The Voice - Match preview Bradford City vs Carlisle United Tuesday 21st March @ 7:45pm

He did in the first half, then got better once Hughes altered it and put him in a position he can actually play.

I get he's been slightly underwhelming at times but Hughes is hanging him out to dry on the left of this diamond shape, he simply hasn't got the legs to play it.

 

Maybe you're right, who knows. I just feel we won't even get the ball to score the goals as they just over run us down the middle.

4 2 3 1 for me and hopefully Walker fit enough to play the 10 with Banks and Chapman flanking him.

 

East would provide a bit more pace and Mobility in midfield. I will be amazed if Walker is fit enough. The knobbled him right at the start yesterday.

 

Do you mean Smallwood or Clayton? I was talking about Clayton playing crap. I thought Smallwood played well once Clayton went off and he moved central. I agree a right or left sided midfield spot is not a good position for either of them and does leave Smallwood being hung out to dry. That said in terms of goals and assists he’s actually one of the top now, not bad for a holding midfielder. Shame players like Gilliead and Walker can’t increase their goals/assists tally.

 

Walker was struggling most of the match with his knee should have been of much earlier even if he is so important for the team

 

Worse thing about it it was bloody clear he was struggling to all fans in the ground. How Hughes didn’t see it is beyond me.

 

And it is for exactly that reason that MH has won sweet fa as a manager, yet we are meant to be eternally grateful that he is our manager.

 

Yeah, apologies, I meant Smallwood. I completely agree about the positioning issue, it's a real problem.

 

Given the improved performance second half (not saying much I know) I would like to think Hughes goes with 4231. We had much more attacking threat and had more control. I’d drop Costelloe for Banks and play him on one wing, with Gillead on the other. Potentially bring East and Bola in too. But the formation/tactics is almost more important for me than the players. I really think we need the width at home to help us play on the front foot.

 

I think Bola will be back I thought Ridehalgh had a poor game.

 

Banks plays on the right so either you drop Gillead or play one of them out of position.

I'm also not going with the way angle of Gilleads assist stats over his 110 appearances (a clue though is that our right back has double in just 30odd) so for me I'd go Banks and Chapman.

 

I like Bolas energy and pace. Given a run he looks to me like someone who could make an impact.

 

I think this was Clayton’s worst game since he signed credit to Hartlepool who knew his importance and stopped him playing. Smallwood was better second half but he has a careless pass in him every match.Gillead was the pick of the midfield

 

We normally play 5 across the back or 5 across the middle, just depends on whether we are attacking or defending.
Armer at left back has been absolutely solid all season and has got better as the season has gone on, and he's just signed a new 3 year deal. The right back spot has been a bit of a problem as we have had injury problems there all season. 'Finn Back' on loan from Notts Forest is Simmo's preferred right back, but he is still injured and definitely won't feature on Tuesday night, a young lad called Ellis replaced him and has been absolutely sensational, however he's got injured as well and wont be playing for another couple of weeks. Your old mate Gibson has also 'filled in' there but he's definitely not a right back. So we've been relying on a lad called Senior, who is IMO not a bad player but can get caught out going forward from time to time.

 

He was better because he played centrally which is his correct position.

Your summary is like suggesting Andy Cook isn't a very good left back but played well when he went up front.

 

Smallwood is also joint second in terms of goals and assists, guess were Gilliead is? I don’t think Gilliead had a bad game, but how many of these type of games does he have without actually making a real impact? He was through on goal first half and instead of shooting cut back, he’s criminal for his talent at times. You’re one of the biggest moaners on here atm about negative play, so let’s not try take goals and assists out of the team for someone not contributing. Our defence is one of the best in the league it’s the other side of the pitch that needs most work, so with that in mind Gilliead would be the first I’d drop in the midfield area and Costelloe up front. We have too many who just don’t contribute to the score sheet.

 

They've benched (former league) top scorer Dennis for the past couple of games, despite him not being injured and despite him hitting a bit of form. Wonder if he'll be picked on Tuesday. Perhaps the scent of pizza past might get him hungry for goals.

 

That moment by Gillead was an absolute disgrace. I don't usually get too emotional at games but at that point I found myself on my feet shouting and swearing in frustration.

For the ability that lad has he's completely underusing his talent.

 

Is Perreira injured / on holiday / out of favour ? As he hasn’t featured in squads for what feels like months. His performances in the first half of the season were poor but he was fab late doors last season. Is he around? Could he help unlock tiring defences?

 

Exactly. We are neat in possession but it’s painfully slow. No dynamism in centre midfield. Nobody running past the strikers the only guy to do that this season was Sutton and he couldn’t get a regular slot. It’s an element we were crying out for in January and it was not addressed. Hartlepool centre midfielder ran beyond their strikers a couple of times and wasn’t tracked. The overload meant he would have been in if they could pass the ball accurately. We don’t have that threat in the current side. Older heads and legs. Good in some aspects bad in others. We lack that athleticism.