The Voice - Match preview #34: Reading vs Bradford City Saturday 28th February 2026 3:00pm

And this is what’s gonna happen in the playoffs if we get there. Tinkering unnecessary substitutions it’s gonna be a sad sad day just like today was. We had that won.

 

I feel like I did after Swindon away last season Dave, but I’ll get over it.

 

Strange interview...

Never saw it coming.......(Everybody else did)

Better performance than Cardiff away

Not boxing it off with the rest of the January and February defeats as it was different to those.......what those same January and February defeats which he didn't want to include Mansfield and Huddersfield in either because we were under cooked then because of players absences. Picking and choosing me thinks

 

It’s so bloody disappointing mate and add to that
Turning up late at Wimbledon is a shambles
What’s next ? It can’t get any worse on our travels can it

 

Time will tell.....

 

The problem with results like today is as with us not completing the job and getting all 3 points it puts unnecessary pressure on our players for home games that we now have to win because we don't know where our next away point is coming from, as most accept there are no easy games even against these last 6 home fixtures, it will take a shocking run of results for us not to gain a play off place but we don't make things easy for ourselves.
Plymouth Argyle
Northampton Town
Stevenage
Bolton Wanderers
Leyton Orient
Mansfield Town

 

I hope I am proven wrong, but currently I am glad I have not spent my hard earned cash on Wigan an Barnsley tickets
I hope they make me eat my words

 

That's exactly the thing Dave. By continuing to lose away from home it places greater pressure on us to WIN home games, not just a point but to WIN....a draw means 1 point from 6 rather than 3 points from 6. We can soon drop....

 

Me too....but I have got mine and my 2 lads paid for and Corn Dolly seats!!

 

I can see 3 wins and 2 draws, I reckon Plymouth could turn us over.Don’t know where we are getting points on the road, I would put money on Vale beating us.

 

This is a very infuriating team to get behind, especially away from home. The signs are there for all but one to see today.... really bad one this one.

 

You do have to ask yourself after watching todays game seeing how comfortable we looked against what was a poor Reading side at home, where will our next away point come from.
Port Vale : fighting for their lives to hold onto their League One status, we found them stubborn at Valley Parade and only won it with a Metcalfe special
Wigan Athletic : fighting for their life to hold onto their League One status the Rottweilers of League One.
Burton Albion : fighting for their life to hold onto their League One status and possibly Webster back.
Wycombe Wanderers : fighting for a play off position
Barnsley : Yorkshire derby owt could happen they looked a decent side on todays showing against Leyton Orient
Exeter City : by the time we play them they could be in a relegation battle

 

I dont think people do believe were a level above.

Why should we place GA on some sort of pedestal wrapped in cotton wool? Am I immune from scrutiny at work because I landed a tricky project last year - NO.

As stated he cant dine out on previous achievements forever - it's getting turgid to watch with very little goal action hence trying to defend 1-0 which is always a very dangerous game - he is the guy that choses how to play and how to make best use of his resources that presumably he had a say in recruiting.

That ex premier league manager btw who was retired and is now doing a bang average job in non league. We've had a number of very rubbish managers and GA was well backed in L2 with the club paying fees, Sharp brought along to assist which provided better recruitment.

Where has most of GAs managerial career been spent?

We cant keep going into away games expecting to lose and questions not being asked (note I say questions, not sackings). Today was totally winnable and a disaster losing to a playoff rival, Wimbledon was very winnable too given their terrible home record. Rotherham was pretty dire to watch too.

 

This is why I can't understand the scenario that fellow posters put forward with regards rotating the squad so we can play our strongest 11 at Valley Parade, take the Posh game away and were certainly not winning games convincedly at home, a home draw or forbid a loss and the situation can change very quickly as you say.

 

Makes changes when not needed and does nothing when it needs a change do not get him.............tood by the man but its wearing very very thin now

 

Today is partially on Alexanders changes, but to be fair it was his usual course of action and a lot of the frustration is because today it didn't work.
On the wider context I would again like to question Sparks, Sharpe, Gent and Alexander on our team strengthening in Jan - do they still insist they improved the team. I called it average at best at the time and I've seen absolutely nothing to change this view to date

 

And you know what Bronco I'm a big believer in getting that second goal home or away.I firmly believe that's been our undoing oh so many occasions not blaming silly kit colours or substitutions for our defeats.
Untill we learn how to kill off weak opposition and take our opportunities things will rollercoaster on.
Only those chosen to play in claret and amber can put things right on matchday by putting the ball in the net more than once in my opinion.

 

Good shout.

White from Newcastle not been in the squad for ages,
Ashby from Newcastle in the squad but not been played,
Sibley from Oxford, played maybe twice and looked dire last week,
Mullin from Wrexham, a couple of substitute appearances I think,
Wheatley from Man U, several appearances but minimal impact.
Jackson decent start but now injured.

 

But the same problem remains. We only ever play down the flanks, never down the middle and when a cross comes in we've little chance of scoring. Our January recruitment hasn't changed this one iota. We had no one to play as a lone striker and we signed three more of which only one, Jackson, has shown only the slightest improvement. Whatever else we are we are very boring and frustrating to watch.