The Voice - Match preview #23: Mansfield Town vs Bradford City Thursday 1st January 2026 15:00

On the positive, it's taken half a season for us to have a game like this. Was bound to happen at some point.

Regroup for Sunday now.

And NEVER play that set up again.

 

I don't think he will as Tilt should be able to play so it will revert to the back 3 from Monday, that being said Joe Wright will be able to count himself lucky we don't have other options to replace him or he would be out of the team. We can't ignore how poor Wright has been today and I do think he's getting away with a lot of criticism today as he's not Byrne.

 

Least the others didnt take huge advantage a win at the Donkey lashers would make up for it so long as GA picks the right time ...............i know they got battered today but Blackpool look like they could rip that City team today to bits

 

Bobby was in the away end today.

 

That’s two away games running where we’ve been punished for farting about at the back in the way that we were doing to others earlier in the season.

 

Wright without Bryne is usually capable of doing a job
Wright with bryne is a fecking calamity waiting to happen. Every time wright has played shit, he’s had Bryne alongside him

 

And still offered more threat than Kav and Wright.

 

And not taking our chances when on top .............

 

Baffles me that folk rate T Wright honestly i feel like kicking the tv in when hes on the ball nothing but a better Dylan Mottley henry

 

If anyone can post a report of GA’s interview would be grateful. Away at moment and bbc sounds gone to L**ds game. Ta.

 

Today was a one of the worst performances of the season from 20 minutes onwards. I certainly wouldn't be going into meltdown over the game, only the 4th league loss of the season and each time we've responded with a good performance.

 

Tbf Wright seems to be getting pelters too. But the amount of times we see a defensive unit look shocking whilst Byrnes a part of it is becoming laughable.

 

If only we had a player like Andy Cook to win a few of the long balls that was launched today for 90 minutes ….. oh wait

 

Well, thank god for that. Finally, proof that GA doesn't know what he's doing and that so many posters on here, who have nowhere near the amount of experience, knowledge, and trust, know so much more about managing a football team and selecting a match day squad. I, for one, look forward to the flood of applications from forum contributors for the obviously soon to be vacant management and recruitment positions.

Or perhaps it was just a bad day at the office and those of you gleefully leaping on 'evidence' that your bat-shit opinion about 'X' player was right all along, should get over yourselves. Happy 2026 to all.

 

Worst performance of the season by a country mile. In fact it might have been our worst since that December 23' defeat at Notts County.

Positives (you can always find some )

1) Byrne and Kelly cannot play together so that can stop now. If there's a long term issue with Baldwin, we need someone else in or at least play McKintyre for. You cannot play three at the back when they're all rubbish at passing the ball.

2) Sadly we now definitely know Kav, is not up to what's needed for a L1 promotion chasing team

3) Wright is like a rabbit trapped in the headlights when he is needed to solely lead the creativity - so maybe we do need cover wide left.

4) None of the Top 8 won. Incredibly Mansfield are now 9th having gone up around a dozen places in a week (at the halfway point of this bonkers division!!)

5) Transfer window couldn't be timed better. More creativity is badly badly needed. You can't blame the strikers, they had nothing to feed off.

6) Port Vale thrashed Blackpool


Negatives

Either Sarc, Pointon and Neufville give 7+/10 performances for the rest of the season or we get some creativity in. If not we can kiss goodbye to the play-offs.


But let's remember. 9th position this season, would be very good when you consider we were 10th in L2 a year ago.

 

It was a poor team selection. We aren't going to avoid defeat every week. It was a bad day at the office but the reactions on here are pretty harsh. The team and the manager have enough credit in the bank to deserve slightly more reserved criticism.

 

That was like watching the 'bad days' of Harrogate, Notts County et al again.

The vast majority of people saw Byrne couldn't cut it in League 2, let alone a league above so I have absolutely no idea why GA persists in picking him. We have a 'beast' like Tilt on the bench and a young lad McIntyre that has never let us down. Or Touray the 3rd defender.

Kav on the left and T Wright on the right to start. Wright has been doing okay on the left but let's move him to accommodate Kav who has shown nothing at all in his previous league appearances!!

Cook not even on the bench, with the windy conditions making it difficult for defenders plus he loves playing against Mansfield!! Would have given their defenders a lot to think about.

Team selection and set up wrong today!!

 

May also be down to that he will be on his way within the next few days and lets be right even with him up top would that stop how poor our defence was