If we feel frustrated by underachievement what more powerful word might be applied to the long-term Bradford City supporter? They have great support, a good stadium, money and they hire managers with a history of past success yet year after year they struggle to make progress. I should think they have run out of people to blame, probably because the fault has spread far and wide over the years.
Right now, they are in a good seam. Graham Alexander has had some “downs", but plenty of “ups" in his long managerial career with a win percentage of only just below 40% and several promotions often with clubs with little money. His current win percentage at Bradford is 71 and confidence is booming.
If they are the cheese, sticking together and able to be at least a bit flexible, we are currently the chalk, porous, flaky, so liable to break under pressure.
We know that there is talent within the ranks, but coordination is often lacking and the spirit to recover is needed more widely throughout the team. And they must surely give Lawlor a run in goal, with Jones manifold shortcomings something that seems to be more widely acknowledged amongst the fans after his encyclopaedia of errors last time out.
The fact that we might hope that Bramall will be prepared to spend more money, but to do so more judiciously on better players might cause some to recognise that they will be under greater scrutiny here on in.
It is only right that the Bradford winning run be examined more closely and although they have won their last 4, those 4 included Forest Green away, Barnsley (reserves probably) in the Trophy, Accrington by a single goal at home and the significant one - Gillingham 2-0 away. That game saw them pick up 5 yellow cards to Gillingham’s 1 and a poor passing accuracy percentage suggesting that they relied a some old-fashioned long balls to mount their attacks. So they may well be vulnerable to some skilful football providing we can defend a bit better than we have recently. Where is Faulkner, I wonder?
I’m foolishly optimistic, so 2-0 (Ironside, Molyneux).
DPL v Bradford C
posted on 22/12/23
We're back to who knows territory. There should be a reaction from last week's performance from the squad. I'm not optimistic of a win though so I'll go for a 2-2 draw. Ironside Faal.
posted on 22/12/23
I'm really not sure what to expect. We have shown the ability to compete against strong teams but we are so inconsistent. I wonder whether there are injuries even amongst the players on the pitch that we may not know about.
Today, I'm going to hope that there is a strong reaction and a good response to the disaster last time out. 2-1 to Rovers. Ironside, Faal.
posted on 22/12/23
Rovers 1-2 Bradford
Ironside to score ⚽
Merry Christmas 606ers 🍻
posted on 22/12/23
An interesting starting line-up - no true wide-men, and lets see how Lawlor does!
I was thinking 2-2, but I'll give a little credit to Lawlor (in hope!) and say 2-1 to the Rovers. Scorers: Fall and Rowe.
posted on 22/12/23
Hard luck Mooli - you must have thought you were set for bonus points!
Well, I'm glad I did not have to get up at 07:00 on a Saturday to watch that rubbish. On Boxing Day I think I'll stay in bed.
I do not know what has happened to some of the players. Close's crosses either go straight to the GK or do not clear the first man. Olowu seems almost colour blind as nearly all his passes to to the opposition. Biggins appears to have lost nearly all ball control skills and can rarely dribble past anyone. I could go on and on about others, but I just cannot see any real quality at all. OK, Ironside's finish was superb, but he seemed so slow when he should have been through one on one with their GK.
I'm getting worried that we should be looking more at the bottom of the table than play-off places.
posted on 22/12/23
Even when Rovers managed to try to pass the ball to a team mate the City man got there first, but mostly they just lumped it around often backwards all the way to Lawlor. Usually though they kicked it speculatively and a Bradford player got there first almost every time. And when we got a throw in, no one wanted the ball.
Not marking Cook who got their equaliser was a fundamental oversight. It was not a cross that Lawlor could have covered and I don't blame him for any of the goals (and you'd be surprised if I did).
We seem to have regressed totally. This was not a McCann team tonight. I just cannot understand what is happening.
Ironside was the only player who kept going and winning the ball and he must be as depressed as we are with such a dreadful show.
posted on 23/12/23
We used to be known as the Arsenal of the North. Now we're more like the Man Utd of the East!
posted on 24/12/23
Or possibly now, The Chelsea of the North.