The Voice - Match preview Bradford City vs Colchester United Saturday 12th August 2023 @ 3:00pm

Agree. It was refreshing to see players walking away and leaving the ball-though a few nearly did kick the ball away before remembering.

The injury time thing is a joke though. 18 mins today in total. You could argue 10 with subs and injuries.

 

If we can allow that team to gel, Get a bit of pace in that back 3 (i.e. dropping Kelly for Odusina), sign a proper LWB, and get Cook firing on all cylinders again, we should do okay this season

 

I said earlier today that we made things a lot harder for ourselves last season than they needed to be and no, we haven't learnt anything from that because we did exactly the same thing today in that the minute we took the lead, we dropped the intensity. Thankfully it didn't cost us today but if we don't address it, it won't be long before it does.

On another note, very impressed with Oduor today. I wasnt convinced early pre season and couldn't work out why we've given him a 3 year deal but happy to be proved wrong about that.

 

I seriously think now the Premiership season has started we will quickly see some movement loan wise, and in terms of value for money this is what Hughes has been holding out for.

 

So, Mark Hughes. Have you seen that we need a mobile right centre back and a left wingback? Have you seen that Walker can't play in a front three? Is that the system you want to employ? If so, what will you do when our midfield two get by-passed by a midfield three? I think the answers to these questions will define our season.
PS And why the hell did you sign Ash Taylor?

 

Can we please stop having Andy Cook on his own... I fecking hate it... That is all.

 

Almost positive.

 

If I am honest I think we need a CB. Apart from Stubbs, any of the current crop can go for me. Likely Odusina or Platt. I dont care as long as better comes in.

Agree on LWB. Ridehalgh just looks awful. Gilli did ok tbh to him.

 

Pattison. A player needed for a long time.

What a finish.

 

Also in the MR, Block B almost at the top and with a perfect view. It was a stunning save, and Goodman deserves full credit for pulling it off. Can see that the ref's view might have been blocked, but the lino gets no such leeway.

 

Please don't respond to him. It was great that he's already been poking around for a reaction and didn't get one. I love the idea of him getting ignored and becoming more and more frustrated.

 

Aye, he's the type of player that turns up at VP over the years and leaves you thinking 'I wish we had a player like that'. Difficult to pick up, creative, busy, technically sound. I really hope we see the best of him.

 

https://www.skysports.com/watch/video/sports/football/competitions/league-two/12938914/bradford-city-2-1-colchester-utd-league-two-highlights

https://www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/play/p0g6dg71

Enjoy

 

Again why drop a LCB for RCB?

 

I’d say we pretty much got the performance many of us hoped for prior to the game. Ok, it far from perfect, but after the goal we played on the front foot and pressed for the larger share of the game, which got us the 3 points we definitely wanted.

Oduor and Oyegoke were very decent. Thought Gillead did well and for sure Pattinson showed signs he is the type of player we have badly missed for many seasons. I’ll also give Smallwood credit also, he had a decent game today and I liked the look of Smith. Lewis, fair play to him as well as many players would have let that mistake go to his head but made a great save in the second half although his general distribution today wasn’t brilliant.

Second half we started much better. Have to say we looked a better shape when Walker went off and Smith played closer to Cook.

Tuesday will be a very interesting game and a good barometer of how we can follow up a win today against a team who will be doing all they can to avoid another defeat.

 

Another centre back is a must. Someone mobile and decent on the ball. Basically, a Crichlow.

 

Gillead had a very good game at LWB.

 

Much of the new rules are a joke. But, I hope it genuinely stops some of the time wasting and dark arts we see almost every week at VP.

I thought the ref was OK today, other than not stopping play sooner for a couple of obvious injuries.

 

There aren't any new rules. I'm not sure what I'm missing but apart from the extended injury time what rules have changed?