The Voice - Match preview Bradford City vs Northampton Town Saturday 19th November @ 3:00pm

Don’t forget it has to be less than a tenner per game too.

 

Crichlow out for 2 to 3 weeks. That's bad.

As seen today, we can't play the way Hughes wants with Songo'o and Platt as a centre back pairing so either he needs to switch them or change the way of playing. Orient will be rubbing their hands at the thought of them playing together.

 

what penalty? lewis clearly got the ball with his hand.

 

Northampton were simply better than us. I think our problem is in midfield with Smallwood and Gilliead. Both are too similar and don't really get forward creatively. Added to that in today's performance they didn't give us anything to write home about defensively.
As a result we were wide open in the middle and the front 3 and Cook never got a look in.
I think Ryan East needs a go in the side.
I know Hughes won't want to drop Smallwood as he is captain, but he was poor today.

 

Felt a bit sorry for the defense with Smallwood and Giliead dreadful in front of them offering zero protection and often helping the opposition with giving or losing the ball and selling the defense short time after time giving them nervous shellshock.
Said before the game this formation does not suit us at home especially with a slow player in Smallwood and a non-league player in Gilliead who would struggle to get in most other teams at this level
Well done Cooky earning and scoring the penalty despite absolutely no support

 

Lewis won the ball clearly, never a penalty in a million years

 

Smallwood must be a helluva player away from home to keep his place as he has been shocking for weeks at home now.

 

We play different away and hit sides on the break with 6 at the back and Smallwood hitting longer passes up front

 

Shame we put on that sort of performance in front of that crowd today.

We were out fought and out thought by Northampton. Fair play to them. Could have been 5/6 easily.

Reading some of the massive overreaction tripe on here makes me laugh.

Too many had an off day today.

Missed Crichlow and we are most definitely missing Walker.

Hopefully we strengthen in January.

And it wasn't even a penalty.

 

the players should be embarrassed

 

Nobody had a good game today. Platt has been solid all season, especially alongside an actual central defender. Songo'o is not a central defender and not a player that can hold a place in a competitive league 2 side. Platt is and can probably play a division up. If you're making out he is no good at this level then ................

 

And too many players had a off day in the previous home game against Harrogate,the captain was shocking again and centre midfield is a priority in Jan.

 

I agree entirely about our midfield.
Their 17 and 8 were exactly what we are missing.
Mobile,pacy midfielders who get beyond the strikers.
In the first half 17 constantly broke up play on the edge of his own box and then even sprinted the length of the field to support his strikers in the break.Can anybody actually see either Smallwood,Chapman or Gilliead doing that?

If Hughes can’t see this as an issue and constantly persists at home with this static midfield then we really are in trouble.

 

The games I've seen Timi in he's hardy been inspiring I agree but I'm not sure he could have been any worse than our 2 CD today and what makes it worse was Sparkie obviously though keeping them on for the full 90 minutes was the right call, maybe he thought our problems were higher up the pitch.

 

He had on when we played Mansfield .

 

I know you will, we have a bit of banter but your the same as the rest of us you hurt when we lose, although you try and make out you don't .

 

I noticed that too, their midfielders regularly running the length of the pitch to support the attack. The pace and mobility of their midfield and front players were very impressive. Quick in thought and deed. Everything we aspire to and everything we weren't today.
After all our poor performances at home this season, when the whole club knows it is a big issue needing to be addressed, when we've a big game against promotion rivals, to then put on an even worse performance than those that have gone before, well that takes some doing and questions must be asked about those responsible for our team and its preparation for the game today.

 

Well we were outplayed and outfought. The first I can forgive the second I can’t. Don’t blame the fans for leaving early, the players left early when Smallwood did his Santa Clause impression early!

There was a distinct lack of leadership on the field today. Smallwood strolled back to the middle without rallying the troops and giving them direction no group hug or just getting them altogether absolutely nothing! I don’t care if he was down; when you are captain you have responsibilities to lead the team.

We now know why we can’t go forward at pace because we can’t pass to a teammate going forward. No accurate passing no chance for strikers to get service.

The entertainment home fans are getting is nill. The club should compensate the fans by giving ifollow free over the Christmas period as compensation.

I would agree with most of the comments about our midfield and should be a priority for January. Plus a forward or two.

You can count on both hands the times I have left early, but I bailed on 86 minutes. Just had enough.


I know we have to be patient, but this has been coming all season. Our ritual draws and poor performances at home have led to this day. Yes Northampton are a good team and played on the break brilliantly and they could pass and they passed off the field when they were safe. However, they also outfought us at our home. They never let up. That is unforgivable.

 

Very odd game. First 30 minutes was a bit frantic but I think we shaded it and should've been ahead through Chapman.

Then Smallwood gifts them the first goal and our heads completely implode and we should've been five down in the second half.

Couple of issues with the team selection. Eisa wasn't ready for a game like this yet - Wright is sharper and fitter so should've started. Last week was a game for Songo'o with their style but not today. Their balls over the top and into the channels exposed his lack of pace massively. I know Odusina was poor last time out but this game would've suited him better. He's also left sided, which would've helped us because I lost count of how many shanked clearances went into the stands from Songo'o.

Northampton looked good after the first goal. They were fitter, sharper, stronger and more aggressive which is generally how to beat us.

Home form is complete crap. Another big crowd and occasion and we've bottled it again. Really demoralising.

 

To be fair mate, until Smallwood gifted them the first goal, followed by another gift for the second, I felt that we were the better team and was quite confident of a win.

Northampton couldn't believe their luck and of course, their tails were up. They could do what they wanted knowing that we were toothless.
It's easy to play when your opponents let you.

Time for MH to look at his undroppable captain who, for the past few games (at home anyway) he's been terrible.
Time to take him off set pieces too, terrible deliveries on the whole.