Match Thread #39: Burton Albion vs Bradford City Saturday 21st March 2026 3:00pm

I’m getting really frustrated by the lack of plan B away from home. If plan A doesn’t work, we look absolutely clueless. No one able to play a central role and give us an outlet when we need a focal point, so we just appear clueless. The sooner Jackson is back the better! I’m not a fan of changing formation but until Jackson is back, I cannot understand why we don’t revert to 2 up top away from home. Apart from a decent performance against a poor and knackered Port Vale, we’ve looked shocking away from home. Blackpool was only slightly better cause we managed to score first.

Now to the other end. Seriously, how many more weak goals are we going to give away. Wigan and Burton both avoidable. Another game where we could have at least come away with a point but the goals conceded are just so so so poor.

 

Highlights the abysmal January window. We were in a good position to push for autos going into January, now we are stumbling around hoping those below are just as bad.

 

We are thoroughly representative of the "fine margins" state of football.

Had we dropped into the playoffs and failed to secure promotion last season, we wouldn't be able to conceive of being unhappy with a top 4 spot in League One in late March.

But we are in the top 4 in League One in late March, and we're not massively happy.

I don't think we're leaps and bounds better than we were last season when we achieved an unconvincing promotion - we've upgraded in some key areas (wing backs, Power > Smallwood, Metcalfe > Pattison), and while the "mere upgrade" makes us look average, so is everyone else.

Lincoln City aside, there's not a lot in it in terms of quality. Cardiff and Bolton just have more firepower and a bit more quality overall, but that's probably it.

Are we leaps and bounds better than the sides below us? No, are we chuff, but we are where we are on merit nonetheless. The bottom line is, the sides that are below us don't deserve to be above us... yet.

 

A change of personnel was always coming we could not carry on as we had the first half, take the first 10 minutes or so away and once again we were well below what we should be.

 

I have been saying for a while now that we should become a spoiling defensive team away from home, best chance to eke out 2 or 3 away points. Far too open away.

 

That's football in a nutshell. Usually the difference between most of the sides.bar the odd one or two is consistency. Our USP is our home form, probably more so than any team in the division.

 

ether swan felt something or wheatley has a clause in his contract saying he must play a certain amount of time.
taking swan of for him was a disaster.first half was much better than the second half.
managers sub decisions are for the birds.

 

The argument could be that Cook, Pattison, Halliday etc were not up to it at the top end of L1. But these players we lost were big personalities and probably their influence helped us climb the league.

I feel disconnected with the club a little more now than I did three months ago when it seemed we had that fight and togetherness in the squad. At 2-0 down, I'd have believed we could get a point still or even steal a win (like Bolton did a few weeks ago), but today, as soon as we went 1-0 down, it felt like game over

 

Then try him in a two up top away from home. I’m not for changing formation but without Jackson, our current way of playing just doesn’t work. We have no one to boss and lead a line.

 

Agree that once we go behind away from home, we look clueless and beaten.

 

I said this several games ago. There's something very wrong with GA's approach to away games. Doesn't matter if we play a rotated team eg Wimbledon or our best available eg Reading the results the same.

 

10 away defeats this season well done GA that is some going

 

Not sure Plymouth have done it for us mate, of all the chasing pack Plymouth look like the team who could gate crash it and who'd have thought it Cleverly would still be there ?.

 

Surprisingly we are averaging a point a game for away games.

Feels a lot worse than that though.

https://www.soccerstats.com/homeaway.asp?league=england3

 

Sorry Broncs I hate the dogs

 

As this community is in the back pocket of the club.

We're shite .. the attitude of the players and GA f##king stinks away from home.

What's the point in turning up at Vp if they can't be arsed away. ....

I shouldn't be surprised because his team under Graham Alexander did the same thing last season in league 2.

 

Clough on Tuesday night was a good example of how to setup a team away from home, it’s been GA’s Achilles heel since last season and he has not learned his lesson.

 

We have not scored more than two goals in a game since the 3 - 1 win at Cardiff (not including the Paint Pot Cup v. Everton kids) in September.
No wonder our goal difference is pathetic - not good, eh?

 

I'm no expert but away from home there doesn't seem to be that team cohesion, if that's the right word

Mullin and Wheatley are a waste of space and wage.

Might as well have brought Hilton and J.Wright on and put them up front.

Reckon Tyreik might want out at end of season if those around him don't pull their fingers out...

Power, another one that goes missing away from home....