Match Thread Stockport County vs Bradford City Tues 24 January @ 7.45pm

Serious question. So how long do we give him? We can't give him half a season on the basis of building for an automatic push next year, because he's a loanee and he won't be here next year. This is the thing. In my opinion, if we are looking to go up this season, then our January signings have to be players we know will hit the ground running.

 

That's not answered my question has it, does Hughes continue playing him hoping as with Oliver he scores goals or do we default to a player who we know can score goals but offered little else according to some, any player we bring in during this window has to hit the ground running we can't afford to wait.

 

You beat me to it.

 

If you want running, try giving Nevers more than 5 minutes

 

Baffling mate baffling.

 

We are getting results.I agree the new players are going to have to gell quickly if we want to progress but in Costello’s case we need to see him in a home fixture where we have more pressure. As for Cook I doubt he would have made any difference going forward after all we only had one clear cut chance. And the fact he is always giving free kicks away might have added more pressure

 

He says as we sit in the playoffs and in touching distance of the automatics.

 

Let me correct you. We were poor from an attacking perspective yesterday, but very good in defence and team work rate.

 

Llike @banbrotam , I'm quite happy to see us be more hard edged and tougher to beat, particularly away from home. So a Clayton/Smallwood/ Gilliead midfield seems a reasonable idea when we're away.

But unlike @banbrotam , I don't believe that Smallwood has the creativity required when we're at home. Relying on only three team members to shoulder all the chance creation and goalscoring is a tough ask at the best of times. But it's immeasurably harder if those attackers don't get quick, accurate ball from those playing behind them.

What we've seen all season is that the front players either get hoofball or else they receive the ball - usually when they are static, with backs to goal - after prolonged periods of slow passing between the backs and defensive midfielders.

We need one of our midfielders to either:

a) carry the ball upfield quickly, break lines and lay it off to the attackers when they have forward momentum (a job that Gilliead ought to be perfectly capable of doing but his final delivery/decision making is ,sadly, woeful) or

b) visualise and execute quick, accurate passes in transition - through the channels or out wide - so that our forwards are unmarked and have forward momentum when they receive it. We saw such opportunities yesterday but, instead of playing the forward pass, we went backwards.

I think we've seen that Smallwood is not the man to deliver either of those options. His instinct is usually to play it square or backwards. He and Clayton are essentially the same player - sitting midfielders who break up play and play the safe, easy pass to retain possession. We can't afford two of those at home. Someone has to be able and prepared to hit the early defence-splitting pass through the channels, or quickly find our wide men, or else run at the opposition and get them retreating. Expecting three forwards to create and score goals out of nothing from persistently slow service is asking too much of L2 players.

 

And Northampton have form for bottling promotion runs.
Still all to play for, I reckon.

 

Cqnt believe there is anyone who can't see this.

 

If you think we can make the automatics then fairly play, but personally I feel we are way short in terms of quality for that. Easily turned over by orient, Northampton and Carlisle, who occupy three of the top four slots and all appear more free scoring than us.

We may currently sit in the playoffs but we are in a right scrap currently to stay there and on current form we won't be there long. A tough month coming up, and a potentially difficult finish.

This is the best chance we have had in a while to get out of this league, yet we are in danger of throwing it all away

 

I think Stockport will finish higher than Northampton they have the momentum that’s why last nights point was such a good one

 

Not, not rubbish but a fair assessment would be that Northampton are on a tricky run of not great results.

 

Jason's view, if you're interested...

Uninspiring stalemate at Stockport highlights growing Bradford City supporter disconnect – Mark Hughes must prioritise restoring dwindling belief (widthofapost.com)

 

Yep, every team has a tricky spell, even Orient have had a couple lately. Usually a decent side will come through the other side and regain their form.

 

Do you know who else has 3 assists? Andy Cook, but some say he doesn't do enough.

 

Nearly half the comments on last night's game have a familiar feel to them........

 

Unfortunately our management think like you, hence why we are not improving.

 

Perhaps it's time to review the penalty laws to make them only given for denying a clear and obvious goal scoring chance, the idea that a player running away from goal, with no chance of scoring, can win a free shot at goal for going down, just because he is in the penalty box is wrong.