Match Thread Most liked posts in thread: Away V Cheltenham Saturday 20th February @ 3.00pm

A great win built on a very solid defensive performance

 

Another 3 points on Tuesday night against Orient and were flying.

 

Cooke obviously man of the match, but very closely followed by AOC (or am I not allowed to praise him on here).

Defensively superb, composed on the ball and with players of genuine quality where it matters- the perfect ingredients for a league two team!-

 

Cast your minds back to early December. The anger, the annoyance, the frustration. Under Trueman and Sellars, seven wins, three draws and one defeat. A team that's totally motivated and seem to know exactly what their individual tactical roles are in each game, and why they have to adapt to different opponents. Macca will always continue to be a club legend - but he and Kenny were so behind the game, in terms of new coaching ideas and man management methods. It always lost us that extra 10-20 per cent that could have won or drawn games for us.

 

This really made me laugh! And you're damn right. This is what's so refreshing about our current and much improving situation. No need for negative naming, shaming and blaming. We are currently in stark contrast to the last couple of seasons. A real sense of hope, because there's a real sense of reality and positivity.

 

That is a Heck of a result they have some very good players in that team for this level. To not even really give them a sniff is a big statement of intent there won't be a team in the league that's looking forward to playing us at the minute. Whatever Trueman and Sellars are doing with Cooke it's working a treat the lads really starting to look a different class. I forget he's only 23 if he carries on improving like he has done there will be teams a level or two above having a look at him. Delighted for Cook to get on the score sheet too alot of noise about Rowe (rightly so) but Cooks gone out there today and shown us what he's made of too. Difficult selection choice up top for Tuesday which can't come quick enough for me.

 

Cracking performance and result. Pleased to see big Cook get off the mark. Little Cooke had a great game and even the Cheltenham commentators were singing his praises. Glad to see we shut them out.

Was frustrated Rowe didn't start but how strong is that bench?

Today was a massive game and as Trueman and Sellars said, it would tell us how fare we've come.

Nothing to fear now from anyone in the league.

Hope fans are allowed back to Wembley after the vaccinations!

 

Me too. But a personal message to you, mate. Seven wins, three draws and one loss. Bloody magnificent. It'll send me to bed happy tonight. Let's get the stattos on the job here - when was the last time we enjoyed such a great run? Good times returning...

 

I would have offered him a new contract before this run. He looks laid back but is a good player. A lot of people holding armbandgate against him.

 

Credit to Stuart on this. He picked the man, and we're benefiting. More so now though, because I think T and S understand how and where exactly to play him and why. I often got that feel with Stuart that he could identify a player with real talent, bring him in, but never be quite sure how to use them for the best. T and S have Levi playing the best football of his career.

 

And here's my rant Jon

If that was even a true reflection of the game (which it wasn't, having watched the ifollow), I'd be happy. We won. But of course, we were much better than this suggests. We're getting better, game by game. The stats show the truth of it. After two seasons plus of sorrow, I'm a happy Bantam again.

 

It was more a reference to him looking, and acting like one of the Peaky Blinders. As someone mentioned before, he’s the sort of guy who can get into a fight in an empty pub.
I apologise. I didn’t mean to come across as xenophobic (I doubt Bernard Manning could have spelt that).

 

It goes back to right players in right roles, something we used to despair about over Stuarts leadership. And how people were clamouring for 4-4-2 for some bizarre reason last week when 4-2-3-1 has been the crux of our success. The fixation that some have for putting Rowe in the '10' role when our play revolves around Cooke in that very role. Haven't we learnt from previous managers who played Cooke out of that position, he's not half the player.
The main difference is now is the swagger of the players when they step out of the tunnel, they genuinely believe they have the ability between them to beat anyone in the division, pre T & S they couldn't bare to be on the same pitch together. How mant times did we say they looked beat as they took the knee?

 

Playing AOC at right back shows that T&S are studious and more than happy to tweak the playing style when they see something isn’t quite right. Our one up front 4-2-3-1 formation encourages teams to push their full backs up as their back line only has one player to mark. Exeter read this and exploited it brilliantly. Next match bang AOC and CW both much more conservative in when they push up, plus Cook used as a battering RAM to keep the centre halves on their toes with Vernam given a licence to roam. This keeps the oppositions full backs on their toes and nullifies the deficiencies highlighted by Exeter. T&S are an absolute breath of fresh air, can’t wait till Tuesday

 

Hi everyone, Cambridge Utd supporting Sean here. I first posted on here after our 0-0 draw with you at our place and then wished you well in beating Southend...which you did! That’s a hell of a run you guys are on. Congratulations! You may recall that I had family from Bradford so always keep an eye out for your results and wish you well. That was a great result yesterday and I honestly thought Cheltenham were good for automatic promotion ....but this league is proving to be very unpredictable to say the least.

Anyway we’ve got them at our place on Tuesday and wondered if anyone has any views on how good/bad/indifferent they were. All advice gratefully accepted and thanks in advance! Sean

ps see you in League 1 next season??

 

Don’t concede any throw ins and you’ll be ok

 

I did find out a lot about non-alcoholic beer too....

 

I absolutely applaud the fact that there are younger managers like Truman, Sellars and Bonner coming into the game at this level. League 2 has been a dinosaur league for far too long - a lot of older managers on their way down in their careers, not enough fresh blood being given the opportunities. The Cowleys were a breath of fresh air - lets hope T&S for us and Mark Bonner for you continue to push the cause for new ideas and new thinking. Be great to see you in Lg 1 next season!

 

Wouldn't leave Cooke out, he's buzzing. Even though him and Evans haven't haven't scored many, the front 4 on Tuesday looks to have more goals than the 2 we scored.

 

I think Andy Cook will make way for Danny Rowe in the starting lineup. I don't think Callum Cooke will be rested - he's on fire at the moment.

O'Donnell is a good shot stopper except, bizarrely, from distance. But his distribution is woeful - he's forever coughing up possession with sliced kicks into touch or mis-hit clearances that barely reach the half way line. Hornby gets the ball out quicker to our defenders and his kicking is more accurate. Given our current preference for playing from the back and retaining possession, rather than hoofing it, Hornby look much the better fit to me. He is also more secure under the high ball. The freak goal that went over his head on Tuesday would have fooled most keepers.