The Voice - Match preview Most liked posts in thread: Bradford City v Hartlepool United Sat 18 March 2023 1pm

Barrow didn't need to slow the game down. We did it for them.

 

Didn't Hughes once say we'd give someone a good hiding? It'll never happen the way he sets us up. Too conservative, too defensive and too predictable.

 

Today is the day Bradford City hammer a team at home.

 

Hating this 1pm Ko already.

 

I'd take off Gillied, Smallwood and Costello at halftime for Banks, Chapman and East

 

Another Hughes masterclass. He has no game management at all

 

Well, ...it keep the undefeated run going, and Cook scores again, and...there must be something else...we can't be relegated! That's it. Rochdale couldn't catch us, now 'Pools can't either. (Unless we get points deducted for something...)

No way to call that a good point; two dropped plain and simple. MH seems to be channelling his inner Beagrie -- it was Beags, wasn't it, who said courage in football was doing the same thing for the 16th time after it had failed the first 15, because it was the right thing to do? -- he seems to want a set side playing a certain way no matter what. I actually can't argue with that, but maybe some changes are needed when time after time the desired results aren't coming?

RCB

 

Look how many chances we created second half when we changed formation.

Bloody frustrating again. We keep getting mugged like that at home. Likely to cost us in the grand scheme of things I am afraid.

Home fans are seeing a far different Bradford City than away fans are.

Tuesday night now has so much riding on it.

 

What makes todays result more disappointing is looking at the other scores things have gone very nicely, what a waste.

 

His second was sheer quality we were right behind it and bent it in the far post, God knows where we would be without his goals.

 

My ratings for today's performance

Lewis - 6 - Some good saves. He needs to come off his line an command his box. He stays on his line too often. Shot stopping wise, he's good.

Halliday - 6.5 - Solid performance from him, nothing special but nothing wrong either

Platt - 6.5 - The better of the 2 CBs in my opinion today

Stubbs - 6 - Did well first half. The less said about Hartlepool's second goal, the better

Ridehalgh - 5 - I dont get what this guy offers to this team. He always passes back, his crossing is poor. He's too slow to get back when we get countered. I don't see any improvement to that of Foulds.

Personally I want Bola to start from here onwards. If you are playing 3 defensive midfielders as part of a diamond, then you need your full backs to be dyanmic an Ridehalgh certainly is not that

Clayton - 5 - Did okay first half, shit in the second. I understand retaining possesion an what not, but his decision making today was poor.
• Not switching play when it was the obvious choice
• Deciding not to shoot on the edge of the box or to simply pass it either. Decided to cut back instead an quite rightly got tackled an Hartlepool countered us
• Delaying the forward pass when it was on. The reedeming quality that Costelloe has is his runs but whats the point in them if you wont pass him the ball

Smallwood - 5 - First half he was piss poor. Did not look interested one bit. Also started arguing with one of our players for no good reason. This rating would of been lower but he actually pulled his socks up a bit once the second half started an got stuck in. Up until the Hartlepool second goal of course, of which he was caught ball watching an jogging. Not a Captains performance. Got an assist so I think 5 is a fair rating

Gilliead - 6 - Annonymous in the first half. Played a lot better once he was moved to wing back in the second. Actually reminded me that he used to be a winger at one point.

Walker - 5 - Poor performance from walker. Poor pass to Cook in the first half, Cook should of been through but the pass was shit an under hit. His usual energy was not present today. This could be as a result of the knock he took at the start of the game. Looked absolutely knackered by the 70th minute mark. Needs to pull his socks up a bit, he's supposed to be our creative link in midfield

Costelloe - 2 - He tried. Il give him that. Besides that he was useless. Running yourself into the ground may be honourable, but losing possesion of the ball every time you get it is not. 3 chances gifted to him. Not one hit the target. Considering the nature of the chances, to not even hit the target is a cardinal sin. Needs taking out the team for his own sake an for ours. He's a young lad an his confidence is shit. But Hughes thinks he knows better an insists he stays on for as long as possible. Its a fecking joke.

Cook - 9 - His performance today is up there with Wells v Coventry
Hanson v Walsall
Wyke v Bristol Rovers
Yes, all those players got hatricks in those respective games but without Cook today, we'd be lost at sea. 3 chances all game an 2 of em were buried. The technique for the second goal was superb. His hold up play was excellent, His passing was good . He made great runs off the ball an ran himself into the ground. He deserved a hattrick today but unfortunately Hughes-ball doesn't involve creating chances for our only attacking threat. Rightful MOTM

Subs -
Banks - 6.5 - Play this man from minute 0. I dont give a feck who has to make way. And I dont care that he missed a good chance either today. Play the man. Hes the only one with a pair of balls who will run at the opposition, who isnt afraid to shoot or to take a chance. There is no creativity in this team, its crying out for a winger who is capable of making the defence work

East - 6 - Deserves to have a chance in place of one of the midfield 3 but Hughes wont ever do that so theres no point in going any further on that. Good performance from the lad
Oliver - N/A
Bola - N/A
Crichlow - N/A - Wish he'd just boot the ball up the pitch rather than passing it back when the time is ticking

 

That's correct. Said elsewhere Hartlepools decision making when on the break cost them some clear cut opportunities first half. We were all ove the place first half, embarrassing being given the run around by such a poor side.

 

I mentioned this at half time, the team has no real athletes, I don’t actually blame the players for how they approach games as I can’t see any of them benefiting from playing as a high energy quick team, they simply don’t have it in them and look at times either lethargic or lazy as a result. We didn’t recruit much pace that’s for sure.

 

So, as a city fan that has allowed this crap to continue, what we all want to know is, what are you going to do about it?

 

Please ignore his little squeaks for attention. Any reply to him is a little victory for him.

If nobody replied to his posts then that would be a much more appropriate and effective course of action.

 

Mark said in his post match interview with regards changing our formation at half time, why couldn't he change it during the game when the game stopped for an injury etc.
I agree I was very frustrated with regards the first half and posted IMO Hughes needed to make changes of personnel, as it turned out he changed the formation and we looked far more comfortable, on reflection we could/should have won that game easily the chances we missed.

 

But also the earlier ones. As soon as Banks and East came on we looked far more dangerous and they looked rattled. If he'd brought them on at 60 minutes instead of 74 (ie before they scored their second) I'm convinced we'd have won the game comfortably.

 

Just wondering how many of the score predictions "The Voice" has got correct.
Probably more than I have in the prediction league....

 

Honestly no idea how this one will go down, but if we are chasing the auto’s it is a must win. We have to be positive, foot on the ball and go for it.