The Voice - Match preview Grimsby Town vs Bradford City Monday 1st April 2024 1:00pm

I'm still really pissed off with Alexander dropping Walker to put Oyegoke in midfield. That is absolutely criminal and pure stupid

 

This worries me about GA. A fit Walker is one of the first names on the teamsheet, yet he drops him after one of the best attacking performances (2nd half) we've seen in weeks. Is there a clause that Oyegoke has to play if fit, because we've doggedly included him when there was no need to.

 

You make a good point but I think what you're forgetting is that Grimsby have a long throw in.

 

Yes but surely you play to your own strengths.

 

Whoosh

 

They were not recruited as wing backs that is a specialist role, they are full backs standing in.

 

Whoever is making the decisions to develop the first stages of Rupps new club initiatives it really needs to start a lot sooner than the summer! We are still a shambles in terms of leadership, communication, on the pitch etc
So much to sort

And putting aside the rights and wrongs of potentially making another managerial change, I just don't think GA is a very good manager. Only my opinion

 

Unfortunately I don’t see a managerial change in the near future, nor should there be. Let the new footballing advisor assess how they see us going forward and then decide whether GA is the man to implement the strategy. As much as I don’t particularly want an ex employee, it would be good to have someone who understands the club and fan base. Hughes possession based slow build up was terrible to watch, as is Alexander’s hoof at all costs.

 

Which ever way we look at this we are in such a mess. Even if Rupp is as good as his word, then recruiting a DOF cannot be done over night, unless it has already started. There are massive question marks on whether GA is the type of manager we need. Yesterday’s match was truly abysmal. We have players on 3 year contracts that we cannot use or maybe we can who knows. The list is endless but this needs prioritising and can’t be done until we have someone who knows what they are doing.

 

I think we may have to accept next season will be another rebuild and may possibly result in missing out again.

 

I know it just feels like here we go again.

 

The Hughes possession based approach was the right way to go, but we didnt have the midfield to make this effective so hence it became way too slow and ponderous..
Having gone fairly close last season, some subtle tweaks-pace in midfield and a like for like replacement for Critchlow would imo have seen us challenge again. Instead MH ripped up the strategy and started again with a totally different way of playing. The recruitment was one of the worst I can remember, and now we have replaced MH with a manager who is the polar opposite in terms of approach.
I hate what we've become with regards to the revolving managerial door, but from the off I've felt GA was totally the wrong appointment and Ive seen nothing to change my mind.

 

Accepted

 

I agree. Orient played the same way as us last season, but were clinical and toyed with us at home. To be honest, my most enjoyable performances were under McCall in the nearly season and that was based on being on the front foot.

 

And a major factor in that nearly season was Josh Cullen in midfield. Obviously we are not going to get anyone of that quality in League 2, but with his past experience Smallwood should have been the man to drive us forward from midfield but he's been a monumental let down.

 

Unbelievable Geoff. Gilly has been 50% of the most massively under performing midfield we have had for years, and you want to keep him ? If he is part of our plan and vision, then it's sunk before it's launched. We need ball winners in midfield and Gilliead does not fit that job description.

 

Lets hope Barrow lose in the playoffs so we can get Wild in

 

Done a very good job at Halifax and now Barrow. Should be some good opportunities coming up for him in the next couple of years.

 

Donny are on a good run at the minute. Since drawing against us, they've won their next five games and gained 15 points. We've played a game more than them since playing them and we've gained a grand total of 4 points. They've jumped above us in the table and have a game in hand. There was a time not so long ago when they looked like they might be in a relegation scrap but I wouldn't put it past them to sneak that last playoff place now, something we have never looked like doing, even when we had a 10 point advantage over them.

 

GA was a poor choice and another mistake from Sparks. Anyone who understood football would have recruited a manager capable of getting more out of a squad recruited for 5-3-2, not a more traditional long ball manager.

the club need to set a strategy now and stick with it. If we decide we want to go 5-3-2 and recruit better for it this summer, if that means GA isn’t deemed the right man to take us forward, then bye bye Graham.

Oyegoki shouldn’t be anywhere near this XI. He’s dreadful.