The Voice - Match preview #28: AFC Wimbledon vs Bradford City Saturday 1st February 2025 3:00pm

Shoatsy - if he “rested” Pointon today, it’s a big mistake irrespective of how he plays, blinder or otherwise on Tuesday. Now, if Pointon didn’t play today because of a knock, no complaints. But I think points now are more important than Tuesday ( and that bloody competition).

 

We switched off against Walsall with that Pen and that free header against Morecambe which produced a fantastic save from Walker.

 

City Vent said earlier today Pointon was rested, nothing more. GA wanted another CB on the bench rather than another forward. Which in hindsight worked out best for us with Kelly going off. As Leigh, Lapslie, Khela and Mellon can't play Tuesday, he's rested Pointon.

 

Annoying to give such a sloppy goal away, but more annoying to have predicted this score!!

However this was better away performance than a lot of the others. Which admittedly isn't saying much, but if you give a goal to this team early - you're playing into their hands as this is the best defence in the division.

I expected a 1-0 defeat as I saw this as out toughest away match remaining, Donny, Vale and Chesterfield will play a more open style that suits us. But it's these games against 'kick anything that moves' teams, which we need to get right, i.e. Newport and Bromley are big tests, as this season we don't beat teams away from home who play an attritional game.

No complaints with the team that stated - although it might have been best to have started with Mellon as Kav was always going to get bullied out of this, with their physical defence.

 

None of us know what goes on behind closed doors. Maybe he needed extra recovery time to prevent injury, maybe he's been unwell, maybe he has a knock, maybe it's a disciplinary thing. Managers have to manage.

 

They didn't create much either did Walker have a meaningful save to make? Basically a lack of concentration cost us.

 

He bullied Cook at our place and stood out . Not sure about the tight shorts like , but yes really would be an up grade for us

 

One thing for certain, for the first time since his injury we missed the physical know how of Cook and of course his goals.

Onwards and upwards!!

 

We were told “bid accepted“ by ITK earlier.

Must be that.

 

Who cares about Tuesday ?

 

Disappointing result.

We can't win every game but I just wish we'd had their keeper make more saves. Lacked luck or a cutting edge today.

One point though - the irony of Jake Reeves showing Richie Smallwood how to cross a ball isn't lost on me.

Sack Smallwood off them bl00dy set pieces please.

 

Who cares about Tuesday?

Completely irrelevant guff.

Priority is League One football not an ego soothing trip to Wembley.

 

We’ll never know if playing Pointon or not changes the outcome of that game. What is sure is the game was decided on one poor moment of defensive concentration of which Pointon wouldn’t have made sod all difference.

Pointon is a great prospect, but far too many of our supporters are deluded in thinking we cannot survive without him.

 

Wright lacks confidence, following his injury and at times tries to hard to prove his worth - he needs to relax. Early season he had two assists and was part of the team that got 10 points out of the first 5, which meant he was part of a team, stretching back to last season, that took 29 points out of 12 matches.

I think he needs to give licence to attack more than defend - but hat means whoever is at LCB has to a dual role to cover the left of the defence. Problem is that needs an experienced player in these 'six-pointer' matches. Kelly and Shepherd are great both look to have good futures, but obviously are not experienced.

 

You should not need to rest a 21 year old.

 

Absolutely spot on!!

 

Rubbish Statement

 

The key to that incident was resting Halliday.

Playing Johnson just cost us 3 points.

 

Switching out Pointon and Richards for Leigh and Wright was an evident downgrade in the left hand side. We probably should have taken a point, we had the chances to score. Disappointing that we resorted to a lot of long balls, particularly in the second half.