The Voice - Match preview Bradford City vs Crawley Town Saturday 29th October @ 3:00pm

I think our 1 up top approach suits playing away from home, as generaly the home team have to try please the home supporters and attack the visiting team thus playing into the hands of a 1 up top visiting team, but when playing at home as it's proved it becomes a frustrating formation and generally plays into the opponents hands if the early goal doesn't arrive. I'd personally start every home game with 2 up top and take the the game to the opposition from the off, with the 5 subs rule you have plenty of room to manoeuvre to alter if it's not working.

 

What I'm struggling with is, we obviously train this way and have played it from the off. Why then is it so poorly executed and why does it always look like its the first time they've tried it. Platt and Crichlow look like rabbits in the headlights. Lewis plays hospital balls or balls at head / chest height making it difficult to control. Hughes said we mostly got it right playing out from the back, but the nervousness and uncomfortable manner of the players adds pressure and gives the opponents belief. Teams wouldn't high press if we were good at it, but we're handing the initiative to poorer teams who should be blown away on our own patch. Gary Jones was right yesterday, get at them from the off and don't let them settle. They are 19th for a reason.

 

for how long though ........ x you really happy with what’s going on ???
I fail to recall one game this season where we have been dominated a side and by the look of it this sort of set up is gonna go on ........... Seriously why sign Oliver ????? If we ain’t gonna play hun it’s a waste of another wage ........... he mayas well get rid of all the other strikers in the winter

 

I ask the same question each time he comes on as Cooks replacement and the times he's started in the PJT, someone must have faith in him to give him a 3 year contract so there plenty of time for him to show what he can do.

 

Yeah but how long is he gonna be happy being a bit part player though ????? He’s a big lad so there must have been some kind of plan to use his strengths................still I’m not holding out for anything to change unless he does change it again for the Harrogate game

 

Having seen the free kick that led to the goal, I don't understand why Gilliead rushed back and clumsily fouled their attacker when he and the two defenders could have crowded him out.

That was the real error or poor decision for me. No need to commit that foul.

 

Because he’s really a winger. For some reason he’s decided to become a “midfield engine” and for some reason he gets picked week in week out to play that role. Possibly because we don’t have any other decent midfielders, apart from East who seems out of favour.

 

I believe Oliver was signed to be our main striker unfortunately for him he didn't look the part in the two early season games offering little against Doncaster and Barrow so Sparkie brought him off after 60 minutes at Barrow bringing Cook on as his sub and the rest is history, Cook kept scoring and unfortunatly for Oliver he was left out of Sparkies formation where he seems happy to play the lone striker.

 

sadly it’s just not working now is it ????

3 goals from our last 6 games just proves it now

 

You really do have a downer on Cook, there are another 9 outfield players who are allowed to score as well, what's your opinion on Olivers late chance in yesterday game, let's look beyond Cook, as you'll have no one else to blame if Oliver gets the strikers roll and performs like he did early season.
I've said it for a few games certainly at home when Sparkie goes like for like Cook off Oliver on after 70 minutes or so why not go two up top as yet its not happend and Rayner doesn't seem to want to ask those sort of questions, unless I've missed it.

 

One casualty of this dross could be the walk ups, up to 2,000 of them at a cost of up to £40K per home game ..

 

please point out where I have a downer on Cook ............ have I not said on countless occasions that we don’t create enough for him ???? He’s not the problem the system is ......... he will get goals if the service is right but we create little or Fook all leaving him redundant........... he’s not good at linking the play he’s not gonna win headers so what’s the point ???????
We either go a lot more on the front foot or play another with him up top to help the poor sod out but sadly it doesn’t look like we are gonna go that way ............... he seems obsessed with one up top and if we are to go that way then surly you need someone who will bring others into play

 

Seems to have been like this for many seasons. My worry is that Cook’s run of form, glossed over the fact that no one else seems to get on the scoresheet regularly. The last two games he’s looked lethargic, but there’s nobody stepping up to the plate to make up a goal threat. Wright is having a go, but he’s meant to be a provider of goals. Oliver looks woeful. There was a point when he was in the 6 yard area, didn’t control the ball for a shot, and then passed the ball randomly into touch. Collective groan. Both Smallwood and Chapman have a shot on them from distance, but seem afraid to pull the trigger. Banks had the right attitude, and was more direct in his 18 mins than most of the team collectively. It wouldn’t matter if we’re keeping clean sheets, but we always seem to have a defensive mistake in us. Penalty on Tuesday, and effectively another one yesterday leading to a goal.

 

I seriously hope that the team get it right this season .......to many times we have been hoodwinked into backing another promotion campaign only to see it fall apart ........... the numbers this season have been magnificent but you can say that another midtable finish will result in thousands not renewing ............ I know plenty who ain’t arsed with it at the moment and these are season ticket holders ............ I was even debating after a few pints to just stay i the pub but went down only to leave disappointed yet again ............ is it so hard to get it right????? How come big clubs who drop down to this level normally find a way out straight away yet we seem to just hang around for years

 

saying it for weeks that Cook alone ain’t the issue it’s time others stepped up and sadly the way we play isn’t gonna help cook out is it so hard for our midfielders like you say to actually have shots ?????, our wingers to actually have a go at the fullbacks ???? Sadly neither happens because we are to safe .......... rather than looking to go forward we spend the majority of the time pissing around at the back with it .............

 

Hughes said must give gilliead credit when he gave ball away he rectified error giving free kick away.

Yeah well rectified they scored from it.

 

At the minute, I'd say Hughes isn't performing at tge level I'd suspect. Which isn't to say he's not up to the job or needs to go or anything like that. But the expectation this season, with the standard of this league and the backing he's had, has to be top 3. And we don't look like getting it.

 

Very poor delusional interview by hughes reminded me of bowyer.

Told not won at home since mid September he says how many have we lost.

Okay fine keep drawing and lose odd game at home see us drop down table then as that form will do that.

If he honestly thought that was as good a performance as he was making out in the interview we should be worried.

Players keeping starting places due to good form. Really seriously I don't even know where 5o start in pointing out the ones who have been rubbish week after week for ages.

Subs must be sat there thinking if I get on regardless I'm not starting next game.

 

think that’s why folk are peed off that the likes of Stevenage and Orient are creating such a big gap and I bet neither have had the budget and backing Hughes has had ............. way things are going we may be just after 3rd spot because I can see the gap to the top 2 getting even bigger

 

Hughes plays the same players , same system every week and expects a different result, Madness.