Match Thread Bradford City v Liverpool (U21)EFL Trophy Tuesday 5/12/2023 @ 7.30pm (with Poll)

So basically we win 280k if we win this competition.

Apart from that, what's the actual point? A day out to Wembley to watch a glorified friendly sponsored by something random every season, sometimes half way through the competition, that nobody remembers the winner of a week later?

Utterly pointless crap, don't particularly understand anybody giving this the time of day

 

Merry Christmas to you too

 

If we end up in the play-offs, there could be an argument to say the Barnsley win was a turning point.

 

It's kinda pointless saying it's been easy and will get tougher unless we know for sure some of these teams are actually fielding strong XI's.

Just because they made it this far doesn't mean they're taking it any more seriously than, say, Barnsley?

 

Miserable git, you have no idea of the positives for the team tonight.
Strikers scoring, winning habit, valuable game time for players returning from injury, more chance for GA to assess his options etc
If you have no interest fair enough but don't belittle it for the players and the fans that did go - its all about trying to build a momentum

 

I think the lad we sold to Brighton came on and scored for them, in the competition, tonight.

Milton Keynes Dons on X: "90+1: Sahil Bashir makes it four. ⚪️ 0-4 ⚫️" / X (twitter.com)

He's 18. Hopefully he can develop and make us a few quid.

 

I wouldn't start him on Saturday.

 

I’d we get Derby at VP it could be one of those rare occasions where away fans outnumber home fans.
Back to the game last night. Yes we won comfortably but it was worrying how many times their 10 kids sliced through our first team midfield / defence with relative ease. Their number 50 could have had a hat trick

 

ha ha no. I was wearing my half and half scarf

 

Some decent stuff on display tonight both from a team and individual performance perspective.

Considering the opposition were from the crème of the crop of their age group, it literally was men against boys. As they say you can only beat what’s in front of you. Did Lewis have a save?

6-7 wouldn’t have gone amiss if it wasn’t for their excellent keeper and some slovenly finishing.

Smallwood was excellent again, he’s a different player since GA arrived, Walker all over the place and impressive.
Oliver, Pattison and once he found his feet Thompkinson had either decent sub appearances or starts .
Oliver needs serious consideration for the weekend?

 

Hard to judge the players last night but Smallwood was good. He’s doing well under GA.

 

Alexander said, after the game, that he didn't pick Taylor as he couldn't play on Saturday and he wanted to look at Stubbs and Tomkinson. It didn't sound like Taylor was suspended.
I think Parker made a mistake.

 

Did Lewis have a save through 90 mins? I missed the first 20!

 

Nowt new there then?

 

It might not be the most glamorous competition but our manager has already tasted a Wembley appearance with Salford and if last night's performance is anything to go by he's hungry for more.
Alexander clearly motivates the team from the technical area in an upright position which is great to see after the bum sitting,arm folding demeanor of past managers tin pot or not Graham wouldn't appear to think so long may his obvious enthusiasm continue.
I'm not getting carried away it's early days in his tenure but he's shown already there is a tune to be played with a squad assembled who I thought couldn't string two passes together let alone carry out over complicated instructions under the previous manger.
Keep it simple the Alexander way, it's actually entertaining to watch and something we've missed for a while.

 

Their number 50 was Ben Doak?
He's played three times for the first team and played 7 times for Scotland U21's despite being 18. The longer term plan for him is he takes over from Salah.
They signed him from Celtic for £600k.
He's going to be some player.

 

No, Simon Parker didn't make a mistake. Ash got a straight red at FGR, that's 3 matches, the first was last night as we didn't have a game last Saturday. So to make it simple for me, 3-1 = 2 which are Salford and Gills.

 

Taylor could have played last night as it’s a separate disciplinary system,he’s banned for Saturday

 

It's a different competition. Please listen to GA post match. There is no mention of a suspension at all.
Say's he wanted to look at Stubbs & Tomkinson as options for Saturday.

 

Not so @wetherbywhaler ,the EFL trophy has a separate disciplinary system to stop players using this competition to burn off a suspension. I think he’s just banned for Saturday for a professional foul.