Brand Evatt

[Tonge moor green jacket]

Last night's set up, which was confusing initially, showed some deep thinking, and was a brave move.

I assumed Jones would be lwb.

As it happened, it worked, and we did well. 

Still that wobble, but we showed spirit in adversity.

It at least showed a willingness to be more pragmatic, and take into account what the opposition may bring, which has been a bit of a bugbear.

I'm not sure we're good enough to be all conquering without that degree of flexibility and just impose superiority every game just by going out there.

For that, Evatt deserves credit.

He has a balancing act to keep everyone happy, but so long as we're challenging, then hopefully all the squad will be supportive.

I have a feeling that Barnsley will become a significant player at the top, and Portsmouth are obviously unbeaten, so we will need to keep this level up.

Edited October 25, 2023 by Tonge moor green jacket

[victor meldrew]

46 minutes ago, Casino said:

Bearing un mind we lost 2 of last seasons best players and we are now doing it with our own, on the back of 2 shit windows, its really quite remarkable that such  a stubborn, one dimensional manager with no plan B has us in such a decent position

Im dumbfounded, tbh

Who’s fault is the 2 shit windows 

[1969]

1 hour ago, victor meldrew said:

Who’s fault is the 2 shit windows 

Safestyle ?

Should have asked me I'm cheaper and better 

[victor meldrew]

10 minutes ago, 1969 said:

Safestyle ?

Should have asked me I'm cheaper and better 

evatt style

santos style

victor style (not me)

not my style

 

Edited October 25, 2023 by victor meldrew
spelling

[jmjhb]

Buy one get one free?

[Tonge moor green jacket]

They're cunts.

[desperado]

Good article.

Thomason gives a little insight into his more attacking role and explains a little about the 2nd half slumps and what they need to do to address it.

Snippet below

“I think performances in first halves have been outstanding, no matter how the opposition have come up against us.

“I feel like there are some in-game decisions in the second half that are letting us down a bit at the moment and it is something we have to work on.

“When two teams try to play football in what we deem the right way then it is always a more exciting, open game, no doubt it will be better for the fans too.

“Sometimes you have to win ugly, you have to be together, gritty, determined, show passion and desire, and they should all be a given, shown in abundance. If the Plan A doesn’t work in possession and teams make it more difficult, then can you change things? If you show that fight in this division on top of the quality we have got, then you won’t go far wrong.”

[Wanderlust]

On 25/10/2023 at 19:24, Tonge moor green jacket said:

Last night's set up, which was confusing initially, showed some deep thinking, and was a brave move.

I assumed Jones would be lwb.

As it happened, it worked, and we did well. 

Still that wobble, but we showed spirit in adversity.

It at least showed a willingness to be more pragmatic, and take into account what the opposition may bring, which has been a bit of a bugbear.

I'm not sure we're good enough to be all conquering without that degree of flexibility and just impose superiority every game just by going out there.

For that, Evatt deserves credit.

He has a balancing act to keep everyone happy, but so long as we're challenging, then hopefully all the squad will be supportive.

I have a feeling that Barnsley will become a significant player at the top, and Portsmouth are obviously unbeaten, so we will need to keep this level up.

Completely agree. TBH I was gobsmacked on seeing that line up pre match. It took some nads to drop Williams who was MOTM on Saturday, play Cogley on the left, Toal behind him, push Jones and George forward, drop Sheehan deeper and bring in Paris and Forrester - bit of a head scratcher but it worked out really well - even though Wycombe didn't start with all their big lads like Vokes and Wheeler until they were 2 nil down.

It'll be interesting to see how he lines us up against his old manager's side tomorrow which will be a very different challenge - but at least Wycombe showed he's thinking about it and as you say, he deserves credit for that.

 

[Wanderlust]

On 25/10/2023 at 19:25, victor meldrew said:

Who’s fault is the 2 shit windows 

Back in the day we'd have paid whatever wages and personal terms Baccus and Wilson demanded and splashed out on an expensive striker, so a few of the arrivals wouldn't have come.

Markham and his team do the transfer analysis and provide a list of players in preference order so they just work down that and stick to the budget.

I'm not having it that Evatt demanded that we signed Dan for example - more a case of we ended up with Dan because those higher up the list were too expensive or were unavailable - so you can't lay the blame for the transfers you don't approve of at Evatt's door. You might as well blame Allardyce, Megson or Parky for contributing to the financial position we now find ourselves in and determines what we can afford.

Unless you have a list of players that we should have signed instead for the same money? (Cue "my gran and she's dead" instead of Dan joke)

[tomski]

1 hour ago, Wanderlust said:

Back in the day we'd have paid whatever wages and personal terms Baccus and Wilson demanded and splashed out on an expensive striker, so a few of the arrivals wouldn't have come.

Markham and his team do the transfer analysis and provide a list of players in preference order so they just work down that and stick to the budget.

I'm not having it that Evatt demanded that we signed Dan for example - more a case of we ended up with Dan because those higher up the list were too expensive or were unavailable - so you can't lay the blame for the transfers you don't approve of at Evatt's door. You might as well blame Allardyce, Megson or Parky for contributing to the financial position we now find ourselves in and determines what we can afford.

Unless you have a list of players that we should have signed instead for the same money? (Cue "my gran and she's dead" instead of Dan joke)

When?

[Tonge moor green jacket]

Some responsibility still must go to Evatt. He has the final say, and if didn't think Dan, or anyone else, was up to it we wouldn't have brought them in.

 

[Casino]

sadly, meldrew was woooshed

 

2 x shit windows, lost our 'best player' and 2 players we were never going to own and we havent regressed

if thats shit, keep em coming

[Wanderlust]

Overall I'm not disappointed with our transfer policy. It would be great if we were loaded but...

We're all struggling with Dan - and maybe it's a data-driven signing, because he does put the miles in, closes down defenders, is athletic, is young etc - all things that a moneyball approach to recruitment would pick up on. There have even been a couple of games where he's held the ball up well and brought others into play and one week completed more passes than anyone in L1 - although that hasn't happened often enough - but there is a case for understanding why someone looking at his data would consider him worth a punt.

I reckon he's a "project" because it's bleedin' obvious that he has a lot of work to do on his ability to protect the ball and be ruthless and perhaps a little more greedy in front of goal and those things are the compromise/gamble in signing him. Can't write him off though because of his age and he has the likes of CJ and JDB to learn from.

I think Dan exemplifies an issue that has to be addressed by both club and fans. We have to wean ourselves off taking loanees if we are to progress so we're buying our own players with a limited budget and that means gambling on prospects, mainly young prospects.

That can be a problem for fans with high expectations who want ready to go mature players right now.

Hearing a lot of complaints about our recruitment but as much as I wish we could afford quality players at the peak of their game, I think Markham and Evatt have made some astute investments in youth - for example:

Will Forrester 22 - good signing in my book.

Zac Ashworth 20 - good prospect

Paris Maghoma 22 - option to buy but looks tidy and has good feet

Eoin Toal 24 - brilliant signing

Aaron Morley 23 - nuff said.

George Thomason 22 - new contract and continues to get better and better - and more valuable.

Carlos Mendes Gomes 24 -  dunno yet

B team prospects e.g. Khumbeni, Carty and especially Matheson who looks just about ready now IMO

Those are all affordable longer term investments and as someone who is just happy that we still exist and accept that we are rebuilding from a very low base I'm not complaining.

I'd have been happier if the more senior players we are supplementing this lot with were better quality - not that I have any problem with Dion, Rico, Sheehan or Demps - but if we can't afford the likes of Baccus and Wilson yet so be it.

However, I don't see any reason why this core of youngsters can't develop into a Championship quality team - they're certainly getting plenty of game time already.

 

 

 

[Traf]

4 hours ago, Wanderlust said:

Overall I'm not disappointed with our transfer policy. It would be great if we were loaded but...

We're all struggling with Dan - and maybe it's a data-driven signing, because he does put the miles in, closes down defenders, is athletic, is young etc - all things that a moneyball approach to recruitment would pick up on. There have even been a couple of games where he's held the ball up well and brought others into play and one week completed more passes than anyone in L1 - although that hasn't happened often enough - but there is a case for understanding why someone looking at his data would consider him worth a punt.

I reckon he's a "project" because it's bleedin' obvious that he has a lot of work to do on his ability to protect the ball and be ruthless and perhaps a little more greedy in front of goal and those things are the compromise/gamble in signing him. Can't write him off though because of his age and he has the likes of CJ and JDB to learn from.

I think Dan exemplifies an issue that has to be addressed by both club and fans. We have to wean ourselves off taking loanees if we are to progress so we're buying our own players with a limited budget and that means gambling on prospects, mainly young prospects.

That can be a problem for fans with high expectations who want ready to go mature players right now.

Hearing a lot of complaints about our recruitment but as much as I wish we could afford quality players at the peak of their game, I think Markham and Evatt have made some astute investments in youth - for example:

Will Forrester 22 - good signing in my book.

Zac Ashworth 20 - good prospect

Paris Maghoma 22 - option to buy but looks tidy and has good feet

Eoin Toal 24 - brilliant signing

Aaron Morley 23 - nuff said.

George Thomason 22 - new contract and continues to get better and better - and more valuable.

Carlos Mendes Gomes 24 -  dunno yet

B team prospects e.g. Khumbeni, Carty and especially Matheson who looks just about ready now IMO

Those are all affordable longer term investments and as someone who is just happy that we still exist and accept that we are rebuilding from a very low base I'm not complaining.

I'd have been happier if the more senior players we are supplementing this lot with were better quality - not that I have any problem with Dion, Rico, Sheehan or Demps - but if we can't afford the likes of Baccus and Wilson yet so be it.

However, I don't see any reason why this core of youngsters can't develop into a Championship quality team - they're certainly getting plenty of game time already.

Woah, you might need to rein that positivity in a bit, it's not happyclapperways.com 😉

[victor meldrew]

6 hours ago, Casino said:

sadly, meldrew was woooshed

 

2 x shit windows, lost our 'best player' and 2 players we were never going to own and we havent regressed

if thats shit, keep em coming

Alfie may , Jordan Rhodes?

[radcliffe white]

2 minutes ago, victor meldrew said:

Alfie may , Jordan Rhodes?

Got Dan & cam 

[victor meldrew]

Just now, radcliffe white said:

Got Dan & cam 

Sounds like a bbc 1 daytime to program

[Casino]

25 minutes ago, victor meldrew said:

Alfie may , Jordan Rhodes?

Tbh, i thought Rhodes had retired

Mightve been a good shout, wages permitting

Alfie May, ffs, unless we could move the reebok 250 miles, not happening

Which is all irrelevant to my point

We have sold dapo, lost two great young talents and we are doing fine

[DazBob]

Not convinced Rhodes would be the sort of player would want anyway.

[tomski]

Just now, DazBob said:

Not convinced Rhodes would be the sort of player would want anyway.

No he wouldn’t come back to half way to get the ball. Goals are a secondary

[DazBob]

5 minutes ago, tomski said:

No he wouldn’t come back to half way to get the ball. Goals are a secondary

Looks like I omitted 'Evatt'.

Think you sussed it anyway.

There's no way Evatt would sign a player who does nothing but score goals.

[Johnnyrotten]

7 minutes ago, DazBob said:

Looks like I omitted 'Evatt'.

Think you sussed it anyway.

There's no way Evatt would sign a player who does nothing but score goals.

Charles?

[Lt. Aldo Raine]

Just now, Johnnyrotten said:

Charles?

High press / closing down

[frank_spencer]

In an ideal world I would've let Bod go and not signed Dan and gone for Johnson Clarke-Harris but I'm not the manager/recruitment chap and have no idea if JCH would even want to come here in our budget. 

[Johnnyrotten]

7 hours ago, Wanderlust said:

Overall I'm not disappointed with our transfer policy. It would be great if we were loaded but...

We're all struggling with Dan - and maybe it's a data-driven signing, because he does put the miles in, closes down defenders, is athletic, is young etc - all things that a moneyball approach to recruitment would pick up on. There have even been a couple of games where he's held the ball up well and brought others into play and one week completed more passes than anyone in L1 - although that hasn't happened often enough - but there is a case for understanding why someone looking at his data would consider him worth a punt.

I reckon he's a "project" because it's bleedin' obvious that he has a lot of work to do on his ability to protect the ball and be ruthless and perhaps a little more greedy in front of goal and those things are the compromise/gamble in signing him. Can't write him off though because of his age and he has the likes of CJ and JDB to learn from.

I think Dan exemplifies an issue that has to be addressed by both club and fans. We have to wean ourselves off taking loanees if we are to progress so we're buying our own players with a limited budget and that means gambling on prospects, mainly young prospects.

That can be a problem for fans with high expectations who want ready to go mature players right now.

Hearing a lot of complaints about our recruitment but as much as I wish we could afford quality players at the peak of their game, I think Markham and Evatt have made some astute investments in youth - for example:

Will Forrester 22 - good signing in my book.

Zac Ashworth 20 - good prospect

Paris Maghoma 22 - option to buy but looks tidy and has good feet

Eoin Toal 24 - brilliant signing

Aaron Morley 23 - nuff said.

George Thomason 22 - new contract and continues to get better and better - and more valuable.

Carlos Mendes Gomes 24 -  dunno yet

B team prospects e.g. Khumbeni, Carty and especially Matheson who looks just about ready now IMO

Those are all affordable longer term investments and as someone who is just happy that we still exist and accept that we are rebuilding from a very low base I'm not complaining.

I'd have been happier if the more senior players we are supplementing this lot with were better quality - not that I have any problem with Dion, Rico, Sheehan or Demps - but if we can't afford the likes of Baccus and Wilson yet so be it.

However, I don't see any reason why this core of youngsters can't develop into a Championship quality team - they're certainly getting plenty of game time already.

 

 

 

A good positive write up and a good read, a couple of points:

Ashworth is on loan, as is Maghoma.  So they aren't part of the "investment", if they are really good they just go back to their clubs like previous loanees.

You've listed 10 players and finished with "they're certainly getting plenty of game time already", but only Tomo, Morley and Toal are regular 1st teamers. The other 7 are very unproven/unknown, so its a big leap for them to go from not getting much game time in L1 to being potential Championship players.  Personally I'd be happy for them to be proven L1 players first, I will worry about having championship standard players if we get there, I think we're miles off having enough players of that quality.  The only 3 I'd put in the championship next week are Santos, Toal and Baxter (and I get that you're talking about potential).  Sheehan possibly, just worry about physicality but he wouldn't be out of his depth.