The Voice - Match preview Bradford City vs Doncaster Rovers Tuesday 5th March 2024 @ 7:45pm

Did you used to be in the progranmme 'EARLY DOORS'.

 

Brilliant ..

 

The best thing about this is someone actually knocked at the door after I read it, just Amazon this time

 

I found that comment rather strange to say the least, what made it look worse was Odour ran the show against Wycombe so you'd have thought Odour would have been the first name on the team sheet and not in the position Alexander asked him to play.

 

https://www.thetelegraphandargus.co.uk/news/24165071.pedestrian-injured-crash-valley-road-bradford/

That was the article just after it happened. The road was still closed at least 3 hours later which usually only happens if there are life altering or threatening injuries or major damage to road furniture

 

It didn't stop Doncaster playing football once again a club come to Valley Parade and show us how to play (certainly the first half) I was a little perplexed with Alexander comment with regards our second half performance, we couldn't be any worse than the first 45 minutes.
Did we play as we did because we started Andy Cook if so then we need to have a rethink, because it didn't work last night.

 

At half time the talk where we sit was who would he take off and who he would bring on, from the kick off we struggled and as you say most thought the reason was playing Odour so deep, he wasn't going to do any damage where he was asked to play and it looked like it had a knock on effect, having said that McCann looks to have them believing in themselves.

 

Thats a big call @BantamJ, hes hardly played because of his recent injury.

 

The Pointon situation IMO is becoming a conundrum.

 

I thought Alexander was wrong with his post match comments regarding our first half performance. Not that we were poor although I've seen us play far worse, but that he said there was a lack of effort which is unfair. The effort was there, it was just the way we lined up that allowed Doncaster free reign in midfield. Can't blame MacDonald for being left isolated or Clarke Odour for being played in a position where he's offered little before. Injuries and a suspension have left few options but he should really have started Gilliead in the middle with MacDonald to compensate for Macs lack of movement. Also left the subs far too late, we improved when they came on but really should have been made at half time.

 

I'm sure there is something cryptic in that question especially with @Tony Wilkinson liking it, and maybe if I'd watched EARLY DOORS I'd know, so in answer to your question no I've never watch that program,

 

He certainly didn't pull punches with regards the first half performance, I was disappointed with out=r lack of winning second ball, Doncaster looked well up for it, I had to smile during the first half when McDonald got a yellow for something and nowt turning away and obviously taking the p1ss as the Doncaster player he commented too started laughing, a very frustrating night once again where we could have made strides into reducing the points with regards a play off place.
Overall I cant disagree mate, certainly with regards the use of our subs, I posted above we were discussing who he'd take off and who he'd bring on.

 

Have you asked the Pickles question yet Ken?

 

The issue with Cook is important. For all his goals we've made little progress as a club during his time with us. It seems counterintuitive to criticise a player who has a record that he has but I think it's a nettle we have to grasp. I said in an earlier post that we played excellent football against Wycombe when he wasn't on the pitch and there's a clear pattern that he seems to work less hard when he feels his position is secure. And as you say, when he plays we have to concentrate on crosses, almost at the expense of any other form of attack. He's a great finisher when the ball's put on a plate for him but he very rarely shows any other attributes you expect from a professional footballer. He has no pace, he can't hold the ball up and he has no movement. His supporters will say this is rubbish and that every other club in the division and some in the league above would love to have him, but I'm not at all sure that that is the case. There is no player like Cook in the top two divisions and the evolution in playing styles at that level spreads steadily downwards. Certainly not many clubs would use him as a sole target man because he can't do it. Against Wycombe Oduor and Kavanagh were moving all over the place, creating all sorts of problems but last night Kavanagh and Wright were basically wingers, rarely being able to get into the box. When we went to 442 we were so much more effective.
To answer your question directly, yes we do play differently when Cook is in the team and I hope our manager can see why there was such a difference between the Wycombe game and last night and find the most effective way forward.

 

I think he's comparing you to the character played by the great Mark Benton, this is episode 1 from 2003 with many other well loved characters similar to ordinary people we all know ...

 

Wait for the fat retorts - it's an argument some won't entertain.

Oh and btw to me it's pretty obvious GA has had a word - as fatty has trimmed down slightly.

 

Very funny not.

 

I usually agree with your posts @Dubois but you make it out like Cook is a liability.
His supporters, I'd have thought every Bradford City fan would be a Cook supporter, you're correct against Wycombe we played them off the park, except we didn't score, and the one thing Cook does is hit the back of the net, the trouble is were judging him on his exceptional goal scoring record last season, what is more ironic is if we revisit the Wycombe thread I bet many comments would have been Cook in the team we win the game ?
Wouldn't you expect the further you go up the football pyramid the less you're going see balls played direct to a target man, I think last night singling Cook out is picking on an easy target for the reasons I've given, there were very few of our players last night who were anywhere near their individual Wycombe performances and I'd certainly say playing Odour in the position he played last night was a major factor why we struggled both halves as I don't agree with Alexander post match comment with regards our second half performance as we couldn't get worse than that inept first 45 minutes.

 

It can't be me Rod I'd have thrown that pint back at him and told him to "top it up".