The Voice - Match preview #4: Stockport County vs Bradford City Tuesday 19th August 7:45pm

Well my prediction of Sarce scoring came true which didn't surprise me at all wish I'd stuck a tenner on it lol. Good win for your boys but it absolutely highlighted a problem we've had for a good while now. Despite our rise up the league in recent seasons we really struggle to put two halves together of equal quality, After dominating the 1st half I knew exactly what was coming, we've been mostly getting away with it for ages by hanging on & getting something out of games but our luck ran out last night. Taking nothing away from your lads as you really went at us in that 2nd half. No hard feelings from me, long way to go yet & confident we'll be in the mix as the season progresses. Best of luck for the rest of the season until we meet later, sincerely hope you can maintain this 'promotion bounce' & stay up there challenging. You've been in the doldrums for long enough, I know you had your day in the sun in the prem years ago but your support is easily worthy of regular championship level football. I'll look forward to visiting Valley parade again later in the season where hopefully our players will realise a game isn't won after 45 minutes!

 

Apparently (at least in EFL) the criteria is primarily about the level & competency/appropriateness of the ref for the fixture - as well as minimising expenses where possible.

Would seem home location to the club isn’t a factor they specifically consider.

 

Not just a goalscorer. He's mobile, has a good touch and link up play and presses well. I think he an Patto have played their way into the starting XI for Saturday.

 

Even worse when you look at where Walked was when the lad made contact.

Literally all Walker could do was dive out as low and fast as he could and the lad has certainly placed it in the only spot really where Walker could save it.

 

That, but also pressure from the fans caused it. They really cranked the pressure up and eventually after the signed letters were sent to Stefan and protests talked about…..we saw some action. The next minute, In came Sharpe.

 

All I can say is after being there last night is how we won that I will never know, it was like the Alamo in the first half.

The changes at HT including formation turned the game on its head. Pattos energy is 2nd to none in midfield and that showed last night he was everywhere. Swan's movement is very clever he plays across the line of the last defender which pushes them deeper as they have no idea which way he will go.


Walker he was just unbelievable last night some cracking saves. You could also tell he was peeved with how we played first half shaking his head at how poor our play was.

And tilt well I doubted him when he signed but in the last two games he has been a warrior who takes no prisoners something we have lacked for a while.

On the way home my lad was actually thinking of a song for tilt and as come up with this don't know if it will catch on but.

To the tune of England's Barmy army song

He tilts to the left
He tilts to the right
We've got Curtis
And he's dynamite.

 

Who is he talking about? Can we sign them

 

That smacks of 'losing the dressing room'

 

I thought the ref was excellent last night. Totally the opposite of his performance in his last City match at home to Tranmere last season.

Where they are from is irrelevant really. You could have a West Yorkshire ref in charge of Leeds against a London club, but absolutely hates Leeds.

 

What a good sport you've been, both leading up to the match and in defeat after the match.

You will be very welcome to dip in and keep tabs on us until the return fixture

 

Just signed a new 3 year deal so i guess he thinks hes untouchable ............but to go after one player who will no doubt have good friends amongst that team is plain madness

 

Or which save was the best

 

As good as that second half was where did that first half come from?
Just an anomaly?
I get Stockport played well but we made them look like Barcelona.That has to go down as one of the worst 45 minutes under GA.

I know players are human and have off days but for all bar Walker and Tilt to look as lost as they did was really strange.

Credit to GA and the players for turning it round but play like that first half again and the next time the match might be over by HT.

 

In GAs interview last night i think he hinted that it was an instruction. He said he told them at HT that we have to change the press from running at them until your 4 yards away to running right at their toes, or something along those lines. To me it sounded like we tried to give them a bit too much respect, we went with the idea of a half press and sitting a little deeper. But it was an awful idea and the HT change in mentality and men worked a treat.

 

That's all I ever wanted. Modest ambition and professional running of the club, aspiring for progress rather than survival. I also think he may have finally grasped what this club could be, given its fanbase.

 

If a manager has a grievance with a member of staff, he should discuss it with that member of staff and not the public. He is the one who picks the player so he should accept part of the blame

 

Another interesting titbit from GA post match interview was reference to comparing our pressing data between first and second half. Now, it's not that we're the only team doing this, but it seems we're finally using real time data to influence our in-game management. Good to see.

 

Spot on. This is the second time in as many matches he has thrown the players under the bus. He also undermined our manager. Sneeringly commenting on GA assessment of the change. I doubt he will be there much longer. Managers who lose the dressing room very rarely last long. He is arrogant and is clearly bereft of ideas apart from spending more money!

 

Didnt seem the right game for Jenson and Bobby. Neither got going. Maybe lack of experience.

Sarc looked fecked so guessing Patts in the middle and Swan part of Forward line on Saturday. Wouldnt be surprised to see Powell on bench either.

 

Bradford City stepping up to the 21st century with data analysis, love to see it!

Colin Doyle with print outs on a clipboard, it was nice knowing you.