The Voice - Match preview Most liked posts in thread: Crewe Alexandra vs Bradford City Wednesday 3rd May @ 7:45pm

As a matter of interest, how has @The Voice done with his/her predictions this season?

Whomever you are, a massive thumbs up for some fantastic detail and comprehensive write up's this season.

I'm sure the community will join me in saying, top, top job.

 

28th May, Dream treble for me

WHU to stay up
City win Play Off
Leeds relegated

 

I'm finding it very hard to get over last night.
Normally I can move on from things quickly, but the total amateurish behaviour from everyone involved, Hughes, players and supporters, has left me really deflated.
I will start with the supporters.
We have made it 2-2.
Crewe are rocking ready for a knockout blow.
But let's throw pyros on the pitch and rip out seats and cause a safety concern that the ref takes control of by moving the players towards the dugouts for refreshments, a clear the air pep talk, and words in everyone's ears from the managers.
Well that worked for Crewe cos after that they were the better team again.
These incidents also added time on naturally, 10 fecking minutes!!! Which Crewe took advantage of and pressed for a winner, got their penalty in the 99th minute, and a fully deserved win.
Now for Hughes.
I was at the game and the wind was gusty enough to have a bearing on the game, but we insisted on playing a high line and trying to launch balls forward that quite a few times came back and we're blown along causing all sorts of issues for Stubbs and Crichlow.
Once the chance for Baker-Richardson was put wide, why didn't Hughes send on Platt to help out, tell the team to drop 10 yards and start playing it on the deck through the lines to stop us losing possession and getting turned around??
Why did he play Eisa who was a passenger the whole time he played and gave the ball away 80% of the time, contributing to us being 2-0 down at half time.
Both me and my lad who plays at a high level for his age were distraught at how Hughes couldn't see we needed to go 3-5-2 to make us solid.
Clayton on for Smallwood, who was starting to lose discipline a long time before the penalty incident, Platt on at the back, and tighten up between the lines , which to their credit, Crewe played through them really well with some quality movement.
Now the players.
1st half we were so rushed.
All season we've played to keep it tight 1st half, sometimes laboured, to keep matches tight, get to half time either level or maybe 1 up and then look to impose ourselves 2nd half.
Last night the total opposite.
Rushed, lacking in composure, no possession passing moving Crewe around, only 1 shot of note, Banks trying a right footer from 20 yards that the keeper needed to turn around the post.
We played into Crewes hands and with this stupid high line ive spoke about, they exposed any lack of pace to go 2 up.
My only thought that can back Hughes and the players decisions last night is that they went for the only chance of automatic promotion we had left with no thought of playing for a draw, whilst been supremely confident that if it didn't come off , we have enough to get a point in a match with the play offs as the prize.
Through everyone, Manager, players, supporters, it felt really undisciplined and we got exactly what we deserved, nowt.

 

So we need to do a Bristol Rovers and win 7-0 Wednesday to bring the goal difference right down.
Send a few crates of champagne down to Leyton Orient to help them "celebrate" being champions and push they 3 day bender into the next week, then outscore Stockport against a hungover Orient side.

It's almost too easy.....

 

That is hard to take.

Probably not a popular view but I really feel for Smallwood. Apart from that challenge he tried and tried to drive us on this eve. I thought he was awesome in an otherwise underwhelming performance. Yes his legs mean he can no longer play at a higher level but the fact is the players around him in that midfield are truly mediocre and he can't make up for all of that. He's had some poor games, but generally I think he's a big reason we are challenging this season.

I'll wait for the pelters.

 

Needing to get a result on the last day of the season just to secure a playoff spot whilst having a 30 goal striker at our disposal is a poor indictment of how this season has panned out.

I'm not saying Hughes out or anything but finishing outside the top three in this league is a massive underachievement.

 

Most City fans (or fans of any club) are not fanatics who attend every away game, come what may. They pick and choose. Consequently, people will pull strings, ask favours, use annual leave and generally go the extra mile to attend games that have a lot riding on them, particularly at the back end of the season when the result could be make or break. This is normal, understandable behaviour by people who have family, work and other commitments and constraints on their finances.
It's not rocket science to understand this, so why do you constantly take swipes at ordinary decent City fans who don't choose to spend their every waking hour planning their next away trip?

 

Same team but Osadebe in for Nevers. I say Osadebe because he deserves a chance ahead of the useless double act who have been occupying the LW role in the last few games.

No need to change the system to shoehorn Clayton back into the side. He'll have to wait like everyone else because Smallwood and Gilliead have been excellent since he got injured.

 

I don't think Cooks success is down to Hughes tactics. I genuinely don't. The majority of his goals (from memory) are down to set pieces or him making something from nothing. As a side, we don't create much. And I think we'll regress without Cook next season.

Hughes really has underwhelmed for me. Obviously flaws on his system, and poor recruitment in January

 

If we'd been able to hang on to Tyreik Wright on the left we'd be home and hosed in the auto spots by now. Such a shame, especially as he's not getting a game at Plymouth. I wonder if he now regrets moving in January?

 

Ridiculous to postpone it for the sake of a couple of U19 players. Personally I’m fuming with only a week to the game, for various personal reasons

And with no more free Saturdays, it has to be played midweek

 

Those numbers are fantastic!

Can't believe that many people travel for League Two football!

Let's hope it's the last season they have to do so, and we're in League One next season.

 

Crewe unbeaten in 6 at home, winning 5 of them, and we have only lost 1 of our last 6 away games. Could be nerve wrecking encounter. Having said that, Northampton had great home record too. City need to be on their mettle for sure. Not being gloomy, think we should get point needed, just don’t think it’s all a given as some seem to be thinking. Obviously, think we have it in our power to win.

 

Truth be told.

We are simply not good enough.

Too many average players in this team and it cost us in the end

 

The last thing we should do is rest players. We need a result to secure the playoffs, and we're playing the champions.

 

Im not making excuses, but foot of gas or loss of momentum due to the pause caused by the Pyro? For me the latter.

 

How I saw it - inclusive of the M56 shenanigans too!

Pretty criminal losing that after working our way back into the game.

And whether people like it or not that pyro/aggro halted all momentum. Crewe were shaking and at that stage their keeping was fumbling everything and looked a rabbit in the headlights. So, so annoying. City need to get a grip of that element.

 

Should just return all tickets and boycott the game.
See how they like losing 1600x£25 of revenue.
Arseholes

 

Most teams in 60s and 70s would play 3 games between Good Friday and Easter Tuesday. I remember in 79/80 season going up to Hartlepool on good Friday, playing Darlington home on the Saturday and Rochdale away on Easter Monday and we won all three. No moans about tiredness and certainly no squad rotation with a squad of about 17 players.