The Voice - Match preview #23: Mansfield Town vs Bradford City Thursday 1st January 2026 15:00

I actually think J Wright was more of a liability than Byrne. He’s had a number of poor performances this season but today was the worst I can recall. He can’t handle any striker with a tiny bit of pace and movement. His distribution was also terrible.

 

Humphreys is not the problem. I'm puzzled how he can be written off today, when it's creativity yet again that we are clearly lacking. How many great chances has he missed over the last few weeks, that justifies this 'failing' at been the lone forward?

He's done enough in the last few matches to show that he can play the mobile forward role. Incidentally, we don't play with a striker in the strict sense of the word.

And he still goes wide whenever he wants - that's the freedom of that role.

 

Not making excuses but all of them including Metcalfe were off it today. We have just played 2 teams that have literally kicked us off the park and wonder if today showed the effects.

 

Is it just me, or are we playing way longer lately? Feels like the long passes are a part of our build up far more than they were in the first 10/15 games.

Going long and playing 343 seems totally counter productive. If you are going to that your wing backs need to be your fastest players on the pitch, and ours just aren't lately. Feels like we are just creating problems for ourselves by stubbornly sticking to this tactic in situations like today.

After the triple sub today, the shape didnt really change he just moved the pieces around. We were already 2 or 3 down, if he wants long balls just play 442?

 

Even accepting todays poor performance he's got most calls right this season, as I posted still 3rd in the league with a game in hand over 2nd, I believe he must have learned things from todays performance almost every player being well below average, starting Wright on the right what was he thinking of or did he do it to accommodate Kav, who most recognise the best we've seen from him in the past is up front chasing down defenders etc, I'll will repeat Alexander seems to be one of the few who sees Humphry;s as a striker, on to Blackpool with Pointon, Sarcevic, Tilt starters.

 

We could play with four extra strikers, but until we start creating more chances it will be pointless.

 

Alexander has boxed himself in with rhe Humphrys chat.

A better approach may have been T. Wright at left wing back, Humphrys wide left, Swan in the middle, Touray at LCB, Kelly in the middle, Byrne right.

Still not ideal but better than how we started.

 

They could play as a front two. but Humphreys as the lone forward is not the problem.

It's the terrible lack of creativity that we lack, because before it all came from Pointon, Sarc and Neufville.

I have long said that 3/4/3 is dangerous for us and we should go for 3/5/3, i.e. them as a front two. But who's dropping out of the team when Sarc and Pointon are fit?

 

Humphrys thinks he's George Best when really, he's Second Best.

 

I'd have played Swan anyway - more streetwise than Kav and often played a fluid role when he was at Mansfield.

I don't think it's big thing, because when we play at our best - the front three interchange all the time, pulling defenders out of their comfort zones, i.e. the Wycombe, Luton, Hudds and Cardiff wins, creating lots.

At one time we were top for creating chances and xG - then the opposition clamped down on our wingbacks.

 

We might have only lost 4 games this season, but 2 of those have come in the last 4 and the two wins were pretty drab affairs
Performances have been tailing off for a while,
We can’t expect sparkling performances every game but the total lack of creativity and poor decision making and weak finishing is a worry
Without further investment in the squad , I can see us falling out of the playoff positions
We would have all accepted a mid table finish, but the start has raised expectations
The club now needs to show how far they are willing to push the boat out, they might not get this good an opportunity again

 

I don't know whether it's tactical or the fact that we haven't a fecking clue what to do with the ball.

 

That's terrible.

 

Play Kelly and Byrne in the same back 3 is inviting problems. They scored from their 1st attack and our defenders were nowhere.

 

One final thing, we are terrible when playing more than a game per week. We got away with it last season - but remember those home wins against Harrogate, Morecambe and Accrington were not great.

Our game relies on a very high amount of energy. When we are slightly below - we play rubbish.

Trick is this window, is to get players help our playing troughs not be as deep.

 

Could be worse....you could have likened him to the Second West!!!!

 

Two loans and two for the future .............he aint gonna start splashing the cash now is he ?????

Just got a feeling that a bang average
window is incoming a fair few out with 3 in .................. Nice if he did have a go but cannot see it

 

The greatest supporters club going

 

Our performance levels generally have dropped over the last handful of weeks. That's been coming, today's result.

 

Wow what were you saying about Byrne before you calmed down