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

Link to Alexander's post match interview on Radio Leeds https://www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/play/p0mrmz09

Doesn't sound like Pointon will be back for Blackpool as he still can't kick a ball. Baldwin doesn't really have an injury but feels like something could go if he plays so I'd imagine he won't be back until Rotherham.

1st signing of the window should be announced tomorrow.

 

It is luck. We cannot rely on our attacking play, its not sustainable.

as others have mentioned, at the start of the season we played fantastic football, on the ground, great linkup play from front to back. Scored in a variety of different ways. After the October slump we've reverted to hoofball.

Port Vale was a key example, we were shockingly poor for 60 minutes. It took a moment of brilliance from Metcalfe to win the game. Same can be said against Exeter, who we rode our luck against. Burton is another example, poor throughout the first half, which lead to a 2-0 deficit at half time

the style of football that we are playing is not going to work much longer in this division. So yes, I agree with my previous statement, we have rode our luck. Even when we were on top in the first 30 minutes, we created next to nothing because our attacking options are abysmal, and Hallidays chance doesnt count as it was a massive deflection that brought it his way

 

He does though, rarely plays the easy ball and runs into trouble 90% of the time.

 

Playing him isnt the issue, its how Alexander is using him. He is not a target man. Comically we have one that isn't even making the bench, so if Alexander is so reluctant with playing Parky Esq football, why is Cook being left in the stands?

 

Sorry, I meant J Wright on the Wright. Got confused with all the names.

 

I reckon both pointon and Baldwin will be gone for a while, he said exactly the same thing on both straight after port vale game

 

Agree. Which is Wright gets a bit of sympathy from me.

 

Que?

 

Cook isn't good enough to play the mobile forward role. Too many fans have rose tinted glasses. We managed to look worse when he came on against Burton.

GA does not use Humphreys as a target man. Just because players are daft enough to launch every ball up to him today - doesn't mean GA asked them to do it.

He's a mobile forward. The days of a static CF have long gone, if you look around L1.

 

Spot on

 

just going to write the same thing.watching the first six games good football on the ground and pressing every
player all games. god noes what has gone wrong now.

 

I don't think a lot was going to change between full time after Port Vale and today as it was less than 72 hours so really not a lot of time for much progress to be made. Unless Baldwin pulls something I'd be surprised if he's not back by the Rotherham game or Cardiff at the latest.
I had a feeling Pointon would be a while as it will take time for the cut to heal and it's on the worst part of the foot for a footballer, until that cut is healed the pain will be there, I wouldn't be surprised if he doesn't play until the Doncaster match.

 

I think 3/5/3 is cheating.

 

He's not pulled a muscle but he feels like if he plays then a muscle will go, assume that means which ever muscle it is he's either strained it or it's tight.

 

So if its luck ????

How many games that we have won has been down to luck ????
The Exeter game i give but the Port Vale game even with limited chances we still created more than them.
Maybe this style has come in because he simply knew we couldnt continue to play that way because we simply dont have the players to keep going that way .............with a fully fit squad and players flying i get it ......... but with injuries and some players dropping off form ge may have been forced to play this way

 

He may not be good enough to start a game, but Id rather have him on the bench than Lapslie who we all know isnt going to get a look in

as for Humphrys I agree. he is a mobile forward and can be a very good one but will be wasted in this setup. That being said, if GA had serious intentions of playing it on the ground, he’d of instructed his team to do so. The fact that theyve been doing it for the last 8 games indicates to me GA has switched tactics and is instructing his players to go long every oppertunity

 

You forgot the cup games

 

Id say most games are won by luck. Can go either way barring a masterclass by a player or two. We’ve ridden that over the last few weeks, Port Vale, Wigan, Exeter. Our defence has been solid and has given us a foothold in most games to win, for whatever reason Alexander wanted to change that to accommodate Bryne. And yes, I am aware that Tilt wont play back to back games after injury but theres a perfectly fine CB on loan from Pompey that could've played and would of given us the ability to play from the back. And yes, that would mean GA has to accommodate him by moving players into other positions but he did that up front by pushing Wright onto the right to accommodate Kav on the left so it clearly wasn't a decision based on principle. It was done because GA has his favourites and is too arrogant to get rid of them

 

Thanks

 

I hear this a lot but Cook could have done what Humphrys did today. Cook can run around as much as Humphrys can. Arguably, Humphrys holds back at times and saves his energy whereas others would press more. Cook would also stick more centrally and not take the space from the left or right sided attackers.

So, I don't buy that Cook isn't good enough. He is. It wouldn't be the same as Humphrys but put him between Pointon and Sarcevic and we'll score goals.