The Voice - Match preview Most liked posts in thread: Crewe Alexandra vs Bradford City Monday 1st January 2024 3:00pm

I don't know Jon but likeley to find out this afternoon at the game.
I hope today's behaviour is better than last season which resulted in 11 added minutes and the losing goal coming in that time, thanks to the idiots that result, in my opinion, took the steam out of a push for autos, irrespective of whether we were good enough or not.

 

The whole team where inept today
Looked tired no game plan kick & rush
Free kicks & corners where wasted
Crewe where no better
A very poor game, very poor officials
City need freshening up &quickly

 

We were 9 points off the playoffs when Alexander started and it's taken a good unbeaten run and about 10 games to half that gap. This is the problem with playing catch up. You can't settle for points (like Stockport) or have poor starts (like Morecambe). A team needs to be 110% on it and continuously win 7-10 games in a row to bridge the gap because thete are 6-8 teams competing for 7th spot and when the table is so tight there will always be someone winning. Unfortunately, the last two games have shown Alexander's unwillingness to change things around and the staring team have slowly ground themselves to a halt.

 

Unbelievable Jeff, fans now saying Alexander will be gone by the end of 2024/2025 season, you couldn't make it up talk about fickle football fans.

 

I'm not trying to excuse todays poor performance it would be difficult to do but lets get a bit of balance to our present situation Alexander has been in charge for 9 league games with a return of 14 points (5 of those games against teams above us in the league) with a team many were saying could be in a relegation fight prior to his appointment, the pitch today was far better than Valley Parade last Friday but with the factor of Walker not being in the side and what he offers on the ball Alexander going forward maybe thought going direct was the way to go, even then we had 14 shots/headers with 4 on target we take one of those chances early doors we have a different game, even their commentators who I thought were amusing but so bias it made Kiwomya sound like Kenneth Wolstenholme even they were saying Crewe were holding on for dear life.
I've not heard Alexander post match interview as yet but listening to his previous interviews I'd think he will tell it as most saw the game little quality but we had enough chances to win the game, disappointing because Crewe were in a poor run of form and the way we have been playing it should have been a game were we brought all three points home.
It's taken Nigel Clough 4 seasons to get Mansfield into what looks like a team that will go straight up, Dave Challinor being at Stockport 3 season and Phil Parkinson at Wrexham 3 seasons and some complain about the first real poor performance under Alexander.

 

Some of you guys need to keep away from sharp object tonight, never a spectacle but we had far more chances than them one shot on target and that was from a penalty, unfortunately today we couldn't put any of our four chances away first defeat in 7 and some are whinging like babies get a grip.

 

Can't fault the endeavour, but the quality was awful. We really are lacking genuine quality. Let's see if Rupp will open the coffers in January, because quality costs...

 

It was a very poor game, but I think the Stockport game took it out of them. That was a very heavy pitch to play on and maybe no coincidence that Stockport also lost today.

It doesn't excuse the mostly wasteful set pieces.

It is a frustrating result because Crewe really weren't great.

Get 3-4 stronger players into the squad and we should be set up for a decent crack at the playoffs again.

 

Dreadful second half, I said after Donny that the style has gone far too much the other way but a few wins will always blind people. There’s a balance between what Hughes did and what Alexander is doing and we’ve yet to find it, but it’s one man’s job to do it.1 point against two poor teams in Morecambe in Crewe should show us that despite an uplift in form, for which we should be grateful for or mid table would be optimistic, we’re mid table in reality. January is a poor time to do squad surgery so it’s another season wasted imo.

 

The league as a whole is not that great i mean i cannot recall one team that i thought was a cut above the rest like Orient last season.
I mean out of the top 3 who we faced ( one of them twice) have hardly looked world beaters, thats probably why its frustrating that we aint higher up but the blame for that lies elsewhere and has nothing to do with GA.

We get it right this window and we get lucky with injuries then we should be amongst at least the top 7

 

He's already played 13 you absolute plank.

 

Surely we have someone in the squad who can take better free kicks and corners than Smallwood?

 

The run was always going to end, but it’s a real shame today was the day. We were certainly not beaten by the better as I thought Crewe were eve worse than us.

Thought we were really poor today. Crewe were there for the taking and we looked sluggish. I commend GA for sticking with a winning lineup, but think he should have changed the starting XI today and freshened it up. The miss of Walker and Pattison is an achilles heel for us, although I thought Odour was one of the best today. First time Pointon gets to cross a ball it’s perfect, why didn’t we see him earlier?

One of those days. We’ve had a great run and a decent Christmas period against some very decent sides. January should be a really interesting month, put this one behind us as quickly as possible.

 

It was a poor game and tactics from us. However if I was a Crewe fan I would be distraught, they offered nothing. Traditionally we always lose to teams like this. The ref was abysmal no idea what he was doing which added to the chaotic nature of the game.
The squad is bloated but it is not of a good quality. Surgery required.
I also think the team looked jaded. Christmas schedule no doubt. They have a week to recover.

 

We were shocking today and to be honest neither side deserved to win. Had an inkling that we might struggle with Walker out as he was pivotal to what we did going forward. Luckily neither Wimbledon or MK Dons won or we'd have been 8 points behind the last playoff spot with our poor goal difference.

 

I actually didnt think Odour was that bad over the last two games when one the weather deffo affected and today when our hopeless aims downfield came nothing near him.
He looked ok during the first half but it looked like our whole aim during the 2nd half was to simply bypass him which is little he can do about that i think Walker may have struggled today

 

We were better than Crewe.
Apart from the penalty they did nothing.
We huffed and puffed.
The officials were very dubious I've got to say.
Imo the back 3 did their job.
Smallwood was hampered after a very harsh booking.
Cook was never at it today.
Smith was being Smith, average.
Odour looked ok in spells but just isn't clever enough to play the role he's been asked.
Gilliead also behind the front 2 today struggled.
Both the wing backs, especially Ridehalgh disappointed.
Apart from Smith's toe poke from Odours pull back every other chance was scrappy.
Off the bench only Pointon had any effect.
So all in all, frustrating, but highlights the fact that Alexander despite the good start, has a job on his hands to get anything out of this season.
His favoured 3-5-2 formation needs new wing backs, as much as I like Halliday.
If Walker and Pattison were fit things might have been different, but looking long term, 5 or 6 new players to suit Alexanders needs.
I trust in Graham.

 

Not having a go at you pal its the doom merchants who pop up when we have a few bad results ............ with a bit of luck we could have got a fair few points but we havent but im happy with whats going on at least GA knows what needs to be done to get out of this league unlike Hughes.
Sadly folks have short memories and dont fooking realise how bad it was under Hughes yes today was bad but i can point to a lot more performances under Hughes that where a lot worse than today.
GA like the style or not is gonna need time not just a few months he needs time and once we have a fully fit squad then you will see a dramatic change .................a fit Walker or Pattson would have made a huge difference and if either are gonna be innand out then its down to Gent and co to get it right

 

I agree with him.
We were the better team and we dominated every aspect of the match apart from the score.
What we did lack and what he won't ever say in public which is to his credit , is players who could take advantage of the positions and the chances offered to them