The Voice - Match preview Crewe Alexandra vs Bradford City Monday 1st January 2024 3:00pm

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

 

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

 

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

 

Not to worry Gent has a plan

 

I read comments from Harrogate town fans around him having regular niggles.

He had a bad injury at Wycombe I believe and at Boro.

 

Exactly my thoughts. The worst game I've watched for a long time. No City player played well and a few were atrocious. Still, it's the end of a very tiring series of games so we'll see how the rest of the season pans out. I hope GA has a strategic plan of how he wants to play and starts to build towards it in the coming window. One thing for sure is that we need adequate back-ups for every position. If Pattison is out for a long time that means one for Walker and two wingbacks at least this window.

 

I haven’t seen any comments stating the tactics are different though. Most are referring to the aimless long balls. Which like I said is more down to execution than tactics.

 

I'm just making the point that it's not about tactics and never was. It's about winning games and nothing more, but I bet people will turn on our 'hoof ball' nonetheless.

 

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.

 

It wasn't a criticism of the lad, I posted against Stockport he started well but found he had to go deeper and deeper to get the ball, similar today but he aint no Jamie Walker.

 

It wasn't great today but fair point.

 

Having watched the match on I Follow I decided to read the match report on the Crewe Alexandra club's official website. According to them " Long raced through and was taken out by Harry Lewis ....
Alexandra players were furious that the keeper wasn't sent off"
I know Andy Kiwoyma is a rubbish co commentator but the person who wrote their report must need an eye test.

 

Both teams were poor today. Crewe’s time wasting was hugely disappointing and once again the officials were absolutely atrocious

It is so frustrating, total Deja vu walking away from that dump of a ground, cursing how poor we were

 

Mate you should heard them two bellends on there commentary truly shocking ..........." No football being played today which will please GA" .............sorry you arrogant Twit it takes two to tango and i would hardly call the way Crewe played a thing of beauty ........... yes it was a poor game but that was the result of two poor performances not just us

 

What I found annoying was the number of times Stoke City or Port Vale got mentioned, If I were a Crewe fan and wanted a commentary to hear how my team were doing I would not be happy with them breaking into the commentary to tell me how Stoke City or Port Vale were doing, imagine if Kiwomya on Radio Leeds kept us updated with the Bellend lot or the Dogs Botherers score we don't care Andy.

 

Yeah officials had a mare overall but even still we were putrid in the final third. I know they were missing some players, but amazed how Crewe are in the playoff positions, I can see them falling off a bit.

 

Alexanders take on todays game : https://www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/play/p0h2gf3h

 

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.

 

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.