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

In the first half last night we were chasing shadows, it was men against boys stuff and without Walker we could have been easily 3 or 4 down and game over.

GA changed the game with his subs, we looked alot more balanced in midfield and busier up front. Pointon was our best player Saturday but was ineffective last night, and that's no surprise because of the way we have more space at home compared to away.

The second half performance was exactly what Stockport did to us in the first half but their manager didn't know how to change it.

We now look at a Peterborough side who haven't won a game this season and a home tie where we shouldn't fear anyone. 10 points would have been a good return for August and we have that with 2 games to spare. Anything now is a bonus, and we really should be perfect had it not been for a goal line clearance from Northampton and two strikes against the post.

 

That’s it with him he always comes up with those big moments

 

Compare this interview to Challenor’s . Humility , honesty and humble ?

 

I noticed that in the first half and it was driving me bonkers. City players running at opposition players like they were going to make a challenge but then stopping a couple of yards short and doing nothing about it, just "hovering". I guess the Stockport players quickly realised this and just how much freedom they had to ping the ball about, knowing that we'd do next to nothing about intercepting them. In the second half though, it was clear that City weren't just threatening to challenge, they were actually going in, and sometimes going in hard. It's what we've been doing so effectively so far this season, and it worked well.

 

I thought that... presume it's because Swan came on for Pointon #supersub

 

Correct

 

Challinor has an excellent career in management so far which makes his comments after the last two matches so surprising. But despite the results last night I think Stockport will be challenging for the automatics this season they have some really good players

 

That’s not the point being made Park….Their undoubted quality isn’t in question.

 

Challenor has never finished below 6th, so he is clearly an excellent manager. However, his rant about one of his players and throwing him under the bus last night, was very poor.

 

He always finishes high, i bet you can count the amount of times his teams have collapsed like that since he joined on your fingers. Probably added frustration from the late miss too. But even so, a manager should know to bottle that for the sake of a 2/3 minute interview and address it behind closed doors.

 

Probably getting way ahead of myself here, but this squad under GA has the potential to be as much loved as the 1984/5 team under Cherry.

 

Challoner is pissed off with his team and rightly so. Shouldn't be throwing games away like they did last night if they want realise their ambition of championship football. I like a manager to speak his mind even if it does upset a few and that's what he did. Their front players need a rocket up their respective arses for their pathetic finishing, Challoner will be looking for the team reaction on Saturday.

 

FFS Idle don't get to excited, you know what the reaction on here is to anyone who talks of ambition.

 

The last time Sarc was injured we all thought he’d be back quickly after he was seen at a Man City game that weekend. Turned out it was out for weeks. I’m surprised he’s been playing as many minutes as he has based on his previous injury record. I hope GA hasn’t run him into the ground, and now he’ll be out for a while. Initially I thought it was cramp, but to be hobbling as much as he was, going into the changing rooms (taking into account he only had one boot on) my fear is it could be more than that. His ankle was also heavily strapped.

 

The other half tells me that working and playing footie was the norm in the 50:60’s. Nothing went through the books would find a little present in their boots lol

 

It was only when reading the match report on the width of a post that I saw Nathan Lowe had played for them.

 

Came on in the second half, ineffectual.

 

Sounds like a few wanted him to start, he came off the bench to score at the weekend. But so far he's been limited to 4 sub appearances. Seem to remember he had a good drop of the shoulder and created a shot for someone else that went for a corner but other than that very little.

Although I cant remember many chances they had until about the 90th minute.

 

Moxon? Didn't he score yesterday. Challinor is an odd ball

 

Comment from a County fan …The Challoner effect?

And there's something very, very fishy about the business with Powell. If he's permanently crocked, how on Earth has he got a contract with another L1 club?

Also happens to be a league one club where our previous head of strength and conditioning now works. If Powell was crocked, surely he would have advised against the signing?

The same could be said for Sarce, Touray or Byrne, they'll all know whether Powell is capable of adding to their team.