The Voice - Match preview Bradford City vs Tranmere Rovers Tuesday 14th February 2023 @ 7:45pm

Bradford City never do easy.

 

I forget who it was, but someone inadvertently pointed out they've got quite an old, small squad.

I imagine they might still win automatic promotion, as Evans is very successful at this level, but stranger things have happened than a side like that falling away.

I'll be keeping an eye on their trip to Stockport, a draw would be the ideal result there!

 

The frustration and anxiety at 1-0 stems from how many times we’ve fecked it up at home whilst at 1-0 because we don’t get that 2nd goal.
Wimbledon
Crawley
Swindon
Rochdale
Mansfield

That’s 11 points dropped!!!!

not to mention the other toothless 0-0 draws we’ve had.

so you can’t blame the fans for fearing that tonight’s game would go the same way and until that 2nd goal it was a possibility.

 

Years of misery taken its toll....

 

It could have been any of our midfield there only seemed to be Walker who was happy with the ball going forward.

 

No songs for the players, no real appreciation of our style, and extreme levels of impatience.

Love it when we belt out "Mark Hughes Bradford Army", but it felt somewhat ironic when we start singing that minutes after booing the team for retaining possession

I think if we string a run together the "EIEIEIO" chants will be back, I guess the fan base is just a little jaded at the moment.

 

Nail on the head.....weve seen it too many times. We are 15th in the home league table. Absolute dross has been served up.

Lets hope the tide is turning.

 

It would still not be good enough for some if we did.

 

did we win ????
How many saves did Lewis have to make ????
And do you think booing is really helping the players ?????
1-0 up struggling to kill the game off the majority of fans if other clubs would be trying to pull there team over the winning line ............. nahhhhhhhh not us we cannot wait to go out and destroy the players confidence ............ and sometimes folk wonder why we remain down here ............. year after we have had managers with decent records yet magically they arrive here and it goes to pot ............ honestly as a player would you really fancy turning out knowing that one error will result in dogs abuse

 

I think the frustration is when our midfielders pass straight back to a defender without even looking over their shoulder to see if anything else is on. It happened a couple of times tonight when they were in acres of space. Although I seem to recall one moment when what seemed like about 8000 shouted at Smallwood to turn with it and eventually he did!

 

Don’t want to go off topic too much from tonight’s game, but have to agree you @Kevin1954 . When I was still living in the UK in the South I travelled much further to make away games than I would attend home games because I started to not enjoy VP much at all.

 

Fear quietly

But you raise a fair point, I think the big difference now is having two midfielders comfortable in possession and offering themselves intelligently for the ball.

Clayton and Smallwood worked like a charm tonight.

 

I believe I read the club were asking for more tickets from Doncaster as you say 3 points against Barrow and that will be some game Doncaster have steadily climbed the league and must fancy themselves for a play off place, 4000+ Bantans screaming the lads on at the Keepmoat Stadiuim would be some sight.

 

watched the game on ifollow tonight. Walker was my motm. Excellent player. When watching the game on the screen, you can tell he’s a level above with the time it takes him to control the ball, get into his stride an pick out a pass. Clayton is the player we’ve missed all season. someone who is calm an collected in the middle of the park. Was a shame to see Derbyshire go off, albeit it wasn’t a surprising one. We didn’t create much when he was on, but you could tell that him an Cook work really well together an with the right service, they can excel in this league. Stubbs was also very solid at the back

Although I don’t agree with certain fans booing the performance, I can to an extent understand where they were coming from. There was many times in the second half where we were passing the ball around the back an passes were going astray. There was a point in the game where I felt that we were gonna hand Tranmere an equaliser considering how sloppy some of our players were. Thankfully Cook got a second an put the game to bed.

Roll on Saturday

 

A good win built on a fairly defensive display. Didn't create much but looked steady if unspectacular. Clayton has slotted in to the base very well and Stubbs looked composed on the ball. Special mention for Walker whose workrate and movement off the ball was excelllent. Same again on Saturday.

 

Unfortunatly we have seen that scenario play out to offten in the past so up to a point I can understand fans anxieties.

 

That is absolutely right and can lead to frustration but booing (only a handful I might add and seemed to be in the upper kop?) the POTM for a back pass was absolutely bang out of order.

 

Hate to say it, Dave, but beat Barrow and a draw at Donny would be a decent enough result, win both and who knows where we'll end up.

 

Any Derbyshire update ?

 

Just for some balance though, they did have four low, quick crosses that went across our penalty area if not the six yard box. Another day and they all could have been goals possibly. So Lewis didn't make saves but this formation isn't depriving the opposition of good chances.