Match Thread Most liked posts in thread: Home V Bolton Sat 6th March. 3pm kick off.

What's this giving up on this season mentality you have? It's all to play for. Surely you aren't throwing the towel in already?

 

A fairly balanced 1st half with both defenses on top. Bolton were marginally better in possession but created very little as did we.

Second half, Bolton stepped up a gear and their press was excellent. Really suffocated us hence our poor ball retention at times today. The pressure was building but we must acknowledge what an excellent defence we have right now. Despite their territorial advantage we nullified most of their attacks but admittedly some cracks were appearing.

Doyle should have hit the target with his header and Hornby pulled off 2 decent saves. When their goal came it was deserved. However, our response was excellent. In the space of 10 minutes we created as many decent chances as they had in the previous 40. Funny how goals can change games as I couldn't see us scoring until then. A great response and great character to pull it back.

It's a good point against the best team in League 2. To gain a point against them when not at our best is a sign of a mentally tough team.

If only the fans had been there today. The roof of the Kop would have blown off when Rowe's goal went in!

 

Firstly the defence were awesome yesterday, the whole team defended as one, Paudie’s improvement since T&S took over has been nothing short of miraculous, hopefully he’ll be our captain for many years to come.
I don’t agree with comments around Cooke being leggy or tired, I actually thought Bolton did their homework and sussed us out yesterday. Everything goes through Cooke or Watt, they doubled up on Cooke so every time he got on the ball he ran into a brick wall. Same with Watt, especially in the first half they pressed him like mad so he didn’t have time to look up and see a pass.
Crankshaw had the beating of their full back who due to their flooding of midfield was often left isolated, before he faded in the second half.
We’re just missing a little bit of guile in the centre of the park, someone who can control the tempo and pull the strings. Watt may well grow to be that player but he’s not their yet, Cooke needs to be given space to be able to operate he struggles to create his own space.
The good news is I think Bolton are football wise miles better than anyone else we will play between now and the end of the season and I don’t think many teams are capable of nullifying Cooke & Watt like Bolton did.

 

I think if we had more shots yesterday it wouldn't have seemed like we were so blunt up front.

We've done better at shooting more in recent games and it needs mixing up but if a team knows you're just going to tap tap around then they get used to that. Our attack needs less predictability and one way to do that is shooting more.

 

Well it's Sunday night, we're about to play a team on Tuesday you played yesterday so it's me again. Sorry! This time I've read through all the pages (Jeez lads 42 pages!....made the Cheltenham match thread look, feel and taste like a picnic) and feel fairly informed. (No discussion about non-alcoholic beer though.....TG) . So my summary would be: they play 4-2-3-1 with the midfield 2 of Lee and Williams particularly effective; their lone striker Doyle doesn't seem up to much; they have a strong bench but didn't start to use it until late; they are one of the best teams you've faced, looking very comfortable on the ball; they're a bit poor in the final third and, for all their possession they had 3 shots on target. Is that about it? Two questions I had. The match seemed to have been played at a ridiculously high tempo. Was that them, you or both and do Bradford normally play at that pace? Secondly, did Bradford do anything differently (set up, selection. shape) to counteract a team like yourselves who are the form team in the league?

That's a great strike from Rowe....a proper finish. While you were enjoying what seemed a good game to watch I subjected myself to 90 mins of absolute dross (Cambridge-Walsall). Then in the 4th minute of added time Mullin produces a wonder-strike (see it if you can ....fast forward the highlights to the last 20 seconds and ignore the rest). That's football I guess. Hope all is good and, when crowds can attend again I'm going to make a random visit to a Bradford game to meet Fordy117. I'm just curious...Take care everyone and any feedback appreciated ....as always!

 

Is it really three more days until Saturday? That feels like an age.
It's so fantastic having that feeling of wanting the next game to come quickly. Even with Saturday-Tuesday games every week it feels too long to wait.
Probably the most exciting end of season in prospect since 2013.

 

A draw in the circumstances would be a good result, its imperative we don't lose the momentum we've built up.

 

Easy...just give him a 'City' shirt..!!

 

We do have our own , you could always listen to them. They do birthday shout outs, messages to fans round the country and get so much wrong it is funny. We scored a 93rd minute winner in last game, however one of them shouted 'it is offside' just the ball went in which rather ruined the moment. They are like a shit version of VAR ruining the moment.

 

what a crying shame , that both sets of fans are missing this.
the atmosphere would have been amazing. Both teams in great form.
Woke up feeling a bit down at not been able to attend, first time i have felt like that in ages.
Lets hope the game lives up to the hype, with a city win of course, nervy 2-1 for me.

 

I am a regular on that site , as I said earlier most Bolton fans have this down as the toughest game for a while and would take a point now, do not let the odd idiot on there speak for all of us, sure you get a few on here who get a bit giddy

 

A drab affair, with a distinct lack of quality from both teams. Can't remember either keeper making a save.

Been honest this has 0-0 all over it.

But reading this board you'd think Bolton were all over us. Maybe I'm watching a different game?

 

I won't deny that Bolton look dangerous, they've perhaps been a touch sharper and more composed in possession, but we haven't been battered at all. There's nothing in it.

Main message at HT - calm the f**k down when we've got the ball. We've been careless with it at times.

A half of football played at much higher intensity and tempo than most L2 games. Fair play to both.

Whatever happens in the second half, I think we've shown that if we're in L2 next season we have an excellent base with which to make the finishing touches to be a top side next season.

 

We've been second best really, certainly in the second half.

Can't fault our resilience and defensive performance, or our effort. But our performance with the ball hasn't been great for a while.

 

And that my friends and fellow fans, is why we signed Danny Rowe.

 

Look at AOC loving it...............

It's even better on this clip, such a shame we couldn't be there to share in the celebrations

#BCAFC | #CityForAll

 

Never give up attitude shown once again. Resilient team. Bolton were sharper than us today but still only managed 2 shots on target. Fantastic base to build on.

 

Yes I loved AOC's reaction to the equaliser, says a lot about the team spirit and his commitment to the cause.

 

Well a tale of two teams today one that was better in possession of the ball and one that defended superbly. I think a draw was a fair result in the end. People will say Bolton were better and deserved the three points but i disagree. They controlled the ball better but they didn't exactly carve us open with that possession and other than a 10 min spell in the second half I didn't think they looked that threatening in the final third. I'd have to see it again but their goal looked off side and was a poor one to concede. Bolton fans may disagree but you take Doyle out of that team drop Danny Rowe in there and they would romp this league.

We defended well Nial Canavan looks a superb signing him and Paudie are playing out of their skin at the moment. Canavan reminds me of Andrew Davies and that is a very good thing.

We were sloppy in possession too many passes going astray, we didn't look after the ball, we sat too deep and I have to say we look physically and mentally fatigued which is causing all the above. What we did do was show the sort of grit, determination and togetherness that gets teams out of this league. Pretty proud of the lads tonight we've got a very good group for the first time in ages. Pre T&S we loose that game heavily. Danny Rowe take bow that's how you show the managers you should be starting but fair play to Cook they are both making it a tough choice in who should be starting.