January 2024 Transfer Window

He had a reputation for being injury prone coming up through Middlesbrough it seems. Had a really bad injury hit spell at Wycombe and seemingly was managed well at Harrogate his first season but last season started getting the muscle injuries again.

Shame as you can tell he's a real talent, just can't stay fit. Same with Walker, both should be playing higher than L2 if only they could stay fit. Just our luck that both are out at the same time.

 

That look of “disinterest” I have noticed in Odour several times in the training ground vids. Maybe GA can have a “word” in his shell like. Might be in his psyche but speaks volumes to more than just me?

 

Folk are different though. Some shout and make noise and are outgoing, some are introverted. He strikes me a quite a quiet lad. Even in his interview yesterday he's relatively softly spoken. Key thing for me is he says the right things - team first etc

 

I totally get that , but and a small but, one sometimes needs to “look” enthusiastic.

If GA wants gut busting training then it’s up to the player to “ fight” for the shirt and show “ willing”, if that is what is required. Maybe explains why the talent has been recognised at other clubs but then the lack of the above means he drifts in and out of sides until he’s released. A pattern don’t you think?

 

Gent finally doing his job?

 

He also needs to learn how to put a ball in though. His crossing was dreadful.

 

It was! A few times he went on a mazy run, beating players twice, only to put in absolutely dreadful balls into the box. Head in hands moment on more than one occasion.

 

Surely this is one area GA will be looking for an incoming player in the window. It's quite clear we have no natural cover; a big part to play if we have any ambitions this season, and too risky relying on either Walker or Pattison to be fit at any given time. Wonder if GA knows someone he can coax in?

 

As per when he signed his last deal. It said initially for a year. So if he's supposedly rejecting a new deal, the word initially sounds the club has an option to extend, so why does the club not just trigger this extension? If there is one even, or if that's a misleading story.

https://www.bradfordcityafc.com/news/2023/june/new-deals-for-young-trio/

 

I had to smile at the "abysmal " bench comment. I think GA's view of what he wants from a starting eleven players and players on the bench may differ from the views of some of us on this forum. That may mean we won't see much more of Bobby Pointon this season. I have to say though that if GA's methods get us promoted I for one won't be complaining.

 

I think GA is knowledgeable and pragmatic. Who knows what the impact of the Notts County game had on Pointon.

 

Ridehalgh, Taylor, McDonald and Derbyshire is very poor for the squad size we have.

Obviously we had injuries but Stubbs, Pointon and Chapman immediately improve that bench and we could even leave McDonald in as an extra midfielder as Odour/Gillead and Kelly could cover LWB incase of an injury.

 

Taylor deserves to be on the bench ahead of Stubbs. Stubbs has been poor this season but it's been ignored. The only reason Taylor isn't starting is that the took a red card for the team against Forest Green rather than letting their player go through one on one.
Fans have to face it that Pointon doesn't fit into the system we are playing so he is unlikely to get onto the bench and neither does Chapman.

 

Stubbs has been poor this season after being one of our better players last year. I would still have him in any time over Taylor

 

He "took a red card for the team"?

We were 3 0 up in stoppage time and it was completely ridiculous for him to pull him down at that point. Not to mention he only had to do it because he'd made yet another mistake.

To put it simply, Taylor isn't starting because his mistakes finally caught up with him. I say finally, it was actually just two league games, one of which he didn't finish but you get the drift.

Don't worry though, you go with Taylor being a hero and putting team before self. I'm sure it makes sense if you try really hard.

 

Stubbs has unarguably dropped off from last season's performances but has never dropped to Taylor's level. Crawley, MK Dons and Notts County are just three games where Taylor has disgraced himself with some of the worst performances I've seen in a City shirt.

 

If he let the player got then we all know people would've criticised him for not making a challenge. He isn't starting now as he lost his place due to that red card and Platt/Tomkinson have done enough to deserve keeping their place. The point wasn't about them it was about the decision between Stubbs and Taylor and since that Notts County game Stubbs has played 4 league minutes and as soon as Taylor was back Stubbs was out of the squad.

 

There is not much between Stubbs and Taylor, neither are good enough if the truth be told.
Both incredibly slow with the turning circle of an oil tanker and actually not that good in the air for big lads.
The telling point for me though, is Stubbs is 8 years younger, and meant to be in his prime.

 

Taylor was no worse than Stubbs against Notts County, same at MK Dons. What about the good performances from Taylor against Wrexham and Accrington?

 

If hadn't made yet another error in the first place he wouldn't have had to make that wrong choice to bring him down.

Long story short, most knowledgeable fans will be happy that just like in the Accrington game, we survived another Ash Taylor gaffe relatively unscathed and have the added bonus that he's now not playing.