The Voice - Match preview Bradford City vs Walsall Saturday 3 September @ 3:00pm

Sutton isn’t shite. His job was to break the lines and play beyond Cook. He did this effectively in the first half and we looked more of a threat because of his running. Second half Walsall changed and Sutton was being caught wrong side as we gave up possession. Hughes made the change eventually but it could have cost us. Really that change should have been made earlier as Songoo sat in next to Smallwood and calmed play down. but just to say Sutton is shite and not be able to elaborate why says more about you than anything.

 

Certainly not at our best yesterday, is it just me ,but it always appears that way when we attack the kop first half
Walsall were one of the biggest teams i have seen and caused us no end of problems, especially at set pieces. Chritchlow is a good footballer but can not head the ball and this is his weakness.
we would definately have lost that game last season, so credit to the guys for fighting for the points. onwards and upwards, i think we have still to see the best from this team 18 new players takes time to gell and we have good options for all positions

 

What a splendid afternoon. Both teams were great to watch, drama from start to end, fabulous atmosphere, sun shone. Who needs promotion when we can enjoy days like these - and at the prices we pay.

Forget the negatives and enjoy what we've got.

 

100% Banks got bullied and shrank. It’s a reason as to why he is out on loan. He needs to grow and find a way to use his attributes to beat stronger defenders as this won’t be the only time this season he comes up against such tactics. It will be interesting to see how he combats this.

 

I didn’t see a “place” in the starting 11 for Songo’o, and I many others were proved right, however now we understand what MH’s philosophy is he is a a nailed on bench player that can come on and do a 20 min job in bolstering up the area in front of the two centre backs. ( As well as providing centre back cover)
I wonder if Timi could also fulfil the same role over time?
However as you say we are missing Gilly, big style and so is Smallwood?

 

Totally agree Jon and with Park at #266. The concensus view after was the best team lost, 24 shots against 9 for us but as we all know from our own experiences, it's the ones that go in which count.
Talking before the game I was bemoaning the way Donny and Crewe performed. "You won't see that today" was the response. "Flynny is coming to attack and bully your back line", exactly what happened in my view and had it not been for Lewis the best team would have won, they could easily have been three up before we scored, but that's football as we all know. Added to that the fact they have a smaller squad and five out including apparently three front men is reassuring for me. Simply, we have a huge squad with at least four sat in the stand either injured or just not selected who all are capable of doing a good job in my view.
Major headaches (good ones) coming for MH on selection which is where I differ from you Jon, 7th is not good enough for me, auto is a must.

 

Agree, he’s not shite, but let’s be honest he’s not at his best and if it wasn’t for injuries he’d be nowhere near the squad on game day on current form. He’s was there to support Smallwood, because against big units , East would get mullered.

 

Regarding yesterday’s ref after watching MOTD and yet more poor displays by refs at the top level you really wonder why they are so bad when they get down here ???????

Yesterday he never said a word to the Walsall players when they where clearly time wasting in the first half ( god knows why ???) but he was all over us in the 2nd ........... still we’ve had years of it now so not point in moaning about it

 

Sutton wasn't great but tbh neither was Smallwood. Still not the player he was but I thought Sutton did ok first half. Constantly making runs and much of the time he was our furthest man forwards. He made a great double block on the edge of our area and it was also his quick first time pass that set up the move for Cooks goal. When he plays it makes us play further up the pitch. Agree however that he faded badly second half and we probably need better

 

He struggled a bit first half but I thought he was pretty good second. The penalty was a soft one

 

He is good at all.

Was making headless chicken runs. Left the midfield exposed a number of times. Can’t tackle, passing basic level.

Just not good. What more is there to say other than he’s shite

If Sutton is getting into the team then when we talk about automatic it’s not happening. He’s needs to be in the stands.

I get he has drive and passion but that isn’t good enough on its own.

 

We weren't unlucky against Doncaster and Crewe. We were slow and ponderous in our build up and created little. They were both fair results.

We do have plenty of options at our disposal though and as Hughes gets to understand how best to use those options, we'll improve. I also think that as the games tick by and clubs pick up injuries and suspensions, our depth could be what separates us from most. Similarly, our depth and the introduction of the 5 sub rule could be an advantage for us.

 

Has anything been said about how long Walker will be out for? Is he out until Jan? Didn't realise it was that long. He's a big miss.

 

I thought our midfield were too far apart yesterday, so when trying to play out from the back and pressed there was never anyone around Smallwood to interlink with, so we never successfully transitioned through the middle.

Then when reverting to a longer play Cook struggled to hold the ball up, and our wide players didn't put the opposition on the back foot to keep us higher up the pitch, so Wallsall were able to meep pressing us.

Thought we looked much better with Songo, Oliver and the 2 new wide loaness.

Despite knocking their play, you can't knock Young and Cook's brilliant finishes!

 

I really enjoyed the game yesterday. Yes we were second best for large parts of it, but it was so refreshing to have a team come and actually want to play for a win rather than park the bus and hope for a draw. If it hadn't been for Lewis then we might have well have been looking at a different result, especially his penalty save so early in the game because had that gone in, I think we would have ended up well and truly beaten. That said, although we weren't on top of our game yesterday, I don't think the result would have been much different if we had of been. Walsall are imo the best team we have faced so far in the league and on yesterday's showing, look strong contenders for a top 7 finish. They are a good side and had we played really well and come away with a 2-1 win, the result would have been the same but a lot of the comments on here would have been very different.

 

We were unlucky against Crewe we had two definite penalties disallowed

 

Yet performance wise we were poor which i think was what Faithful was alluding to. The penalties would have glossed over that.

 

He was making runs beyond cook. Stretching play. Dragging us up the pitch. Something we’ve lacked badly this season. He gave us energy and helped us to play in their half, in fact I’d go as far as he was more effective than Banks yesterday from that attacking sense.
Sutton is also more physical than East and more mobile that Songoo so may get more game time against teams like Stevenage.

I do agree that his ball skills aren’t the best and he is a squad player rather than starter. I’m not saying we don’t need better either but I don’t agree that simply he’s shite.

 

Xmas time I heard if he’s still on crutches etc it ain’t gonna be anytime soon

 

we were unlucky against Doncaster and Crewe for having piss poor officials reffing both them games ..............