The Voice - Match preview #32: AFC Wimbledon vs Bradford City Saturday 21st February 2026 3:00pm

Its not the odd game though .............its game after game now starts a poor set up and has to make changes at HT now i get it once but its every away game now ................we simply go out hoping that somehow we can get through to HT without any real damage being done is that the right way.

Every away game baring Blackpool we have had to endure how great the home team is playing and how its the best theyve played at home this since knowing deep down that we have contributed to that
I would really love to say that the teams we have lost to are decent sides when the reality on the whole we have probably made them look a lot better than what they really are .

Will the likes of Lincoln,Hudders,Mansfield,Luton and Wimbledon face easier home games this season ????
I bleeding doubt it and that the frustrating thing after 2 great home games he reverts back to the same shite that has done nothing at all for us

God forbid our home form drops off because then we are in bother .................its been a great season but i dont wanna be sat here in May having seen us squander a play off place because our manager simply let our away form slide away

 

Absolutely spot on @WilsdenBantam. I just don’t get the logic or the evidence of such a policy. Certainly GA has never indicated that is what happening. I presume coincidence that resting players appears to be away games. When you are winning you keep the same team if you can. The rotation system in my view is for very wealthy clubs who can buy like for like. Like others have said if a player needs a rest he can reduce training.

 

My point is I just don't think a professional manager would do something like not try in games and play a team he knew was likely to lose, as our best home form actually coincided with more solid away form last season. I do agree it's not just the odd game, though, where I hold out some hope that the criticism has now reached his ears, as it was brought up during his interview. Last time I remember such universal criticism was when he was stubbornly not playing Pointon, he did give in, and all I can hope is that a similar thing will happen. The trouble is, GA can be slow to react to things, but historically while at the club he usually has eventually.

 

The biggest problem that I can see is that one we've made the play offs, how on earth does he then set them up to believe they can go and get a performance away from home?

 

I'd add to that AG with the supporters of those teams that you mentioned (plus others I think) have all said that City had been the worst team to visit their grounds this season.
For me it's all down to GA and his tinkering.
He's throwing away all the good stuff he's done since coming by this stupidity.

 

I guess by playing his best side, or am I being too simplistic

 

I think we’re past the point of saying ‘nobody expected us to be doing so well’. The fact we’ve been in the top 6 for such a long time is proof we deserve to be there. To fall out of those positions at this stage can only be classed as a major blow. How that plays into next season is anyone’s guess. We’ve proved we can compete with the best in the division so what is being said tactic wise regarding away games? There’s obviously a different approach where fear of committing to the press is obvious. Last season we played on the break, maybe it’s time to go back to that.

 

Like we did against Carlisle?
Not for me. If it happens, I'd much prefer the away leg first so we know exactly what we need to do at home, which is where we stand more chance of actually doing it.

 

It's simple for me, play your best team home or away, deal with injuries as they arise.

 

It’s as old as the hills but it will never catch on in BD8

 

I think so, unfortunately. Because there is no doubt, and the stats prove it, that our best side always includes Sarcevic. But there’s no way that Sarce can play every game and we will be up shit creek without a paddle if he ends up being out of action for weeks or months. Baldwin has had a niggle that keeps flaring up and would probably mean him missing a run of games if played Saturday/Tuesday for several weeks running. His passing from the back is too important to how we win games to risk losing for a long period. Tilt is another who gets injured and can’t play every game. So some rotation is inevitable.
I think the period before Christmas last season when we were without several key players at once for several weeks has had a big impact on GA’s selections this season. However much we might think that the likes of Tyreik and Bobby ought to be capable of playing every game, the stats from the medical team are telling him otherwise and he is being very cautious with their workload.
Interesting that on the latest Take Me Home podcast Jamie Raynor mentions that GA admitted last year that the concept of frequent squad rotation is something that he is new to and goes against his previous managerial instincts to play a settled side and, as a player to, play every game. It seems like it’s a steep learning curve for him and that he is still struggling to get the right balance between consistency and necessary rotation to prevent longer term absence of his best players.

 

Even if that means we lose, say, Sarce, Bobby and Baldwin for most of the run-in?

GA has clearly stated that we don’t have like for like quality for every position. He has to balance continuity with protection, so that we don’t end up being without several of our most essential players for an extended period, like we did last season. It’s a difficult balancing act. I think he overdid the changes on Saturday but it’s not as simple as ‘play your best players and deal with injuries as they arise’. We don’t have the quality in depth to risk that.

 

My post that you are replying to was my answer to the question "how do we win the away leg in the play-offs". Unfortunately if we get to the play-offs we will need to play our best team for all matches, but maybe manage player time within that. That aside, I do understand the need to manage certain players in the league- I just think he got it badly wrong on Saturday, and I think he probably realises it too.

 

If he's managing workloads closely he should have taken Sarc off before 94 minutes and actually replaced Pointon against Stockport to keep 'some in the tank' for Wimbledon BUT he didn't. Perhaps their minutes on Saturday were restricted (or nil) due to that lack of intervention last Tuesday?

 

Baldwin and Tilt's game time needing to be managed and Wright out of favour makes it even more baffling that we didn't bring another CB in during January (especially when we shifted 2 out as well).

 

He was hoping we would be able to finance the signing of Benn Ward, alas, Reading were able to sign him. Be interesting to see how he plays against us at the weekend

 

My advice would be to rotate no more than two or three, rather than the five or six he seems to do. Especially when your captain is suspended. He rested our two joint top scorers, and the fourth top scorer was also on the bench (the third Swan, injured of course). Our top scorer on the pitch is our holding midfielder with a whopping two goals this season. You won't win many playing a team like that. If you do that, at least sit deep, pack the midfield, and don't continue the same system while leaving crucial players out.

 

JUST PLAY YOUR BEST TEAM FFS, DEAL WITH THE CONSEQUENCES WHEN REQUIRED

 

Even if the consequences are that we go on a run of losing our home games?
We’ve now got ample evidence of the lower quality of our second choice players. We simply wouldn’t cope if two or three of our best players drop out for an extended period. I’d agree with you if we had adequate replacements, but we blatantly don’t. So some rotation is necessary. But not five in one match and constantly changing the back three.

 

Fair enough, was just making the point that you play your best 11 home or away regardless. home or away should not matter