Brand Evatt

[desperado]

1 hour ago, gonzo said:

Fuckin ell its Iredale today 🤦‍♂️

Not quite as bad as Jerome and Hamilton yesterday 😂

[Traf]

5 minutes ago, desperado said:

Not quite as bad as Jerome and Hamilton yesterday 😂

Ethan Hamilton wasn't amongst our better players when he was here and we were shit. As for Jerome, I don't think anyone has seriously suggested bringing him back, have they? I think I said I'd rather have Jerome in the squad than have Arfield, if we're insistent on carrying an old guy, as CJ brought more to the table last year than SA seems to be right now.

[desperado]

2 minutes ago, Traf said:

Ethan Hamilton wasn't amongst our better players when he was here and we were shit. As for Jerome, I don't think anyone has seriously suggested bringing him back, have they? I think I said I'd rather have Jerome in the squad than have Arfield, if we're insistent on carrying an old guy, as CJ brought more to the table last year than SA seems to be right now.

Wasn’t aimed at you pal or anyone in particular.

I agree he’d be better than SA, I think I would be 😂

Perhaps I’m stretching the point for the sake of humour in troubled times.

I agree with what @tomski said all this player talk is avoiding the real issue at the minute.

 

[Mantra]

As much as it drives me mad, if the board are set on keeping Evatt (I think the time has passed to sack him now the transfer window is open)

Realistically with the limited squad space and the amount of money we have spent already I’d like to see us cash in on 2-4 players.

I think prime candidates would be:

Charles, Vic, Morley, Santos
If we can generate £1-2m from all or some of those and use it to bring in a couple of fresh faces:

- preferably a wingback (or 2) or transition to a winger system and bring in some talented loanees.

- A proper destroyer in midfield.

- and a striker with physicality and an eye for goal.

Then there’s a chance we can change our fortunes in 2025 and reach the playoffs.

Here’s hoping anyway! 

[paulhanley]

Get rid of Evatt, pay him and his crap backroom staff off with the money we'd have spent on transfers. Go with the same squad to the end of season. Inevitably a new manager will get  more out of them because let's face it how could he get less. Then back the new manager in the summer window. 

Everything would be freshened up, we'd feel like we have something to look forward to again and maybe, just maybe, we'd have someone who is more concerned with results than aesthetics and who isn't dogmatic and hidebound with his "philosophy". 

The bloke has to go. In retrospect he should have gone after Oxford but he certainly should after Exeter and Huddersfield at home (which is when I turned against him for keeps). He is a complete liability and if you want the proof, the abject defeats to Stockport and Wigan are blots on our history forever. We do not want any more such occasions and we want hard-headed management to get us back the Championship. 

[gonzo]

2 hours ago, desperado said:

Not quite as bad as Jerome and Hamilton yesterday 😂

Seems we are at the point where we are dragging every single decision, drama or issue up now for sticks to beat the manager with.

 

[waffer cup 07]

2 hours ago, gonzo said:

Seems we are at the point where we are dragging every single decision, drama or issue up now for sticks to beat the manager with.

 

Said all along , Evatt's far from perfect, but the players have let him down big time.

[Zog1]

3 hours ago, Mantra said:

As much as it drives me mad, if the board are set on keeping Evatt (I think the time has passed to sack him now the transfer window is open)

Realistically with the limited squad space and the amount of money we have spent already I’d like to see us cash in on 2-4 players.

I think prime candidates would be:

Charles, Vic, Morley, Santos
If we can generate £1-2m from all or some of those and use it to bring in a couple of fresh faces:

- preferably a wingback (or 2) or transition to a winger system and bring in some talented loanees.

- A proper destroyer in midfield.

- and a striker with physicality and an eye for goal.

Then there’s a chance we can change our fortunes in 2025 and reach the playoffs.

Here’s hoping anyway! 

League 1 is easy.

Play it simple in defence, with a aggressive/hardworking/hard bugger in the middle, who's got 2 jobs stop the opposition playing their game and moving the ball to a player who can pass. Coupled with some fast skillful wingers and a poacher, turns possession into goals.

The reason we keep having these mistakes in defence is that Santos/Toal/Johnston are being asked to do things they're not comfortable with, being pseudo midfielders.

 

 

[gonzo]

17 minutes ago, Zog1 said:

 

The reason we keep having these mistakes in defence is that Santos/Toal/Johnston are being asked to do things they're not comfortable with, being pseudo midfielders.

 

 

That is not the reason.

[jayjayoghani]

1 hour ago, waffer cup 07 said:

Said all along , Evatt's far from perfect, but the players have let him down big time.

You're probably right, but I'd argue Evatt is to blame for that too. He's a loose cannon, shagging around, bullying people, criticising his own players, bullshit in interviews. Not the behaviour of any boss worth having.

You can get away with it if your the boss of an Amazon warehouse but in football where the players are everything, no way. 

Would any player run through a brick wall for him given the above?  

[Johnnyrotten]

10 hours ago, meanderson93 said:

There's plenty wrong with them, each have their faults and currently only one of them you would say could hold their own at a higher level.

Sheehan, best footballer at the club but lightweight and easily overran and bullied out of games especially in that deeper anchor role. 

Thomason, an engine but non-league ability level. 

Matete, another with decent work rate but terrible decision making and awareness, doesn't really have a role would benefit from a 3rd midfielder sat behind him as well. 

Lolos, looks half decent on the ball, more of a second striker than a midfielder for me and a luxury we currently can't carry in tougher games.

Dempsey, sick note, good player for this level but can't rely on him. 

Arfield, never should have been signed, legs look like they went 3 years ago.

Sharples-Ahmed. who knows, too soon to say for the lad but hope he gets a chance to develop properly. 

I agree with a lot of that - but harsh on Tomo, he's definitely EFL standard IMO, just not championship as some have suggested when he's had a good game.

But not sure which player you're watching re Matete, with respect.  His decision making and awareness of what's going on around him is what sets up apart from most of our players, I can't think of a player I would rather be making a decision on what to do next, we have so many headless chickens and he isn't one of them, composure in spades.  Yes he makes mistakes and he has limited passing range (its L1), but we won't get any better than him.

[RONNIE PHILLIPS]

7 hours ago, bwfcfan5 said:

I think what I’m saying is Evatt has built a squad primarily of 9’s or 5’s. Their best is 9/10. Which is brilliant. But their worst is a 5. And their average is fairly close to their worst.

I suspect in this league you need to get lucky with such a squad where you are able to sustain top performance across the time period of a season. And most go up with a squad of 6-8’s. Maybe not ever being brilliant but their average week in week out is a 7.

If you look at most of our historically successful sides they could hit heights but they didn’t have to in order to win majority of the games they played. And their lows were not too low. 

That's got to be up there with the biggest load of waffle I've ever read 😁

[Farnywhite]

9 hours ago, thebells said:

Harsh - they finished 3rd last season and now you're ditching 18 of them.

The squad needs a bit of a refresh, but more than anything they need a new voice

We’re not going to loose 18 off them in a transfer window that’s impossible and you couldn’t put a team together in Jan may be 2  3 at the most.
 but I wouldn’t be bothered which of them went for example santos if the money was right .
if I could pick which would be out of the door first that would be a different vic would be one up at the top of the list if someone offered half what we paid for him would bite there hand off 

[Stig]

7 hours ago, desperado said:

Not quite as bad as Jerome and Hamilton yesterday 😂

The point is people are looking at anyone as an improvement on our current squad the way it's performing 

Edited January 2, 2025 by Stig

[Stig]

3 hours ago, gonzo said:

That is not the reason.

It's not the sole reason but it's not a bad start. Defenders who concentrate on defending would be great

[Traf]

I think Evatt has been found out tactically, but he's not the only one to blame.

Professional footballers not doing the basics isn't helping the cause either.

[Zico]

GT came out and said what IE is asking them to do is complicated and requires hard work

IE came out and said the players are taking it easy in training when he's not there

Rumour is Dion and Sheehan have issues with doing the same drills and exercises every single training session

The players have no confidence in either themselves or what they are being asked to do, they make too many mistakes at the back, too slow in getting it up the pitch, and make poor decisions in the final 3rd, we miss sitters

Some look scared of making a mistake 

Given we're sticking with IE I don't expect much to change with the above 

So we're going to have to find some top quality inspirational players in January if the expectation is to turn things around and mount a serious promotion charge 

Right now I just can't see it

[Tonge moor green jacket]

5 hours ago, Traf said:

I think Evatt has been found out tactically, but he's not the only one to blame.

Professional footballers not doing the basics isn't helping the cause either.

Of course it doesn't. 

From a human perspective; lacking confidence, belief in what you're being asked to do etc, is going to weigh heavy and increase the likelihood of making cock ups.

The overall mood and attitude is set by the managerial staff.

[ianofcleveleys]

Taking some of the risk out of the play might at least help the keeper and defenders, and the midfielders integral to the play out from the back style.

It won't resolve the issue of strikers lacking confidence and fluffing chances / passing on opportunities but it'll at least take a bit of the pressure and anxiety out of it for those at the back. Their confidence might rise through keeping clean sheets, the team's as a whole through not losing. 

On the night we were very little threat at Wycombe but it was a performance and a point I didn't mind much at all. Solid defending, much less risk of an in form side scoring, foundation to try and nick it at the end, which we nearly did. 

 

[gonzo]

Our number 1 problem is tempo. By a country mile.

Slow speed of passing, slow decision making, players taking three too many touches, players turning in to danger.

We never play an early pass that splits defences, we certainly never get an early ball out wide into space, and only Collins bothers getting a shot away early.

By the time we've finally got the ball forward it's a bank of two fives to try and get through and we are reliant on under laps, over laps and bloody cut backs from the byline.

All down to tempo or lack of it. 

When we do change it up, or are forced to change it up by a high press and good management, we lump it forward where it's meat and drink for defenders and we don't have a target man.

It's one way or the other, slow ponderous build up play or a hoof to their centre half.

[Whitesince63]

17 hours ago, Mantra said:

As much as it drives me mad, if the board are set on keeping Evatt (I think the time has passed to sack him now the transfer window is open)

Realistically with the limited squad space and the amount of money we have spent already I’d like to see us cash in on 2-4 players.

I think prime candidates would be:

Charles, Vic, Morley, Santos
If we can generate £1-2m from all or some of those and use it to bring in a couple of fresh faces:

- preferably a wingback (or 2) or transition to a winger system and bring in some talented loanees.

- A proper destroyer in midfield.

- and a striker with physicality and an eye for goal.

Then there’s a chance we can change our fortunes in 2025 and reach the playoffs.

Here’s hoping anyway! 

I’d add Baxter to your list of potential exits if he’s stalling on a new contract but as far as those you’d like to bring in keep dreaming because I’ve seen and heard nothing from Evatt to suggest he’s even thinking about changing his system which he’d have to and many of us have been calling for those type of players for the last 2 to 3 years anyway to no avail.

[Eddie]

38 minutes ago, gonzo said:

Our number 1 problem is tempo. By a country mile.

Slow speed of passing, slow decision making, players taking three too many touches, players turning in to danger.

We never play an early pass that splits defences, we certainly never get an early ball out wide into space, and only Collins bothers getting a shot away early.

By the time we've finally got the ball forward it's a bank of two fives to try and get through and we are reliant on under laps, over laps and bloody cut backs from the byline.

All down to tempo or lack of it. 

When we do change it up, or are forced to change it up by a high press and good management, we lump it forward where it's meat and drink for defenders and we don't have a target man.

It's one way or the other, slow ponderous build up play or a hoof to their centre half.

Couldn’t agree more.

1 example to add, and it doesn’t seem like much but it winds me up and sets the tone - Santos’ passes out to Johnston or Jones. So often they’re rolled over to them, usually behind them or to their back foot. Not only does it stink of “can’t be arsed” it often means the attackers have more time to close down and cut off angles for a pass, meaning they have to come inside again.

Santos can be a hell of a defender, but his body language (inability to hide his sulk) and nonchalant way of playing (like a budget Van Dijk) is a massive factor for our overall lack of tempo. Most of our play starts with him and other than the odd pass it often starts off at walking pace and were immediately on the back foot.

[gonzo]

Yep, the pace of the actual ball out is where it all starts to go wrong. Snails pace pea rollers out wide.

Nobody ever drives forward from defence either. When the options are cut off it's just hoof.

Mad as Evatts whole game was as a marauding center half. He loved to drive forward with the ball.

[Traf]

4 hours ago, Eddie said:

So often they’re rolled over to them, usually behind them or to their back foot.

I've said this time and time again. We never pass the ball in front of the intended recipient so he can run on to it.

[gonzo]

2 minutes ago, Traf said:

I've said this time and time again. We never pass the ball in front of the intended recipient so he can run on to it.

Really is under 9s stuff.

Play in to space not feet. 

My eldests manager tells his midfield to find the pockets of space or the channels and trust your man to get there.

Our basic principles are fucked.