The Voice - Match preview Newport County vs Bradford City Saturday 11th March 2023 @ 3:00pm

I think this is silly, personally.

The changes we needed to make were largely attack-minded, and virtually every attacking option has been out. Chapman? Not going to make any difference really.

There is absolutely nothing that I can see that suggests we've regressed.

A win against Hartlepool at home (MUST MUST MUST WIN) and our recent record will be 6 wins, 2 draws, 1 defeat.

That's absolutely sensational.

We all want more goals, but our excellent current form is predicated on our defence, which seemed to become the focus after getting thumped by Orient and Northampton.

 

It’s starting to shape up to an exciting end to the season!!!!!!

 

Carlisle had three shots on target - which was the same we had to today. There's no evidence that they did anything much different to us, except doing what we did last week and scored late.

 

Agree in a certain part, but there was quality in Clayton, back 4 and Cook. A

 

Clayton was brilliant? What exactly has he done today and in last few games.

 

Very disappointing. Yes we held on for a point. We looked exhausted and out of ideas. They seemed to exploit our wings and came at us down the sides. We now have to take 6 points to stay in the hunt for autos.

 

We've had 3 shots on goal in last two games.

 

L.ord Lucan needs the boot. Abbots mate need the boot. Walker needs to go up 20 percent more overall and in the past we would have lost that game but we need to get more shots on target

 

Strangely annoyed at that performance. Picking up the points and it's 11/15 from last five games, but seems we've coasted last two with too many tired bodies. This week we've returned 2 from 6, being braver in one of them would have resulted in us being a point better off

 

Why we were more than matching Newport until they got that fluke goal.

 

I love your negative spin on two away draws. Let's ignore the 16 points from the last 24, eh?

Also, confused as to when Chapman became the new 'go to' player. He was terrible when he was dropped.

I see that it's the usual every player not playing is assumed to be better than those playing. But if Hughes maintains the current average of 2 points per match for the rest of the season - i fail to see why there is his constant desperation to change the team, just for the sake of it.

 

Seriously? His ability to break up play and keep possession is game changing. Between him, Stubbs and Platt is the main reason we have and continue to look pretty solid at the back.

Swap Clayton for Smallwood and see where we would be since Clayton joined. That’s also not a knock on Smallwood, he’s just not as effective as Clayton is in that position.

Clayton for me is arguably one of the reasons we will be in with any chance of chasing promotion. Before he and Stubbs came in I only saw this season fading out.

 

Sorry Jon, but Chapman is light years ahead of Costelloe in every department.

 

How did Carlisle get on?

 

I don't think either are much good.

Banks, unfortunately, had a stinker when he came on against Walsall.

Strange to say it, but we need that 36 year old injury prone forward back...

 

He’s only 1 goal ahead of him in the goal scoring department

 

In case you missed it we're trying to chase down both Stevenage and Carlisle along with three or four other teams. Draws to 14th and 18th in the league are two opportunities missed. Especially when our away form is very good and our home form is far from reliable.

Sure, if we'd just played two fellow promotion chasing sides and earned a point then there would be no complaints from me. But we didn't.

 

We have a big Squad but Hughes doesn’t appear to trust some of them. We have travelled lots of miles and played some physically tough teams. A bit of rotation in the last couple of games could and should have been in order.
Unfortunately the manager isn’t going to change his possession based safety based system of playing so the odd mistake like today usually cost us. Just hope the reins are taken off a bit in the coming home games.

 

That may be true but at least he can control a football.

 

So what? We've just played those two away from home.

We've had more shots on target this season than Orient. Which shows the irrelevance of this rather worrying obsession on stats.

It's 19 SoT in the last 5 matches, which is our about our average.

I'll take those stats, for the rest of the season - with our current mean defence.