Ian Buxton's Bat

I think we have to retain the ball better in the Champ because we won't get it back as easily off better players and they will punish us more harshly when we do give it away. Only two players have over 80% pass accuracy for this season and that's Nyambe and Hourihane. I'd keep Hourihane as a squad player for that reason - and he does provide goals and assists - but I think we'll need a tweaked style of play and not just players who are better at doing what we've done. If you look on Whoscored stats there's a reasonable trend between number of players with pass accuracy over 80% and league position for the Champ.

ATG 1Wildsmith 7.5........not a lot to do but was very assured 35Nelson 8.......stood up to everything when we sat back after taking the lead. Terrific block at 1-0. 5Bradley 8........can't fault him for last 3 games. When he tries to win the ball rather than win fouls via daft wrestling he's a beast 23Blackett-Taylor 6.....no time. glad he got on 6Cashin 7.5......thought their 9 was the best payer on the pitch for about 60 mins and gave Cashin a tough battle. Great play to set up the move for the first goal 2Wilson 7.......quieter than usual but decent. Involved in first goal 4Hourihane 6......not a lot of time. Always tries to make things happen. Said it before but he's the world's best sub when warming up. Clearly a team man. Maybe something of a Stearman role next year? 12Smith 7.....good performance. More involved than lately in terms of dictating play 32Adams 8.5.....saying Carlisle targeted him is an understatement. Kicked from pillar to post but kept coming back for more 17Sibley 7.5......Very good game. Growing into LWB role. If he gets a pre-season in that position, will be find a better option? 20Elder 6.5......no time really but looked very athletic and attack minded when he came on. There's a possibility that he could be excellent if he has an injury-free season 8Bird 8.......What.A.Goal.......great way to sign off and will take some replacing. 16Thompson 6......not a lot of time 9Collins 8.....excellent. Work rate is phenomenal. Lovely goal and some great link-up play 11Méndez-Laing 7.5........back to his best. Fast, direct and put in a huge shift 7Barkhuizen 6......no time

Really decent bloke. Knows what he’s doing. Gets results. Football isn’t easy on the eye. To almost quote Meatloaf….3 out 4 ain’t bad. Deserves a lot a credit as well for juggling all the injuries.

We thought we’d never get autos in 96 so booked wedding ‘to be back in time for the playoffs’ Received promotion new by fax. Watched 3 playoff defeats in the flesh. Watched playoff victory in the pub. Today is the day…..promotion in the flesh. It’s happening. Awake at 6 like the most excited child on Christmas Day. It’s happening…..I’m feeling super emotional…..could well be my first tears of joy since the birth of the junior bats.

Watched his first game - never been so happy after a 5-0 or 5-1 thrashing. Still have my "Igor says Idemo Gore" ("we're going up" in Croatian) T-shirt from the Ramtique........choices, choices....it's that or the '96 Puma promotion shirt tomorrow 🤔

I'm not a fan of pitch invasions - and I'm not being the fun police here, quite the opposite. As has been pointed out, it risks cancellation of laps of honour, presentations and a chance to actually see the players celebrate. I'd rather watch PW start the bounce with an ecstatic squad with him than watch 22 knackered footballers run for their life towards the tunnel. There is generally some numpty who assaults an opposing player - which is utterly cringeworthy. It's easy to fix. EFL says non-negotiable 20 point deduction for mass pitch invasions like they apply a non-negotiable deduction for going into admin - and they just wouldn't happen. I don't believe there is any realistic chance of a points deduction if there's a pitch invasion tomorrow but, if the EFL are genuinely concerned about player safety, they should bring in some rule for future seasons.

Scores based on what have they contributed so far, relative to their maximum potential contribution since signing......not just on how good I think they are........or what they may contribute in future. A lot of the non-contribution is a result of injury - we could have signed Mbappe and he could have got injured after 1 game and in my book that would have made him a 1/10 Summer window: Curtis Nelson...9/10.....couple of iffy games early on and then magnificent. Always fit Callum Elder.....3/10......often injured.....poor in early games.....very promising in later games.....much higher hopes for next season Joe Ward.....4/10........really like him, season badly affected by injury. Some costly pens against but coming very good before latest injury Sonny Bradley....5/10...awful start, slow re-integration but coming good. Always fit Josh Vickers......5/10.....good back-up. Harsh to give a 5 but he's hardly played. Kane Wilson.....7.5/10.....completely smashed my expectations after a poor start (v Blackpool?). Always fit Martyn Waghorn.....4/10.......10/10 v Posh away, injured then not regained any sort of form Conor Washington....4/10.....lively, committed but big injury lay-off Tyrese Fornah......2/10.......probably a good player in there but clearly not PW's cup of tea so not contributed much Elliot Embleton......1/10......almost N/A because of injury Ryan Nyambe........4.5/10....best defensive full back in the league when not injured or at Afcon Tyreece John-Jules....2/10......classy touches and a goal at PV but not fit enough for long enough Winter: Ebou Adams.....9/10.....Best new signing of the season. Always fit Dwight Gayle.....5/10.....if he'd stayed fit I'm sure I'd have given him an 8 or 9 and we'd already be up Corey Blackett-Taylor.....2/10.....genuinely hope he comes good and has shown glimpses of what he can do Max Bird*.....5/10.....been injured a lot since 'coming back' on loan Extensions: Nathaniel Mendez-Laing.....7.5/10.....A bit down on form since contract extension but still fantastic. Always fit Eiran Cashin....9/10......Excellent. Always fit. Best signing of the season. Great player or megabucks for the club next season. Jake Rooney.....N/A.....if he can live with the pace of the Champ (fingers crossed) he'll be a big asset. My worry is he's too slow.

I think Rugby League may use something like this but it includes all top teams - basically if you win the league you are in the final (or possibly semi?) of the knockout. Winning the league is not as good as winning the Grand Final of the knockout, which is seen as the big prize. As for @CBX1985's suggestion about including a team from the league above - I think this was the case when play-offs first started but it only lasted for the blink of an eye. If you look at the pros and cons of play-offs then, assuming we go up, it's tough on Bolton who then have an equal chance of going up with maybe someone like Blackpool but......something like 9 out of the last day's 12 fixtures still have something riding on them.

Ferguson’s team selection and tactics may be determined by who he would rather play in a play-off final…..us or Bolton. If he’d rather play us then the white flag may be flying high again.

Harvester has sky

Is there prize money for 3rd and 4th place? Neither Bolton or Posh should be bothered about play off opponents and, unless Posh get hammered by Cheltenham, it will be a shootout for 3rd/4th. I thought Posh were in a bit of financial bother so can’t imagine their Chairman would sanction a “can’t be arsed” approach…..if there is prize money that’s worth having.

RTV…….not a sniff of a ticket, even in 5+ category 1Wildsmith 5.……a wonder save and then went to pot. Poor kicks could’ve been due to high wind 35Nelson 8……body on the line. Heroic. 5Bradley 8……see Nelson. And he made sure he was winning headers rather than wrestling, falling over and trying to win free kicks 6Cashin 8….see Nelson 2Wilson 6…..not his finest game. Tried to make things happen but got caught faffing around a couple of times 7Barkhuizen 6….the man for the counter attack. Got in position A for a second but NML too knackered to pick him out 12Smith 5….23 touches in CM. Broke up play in first half, didn’t really see him in the second. 32Adams 6…..very good and involved in the first half. Less of a factor in the second 17Sibley 8…..pass of the season…..and very good all round. Not phased by the yellow card 16Thompson 7……good ratting and gets awkward balls under control and where he wants it to be like a Prem player 8Bird 🦅 6…..OK. Good to see him back 9Collins 7.5……lived on scraps, worked his socks off, held the ball up well and linked well. Not a goal threat but no service 11Méndez-Laing 8……almost back to great form. Never hides a massive shift for the team 10Waghorn 6…..no time Attwell 10….faultless Very good first half, lovely 3 points, horrible 2nd half. Strange post match from PW. Bemoaning the fact that we had no control but didn’t really change tactics or personnel. Everything was a long hoof in the second half……orders? Panic? No options? I like Smith and he works hard to get in good defensive positions but he barely touches the ball……you have to have someone who is brave enough to get on the ball (Hourihane) and tactics to use them to get control - but you then sacrifice something else. I’ll absolutely take 90 mins of aimless hoofball and 0-0 next Saturday…..

Thought he was terrific today. End of.

Tempted to put a fiver on Bolton at 14/1 and a few quid on Posh at 25/1 to at least create a decent sized sorrow-drowning beer fund. I have faith in the team and management to get the job done but, in the back of my mind, I'm thinking that we've had fewer dire, game-changing reffing decisions than last season and unwarranted red cards and pens can still bite (Case study: Sir Curtis @ Sheff Wed). If I were PW, I'd be making loads of noises in the press this week that officials have to be absolutely certain of things before dishing out reds and pens at this stage of the season. I'd be happy fo a no pens and no reds pact for the last two games.

If we go up I think PW will have absolutely earned a crack at the Championship. I’ve enjoyed the season but have been critical of the style of play because I think we’ve got the squad to have got equally good or even better results in league 1 by playing more through the midfield and more on the deck. But…..PW knows what he’s doing. Every game is a battle and we’re very rarely out of a game…..and, conversely, only very occasionally out of sight and cruising. I can only remember Stevenage away where we hadn’t got a sniff of something at the 85+ minute mark. Against Cheltenham, the pragmatism is frustrating. Against Leeds, Notts Forest or Burnley next year, it may be just the right approach to grind enough points for mid table……and far, far less frustrating to watch.

If we go up and PW wants to play 2 in midfield then trying to sign him is a no brainer. imo he’s as good around the pitch as Shinniesta and better in the air. If he’s going to play a 3 and, heaven forbid, try to control games more or play through midfield then it’s less clear cut……but that’s not going to happen. if we go up I’d like an Ebou flying salute T-shirt…..for me that’s the image of the season so far.

ATG 1Wildsmith 6.5…..had almost nothing to do so impossible to get a great score 35Nelson 7……untroubled defensively. Troubled their defence at set pieces 5Bradley 7.5……good goals and solid in defence 6Cashin 7……hands full with their 17 at times. Did very well 2Wilson 7…..so much more of a threat from wingback. I’d have stuck with a back 4 and I’d have been wrong! 12Smith 7……hardly touched the ball and quite a few over hit passes but managed to have a very good game….how does that work? 23Fornah 6….very little time 32Adams 8…..destroyed as per….plus carried the ball with great energy today 10Waghorn 6…. Very little time 17Sibley 8…..my MOTM…..really good going forward and defensively. Better as a wing back but has done admirably in a 4 16 Tommo 7…..wouldn’t have picked him and I’d have been wrong. Team really benefitted from his high pressing 4Hourihane 6….no time….but world’s best sub. Always cajoling and encouraging as he warms up. 9Collins 6.5…..great work rate and some good hold up play. Got very little off the ref 14Washington 6….just on long enough to miss a couple of decent chances! To be fair he worked very hard to get in position to miss them 11Méndez-Laing 7…..much better than of late. Great pressing and work rate 7Barkhuisen 7……with another CF, he’d have had 2 fantastic assists in no time on the pitch. Just the man for counter attacking PW got a lot right today. completely dominated Orient who were pretty toothless. Thought the ref and linesmen were inept. No game changing mistakes but so many errors on throw-ins and corners, free kicks to Orient for next to no contact and then let their defenders pretty much assault Collins on occasions. Completely failed to deal with our time-wasting and then only added on 4 mins. 😉

I think it boils down to two things....possibly three: Whether you think the team is better than its sum parts.......that's what good managers achieve and many don't believe PW hasn't achieved that, despite us being in 2nd place. Is the football good to watch?........I see a lot of snarking at those who are openly critical of the style of play but very few who openly think it's great. But, I get your point. I'm not sure how it works..... but you can enjoy the season and the results without particularly enjoying the football itself. I'm sort of in that position and reasonably confident we'll hold on to 2nd place. The other possibility is that we get very high quality football pumped into our living rooms for the rest of the week and unrealistically expect our squad to play error-free in the same manner. I find Man City quite boring to watch on occasions but the game against Real Madrid was a thriller. City made nearly 700 passes with over 90% completion and their outfield players only played 10 long balls. Last night we made 375 passes with less than 70% completion with 60 long balls by outfield players. Mrs Bat said to me this morning "I know we've got season tickets again and we may get promoted but I can't stand another season of this sh*t" That's where a lot of people are I'm afraid.

We don't HAVE a CM in front of Smith and Adams

Or a right footed player, playing as an inverted winger who gets a sitter on his weaker foot? Call me old fashioned but....next season, if we still have PW - with his get it wide and get crosses in philosophy - I'd like to see a left footed left winger and a right footed right winger a) for getting decent crosses in and b) for scoring back post sitters!

RTV 1Wildsmith 7.........one great save, one strange header after a bad mistake and slip 2Wilson 5.5........not his best night going forward but clean sheet and always tries to make things happen 35Nelson 6.5.......clean sheet, played well 6Cashin 7.......clean sheet and tried to get us moving forward 17Sibley 6.5.......got pelters in the match thread but clean sheet and thought he did OK, especially first half 11Méndez-Laing 5.....bad miss, some poor end product but doesn't hide 12Smith 6.5......another game where he looks good but hardly has any touches (32 in 77 mins) which isn't going to control influence any game. Don't blame him because he showed what he can do with the pass for NML's golden chance......must be frustrating playing as a proper central midfielder for a manager who only really wants them to defend 16Thompson 6.......OK...not much time 32Adams 7.5......really strong performance. He IS a midfield destroyer 27Blackett-Taylor 3.5......bad miss and hid. (16 touches in 59 mins). Possibly time to leave him out of the squad and try again next season in either another league or with another manager. Quality player in there but this isn't working. 4Hourihane 6.......should've started with Smith and Adams imo. Gets on the ball and tries to make stuff happen (27 touches from 59 mins onwards). Showed defensive weakness but showed defensive savvy.....he was the recipient of JW's last second header. If he wasn't there we may have lost. But.......that free kick...... FFS 14Washington 5.5.......strange one. He was our main outlet and threat but just isn't quite good enough. When he's fresh he's a threat with clever runs but when he's tired he's a passenger. Watched the highlights and I think the pass to CBT was actually quite cute....I think the pass on the ground would have been cut off so the chip-through was clever 7Barkhuizen 5....not involved.....but would start him on Sat. 9Collins 5......hardly involved but seemed to be playing almost as a 10 which is a thankless task in a team told to avoid using midfield, and a role he's frankly not very good at 10Waghorn. 5.....sadly, added nothing. See Hourihane for thoughts on that free kick! Another game where my ratings sort of taper down from back to front. It would be good if RD or Rams TV could ask PW if he is deliberately not using centre midfield as an offensive option - it drives me mad because a) we have players in the squad capable of dominating games at this (low) level and b) it gives the opposition something to think about rather than knowing full well we are going long or wide

Whatever we were playing resulted in 2 great chances being created and squandered so it was effective to some extent. But as @DavesaRamand @Ellafellahave alluded to it was another game where the clear plan was to avoid playing on the deck through midfield which I just don’t understand. The ball from Smith to NML was a beauty but suspect he was off-script. Yes, missed chances but PW to blame overall tonight imo.

Safe journey to those going tonight. I'm veering between the completely nervous and phlegmatic. Nervous that we've had some horror shows on the road against mid table mediocrity. Phlegmatic, in that we've got 2 games against teams that are dreaming of reaching the dizzy heights of mid table mediocrity....plus Orient (which in my brain has already been filed in the just turn up and win category) plus tonight. Fundamentally, if you'd offered me these 4 games left with promotion still in our hands at the start of the season, I'd have taken it. Barnsley have gone, win the next two and I think the wind exits Bolton and Posh's sails. Don't hate Wycombe but hate their chairman for what he did during our admin. Give him plenty. COYR

I think he plays Smith and Adams if he anticipates a battle - both are very good at breaking up play and getting back quickly to shield the defence. However, if you look at Who Scored stats, neither of them have anywhere near the number of touches that Hourihane has in a game. Hourihane is capable of dictating play if - and only if - we decide to play through midfield.......and he's better in a 3. Personally, I'd play all three of them if we intend to try and control a game - with NML, CBT and Collins ahead. If we intend to sit back and play on the break, or have a 90 min scrap then Smith and Adams are currently the best bet imo.

1Wildsmith 5.5.......overall not great but made 2 very good saves 2Wilson 6.5.........defended well, didn't get forward much 35Nelson 7.......under serious pressure throughout in horrible conditions. Not his best game but decent. 6Cashin 7.5.......same as Nelson but marginally more composed.......apart from an awful cross to unmarked Collins at the back stick 17Sibley 7........did well against a very good winger 23Ward 8........goals get headlines but a very good performance overall 16Thompson 6.........did OK 12Smith 7.......a bit of a midfield Nyambe. Gets in defensive positions and jockeys players very well. Also a good organiser - one very obvious rollicking of CBT 4Hourihane 6....no time 32Adams 8.....another very good performance 27Blackett-Taylor 7.5......getting much better going forward. He must be very, very quick - for the first goal he looked like a bone idle stroller.....as he left about 4 of their players in his wake! 14Washington 6......no time 11Méndez-Laing 6......taking one for the team by playing up front. Not his best position and won't see him at his best until he goes out wide again imo. 9Collins 7.5........brilliant first half - genuinely excellent. Faded in second but you can see Warne's pecking order when Wash and Wag are kept on the bench until 80+ mins 10Waghorn 6......no time Good game. Great point. Means Pompey won't be on the beach when they visit Bolton. Watched on Sky TV. Interesting that, apart from Sir Curtis, the coverage - and commentary/co-comms - was inferior to Rams TV imo.