Match Thread Home V Bolton Sat 6th March. 3pm kick off.

Here mate, I've looked at the fixtures too with a view to potential results but ultimately, it's about Bradford City.
Gotta say, the fixtures against results last night, from our point of view, we're not too bad.

Have a good day.

 

I do like it when an opposition fan bases our ability on what he sees from Sky video summary of one game (v Mansfield), which is what one of them has done.

Apparently we will be slow, workmanlike and not have much shooting ability “like all other L2 teams”. I’m not thinking we are somehow a huge cut above the other teams, but equally our form and way of playing makes us a very difficult opponent for anyone right now.

@JonButterfield point to start the thread has validity here I think - Bolton’s run, whilst clearly giving confidence, has been against all bottom half teams. If you cover a longer period our run since the new management duo took over includes excellent wins over 4 of the current top 5.

I think if we properly go at them we beat them - they are not going to clog up midfield like recent opponents have tried to do (but still lost). We perhaps just need to be a bit more clinical than of late.

 

A draw is probably a decent result for Bolton to maintain a gap so we might see a tight game no one wants to lose. Let’s hope the ginger toss-er doesn’t score

 

I'm glad Bolton think a win is a formality. I hope that filters to their team but based on their current run I doubt it.

I would love to beat them to get one over Doyle after his - in my opinion - unprofessional antics last season. I expect canavan and paudie to be well up for a battle. A point would keep us well in the mix and whilst defeat certainly wouldn't end playoff hopes I really want this run to continue.

 

Good!

 

Have they changed their minds about Santos and Baptiste who were" useless defenders" earlier in the season? Hopefully they will struggle against Vernam's pace.

 

Common sense prevails!

 

Now you’ve gone and done it!

 

Not much shooting ability eh? They'd do well to look at our stats for the last 5 games - 24 shots on target, compared to their 16 shots on target in their last 5 games. And as for our last 5 opponents, they've managed 4 shots on target between them, Bolton's last 5 have mangaged 12.

 

I will be honest shell, I would take a competitive draw in this game - for me the key is just to lift our levels a bit from the past couple of matches because at some stage you cant just 'grit out' results. A slightly more positive, impressive performance and a draw would not upset me one bit.
Of course I would be even more happy with 3 pts

 

Bolton were utter dog dirt earlier in the season and their xG suggested they were every bit as bad as the results suggested.

They have picked up recently though tbf so more fearful now.

This is a game that would have drawn in 18k+ fans and we’re hampered by playing behind closed doors, but we are in great form ourselves so let them worry about us.

More of the same, lads.

 

I was one who hammered you so to speak for those comments and certainly didn’t mean it as a dig, but stand by it. The bottom 2 won’t get over 45 points if second bottom ends on 50+ I will happily give £500 to the Bradford burns unit.

Our only goal now is promotion we have nothing else to play for. It’s some achievement we have got in this position, but we shouldn’t rest on our laurels now because our first objective is complete. Objectives change through a season and ours has to be top 7, win on Saturday and we could be joint with 7th place and in a far better position at this stage of the season than we were in 12/13 thankfully they didn’t say well we got to a cup final let’s leave it there.

 

As others have said, this game deserves a full and rocking VP like when both sides met at the top of L1 not so long ago. The atmosphere that day was brilliant.

I do fear that we were showing a few signs of fatigue last night, especially the three lads in midfield who have been such a key force behind T&S' success. The good thing is that they are all young lads who should be able to rest up this week and be able to go again.

Having Cook back will be a bonus for a game like this as he is a bit more all action than Rowe. Having a fresh Andy Cook from the start and Rowe ready off the bench would be the way to go I think. Also hope that Evans is back as he will give us a bit more defensive know-how. Crankshaw is a great option and a really exciting talent but showed a few naiveties last night that he might not have got away with against a better side. Evans' experience could be vital in a game like this.

 

As I said to another poster I would stick with Rowe who showed signs last night to be coming back to his best where chances are few and far between I think he is the better option plus he is a danger from set pieces.
Reading match reports Bolton are usually a very dominant midfield who work really hard at retaining the ball they can be guilty of overdoing it some times. What I would like to see from city is when we are under pressure is finding a way to release our pace players better on breakaways to often we are giving the ball back to the opposition.

 

Cook to start over Rowe for me, Rowe can be a yard away from the ball and make no attempt to go for it, goals or not he is gonna frustrate the hell out of us...

 

We will have to agree to disagree then

 

For me Cook needs to start over Rowe just think he's more sharp in current form and will have us on the front foot. Rowe is a fantastic option from the bench.

Agree also on Evans for Crankshaw as earlier comment said. Crankshaw was a little rash last night and needs to learn how to channel that energy, perhaps he should speak to Sutton!

 

I agree if you want a hard worker who will track back and defend more then you would go for Cook but we have almost a team of players doing that we need somebody who can do something different like the thunderbolt from an angle last night that knocked the keeper over.

 

I think your assessment of Cook does him an injustice. Yes he offers all you say but 3 goals in 5 is a great return and a better goals per minute ratio than Rowe. So whilst he does tracking back and put a right shift in, he is also a big threat in terms of goals.