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

Went to the game yesterday - a few thoughts.

Walker 6 - not at fault for the goals
Halliday 5 - should have put us 1-0 up. Didn’t stop the cross for the 2nd goal.
Touray 6 - toiled and not effective offensively.
J Wright 5 - Mansfield forwards got the better of him. Lack of pace really showed.
Kelly 5 - Don’t think he could be blamed for any of the goals. Probably the best of the back 3 but not by much!
Byrne 5 - seemed to lack positional awareness
Metcalfe 6 - busy but generally ineffective
Power 5 - gave away 3rd goal at a bad time
Kavanagh 3 - completely ineffective. The system or personnel didn’t suit his game at all
T Wright 4 - weak and ineffective. Could not beat his man all afternoon and was basically in the defenders pocket all game.
Humphrys 6 - out most likely source of a goal. Had a few shots and we were the poorer for taking him off.

This would have been a good game for Cook - the forward options we had were all too lightweight for a strong Mansfield back line.

Thought the atmosphere in the away end was subdued.

Overall a disappointing day.

 

That's not true. With 10 men at least we'd be aware that we need to cover the space that Byrne should be filling. With him there is almost as if we have to trust that he'll actually do a job.

 

I know I’m a dinosaur, but when was ‘3 points’ all that mattered??? I want to be entertained, I want my money to be spent enjoying 90 minutes not ‘nicking a win’ or ‘grinding out a result’. Might just as well watch the game on ceefax if it’s just about the result

 

Well the shopping list just expanded. Thought we needed 2/3, Now in my view we need 5/6. We need two centre backs 2 midfielders one defensive and one attacking 2 attacking players for up front of just behind. It is now up to the Management Team to seize the day.

We have some very big games coming up, or if we are still going for top two all are big games. I get players are tired and whereas our best players can maybe hold it together to pick up a point, those players not as good will not be able to stand up hence yesterday. We need more quality and that is a simple fact if we are to progress to the Championship. If that is not our ambition then fair enough, but I am fairly sure we will finish half way or just below.

 

I don’t think he’s got a value only in the respect of a signing on fee. That’s the reality Park. I hope I am wrong but trying to be pragmatic.

 

Are any of them?

this ‘bobby doesn’t perform away’ is just another myth IMO, up there with ‘Rhys Evans can’t dive both ways’, Neill Byrne is a League 2 player and, the latest classic on FB from the other day…… ‘Sam Walker closes his eyes when collecting crosses and is frightened of challenges’!

our whole team is gash away, not just Bobby, unfortunately.

 

You're probably watching the wrong level of football then. There's not a chance of consistently good games in the lower leagues.

 

The former one isn’t a myth is it , I’m far from the first to mention it . . I wasn’t singling him out other than to respond to your observation . Now also becoming an absentee worry , probably why this loanee has been brought in ? Clearly not his fault due to the PV thuggery but I do wonder if this may be a longer absence than a simple cut on the foot ? Remember the foot and shoulder issues were also quite lengthy too?

 

Let’s hope not otherwise its gonna be a long second half of the season!

he’s an obvious target for thugs, sadly.

 

Absolutely .

 

Good shout that Kev, hadn't thought about it that way.

 

Absolutely, Neufville’s best games have all been at home, pretty much all the teams have. We sit deeper and it’s harder to get the attacking players involved. You can guarantee most MOMs away from home have been the keeper, a defender or holding midfielder and I don’t blame the others it’s how the games approached. Cardiff away was probably our best away performance in many a year, but very much a one off.

 

Add Stockport second half but yes you are probably right. Somehow I seem to think the rest of the leading contenders are the same which explains why nobody is breaking away ?

 

The Neil Byrne one is certainly a myth.

He's definitely not up to league two standard.

 

We've played some of the best attacking football I've seen a Bradford team play under Alexander. It just isn't realistic to expect a League One team to play attractive football every single game.

When necessary, I'd much prefer is to play less attractive football and grind out a win than try and play slick and lose. Fans weren't too happy with Hughes-ball.

In some games it's just not pragmatic to play nice football. Take the Vale game. It's tricky to play nice passing football when the opposition team sit back in a low block, leave a foot/elbow in every challenge, and then ref gives nothing.

Go and support Man City if you want something else.

 

At the start of the season we were good at getting at teams early and scoring early. Getting them on the back foot.

wycombe, luton, Huddersfield games etc - scored first. The tempo was so much higher and we forced teams to make mistakes.

we really do need Neufville to step back up as his form lull has been ongoing for months now - even more the case as Bobby is injured.

Sarcevic coning back in for Blackpool will give us a lift but its still GA and his defensive loyalties that worry me for the foreseeable.

 

Neufville was effective when teams had a go at us, leaving space in behind. There's less of that now, as teams did their homework and nullified his threat. Aside from pace, I'm not 100% convinced he's that good. Plenty of potential if well coached but he's very raw. Better option than Brad, though.

 

Back on topic, that was a tough watch on Thursday. We were absolutely dreadful.

Kelly and Byrne were backups in L2 ffs, so not sure how they're both making the XI at the top end of L1. Kelly hoofed the ball out of play consistently, Joe Wright got given the runaround *again* and Neill Byrne did what Neill Byrne does.

Touray was okay. Brad woeful.

Power and Metcalfe both sub par.

Tyreik must have squandered possession about 20 times. They guy isn't interested at all. I have no idea what's going on with him but it's a waste of a shirt currently. I will say that he was given no help from GA, as he was played completely out of position, but his time is up for me. I can't accept players not giving 100%, as it's a bare minimum requirement.

Kav - I forgot he was playing until their second went in. He wasn't any good as a 10 in L2, so is even worse now.

Probably in the minority, but thought Humphrys did okay given that his supply line was from Tyreik and Kav, so he had absolutely nothing to feed on.

As soon as I saw the team, I knew we were stuffed. When we're down a few CBs I'd generally be in favour of playing Touray there and reshuffling a bit to ensure that we don't have to pick Byrne. Problem then is who do we pick at LWB, as I've just said that Tyreik isn't up to it? Is Richards still injured? Do we try Neufville there? We need reinforcements, as the drop off from first to second choice is enormous in some positions.