to get back to it because it needs ridiculously unlikely winning streaks. 

So while it isn't must win it's as you can get at this stage of the season.

[Tonge moor green jacket]

10 minutes ago, Stig said:

Think there's a bit of pedantry on here. If we don't win against Burton, yes of course we can still win other aways and get promoted, but not winning against these would be a bad result. Combined with not winning any of our other 5 aways it would be a very bad start to the season away.

And the key point is that to get promoted you have to be averaging 2 PTS per game for autos (or around 1.7 to get in the play offs) so the longer we're off this the harder it is to get back to it because it needs ridiculously unlikely winning streaks. 

So while it isn't must win it's as you can get at this stage of the season.

It might not be a "must win".

However not winning only increases the number of "must wins" later.

It's pivotal that we start winning away, and it would be very disappointing if we don't.

Obviously, if there is a development in the game -eg red card- then a draw may be seen as reasonable, but as things stand now, if we don't win, then the questions and criticism will grow.

If the players want to play at a higher level, they have to become more ruthless and consistent. 

[desperado]

11 minutes ago, Stig said:

Think there's a bit of pedantry on here. If we don't win against Burton, yes of course we can still win other aways and get promoted, but not winning against these would be a bad result. Combined with not winning any of our other 5 aways it would be a very bad start to the season away.

And the key point is that to get promoted you have to be averaging 2 PTS per game for autos (or around 1.7 to get in the play offs) so the longer we're off this the harder it is to get back to it because it needs ridiculously unlikely winning streaks. 

So while it isn't must win it's as you can get at this stage of the season.

Good post.

Back to the game.

I see they lost last night, albeit in the EFL trophy, but Bowyer acknowledged that the defeat to Chesterfield was "a reflection of where we're at at the moment"

 

 

[L/H White]

13 hours ago, desperado said:

Evidence isn’t just with us either. @L/H White @Ani

Charlton were absolutely rubbish this time last year and some wanted Jones out.

And look at Derby above in their promotion season. Ninth after 14 games. They’d had some horrible away performances and had just lost 3-1 at Stevenage. 

Nobody would have anticipated the run of results to follow.

While this league is so open anything can happen yet.

While winning at Burton is important, expected, would be the much required kick-start, would start allaying concerns to our away form and would provide the needed result to hopefully put a run together…

…not winning shouldn’t have us asking questions of can we beat anyone away.

these pretty little tables dont take into account mentality and how often we shit the bed

coywm

[Wanderlust]

Nobody’s saying it’s a must win game.

Everybody is saying it would be a benefit to us in terms of morale and points if we did win.

There’s a difference.

[Wanderlust]

17 minutes ago, L/H White said:

these pretty little tables dont take into account mentality and how often we shit the bed

coywm

Exactly where are XSTB stats 😎?

[Whitesince63]

It may not be a must win but it’s surely a should win because if we can’t beat teams at the bottom of the table how can we expect to beat anyone. Are we good enough to win, yes of course we are so it will be a big let down if we don’t. It’s never easy at Burton but but then it’s never easy anywhere and if we take the chances we know we’ll create we’ll win this.

[Cheese]

1 hour ago, Wanderlust said:

Nobody’s saying it’s a must win game.

Everybody is saying it would be a benefit to us in terms of morale and points if we did win.

There’s a difference.

That applies to every single League game.

[Wanderlust]

11 minutes ago, Cheese said:

That applies to every single League game.

Of course it does which is exactly why folk shouldn’t lose sight of that fact and start comparing opponents to give their “expert” opinions on where and when we should and could pick up the points we need.

Although the forum would be boring if we didn’t have predictions. Especially those  stated with conviction, possibly a scoreline that appeared to them in a dream or on a trip.

But this year it seems like League One is tighter than ever with no team walking it and every team capable of a result and that’s why I’ve given up guessing. Doesn’t change the fact that I want us to be brilliant every game.

[Johnnyrotten]

We happen to be in a run of 5 away games that we got 15 points from last year (Orient, Northampton, Burton, Hudds, Stevenage).  Its rare to even have 5 consecutive games that were on the fixture list the previous year, never mind 5 wins.

The best we can get is 10 points and whilst its not a must win at Burton for all the reasons stated above, it does add a bit of perspective when you think how far short we were last year.

[Lostock Whites]

I'm very much in the camp of that it's a whole new squad, mostly young and talented and think it will come good. Seen some positive signs so far.

But also, the 3 points you pick up against Burton in October are the exact same as 3 points in April.

3 points could very well be the difference between another year in League 1 or in the Championship. 

So yeah it's not a "must win" in the sense we have a number of other games to play. But at the same time, in having 3 points less could make or break the season.

Nothing groundbreaking in the thinking, we've just got to be getting ourselves as many points as possible.

If we are still in 8th come March time, then it's going to be very difficult. But even then teams have gone up.

Basically what I'm trying to say, is we all have no clue and let's just enjoy and try and win each game right? 😂

Edited October 8, 2025 by Lostock Whites

[Johnnyrotten]

1 hour ago, Lostock Whites said:

If we are still in 8th come March time, then it's going to be very difficult. But even then teams have gone up.

Basically what I'm trying to say, is we all have no clue and let's just enjoy and try and win each game right? 😂

I'm firmly in the camp of enjoying each game in its own right - its mainly about the journey more than the destination and all that.  The two seasons affected by Covid and throwing in that awful (for the most part) season in L2, plus having to miss some home games last year due to illness, put things in perspective personally.  90% of it is just anticipating and enjoying the games at a decent level, I appreciate it every single home game that I'm lucky enough to attend, because I know how shit it was when I couldn't.

On the topic of we can still go up even if we don't win any of the next 3, course we can, as Charlton proved last season.  My caveat would be that we'd effectively be restricted to the play offs, and while that's OK and an improvement, to have that realistic hope of competing for 2nd place with all the exciting games that produces, we can't afford to let the gap of 6 or 7 points get much bigger before we launch our assault on it (ie start winning away!).

[Tombwfc]

We could lose the next ten games and the eleventh wouldn't be 'must win' on the basis that we'd still mathematically be in it. 

As a team that fancies itself as contenders for automatic promotion, it's a game we should expect to win and it's a bad result if we don't.

[Domcarey1]

Any recommendations for decent food/drink near the station ? The best offering last year was a giant cold pork pie….

[Casino]

1 hour ago, Domcarey1 said:

Any recommendations for decent food/drink near the station ? The best offering last year was a giant cold pork pie….

Theres a pub opposite the brewery

Has a paved area out back

Im sure they did food that looked ok

May've been pork pies now you mention it