The Voice - Match preview #42: Swindon Town vs Bradford City Saturday 12th April 2025 12:30pm

It was a red mate and so was the Crewe players last week
I would not be a ref for any money, but I am disappointed how poor they can be football other the years has generally improved. The officiating at the lower leagues has not

 

I don’t blame anyone specifically, but don’t think it can be denied that defensively, there were some very poor goals conceded today (from both sides). My biggest frustration is that when we somehow get ourselves to 4-3, we didn’t find the solution to shutting them out.

 

Don't misrepresent what I've said. Tarkovski was a red but it wasn't 'identical' to Smallwood.

 

Yes very poor all round defensively
How much de we miss that supposed not good enough Baldwin
Vastly I think

 

I've not blamed Alexander for today result but on refection he has to take some of the criticism for once again some strange substitutions certainly the two at half time, even now knowing Pattison was not at his best (illness going round the training ground) apparently, you lose two midfield players and bringing on two defenders even pushing Halliday further up the pitch was a nonsense IMO when we had Sarcevic, Walker, Wright or Mellon on the bench, even accepting Sarcevic may not be capable of 45 + minutes it something we know Walker does well coming on as a sub and holding the ball up very strange half time subs, without doubt doing what he did encouraged Swindon to attack us IMO of course.

 

I have calmed down a bit now.

We have to dust ourselves down and think about a mini season now of just 4 games. Win3 of them and we are up. Win 2 and its squeaky bum time, win 1 and it's the playoffs I fear. It is still in our own hands though so let's not be too downhearted.

 

Looking at the goals you have to wonder if we did a Carlisle (play off second leg) today and have too many defenders on and none of them were picking anyone up. How else can we let their lad have so much time for their 4th goal

 

I made exactly the same point in an earlier post. We had no shape, no organisation and frankly no idea at the back.

 

I think most in the top 7 are struggling except it seems Port Vale, 4 defeats in 7 games for us now and our away results puts pressure on our home form. 3 wins out of 4 might just do it but after today I have my doubts.

 

3 wins out of 4 would see us promoted.

 

Have I ?,you quoted "Tarkowski had cleared the ball well before his follow through connected" as did Smallwood which you can clearly see on that short video clip, the difference being Tarkovski had a good three yard run on McAlister, both won the ball and took the player out, ones a red the other a yellow.

 

After today I'm even questioning facts

 

Just looked at the winning goal again. Shepherd obviously felt he had to go for it but I think the Swindon lad may have been borderline offside had he left it alone.
All immaterial now though. Today was a massive kick in the teeth but other results over the weekend have been fairly kind. It's all about how we bounce back now, and also how we cope without Smallwood who has been a permanent fixture throughout all the rotation.
Over to you Graham!

 

Yes, it’s a poor challenge and totally unnecessary in the circumstances of the game. And maybe it deserved a red. But not in a million years is that anywhere near as dangerous as the over the ball studs up ‘tackle’ that was launched straight into Patto’s knee last week.

 

Given everyone's apparent aversion to going up, I think 2 wins might get us over the line now.

 

Still no clips on West Yorkshire Sports Daily from either Alexander or any players unless I've missed something ?,

 

Trying to look at today rationally, at the end of it we're still in second place. I don't even think that Smallwood's tackle was any worse than hundreds that he's put in over the season without consequence but the ref today saw it differently to others. Apart from Port Vale all the teams around us are having terrible attacks of the nerves too. It's time for cool heads and we pick ourselves up and go again at a packed VP on Thursday. The positives from today were that we played very well against a form team and, apart from the goals, made several other chances. I thought Kavanagh should have buried his second half chance for example. In addition, it seems a number of players were suffering from some bug which cost us two players before we started and one more at half time. Who knows how it was affecting those who stayed on the pitch? Like everyone else I couldn't see any logic in the second half tactics and I agree that GA often gets it wrong. We'd lost two of our three midfielders and Pointon was having an anonymous game so why not bring on Walker and Wright to at least keep our shape. Even with ten men we could have had an attacking presence.
Utimately, though, it just wasn't our day. These things happen at this end of the season so we can't dwell on it and it's up to GA to get that point across forcibly. Above all, as supporters we need to stick with the boys and give them every encouragement until the last ball of the season has been kicked.

 

If the players who may not have been 100% fit for todays game can be ready for the Notts County game even without our Captain Fantastic I can see us beating County, we can only believe with Smallwood in the side for a full 90minutes we'd too much for Swindon, I actually commented they looked to be on the beach their passing was wayward/shocking, once we went down to 10 men Swindon were going to come at us but even then their first goal came from our mistake Pattison not looking when he passed the ball back.
According to Radio Leeds Alexander would not do a post match interview until he'd see the referee could it be he's asked the referee if Smallwood's the red was for violent conduct or a reckless/out of control challenge it certainly wasn't violent, would being sent off for a reckless/out of control tackle be a 3 match suspension ?, as the club don't always get the referees report immediately I'm told, and us have another game coming up on Thursday as Alexander needs to know to make his team selections and formation with regards the Smallwood situation.
I'd think given the likes of Sarceviic, Pattison, Pointon, Walker, Khela and possibly Leigh all being fit we can be a match for Chesterfield Easter Monday, all is far from lost, today was hard to digest but its not the end of our race for the top spot IMO.