The Voice - Match preview #32: AFC Wimbledon vs Bradford City Saturday 21st February 2026 3:00pm

We can all spit facts to get our point across. Yes our away form is mid table in relation to the rest of the league. Average I would say and made to look worse with the fact we got done by Luton, Town and Lincoln all within a few weeks.
Our home form is incredible though. The best in Europe Infact.
We are averaging 1.72 points a game. That gives us 79 points after 46 games. Why all the doom and gloom?

 

Under the same manager last season our 34 year old captain played 53 games
Yet we are supposed to believe the likes of Pointon 22 Baldwin 28 etc need "resting" to be ready for home games rather than unnecessary tinkering ok

 

I don't recall him ever saying that and if he did say it a while ago he's changed his mind on it. On Tuesday his reason for Jackson being on the bench was that he wasn't able to do 90 minutes but he could do 30-45 minutes.

 

I think you gone part way to answering your own question. Sibly hasn't played much competitive football for 10 months he's not up to speed, you say Bobby needed a break yet Alexander left him on for the full 90+ minutes against Stockport, I like Mullin and Jackson and do believe they will help to get us a play off place but you don't completely change your front three hoping it works.
I've made my opinion of Kelly clear on here he is a League Two defender at best but more concerning is being a League Two defender does it instil confidence in your fellow defenders, yes I went Tuesday night but not sure of the relevance of the question, if I hadn't been there I would have watched it on TV., Sarcevic looks like he's blowing out of his arse most games but he's an integral part of a successful Bradford City team.

 

But that's not the point fans are making, what many are saying including myself is if they were fit enough to travel and sit on the bench to come on as needed why not start them hoping we perform better maybe taking the lead and then bringing them off ?.
I didn't see the point of taking Sarcevic down and keeping him on the bench when he's such an integral part of our team and maybe could have made an impression then not bringing him on with 20 or so minutes to go ?.

 

I'm not 'spitting' facts to get my point across, I'm pointing out our away performance over the longer term. You were talking about AWAY form.....

"We won/drawn more away games than we’ve lost this season."

Not doom and gloom as all other posters have pointed out, we would have accepted being anywhere above that relegation line BUT when you are repeating the same mistakes, constantly, away from home then there needs to be some questions asked...

If our 'home' form dipped from being the best in Europe (which it is more than likely to do at some point) then where would that leave us?

 

Talk about spitting fact out .

 

Sarcevic is coming back from injury! He played his first 90 minutes on Tuesday for the first time since the 17th Jan! He clearly wasn’t going to play Tuesday, Saturday, Tuesday!
And yes Bobby was knackered against Stockport! He should have come off. Sibley got 45 minutes today and he certainly wasn’t to blame for us being 2 nil down at HT.
The XI that started today were more than good enough to beat Wimbledon. The fact that so many players were off their game is the reason we lost.
Not because Kelly played.

 

Bollocks
I want a refund!
Not long got back
Team turn up late and then this shitshow
How he thought those donkeys would win that game is beyond me

 

Would it be fair to suggest that our home form is the net result of our current approach to away games?

 

Or maybe Alexander wanted to see how Wheatley performed from a starting place ?.

 

I recall Graham stating during the recent fans forum that Humphys will play as a striker and that's that. Yet today he brings him on and played him on the left according to Jamie on the radio.

I wonder if Graham is feeling a bit of pressure because he usually sounds confident and sticks to his plan but the formation change, “resting” players by making five changes and then playing Humphry on the left just seems erratic and unlike the Graham I've heard in interviews previously.

I'm hoping today is a ‘kick up the bum’ that we need to now go on and secure the playoffs

 

Clearly NOT!!

You pointed out that Sibley hadn't started in 10 months and it clearly showed. Agree, he wasn't to BLAME but the fact that he couldn't control a ball, his passes were underhit all the time and never tried to be attacking was clearly evident. Add that to the addition of Kelly who clearly isn't a League 1 defender and who can't instil confidence in his team mates...

GA said the other week about players not being in 'sync' with their team mates and not being in the right places to cover and press...with so many changes again it's no surprise.

 

Wright not even in squad to accommodate some of these gimps

 

Obviously Alexander thought the same but unfortunately he got a rude awakening when we went in 2 - 0 down by half time, where have I suggested Siblley or Kelly were solely responsible for our first half performance, your clutching at straws there, I'd be very surprised if Sibley is still here come next season no matter what League were in.
Yes I thought Bobby was not influencing games (especially away) that we know he can and that may have been down to his injury and his head playing games, it does happen to footballers they are physically fit enough to play but don't have the belief in themselves, I believe that was the case with Jake Reeves.
I'll repeat I believe Alexander has us punching well above our weight and deserves full credit BUT as fans we are allowed to question some of his team selections its happened in the past where his starting 11 have been questionable and we've lost points.

 

I think you're picking up on my earlier post where I bizarrely 'suggested' that GA may be 'forfeiting' away games for the home games....a very risky strategy if that is the case.

And no I don't think it is at all....

 

I think GA is doing just that. I think he's ring fencing our home performances by coasting through away fixtures and conserving what we have for home gsmes. Is it necessary? We'll never know but I think that's the rationale.

 

I'm not sure what point you're trying to make here or what relevance it has to my argument that Alexander's changes are largely unnecessary. Cardiff and Lincoln have better squads than us and rotate less, yet they sit top two. If it's good enough for them, why are we trying to be clever benching our best players in favour of inferior players.

 

Alexander must have a higher opinion of Kelly than either Wright or McIntyre as both couldn't command a regular start sending McIntyre back to Pompey.

 

Sibley hasn't shown anything since he's been here. As you say, his first start in 10 months and we expect him to be able to compete even though he hasn't even had a sub appearance in the last month.

As for Mullin, we'll be the third side he's failed at in League One. Some of his theatrics today were truly embarrassing.