The Voice - Match preview Bradford City vs Crawley Town Saturday 6th January 2024 3:00pm

It's really annoying me so much how GA has frozen out Chappers and Pointon, it's bonkers to me

 

Whilst handing out numerous chances to Odesebe and Odour, both of whom don't look good enough.

I get Odour does little bits now and again but for literally 70 minutes of every match he's not even involved.

Compare that to Walker, who's role he has taken and it's like chalk and cheese.

 

I’ve mentioned elsewhere that it was absolutely crying out for Chapman or Pointon (or both) to come on when we went 2-1 up.
Be proactive.
Get straight at them after they’ve gone behind and are licking their wounds after realising their time wasting tactics were going to have to be completely changed.
Nah.
We’ll wait and bring Derbyshire on and then realise his sole contribution in 7 minutes was shouting at the ref and getting a yellow card.

Well done everybody.

 

Can't help but think having a fit and on-form Jamie Walker would have made a huge difference yesterday. His driving runs and tenacity would have opened things up more and perhaps made us less reliant on banging it up the front two and hoping for a bit of luck. I've seen some decent play from Odour in the past few games, but as you say, he isn't involved enough at the moment.

This then comes back to @Idlebantam 's question about Chapman and Pointon. Both have that capability to run with the ball and beat a player. I feel our midfield of Smallwood and Gilliead look a lot better with Jamie Walker in front of them.

 

I'm not sure what you saying Bolton are and always have been a bigger club than Bradford City even accepting their resent problems and whatever debt they were in when past owners took over, as are Derby County.
If your using them and the others you posted as an example of why they are above us I'm right behind you we have been badly managed for the last couple of decades (apart from the odd 5/6 seasons under Parky and Stuart taking over from Parky) by the people at the top.
I can't see how you can give managers a free pass, after Phil Parkinson left Stuart had a decent CV in Scotland with Motherwell etc, although Simon (I'm a Championship manager) Grayson was only here a few months and was a disaster but again a decent CV, David Hopkin another manager with a good CV in Scotland, followed by Gary Bowyer did a good job with little money at Blackpool, McCall again he should never have been approached but our top management thought differently, Derek Adams possibly the best CV of all those previous managers, Mark Hughes another big gamble as he'd been away from the day to day running of a football team but I won't criticise Ryan for making that call, and now we have Graham Alexander who cant be judged as yet as he's only 10 or so league games into his tenure so on paper the majority of those managers looked good appointments.

 

Without doubt with regards their recent history gaining FL status in 1978 I'd say they have been a bigger club than Bradford City for exactly the reasons you've posted above but think with their limited history there not the best example to offer to the debate.

 

We appear to lack the wherewithal to know how to run the football club . I can’t see how we move forward until we have somebody with a football brain and know what it takes to get out of this league.

This needs to be a complimentary relationship with GA, but we need to stop wasting money. Relying on ST money to fund the playing budget means that nobody who has responsibility for making sure it is spent well. No comeback either except to withhold your money the following season. The manager wants the best he can have, so it shouldn’t just be left to him.

We need a plan of action and fast. Ryan Sparks needs to be released from this role to concentrate on generating money for the club.

 

Notts County history is far better than Bradford City's I'd say they are a bigger club for the very fact they are one of the founder members of the English Football league and one of the oldest football teams in the world they were in Leagues One and Two (now Premier League and Championship) from their formation in 1888 until 1931 when they dropped to the Division 3 South, FA Cup winners in 1893/94 and runners up in 1890/91.

 

Its a strange one why he chooses Odour for that position when its not really his strength. He's more off the cuff with flashes of skill, he doesn't bring others into play like Walker or have the workrate of Pattison.

 

It is weird. This trying to get players to play in different roles was an MH problem. It appears to be carrying on. Like Derbyshire? Oldie but not so goodie these days. This is really a young man’s game no matter how it you are.

 

Sadly I dont think either fit in with GAs style of pragmatic percentage football. He may well get us out of this league (not this season), but it won't be pretty!

 

Ok Notts county did things well over 130 years ago what about the other two ?????

Now look at the top of the national league ???
Chesterfield who will in no doubt pass us by as we continue to be run like a joke

If folk are willing to make out that we should be here and our fanbase aint really that big then so be it and you wonder why the owner and his ceo get away with causing this havoc season upon season when our own fanbase seem to belittle us.

You can name a hell of a lot of clubs that have a far better history than both our dear neighbours but i bet there fanbbases aint willing to simply accept it.

Btw look at Barrow little Barrow who where over the moon at a gate of over 5k thats right 5k, little Barrow whose budget is probably nothing near ours, Barrow a non league club 3 years ago Barrow who have a 14 point gap on us ................... so can somebody please explain why the likes of them Stevenage and Accy Stan outperform us ?????,

Sorry folk can try and put spins on the size of the club etc etc but i know for a FACT we are far bigger club than the majority at this level even with the cheap tickets or little history and we get badly let down season upon season.

Still if folk are happy when away teams with 102 away fans walk off with 3 points then so be it

 

A very good point regarding Barrow. I said to my lad the other day, 4 of the top 6 teams in league 2 currently have been promoted from non league in the last few years. And with Barrow being back in the league only 3 years but effectively 15 points ahead if you include their superior goal difference, its a damning indictment of the mismanagement of this club on a yearly basis.

 

100% agree if Walker was playing that game doesn’t end 2-4, but that’s the whole issue with this squad. We miss one player (two inc Pattison) and we’re a shadow of a team. To then use Derbyshire as an attacking alternative when there are two far better options on the bench is inexcusable for me.

Crewe and Crawley as bad as any other game this season.

 

I think fans are beginning to notice. I just have a feeling that ppl are not only noticing but highly critical of the club for getting us into this mess. We are so short of a leader who is really ambitious for this club. Like Richmond but without the dodgy dealing. Other clubs have committed leadership, why not us?

 

Sorry if i go on mad rants but seriously how the hell can this go on ????

 

Don't think his record shows he is capable of getting us out of any league. Yesterday's result was a triumph for football over hoofball. We are owned by a guy who isn't interested in football and run by a guy who seems influenced by people like himself, i.e. they can talk the talk.

 

We have an owner who in reality doesnt care about us and its about time folk stopped funding him.

He sits there does nothing wants an over the top price for a club that he helped fook up and folk think its acceptable

 

Hoofball helped Stevenage get out of this league and will no doubt help Wrexham.
Hoofball wasnt an issue between 2011 and 2017 was it ?????

 

Which two are you asking about ?.
Do stop blaming the fans for goodness sake.
I gave you my opinion above with regards past managers who you seem to give a free pass, all fair calls at the time IMO.
Yes Chesterfield Stockport Wrexham, Notts County all doing well and have one thing in common they have owners who are prepared to back the club with their brass, you can use the same argument with regards Man City, Bournemouth, Wigan, Swansea, Brighton, Luton, Brentford, Sheffield United and at a stretch Burnley the highlighted all in the same League as Bradford City not that long ago, we have an owner who is only interested in his investment.
Where have I disagreed with regards the likes of Barrow, Stevenage, Accrington etc, Accrington were relegated last season so their trajectory is not alway up.
Again I'm not claiming because of our fan base were a big club on the contrary I've argued just because we have a large fan base for a lower league club that doesn't make us a big club my opinions on a big club are their past history and given you examples.
Your correct we are a bigger club than the majority in our league with the of exception of Notts County.
Absolute nonsense anyone is happy with any team taking 3 points at Valley Parade your being silly now, but what relevance is it Crawley only had 102 fan or 2,000 fans, fans don't win football matches.