Smallwood & Walker

Smallwood's booking was very harsh, klcked the ball about 10 seconds after the ref had blown for a free kick.
I actually thought the ref was pretty poor, from the point of view that he did not want to make a major decision and actually got quite a few basic ones wrong for both sides.

 

Going to need McDonald back out on the pitch on tues night then

 

That's correct, both picked up their 5th today. Frustrating thing for both of them is that they both had a number of needless and avoidable yellow cards. No need for Smallwood to kick the ball away and pick up a cheap yellow card and at least 2 others have been for dissent. With Walker he's picked up a few for needless challenges when their player was going nowhere.
Thankfully nobody else is 1 away, the nearest is Kelly on 3. Stubbs and Halliday are on 2 so should be ok.

As much as McDonald might not want to play himself I think he is the only real option as i'm not sure Oyegoke or Osadebe will do the job required. Who replaces Walker will be interesting, with how we play and the front 3 changing we can probably get away with not having a natural number 10 in that role.

 

As an aside, I thought we did very well discipline wise to keep Eleven on the pitch given four of our five midfielders were booked inside 40 mins

 

As I've posted the one on the Midland Road side when we broke and he stopped play, why not wave play on as he'd done several times if it comes to nothing call the player over and show him the yellow, I'm with you some of his calls were strange to say the least.

 

Smallwood , Walker and Pointon were our bookings and sensibly two of them were replaced.

 

Pointon's booking was beyond his age. Could see what was about to transpire and took a yellow to stop it in the centre circle before it did

 

Gillead was also booked wasn't he? Perhaps I was mistaken

 

Wasn't just a little tug on the arm either, a nice premeditated full kick on MacLean.

 

Ref had a terrible game. Wrexham were denied a pen, possibly two tbh, and the number of bookings was way OTT. Think we could have had a pen on another day too.

Big crowd, fiesty game. No need for him to become the centre of attention with all the bookings.

 

As long as Osadebe is back on the bench, it works for me. Personally, I’d go McDonald in the middle (or give Jeffreys a chance), Pointon - Oduor - Wilson behind Cook

 

With Walker missing, I think were gonna be required to change formation. Only Pattison can really fill that void. Perhaps Pointon can but who knows, too early to say just yet

 

The number of bookings would lead you to think it was a really dirty game which it wasn't. There was some diving which didn't get penalised. The ref didn't leave anywhere for himself to go, having booked so many early on. The booking for Walker I thought was poor, it was a 50-50 that both went for. Not worthy of a yellow card. I was surprised it stayed 11 v 11 after the first 30 minutes.
The ref had sent off 5 players in his last 4 games, and on today's evidence I can see why.

 

Let’s not forget that Mullin made four fouls on a yellow card before his goal. If we want to be specific and stick to the rules then he should have been off for persistent fouling

 

I don't think you can complain about any of the yellow cards.
Mullin- clear yellow card and not far off a red card
Smallwood - players know you can't kick the ball away
Walker - late challenge
Jones - late challenge
Pointon - clearest yellow card you'll ever see, any more force and there's a question about a red card.

Sometimes the players leave the referee with nowhere to go and give him no option.

 

Exactly this! Strange to enjoy a booking but he spotted the danger and took one for the team good lad. What a fantastic example for other young lads from Bradford! Get stuck and give it everything we're a better team for having him in the squad. I actually think he's starting to develop into a leader with the way he's carrying on all effort and desire it rubs off without him having to say anything.

 

Plus his diving.......

 

Pointon number 10, Oduor out wide.