The Voice - Match preview #27: Bradford City vs Morecambe Tuesday 28th January 2025 7:45pm

I dont think many had a problem with him at the time? But his time as a L2 full back is more than over. He, like Cooke and Angol are only at this level because of Derek. Angol was shipped out from Sutton to NL on loan and did sod all, Cooke and Hendrie didn't make an impact in none league either. These lads shouldnt at all cause a team like ours an issue tonight, but its the old players, old boss returning thing where you'll always have that thing in the back of your mind.

 

I just watched the small highlights of their game at Colchester….

Expect 9 + keeper behind the ball when we are on the front foot and if they concede they revert to 442 as best as I can tell.

Pretty it won’t be.

 

I think we will win, but worried it might cost us with injuries

 

That is my worry. “You might have better footballers than us but we will make sure you are nowhere near promotion “ Are lads are going to be on their toes. I just hope GA has a few tips for our team. I think we will give Deadly a good hiding but who knows. We need a strong ref but that isn’t going to happen either. Just remember we have thrown a number of bogey teams to the wolves this season.

 

They will be tough to break down Songo’o is a very solid defender and has blocked Cook out every time he has played against us. It will be interesting how he deals with a different threat

 

Some big decisions for GA tonight. A good argument to say you don't change a winning side. Equally, any successful route to promotion will rely on the wider squad, and rotation at the right times is key to avoiding injuries. Much will depend on the recovery of certain players from Saturday, but to enable us to keep playing with intensity and to send a positive message of trust to the squad, I'd be inclined to make a couple of changes this evening, and then go back to the current 11 for Saturdays game.

 

This is the big match now. Need a good performance.

Obviously, we can't control the outcome but we need to have the right approach and start on the front foot. If we spend the first half faffing around and half-asleep then it would be very disappointing after Saturday's win.

 

He’s a city fan isn’t he?

 

I'm sure many will disagree with me, but to start with tonight, I'd rotate out anyone who's not 100% fit (niggling injuries, fatigue, etc.). If we're bossing the game and ahead, leave those key players on the bench and give them a rest before Saturday. If we're chasing the game with half an hour to go, bring on the "big guns" to give ourselves every chance of turning it around. I just wouldn't risk anyone as important as Richards, Pointon, Pattison, etc. in the longer term unless we really need them.

 

I think he was

 

I sort of agree, but I'm just not sure we have enough if we rest 3 key players. For me at the moment Pointon and Richards come as a couple - their interplay really is that good.

 

TBH I would keep the same team as it has gelled really well and will give them something to worry about.

 

GA has said there are a few players with tightness and knocks after Saturday. If any of those players are Pattison, Sarcevic, Pointon or Richards I hope very much they are not starting tonight. The last thing we need right now is to risk aggrevating something that could lead to us losing them for longer.

 

Good interview - he's definitely growing into the club

 

Simply because nobody seems to be beating them easily.

It's one thing to lose a lot, it's another to lose easily or by a wide margin.

1-0 will do.

 

Tonight will arguably tell us more than beating the league leaders 3-0 on Saturday.

In recent years, and perhaps even going further back, the general consensus is that we pull off wins and our better performances against the teams who are higher and play proper football.

It's an all too familiar story of struggling against and losing to teams at the bottom. If this really is the season then tonight will provide the answers. If we win, we could potentially be in the automatic promotion positions having blown away those cobwebs of struggling against the poorer sides. If we fail to win, we could be going into February in 8th position, with momentum halted and questions arise whether these recent matches were just one of those extreme 'runs' that we seem to have under GA.

 

Your theory is out of the window this season so far.

4 of our 6 defeats have come against teams above us in the top 6.

We have only lost to Harrogate against teams in the bottom 8

 

No game in January is ever “must win” in its literal sense.

I think tonight is “must win” to show the fans,and more importantly the other 22 teams in this division that we are a serious top 3 contender.
Saturday showed what we are capable of(and we can get better)
The teams who get top 3 do this on a regular basis.
Most don’t slip up at home to the bottom of the league.
They are bottom for a reason just are we are unbeaten in 6 for a reason.

Time to show us that we are a genuine top 3 contender.