Crewe Alex v Bradford

[SRNP]

Can we talk about the game and not what some of our mindless youth sang a year ago.

Getting more and more nervous for this, Bradford are playing for nothing and will play a game with no pressure, whereas we are playing a dodgey team, that's inconsistent and young, playing in front of our biggest crowd of the season, in the biggest game of our season :/ not sure we will do this now.

Crewe 1-2 Bradford
Att: 6844 (1035)

We stay up via other results

 

[Crewelad87]

Oddly I'm not nervous at all, can see us probably staying up even if we lose. Got a feeling we will get a point in a dull game though. Not sure if I'm even going to go yet, depends how I feel after Mayweather vs Pacquiao, which for me comes before the football.

 

[The Alex]

Debating whether to fork out an extra £10 and sit in the main stand, or go for the cheap option but cringe my arse off for 90 minutes at the interbreeds that surround me.

As for the game I think we'll take a 1-0 lead early on, sit on it, Bradford equalise around the 70 minute mark then we collapse and they win it in the 90th minute. Everyone else wins and we go down.

 

[RJM]

swear I've seen some pictures on instagram from Crewe fans of a flag saying "RIP for the 56..Never Forget" for sundays game.

 

[bantamigo]

I only mentioned it because we have a far larger number of mongs than Crewe do and I know they love a reaction from oppo fans. Crewe's twenty pubescent kids plainly got a reaction last year so I wouldn't want it to happen again. I know 99% of Crewe fans are normal human beings who don't sing songs about 56 people dying and wouldn't want to suggest otherwise. I still reckon the club should be monitoring the situation and not leaving it for other fans to have a word, it could end up nasty.

Hopefully it all passes without an issue anyway.

 

[Crewelad87]

I only mentioned it because we have a far larger number of mongs than Crewe do and I know they love a reaction from oppo fans. Crewe's twenty pubescent kids plainly got a reaction last year so I wouldn't want it to happen again. I know 99% of Crewe fans are normal human beings who don't sing songs about 56 people dying and wouldn't want to suggest otherwise. I still reckon the club should be monitoring the situation and not leaving it for other fans to have a word, it could end up nasty.

Hopefully it all passes without an issue anyway.

It should pass peacefully, I'd be very suprised if anyone chanted anything offensive. Like I've said before I wouldn't be suprised if they let of a load of smoke bombs ala Coventry last week after the minutes silence, but again more due to ignorance than anything malicious.

 

[SRNP]

Nothings going to happen for christ sake.

 

[The Alex]

Bloody nervous. Stupid kick off time, imagine a few will oversleep and miss it.

I've got it in my head that we're going to completely forgot how to create chances/score. Think the lads will be bricking it today.

 

[Crewelad87]

Knowing our lot bet half of them were up til 6am watching the boxing. Only had an hours sleep so not sure if I can motivate myself to go out in the rain to watch 90 mins of us trying to limp over the line, plus the GRE is sold out, and fancied it in there for old times sake today.

I'll probably wait and see if it brightens up and the energy drinks kick in.

 

[The Alex]

You can't miss it

 

[Crewelad87]

Seems abit brighter now, and the red bull is kicking in.

Let's Ave it!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[James [bcafc]]

Billy Clarke 1-0 city

 

[The Alex]

Terrible performance

 

[SRNP]

Dire performance, how we have survived....

 

[Steven Simcock]

Dire performance, how we have survived....

Glad you did

 

[The Alex]

Thank you, friend

 

[JJ1532]

For 18 horrendous minutes of that 2nd half, we were relegated. Only by pure luck that we are still here.

Awful performance, could tell the nerves got to a few, mostly the younger lads like Leigh and Jones. Grant signs off with a whimper, he was awful. MOTM?! No chance, would have given it to either Davis of Guthrie(who surprise surprise got the hook despite being the most impressive of the CBs, handled Stead well today). Think we might have been able to give the 2nd half a good go until Davis' tactical ineptitude cost us. First change, fine. Extra body needed in midfield, get Ness on for Guthrie. Not the CB I would have taken off, but anyway. But then, he undoes that advantage by taking Jones off for Ajose. We weren't getting the ball to the 3 strikers we had, so why lessen the service they were likely to receive?! Then, as the game winds down, he takes the only guy upfront who can win headers off and brings on useless Uche. I don't care if Haber was knackered again, you keep him on!! Idiocy yet again from Davis.

The nerves, coupled with the tactical errors and poor subs from the touchline were our downfall today. Had a few chances in the game, couple of decent saves from Williams and I thought the penalty shout on Colclough right at the end was nailed on. But credit to Bradford, they played for pride today, gave us a tough afternoon and were deserving winners. Got to thank Gillingham and Coventry for us staying up mind, cheers fellas, I do appreciate it. If we don't make some big changes in the summer, we will not avoid relegation for a 3rd time, not a chance. How we approach things off the pitch needs a complete overhaul, fitness and recruitment being the 2 biggies. On the pitch, we need to go into games with a more positive mindset(looking at you here Steve!) and a strong mentality needs installing in the team, yet again we looked feeble after conceding. 3 points gained when conceding first, 4 equalisers all season, lowest goals scored column in 33 years. Massive improvements needed in all aspects. Oh and Davis can shove his comments about the atmosphere at Gresty Road making a difference to the team. Fans were class(until they went quiet when for those 18 minutes that we were down) today and it made no difference to the performance on the pitch.

Oh and whilst its a bit of shameless backslapping, how classy were our fans today in the GRE? The RIP banner, the pre-match announcer making note of it, the fans clapping on 56 minutes. Very well handled by our fans, proud of them. Can put the shameful events from last season to bed now.

Best of luck next season Bradford, hopefully this takeover is the best thing for your club(and not a Venkys/Vincent Tan situation) and you can challenge next season. Pleased we've stayed up, rant aside. Would have been gutted to have missed out on some of the new away days. Happy to stay up, just not in the feeble manner in which we did it. Fingers crossed for much, much better next season.

 

[The Alex]

The atmosphere was as flat as a pancake, hardly got going like it should have but that was down to the poor performance on the pitch.

 

[Robert Molenaar]

Very good from Crewe fans, I was one of those who came away from the game last season seething and wishing you the worst, but you definitely changed my opinion today.

Game was average at best, we played some ok stuff at times but neither team really threatened. Goal taken well from Clarke, he's had a great season. Can't say much of Crewe though unfortunately, really poor team. Might consider themselves lucky to stay up. Glad they did stay up though, only a 20 minute train journey and judging by today only, a very poor side.

 

[Crewealexfan123]

On a side note at the after season awards (not there but going off twitter) Jamie Ness is in the top 3 nominations for player of the season. For me that sums it all up.

 

[JJ1532]

Totally, just said the same on twitter. For me, they should have just gone with a top 2, because only Garratt and Grant can be said to have had decent seasons. The rest have had brief spells of good form, but nothing more than that. Ness was decent from December through till mid February when he turned to rat shit just like most of them did.

 

[Crewealexfan123]

Totally agree. He seemed to lose his form when he began to think he was something special and attempted a 40 yard over the top pass everytime he got it.

 

[TimeyWimey]

Yeah but Ollie Turton? Player's player? Get out.

 

[Wootball]

Turton has had a decent season IMO.

 

[TrinidadsNumberOne]

What a farcical season. Is there a part of you that think it'll just be deja vu? We'll have Davis, Franks et al on the touchline, the same mediocre players making the same basic mistake, the same loanee players that play well for 2 months then go to pot. The same embarrassing recruitment we do when sides with lesser or similar budgets like Burton, Gillingham, Walsall and Rochdale will be able to make the necessary signings to make them perform in League One to their highest possible level. The same embarrassing excuses by Davis after every crap performance. The same weak mentality that means once we concede we never come back. The same lack of goals which have plagued us under Davis' reign whilst shipping in 70-80 a season. The same defensive tactics where we have 8 men in our half at home every game.

What I don't want to see is us in this position (or worse) in 12 months time. People seem to be defending Davis to high heaven but another start like the last two we've had and he's got to go, he ain't gonna be sacked for shithousing survival so we've got him for a few months yet. I just hope we learn from our mistakes but we were told this last year and then we became even worse, I just want to see a competitive and entertaining Crewe side that can hold their own in a League we should be holding our own in. Fuck Bowler saying we're little Crewe, bet they'd say the same if we shithoused survival in the league below. We have facilities that are the envy of many a League One club, we need to stay in this league, we deserve to, so let's act like a League One club next season rather than the Dog and Duck we were for the first 11 games this season (Vale apart) and for most of the last 17 games of this season.

 

[TimeyWimey]

The U-8s game was brilliant.

 

[The Alex]

Thought they were very poor compared to the usual standard tbh

 

[SRNP]

Should have been relegated today, awful performance. Notts County implosion kept us up, we were relegated for most of the 2nd half intill then.

Don't get me wrong though Im buzzing weve stayed up, the away days next year is going to be class!

 

[Crewealexfan123]

What a farcical season. Is there a part of you that think it'll just be deja vu? We'll have Davis, Franks et al on the touchline, the same mediocre players making the same basic mistake, the same loanee players that play well for 2 months then go to pot. The same embarrassing recruitment we do when sides with lesser or similar budgets like Burton, Gillingham, Walsall and Rochdale will be able to make the necessary signings to make them perform in League One to their highest possible level. The same embarrassing excuses by Davis after every crap performance. The same weak mentality that means once we concede we never come back. The same lack of goals which have plagued us under Davis' reign whilst shipping in 70-80 a season. The same defensive tactics where we have 8 men in our half at home every game.

What I don't want to see is us in this position (or worse) in 12 months time. People seem to be defending Davis to high heaven but another start like the last two we've had and he's got to go, he ain't gonna be sacked for shithousing survival so we've got him for a few months yet. I just hope we learn from our mistakes but we were told this last year and then we became even worse, I just want to see a competitive and entertaining Crewe side that can hold their own in a League we should be holding our own in. Fuck Bowler saying we're little Crewe, bet they'd say the same if we shithoused survival in the league below. We have facilities that are the envy of many a League One club, we need to stay in this league, we deserve to, so let's act like a League One club next season rather than the Dog and Duck we were for the first 11 games this season (Vale apart) and for most of the last 17 games of this season.

Right, for a large period of time I've been questioning my sanity because everyone else seems to find an excuse to defend Davis and think he's brilliant whilst all I hear during interviews is absolute bullshit and all I see on the field are crap tactics and poor management. Seeing that comment makes me feel relieved because at least someone sees what I see.

 

[JJ1532]

There are 2 big lessons which Davis must have learned from this season:

1. Have next seasons squad ready to go for pre-season. Other than maybe Garratt, nobody in our squad is likely do a Pogba and leave in the run up to the season. We don't have anybody nursing long term injures like H.Davis was. Other than possibly Colclough, we don't have anyone who could potentially do a Clayton and leave us dangling all summer on a new contract. We only have 6 out of contract. Stewart and Oliver are gone, thats a given I think. Grant will get a new but leave anyway imo. Tootle, who knows. I'd like to see him go personally. Rachubka hopefully gets a 1 year deal if we can get rid of Shearer. Colclough hopefully shouldn't screw us over and will sign pretty sharpish. Guthrie, not sure. Might get a deal(deserves one), might not. So, potentially we'll have no late departures, no long term injured and no contract rebels. Would make things a lot easier for Steve to try and build his squad. I think we need an experienced CB(Tate would be my first choice), a LB(Leigh, but will Man City let him come back?) and CM if Grant doesn't stay(someone like Denezil Boadu of Man City perhaps?). This squad I think needs more of an evolution than a revolution.
2. The fitness of the squad, both mentally and physically. The players need to come back for pre-season and have their bollocks worked off for most of it. Take the team away somewhere quiet like the Lake District or Scotland or something similar, just make sure pre-season is broken up with a team bonding trip somewhere.

Basically, get the main deals done in before the start of July and make sure they are fit to start the season. Not hard.