What HAS gone wrong??

Spot on Dennis. Plus if it is freely available to everyone, including opposition teams who we play. You can bet any amount of money you like that their manager will have us targeted for free kicks etc.,

 

I would think opposition clubs could get an independent local scout to take a game in for a fee, at home games they sit behind us in the next block to our left , maybe @Storck can confirm they still sit there usually with their note pad,

 

And where does all this information get fed to? MH I bet. And he just disregards it all and does his own thing. Exactly why we need a DoF!

 

It’s a damning indictment on Hughes and further evidence of just out of touch he is. Time to retire.

 

We do not need technology or data to tell us how rubbish we are and where we are going wrong, it is too obvious to all, and we are seeing it week in week out at VP. What actually worries me is that nobody in the current management team seems to be able to 'manage' any of it.

 

It surely cant just fall on deaf ears?.... Right?

Our 19 goals conceded in open play last season was the best in the EFL, Burnley and Ipswich (two promoted clubs) were the next best at 20. Which makes it all the more frustrating. We aren't getting cut open by teams, we aren't getting played off the park. It's basic issues, it's marking a man, it's tracking a runner, it's having a good shape to counter from. Something kids get drilled into them, but our pros don't have a set up that helps.

Every team we play leave 1 quick lad on the half way line when they have a defensive corner, which means City have to usually leave 2 players back, meaning the defending team have the man advantage in and around the box. Every single corner we defend, not only are all 11 in our box, they are usually all around the 6 yard box. Even if we win the first header, it's an open invitation for the opposition to have another strike because there's no physical way we can get to that second ball from our defensive shape. How can every fan in the seats see this, but the staff cant?

 

Whilst we continue with this abhorrent zonal marking system, we will continue to concede from set pieces, and the opposition know it!!

 

I don't think that is true at all, very few teams these days do it. If leaving a man on the half way line was such an advantage when do managers like Klopp and Guardiola not do it?
If we leave 1 man out that will mean 1 less blocker which gives their tall players a free run on our zonal markers.

 

Attached to the banner

 

Yep there are usually half a dozen scouts sat on the row behind us. They leave with about 20 minutes to go every match. Not sure they are local as such but from talking to them they work for a certain team and travel all over watching the upcoming opposition. They usually all know each each and spend most of the match catching up rather than watching the game. Money for old rope

 

When he goes, which he will sooner rather than later, then the only logical choice of caretaker is McDonald. Trueman has had his go and ultimately it didn't work out. The last thing we want is him coming on, winning 3 or 4 and Sparks reverting to type and offering him the job.

That said, as this Hughes out thing rumbles along, I would hope that those in charge realise that they should be looking at alternatives before he goes, sounding out potential candidates and being ready to make a move on the day they make the decision.

However, this is Bradford City and I don't expect that to happen.

 

For the majority of his managerial career, Hughes had Mark Bowen as his trusted assistant. I think Hodges also joined the two of them at some of the clubs, in lesser roles. Just like I don't think having Kenny Black, as his assistant, did Stuart any favours, I don't think Hodges brings much to the party.

 

No it won't. That man will have to be marked meaning if we leave a man up, an extra defender will be brought back to cover. There's no way the opposition are leaving someone one on one just because they have a low percentage chance from a corner.

 

The dad of someone I used to work with had played for Hereford in the late 60's early 70's and he was paid by local clubs, including Leeds & York, to do just that, take in a match and sit there analysing their strengths & weaknesses and produce a report.

 

They will just take back one of the small players on the edge of the box they won't bring back a tall player. If we are leaving 2 players back it will be the likes of Ridehalgh and Halliday not Platt or Stubbs. This was a corner against Grimsby where they had every player back with man to man marking, if they leave 1 player up then Halliday comes back then they either don't have anyone on the near post or for the short corner to go 2 on 2 which will leave them vulnerable
in the near post area

 

I read on Twitter that it's because we expect too much and don't encourage the players...

I even read that fans aren't turning up to games because we're playing god awful football, it's actually because other fans are too negative to be around

I think without Cook we would've been fecked last season, and this season it's the case too. Shut Cook down and you shut us down. If Cook was still injured and missed the Newport game, Hughes would've been sacked already and we'd be 3 points closer to relegation.

 

Yes my wording was not too good with regards local scouts but without a doubt the way we go about defending set pieces would be an obvious weakness.