(That long since we've had any, couldn't find the thread)

Alan Nixon: "Top Liverpool starlet Cameron Branagan will Ben allowed out on loan in Jan.

Bolton lead the race for the 20 year old midfielder"

Edited December 11, 20169 yr by Ratwhite

7 hours ago, Lostock Whites said:

Don't get how on earth the board could expect the supporters to have any faith or motivation supporting this team like this.

10th in the table, 14 points behind where we all said was the minimum in the summer, -1 GD in January. Manager lost his head multiple times, embarrassed in every big game against promotion and local rivals. And now we have sold our no10 and top goal scorer for the past 3 seasons to a supposed promotion rival.

Our supporters have had to display some blitz like resilience with the shit we've put up with this season.

A disgrace of a season, top to bottom.

Perfect summarisation post. 

This is one of the most underwhelming seasons I can remember considering expectation were so high. 

17 minutes ago, Ratwhite said:

Bodvarsson?

Worked for me. 

There was some speculation about a L1 team being in for Michael Smith at Wednesday and whilst he’s 33 he’d be exactly the kind I think we need. Doesn’t fit our young player profile but to just settle us down for this season and get us into the play offs at least it may be worth the risk?

8 hours ago, Lt. Aldo Raine said:

He's only for ife as it stands

Whatever ife is

Life was taken 😄

8 hours ago, Johnnyrotten said:

I was including cups because I keep hearing Charles is a 20 goal a season striker, so cups are included.  Charles takes pens too so he should have more than Collins.

If we're just talking league, its all much of a muchness, nobody is irreplaceable, for a team generally in the top 6 they are both just average top half L1 scorers.

 

Dion scored a goal every two and a half games for us (2.55). Collins is going at over three (3.1)). I'd say that's significant enough, especially when you factor in what else Collins brings to the table (absolutely fuck all on this season's evidence).

I don't think they are much of a muchness, Dion is a better player. But then this wasn't a football decision seemingly, it was because he fell out with a manager who shouldn't be here. That's the disappointing part.

if the board / manager have forced this move they better have a replacement lined up and ready to sign

3 minutes ago, Zico said:

if the board / manager have forced this move they better have a replacement lined up and ready to sign

I'm just not sure I would trust Evatt with any more money to sign a replacement. 

37 minutes ago, Tombwfc said:

 

Dion scored a goal every two and a half games for us (2.55). Collins is going at over three (3.1)). I'd say that's significant enough, especially when you factor in what else Collins brings to the table (absolutely fuck all on this season's evidence).

I don't think they are much of a muchness, Dion is a better player. But then this wasn't a football decision seemingly, it was because he fell out with a manager who shouldn't be here. That's the disappointing part.

Plus Dion this season has had two perfectly good goals ruled out for offside

2 hours ago, Ratwhite said:

Bodvarsson?

We need one that's not made of cardboard. 

So,  new arrival due this week according to iles,    let the rumours begin.

Ps .   Again some bolton fans are so special.    Apparently as evatt knows he will be gone in summer he us now sabotaging us with selling dion etc

1 hour ago, Tombwfc said:

it was because he fell out with a manager who shouldn't be here. That's the disappointing part.

I  dont think its that simple

19 minutes ago, W.cramp said:

So,  new arrival due this week according to iles,    let the rumours begin.

Ps .   Again some bolton fans are so special.    Apparently as evatt knows he will be gone in summer he us now sabotaging us with selling dion etc

Surely you don't really believe that.

5 minutes ago, waffer cup 07 said:

Surely you don't really believe that.

Beleive what ? 

Dion's goal scoring and endeavour will be hard to replace. Most likely we won't replace it. 

One thing i will not miss is that his first touch in build up play is generally shite and he gives the ball away a lot of the time. 

Falling out with Evatt aside, i'd personally been a lot more open to the idea of him leaving if we'd have got a decent fee for him. We've just paid 1.2 mil for a fancy dan attacking mid who according to Ferguson downed tools in training. Selling to a promotion rival in January i'd of been demanding a lot more than 750k.  

Edited January 15, 20251 yr by bwfc4ife

Selling one who fell out with a gaffer, whilst bringing one in who fell out with a gaffer.

Don't suppose it means anything specifically, and we'll have to see what has happened by the end of the window.

16 hours ago, Duck Egg said:

If Charles hasn't requested a transfer am I right in thinking he's entitled to his contract with us be paid up? 

I think only as long as his new contract has lesser terms. In order to get the move through, Dion would most likely have forgone his contractual obligation with us, to sign a better deal at Hudds. Otherwise, we simply wouldn't have sanctioned the move

I'm trying to think of a striker who can fit our treacle ball build up and rely on cut backs from the byline or barging about in a clustered defence relying on 1 chance a game.

I'm struggling.

Is Adam Le Fondre still around anywhere?

Would do a job till end of the season i reckon.

2 hours ago, Tombwfc said:

 

Dion scored a goal every two and a half games for us (2.55). Collins is going at over three (3.1)). I'd say that's significant enough, especially when you factor in what else Collins brings to the table (absolutely fuck all on this season's evidence).

I don't think they are much of a muchness, Dion is a better player. But then this wasn't a football decision seemingly, it was because he fell out with a manager who shouldn't be here. That's the disappointing part.

We have a lot in our fan base who latch onto certain types and cut them a lot more slack, because they're a socks down baller and they can come up with a catchy song about them. Some players these days are also cleverer than others at getting those types of fans onside. 

Charles has largely (and quite reasonably) had a good ride from our fan base, but easy now for some to pick holes in what he did (a lot of pens, cup goals, blah blah, constantly missed sitters). Collins and McAtee have been cut plenty of that slack over recent weeks, Charles less so, Vic absolutely not.

Charles has his flaws, or he wouldn't be at the level he is. I suspect in a team that plays in a way that suits him, he'll still miss an odd sitter, still look like he's playing on cobbles with the ball at his feet, but will score at least as many as he's done for us. His goals for us have needed scoring, some have been belters and he has stepped up for the pens. 

Collins may well go on to get 20 goals this season, but half of them might have been in the Pizza Cup, against u21s and half strength L2 sides in games with less intensity and pressure. I don't imagine the same holes will be picked in his record. If he steps up with performances and goals next time we play Wrexham, Brum, Stockport etc, good for him, I'll enjoy holding my hand up. 

McAtee's a discussion for another time. 

 

9 minutes ago, gonzo said:

I'm trying to think of a striker who can fit our treacle ball build up and rely on cut backs from the byline or barging about in a clustered defence relying on 1 chance a game.

I'm struggling.

Probably someone from abroad, coached by some no-name Austrian with a similar DNA. Or, someone Russell Martin knows 

Has he actually said that he’s replacing Charles with another striker because I haven’t heard it that way, just that certainly Dion will be replaced? So far the only signings referred to are both midfielders. If he thinks he can succeed with the forwards we’re left with now then he’s even more deluded than I thought.

12 hours ago, gonzo said:

By all accounts there much more to it 

Is the rumour that Dion nutted Evatt true, or just terrace folklore?

2 minutes ago, Whitesince63 said:

Has he actually said that he’s replacing Charles with another striker because I haven’t heard it that way, just that certainly Dion will be replaced? So far the only signings referred to are both midfielders. If he thinks he can succeed with the forwards we’re left with now then he’s even more deluded than I thought.

 

Can't imagine by a replacement for Dion means signing anything other than a striker 

I can imagine us not doing though

1 minute ago, Zico said:

 

Can't imagine by a replacement for Dion means signing anything other than a striker 

I can imagine us not doing though

You’d expect so but he commented this morning his intention to spend “across the squad” which could mean anything. I think with this clown you could imagine that not being what we all realise we need?

27 minutes ago, Whitestar said:

Is Adam Le Fondre still around anywhere?

Would do a job till end of the season i reckon.

Played last night