BPAS PODCAST: 31st July '23, S4E2: 2023/24 Predictions

[BPAS]

Assuming our first scheduled game of the season goes ahead, we are less than a week away from the start of what promises to be the most exciting season at BP in YEARS!

We have our predictions for the season alongside those of Pete Wild and Marc White.

Find all our links ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠here⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠!

You can support the pod by paying a monthly subscription of just £2.99 via this link ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/oafcpodcast/subscribe⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.

All the regular episodes will remain free to everyone but only subscribers can access an audio only version of the Latics Football Phone In as a podcast from Friday morning at 6am and listen to both shows ad free.

If you'd like to advertise on the show, please email info@oafcpodcast.co.uk

If you'd like to make a one off donation, you can now also Buy Us A Coffee by clicking ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠here⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

You can also support us by visiting ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.oafcpodcast.co.uk⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, subscribing to our mailing list and purchasing from our online shop.

Please subscribe to our ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠YouTube channel⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ to watch the Latics Football Phone In live every Wednesday from 8.30pm.

Download and listen to the podcast via the FanHub app, where content creators and fans alike are rewarded for getting involved #ctg.

BPAS and Latics Football Phone In are ⁠KUPOD⁠ productions.

Title music is by Manchester DJ and producer Starion find out more at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.redlaserrecords.bandcamp.com

 

 

 

[deyres42]

Racing Post tipping us for the title.

[deyres42]

Although I'm not sure how much research their correspondent has done given they have tipped Willoughby to league top scorer....

[Dave_Og]

33 minutes ago, deyres42 said:

Racing Post tipping us for the title.

 

They tipped us to win L2 one year on the back of Byrne's ability despite him already having been banished

[Monty Burns]

2 hours ago, deyres42 said:

Racing Post tipping us for the title.

the bookie is never wrong*
 

 

 

 

 

 

 

*this is about as true as Vladolf not being a Nazi

[Dave_Og]

1 minute ago, Monty Burns said:

the bookie is never wrong*
 

 

 

 

 

 

 

*this is about as true as Vladolf not being a Nazi

 

Bookies don't care abut being right or wrong. The whole point of running a proper book is to be neutral abut a result because they balance things to make a profit either way.

[Monty Burns]

5 minutes ago, Dave_Og said:

 

Bookies don't care abut being right or wrong. The whole point of running a proper book is to be neutral abut a result because they balance things to make a profit either way.

yep. l learned that from you on here.

[JoeP]

Has expectation generally dropped amongst the fanbase as the close-season's gone on?

 

There seemed to be a lot of people who were certain we were going to be contenders for this season in April, but (if that podcast is a reflection of the general feeling of the supporters..) there seems to be a bit of expectation management needed now.

 

The work Frank and board have continued to do in the background has been phenomenal - no one in their right mind would argue otherwise.  One thing they've also continued to do impressively is back their manager.

 

Not sure how long we can use the "look at where we were under the Lemsegams" to excuse Unsworth (especially if Southend cobble a side together in a week and beat us on Saturday!).  The club's been completely transformed.  We've signed some of the best players in the division from other sides and some quality from leagues above on top of what Unsworth was allowed to bring in last season.

 

We should be play-offs minimum.  No excuses.  If we are languishing around 14th and make a late dash to 7th, I'm pretty sure it won't be Unsworth leading the charge...

 

 

[deyres42]

Recruitment has turned out to be a bit underwhelming for me, expected more proven quality from higher divisions to be brought in.

 

There are still question marks around the goalkeeper, a seemingly bizarre reluctance to address the right back position, lack of creativity in midfield and the Nuttall issue, not to mention the manager himself who may be the biggest problem of all.

 

Still expect us to finish top 7 though.

[the_mighty_bosh]

We were 3rd in the form table since New Years Day 2023 behind the two teams that went up, we've kept the bulk of that squad and we've added to the squad with some high performing players from last year.

 

Playoffs should definitely be our minimum aim, top 3 would be a good season.

[Monty Burns]

14 minutes ago, JoeP said:

Has expectation generally dropped amongst the fanbase as the close-season's gone on?

 

 

 

l really hope so if it stops people boooing

don't get me wrong l hope our winning machine won't be so fragile that it could be sunk by its own fans, but it just doesnt help and lve been bored of it since the last millenium.

[Ackey]

Broadly I do agree with you, but it's a bit rich to say... 

1 hour ago, JoeP said:

Not sure how long we can use the "look at where we were under the Lemsegams" to excuse Unsworth

...when we've literally not kicked a ball this season, and his 2023 form (not performances, I admit) is now literally the best in the league (the other two having buggered off to L2).

 

I'm not a massive DU fan. I think generally he's going to play unlikable football and that's rough when things don't go right. That said, we'd have been third if his 2023 form had played out through the season - that's hard to get upset with, no matter how tactically iffy it is. 

[disjointed]

7 minutes ago, Ackey said:

Broadly I do agree with you, but it's a bit rich to say... 

...when we've literally not kicked a ball this season, and his 2023 form (not performances, I admit) is now literally the best in the league (the other two having buggered off to L2).

 

I'm not a massive DU fan. I think generally he's going to play unlikable football and that's rough when things don't go right. That said, we'd have been third if his 2023 form had played out through the season - that's hard to get upset with, no matter how tactically iffy it is. 

At some point during the season most teams had a good run of results, Unsworths came towards the middle/end. I prefer to look at the season as a whole and we finished out of the play offs in mid table. I can see how some are happy with that but for me the performances were mostly awful to watch, I am struggling to get excited if the same is in store for this season. 

[Ackey]

3 minutes ago, disjointed said:

At some point during the season most teams had a good run of results, Unsworths came towards the middle/end. I prefer to look at the season as a whole and we finished out of the play offs in mid table. I can see how some are happy with that but for me the performances were mostly awful to watch, I am struggling to get excited if the same is in store for this season. 

I think that's valid/reasonable. It could be argued fairly that it took a while for DU to get things moving how he wanted (not how we wanted, maybe ) and that once he did the results improved.

[basilrobbie]

An interesting listen, as always.

 

I thought Matt was a bit hard on Southend fans. Critical mass is gained at different speeds in cases such as these, and while they might have taken a while to get going I think they are largely united now. The problem they have is that their predicament has so many moving parts, and seeing a way through it is quite difficult. The activists among them are trying as hard as you would expect.

 

The National League are in a bit of a bind, I feel. They deserve credit for wanting to give the club every chance to survive. They also deserve some brickbats for letting this drag on, and you can include the EFL in that too. This is an owner who until recently went about four years without filing proper accounts, and someone who has had close to twenty (I think) winding up orders from HMRC.  Given the club slid through two divisions in successive seasons, alarm bells should have rung louder, and sooner. 

 

My worry is that they are not gong to be especially competitive, at least for a while and until the takeover issue is resolved. Until they pay the HMRC what they owe they remain under embargo, and as far as I know are struggling to fill the 16 team squad they are allowed. They may have a reasonable first XI on Saturday - but not much else. 

 

I've no idea how well you will do - I think top seven, but with no expectation that you will prevail. I'd go for a top seven of Chesterfield, York, Woking, Oldham, Boreham Wood, Bromley and Gateshead as a wild card. Bottom four Kidderminster, Oxford, Dorking and Aldershot. Feel free to mock in May.

 

 

 

[Frankly Mr Shankly]

1 hour ago, disjointed said:

At some point during the season most teams had a good run of results, Unsworths came towards the middle/end. I prefer to look at the season as a whole and we finished out of the play offs in mid table. I can see how some are happy with that but for me the performances were mostly awful to watch, I am struggling to get excited if the same is in store for this season. 

 

The evolution of football to how it is today sees far more managers sacrifice cavalier free flowing football for effective direct approaches. @BPAS Andy's take on DU adopting at a model of getting the ball into their box with as least touches as possible was on the money. 

 

We've arrived in an era where statistics, data and analysis are king and every nuance is drilled into, looking for a small advantage over your opposition. The beautiful game, or notion of, doesn't really exist at lower levels. Notts County employ it to a degree, but most successful teams are mainly win the game first, entertain the fans second. And opposition tactics when playing successful teams are built around slowing the tempo and spoiling the fun. Therefore your top teams In L1 to non-league aren't that often producing exhilarating high-octane stuff. They're often simply well-drilled, well oiled teams with fewer chinks in their armour.

 

If you're placing a high value on entertainment over just winning, then you'll often be more disappointed.

[Frankly Mr Shankly]

11 minutes ago, basilrobbie said:

I thought Matt was a bit hard on Southend fans. Critical mass is gained at different speeds in cases such as these, and while they might have taken a while to get going I think they are largely united now. The problem they have is that their predicament has so many moving parts, and seeing a way through it is quite difficult. The activists among them are trying as hard as you would expect.

 

Yeah, I did too. He seemed to take it almost as a personal affront that they turned down a slot on the podcast. They may have had fair enough reason not to at this moment in time. 

[JoeP]

1 hour ago, Ackey said:

Broadly I do agree with you, but it's a bit rich to say... 

...when we've literally not kicked a ball this season, and his 2023 form (not performances, I admit) is now literally the best in the league (the other two having buggered off to L2).

 

I'm not a massive DU fan. I think generally he's going to play unlikable football and that's rough when things don't go right. That said, we'd have been third if his 2023 form had played out through the season - that's hard to get upset with, no matter how tactically iffy it is. 

 

It's a fair point, but there seemed to be a pre-emptive appeal for patience in this episode when we've literally not kicked a ball this season!  Like there's an expectation things aren't going to go well.

 

There will be rocky patches undoubtably, but there is no reason for us not to be a success.  The club's in a great place thanks to Frank et al, Unsworth's been backed (more than most managers in the league) in the transfer market and is no longer a rookie, yes the team will need time to gel, but so will most teams in the league.  

 

I think we should be at it from the off.  We don't want to be playing catch-up.  Everything seems to be positive at the club and I don't think it's unreasonable for patience with Unsworth to be in relatively short supply...

[mcfluff1985]

3 hours ago, deyres42 said:

 

 

There are still question marks around the goalkeeper

Not from anyone of sound mind

[Steve_R]

1 hour ago, Frankly Mr Shankly said:

 

The evolution of football to how it is today sees far more managers sacrifice cavalier free flowing football for effective direct approaches. @BPAS Andy's take on DU adopting at a model of getting the ball into their box with as least touches as possible was on the money. 

 

We've arrived in an era where statistics, data and analysis are king and every nuance is drilled into, looking for a small advantage over your opposition. The beautiful game, or notion of, doesn't really exist at lower levels. Notts County employ it to a degree, but most successful teams are mainly win the game first, entertain the fans second. And opposition tactics when playing successful teams are built around slowing the tempo and spoiling the fun. Therefore your top teams In L1 to non-league aren't that often producing exhilarating high-octane stuff. They're often simply well-drilled, well oiled teams with fewer chinks in their armour.

 

If you're placing a high value on entertainment over just winning, then you'll often be more disappointed.

You can play good football this level, it doesn’t have to be grim. Wealdstone and Gateshead knocked it about really well against us, and we couldn’t beat either of them. Ok, we finished above both of them (as we should), but Gateshead’s record in the second half of the season was almost identical to ours, and that was the only part of the season  that counted apparently

[League one forever]

I do find it odd that the boys keep conflating where we’ve been and our Journey to the very different argument of - is Unsworth the right man. 

 

Frank and the board have done an amazing Job, and the point is- that everything they’ve done gives Unsworth very little room for excuses. Where as the argument seem to be- he needs time to build it slowly- because of where we have been. That can’t be right, because once again we are in danger of giving him a bit of free pass. 
 

It’s the board’s job to look after the club and infrastructure to give the manager the best chance of success, if any manager isn’t cutting the mustard he should be under pressure.

 

As they all said, let’s hope for a good start, to build some positivity and keep Unsworth with credit in bank. Because if we start badly- like any manager the pressure should and will build. 

 

 

[Ackey]

15 hours ago, JoeP said:

...there seemed to be a pre-emptive appeal for patience...

 

13 hours ago, League one forever said:

...the argument seem to be - he needs time to build it slowly - because of where we have been...

 

I think I share both your concerns, that he's not quite got it right and could be found out this year, I really do. But equally, I can think that whilst I still accept that patience and understanding will be better for us long term. The problem with our past is plentiful and complex, but a huge part of it is pessimism, impatience, infighting, glorification of the distant past, etc. etc. etc.

 

Does that mean DU should get forever if he's missing the mark...? No. 

Does that mean DU should get some positive thinking, forward looking, patient support...? Yes.

 

I've said it on here so, so often - we have far more in common than in contrast and there's 98% mutual grey area which goes unseen or unsaid in place of the 1% opposite ends, who heckle from a distance like the only voices in the room.  To be clear, unequivocally I am not saying that's you two as the people I quoted here. Just a summation of how things tend to be. 

[Dave_Og]

17 hours ago, JoeP said:

 

It's a fair point, but there seemed to be a pre-emptive appeal for patience in this episode when we've literally not kicked a ball this season! 

 

It's only three fans' opinions

[Monty Burns]

2 hours ago, Ackey said:

 

 

I think I share both your concerns, that he's not quite got it right and could be found out this year, I really do. But equally, I can think that whilst I still accept that patience and understanding will be better for us long term. The problem with our past is plentiful and complex, but a huge part of it is pessimism, impatience, infighting, glorification of the distant past, etc. etc. etc.

 

Does that mean DU should get forever if he's missing the mark...? No. 

Does that mean DU should get some positive thinking, forward looking, patient support...? Yes.

 

I've said it on here so, so often - we have far more in common than in contrast and there's 98% mutual grey area which goes unseen or unsaid in place of the 1% opposite ends, who heckle from a distance like the only voices in the room.  To be clear, unequivocally I am not saying that's you two as the people I quoted here. Just a summation of how things tend to be. 

he means me btw

[Monty Burns]

l liked the bit on the pod where Matts passion resurfaced because southend couldn't muster up their version of him/andy/dave or any of the other Heroes who stepped up for us.

if southend havent got any of them in the fanbase then theyre proper fucked.