Bristol Rovers v Bradford

[T.A]

Play off Bradford visit Bristol Rovers hoping to remain in the top 6 while Rovers hope to improve on their 10th position.

Match chat in here.

 

[07.05.16]

Our home form has been great this season. 5 wins in a row at the moment.
Confident of a 6th, though it will be our toughest test at home for a while.

 

[F!RTHY]

Bristol Rovers, another team who we have a very poor record against. In fact, we've never beaten Rovers at their gaff. History dictates that they'll be plenty of goals in this one.

4-3-3 please.....

-----------------------Doyle

McMahon-McArdle-Vincelot-Meredith

----------- Cullen -- Dieng -- Law ------------

----Marshall --------Wyke --------Hiwula-----

3-3 (Wyke Hattrick)

 

[F!RTHY]

Our home form has been great this season. 5 wins in a row at the moment.
Confident of a 6th, though it will be our toughest test at home for a while.

We don't lose many. The best you can hope for is a draw.

[chortle]

 

[07.05.16]

We don't lose many. The best you can hope for is a draw.

[chortle]

Haven't all 4 of your defeats been on the road?

 

[LS Bantam]

Haven't all 4 of your defeats been on the road?

That's right, Oxford, Swindon (both 1-0's where the goal was a direct free kick), Shrewsbury again 1-0 and Southend 3-0 - nice examples of us not scoring.

I'm going to this one, fourth trip to Bristol to watch us having never seen us win, last trip here was a 3-3 the year we went up in monsoon rain.

The best I think we'll achieve will be another draw, 1-1 ish, if not a 2-1 defeat. We just waste too many and will give chances to teams at the other end.

 

[GEORGE]

I still remember the 7 -1 1971 game. Not only did we hammer you we nicked Brucie off you as well.

 

[loz]

I still remember the 7 -1 1971 game. Not only did we hammer you we nicked Brucie off you as well.

I can also remember that game. This time it wont be 7-1 and you wont nick anyone from us. Point to bear in mind(might not make a difference), you have sold a striker, we have signed 1.

 

[07.05.16]

I can also remember that game. This time it wont be 7-1 and you wont nick anyone from us. Point to bear in mind(might not make a difference), you have sold a striker, we have signed 1.

We've conceded 50 goals this season. That's been our problem. Scoring has not been an issue (3rd top scorers I believe). However we've signed 4 defenders and a keeper and have kept 2 consecutive clean sheets (3 consecutive at home).

 

[F!RTHY]

We've conceded 50 goals this season. That's been our problem. Scoring has not been an issue (3rd top scorers I believe). However we've signed 4 defenders and a keeper and have kept 2 consecutive clean sheets (3 consecutive at home).

I think the point Loz was trying to make was that, should you take away Taylor's goals, there might be a lack of goals in the team - that coinciding with a leaky defence, could be your biggest downfall.

 

[miagsygas]

Understandable to say goals might be an issue for us, but if you take in account players leaving you also have to account the ones who have come in who (touch wood) have made us looked substancially more stable at the back. Keeper, RB, 2 CB's and a LB have come in and although only keeper, RB, and one CB have featured so far, we look a lot better than the mess we were back there only recently. This is probably the biggest test of those players so far and should be a tough game. Not too sure on how I think it'll go but home form is very good.

 

[GasAttacK]

Should be a good game which could go either way but will probably end in a draw.

Nobody has lost fewer games than Bradford in L1 and they also have the 2nd best defensive record with just 26 goals conceded. They're no doubt hoping their 5 or 6 new signings in January will help them push on and challenge for a top 2 finish or at least cement their place in the play off's.

Realistically I think we'll finish in mid table obscurity but if we want to keep our play off hopes alive this is probably a game we need to win. It would close the gap to Bradford to just 4 points with both sides having 15 games to play.

The new signings have helped us tighten up at the back with 2 clean sheets but only 1 goal scored at the other end. I guess only time will tell if we have enough goals in the squad after Taylor's departure.

 

[LS Bantam]

I'd happily see us go 352 this weekend, allows McArdle to play who is our best header'er at the back, brings NKP back and Vincelot as normal - Meredith and Tony McMahon at wing backs which really is an ideal position for them.
Midfield, Cullen sitting with Dieng, Law and Clarke behind Wyke upfront. Will never happen but would look like -

----------------Doyle--------------
----NKP McArdle Vincelot----
McMahon-------------Meredith
----------Cullen Dieng-----------
------Law------------Clarke------
----------------Wyke--------------

 

[codaplenty]

Looking for Rovers to do us a favour and stop Bradford getting 3 points. Think it will finish 1-1 and then onto next Tuesday

 

[loz]

I think the point Loz was trying to make was that, should you take away Taylor's goals, there might be a lack of goals in the team - that coinciding with a leaky defence, could be your biggest downfall.

I think the point Loz was trying to make was that, should you take away Taylor's goals, there might be a lack of goals in the team - that coinciding with a leaky defence, could be your biggest downfall.

Also a good striker's movement needs extra care from opponents and creates chances for team mates. What happened when we lost a good striker 3seasons ago? The whole team stopped scoring even though we paid a replacement a wad of cash.

 

[bantamigo]

I'd happily see us go 352 this weekend, allows McArdle to play who is our best header'er at the back, brings NKP back and Vincelot as normal - Meredith and Tony McMahon at wing backs which really is an ideal position for them.
Midfield, Cullen sitting with Dieng, Law and Clarke behind Wyke upfront. Will never happen but would look like -

----------------Doyle--------------
----NKP McArdle Vincelot----
McMahon-------------Meredith
----------Cullen Dieng-----------
------Law------------Clarke------
----------------Wyke--------------

We played 3-5-2 against Millwall and NKP kept getting roasted by their winger. Then Kilgallon got injured and we went back to 4 at the back and looked the better side for the rest of the game.

Not sure about this one, we could win 3-0 or lose 3-0 and anything in between. The novelty of playing good football has worn off a bit and I'm getting frustrated by the lack of killing teams off and then surrendering points through defensive fuck ups. The home fixture against Bristol Rovers was a classic example coincidentally.

 

[MarioBalotelli]

I think the point Loz was trying to make was that, should you take away Taylor's goals, there might be a lack of goals in the team - that coinciding with a leaky defence, could be your biggest downfall.

I think Taylor only scored 4/5 of our last 20 goals scored. We've improved defensively and can still score. Can't see us losing and 3 points are a not out of the question with our home form.

 

[07.05.16]

Don't bother travelling Bradford. Snowmageddon here in Bristol. 5mm of snow on my car roof!

 

[LS Bantam]

ANOTHER draw, almost feels like a defeat, three chances in five mins second half where on another day we'd have been 4-1 up, Rovers time wasting at home said it all

 

[LS Bantam]

Rovers stewards wearing studs, discuss

 

[bantamigo]

Sounds the usual, play some good stuff but don't take our chances and DRAW. Someone said the record for a season is 23 and we're already on 15.

 

[finley]

Yet another game we bossed and failed to win unbelievable

 

[07.05.16]

Bradford weren't particularly wasteful. 3 outstanding saves from our keeper saved us. Can see why they draw so many though.

 

[07.05.16]

ANOTHER draw, almost feels like a defeat, three chances in five mins second half where on another day we'd have been 4-1 up, Rovers time wasting at home said it all

When was that then???

 

[LS Bantam]

When was that then???

Anything last 10 mins, are you saying you played with urgency to get the ball back and go for the win??

 

[07.05.16]

Anything last 10 mins, are you saying you played with urgency to get the ball back and go for the win??

Were you at the game? Not time wasting. Obviously not rushing under such pressure. I've seen some awful time wasting in the past and today certainly wasn't like that.

 

[LS Bantam]

Were you at the game? Not time wasting. Obviously not rushing under such pressure. I've seen some awful time wasting in the past and today certainly wasn't like that.

I was there and that was dawdling, time wasting might be strong but there was no speed especially when the ball went out of play. I just expect the home side to want to get the ball back and push on for a win, not walking rather than rushing at set plays or the keeper taking his time with no tempo seemingly happy for a draw.

 

[07.05.16]

I was there and that was dawdling, time wasting might be strong but there was no speed especially when the ball went out of play. I just expect the home side to want to get the ball back and push on for a win, not walking rather than rushing at set plays or the keeper taking his time with no tempo seemingly happy for a draw.

When the other team are clearly better than you why are you going to rush things? That's just asking to get beat.

 

[bantamigo]

Bradford weren't particularly wasteful. 3 outstanding saves from our keeper saved us. Can see why they draw so many though.

We should be winning far more than we draw. We don't concede many and (as of a couple of weeks ago, might have changed) we had the third highest number of chances in the Football League or something so we're creating enough. Sounds like today was an improvement as we have actually forced your keeper into some good saves.

Realistically though with 2 tough games away at Fleetwood and then Bolton at home coming up in the next week we could have done with a win today, no offence but you were the easier of the games.

 

[miagsygas]

Would say that was a good game for the neutral. Bradford one of the better teams I've seen this season. Big and physical but with good ability. Law bossed the game 2nd half and number 7 was one of the best players I've seen down here this season.

We came out of the blocks quickly and had a host of corners etc, when we went 1 up I'd probably said on the balance it was deserved. Bradford then came back and rightfully scored. Very even first half and a good watch.

Second half was similar but towards 65 I'd say Bradford took control, we were pretty resolute and defended well but the keeper also had to make some decent stops. I'd say earlier on in the season we'd have lost this game. I wouldn't say we time wasted but definitely dawdled around at times late on, understably so, we only looked capable on the counter in the second half.

Happy with a point overall, but a bit worried for Tues, a few out there looked out on their feet.