The Voice - Match preview Mansfield Town vs Bradford City Saturday 2nd September 2023 3:00pm

This comment and the Wrexham fans on here the other day are exactly why I don’t pay attention to other clubs fans when they comment on us, we only get to see each other a couple of times throughout a season. With how inconsistent lower league clubs are there is no way to make an educated opinion on another team. The table doesn’t lie, that tells you over a season how good a team has been not a one off game against them.

 

Funny how we remember the bad times under the Doc but to to his credit he brought both Phil Babb and Sean McCarthy to the club both getting Bradford City good transfer fee's at the time, yes some poor players, unfortunately another misfit for Bradford City but he did very well at Millwall previously I believe ?.

 

I tried to find either a video or audio post match interview with Cloughy but couldn't find either, thanks guys looks like he agrees we gave them a game which is praise indeed from Nigel.

 

If anything that derides their apparent great start to the season. I mean, if we are the best you've played how bad were the rest of the teams you've played so far?

 

Honestly, in a rush to condemn the current City side, I think a lot of people totally miss the point re: how good we actually are.

It always makes me laugh how people justify their unwarranted attacks, too, claiming they'd rather have entertaining football.

We had that under McCall, only when we drew 2-2 or 3-3, the cry was "I wish we were tighter at the back", as ultimately seeing us attack and score more wasn't more satisfactory in the slightest.

How quickly we forget how irritating it is to not be able to hold on to a two-goal lead...

 

It's obviously a police sting! Once it's open that'll get all the drug dealers together in one place.

 

Babb came to us as an attacking midfielder.
We converted him to a centre back before he went to Coventry City and later Liverpool and ROI.

 

It's on Mansfield Town You Tube. I tried to post a link but it didn't work.

 

Great point. Some of those criticising our supposedly negative play and 'not attempting to win the game' (which we actually did attempt at Mansfield) were the first to criticise McCall's defensive naivety. Also, look what happened last season at Crewe, when we went all gung ho and blew our auto promotion opportunity.

My issue is less with the tactics than the recruitment. I simply don't see why we keep signing all these untried wannabees (Nevers, Costelloe, Bola etc) or over the hill journeymen. OK, we get the occasional decent one like Banks or Wright, but the majority turn out to be crap and either become unused subs or don't even make the bench. We are the biggest club in L2 by far; how come we can't sign sufficient established decent L2 pros who can be largely guaranteed to do an effective job? Eg, we know that Oliver is out for months; it's ridiculous to start the season without another proven striker as competition/support for Cook or to provide effective cover if he's injured. Surely no one expected Cook to repeat last season's miracle form and how did we expect to score goals if/when he's not available? We can have as much attractive passing play through the thirds as we like, but if there's no one up top to reliably put the ball in the net then we're stuffed.

 

It’s league 2 tbf, we’re all a bit crap. I’ve made the mistake before of watching a PL game before a City game and it doesn’t reflect well on either team. I can’t remember the last time I was impressed at a team at VP, but they certainly weren’t league 2. I think probably when Preston’s second team spanked us in the cup.

 

Blackburn last year in the cup, was a pleasure to watch footballers who could actually claim to be professional.

 

I am beginning to think there is no manager that can fit off the shelf anyway. Bespoke manager anyone?

 

I actually didn't mind them days little expectation the football under Stapleton was good and at least under him you never knew what you was getting

 

Or hobble in Torpey’s case?

 

That’s the point , he doesn’t!

 

Has anyone actually said that?

 

Naughty boys.

 

I thought he came as a left back?

 

It's always a gamble appointing a new manager, having said that you can only continue with the present encumbent if they continue getting results, once you know you aren't going to finish in the promotion mix then mybe its time to part company.