Match Thread Away v Port Vale Sat 13th November @ 12.00pm

If that’s in my direction I’ve already said Adam’s needs backing, but if you think that showing is a Bradford city performance to be proud of you clearly know nack all about football. We should have been down to ten men and subsequently dead and buried by half time if the ref had half a clue. We picked up after the subs but regardless it was pretty much our best midfield and defence and took a great goal to paper over the obvious cracks. I couldn’t care less about other clubs.

 

The problem with that I think is because we play such an odd shape no one knows where the out ball is, or where instinctively a player would be.

Gillead and vernam are too narrow, if one of them has the ball, it can't go wide, because A) that's where they should be or B) the full back isn't pushing on, it can't go back because ordinarily watt and Sutton are sat five yards in front of the back four and finally it won't go forward as whoever is upfront is marked by 3 defenders.

By the time they have made that decision the ball has a gone, or in gilleads case by the time he has made a decision it's ten past six and there is no one there anyway

 

100% agree and you’re correct. However, today we were the better team and should have had the game wrapped up. Some poor errors and judgements however the improvement is evident. Now over to Adam’s to show what he’s really made of and get that winning mentality he says he’s all about out of his team.

For me, positive game. Nice not to feel dejected.

 

Agree on Songoo. He’s a big lump but dunno he’s mobile enough to play CM for us in a side that breaks on the counter. He made Bob Molenaar look like Usain Bolt for their goal today. Slow motion getting across the box, but our defence has generally improved with him in there and aerially we defended their awkward long throws really well.

 

I couldn't care less about other clubs. I could care less about giving managers a chance and that's what I showed you.

The fact is we weren't down to ten men and if we're going to play that game - maybe that disallowed equaliser at Sunderland @ Xmas 2017, might have led us on to win that game, go on a run and stay up.

In other words, why are you pointing to incidents where we got the rub of the green - we didn't get that against Forest Green or do you forget the ones, that might mean we've actually a half decent team and you'd have to admit it.

Besides careless finishing what 'cracks' are there? Despite arguably our most exciting signing (Eisa) not playing a football league minute, rollercoaster of injuries and recoveries with all the other strikers - we're still handley placed. Hence, why I implied the need for some to be patient as opposed to always annoyed and their 'we'll never win nowt!!" attitude.

 

Songo'o scored around six goals for Morecambe last season and I can't recall him giving the ball away in open play when asked to pass to another team-mate.

He's a destroyer who can also set forward play going and certainly gets the ball to his man better than Sutton or Watt.

So basically we're dropping Paudie and Songo'o? The latter one of the chief architects of Morecambe's promotion.

Once again we have players that have shown themselves to be capable of playing at a higher level than we are in the table, underestimated (Eoin Doyle, was arguably the last one)

 

He hasn’t been great for us in CM though has he. I would give him another chance at some point if Adams feels its necessary to drop Threlkeld and watt, move Sutton to RB qnd bring Staunton in at CB, but can’t see that now latter been loaned.

He could play Foulds the left sided CB with Ridehalgh back in at LB too I guess.

 

This was once again a good point against another team in top form which will be repeated next week against Northampton single points in normal circumstances are not enough unless when the on paper easier matches come along we start getting the wins once again on paper December looks like a month with good chances of points on the table

 

On reflection today I think we can safely say promotion is beyond us but I'm not as annoyed by that as some might be

We have a good core of six or seven that we can take forward to next season but we must improve out wide and up front

Not being negative but next season is a must for us

 

I'm not pretending anything I try and not make knee jerk comments during the game difficult at times when were missing guilt edge chances, we all know in the final third we have been very poor so far this season, there is room for improvement and I believe we'll see that as the better player's return, we're just over a third through the season we've had our share of injuries but for me were certainly in with a chance of getting back into the mix, and yes I believe we will.

 

That's a decent shout if he wants the insurance of 3 CBs. A defensive five of FCD, Paudie, Foulds, Canavan and Ridehalgh looks pretty decent to me. I'd then drop Watt and move Songo'o alongside Sutton in central midfield.

 

I don’t necessarily believe promotion is out of the equation for this season. Teams have come back from worse an managed to turn things around post January, (from memory of recent seasons :Bolton, Sheffield United, Plymouth) Its all about getting the right players in the transfer window.

We have a good core, Canavan, Rideleigh, Sutton, Songo, Vernham, Cooke, Cook an Angol.

We need to add to this, Our main weakness in defence is right back at this moment in time along with our issues in front of goal. A fully fit Angol alongside Cook can help us bridge the gap between our current position an the autos. Eisa returning will imo be a massive boost once he’s match fit. But Sparks does need to back Adams, Give him the money he needs to strengthen our weak-spots. We need to fix up that defence, There’s always a mistake in them every game we play an usually we get punished for it an we absolutely need to push the boat out an get a Quality striker who can put away all these chances we make

 

We do need patience but we also need better players because as it stands, the chances we miss and the goals we concede are not befitting a team looking to get promotion. 3 clean sheets in 21 and arguably the worst chances taken to chances created ratio in the division is mid table mediocrity in a nutshell.

 

Promotion is no way beyond us. BUT we need to add 2 quality players in Jan, minimum.

 

As did the moment of shear madness from Songo to give Vale their only goal, I posted early doors we shouldn't be frightened of this lot they looked average, you seem to be unable to give credit where it's due, was it only disjointed from Bradford City, today we stopped Port Vale playing their usual game, with their home record they have certainly bossed most home games this season.

@Alan Partridge started his post with this : Pretty crap overall from the Vale, the occasion clearly got to us. Adams had set up perfectly to stop us playing, little time and space for our central three to find the space they need, but on top of that excellent tactical set up we were uncharacteristically shit really. Almost played you in a few times! Nervy, timid, resorting to hoof ball, passing all over the place, including straight to you for the equaliser. Not what we've been used to seeing, really uncharacteristic, really frustrating.
I think that's a fair assessment of the game all round not a classic but we've taken point from the form team in the division at their place as well.

 

A fair assessment of the game should be that we keep making the same basic errors week in week out. Unless we cut this out of our game, and I'm not sure the current squad is capable of that, then as someone mentioned before, without strengthening sufficiently in January this is a mid table squad, neither good or bad.

 

Agree with your summery but I could never see Angol starting with so little game time since his comeback, I thought he might have given Eisa 15 minutes for Venam near the end, but I can't be disappointed with a point at Vale, although all 3 would have been great.

 

Adams said he planned to bring Eisa on, but having to sub Threlkeld at half time meant all the subs were used unfortunately. I’m sure he’ll get his chance, hopefully he’ll add some much need goal threat.

 

Decent enough game in the end. We didn't hit the heights of some of our recent performances and Bradford nullified our threats well. You guys looked organised and solid, one of the better teams we have played so far. Both teams had chances and with Angol on from the start you might have nicked it. A point was probably a fair result in the end.

I said before the game that our good run wouldn't last forever and a year ago we would have lost that game, so I'm pleased with a point against a team who I am sure will be top 7 at the end.

Good following from your lot too, particularly considering the kick off time. Good luck for the rest of the season.

 

Of course the play offs and promotion is not beyond us two or three wins on the trot and we are right back in it. Our finishing is very poor but our chance cremation and general play is good and with players returning and wise recruitment in January we can do it. The last few teams we have played are the benchmark this season and none have beaten us