We had a decent thread a while back discussing Evatt’s philosophies and approach to the game (think it got tainted and pulled)

So not a bad time to start it up again at the beginning of the season.

In the main he’s done a fantastic job. A minority lost patience round about Xmas/New Year in both seasons. 

But surely now he has the large backing of the majority of fans and the brand he talked about implementing here is now well and truly established.

Good article above highlighting how he’s using Sport Science to get the squad performing to it’s optimum level.

A young, meticulous, intelligent and passionate individual, who we are very lucky to have leading our club.

I hope he gets what he deserves with promotion to the Championship. 

12 hours ago, Zog1 said:

You shouldn't judge any of the players when it's clear this formation, tactics and playstyle are crippling them. Morley being a prime example, i think the same will happen to Dion. Hell Cambridge have been impressed with Nlundulu and he looked like a non league player for us. Iredale has been a revelation for Hibs since coming back from injury in December as a left sided centre back.

Yes.

Something has gone wrong and he doesn't appear to ba able to fix it. 

1 hour ago, Tonge moor green jacket said:

Yes.

Something has gone wrong and he doesn't appear to ba able to fix it. 

The 532 we had last year was working until Jan 24. Meaning it got found out, teams had worked out how to beat it, flood the midfield and press the wingbacks.

In the summer we changed to a 523 the issue is, this basically doubled down on the thing that wasn't working, from both a tactical perspective and a recruitment one.

The nexus/core of the team was in the area around the CM and DM in 532, stayed the same in 523 but we lost a body in that area, thus it's putting extra pressure on the Centre backs, which is causing them to make mistakes, they're basically getting out of positon to cover.

This formation has the same weaknesses and counters, so from an oppositon perspective we've just made ourselves easier to beat, with the attack totally cut off from the rest of the team.

This isn't what anyone had in mind when they suggested we employ a plan b, the plan b everyone talked about was an intra match plan b, so that we were not as predictable and we could be more counter attacking vs the good teams in the division we struggled with...that's it.

Evatt seems to think about football like it's something he can set up and it will basically run itself on the day, it's like subs are decided and timed pre match. There's nothing dynamic about it, it's like he has no ability to read the passage of play or analyse weaknesses and opportunities in real time.

 

 

Best manager you have had for years and years, he saved you completely and this is how you treat him.

Not sure who many of you think you are, but he has done an unreal job.

Deluded.

Just now, Pablo said:

Best manager you have had for years and years, he saved you completely and this is how you treat him.

Not sure who many of you think you are, but he has done an unreal job.

Deluded.

Is that you Ian?

59 minutes ago, Zog1 said:

The 532 we had last year was working until Jan 24. Meaning it got found out, teams had worked out how to beat it, flood the midfield and press the wingbacks.

In the summer we changed to a 523 the issue is, this basically doubled down on the thing that wasn't working, from both a tactical perspective and a recruitment one.

The nexus/core of the team was in the area around the CM and DM in 532, stayed the same in 523 but we lost a body in that area, thus it's putting extra pressure on the Centre backs, which is causing them to make mistakes, they're basically getting out of positon to cover.

This formation has the same weaknesses and counters, so from an oppositon perspective we've just made ourselves easier to beat, with the attack totally cut off from the rest of the team.

This isn't what anyone had in mind when they suggested we employ a plan b, the plan b everyone talked about was an intra match plan b, so that we were not as predictable and we could be more counter attacking vs the good teams in the division we struggled with...that's it.

Evatt seems to think about football like it's something he can set up and it will basically run itself on the day, it's like subs are decided and timed pre match. There's nothing dynamic about it, it's like he has no ability to read the passage of play or analyse weaknesses and opportunities in real time.

 

 

I don't want to retread old ground here too much, we've had the diagnosis before but as you say, Evatt can't seem to find a cure. But, for me, that isn't exactly how we were found out, probably more of the opposite. 

In our worst games it was painfully obvious the issues. Oppositions were dropping a single striker off the press and eliminating the entry pass into Sheehan, who was essentially acting as the quarterback for everything we did in possession. They were then playing very narrow width wise when we had possession and triggering the press when the ball was played to the left and right centre backs, essentially taking away the ball wide especially when Toal was playing at LCB as he couldn't move the ball efficiently enough to counter it. 

So we were left with the now infamous image of Santos stood on the ball and Evatt watched his entire ethos crumble in front of his eyes. 

In theory though, in that final, if he hadn't been completely shell shocked and actually made effective changes. We could have switched the midfield 3 so Sheehan goes to a 10 and Maghoma and Thomason drop deeper to offer two angles of entry pass and forcing their striker to actually have to choose a passing lane rather than just man mark Sheehan. You'd have then brought Iredale on and switched Toal to RCB and had a much more fluid passing out from the defence to the wing backs that would have given us even more options to bypass their press. 

Easy to say now looking back I suppose, but the worrying thing is that it hasn't been easy for Evatt to see that and plan his squad accordingly. As you say, he's actually gone the wrong way entirely and somehow made us even easier to play against. When adding depth and quality to midfield and more focal points in the forward areas to give the defenders more options of passes to relieve pressure was the obvious choice.

7 minutes ago, Pablo said:

Best manager you have had for years and years, he saved you completely and this is how you treat him.

Not sure who many of you think you are, but he has done an unreal job.

Deluded.

How ya doin' Ricoh? 😃

Cough Dyche cough 

37 minutes ago, Pablo said:

Best manager you have had for years and years, he saved you completely and this is how you treat him.

Not sure who many of you think you are, but he has done an unreal job.

Deluded.

I pretty much agree. There has been a massive over-reaction to us being a bit shit this season, and our collective expectations are probably far too high. But he's talked us up more than anyone. And the majority of football fans aren't very bright. Looking at it from outside, it must seem a bit mad.

Edited January 17, 20251 yr by Cheese

Think some just love the drama.

 

42 minutes ago, Pablo said:

Best manager you have had for years and years, he saved you completely and this is how you treat him.

Not sure who many of you think you are, but he has done an unreal job.

Deluded.

i know you like to dangle your maggot but theres a fair bit of truth in it

what amazes me is how we have so many tactical geniuses on some shitty message board of a shitty 3rd division football club

its bad enough having a professional manager going on about 6s 8s and 10s, but fucking hell, some of the insight on here

so lucky to have these pro licence posters

 

9 minutes ago, Cheese said:

I pretty much agree. There has been a massive over-reaction to us being a bit shit this season, and our collective expectations are probably far too high. But he's talked us up more than anyone. And the majority of football fans aren't very bright. Looking at it from outside, it must seem a bit mad.

Most fans I know who have the slightest understanding of Bolton and Evatt himself, can’t understand how he is still in the job.

5 minutes ago, rochdale white said:

Most fans I know who have the slightest understanding of Bolton and Evatt himself, can’t understand how he is still in the job.

I rest my case.

27 minutes ago, rochdale white said:

Most fans I know who have the slightest understanding of Bolton and Evatt himself, can’t understand how he is still in the job.

Most fans understand that a manager given a £4 000,000 budget in the 3rd division should have his team in the top 3 not mid table

29 minutes ago, rochdale white said:

Most fans I know who have the slightest understanding of Bolton and Evatt himself, can’t understand how he is still in the job.

Equally have had plenty surprised at the vitoral he's received.

Bizarrely I was stood with a Luton fan at kids footy last nignt. I commented it seemed harsh sacking their manager after all he'd done the last few seasons. He said their fans turned pretty quick.

 

Suppose it's just the fickle old nature of football.

32 minutes ago, Casino said:

i know you like to dangle your maggot but theres a fair bit of truth in it

what amazes me is how we have so many tactical geniuses on some shitty message board of a shitty 3rd division football club

its bad enough having a professional manager going on about 6s 8s and 10s, but fucking hell, some of the insight on here

so lucky to have these pro licence posters

 

The condescension is getting tedious. 

I don't know why you think an average fan can't have an interest or an understanding of the tactical side of the game. 

6 minutes ago, Hoppy said:

Most fans understand that a manager given a £4 000,000 budget in the 3rd division should have his team in the top 3 not mid table

Most fans don't understand that a big budget in any division doesn't guarantee you'll finish in the top 3.

I'm not convinced there's really been a big difference between this season and last

We tend to beat the also rans and then invariably lose to/struggle againstthe club's we're expecting to compete with (or on the big occasion/ in high-pressure situations)

The same pattern has followed suit this season, except this time there are more clubs competing

We'll win comfortably on Saturday

18 minutes ago, meanderson93 said:

The condescension is getting tedious. 

I don't know why you think an average fan can't have an interest or an understanding of the tactical side of the game. 

what i can't understand is why the average fan can be be arsed writing para on para about it or think anybody fucking cares

tbh, lots of the (over) analysis isn't about football

its about the business

very few outside half a dozen people really know enough to comment, let alone demand change

4 minutes ago, Lt. Aldo Raine said:

I'm not convinced there's really been a big difference between this season and last

We tend to beat the also rans and then invariably lose to/struggle againstthe club's we're expecting to compete with (or on the big occasion/ in high-pressure situations)

 

thats probably correct

but in previous seasons ive enjoyed watching us

this year, its been very uninspiring

boring, piss poor, tippy tappy shite

delete as appropriate

1 hour ago, gonzo said:

Think some just love the drama.

 

1 hour ago, Pablo said:

Best manager you have had for years and years, he saved you completely and this is how you treat him.

Not sure who many of you think you are, but he has done an unreal job.

Deluded.

Moyes

31 minutes ago, Cheese said:

Most fans don't understand that a big budget in any division doesn't guarantee you'll finish in the top 3.

Most fans don’t understand how a manager who is taking us backwards is still in a job 

Just now, mickbrown said:

Most fans don’t understand how a manager who is taking us backwards is still in a job 

It's quite understandable if you're not thick. You may not agree with it, but it's very easy to work out.

Watch out the Ian Evatt defence league is out in force today.

Totally insufferable midwits, sycophants and lapdogs

17 minutes ago, Casino said:

thats probably correct

but in previous seasons ive enjoyed watching us

this year, its been very uninspiring

boring, piss poor, tippy tappy shite

delete as appropriate

Agreed, I want to see good game of footie... taking over 60% of the possession and then doing nothing with it is simply stifling the game in my book... and I don't get to see my good game of footie