The title says it all but remember it's just my opinion. However I want to be clear and say it's NOT just because of the start to this season.
My feeling has built over time that Ian Evatt is a choker. It started with the woeful performance in the play off semi-final against Barnsley the season before last. Then last season we were in an awesome position, 2 points off the top of the table with FOUR games in hand but somehow we managed to throw that away. In the first leg against Barnsley we won 3-1 at their place which really should have meant job done but somehow we managed to come within a whisker of throwing it away at home with a dreadful, frankly disjointed performance that saw us squeak through to the play off finals by a single goal.
I don't think anyone needs me to say just how horrible the performance in the final was. Oxford barely had to get out of 2nd gear and we were clueless and passionless from start to finish.
The players can't be blamed. There were two almost totally different squads but both had the quality to take us up. The start to this season has added to my feeling the problem is at the top, with the manager and his staff. Their confidence is clearly low when it really matters and that transmits itself to the squad. I know how harsh this sounds, I don't like advocating that someone should lose their job but frankly in this case I don't see another option and fear that if Ian Evatt remains in charge the end of this season will see us battling to stay up rather than having any chance to go up.
I appreciate that there isn't much money in the club so sacking him might not be financially viable even if Sharron didn't have such a normally laudable loyalty to the people who work for her but in this case I believe the bullet must be bitten and Ian Evatt needs to resign or be relieved of his duties even if that means putting him on "Gardening Leave" as was done with Gary Megson.
I am grateful for everything Ian has done and always will be but I am equally certain he's reached his top level and his time is up.
Evatt Should Go
posted on 26/9/24
I can't disagree with you except for one point; I know the team in the play-off final would have been following Evatt's tactics, however, when things are going drastically wrong the team should take matters into their own hands, and play with freedom and determination, they didn't.
As for Evatt, I hope he can pull off a great escape and get us back into contention at the top of the league. Do I think it will happen, no. Something is missing in his management and coaching methods. He needs a good tactician coaching the team and he hasn't got one.
Now that Craddock is supposedly departing, he has the chance to change things, the question is will he make the right appointment?
This is a smallclip from the Bolton News. “Arsenal are a really difficult team to create and score against, and we had moments tonight which is pleasing,” the manager added.
Yes, they are hard to score against but they are a Premiership side. The point is, did he learn anything from that? Our defence has changed from a reliable defence into a leaky one. Work needs to be done.
Some of it is Evett's tactics of playing out from the back. I'm not advocating the long ball way of playing but that can sometimes be effective. I'm talking about the tippy-tappy football from our defenders when the opposition forwards are within striking distance.
How many mistakes has Santos made recently through bad judgment when opposition players have been in good positions to seize on mistakes? I would suggest too many.
posted on 26/9/24
Several factors. Was in great position after beating Fleetwood over Christmas. Lost Jones to Australia for weeks and he hasn't been anything like since. The cup ties against Luton and the EFL trophy got in the way, not enough investment in January/signed too late. Injuries to Baxter, Charles, Adeboyejo all out for weeks, cmg out for the season. The squad couldn't cope with it and lost ground to derby.
posted on 26/9/24
We were in the final and we were awful, we didn't even compete. What did Evatt say to them at halftime? Whatever it was it didn't work it got worse.
Don't forget, this is the fourth season in this league. I don't think any of us envisaged this. It certainly wasn't in the plan.
How long can he go on? If he hasn't made good progress by Christmas, that should be the time to get shut. You can't give him another budget for players, you need to get a new manager and let them spend the money.
We haven't got long, Christmas will be here before we know it
On another topic, we found a great house, had our offer accepted and now we have to wait for the solicitors to finalise the sale and get a date for the turnover. Everything should be moving now as we have had a memorandum of sale issued today.
I can start to relax now and let others get on with it.
posted on 26/9/24
Didn't think he was going to be here at the start of this season.
Worst thing he did was to rethink the entire system rather than understand why we couldn't deal with pressing.
He's now got a bit of time back again after changing back. If this next set of fixtures doesn't go well he will be off during the international break when there's more time for a replacement to be found.
As for the tactics. He needs to get away from trying to be Pep and hybrid between him and Klopp. In style not class of course.
posted on 26/9/24
Traditionally we sack the manager in the October International break, after a bad result at Millwall. Sadly a bad result at Millwall is beyond our reach this year, but the timing is right.
Whenever these discussions come up, I do wonder: who is available, better, and likely to want the job?
posted on 26/9/24
In answer to Exiled's question I understand that DJ Trump is currently technically unemployed.
Alright being serious for a moment your question is of course pertinent and needs to be considered.
However I firmly believe that it will become a secondary consideration and rightly so if we continue to play as badly as we have been doing. And even more so if we continue making schoolboy errors playing a system we're simply not equipped to use.
Frankly I think we need someone who will (a) keep it simple and recognise the limitations of our players and (b) Will instil in them the confidence that has been so sorely lacking for most of this calendar year if not even longer.
It doesn't have to be a big name, it could even be a rookie so long as that person is clear about what the realities are and can actually lead the club.