Just Back

it’s going to the last game of the season we all know if Town like making us sweat.

To add:  the players did as well as they could, 95% of the time.  Bar their goal the biggest downside was more subs not coming on.  What the hell was Artell thinking of?

Just been reading the Bradford City forums, reading through the pages most said they were absolute dire like us.  Sounds like most want Graham Alexander gone.

Quoted from Lincoln Mariner 56

Times like these where I wish I went fishing and hated football instead. I hate how it ruins so many weekends, Tuesday nights and countless nights sleep so like many others I will not be renewing my season ticket, even if we stay up, and if in non league will just not bother and be an armchair supporter getting my football fix from watching Lincoln United, no pressure, no stress and save a few quid as well.

Are you going to the 2nd Leg of the FA Vase semi-final against Romford at Ashby Ave, nicely poised at 2-2 isn’t it?

Quoted from TownSNAFU5

To add:  the players did as well as they could, 95% of the time.  Bar their goal the biggest downside was more subs not coming on.  What the hell was Artell thinking of?

His Dad.

Massively disappointing to drop two points and I think Artell should have taken the opportunity to throw Vernam on to run at a pretty dogshit defence, not so sure about Eisa as I think he's too risky that he won't track back enough and end up costing you.

I can understand why people are saying about freshening up the midfield but I'm also not sure how much Ainley and Khouri would have in their tanks.   It's a matter of days since we heard that Khouri was struggling with a lengthy illness that had seen him drop a considerable amount of weight and Ainley has very recently come back from cancer treatment.  It's easy enough saying they only have to run about for 20-25 minutes but if they're that rusty then they've probably literally got 5 minutes max in them.  We're down to the bare bones and I can't think of anyone available for selection who didn't make the 18.  The other one you could throw on is Wood but would it be his game, especially as the game got a bit spicier and fiery?   If I was bringing him on it would be further forward.  Thompson was bossing the midfield so even when he started to tire I wouldn't have taken him off and I thought Holohan and Andrews both grew into the game, especially second half.  Hindsight is fantastic but it wasn't a leggy midfield that cost us.  

What cost us was stupidity from both full-backs.  Smith let that cross come in so bloody easy.  It wasn't even a particularly good bit of play that saw the winger create a bit of space.  If Smith holds him up properly then he stops that cross coming in, instead he's slow on his heels and has to stretch to try and block.  That results in the cruel deflection with Hume unforgivably the wrong side as the final defender.  It's basics, he gets and stays goalside then that threat (which should have been cut out much earlier by Smith) is dealt with.  

I think the one sub Artell definitely needed to make earlier was Wilson for Obikwu.  We're seeing the absolute contrasts with the young lad and yesterday was the downside to an inexperienced lad learning his trade.  Six consecutive starts and he looked lost, leggy and out of his depth all game.  He just couldn't get going.  Rose was rusty after a few weeks off and we couldn't make anything stick up top.  Crying out for Wilson from the off.  Soon as he comes on he hustles, rolls his man and produces a really smart finish (ruled offside), minutes before Obikwu went off he was played in and just looked copulated as he dragged a really tame effort wide from a half decent position.

Artell's getting blamed for everything but I think he's got a bloody impossible position.  We absolutely need to take the game to teams a bit more but as soon as we do that there's a huge risk our braindead defence switch off and get punished.   We can't continue to just hope that we'll create wins from nothing though, especially since we can't trust our backline to shut teams out.  Somehow I think Artell needs to roll the dice a bit and get Vernam involved in games more to be the one who has the remit to just cause problems.    He's probably not got a full game in him so use him sparingly with Eisa, Ainley or Wood.  But we're not going to win games with 8 men behind the ball and two isolated strikers feeding off scraps.  

Quoted from thornemariner

Yes, we won 3 1 there in January 1993 in the cup having won 2 0 at GP in the league a few months before. The away end, known as the Wendy House, reverted to home fans years later. Brilliant for acoustics.

I thought I was the jinx at home games this season but the real issue is that our home record is pitiful.

The week after that FA Cup win we went to Brentford and won!

I used to watch the Bees when I lived in High Wycombe.  I enjoyed going there.  Went there to see Town once and was in the home end.  Black 'n' White scarf in a sea of red.  No worries there.  Real fans.  We were all over them.   The Brentford fans were talking about how good we were. Felt good.  Rees played a blinder.

OK so slept on this and Head a bit clearer and objective:

FGR - still effectively 5 points behind us with 5 to play and tough run in. One win for us should be enough to steer clear of them. May not even need that.

Colchester - should claw enough points with home games although tough games coming up. I think they will be fine.

Which leaves a straight contest between ourselves and Sutton. Assuming we get that 1 win, that would mean Sutton would need 4 points from their remaining 4 games and to turn around the goal difference. Tough run in but there is a chance they could get that. Let's not forget though, we have 6 games left so a couple of draws would hopefully see us home too. Think 45 points may just do it. 1 win sooner rather than later is crucial.

Quoted from diehardmariner

What cost us was stupidity from both full-backs.  Smith let that cross come in so bloody easy.  It wasn't even a particularly good bit of play that saw the winger create a bit of space.  If Smith holds him up properly then he stops that cross coming in, instead he's slow on his heels and has to stretch to try and block.  That results in the cruel deflection with Hume unforgivably the wrong side as the final defender.  It's basics, he gets and stays goalside then that threat (which should have been cut out much earlier by Smith) is dealt with.  

I'd disagree regarding putting blame on Smith for their goal. He attempted to block the cross and got a decent bit on it, but it was just unfortunate that it ballooned up over all the defenders in the middle and landed perfectly at the far post for the onrushing attacker. Bear in mind it was Smith's first start in 6 weeks (he got a few minutes at the end of the Gillingham game) and he was up against a winger who had only been on the pitch for 30 minutes or so. He did pretty well to get anything on it, considering he must have been knackered.

I've not watched it back, but Hume was pretty crap all afternoon, so I'd imagine some blame fell on him. However, it was still very unfortunate that the deflection took the ball to the perfect position for them.

The Bradford player, no 36, should have been sent off two minutes before the goal for chopping Andrews down. Definite second yellow. Right in front of 4th officicial.