The Voice - Match preview Swindon Town vs Bradford City Saturday 27th January 2024 3:00pm

No, I don't think he will. But he should.
For what it's worth my team at the moment would be
Walker
Platt Stubbs Kelly
Halliday McDonald Richards
Wright Pointon
Cook Smith

 

That looks good too.

 

Would like to see McDonald get a game. Thought he added a bit of quality on Tuesday night (easy to do given the total lack of any for most of the game). A bit more quality and control in the middle of the pitch is something we’ve been lacking.

 

Same lineup as Tuesday night for City at Swindon then.

 

No Young?

 

I did say at the moment.

 

Honestly, and I'm the first to try smell bullshit, he didn't look fit today, as in he was out of puff a lot more than the others he was involved with.
He couldn't press as his team mates were demanding of him and at the end was doubled over.
Kelly, Platt, and Wadsworth went and did more training straight after so they could cope.
You could tell Young has been out a few weeks.
Not knocking him though.
When on the ball he looked really affective.
Played just inside either channel.

 

And very much as slimy.

 

I'd drop the 5 at the back as we just don't have the personnel unless he gives someone like Wilson a go there.

Failing that I'd probably go 4 2 3 1 as it seems to suit us but it still leaves us with the Gillead/Smallwood issue as unfortunately I can't drop both. We simply just don't have any other central midfielders and probably leaves us wide open.

Walker

Halliday
Richards
Stubbs
Platt

McDonald
Gillead

Wright
Pointon
Chapman

Cook

 

I definitely want the 3 at the back formation binned.

Didn't work for Hughes, it did briefly work for GA, but I'm not convinced with it overall.

4-3-3 would be my preferred formation

 

Seems to be a few posters lumping Gillead and Smallwood in together. They are miles apart in terms of contribution. I think Gillead is a strong if not u spectacular 7/10 on a consistent level. Smallwood on the other hand...

 

Gillead works hard and it's difficult to criticise him but he simply just doesn't contribute. Have a look at his statistics this season, They're absolutely woeful and show that he just doesn't effect a game.

 

How do you come to the conclusion that he's woeful based on those stats? If you'd said 'average' I wouldn't disagree. His tackling (an essential midfield attribute) percentile is up there and so is his shots blocked. Would it be nice to see his attacking stats improve? Of course it would but your lg2 midfielders who can successfully contribute box to box are at a premium.

 

Well he might not make the squad if he is unfit. GA has stated they have to perform in training. I saw a pic of him in training he looked happy and smiling. Could be is off of genuinely pleased to be back in training.

 

I didn't say he's a woeful player, I actually think he's got a decent amount of ability and at the moment would be in my first XI.

I do think though that for a player of his obvious ability that those stats should be considered woeful, hopefully by Gillead himself and despite his excellent work ethic he's just not contributing enough.

If we're honest though, it's exactly the same Alex Gillead we've seen in the past 100 and odd appearances so will he be able to increase those metrics? Probably not.

 

That says a lot about Alexander's presser where he says squad has been trimmed and a lot more manageable...so these guys being sidelined then?

 

So we’re all dropping Tompkinson now after the clamour to get him picked? I don’t think he’s been bad, but hasn’t pulled up any trees. Always seems to have one clanger per game.

 

He’s shite.

Barring work rate he offers nothing much as a creative force.

Maybe, he’s better suited as an out and out DM to replace Smallwood. Him and Smallwood certainly don’t work in the middle of the park.

Offering him a contract extension was silly.

 

I don't know what that clamour was based on, but yeah, if we switched to 2 at the back he probably gets dropped

I don't know how likely GA is to even do that though, but I think it would suit us better because our full backs are full backs not wing backs.

 

Yes, my team would be very similar.

Walker
Platt Stubbs Kelly
Halliday Mcdonald Gilly Richards
Pointon
Cook Smith (Young if fit)

This is based on current injuries. Walker and Pattison defo come in when fit, which may mean a change of formation, although they never seem to be fit at the same time anyway! However with GA's long ball and high press style, we cant afford to keep playing with one up top. We never win any second balls or get on the end of flick on's. Cook also clearly needs the help up there.