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Post by tangerinedream on Apr 10, 2024 15:03:50 GMT
This weekend sees Bradford City visit Moor Lane together with manager Graham Alexander who makes his first return since being relieved of his duties after five games of the 2020-21 season - unfairly in my opinion. He may not have been the most adventurous of managers but he did a great job of getting us into the Football League in his first season as well as the final of the EFL Trophy which we eventually won at Wembley the season after under Richie Wellens following a Covid enforced break. Under his appointment at Valley Parade on November 6th last year, following the departure of Mark Hughes, the Bantams form has been inconsistent at best with a series of mixed results none better illustrated than at win at Wrexham countered by a home defeat to Forest Green Rovers. Expectation levels are always high at the best supported club in the division and an impatient fan base will be looking for a huge improvement all round come next season as Bradford City look to return to higher pastures at the sixth time of asking. For our part three consecutive defeats haven't been the best preparation for Saturday, not to mention the two red cards last weekend at Wimbledon, and it'll be interesting to see who KR decides to put in the starting line up with just one point being sufficient (at this stage at least) to preserve our Football League status.
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Post by chipbarm on Apr 10, 2024 16:04:16 GMT
I'd happily take that point and we can all confine this season to history. I suspect if you look in the dictionary under "inconsistent" it would say Salford City. Yet again our home form is amongst the worst in the division but we are comfortably mid table away. 25 points away and 22 at home tells it's own story.
I had a quick look at the home and away table and only Mansfield of the top 7 away teams have won at Moor Lane this season. Yet we've lost at home to the 3 worst away teams in the division with us having the dubious honour of being Grimsby's only away win. We can clearly rouse ourselves to play the top teams but seemingly CBA with the lesser ones.
I suspect we'll revert to a back 4 with only 2 available CBs and doubtless Lund will start for Watt though personally I'd give Davies a go as he can't be any more ineffective and actually seems to know where the goal is going off B team games. Smith should come back too I reckon.
A clean sheet clearly isn't happening so I'll say 2-2.
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Post by jayb99 on Apr 10, 2024 22:04:12 GMT
Feel like i haven't been to Moor Lane in ages but it's weird - there's the obvious escaping the kids and wife for a couple hours but also just not knowing what to expect at all in terms of performance.
I'll not get too excited but I hope there's some sort of buzz still about the place before we start to draw a line (or scribble out) through this season but I fear it'll be a bit of a tempered vibe Saturday.
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Post by Chris P. Bacon on Apr 11, 2024 5:20:42 GMT
Feel like i haven't been to Moor Lane in ages but it's weird - there's the obvious escaping the kids and wife for a couple hours but also just not knowing what to expect at all in terms of performance. I'll not get too excited but I hope there's some sort of buzz still about the place before we start to draw a line (or scribble out) through this season but I fear it'll be a bit of a tempered vibe Saturday. Being pestered by your kids might be more fun! 😁 |
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Post by tangerinedream on Apr 11, 2024 14:12:24 GMT
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Post by tangerinedream on Apr 12, 2024 12:19:05 GMT
Up to a couple of days ago Bradford City had just a 100 tickets still unsold from their allocation. It must be the draw of Babs's Burgers!
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Post by je85 on Apr 13, 2024 12:35:27 GMT
On route to ML and it feels like we are stepping into the unknown in terms of the XI today. All I know is we need to win, initially for confidence and as importantly put this season to bed with games to spare.
Colchester are at Crawley today then it’s Grimsby midweek before a road trip to Notts County - finishing against Crewe, at very best with a prevailing wind I can see them getting 9 points. Sutton are away at Harrogate, home to Crawley and then MK Dons to close the season out, at which point MK could still be playing for the last automatic spot. Personally I think Grimsby could be the ones to fall out the league with FGR at this point as I dont see them picking up a win in any of the remaining games - at Crewe today, Colchester Tuesday, Swindon at home then Crawley away to close the season out.
If KR sticks with the 3-5-2 set up like at Walsall and the Wombles I am expecting Tilt, Mariappa and the ‘unfancied’ (bizarrely) Ingram surely taking up the Vassell role. I think Theo will be a big miss now for the run-in, appreciate some don’t feel he has been at his best for swathes of this season but I hope last weekend isn’t his last outing in a Salford shirt. Who replaces Watt will be the more crucial decision for the head coach. Part of me thinks Garbutt is a good stand in, but with my creative/what do we have to lose head on Ingram and drop John in as the RCB to step out keeping McLennan in the deep winger role. I think Ethan’s height, ball carrying and physicality could help in the middle backed up by I assume Watson and Lund with John supporting stepping out. Alternatively if KR goes more 3-4-3 it makes getting Smith back in the side with Hendry and Connor Mac a lot easier. If Smith starts I would expect Garbutt at LB for the diagonals from deep, which might be the most effective option today considering the weather and the opponent. Either way it’s a cup final for us today and we have to turn up and get 3pts in my mind.
Good to see Alexander back at ML, like many I thought his departure was extremely premature. I am going 3-1 Ammies UTA!
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Post by tangerinedream on Apr 13, 2024 16:25:21 GMT
Well that was shocking and we're lucky that Bradford's finishing was so poor as they could and really should have scored at least five. The same old predictable tactic of lumping the ball forward to a heavily marked Smith that more often than not was cleared to safety virtually every time. When Smith does win a header we never get to the second ball and have an uncanny ability of never being in the right place to capitalise on those rare occasions where he does manage to outjump the 2 or 3 players constantly manhandling him. Every corner and free kick was exactly the same i.e. a complete waste of effort with zero variety. Poor defending again cost us dear but overall we completely lacked any sort of variety, movement, invention and possessed an uncanny ability to produce nothing of substance where it mattered. KR has a mammoth task on his hands in the summer and it is to be hoped that the management back him otherwise we'll be in for another season of abject mediocrity. The only saving grace today was that both Sutton and FGR both lost which guarantees us EFL2 football next season. Other than that it was a complete sh*t show!
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Post by jayb99 on Apr 13, 2024 17:19:08 GMT
Smith seemed different today, almost like he's had enough being chucked in and out and told he's more or less surplus next season. Not sure I blame him. At least we wont have to watch another season of him having his shirt pulled off his back and dragged to the ground whilst he appeals aimlessly for the entire 90.
Cant see how this 3 at the back works? There was so much space between the back 3 and midfield, Cairns screaming to push out and press but I've noticed no one really pays much attention to him - probably why he's not captain for KR.
Very one dimensional again and failed to pick up the 2nd ball every time. Never even looked close to scoring a 2nd. No creativity at all, just bang it up to Smith who heads it (sometimes) to absolutely nowhere.
Stood in the West stand today for a change and a bit of 'atmosphere' but turns out theres just a lot of nob heads in there. For a club trying to grow the fan base and increase attendances the way some fans get on is poor. Anyway, one more Home game and then see what happens for next season!
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Post by tangerinedream on Apr 13, 2024 17:32:44 GMT
KR post match.
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Post by chipbarm on Apr 13, 2024 19:23:33 GMT
We were poor again today. That second goal was pretty much a microcosm of our whole season. An aimless ball across the back under no pressure at all, Tilt was watching a different game and they said thank you very much. I even called the exact minute of their winner which just underlines how predictably bad we are at the back. But for some woeful finishing, mostly from Cook, we could have conceded 5 or 6 no bother.
There were massive gaps between our forwards and midfield which Bradford repeatedly ran into at will. Other than Garbutt and a couple of decent stops from Cairns the rest were rotten. At least we can't now get relegated but as predicted that's because other teams lost rather than anything we've done the last few games. As we've all said we need a huge upgrade in quality in summer and I'd bin the majority of the squad who frankly just aren't good enough. It's no surprise we are 4th bottom as that's pretty much our level. If we don't bring in better players it's another season at the bottom and we may not be so fortunate to have 2 or 3 teams worse than we are.
The crowds seem to be less and less every game but is it any wonder? If I didn't have a ST and wasn't invested emotionally I doubt I'd bother going to watch that 💩 every week. Oh and Jaybee - South stand terrace is a dickhead free zone if you want a change of scenery 😁
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Post by tangerinedream on Apr 13, 2024 21:57:47 GMT
One would think by now that KR must have some idea know who isn't going to figure next season so with relegation now avoided I just hope that he gives some of the B team lads a proper run out in the remaining two games. I'd really like to see Jez Davies, Sandro Da Costa, Liam Humbles, Ben Collins, Kyrell Malcolm and Jacob Lara all getting some decent minutes as well as the likes of Callum Morton and Kelly N'Mai. Even if we were to lose our remaining two games I'd rather see some passion and commitment from these up and coming players and to be honest could they really play any worse than what we've had to endure in recent weeks?
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Post by je85 on Apr 14, 2024 0:03:30 GMT
Today was tough to watch, made harder on route back to Manchester hearing the Bradford fans heading to Piccadilly parroting how lucky they were to get the result. I don’t agree I think our compulsory in game capitulation is a bit of a joke now, if shooting yourself in the foot was an Olympic sport we would be gold medalists - granted with no feet left after this season. In the round this team and squad is heavily compromised (has been since before Christmas) and despite the merits of what KR is looking to do tactically right now it is clear we simply don’t have the players to make it work across 100 minutes.
Whether that’s injuries or suspensions the 3-4-3 KR went with today did us no favours with or without the ball or in defence or attack. Watson and Lund seemed to be prioritising covering the gaps between Chesters and Mariappa or McLennan and Garbutt to kill the supply in the wide positions. Chesters isn’t a defensive player and he couldn’t manage the distances between Mariappa and Lund so Wright had it easy to receive the ball through the gap. On the other side Kavanagh and Halliday didn’t have it as easy 1st half because Garbutt was stepping out because he can play the position and has the confidence Watson can cover, with McLennan. But the bigger issue is by playing a two in the middle covering channels you’re never going to be able to dictate play when the centre of the pitch is empty. I get the triangles in wide areas are designed to win the ball and hit the diagonals when Smith is in the side but everyone in the league has seen that and know how to box off the second balls. It’s too predictable and just results in the pressure coming back at us immediately.
In transition we are under pressure for so much of games it’s unsurprising we haven’t kept a clean sheet in 18 games. I have mentioned before that the number of shots we face is scary, and it’s because we don’t have the structure or players to build out or hold the ball effectively. The knock today was we did so little in the final third, last week at Wimbledon we at least tried to press in pairs with Connor Mac and Watson, McLennan and Lund with Hendry hassling the CB and the keeper. We could then get shots away, today we had no chance of doing that. In part that might be Smith’s inclusion but even he looked like he was carrying a knock and was less mobile than normal. Callum Hendry’s take from Chesters cross showed the quality forward he is, that touch and bang bang hit was the only real bright spark on a very flat day. But beyond that I can’t think of much quality from anyone in a red shirt.
I can’t see me turning out for Harrogate, VPN and stream the game for a tenner is a good as it will get. I am done with this season and I think the sleep walk to safety just needs a line drawing underneath it now for players and fans alike. We need wholesale changes, the ‘athleticism, pace and power’ the manger wants 100% isn’t in this group beyond Luamba in KRs eyes. He has put the spotlight on recruitment team again with his post match comments as expected now safety is confirmed, but planning for life without Watt has to priority along side quality in numbers. That was Sh**e… again.
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Post by je85 on Apr 14, 2024 12:17:57 GMT
As a side note yesterday anyone know who the blond haired lad was in the warm up with the subs?
Didn’t appear to have a squad number on his shorts but assume could be one of Robinson’s ones to watch.
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Post by tangerinedream on Apr 14, 2024 12:53:50 GMT
As a side note yesterday anyone know who the blond haired lad was in the warm up with the subs? Didn’t appear to have a squad number on his shorts but assume could be one of Robinson’s ones to watch. |
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