One Up Front podcast - Bradford review

[dannyboy]

In this episode I'm joined by Bradford City fan and podcaster Chris who you can find @dizzyuptheguy on Twitter.
We discuss a wide range of topics including:

Bradford's recent form

Incidents and talking points from yesterdays game

Bradford's identity as a team under Mark Hughes vs Graham Alexander

As well as an in-depth look at Elliott Watt's playing career before he joined Salford

And as always, much, much more.......

Here’s the link:

open.spotify.com/episode/7cfCGVXzNgtEq6xsfNLWYn?si=yL3ZdpbaSSi7YPdR6Dq5PA

[tangerinedream]

Thoroughly enjoyable podcast with an excellent guest from Bradford City!

[dannyboy]

Really glad to hear you enjoyed it TD.
Possibly my favourite episode of the podcast so far.

[dannyboy]

Episide 2 has plenty of additional thoughts about Salford's performance on Saturday against Bradford City.

With fan contributions from Ezequiel Mora, Dave Farrar, Pete B, Alex and Andy Roberts.

Apologies the episode is a little late this week. Life gets in the way.

Here’s the link:

open.spotify.com/episode/6NKBxJ5Lbb0rPWdjroYNDY?si=B5NG6CGnSgC3cNhw5ryIGg

[jayb99]

Episode 80 Danny 🙌 every week, every game 🙌 Good episode(s) as always. Keep up the good work mate. 👏

[je85]

Great pod as ever Danny, and thanks for the mentions - much appreciated. Just to expand on my original point re: Watson and Lund’s roles, I think they actually did well Saturday covering off the channel between the RCB/LCB and the FBs to stop Wright and Halliday or Kavanagh getting onto balls in wide areas. They both have good anticipation and positionally are very disciplined but lacked the central element, namely Watt - but also Vassell stepping out as a libero type fillet into the midfield.

Saturday I felt Vassell was the bigger miss over Watt. Having seen Theo do this in the previous two games (very well at Wimbledon IMO), my expectation wrongly was Garbutt would pick this role up but off the left of the three moving centrally. As backed up by his heat map on Sofascore, Increasing Garbutt was drawn to Halliday and Watson covered, but our midfield was vacant centrally throughout. Hendry was storming all over the place Saturday so not sure if it was on him to drop into the space and be that extra man in the middle but it certainly wasn’t on Connor Mac to drop deep. The lack of Theo also stopped the back line playing higher up the pitch - and this could be one of the negatives KR was mentioning that’s crept back into our game of late post match.

I mentioned pre game that I would of thrown a curve ball at Alexander and played the ‘unfancied’ Ingram at CDM, just to utilise his height and mobility because I think Bradford would’ve tried to go down the pipe to Cook if the passing lane to Wright especially was shut off. His aerial ability backing up either Mariappa or Tilt would’ve shut that out. Ingram dropping into defence to make a 4 as opposed to Garbutt stepping out would’ve been in my mind a more natural adjustment when we were in transition. This would’ve freed off Chester and McLennan in wide areas to do more to bring Smith, McAleny, Hendry into the game in the final third.

Appreciate this is Monday Morning Quarter Back-ish after the fact but Saturday proved this 3-4-3 isn’t as effective of going with a 3-5-2 and matching the midfield up if we face a 4-2-3-1 or 4-3-3. A lack of managing the gaps aside of Watson and Lund looked daft at times. The midfield has become a conundrum this season, not solely due to personnel but also how they manage the shape, positional sense, passing options, transition, press. Wood made them too passive and I think KR is too reliant on the Atletico Madrid-esq snide professional fouls over definitive method of control. Watt, Lund, Mallan potentially going may the opportunity to drop the baggage of the midfield fragility of this season and KR can reset.

I increasingly have a feeling the back 3 and direct build up is the direction of travel into next season. Having to replace so many in the squad will be seen as an opportunity for KR, I can’t see Watt, Smith, Hendry being with us next season for example. My gut says the front line will be split strikers in Luamba right and an equivalent off the left, or if he wants to play a 3 it will be Connor Mac central effectively playing as a false nine or deep lying forward and working exclusively from the centre circle to the opposing penalty spot. Essentially I think not much will change in build up expect we are bipassing the flick-on or namely Smith, and looking for more through balls on the deck to speed merchants like Luamba going from outside to in - might need a new pitch to support this. I can’t think of many games where we have had a good level of control in games under KR, maybe Wrexham at ML aside. Regardless of what direction we go in I think possession and positional stability in the middle needs a massive organisational and mindset shift. Otherwise it’s another year of leaking goals and facing a barrage of shots and a bottom half finish…again.

[jayb99]

Apr 16, 2024 11:20:15 GMT je85 said:

Great pod as ever Danny, and thanks for the mentions - much appreciated. Just to expand on my original point re: Watson and Lund’s roles, I think they actually did well Saturday covering off the channel between the RCB/LCB and the FBs to stop Wright and Halliday or Kavanagh getting onto balls in wide areas. They both have good anticipation and positionally are very disciplined but lacked the central element, namely Watt - but also Vassell stepping out as a libero type fillet into the midfield.

Saturday I felt Vassell was the bigger miss over Watt. Having seen Theo do this in the previous two games (very well at Wimbledon IMO), my expectation wrongly was Garbutt would pick this role up but off the left of the three moving centrally. As backed up by his heat map on Sofascore, Increasing Garbutt was drawn to Halliday and Watson covered, but our midfield was vacant centrally throughout. Hendry was storming all over the place Saturday so not sure if it was on him to drop into the space and be that extra man in the middle but it certainly wasn’t on Connor Mac to drop deep. The lack of Theo also stopped the back line playing higher up the pitch - and this could be one of the negatives KR was mentioning that’s crept back into our game of late post match.

I mentioned pre game that I would of thrown a curve ball at Alexander and played the ‘unfancied’ Ingram at CDM, just to utilise his height and mobility because I think Bradford would’ve tried to go down the pipe to Cook if the passing lane to Wright especially was shut off. His aerial ability backing up either Mariappa or Tilt would’ve shut that out. Ingram dropping into defence to make a 4 as opposed to Garbutt stepping out would’ve been in my mind a more natural adjustment when we were in transition. This would’ve freed off Chester and McLennan in wide areas to do more to bring Smith, McAleny, Hendry into the game in the final third.

Appreciate this is Monday Morning Quarter Back-ish after the fact but Saturday proved this 3-4-3 isn’t as effective of going with a 3-5-2 and matching the midfield up if we face a 4-2-3-1 or 4-3-3. A lack of managing the gaps aside of Watson and Lund looked daft at times. The midfield has become a conundrum this season, not solely due to personnel but also how they manage the shape, positional sense, passing options, transition, press. Wood made them too passive and I think KR is too reliant on the Atletico Madrid-esq snide professional fouls over definitive method of control. Watt, Lund, Mallan potentially going may the opportunity to drop the baggage of the midfield fragility of this season and KR can reset.

I increasingly have a feeling the back 3 and direct build up is the direction of travel into next season. Having to replace so many in the squad will be seen as an opportunity for KR, I can’t see Watt, Smith, Hendry being with us next season for example. My gut says the front line will be split strikers in Luamba right and an equivalent off the left, or if he wants to play a 3 it will be Connor Mac central effectively playing as a false nine or deep lying forward and working exclusively from the centre circle to the opposing penalty spot. Essentially I think not much will change in build up expect we are bipassing the flick-on or namely Smith, and looking for more through balls on the deck to speed merchants like Luamba going from outside to in - might need a new pitch to support this. I can’t think of many games where we have had a good level of control in games under KR, maybe Wrexham at ML aside. Regardless of what direction we go in I think possession and positional stability in the middle needs a massive organisational and mindset shift. Otherwise it’s another year of leaking goals and facing a barrage of shots and a bottom half finish…again.

The praise is well placed mate, I learn so much from your post game posts. I dunno how you guys see all this stuff! Appreciate the time you put into the write ups 👍

[dannyboy]

Apr 16, 2024 8:50:33 GMT jayb99 said:

Episode 80 Danny 🙌 every week, every game 🙌 Good episode(s) as always. Keep up the good work mate. 👏

I know I reference my poor memory regularly on the pod but just want to apologise that I think my lack of recall did affect my last episode quite badly.

I must admit I’m starting to get a little worried by it as I’m finding more often that I just can’t bring recent events to mind.
I’ve always relied on lots of notes to get me through but as I did in episode 80 I just drew a complete blank trying to remember something that I really should know off by heart.

Anyway, hope these lapses are not interfering too much when you listen to the podcast but am always happy to accept feedback for anything you’d like to see changed or improved.
Memory permitting my next pod will be out on Sunday afternoon.