The Voice - Match preview Stockport County vs Bradford City Tuesday 15th August 2023 7:45pm

I don’t have a huge issue with them. Kelly was poor last night but I thought he was solid at the weekend vs Colchester. Being realistic, there isn’t a huge pool of L2 CBs available that are quick/mobile, good on the ball and also big enough to handle the physical/aerial tactics adopted by L2 teams.

So I’ve made my peace with the CB situation and I think it’s about the other players/tactics protecting them more. Adding McDonald in CM alongside Smallwood would be a big help on that front. Having a fit and pacey LWB would also help to provide cover for the CBs.

 

The only reason Oliver has done nothing is lack of game time.

He's not a bad player and if he started 40 games he'd net us 15.

We just didn't need him last season as we had someone scoring 30.

 

What a miserable life you lead.

 

Well City fans need to start acting like winners. The failure of the club is getting to some.

 

That may be true but did he have better supply of crosses into the box?

 

I'd like to see Odusina given a chance in a back three, the three that played at Stockport have little or no pace, I know I've said in the past experience and positioning can counter pace but not if it's a straight lump down the channel we've seen both Stubbs and Platt struggle.

 

Slightly worrying that Timi's reputation seems to be rising without playing for the best part of a year - for me it smacks of failings to address the issues we have when a player who didn't impress becomes a potential saviour not by anything hes actually done

 

Not sure how you've come to that conclusion from my post, but if that's how you read it crack on.

 

Timi was signed on the basis of a good season playing in a back 3. He was very poor when he played for us last season in a 4 but the hope I guess is that thecurrent formation will suit. MH sees him day in day out though and if he doesnt have any trust in him he needs to get rid. Either way, we desperately need pace in there.

 

You do have to question why certain players were brought in along with 3 year. deals, Young, Oliver, Odusina.

 

Whilst I think we do need a pacey defender I am not writing off Kelly on one poor match. I think he has been unfairly picked out. The system puts real pressure on them down the channels we need to press higher and cut of the service

 

Despite Bronco being a bit prickly in his response that's exactly what I mean Morley, we've switched to a system which should suit Timi but he obviously still hasn't impressed Hughes enough to break into the team and my concern is, if he does in the next few games, is it more down to the failings of others rather than his own suitability and efforts on the training pitch every day?

 

So my point still stands - why didn’t they just give us the capacity to sell out and cash in on the demand. Obviously don’t need the brass

 

Cant believe that Odusina is becoming Franco Baresi. Why do we always do this. He put in a couple of the worst centre back performances I've ever seen this time last year.

 

I've looked at the games he played in last season, and I've definitely seen him play, but I can't for the life of me remember anything about any of his performances.

I just keep reading generic things like "he's got pace" and is a "left footed centre back", neither of which make him first team ready, it just makes him left footed and fast.

There's more to being a footballer than that.

My only comments on the lad were that I expect him to go out on loan or leave the club, but that's more based on how Hughes seems to rate him rather than my own impression of him. He's a great big question mark in my head, but I'm definitely expecting "loan to Hartlepool" to happen, although I know they switched managers so maybe he won't go there after all.

 

From memory he had a torrid time in one of our home games and seemed to be completely incapable of winning a header. Kept mistiming his jump so much so that I’m sure that he jumped for one or two long balls and they went straight over his head for the opposition to run on to.

I do also recall him being pretty quick and making a couple of good recovery tackles (granted that was probably due to him missing a header).

Agree he will probably end up on loan, doesn’t make much sense for him to stay here any longer.

 

That was my recollection. He couldn't actually head the ball. It wasn't like he was just a bit wayward, he literally couldn't time his jump or position himself. It was remarkable.

 

It was a stonewall pen haha! The ref laughing is irrelevant considering I could probably do the job of a league 2 ref.

 

I don't think anyone is suggesting he's Baresi but when we've seen the performances of Taylor and Kelly on Tuesday people are probably suggesting he may be an improvement.

Whichever way Hughes goes though I do think we probably need some more pace in the back 3 somewhere. They obviously don't have to be lighting but some mobility would help them no end.

 

Given that comment, I wouldn't let you anywhere near a whistle!