Match Thread Home vs Oldham Saturday 14th August

Oldham did well today keeping Andy Cook quiet today, that helped subdue our front line. If we need to rely on Angol to help by scoring goals unless he discovers his shooting boots we need the rest of the team to step up. If not the problem will be the age old issue of creating chances but not putting them away that could be our undoing.
We can’t win promotion by scoring the odd goal and sitting back and soaking up pressure.

 

Thanks Dave

 

You get 20 goals by feeding off the midfield. There's no striker in England who has scored 20 goals on his own. I've been banging on about it for so long. Think of the last time you saw a through ball from our midfield to set the striker away one on one. I actually can't remember it. When was the last time we scored a header from a cross? Or a tap in from a whipped in cross?

I hope this season is different, I really do, but for the past six years or so, we just seem to turn up to games with no solid tactics. Today for example. YES WE WON. But, what information did you get from this game as to how we are set up, how we are going to play? I spent the whole of last season thinking this - what is our gameplan? What is the style of football we play?

I know it's League Two football, and maybe I am expecting something more refined than reality. But at the same time, football is a tactics game. Its a business. And it's no suprise we're still in the bottom division when we don't seem to have a plan of action.

And before anyone asks what would I do? Then I'd say, the way out of this division is to exploit the back four - because a lot of these teams have League two cloggers at the back or young fullbacks learning the game. Pace on the wings, with overlapping fullbacks crossing to an experienced centre forward - who doesn't have to be mobile, just wise enough to know his positioning, will get goals. A good passer in midfield to feed said wingers, and we're away. Centre backs don't make much difference in this division. As long as they are big and hairy arsed, then they'll do well.

A wins a win. I'm annoyed at myself for seeing faults when we got three points. I can't help it

 

Did we? I’m honestly struggling to remember. There’s the penalty obviously and I remember the chance second half for Angol that he smashed way over. The first goal was a speculative shot that shouldn’t really have gone in. What else did we have?

 

I think thats a tad unfair. Considering the service he received at times i'd say 2 goals in two is a reasonable return in this league.

 

https://www.skysports.com/watch/video/sports/football/competitions/league-two/12381830/bradford-2-1-oldham

 

Excellent points TB

 

I’m going to watch highlights on Quest later but if it’s the same editor as last week I suspect they might not bother with the penalty and have it down as a 1-1 draw.

 

Aren't all shots speculative? Be happy that he decided to shoot and it went in.

 

I didn’t say I wasn’t happy. But any professional keep should be saving that. I wouldn’t really call it a proper chance.

 

People saying we didn’t create much? Really? When we were on the ball we looked dangerous IMO. Vernham wasted good positions several times though and Angol should have had a hat-trick before he scored the pen.

on the ball i was happy but the problem is we couldnt get the ball off them often enough. Oldham can play a bit.

angol missed another good one. Vernham wasted two good chances - not quite as good as Angol’s. Seem to recall Cooke firing way off too when should have done better. Overall we shaded the xG 1.94 - 0.94 today.

i havent been that bothered by Gillead but he looked a threat today.

 

A side note: Both Leeds and the Terriers lost 1-5 today on the same day. Not sure that's happened before!

 

Angol blazed two good chances over the bar and Vernam did likewise with another one, or possibly two.

 

Two games in we're nicely placed in 7th position and some are quoting we wont score enough, for all the possession today Oldham never had ROD break sweat, if not for a deflection it would have been another clean sheet, what happend to the "I wont judge them until 10 games in" even that is far to early IMO.

 

Are you for real?

 

There was that really good save/block in the first half but apart from that ROD had very little to do.

 

Over the last 3 games Angol has got himself into some great positions to score, yes today he should have scored more but that will come with confidence he's certainly not short of ability.

 

I’ve just watched the highlights and its reminded me of the Cooke chance. We had 3 or 4 chances, but tbh I expect pretty much every side to create 3 or 4 chances a game, but good sides create 7 or 8. There’s nothing wrong with grinding out a result, and I didn’t think Oldham looked threatening up top - but they looked better in possession and I think we’ll need to improve our performance on the ball.

 

Do you mean philosophically or literally? Or you just being unnecessarily arsey as usual?

 

We had far more than 3 or 4 chances in the second half alone.