The Voice - Match preview Crewe Alexandra vs Bradford City Monday 1st January 2024 3:00pm

Not having a go at you pal its the doom merchants who pop up when we have a few bad results ............ with a bit of luck we could have got a fair few points but we havent but im happy with whats going on at least GA knows what needs to be done to get out of this league unlike Hughes.
Sadly folks have short memories and dont fooking realise how bad it was under Hughes yes today was bad but i can point to a lot more performances under Hughes that where a lot worse than today.
GA like the style or not is gonna need time not just a few months he needs time and once we have a fully fit squad then you will see a dramatic change .................a fit Walker or Pattson would have made a huge difference and if either are gonna be innand out then its down to Gent and co to get it right

 

I agree with him.
We were the better team and we dominated every aspect of the match apart from the score.
What we did lack and what he won't ever say in public which is to his credit , is players who could take advantage of the positions and the chances offered to them

 

It's not unfortunate, Patterson is never going to play more than 10 games a season!

 

Regards the doom merchants I agree.
Unfortunately for us and Alexander, we've been dealt a really bad start to the season under Hughes which we are still very much recovering from.

 

I mean, these stats don't lie.
Bit more quality and these chances and opportunities in areas in their half create goals.

 

Those stats are not bad for a team that is depleted of our quality players. Also take into consideration that we have played some high intensity games over the Xmas period. If we were going to lose a game over the last 4 games I expected it to be this one.

 

You can never beat being at the game, yes we see what you see (from a different angle) but being there you get a better feel for the game and at times why what look to be easy chances or tackles don't go exactly as planned, this week could be very interesting with regards comings and goings because once again Alexander makes it crystal clear if you aint putting it in on the training pitch you won't be getting a start and maybe not even a seat on the bench.

 

The league as a whole is not that great i mean i cannot recall one team that i thought was a cut above the rest like Orient last season.
I mean out of the top 3 who we faced ( one of them twice) have hardly looked world beaters, thats probably why its frustrating that we aint higher up but the blame for that lies elsewhere and has nothing to do with GA.

We get it right this window and we get lucky with injuries then we should be amongst at least the top 7

 

He's already played 13 you absolute plank.

 

He played a lot more than 10 a season over the last two seasons

 

Thank you.
I could not lower myself by replying to such a stupid post.

 

So far this season he's played 13 games then in his previous seasons as a pro he's made 39, 47, 6 (down to selection not injury with 7 unused bench appearances), 24 (plus 9 unused sub), 34.

So the only season he's not made 10+ appearances was when he was at Wycombe in the Championship

 

Are you absolutely sure about that?

 

Yes, we were talking to some Crewe fans on the way to the ground and they said they had 5 or 6 key players out injured so it was pot luck if the team would turn up or not. After the game, I said to my son that I was amazed a team as poor as them were in the play offs

I know you make your own luck but every second ball seemed to fall to one of their players, other than that it was offside or a free kick

 

What is going to be very important after a tough Christmas period, is how we react in what are very winnable games against Crawley, Colchester, Doncaster and Swindon.
Smallwood banned against Crawley will be interesting.
Can big Kev get himself back in the frame?

 

Even on the deck today smith and Cook were poor, I remember a few times the ball played to Cooks feet and him losing it. The best chance of us scoring fell to smith where he sliced it wide of the post, he should have put that in and then we might have been talking about a different game where City dominated and got something out of it.

 

Pointon looked great when he came on. Pinged some brilliant crosses in, got stuck in and drove the ball forward.

Has to start on Saturday

 

Agree with you, it isnt a lot of change thats needed and that's why the little things matter. The term in sport is "marginal gains" e.g.

• Platt/Kelly getting their heads up to pass a short ball to someone in space rather than hoofing it
• Smallwood having more composure, holding the ball then passing it on the floor instead of these ariel, round the corner efforts that balloon up to Cook and Smith
• More and repetitive practice at corners and set pieces

These are the small things Alexander should be drilling into them to help them find that bit of quality.

Also, although Gilliead and Halliday have linked well, I'd swap them around. Oduor cutting in on his left foot and Gilliead on his right would make more threat.

 

Here to help

Give me a shout next time @Sergio Pinto III posts about England forwards.