The Voice - Match preview #1: Bradford City vs Peterborough United Saturday 15th August 2026 3:00pm

Professional display, if we can add box to box CM, RWB cover and pacy ST. We should be challenging for promotion.

 

He lost his rag from the minute their player didn’t get a card for a foul on him.

Petulant and offered nothing
Very luck he stayed on the field.

 

Great opening day performance! We look really well organized, better balanced and have more depth than last year by a long way.

Like others have said, Jackson has a lot to prove, I think Phillips was far better than him.

Beesley looks like a rolls royce number 9, a handful for defenders, and always makes the right decision with the ball and will definitely score plenty.

 

Solid start to the season, although I think Peterborough will be one of the weaker teams we face this season.

Slight concern that with the wing-backs pushed up, Peterborough did get behind us a few times.

Bobby Pointon added some much needed guile up front.

Jackson was very lucky.

 

I thought the booking was a bit harsh. Yes, it was a shirt pull, but they were happening quite a bit beforehand without punishment. It’s not as though he stopped a dangerous breakaway - we had the whole defence and central midfield goal side of where the foul occurred.
But, having got the booking, he was very lucky indeed not to get a second one and walk.

 

A decent performance to kick off the season

solid performance from McCracken. Made some decent saves. Distribution was relatively good

Pennington was the pick of the CBs for performances

Steady performance from Baldwin

Gillesphy did okay on the ball but was getting caught out of position a few times in the first half and struggled with the two boro attackers who were targeting him

quiet game from Nuefville

Touray isn't a wing back, but otherwise did okay

as an Anchor, Connolly did well. I don’t think Sarc is the right partner for him though

speaking of, seems off the pace already. Made some decent challenges but wasn't controlling the game enough

Swan put in a shift but is not a wide attacker. Seems a bit lost when he has to take on his man

Jackson was poor throughout

Solid performance from Beesley. Looking like a very astute signing

Phillips looks to have a bit of quality about him. Felt like Pointon has gone up a year from last season. A good performance but our need for further wing back & central midfield options has been highlighted

 

Professional display against a woeful side, won't play a worse side all season. Beesley best player on the park, a proper number 9.Thought Connolly put in a good display, some decent set piece balls and great strike that hit the woodwork. Badly missed Tyriek, would have had a field day today. Jackson and Swan didn't really work, looked daft better with Pointon and Philips on.
A good solid start to the season.

 

One thing I noticed was the pitch seemed narrower. Suspect that removes the available space behind our wing backs.

Now, were Peterborough absolute gash or were we actually that good?

Really solid performance today with lots of good link up play. Plenty of attacking options. We certainly mixed up our as well. Corners look effective as well.

Beesley OMG . Really impressed with his game today. Battled and caused them so many problems. Just what we needed.

McCraken was described by GA as a modern day goalie. Great kicking and seemed to command his box well.

How strong was that bench as well.

Powell will be our (not so secret) weapon.

Hard to recall a first game of the season where we already look like a team that has gelled.

More signings to come as well.

Exciting times ahead.

Thursday could be a real marker for us to see how far we are off being a decent team.

 

Swan did alright to be fair but Pointon was a step up.

 

As comfortable win as we will witness all season you would imagine.

All the new players impressed. Toss up berween Connolly and Beesley for my man of the match. It would have been nice to see Beesley cap off a good centre forward display with a goal, Im sure that will come.

What a bench today. That said once Phillips is fully fit, he surely starts, and I said yesterday Pointon should be starting ahead of Swan in that position, he was class in that 2nd half.

My only concern today was Sarce in that role. Im afraid that we will be overrun in midfield by better teams than Posh. Sarce was okay today, just dont see it long term and we need a more energetic box to box midfielder to compliment Connolly.

Overall though, very happy with the start, much sterner tests to follow.

 

Totally agree re Sarc in that position but that does beg the question as to exactly where he fits into the starting 11 when everyone's fit, as it feels that Phillips plays in the usual Sarc position.
Nice problems to have, but the next 2 weeks in terms of who we bring in will likely shape how we do this season imo.

 

Signs of good players is if they slot in seamlessly into their positions in a new team. Beasley and Connolly did that in my view.

 

Good performances all over the pitch (for the first league game). I thought McCrackens energy, distribution and kicking was a step up too.

 

Beasley is a perfect match for us and you can see why we've wanted him for at least 12 months, his workrate is exactly what we need and if he gets 10-15 goals along with all of the other work he does we should have a good season. I don't think he's going to win many free kicks and he likes to have a bit of a wrestle with the defender but as long as the referee is fine with both doing it i think that suits us as it gets the ball up the pitch and we can win the 2nds like we did today.

 

He made that save, knocking the ball onto the crossbar, and then he was immediately releasing the ball to create an attack. Very impressive today.

 

Great to have football back and a good performance to start the season. Nobody particularly 'stand out' but just solid all round. Like McCracken, decent saves and good distribution. Gillesphey worries me a little as got caught ball watching a couple of times in first half which led to chances but it is early days. Pleased with Connolly in front of back 3, he will be under rated/valued at times but breaks up lots and keeps it simple. Beesley does a lot of hard yards and will give defenders a hard time. Thought Bobby looked physically stronger than previously. Phillips will be a real player and expect him to be first choice when fully up to speed. Jackson has a role but lucky to stay on pitch today. Think there will be a balance between Tyriek Wright and Touray as Tyriek has more go forward at home. Would love to think Powell can stay fit and be the threat in the last 20 minutes as he definitely has the ability.

I think main worry is in CM. Connolly effective infront of back 3 and Sarcevic effective further forward but think the gap between them could be exploited by better teams. As it stands, a great start today and loved being back at 'Our house'. Happy Saturday to all!

 

Connolly was excellent just wins and intercepts the ball and recycles. And his set pieces are good. Hope wright’s injury is not to bad we missed his pace and skill going forward

 

I thought today was steady away
Everyone did their job and no one really stood out, but we looked a well organised and workmanlike team in the mould of Alexander
Hopefully Tyriek’s injury isn’t too bad ,as we missed his pace going forward and if long term it could impact on what we might bring in before the window closes, as central mid is a necessity for me
Thursday will be tough and a good bench mark

 

Haha yes. No rest for our CBs and wing backs....he doesn't mess about getting things moving as soon as he has the ball. Total opposite to big Sam