Let's talk about the Bradford City game

[selby]

  A game with the two poorest sides in Yorkshire at the moment playing a game that could take one of the teams within touching distance of a Wembley final. Both teams at the moment are in poor runs of results, both teams have managers who have done well leading teams in the recent  past to do well, both clubs have had much better times not that long ago, and both would hang on to a win on Tuesday night just to keep their season going.
  We met Bradford not that long ago at the end of the usual new manager resurgence, in fact the last game they won, and since that game both sides have hit the buffers and have gone backwards , today our game against Stockport seeing us back in a relegation fight with a performance that was the pits. 
   Our central defence and mid field were as units abysmal, lacking organisation and any semblance of commitment to the cause or defensive ability, and I might add pride in individual performance, and we were deservedly on the end of a hiding.
  Meanwhile although having more of the play Bradford lost 2-0 at Swindon continuing their poor run of results and the manager replacing the front line at half time.
  Both clubs will be hoping to rescue something from the season in this game, and what sides will be put out is anyone's guess, personally Wood, Anderson, Flint and Brown would be at the forefront of my thinking, but what do I know, the two youngsters could not do any worse than some senior players have dished up lately showing one step forward and two back regularly.
 So again the age old question sh*t or sugar although we have had a belly full of the former, and our league form does not leave much hope or optimism of us progressing even against a poor form Bradford side, and after all we are just the team to play to get a side out of a rut, all the pointers being another defeat.
   Can we beat the odds and win the tie?
   Can we stop the slide and get a result?
   Are we relegation fodder?
   Would a win help our fight at the bottom of the league?
 Lot's to discuss, lots hinging on this game as regards saving something from a very poor season, please have your say
 

[moses]

It would be classic Rovers to win this game and then lose to Sutton.
But, a win is a win and we desperately need the confidence boost.
Let’s hope Cook has annoyed Hughes enough to be dropped.

[Campsall rover]

It would be classic Rovers to win this game and then lose to Sutton.
But, a win is a win and we desperately need the confidence boost.
Let’s hope Cook has annoyed Hughes enough to be dropped.

Hughes left 2 months ago. Well he was sacked.

[Nudga]

Another game I'm going to but can't be arsed.
It's proper draining being a DRFC supporter.

[idler]

At last I only have a couple of miles to drive home after the match.
I drove home with a classical music cd on today to try to calm me down.
I just hope that we can’t be anywhere near as bad as today again.

[bobbymax]

Afraid I've had zero interest in this competition for many years and that's not going to change now.

[StocksArmy]

Who cares? Sh!te cup that nobody is interested in. If we win there will be a large group of our supporters who will forget everything weve seen this season and convince themselve we will "go on a run" and the money will go towards signing another youth teamer on loan because thats whats wrong at the minute. 

[selby]

  Interested enough to comment not on the game but your lack of interest, is it a crusade?

[Chris Black come back]

Another game I'm going to but can't be arsed.
It's proper draining being a DRFC supporter.

I haven’t got the statistic to hand but we weee a few weeks ago among the worst 5 clubs when it came to defeats over the last couple of seasons. Give it a month and we may well be top of that list. We have had to endure a colossal amount of losses and also goals conceded the last few seasons.

[Scooter]

It would be typical rovers to win the trophy at wembley and also get relegated

[Sammy Chung was King]

After the Stockport game, surely the likes of Faulkner etc are given an opportunity to start games?
As a fan you want to see hunger and determination as a minimum.
I would go with this side against Bradford.


                              Jones

                 Olowu.     Wood.   McGrath

                                Bailey

            Sterry.                          Maxwell

                       Adelakun.     Close

                        Ironside.     Waters

Subs. Carty, Molyneux, Craig, Rowe, Biggins, Nixon, Bottomley

                         

       

[Alan Southstand]

Faulkner is injured.

[steve@dcfd]

Waters Craig are cuptied and possibly Adelakun

[Filo]

I’d take losing in this for 3 points on Saturday

[drfc1951]

Why is it audio only on ifollow?

[ncRover]

Andy Cook well rested then!

1 goal in 6, so out of form. We’ll get him firing again though.

[Barmby Rover]

I wonder if the players can be a**ed to bother with it, they certainly can't do it in league games. Another loss here, Bradford are twice the team we are at the moment.

[selby]

  BR, it might surprise you to know that according to the Football League paper this weekend Bradford are the bottom of the last six league games form table, we are third from bottom, we are currently the better team.

[ncRover]

Are they a different team to a month ago when they dominated us in that men v boys game?

Apart from Jamie Walker and the goalie who gifted us a goal, they look to have had pretty much the same squad against Swindon at the weekend.

I expect Brad Halliday to cause issues down the right flank. He looks to have been their best player this season.

[roversontheup]

Why is it audio only on ifollow?

I’ve got a video pass for it.

[Upton Rover]

Pointless game, I would pick a team of 11 players who have had the least playing time this season, see how they go, they may have more fight and desire than most of the rest

[RugbyRover]

Why is it audio only on ifollow?

I’ve got a video pass for it.

me too

[drfc1951]

Got one now ,must have been late putting it up on website

[Nudga]

Anyone know how many we're taking over there?

[roversdude]

We’re going

[bpoolrover]

Anyone know how many we're taking over there?

around 400

[Jersey Rover]

Please just pick a recognised Left Back, Right Back and 2 Centre Backs, the rest will look after it's self now we have a squad available.

[Reg of the Rovers]

Feels like a nice distraction after the shite of the league. We're going across, and hoping we see the performance like against Wigan in last round. I know it's not the most glamorous tournament but clubs like Donny can't be sniffing at chances to play at Wembley - 16 years since the last one. Would love to get chance to take my lads to watch us play there.

Fingers crossed for tonight - if we actually turn up we can beat these.

[selby]

  This game is between two of the current bottom three performing teams in the EFL, quite a difference to what the supporters and football experts expected at the start of the season, and has already seen one experienced manager at Bradford replaced, after starting the season with hopes of being a force in the division. 
   We had more expectation than we have shown up to press and more sensible supporters visualised a season of progress rather than success hoping to flirt with a top half finish.
   What would the teams give for that to be the situation now? where both sides will be looking at this game tonight to basically save the season for a few more weeks and give their supporters something to hang on to.
   Bradford will start favourites having disposed of us easily a few weeks ago, incidentally Bradford's last win in the league, but both sides probably played their best games of the season in the last round of this competition against tough opposition in Derby County and Wigan Athletic, making a nonsense of both sides current league form.  WHY? that is the question.
  I can't speak for Bradford, but my take on us is our central defence and midfield, and players in those areas who have been with us for some time, and have played regularly over this and previous seasons and have played a big part in our demise are just not good enough as simple as that.
   We are bullied in both the midfield and central defence areas and are easy to play against, some are easy on the eye when having the ball, but very rarely incisive and effect the game, and the Central defenders make regular mistakes, both areas poor at winning the ball and both areas needing major surgery in my humble opinion. 
  So what would I do for this game?, Anderson and Wood would start and I wouldn't want them chasing up field limit their distance from our goal area and tell them to defend with attackers in front of them and square them up.
  I would bring Flint into mid field  alongside Bailey and shove Close further forward where his lack of defensive ability wouldn't be as big a problem and Rowe in there and getting forward if possible, when they run out of steam sub them, the keeper full backs and forwards none have been that bad so little change  but those three would be in my side tonight and I would look to make Bradford play in front of us.
  There is no way I would want Olowu and McGrath facing up with Cook and Pointon, or us not to look in this game to see if the defence can look harder to play against.
  It will not happen but that is what I would do, and the reasons why.

[steve@dcfd]

                                   Jones

    Nixon.           Anderson.       Wood.       Maxwell

                 Bailey.           Close.              Rowe

                           Molynuex.           Carty

                                        Ironside
                                     
Bottomley Olowu McGrath Biggins Taylor Hurst  Broadbent

If Anderson not fit then Wood and McGrath and Flint as sub
If Sterry or Senior are fit one or both could start.
Waters, Craig and Adelakun are all cup tide.
Or does Grant go back to three at the back, wingbacks and two up front.