Bradford City Pre-Match And match Day Thread

[lancsdave]

Originally Posted by Redraine

as our only ploy seemed to bang the ball in the air and hope for second balls after their big defenders had snaffled it, but they dealt with it quite comfortably. It was almost like Tuesday night all over again, but this time with our first team. Ouch.

I got there about 4.15pm and watched about 10 minutes before I asked Sparkie why Bavs was continuously punting the ball down the middle. Strange option against a 9ft 6" centre half

[cashman]

Bradford were better side without doubt, Totos distribution has gone from bad to worse, Why Dino kept passing back to him is beyond me. May as well have passed straight to Bradford. Bavs was just as bad banging it straight down to the monster centre half, Hope Cooky has took note from this. The only positive is we didn't get beat............fortunately.

[johnc]

Shocking football, pumping the ball from the back hoping for knockdowns or flick-ons, have we got Aidy Boothroyd as manager??, not sure how we will attract new fans playing this type of football

And whoever gave joyce man of the match needs a cataract operation asap

[Pendle Red]

Bad first half for Stanley, midfield overrun by a good if physical Bantams side we created not a lot, second half different game once we realised we could actually go through the middle and out wide cracking team goal for Stanley and started to look the part but I think Cooky went more direct and we looked more of a threat, some poor distribution throughout the game but overall in the past against teams like Bradford we have come unstuck with no plan B we got a draw perhaps by going more direct?

[Potter]

Have a listen to Cooky's video on the website. The reason the lads went long ball was because they were struggling to get a foot hold in the game.

And the real piece of quality gave us the goal - so its pretty obvious the team know what to do to get results. But having said that teams are never going to just let us play the game that we want to play. Only the very best teams - Barca and Spain - can really impose themselves on a game in that way.

I think a point against this Bradford team is good. I reckon they'll be competitive in every fixture this season.

The next few fixtures are very important though to see where we'll be when the league settles into more of a representative pattern. I think we are capable of winning at D&R and should beat Aldershot at home. So if we can take a point at Chesterfield we'll soon know where we are at....

I think Cooky talks a lot of sense and it is a minor miracle that a side with as little experience as this one is able to compete with a team full of seasoned football league pros. I mean, whenever you look at the sides who make the playoffs, they always have a large proportion of players who have been there and done it for years - we don't. So its a testament to Paul and Leam that we are competitive and actually doing pretty damn well.

Keep the faith, it'll take time before we can pass all-comers off the park. But with Cooky in charge it might happen.

Potter.

[Redraine]

Good post, Potter. Before the season started I was always of the opinion that avoiding relegation would constitute success, considering the teams who had come into the league. I like Cooky and his honesty and really hope he doesn't allow our good start to peter out.

[Grimps]

Play off for cooky & co

[smobile]

2 points per game ? On target for 92 points.

[smobile]

Hats off to Bradford fans today. Fantastic away support and swelled the Stanley coffers.

[football19]

Would have settled for a point before the game,as Bradford have assembled a very big experienced team with a strong spine down the middle,and pace out wide.They set up 4-3-3,with Hanson,who's 6-4,up front.he caused
Us all kinds of problems in the air and forced us deeper and there centre three got amongst us and stopped us playing.
At times it was like men against boys,then again it was !!!,
We seemed to tweak it at half time,played an higher line and let the centre forward have the header and defend the flick on.
This worked,and we were comfortable,until we switched off for the goal.
Toto challenged for the header instead of just dropping off,and they scored off the flick on,gutted,but we will learn from it.
Our lads were disappointed at the end which is also a good sign,although a point for me was a good result against a very strong team

[smudgie]

Well my two pence worth........

Thought a draw was probably a fair result against the best Bradford side I have seen in a few seasons. Just look at some of their names........... Darby, Hines etc and for me they will be in or around the Top 6 this season.

First half we where pretty poor, though Bradford played some nice stuff, Hines was unlucky to hit the post, not sure if Bavs tipped it, but a great move anyway.

Second half I thought we where much better, Amond scored another which will see his confidence growing again. Boco for me was the best player on the park, made some great runs and touches.

Would personally like to have seen Chippendale instead of Barnett come on the Left, but other than that an enjoyable day out.

Special mention for Bradford fans, travelling in fantastic numbers was great to see the away end so packed.

[football19]

Agree with most of that smudgie,but boco the best player on the field ?,don't know about that,he probably looked the most likely to produce a bit of quality,but he gave possession away far too many times for my liking(Along with a few others),and was out muscled on numerous occasions.
Thought bav did ok ( he was under instructions to go long),with the others on an even par,although molyneux looked off the pace a little( carrying a knock??)

[Whalley Red]

That's four home games this season and we have been outplayed in all of them. I don't see this will bring in the floating supporters.

FWIW I didn't see anything wrong with Cooky's 'go long' strategy. Podge doesn't have anyone to knock the ball onto, so it's not important that he only won one header all game (which got a cheer!). We had better success with the ball out to Rommy until they changed their full-back.

But these are League 2 defenders which means that their clearance headers are not going to be accurate all the time. Some of our best chances came from poor clearance headers from 6'7'' Luke Oliver. The big disappointment for me was that we had a five-man midfield, so should have won a good proportion of these 'second-balls', but we didn't. Will Hatfield looked isolated in the midfield with Rommy and Molyneux playing very wide and Joyce & Miller playing so deep. If we are to adopt a 'go long' stategy again, we need to be much more compact in midfield IMO.

[cashman]

Originally Posted by Whalley Red

That's four home games this season and we have been outplayed in all of them. I don't see this will bring in the floating supporters..

Not sure thats the case, I'm certain if Stanley Maintain a play off/promotion position, Then gates will increase, I accept it will take bit longer,but nevertheless gates will increase.

[andyd]

I hope we keep getting outplayed if we get the results I thought we defended very well today against a powefull much improved Bradford City and if Sheppard had got to the header just before the end we would have won I can only see this group of players getting better .