Match Thread Grimsby Town vs Bradford City - EFL Trophy

The most persistent quality we showed was to stand up to them on the ball.

Grimsby didn't seem to be able to knock even our slightest/youngest players off the ball.

Whether that plays out the same in a league game or not, I'm not so sure, but we were able to hold the ball up very well at times. Was it Grimsby going at 10 % less intensity, or just that our young players are getting more confident?

 

Obviously once he has calmed down he will realise that should not have happened. However, he suffered one of the nastiest tackles I have seen on a football field. He wanted to protect our player, which is a team attribute.

 

Reading this thread it makes me wonder how we werent hammered tonight!!
Oyegoke, Smith, Ofoka, Osadebe, Richards etc... all deemed shit.. What the hell is wrong with some of you people.

A virtual second string out there tonight, many rusty through lack of game time many still shell-shocked from joining a club where the culture was negativity masked as safety first .

They all tried hard tonight, all slowly gaining confidence and match fitness.

Manny had a great pre-season until some shit-house snapped his leg, and come back better he will.

And I'll say now Smith and Osadebe come new year, will be important parts of this team.
Feel free to tell me Im wrong in January

 

I think there were only 2 players in that Grimsby line up tonight that didn't play at Valley Parade in the 1-1 draw that we rescued?

I might be wrong, but it looks like a pretty solid team.

I'd heard they could barely raise an 11? Were some of them injured despite playing?

 

Oyegoke was poor. Many misplaced passes, one where Smallwood was probably 3 or 4 yards in front of him but still gave it to a Grimsby player.

Smith wasn’t great but wasn’t terrible. A bit of confidence and would have got a goal.

Ofaka I thought had an ok game, nothing outstanding but don’t recall him letting the team down?

Osadebe was poor first half, showed some good ability with the goal and then was back to some poor play again. Hopefully can gain some confidence from that goal though.

Richards maybe could have done better for their goal but don’t recall him doing too much wrong.

 

How did MH think Oyegoke was better Halliday at the start of the season?
Halliday was excellent again.

 

Certainly had the desired effect on Halliday, if through design or fault

 

I think he was brought in more for his attacking than defending I thought he did well on the wing in the second half Saturday

 

What effect on Halliday, he was very good last season. We were looking to replace Halliday and Ridehalgh because it was felt they couldn't play the new system but we've ended up going back to them anyway, I'll admit partly due to Richards picking up an injury.

 

Man of the match again for me Hudders.

 

Except you're on a Bradford City forum not BBC football results.

It was 2 -1, because we always come first on here

 

Sorry but I completely disagree.

It should have led to their lad being sent off, not ours. I can't criticise young lads for expressing themselves, it should be encouraged and if the opposition get wound up and commit silly fouls then all the better isn't it?

 

Good point. I think that was his first error of this season.

Halliday was arguably our best player in the second half of last season and his reward is to be dropped. Wouldn't got down well with team-mates either.

There was no need to go three at the back. It wasn't as terrible as some said (great point at Stockport) but we didn't need that extra defensive assurance as that aspect is still very good.

 

You're wrong in January (and October).

 

A bit meagre in football terms. Bring back the west riding cup! Oh the memories of those exciting nights

 

And a chunk of the gate receipts at Wembley?

 

Tin pot cup really (unless we get to the semi’s, in which case I’ve always said it’s important, honest…)

 

And don’t forget the meat raffle.

 

That tackle aside I thought there were a couple of times when the younger subs overplayed and tried to do things in the wrong areas of the pitch. It's all learning, but it showed that Pointon is ahead of them in terms of development. Do the basics right, in the right areas of the pitch and go from there, or they'll soon learn that mistakes can quickly lead to goals in men's football. Well done for blooding them in a nothing competition though, as its all good experience at the end of the day.