Its not where we are thats the issue - Its the way we play
We must take one of the few chances we create to score a goal - the rest of the time just passes by
We are officially boring - discounting the last 5 minutes and extra time
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Most liked posts in thread: Bradford City: an underwhelming promotion?
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Stop hovering to collapse... Click to collapse... Hover to expand... Click to expand...WIBSEY GAWBER, Rogered Tart, Manningham bantam and 6 others like this.
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A good article for someone not close to the club. You hit the nail on the head with "underwhelming". Given our recent history of one failed manager following another, in rapid succession, the fans should be ecstatic at the position we currently find ourselves in. MH's ultra cautious tactics may, ultimately, achieve the desired aim but, as far as I'm concerned, the matchday experience at Valley Parade is generally "underwhelming".
Rogered Tart, bantamlad92, vladimir and 3 others like this. -
We also had a huge overhaul in the summer of 2021 with a whole new, expensive squad. A lot of us got carried away and expected us to storm the league with our shiny new players but even though budget helps, there's a lot to be said for continuity too.
As I mentioned in the article, I think the fact that Hughes was a Premier League manager actually makes the promotion push more impressive, rather than less. Unless he spent a lot of time studying League Two before he was appointed, he's essentially gone in blind and taken the club to a very promising position in his first full season. It's also been quite an interesting experiment to view as a neutral. Who knows, if he takes you up, maybe we'll see a few more ex-Premier League managers who have fallen off the merry-go-round (Allardyce, Pardew etc) roll their sleeves up and have a go in the lower leagues? -
As you say it's all about the results and the fine margins. Even if the football isn't great it must be good to at least be on the right path again.CRASS, vladimir, JonButterfield and 1 other person like this. -
Park bantam Regular StarterP.L.22/23 EntrantStop hovering to collapse... Click to collapse... Hover to expand... Click to expand...Parader, vladimir, JonButterfield and 1 other person like this.
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Offcomedun Important PlayerQatar 2022 Entrant P.L.22/23 Entrant P.L.23/24 Entrant Supporter Euro2020 Winner Euro 2020 P.L. 20/21 3rd Place
We may have a decent budget but we've wasted a lot of it on a stack of wide players, most of whom aren't even getting on the bench, let alone starting.
WIBSEY GAWBER, vladimir, Bronco and 1 other person like this. -
JonButterfield Star PlayerQatar 2022 Entrant P.L.22/23 Entrant P.L.23/24 Entrant
Good job, mate.
There won't be a single gripe or complaint should we clinch 3rd on the final day, or win at Wembley in the play offs - but getting there isn't for everybody, apparently. -
Yes. Good article.
The problem is that too many thought we were going to walk the league, when Top 7 was always the most realistic.
For me the fact, we have a very good chance of the auto's (so many of our rivals play each other, i.e. Carlisle play all but two of those in the Top 10) means Hughes has done a very good job.vladimir, JonButterfield and YM Bantam like this. -
Yes. I've always thought we had similar problems to your club - but in a division below.
I think it will be you, and the two South Yorkshire clubs, who get promoted.
Your observation about Hughes, is also very on the money. Lot of us said, that you can't get promoted from L2 by playing a passing game - the only exception in recent years has been Exeter and it took them ten seasons of nearly misses.
Astutely, since January - Hughes has made us more pragmatic and even though it is more boring to watch, we no longer allow the physical teams to overwhelm us.
Good luck for the rest of the season.Rogered Tart, vladimir and JonButterfield like this. -
When Mick McCarthy was at Ipswich we generally accepted the poor football because he was consistently performing above expectation with no money, but when the results turned, there were no redeeming qualities left. While promotion is the most important thing, I can understand why some aren't happy with Hughes serving up a boring style because he's got more resources to work with than most of the other League Two managers.Salty and JonButterfield like this. -
Bronco and Ulysses S Grant like this.
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JonButterfield Star PlayerQatar 2022 Entrant P.L.22/23 Entrant P.L.23/24 Entrant
It's the man's first full season at the club and promotion is very much on the cards.
He won't complain, I'm sure, but certainly we could have done better in the years running up to his appointment - which isn't the paradox it seems, given he was a random appointment, because it's equally important that we're planning for the post-Hughes era.
Which I can almost guarantee, we're not.vladimir likes this. -
Hopefully you're right. I'm making the trip up to Oakwell in a couple of weeks, it's an absolutely massive game. I'd still make Plymouth the favourites due to their run in but the results at the weekend have given us some hope again.
I agree with you about the pragmatic football, I can understand why some don't like it but if it gets results, it doesn't matter. I did an article about Gillingham a few weeks back and made a similar point, it's the easier way of getting short-term results but also makes it easier to adjust to League One because many of the teams who play nice football end up back down again within a couple of seasons.vladimir likes this. -
Park bantam Regular StarterP.L.22/23 EntrantStop hovering to collapse... Click to collapse... Hover to expand... Click to expand...Bronco likes this.
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JonButterfield Star PlayerQatar 2022 Entrant P.L.22/23 Entrant P.L.23/24 Entrant
Preferably third, but most likely play offs.
Failure to achieve even the play offs would put Hughes on thin ice, IMO, but I don't think that will happen.vladimir likes this. -
Ulysses S Grant Squad PlayerP.L.22/23 Entrant P.L.23/24 Entrant
Good read. I'll take any promotion though.
Stop hovering to collapse... Click to collapse... Hover to expand... Click to expand...Bronco likes this. -
DimitriPayet Squad PlayerP.L.23/24 Entrant
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