The Voice - Match preview Bradford City vs Barrow Saturday 18th February @ 3:00pm

It's a very average league 2 this season which makes our performances and position so far even more galling. Listened to Hughes eventual interview with Raynor and he was more prickly than ever. I would be staggered if the late appearance was not down to some strong words been had in the dressing room, but wish someone was having strong words with MH! The premise of his comments were that our job was made really difficult as Barrow scored first but we played into their hands for 90 minutes. Where is the managerial know how to adapt, to change things - not just blaming him as these players still had 70 minutes to raise their tempo and cutting edge but failed miserably.
Hughes is right that it's not just us, its the ineptitude of most teams in our division to build a momentum - but I think we really hoped he would help us rise above this mediocrity. A very depressing day, but SO Bradford City!

 

Usual excuse opponents raised there game and played out of there skin to beat us. Poor excuse.

and without naming names he was obviously having a dig at cook when blaming strikers in final third.

 

Please can we stop with the targeting of individuals ffs it was down to Hughes absolute no urgency at all .......... that was dire against Barrow that’s right we next week will take more away from home than they get at home and yet they’ve beat us comfortably.......... fooking embarrassing it really is

 

I'm a bit torn on the passing it around at the back debate. It does work occasionally. I thought we nullified Tranmere and completely suffocated them by being careful with the ball but in hindsight they could've easily scored with their two balls across the area and it would've been a different game. I can see the logic sometimes.

By and large, once the ball is played forward, we have a higher probability of losing it so we have to be very precise in the moments we choose to venture into the attacking thirds. However the balance needs to be there. I'd like to see us mix it up a bit more. It got to the point where I was hoping Platt or Stubbs would drift one into the channel just to play for territory and maybe win an attacking throw in or that we might force a corner or a dodgy back pass. Maybe win a second ball from a poor clearance but we didn't. Instead we were treated to a constant loop of 5 yard sideways passes in our own half. Even the Barrow players must've been bored, never mind us.

I thought the Tranmere game was the one that would bring us crashing down to earth after Stevenage away. At least we got a reprieve midweek but if you've seen more than half a dozen games this season at VP you'd be naive to assume that we'd carry on up the table.

As a club, just like our passing, we are going sideways.

 

Different age mate, but yes your correct attacking the Bradford End full of us nutters was usually the norm.

 

A better team.

When he scores it’s great but when not you seriously see how bad a player he really is.

 

Shut up.....there are far worse players to pick on than Cook. Without his contribution we'd be relegation fodder. Have a look at Eisa for a starting point....

 

He lost today as well.

 

One of the things he said was we did not mess there defenders enough, I assume by that he meant physically, he knew the players/formation Barrow would put out yet he started Esia (who has pulled his hamstring fortunately not the one that's kept him out previously) every cloud has a Silver lining , so if Hughes observed we were not physical enough with their defenders why not put Oliver on instead of the young kid Costelloe when Esia came off which makes even less sense, Oliver on with the orders of him and Cook get physically stuck in.

 

That is bollocks.... What we saw today is what we saw for the last 2 years. (Under Adams) M Hughes is fecked now.

 

It seems to be a particular trait of Hughes that in some of his post match interviews when we’ve been poor he often highlights things in the match that bothered him or he noticed weren’t working,yet constantly does nothing to either change the personnel or playing style immediately.

 

Yet he brought Costelloe on when Esia went off injured, why not Oliver if he thought we were inept with regards our physical game up front, or why even start Esia his game is hardly based on his physical presence.

 

Thing is we probably couldn't out muscle them. We all know Canavan's weakness - he's slow and has the turning circle of an oil tanker. Trickery and pace is what we needed. By the way we have discovered one thing today. Costelloe isn't a striker,but he looked a decent winger

 

As consistent as diarrhea?
Don't know about you mate.....but when I have diarrhea and I think I'm over it, I usually just shit myself again.....
Just like this bloody team do !!

 

Eh what's that got to do with my post, I don't know what you're smoking or drinking but I'd suggest you've had enough ?.

 

Cook isn’t the best of strikers. He’s not that quick an his link up play at times can be a bit off. But to knock him is being delusional. He scores goals. The feck do you expect him to do at this level? run past 4 players an score a worldie?

 

It’s ok Hughes saying they’re not instructed to avoid putting balls in the box, or to get the ball forward, but we could all name the same culprits who do this week in week out. Why doesn’t he make a change then? Drop those who aren’t doing as he asks or drag 3 players off and put forward thinking players on. I’ve a feeling these results against Barrow and Rochdale will be the ones we look back on, as the ones that cost us either an automatic place or more likely, a play off place. Where have the dominant, exciting end of last season performances gone? Surely the loss of Vernam and poor form of Pierera are not the cause.

I think I’ve got what Hughes is about. He’s not a mix it up kind of manager, he’s a one trick pony who wants to perfect a certain way of playing, be that home or away, hence not really seeing any real difference in how we set up. He’s drilled how he wants them to play and removed any “individuality” from their thought process. They’re not allowed to think off the cuff, they’re not allowed to think outside the box and that’s why there’s no excitement in our play. It’s as dull as dish water and won’t be changing anytime soon, despite what he says.

 

Eisa runs around like a head less chicken, he might be out of action for a while, won't make much difference.