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by abbeyfield6/11/2025 20:54Thu Nov 6 20:54:19 2025
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I need to understand...
Views: 1484
Here are some snark-free comments/questions for the critics on Borochat. I'm really trying to understand your thinking, as I can't get my head around your reasoning for much of the criticism.
Sure, no problems with individual match performances being criticised and we're all disappointed when we lose.
If we sack Revs:
- Who do we appoint?
- Would a manager at L1/L2 standard get a better tune out of the players?
- Remember Tisdale?
- Also remember, he may be the one presiding over a pretty stinking run, but he's also the guy that put us on a fantastic run early in the season. Isn't this just recency bias?
We should have brought in a goalscoring striker:
- Who is loaning out/selling a goalscoring striker?
- If one was available, why would they come to us?
- Criticism of Cornick - wasn't the point trying to get more out of Reid who *is* a goalscorer? Either by playing up with him or enabling us to rest him
I'm honestly trying to get my head around what happens next in the thinking of you guys, as it doesn't really sound very realistic to me
A reminder - we're currently 9th with games in hand on both above. For the more pessimistic - we're 10 points off the relegation zone and only need around 8 points to be typically safe, so unlikely we get sucked into any relegation fight
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8 people
Re: I need to understand...
Views: 435
As you probably all know by now, I'm not the biggest fan of Rev's. Playing players out of position. Not adapting to opposition tactics quickly enough (See current run.) Being too negative - Fear of losing, rather than trying to win.
I did however praise him for changing to 352, and hope he keeps this formation for a while, in order top see if the p[layers can adapt. The players also need to take a long hard look in the mirror, and ask themselves if they are doing enough. I DON'T want Rev's to fail. Seems like as nice guy. I just need him to embrace change when it is required, and not stubbornly continue with something that doesn't work.
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Re: I need to understand...
Views: 371
What? Who gets played out of position?
Edit: As Tucks and Balders have rightly said below, I see! Some criticisms towards him are warranted, but that one is just weird and wrong, Jeff.
Edited by Chuds at 15:34:48 on 13th February 2026
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1 person
Re: I need to understand...
Views: 395
Playing players out of position? Other than a few occasions out of necessity this just isn’t true.
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Re: I need to understand...
Views: 355
When does Roberts play as a 10, or up front, because he's never a winger? Freestone regularly plays Left Back. Playing Freestone at Right Wing Back when you have someone on the bench that has played the role many times. Half a season of playing Kemp out wide. Playing Bez as a winger, when he clearly isn't. And lately, the complete opposite, not playing Campbell at all.
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Re: I need to understand...
Views: 350
Freestone played LB because Earley and Butler were injured. Necessity.
Roberts has always played either right of a front 3 or RW for us. That's his position.
Pheonix isn't a RB or a RWB. Doing it 4 times at Fleetwood isn't exactly proof he can do it here.
Bez isn't a L1 footballer let alone a winger so I'll give you that one. (But if you do play him, wide is probably his best option because he ain't replacing Reid).
And if we are playing 3-5-2 where do you suggest we play Campbell? WB? instead of Saxon or Luther? Or are you sticking him up top or in the midfield 3?
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2 people
Re: I need to understand...
Views: 338
We will agree to disagree about Roberts. Just because hes always been played out wide doesn't make it right. In my humble opinion he would be far more suited to playing a 10. Especially if we play only Reid up top.
Freestone has played LB even when Butler was fit. Square pegs in round holes. Why sign Earley if you know he can't stay fit?
My comment about Campbell was more related to 4231, as we've only very recently switched.
Phoenix is never a RB - Agreed. But why wouldn't you put him as WB at Barnsley, when your only other option is Freestone?? Completely changed our shape.
The way Kemp has played this year I do think Roberts would be a better option in the 10.
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Re: I need to understand...
Views: 339
Roberts can play as a winger or a CAM (or even up front arguably). His predominant position is a winger though.
Freestone was signed in the knowledge that he can also play left back but his main position is at centre back. When he plays left back that isn’t out of position.
On a few occasions Revs’ hand has been forced into playing a player out of their “defined” position. That happens to all managers. He hasn’t made a conscious choice to play everyone in the wrong role. The thing against Barnsley was possibly the wrong move but his hands were tied. Phoenix has done nothing to suggest he’d be better playing as a defender in League One than an actual League One defender.
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Re: I need to understand...
Views: 334
I'd argue we haven't played through Kemp enough.
Kemp has to start though, he changes the whole dynamic for us.
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2 people
Re: I need to understand...
Views: 312
What formation would you play? Back to 4 at the back to accommodate him in a 10 role behind Reid/Cornick?
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Re: I need to understand...
Views: 312
4-2-3-1
Back 4 speaks for itself.
White with Houghton
Kemp
Roberts Kemp Campbell
Reid
It worked for the first 3 months of the season before injuries happened.
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Re: I need to understand...
Views: 270
Just noticed you've put Kemp in twice, so playing with 12, but I knew what you meant. 🤣
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Re: I need to understand...
Views: 275
So i did haha!
Two Kemps would definitely get the best out of Kemp
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Re: I need to understand...
Views: 240
Kemp squared!
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Re: I need to understand...
Views: 283
I'm a bit of a Philips pervert
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1 person
Re: I need to understand...
Views: 296
Can't argue with that... But I will. Haha. I'd mixed up White, Phillips and Thomson depending on the opposition and probably have Phoenix instead of Roberts (so switch sides with Campbell) because he's been crap for ages.
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Re: I need to understand...
Views: 286
I'd like to see Phoenix play wide, but the front three can be quite narrow
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Re: I need to understand...
Views: 391
I'm sure Revs will take your advice on board.
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Re: I need to understand...
Views: 344
Why the 'Sarcy' response?? I was trying to give my thoughts without slagging anyone off.
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1 person
Re: I need to understand...
Views: 341
Your initial post came across extremely patronising.
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Re: I need to understand...
Views: 977
This is the crux of it. Things go awry and fans demand someone (usually the manager) to be sacked.
But, as you say, who comes in next? If you want Revs gone and Manager A to replace him, don't be surprised when Manager A decides there are better opportunities at bigger clubs with greater resources.
And I'd not suggest that Phil has a perfect tracking of picking a new manager. We're no more likely to get someone new than someone we've had before.
We're also not in immediate danger. I mean, we weren't when we sacked Gary Smith either, but that's by the by.
Bottom line... Change ain't always good, the grass ain't always greener and that fella from Boreham Wood isn't going to want to come in.
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2 people
Re: I need to understand...
Views: 948
Plus doubt we could afford any of the potentials quoted on here.Just a realty.
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Re: I need to understand...
Views: 900
It's not about affording them, compared to good players managers are cheap, no transfer fee either.
It's about attracting them to Stevenage, unfashionable club hardly anyone has heard of, tiny crowds.
So we get journeyman who have multiple failures elsewhere, or untested youbg managers, most of whom, as statistics show, will have one job in EFL management, fail, get sacked and never work at EFL level again.
That's the challenge.
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Re: I need to understand...
Views: 866
Put yourself in their shoes...
If you were a promising striker (prolific or showing strong signs of potential), coming to Stevenage is a huge risk to your career momentum.
We don't have a strong record of developing attacking talent (there are a couple of obvious names that come to mind) but statistically our strikers get very few opportunities to score instead sacrificing themselves for the benefit of the team.
We're a team that relies on being physical, pressing, turning over possession and countering. We're often more comfortable out of possession than in possession.
So if you're a up and coming striker/winger with a goal threat, EVEN if we can afford their wage demands, we're not likely to be an attractive option.
However, I do think this works in our favour when attracting Defenders/GK/DMs...
Edited by Mocheeba at 16:42:17 on 8th February 2026
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2 people
Re: I need to understand...
Views: 916
Unless our home form falls apart I can’t see Phil making any change this season and I’d agree with that. We aren’t going to get relegated so get to the end of the season and then re assess.
I know this doesn’t answer your questions but there’s about 10 different threads on here so I Picked this one to respond to!
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1 person
Re: I need to understand...
Views: 937
Some good points and some irrelevant ones too
Games in hand are only good IF you win them!!
Cornick is just another Jake Young had plenty of games done nothing
Reid should of had 2 goals yesterday his actual goal was harder than the first one
Revell has run out of excuses and the place has now turned, its toxic....plenty of good managers out there including Gary Rowett, Gareth Ainsworth (interviewed by us before Evans) Darren Ferguson, Steve Bruce ALL better than Alex Revell.....
All of which know how to get the best out of players especially Rowett, Rowett & Ainsworth
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Re: I need to understand...
Views: 754
“Cornick is just another Jake Young”
And with that astute observation I’ll be taking your posts with a pinch of salt forever more.
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1 person
Re: I need to understand...
Views: 787
Rowett, Rowett & Ainsworth
The solicitors gorm?
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Re: I need to understand...
Views: 808
I would see Revs relegate us down to the Southern League before we ever became the kind of club that hands Steve Bruce a briefcase full of notes, sincerely shove that up your arse immediately.
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3 people
Re: I need to understand...
Views: 820
Three bellends bitching and a few weak jeers at the games is not really toxic
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Re: I need to understand...
Views: 865
The place is only toxic because of some fans. That's an easy one to solve, stop being toxic.
The players and manager etc are all still one group.
Just some fans creating as toxic an at.osphere as they can as if they want us to fail, rather than getting behind the team in tough times.
Really shows the calibre of a supporter base when things are tough, whether they turn toxic or whether they try to help.
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3 people
Re: I need to understand...
Views: 866
You *could* simply adopt a North Korean model of forum and ban all the whingers.
Then we could talk about baking again.
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Re: I need to understand...
Views: 564
Have CCTV identify the fans who weren’t clapping enthusiastically enough. 😁
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Re: I need to understand...
Views: 549
We could haul them from the terrace and get BGR to shoot them on the pitch at half-time from 20 yards.
They'd all be safe enough.
Trolololol
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1 person
Re: I need to understand...
Views: 903
Is the place toxic? Or do you just mean 10 fans on Borochat?
Even when we win 90% of the East Terrace aren't happy but that's just a deep routed British culture of complaining instead of complimenting
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Re: I need to understand...
Views: 653
"Even when we win 90% of the East Terrace aren't happy"
Really, you alone then, as all I see is smiling faces and the Barmy Army fist pumping.
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Re: I need to understand...
Views: 916
On point one Ryan Lowe is free😭
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Re: I need to understand...
Views: 988
Who do we appoint?
This old chestnut has been roasted so often it no longer resembles a chestnut.
Would a manager at L1/L2 standard get a better tune out of the players?
Some would, some wouldn’t.
Remember Tisdale?
Barely.
Also remember, he may be the one presiding over a pretty stinking run, but he's also the guy that put us on a fantastic run early in the season. Isn't this just recency bias?
I read that as regency bias and was going to make a strong argument for the Victorians, but then I read it properly and so I didn’t, or haven’t, depending on the tense you choose to read this in. I did wonder whether ‘recency’ is a word but can’t work out how to open a new tab to find out without losing everything I’ve written in my response.
In summary, I can buy 3 half decent bottles of wine for the same price it costs me to watch Boro (4 if I buy Blossom Hill). I’d get the same level of self loathing no matter what, but at least I get to drink wine in the warm.
Edited by Geoff Wode at 01:20:20 on 8th February 2026
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2 people
Re: I need to understand...
Views: 1041
- Who do we appoint?
Dean Brennan
-Would a manager at L1/L2 standard get a better tune out of the players?
Yes
- Remember Tisdale?
Yes, your point?
- Also remember, he may be the one presiding over a pretty stinking run, but he's also the guy that put us on a fantastic run early in the season. Isn't this just recency bias?
No.
Looking forward to your predictably hilarious comments about us singing Kane, Guardiolo etc etc
Edited by CDawg at 23:19:01 on 7th February 2026
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1 person
Re: I need to understand...
Views: 439
Dean Brennan given 9 match ban for verbally abusing female referee.
Next.
Edited by Sev at 17:45:03 on 12th February 2026
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Re: I need to understand...
Views: 429
Bloody Northern cabbies.
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Re: I need to understand...
Views: 801
Who do you want when Brennan loses a couple of games? Best to plan ahead!
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Re: I need to understand...
Views: 953
Who’s Guardiolo?
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Re: I need to understand...
Views: 955
Bahahahah a typo!
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Re: I need to understand...
Views: 924
Too many Guardiololz to handle.
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Re: I need to understand...
Views: 989
Kinda why I started this post to be fair. I wanted to see actual solutions provided by those wanting change or are peed off. I thank you for your contribution. And surely you understand the point re: Tisdale, it wasn't supposed to be a riddle
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Re: I need to understand...
Views: 1024
http://www.borochat.co.uk/article/573092
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2 people
Re: I need to understand...
Views: 976
Surely a different kind of post, no?
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Re: I need to understand...
Views: 1071
It’s anti-football. Tactics from the dinosaur age. People are heartily sick of it. You may as well go and sit in the cemetery on Saturday afternoons or Tuesday evenings. It’s the same experience
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1 person
Re: I need to understand...
Views: 988
Solutions? At least Copey suggested some answers before he decided to slag me off
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Re: I need to understand...
Views: 987
I would have thought the solution was obvious…
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Re: I need to understand...
Views: 999
Trouble is, whoever the new manager is, as soon as they're not in the playoff you'll be suggesting the only solution is to sack them.
I'm not defending the current form or performances which are clearly shocking compared to early season, but I think Revell has earnt the right to see out the season and then be assessed on the season as a whole.
We aren't at threat of getting relegated and not many would have expected playoffs before the season. The worst thing Revell could have done is started so well.
If it had been the other way round, being nearly bottom at the start and then went unbeaten for 11 games and were in exactly the same position now on the same points, no one would be demanding him sacked.
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5 people
Re: I need to understand...
Views: 880
They would, in September.
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Re: I need to understand...
Views: 1131
Results recently have been disappointing and well below par.
At the same time, I can't see us making a change before the end of the season.
I think a far more likely outcome is we finish 14th/15th, have a big clear out in the summer, and see where we are at Christmas.
Paying out that 5 year contract won't be cheap. So long as we aren't at serious risk of relegation, I can't see anything changing any time soon.
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2 people
Re: I need to understand...
Views: 1115
I honestly think there will be clear break clauses / performance clauses in that 5 year contract, so wouldn't necessarily think it would be that expensive to change manager
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1 person
Re: I need to understand...
Views: 1120
I think people are just finding us a difficult watch at the moment.
I don't know why there has been such a drop off in form and performances from the start of the season, but it seems to be the way we are being set up to play rather than the abilities of the players we have available.
I am acutely aware that Revs is likely to at least see out the rest of the season, so there is not much point calling for him to be sacked. I do also wonder who would be available/interested and a better option to replace him.
Bringing in a goalscoring striker in January was a bit of a stretch and I'd probably argue there wasn't an urgent requirement to throw money at the situation because I don't really fear the possibility of us going down (we SHOULD be able to scrape enough points to stay up comfortably) so I'm glad there was no panic buying.
There seems to be an accepted opinion that the league this year is of poorer quality so although our position looks good, it isn't seen us so much of an achievement.
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Re: I need to understand...
Views: 1110
I didn't watch today's game. But it sounded like and looks by the stats that we actually created a fair few chances. So, presuming it was more entertaining to watch.
Would you want to keep the two up front? We will create more, but concede more. And, as you say, there's very little chance of a relegation fight (I agree with you there), so maybe no harm in being a bit looser and playing with the handbrake off more?
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1 person
Re: I need to understand...
Views: 1085
There has been plenty of time/opportunity to play more freely given our early league position. I'm not sure we can afford to do that now.
I don't have a preferred formation or style of play (although I quite like the 5 at the back). I would just like to see some evidence that there has been actual consideration around how we set up depending on who we are playing, how we are playing, and who we have available (and their form etc).
Yes, fans don't know everything, and you'd expect most licensed coaches to have a better idea on tactics (especially when they work with the players all week), but on many occasions there have been calls for certain players to get more game time or be utilised in a certain way that looked glaringly obvious (i.e. Phoenix).
I can accept poor results, a winless run etc, but at times during this run that started in October, changes of formation/style and rotation of players have been lacking, and questionable in their timing when they do happen. If I feel the players have given their all and we have tried everything to get a result, I will walk away happy every time.
Injuries happen, every club has to deal with that. And, okay, our squad might not be the bigger or most talented. But too often performances have fell short of the minimum expected
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1 person
Re: I need to understand...
Views: 1076
On Phoenix - I don't think he's defensively good enough to play wing back in L1. So, I understand why Revs didn't put him on after injury last weekend. Given that, I don't see how he fits into playing 5 at the back at all. I would like to see more of Phoenix, he's looked the most dangerous player in more than just glimpses when I've seen him in action. To get game time, I think that would mean going back to 4 in defence. So, I'm a bit miffed as to which formation is the best for us
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Re: I need to understand...
Views: 1045
Agreed. I was more referring to earlier in the season. I think he was worth a go a WB last week but that's just my opinion. Can't say one way or the other until I've seen it for myself.
We obviously recruited in the summer to play with wingers. I thought the signing of Campbell was strange on his part and quite ambitious on ours. I didn't see him as a fit for our style of play, however there have been some glimpses from him as there have with Phoenix. It would be unfortunate for both if there was no place for them because of the formation but it's about getting the best out of the team/squad. Campbell did seem to enjoy coming on in the 10/free role at Barnsley.
I personally think we are better going forward through our FBs which is part of the reason that I like the 5 at the back (provided we have the players available). Even when Campbell and Phoenix had a run in the squad, there weren't enough bodies in the box to encourage putting crosses in - and you certainly won't see much/accurate crossing when it's Bez or Roberts playing wide.
We are nearly 2 years into Revs's reign and he still doesn't seem to know how to get the best out of his key players.
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1 person
Re: I need to understand...
Views: 1104
The game is about winning,im thankful we got our points on the board earlier because if we didn't will could have been in trouble.I posted before I couldn't see where the next win would come from hopefully it will come on Tuesday.
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Re: I need to understand...
Views: 1095
We all, ultimately, hope we'll start putting some wins together 🙌🏼
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Re: I need to understand...
Views: 1143
I don't want Revs out YET but I don't like this logic I'm reading that we shouldn't sack him because we're terrified we might get someone worse in. That's a possibility with ANY managerial change.
For me we now can forget the playoffs. Our start of the season was a smash and grab that flattered to deceive. We had a brilliant game plan and a very easy run at the start (compared with who we played when the drop off started). The only team that was an actual challenge in our opening run was Huddersfield and they beat us.
I think the serious issue we need to acknowledge is that Revs just cannot fix a bad situation. This isn't the first time the team's form has just stagnated under him and he's already been sacked by us once before.
This run of poor form has gone on too long for me and while we've seen glimmers of hope and potential, he's failed to then seize on that and build the team.
I don't want Revs out YET...
But the clock is ticking.
(Also can we please stop all this relegation talk! If there's one thing this team can do, it's draw a game. 10-13pts in the last 17 games is perfectly do-able even with this squad.)
Edited by StirlingBoro91 at 21:06:20 on 7th February 2026
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2 people
Re: I need to understand...
Views: 1129
To be fair, I thought re-appointing Revs, after being sacked previously, was nuts! But here we are!
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1 person
Re: I need to understand...
Views: 1058
I was of the same view, didn't want to go back to him and thought it would probably fail.
Then I ate a lot of humble pie until October. He had us knocking it out of the park, we were a steamroller.
Since then we've mostly played like I feared we might.
But, I don't want him out, yet.
If we are to change do it at the end of the season.
Roll the dice and go again next season, might work, might not.
Edited by BALDOCKBORO at 22:02:09 on 7th February 2026
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2 people
Re: I need to understand...
Views: 1084
I don't think many people were thrilled with the reappointment. I was willing to give him a chance based on thinking he'd had time to reflect and learn, particularly under the tutelage of a much more experienced manager at the level. I became quite disillusioned with his style pretty early on but have continued to follow and support the team regardless. I continue to not be a fan (of Revs) and have a few particular gripes, but someone in that dugout does have a clue, otherwise we wouldn't get performances like Peterborough at home. There seems to be a number of ongoing or reoccurring issues so clearly something is wrong and I find myself questioning why they haven't managed to coach around the issues or fix them
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Re: I need to understand...
Views: 1119
I think the reality is none of us have a crystal ball. How many people thought Evans would do what he did when he came in?
It's all the luck of the draw and too many people are absolute b******s about hindsight.
The grass might be greener, or it might be absolutely scorched.
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Re: I need to understand...
Views: 1112
I mean, it probably won't be much greener than 9th in League 1, which is ultimately where my head's at! But yeah, didn't expect Evans to do what he did!
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Re: I need to understand...
Views: 1095
I suppose it is only fair to judge on what has gone before, but someone also has to project into the future based on what is currently happening (and we as fans can't help but speculate or get carried away with short term trends)
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Re: I need to understand...
Views: 777
Gone before? The football under Taylor and Smith was much worse, albeit short reigns. Maamria too. I think Maamria and then the Revs first spell was the worst I’ve seen. The 2019 -20 players were the worst I’ve ever seen in a boro shirt
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1 person
Re: I need to understand...
Views: 772
I was only really referring to things under Revs, and more specifically just this season.
It is utterly baffling how our season can already be split into 2 very different spells. It isn't unusual for a team (especially us in recent years) to be found out in the second half of the season and struggle to find another way to play when the opposition stifles them. It is becoming all too familiar.
You're right, the football has been worse under previous managers, in that sense there is some recency bias and he deserves some credit for the start of the season, but right now it isn't good.
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Re: I need to understand...
Views: 694
Yeah I agree, but I hold out some hope for this group of players and even Revs. There will be things in the background we aren’t aware of. I haven’t even given up on the play-offs yet!
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Re: I need to understand...
Views: 1166
I was relieved when we got Tis instead of Evans. I don't know shit.
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1 person
Re: I need to understand...
Views: 1048
Who does really? If we finish 16th I guarantee Wallace will say Revs is one of the best young coaches available and back him.
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Previous thread: Matt Phillips by Tucks13/2 20:05Fri Feb 13 20:05:58 2026view thread