The Voice - Match preview #10: Bradford City vs Blackpool Saturday 27th September 2025 3:00pm

Regarding Leigh he has looked a much better player this season but yesterday he just didn't get going. I may be wrong but coming off ill against Cardiff and playing against Newcastle midweek may have took alot out of him. On the other side of the coin Pattison has more energy than Leigh and clearly gives us more of a buzz in midfield but I think Leigh complements Power better when we start games. Then we have Metcalf who looks like a class player in the making and can play anyway across midfield and even slightly off the forward as we saw yesterday. It's great to have so many options.

With power suspended (I presume) for Rotherham then Leigh and Pattison will likely start and I would get guess Leigh will do the sitting and Pattison box to box.

 

Great shout , with Metcalf in the wings when either tire towards the end.

 

I think its also the nature of how Blackpool played. They sat back defensively and Leigh had a lot more of the ball than usual but couldn't really effect the gane with it. It may be less on him individually and more on how Blackpool set up.

Really good width of the post article points that out too with the players having the most time on the ball in the first half being Pemnington, Touray and Leigh. Really worth a read. Well written.

https://widthofapost.com/2025/09/27/back-to-enjoying-who-we-are-as-bradford-city-rediscover-league-one-comfort/

This part made me chuckle...

"And it was a quirky example of managerial lifecycles that – after a midweek Eddie Howe masterclass – we came up against such dogged dourness from an opponent managed by Steve Bruce, the guy Newcastle United sacked so they could appoint Howe."

 

Fletcher is terrible in the air, he never wins a header. He's one of those players that shirks it and jumps smaller than his actual height.

That's not a knock on McIntyre by the way, he played well.

 

I agree he isn’t that big but he got up well. The best part about him was his composure which we badly missed on Wednesday

 

Power has got better and better (shooting apart) as the season has gone on. We will miss him on Thursday

 

GA has said we around midtable in terms of budget.

 

Its an easy decision - LCB. Simply because the alternative at LWB is far better than the alternative at LCB.

 

I read 16th somewhere which could be about right when you look through the squad as we're certainly not big spenders compared to some of the bigger fish in terms of finances in this league.

 

We've decent alternatives for the LCB role too once they're fit to be fair in Tilt and McIntyre.

 

Yes but atm its Kelly. Tilt out until November and Mc needed elsewhere.

 

Hump, Power, Neufville will be on a good wedge I expect. Probably J Wright too.

Looking at the league...Cardiff, Luton, Plymouth, Huddersfield, Bolton, Stockport, Reading, Wycombe, Posh all for certain.

Id like to think we are there abouts with Barnsley, Donny and Rotherham perhaps.

 

Halliday, Richards, Baldwin, Tilt, J Wright, Lapslie, Powell, Kavanagh....all in the stands yesterday. Incredible....

 

His stature and ability reminded me of a certain Mr Andrew Davies when I first saw him.

 

Not sure Leigh has the defensive discipline to play as a DM. If Power is out it makes sense to play McIntyre there, given he’s played there previously

 

Reminded me more of Dave Evans mate

 

I wouldn't be moving McIntyre from his position and tbh most of the game first half power was the one pressing and Leigh sitting apart from when we had a goal kick.

 

Yes a good shout Idle. It’s the black hair …lol!

 

I think the tie breaker is the opponent and their veritable strengths. Also key is the performance of Wright and whilst he's on form it's difficult to leave him out. Touray's pace gives us an option to turn defence to attack at speed and that's a big asset from a central defender

 

Yes that, as well as his coolness sand the way he brought it out of defence on a couple of occasions.

Not the best opposition of course, but a very promising full debut for us.