The Voice - Match preview #24: Blackpool vs Bradford City Sunday 4th January 2026 3:00pm

That's a footbath you pudding!

 

Good win, great to be back on track.

Still have faults with the selection but hopefully a few signings and a few players back and we will hopefully be good to rock and roll up to may.

Rode our luck at times though, when we should have been out of sight.

I won't lie, I'd be fuming if we had a goal ruled out for what their's was.

 

You think T Wright is a decent player too !

 

Just seen the highlights.

Two superb finishes for our goals. Agree that Sam Walker could have made it trickier for their goal.

 

He was a massive part of our success last season which seems to have been forgotten. I've not said we should play differently to suit him.

 

I was actually worried about today had we put in another poor performance with another loss it could have started turning on the team for next Saturday .............but we roll into another Yorkshire derby with another bumper crowd and the reward could be going back 2nd ............jeeezz being a City fan is tough at the moment

 

Thought we were excellent today. Unconvincing in the first 20mins but once Baldwins superb strike went in, we started to look like the team which started the season. Equaliser was disappointing but the reaction was superb and thought we thoroughly deserved the win albeit a couple of shaky moments.

Tilt was absolutely brilliant. The more he plays, the more comfortable I feel with our back 3. Thought Swan had one of his best games for us and lead the line really well - a great leap to assist the first and equally good for his own finish for the second.

Metcalfe was class. He’s getting better and better the more game time he gets. Thought Baldwin, Tourey, Tyriek Wright were all good and Neufville looked more like the player we saw at the start of the season.

My only gripe, and don’t want to make a scapegoat, but felt Kavanagh looked either tired/unfit or out of his depth. Too many moneys broke down when he was in possession in the second half and once he went off, you could see we immediately looked sharper up top.

Interested to see if there are more incomings the beginning of next week. There looked some tired legs out there and few battle scars that might need a rest.

All in all, a great result and performance today in reaction to the Mansfield set back. Well done to GA, his team and squad.

 

Hopefully we can find an AM that can work to cover back for Sarcevic with the ability to run past, and not into players. Standard decision making a bonus.

 

“ Massive” yes he scored goals in L2 , not one outside the six yard box from memory though ? If anyone thinks he’s got the skill set to play week in week out in L1 then sorry they are misguided. It’s not only me that’s saying it after two excruciating performances on the spin. Honestly he’s not even sub quality after being given a chance twice on the spin.

 

Great bounce back win and good away performance.

9/12 points over this period is an excellent return.

Table looks good as well.

 

You said he should lead the line , we don’t play like that any more . Heading hasn’t his forte , passing isn’t his forte , ball control and holding up play isn’t his forte , so in which way should he lead the line? I’m sorry you have really lost me in trying to shoehorn him into the side .

 

This is absolutely true. But our opinions do not matter to how the squad is utilised. The manager is deservedly paid a couple of hundred thousand quid a year to make these decisions. I find it laughable that some old lags on here think they know better. Which is not to say we shouldn't share our ridiculous opinions. This is a forum for sharing what we think. I would just like to read a bit more humility in what I read. It's ok to be wrong. Get some therapy, chaps. And, yes, it's mostly chaps. Actually, apologies if it seems like I'm criticising therapy. It really can help.

 

Goals count the same whether they are in the 6 yard box or the half way line. Do we discount the goals Swan or Cook has scored in the 6 yard box?

I said he's at his best when he's leading the line and the press. I've not said we should shoehorn him into the side, in fact I've said the opposite that as long as we have the numbers in the squad to cover I would loan him out to a league 2 side then reevaluate it in the summer.

 

Swan deserves to keep the shirt for Rotherham.

I thought we looked a lot more composed with him the leading the line. He doesn't have as much flair (unnecessary step overs) as Humprys, but he's more reliable and a better finisher.

When he's played the ball back to goal, you can rely on him to hold it up and find the right ball to bring in other players. Players like Neufville become much more effective when we have someone with good hold-up play.

 

Watched it on a surprise dodgy firestick at the pub

Sibbers looked good. Some nice deft touches.

Much better from everyone involved. Swann fair play.

 

I don’t think we have the third best set of players in division one. We are where we are yes with ability but through teamwork team spirit and hard work off and on the ball. Wright plays where he is asked and yes in my opinion before the last two games he has been one of our better players. I prefer him as an impact player when Pointon fades but whilst he plays he lets no one down

 

He’s not good enough no matter where he plays in L1 Let’s be pragmatic , what skills has he got sufficient to get a run in the side. Many keep saying it , but L2 at best , so he’s taking a squad place for zero reason full in the knowledge he won’t get picked unless we are desperate . A loan then release in June is his future , apologies .

 

Tyreik Wright is a decent player. He proves it to the people that matter. You do not matter in this regard. Whatever it does for your ego to constantly criticise a person who is regularly selected to do a job by people who are not just paid for their decisions, but whose livelihoods depend on the results their choices, is quite frankly, pathetic. Sure this is a forum of opinions. None of us are 'in the game', but I would expect even a modicum of humility, a tiny acknowledgment of context when sharing a review of not just a player's performance, but a management team's decisions, and even the lifestyle choices of that player. It's seems too easy to be so disrespectful on an online forum that I I despair. And before you say it's no different in a pub, it is better. In a pub you have to look people in the eye while you spout your crap and then you deal with the immediate putting in place once people realise you're talking out of your rear end. At least, I hope this is still true. I've been away for some time. Anyway, onwards and further upwards. In GA we trust.

 

The mini table for the festive fixtures, only Mansfield were 100% although they only played 3 games. Got to give Lincoln a lot of credit as they've had a tough schedule with Stockport and Barnsley away followed by home games against Huddersfield and Peterborough, looking like it will be a really tough game at theirs in a few weeks.

 

Alexander clearly sees value in Wright or he wouldn't keep playing him. I trust Alexander's opinion over some of the posters on here. Some of the forum usual suspects are just upset we're not losing much so they can't come on here and moan. They need to pick on players as an outlet.

I think a lot of people under-estimate the value of a player who can play in multiple positions. Wright is just as comfortable in RWB and the right of the front three. He's very useful for filling in when injuries occur. He's becoming this season's Gilliead.

Gilliead got the same amount of stick from people on this forum. And then left us and went onto play 40+ games in the division above. Shows what some posters know.