Bradford City Vs Southend United

[F!RTHY]

So, after coming off second best against Oxford at the weekend, we're given a great chance to bounce back quickly with a home fixture under the Valley Parade lights on Tuesday night.

There's a lot of hype about our strikers at the moment - I suppose you could use that term very loosely.

Hiwula had two great chances against Oxford, and he fluffed them both. So, City fans are now calling for him to be dropped. I personally believe he should be shown faith by McCall, because he's a great outlet to have.

A lot believe this paves the way for James Hanson - no fucking thank you! Bring him on in the latter stages when we're chasing the game, by all means, but he shouldn't be a starter. Unfortunately, the vast majority of our fanbase absolutely love him, and bust a big everytime he wins an header - only to then ask the question 'where are you (Hanson's strike partner at the time), Hans is winning all the headers, and you're no where to be seen'.

Well, I suppose if Hanson knew where he was heading the ball in the first place, it may give his strike partner a chance of reading the play better.

Honestly, he's fucking useless - and I can't believe we're on the verge of giving him a way back into the starting XI without really giving McNulty a chance.

It's the same fans who are crying out for a flat 4-4-2, and to get the ball wide and crossed at every given opportunity. Sadly, they fail to realise that this dark age football is ever so predictable - and in order for us utilise this style of play, you do need to our-and-out performing wingers.

4-2-3-1 has to be the formation, for me - however, not for Southend on Tues due to injuries.

James Meredith is a doubt, which means Sir Percy will be starting at LB, and Killgallon at CB.

Doyle

Darby Vincelot Killa KNP

Marshall Cullen Dieng Law

Clarke/Vučkič

Hiwula/McNulty

I fancy us to run riot abit.

3 points is a must, what with Sheff Utd at home next Saturday.

 

[Shrimpurh]

Be easy to say this is another 3/4-0 loss BUT...
Ranger is back, he changes us in the 90 mins he's played this season we've scored 4 conceded 0. Will be an absolute handful for any centre half in this league. Chesterfield gave up on trying to challenge him on Saturday and if he is causing trouble it's allowing Cox to find space. Got high hopes for these two as a partnership.

Not saying we will win but I don't think it will be a walkover like our last few away outings.

Oxley
Demetriou Thompson Ferdinand Coker
Atkinson Leonard Wordsworth McLaughlin
Ranger Cox

1-1

 

[finley]

Good to have a game so soon after a defeat,We really need to be picking up the points from this game because we will be suffering our annual defeat at the hands of the Blades on Saturday

 

[LS Bantam]

Basically what Finley says above. We'll win this one and lose on Saturday. As has been all season, if we take the 'should be a goal' chances that we've missed so many of this season then we should be ok tomorrow night, if not as we did last Saturday then it'll be more frustration at passing up three points

 

[blademan89]

Good to have a game so soon after a defeat,We really need to be picking up the points from this game because we will be suffering our annual defeat at the hands of the Blades on Saturday

Annual defeat? W1,d1,l1 last 3 times at your place. So not sure what you're on about

 

[finley]

Annual defeat? W1,d1,l1 last 3 times at your place. So not sure what you're on about

Put another way,it's very rare we beat you

 

[Sheffsteel]

Put another way,it's very rare we beat you

Agreed. We do tend to win both home and away.
Looking forward to Saturday, would settle for a draw.
It's psychologically comforting to keep a long unbeaten run going.

 

[blademan89]

Put another way,it's very rare we beat you

You've won 1 of the last 20 league games

 

[LS Bantam]

Well that was crap

 

[Mr Plow]

Totally unexepected result considering our recent away form, pleased with the point.

 

[Shrimpurh]

Called that one right. Take that point all day long! Sounds like Ranger missed a good chance to get a second for us too.

 

[F!RTHY]

Truely woeful performance again. I can't help but think that given all the consistent tinkering with McCall and the squad, I believe it is now having a negative impact.

I arrived late in the first half, and managed to see the disallowed goal and the actual goal itself. During that passage of play, we knocked the ball about with ease, cutting Southend open a number of times. We then bacame complacent, and started hoofing it down the wings to players who are about as tall as midget with 5 inch stilletos on.

McCall's decision to start with Killgallon at LB, and start McCardle at CB was baffling. If he was going to start Killa at LB, then why move Vincelot into midfield? I understand KNP can and has played a number of games at LB, so I figured he didn't switch Killa and KNP around as he didn't want disrupt the Centre halves, only for him to move Vincelot into midfield and drop Dieng, when we all knew it was gonna be a sheer physical battle in midfield.

Then the subs, Vincelot was blowing outta his arse, and he subs Cullen. Strange.

Anyway, another point, and four points dropped in the last two games as far as I'm concerned.

Bring on Utd!

 

[bantamigo]

Southend played well last night, disrupted our passing game and looked dangerous on the break. I don't think it was one of those where we were really bad, we looked poor because they put us under pressure. It's more than most teams have done to us at Valley Parade this year. Sometimes you've got to put your hands up. Everyone's getting arsed off because they're bottom of the league and they thought we were going to crush them.

Having said all that we should have been 3-0 up at half time.

McArdle played because he was man marking Ranger and he did a good job against a potentially difficult opponent. Kilgallon played because we don't have any left backs if Meredith is injured. You wouldn't have dropped Vincelot before last night so he moved into midfield, can't really blame McCall for that.

Special mention to Trevor Kettle, he is genuinely awful. Unless I've missed something he let Southend take a free kick for offside in our half which is against the laws of the game. A special man.

 

[loz]

I thought Southend tactics were spot on. They stopped us playing, were sharp on the break and played some neat stuff in possession. They did a job on Cullen and Mr Kettle gave him no protection whatever. When Cullen went off I thought he looked tired and in need of a rest. Don't like to knock refs for in the main I think they do a difficult job well but that guy has always been a lousy ref. He has always been inconsistent and still is.

 

[bantamigo]

Looking around Twitter, you can have an offside free kick taken against you in your own half thanks to a new rule. If the player is offside and comes back into his own half to touch it, that's where it's taken. I must admit if there was one thing that needed sorting in the wider game, it was that.

However Marshall's goal looks onside, so we've been frigged by the linesman too. I haven't had to moan much about officiating this year but they were so poor last night.

 

[Shrimpurh]

Just noticed out of the 7 away games we have played so far this season 6 of them are the current top 6 in the league. Maybe we are not as bad as I first thought and have been a bit too harsh on the side.

 

[finley]

Just noticed out of the 7 away games we have played so far this season 6 of them are the current top 6 in the league. Maybe we are not as bad as I first thought and have been a bit too harsh on the side.

Think you have been a tad harsh,I was impressed with Southend,closed us down really well,stopped us playing and weren't to shabby on the ball themselves