The Voice - Match preview Most liked posts in thread: Gillingham vs Bradford City Saturday 16th December 2023 @ 3:00pm

Good, its about time we got physical, it's what you need to get out of this league

 

I mentioned Lewis in a few posts today he was more like the Lewis of last season coming for balls and punching well when required, I've given him some stick so I thought he deserved praise for his contribution today.

 

The same ‘very poor, thuggish hoofball Bradford’ that has won its last five games in all competitions, conceding one goal and scoring fifteen. If that’s what thuggish hoofball gets you then I’ll take it, thank you very much. In reality, we mixed it up today - some hoofball, some diagonals to the wingbacks and some passing through the middle. It was a solid away performance and let’s hope we have many more like it.
The fact is that Gillingham were pretty woeful today. Despite being at home they had seven shots to our twelve and only one on target. Although they had periods of pressure they did sod all with it and our defence looked pretty comfortable for most of the game. On the basis of that I fancy us to finish higher than they do.

 

Gillingham fans describing City as a thuggish team of hoofballers.

 

We’ve gone back to ‘dinosaur’ tactics with the opposition criticising us and guess what we’ve won 5 on the bounce.
There’s no prizes when opposition fans and managers praise our pretty play after they’ve took 3 points.
I’m with you, I’ll take this style of play all day long.
The purists can shove their tippy tappy football up their arses.

 

^^This 100%.

We are now a hard team to break down and we are not being bullied off the ball. We appear to have an edge about us. High press 5 wins on the bounce-1 goal conceded and the whole team playing to its strengths, 3 points off the play offs. What a turnaround.

Also got to mention Lewis-what a wonder save to keep us in it.

 

Good!!!

 

It was posted enough on here many didn't understand what Hughes was trying to do, 4th division football isn't that hard to workout, if you can get players who feel happy with the ball and want to pass it around I don't have a problem with trying it, but once again fans aren't fools and saw right through what he was trying to bring with regards his type of football.

Unfortunately with the Doncaster game being brought forward I won't be attending but I'll certainly be at Valley Parade for the Morecambe game we owe them big style after that poor performance at their place.

 

And long may it continue, lets get right up in the oppositions faces.

 

This from the Gills fans forum:

"We are too inconsistent to be seriously making a challenge for promotion and there appears to be very little progress if any with SC. Could not find the back of the net under NH and our lack of goals continue's.
Sadly I think we will be visiting the same venue's next season as the sleeping giant is sleeping like a log."

Gillingham, a 'sleeping giant'? Made me laugh out loud when I read that!

 

It’s early days but looking like the right appointment. I like Alexander, not mouthy or up his own arse. There will be defeats ahead, I’m sure, but I hope he’s here for the long term. Great result and gritty performance today. Never been a Smallwood hater and he has shown his class since Alexander arrived.

 

Indeed. This is L2, not the EPL. All that passing around at the back, supposedly drawing in the opposition and manoeuvring our way through the press was getting us nowhere - I was about to type ‘nowhere fast’ but it was actually ‘nowhere extremely slowly’, It was like watching paint dry. We were creating very few chances and we never had enough players near the opposition box to maintain any pressure.
Alexander’s more direct tactics have given us more chances per game, more goals and much more excitement. And made us tighter at the back in the process. Long may it continue.

 

Thanks. Yep. Ball didn't even get to the line never mind over it! Cracking save though.

 

Great win and no league goals conceded in 315 minutes. Not sure what G A has done, but he's certainly rebalanced this team.

 

I'd happily accept a team made up of serial killers and pet torturers if they got City of out this league.

 

Good win that.

 

Exactly.
What I like is that we can now mix it up. We can go route one, or diagonal to the wingbacks or play through midfield. Contrary to what the Gills fans seem to think, we did all of those things today. And one goal conceded since HT at Notts County - playing three at the back has made us much harder to break down.
Having Oliver and Pattison coming back to fitness and Young to come back from Swindon gives us a strong squad going into the second half of the season.

 

The amount of times their lads, especially Williams were throwing themselves on the floor was embarrassing.

 

The part of the game we have improved the most is if the ball the pressing the closing down the work rate the intensity call it what you want but that part of the game has improved no end and is the reason why Gillingham were poor.

 

I wouldn't say Williams was anonymous, Kevin, I thought he did some good stuff in the first half but then faded out. I watch him and have noted he regularly gets hooked around 70 minutes, clearly can't do 90. As far as I'm concerned we have dodged a bullet when he did the dirty on us, Gills are welcome to him.
As an aside I've read his comments on the 'goal' in the T&A today. Speaking to a guy on the train home who was sitting on the goal line in the 'posh' stand he said it never went in and I agree Lewis possibly made what will be the save of the season.