Most liked posts in thread: Charlton match thread - 15 Sept

A damning indictment on our pre season recruitment when a player no one wants to take a punt on comes in and gets man of the match. A far better game in terms of performance especially central midfield where the two O’Briens put in good performances. Wood again had a decent game and Doyle and Ball worked manfully despite chasing goal kicks all game.
Hopkin now has to work out how to get the best out of a very slow and shaky back three and to work out a plan to actually make us look why we could score a goal from open play.
The big positive today was the fact we actually looked the better side at times in this game and we were competitive in the middle of the park.
But those goal scoring chances are gonna have to start coming soon or we could get set adrift.

 

The negatives

Defensively shocking. Far too many basic errors. There’s a lack of pace back there which is one thing but on several occasions we were letting the ball bounce, not competing for headers, not being tight enough or aggressive or strong enough. Needs a lot of work.

Payne tries to do too much on his own and his decision making can be poor at key times.

Not enough end product as a side.

Positives

More than I thought actually. For the first time this season we had at least a bit of cohesion and evidence of a game plan on the ball.

We looked fitter and sharper.

Wood - better than Chicksen.

David Ball - good player, clever and technically skilled.

Doyle looked more involved and his link up play was better.

The O’Briens - neither were at the level of Cullen, but both were much, much better than what we’ve had in there so far this season.

We need to improve, especially at the back and we need to find a cutting-edge, but for the first time this season I think there were positives and signs we could improve. If we can improve by the same increments as the last week, for the next few weeks, we’ll be Ok.

 

I might be on my own, but there were some positives there. It was a better performance than the Burton game we won - we were up against a better side today.

Charlton has two big, quick, powerful forwards who can finish. We need to find one. And we need to improve a hell of a lot at the back.

We looked fitter, better in midfield and better down both flanks. A bit of improvement at least.

 

I support Bradford City, I couldn't give a toss about Rahic or his apology or learning from mistakes.

He shouldn't have made such stupid mistakes in the first place, he has plenty of experienced heads queuing up to give him advice and the Grade A Ding Dong never wants to listen.

Why on earth does he deserve more time???

Hopkin yes, the club yes, the players yes - Rahic? Absolutely not. The guy is incompetent and needs to pack his bags. I have no sympathy or sentimentality towards the guy - why would I??

 

Come on mate he's been brought on twice this season at Fleetwood 15 minutes and today a similar 15 minutes he has nothing what so ever in his locker he is not even nuisance value to the opposition defense, I can't see how anyone could justify his 15 minutes today apart from we had no other "big un" to bring on.

 

That was definitely progress. Surreal to be pleased after a 2-0 defeat but I am. Hopkin is definitely the right man, he's got a hell of a job ahead of him though. Thank god he's managed to start sorting that midfield out... let's hope for more of the same with his January signings.

 

There's been a lot of talk around fan division and whether the fans would stay with the team - if I were Hopkin, I'd be drilling into the players 2 key observations from today.

1 was the 50-50 Jim O'Brien thundered into the second half. In fact it was probably 60-40 against, but he won the ball cleanly and the crowd roared. We appreciate honest endeavour and commitment more than most.

2 - the positive reaction from the crowd at both half time and full time - despite being in a losing position for both and despite a pretty horrendous week for fans of the club.

Give us a modestly talented, hard working team who gives everything and doesn't quit, and we'll back it to the hilt.

 

If only we had an experienced defender that could come in and steady things at the back eh?

 

You have to wonder about the Kilgallon situation, seriously he alone would make our defense 80/90% better, just what is going on at our club that Collins said Kilgallon did not feature going forward yet played him in 2/3 pre-season games.

 

I can see Hopkin doing a Parky. Working hard to turn around results with a squad inherited from the previous manager, and managing to steer us to safety. Then slowly rebuilding a team of his own players and building a bit of momentum with them. It's going to be a long haul, but Hopkin has my full backing and patience to go with it

 

What I think is that Rahic needs to stop and take stock. He needs to BLOODY WELL LISTEN to ppl who may know more than him. Hopkin knows more than him, he knows what is required and I expect Rahic to keep right out of his way, and if he needs anything he should run and get it for him. If he manages to rescue our season and we don’t get relegated, he can get on his hand and knees and thank him. Improve his contract, and buy players both in January and the summer, as they are identified by Hoppy.

Here is the rub, this was not his first mistake it followed a whole catalogue of mistakes, I could have rubbed it out and given him some slack, but right now watching every single one of those lads putting in 100% today running their legs off and clearly running out of steam towards the end, then watching their crestfallen faces, because we lost. Those players are having to complete pre season training in September and are noe picking up injuries as a result, which is leaving our squad threadbare, we had 16/17 year olds on the bench ffs!! So pardon me if I don’t feel like patting the ego’s back, I don’t feel like it. I have every faith in Hoppy, and keeping my fingers crossed he can turn this around, I think we have just about stopped it rolling back.

 

Not happy with ER but, I am not a mug and would still support City whichever league they were in.
It's called being a fan.

 

I'll give Hopkin as much time as is necessary. Rahic has had enough of my time.

 

Well, I got the desire from the players today, so that's one positive.

I thought Jim O'Brien did very well, and looks captain material to me. Constantly encouraging, organising and bollocking players when necessary. So another positive.

Impressed with Wood, looks a big improvement on Chicksen, so another positive

However, the defending just as bad as it has been all season overall.

Apart from that first minute effort from Doyle, we didn't remotely look like scoring, which is a major worry

Somehow, we need to conjure up some scrappy points to get the points tally moving again, or we are going to get left behind in the bottom 4

I see our next opponents Donny are flying high and will be a tough ask to even get a point next week.

Worrying times, that's for sure

 

Given the improvements I’ve seen in the short time since Hopkin came, I genuinely don’t believe we are in danger of getting relegated. I’m confident we’ll be mid table.

If Hopkin can get a couple more signings in and they do as well as O’Brien did today, plus if we get a bit more luck with injuries, there is no reason why we can’t be in the top half.

 

Very much positive signs today I thought we actually looked a threat at points in the game. OK we lost but I can live with that no lack of effort today from anyone in a Bradford shirt. I can't be the only one wondering how Jim O'Brien is still a free agent I thought the guy was fantastic and definitely captain material. He was encouraging Wood all match who I thought was also very good and really got stuck in O'Brien the younger looks a good player too.

The back is the concern for me we looked shaky and they also looked to be arguing too O'Connor does not like being shouted at.

Hope Hopkin has some other free agents he knows of decent start for him.

 

Just imagine if Hopkin had been given the job in May/June and brought some of his type of players in.
I'm sorry but you have to ask wtf was Edin thinking of, was it about saving money or did he genuinely believe Micheal Collins could be the man to take us forward.

 

I think we have looked decent. A million miles away from the Collins era. Just got punished for a mistake at the back. Other than that not much between the sides. Jim O’Brien looks like the midfield general we have been desperately missing

 

Look much more organised and going forward we look much more of a threat.

At the back oh dear.

Overall its a much better performance.

That new lad obrien looks like he means business. Fitness will tell for him but he has been bollocking and encouraging where needed.

 

Another disappointing result but a better performance. I think Hopkin will do a good job but right now he can only use the tools at his disposal and it will take time. This is where Edin has left us