The Voice - Match preview #7: Bradford City vs AFC Wimbledon Saturday 21st September 2024 3:00pm

EFL League Two Fixture #7
Saturday 21st September 2024 15:00
Bradford City (7th) vs AFC Wimbledon (5th)
University of Bradford Stadium

Record:
Games Won: 6
Games Drawn: 4
Games Lost: 5

Last 5:
04 May 2019: Bradford City 0 – 0 AFC Wimbledon
24 Sep 2022: Bradford City 2 – 2 AFC Wimbledon
14 Jan 2023: AFC Wimbledon 0 – 0 Bradford City
14 Oct 2023: AFC Wimbledon 0 – 1 Bradford City
03 Feb 2024: Bradford City 0 – 0 AFC Wimbledon

AFC Wimbledon:

AFC Wimbledon sit 5th in the League Two table, but their start to the season has been nothing short of exceptional. With a game in hand over most of their rivals following a postponement against Tranmere Rovers due to international callups, AFC Wimbledon have been denied the chance to sit clear at the top by a point – but they might find themselves up there sooner or later the way they are performing.

4 wins and 1 defeat so far in the league would be remarkable enough on its own, but The Dons have augmented that with cup success, too. Victory over Bromley in the EFL Cup first round was followed by a penalty shootout victory over Premier League new boys Ipswich Town. The Tractor Boys needed a late leveller from Conor Chaplin to force spot kicks on that occasion, having trailed 2-1 for much of the second half. AFC Wimbledon still ran out 4-2 winners in the shootout.

On Tuesday night, The Dons will have the very enviable opportunity to play host to Premier League giants Newcastle United in what will be a fantastic spectacle for the London-based side. Win, lose or draw, the tie should prove a money-spinner for Wimbledon, with another sell-out of the Cherry Red Records Stadium on the cards. Perhaps the only thing Wimbledon will regret is not having a bigger capacity than 9,215!

Bradford City fans might then hope that Wimbledon’s players will be distracted by the prospect of glory, but that has not been the case so far. In their last 3 league games, AFC Wimbledon have conceded 0 goals, and recently beat much-fancied rivals MK Dons 3-0. In their only EFL Trophy game to date, AFC Wimbledon also won, beating Cheltenham Town by a goal to nil - another clean sheet.

Now, AFC Wimbledon are looking like a bit of a League Two juggernaut, and the key to their success under Johnnie Jackson appears to be balance. Far from being reliant on a single key goalscorer, AFC Wimbleon’s 9 league goals so far this season have been shared out among SEVEN different players. A truly remarkable stat, and another even more intriguing factoid is that their top scorer – the only player with 2 goals so far – has yet to start a league fixture this campaign!

Callum Maycock, signed from Solihull Moors in the Summer, leads the way, ahead of all of Omar Bugiel, Joe Pigott, Jake Reeves, Matty Stevens, Josh Neufville, Myles Hippolyte, and James Ball on one goal each. Midfielders, forwards, wingers – the threat from AFC Wimbledon is shared across the entire front line and midfield, but, as the old adage goes, some stats can be deceiving.

Far from being free-scoring, AFC Wimbledon had been looking like 1-0 win specialists prior to slotting 3 past MK Dons – and they were, duly, 1-0 up against Milton Keynes before that man Callum Maycock came off the bench to grab both of his goals in injury time. Cherries on the cake, then, rather than outright domination.

Speaking of ‘domination’, AFC Wimbledon under Johnnie Jackson aren’t a side that obsess over statistics. In fact, the Dons, despite being at home, had just 26 % of possession. They still ran out comfortable winners, though, and hit the target more than MK Dons did by 8 shots to 2. It’s not how much of the ball you have, it’s what you do with it that counts, and AFC Wimbledon will use such statistics to motivate themselves on Tuesday night against Newcastle United.

Even against Ipswich Town, AFC Wimbledon needed just 21 % of possession to inflict 2 goals on their Premier League opponents, almost winning the tie outright across 90 minutes. That time, however, those goals also proved to be Wimbledon’s only efforts on goal, either on or off target.

Still, any League Two side will be prepared to ride their luck against such esteemed opposition, and AFC Wimbledon did what they have done all season – defended manfully, used their limited possession well, made the most of their bench, and walked away with a win.

Only Bromley have inflicted a defeat against AFC Wimbledon so far, a 2-0 win at the Hayes Stadium avenging the earlier EFL Cup reversal that saw The Dons claim a 2-1 win. AFC Wimbledon might have preferred the points to a cup win at the time, but with the Toon Army set to arrive on their doorstep imminently, that has probably now changed.

Things are looking very exciting indeed for Johnnie Jackson’s men.

AFC Wimbledon 3 – 0 MK Dons



AFC Wimbledon 1 – 0 Fleetwood Town



Bradford City:

Bradford City will be one of many teams casting an enviable eye at AFC Wimbledon’s start to the season, not only due to their excellent league form, but their impressive cup run will bring back many happy memories for Bantams fans, too. Still, Bradford City have their own story to create this season, and if it ends with promotion to League One, most people will no doubt be delighted with that.

So far, the only black marks counting against City in the league campaign have come away from home, firstly at Grimsby Town, then more recently at Walsall, and both by a scoreline of 2-1 – and both sides the Bantams have enjoyed excellent recent form and results against. While both defeats will smart, Valley Parade has been a much happier hunting ground than in recent years.

Yet to lose at Valley Parade, the Bantams have seen off Carlisle United and high-flying new boys Bromley, while also picking up a draw against Salford City and dispatching Newcastle United U21’s in the EFL Trophy – a result they built upon on Tuesday night with a comprehensive (and well earned) 3-0 win over League One Mansfield Town. Still, nobody will pretend EFL Trophy success is as meaningful as that of AFC Wimbledon’s in the EFL Cup proper.

Nonetheless, the season hasn’t got off to a bad start for Bradford City. Sure, it hasn’t been quite as good as AFC Wimbledon’s, and Bradford City’s clean sheets have been few and far between, but City under Graham Alexander are scoring goals and looking like a threat going forward in most games. Much has been said about the early form of Andy Cook, but Fulham loanee Olly Sanderson has been joining in the fun too, even if he wasn’t one of the 3 that scored on Tuesday night at Field Mill.

Instead, Vadaine Oliver, Bobby Pointon, and Clarke Oduor all got themselves on the scoresheet with what were some remarkably well-worked goals. Whether these players can now do that again in league action remains to be seen. It’s one thing to spring an upset in what is ultimately a minor cup, and another to do it with 3 crucial points on the line in the league against a side on superb form.

But City fans will at least be buoyed by the form of some of their players. Loanee defenders Jack Shepherd and Cheick Diabate were outstanding against Mansfield Town, while Oliver, Sanderson, Pointon and Pattison all linked up beautifully at times. Andy Cook will no doubt start the game ahead of any of those players on Saturday afternoon, but it is refreshing to see some of the less-tried players finding some cheer on an Autumnal Tuesday night in Nottinghamshire. Can they now impact games more regularly?

Well, Jamie Walker may continue ahead of Bobby Pointon in the starting lineup, his incessant pressing and infectious work rate having caused teams real problems of late – Walker robbed a defender before making a goal at Walsall, having done the same in the previous home tie against Carlisle United. Something from nothing seems to be the order of the day, then, for the Scottish attacking midfielder. Andy Cook has been a significant beneficiary of link up play with Walker, though his bread and butter remains his immense aerial threat.

There are fewer more impressive (and reoccurring) sights in League Two than Cook latching on to a cross and powering home a header in front of a gleefully appreciative Kop. City will need the veteran striker at his scintillating best in an extremely tough tie on Saturday afternoon.

Walsall 2 – 1 Bradford City



Bradford City 2 – 1 Carlisle United

 

Prediction:

AFC Wimbledon have been off to a flyer. Rather than being distracted by big ties against Premier League opposition during their EFL Cup run, the Dons seem to have gained yet more focus – and their run of clean sheets lately has been particularly impressive. That said, AFC Wimbledon have yet to play anyone sitting higher in the current League Two table than 12th placed Fleetwood Town, whereas Bradford City have already faced one side in the top 4 – and lost.

Defeat at Walsall through a late goal from Danny Johnson was a sickener for those that made the journey down the M6, but Bradford City simply didn’t deserve any more than they got. Just 2 shots on target and 2 shots off was not enough, especially against a side carving out a full 12 efforts on goal – 6 on, 6 off.

In most other games, City have either matched their opponents’ output at the top end of the pitch, or even exceeded it. The only other side that managed significantly more efforts on goal in a single game was MK Dons – and yet the Bantams still ran out 2-1 winners on away soil. Now, at home, Bradford City fans will be expecting the Bantams to put AFC Wimbledon to the test, rather than get out-gunned again.

City simply must show they can compete against the on-form sides in the top 7, especially at Valley Parade. To lose to a late goal away from home is one thing – but City have long needed a fortress at home, somewhere to really pile on the pressure against their promotion rivals. This Saturday, we will get a good indication of just how good the Bantams can be on home soil.

The biggest barrier facing City comes in the form of a back 3 that has been tremendous for MK Dons so far this season. Former Stockport County defender Joe Lewis, Summer signing from Hibernian Riley Harbottle, and 21 year old home grown talent Isaac Ogundere might not be the most recognisable names currently plying their trade in League Two, but they are certainly 3 of the most on-song. Goalkeeper Owen Goodman, on loan from Crystal Palace, also looks a very astute signing after playing most of last season at Colchester United.

They will be tested on Saturday. Walker’s pressure, Cook’s goal threat, the on-form Olly Sanderson, as well as the return to fitness of Alex Pattison and the emerging talent of Bobby Pointon should ensure City have real threat both in their starting XI and ready to come on off of the bench. If they do struggle to create chances against AFC Wimbledon – which they might – the options are there for Graham Alexander to mix things up.

All that said, it is very difficult to look past this AFC Wimbledon side right now. That AFC Wimbledon are looking most likely to run out of any league game as 1-0 winners of late could actually be comforting to City – it might mean they need just one goal to grab a point.

That potentiality, then, will be the pick – AFC Wimbledon to lead, with City able to claim a leveller before both sides leave an entertaining clash with a share of the spoils.

Final Score:

Bradford City 1 – 1 AFC Wimbledon