Viking Supporters Co-operative
Viking Chat => Viking Chat => Topic started by: selby on February 20, 2023, 12:57:26 pm
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Our biggest league game at Home of the season, a game that both teams need a win to keep in touch with the play off positions, two underperforming managers who need a win and sceptical fans supporting the two teams with ideas of grandeur the teams on the field of play are both struggling to show the necessary class to put a consistent run of results together to warrant their supporters hopes and demands.
So a lot on the game for both clubs and if there is a loser I think pressure could really be put on the manager of that team, especially the big name Bradford manager.
How good are we? that is the biggest question, Teams of a certain ilk, and not the ones that play flowing football have rolled us all season, our latest effort at Sutton on Saturday, where like Tranmere, like Hartlepool and others they literally stood off us and let us make the mistakes, while we played pretty football in areas that mean nothing as far as getting the ball in the onion bag to score a goal, but give the stato's a thrill when they look at the number of from me to you passes and the meaningless possession stat's. Teams like Sutton love it and feed off it.
Bradford are no better, constantly being put in their place by teams with half the resources and no big name manager, how frustrating can that be? division two's answer to Chelsea.
Not the normal game in prospect then, in front of a big crowd with two set's of frustrated fans, but for once Bradford I think shade that more than us, and the atmosphere in the stadium could reflect the situation if one team dominates the game.
What our latest tweak to our line up will be this coming weekend I will leave to Schofield and Gribble while they try to find just where Tommy Rowe would be of best use to the team, and what formation will allow us to play as far away from our own penalty area as possible where it's normally a bit safer to have the ball
We desperately need another little run of wins something we have not done for a while, usually just having a run of poor results in between, which now is not an option to the end of the season if we are to do anything to get near the playoffs.
So as ever, What do you think? Please have your say.
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They have very good away form, one of best in League Two. Only Stevenage and Northampton have lost fewer games away from home. They haven’t lost away since Boxing Day and have scored as many goals away from home (17) as we have conceded at home. Will be very tough.
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It will be a completely different game to the first game of the season, both teams will want to play football and can see it being a high scoring game.
Hopefully we get straight onto Clayton in midfield and don’t give him time on the ball, when he’s given time on the ball he can cause problems for any time in this league but we’ve seen how slow he can be on the ball, Barrow pressed him on Saturday and that’s how they got their goal (winning the ball off him on the halfway line and broke). I would be happy with a draw but I think whoever wins the midfield battle will win the game.
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Big following coming from West Yorkshire (4k?)
Agree we need to target Clayton hopefully get him a booking and in effect take him out of the game
They have some big lumps up front so need to prevent crosses
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Is Anderson expected to be out?
Hurst v Halliday could be quite fun with his positioning
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Will Clayton and Halliday get the boo treatment.
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Will Clayton and Halliday get the boo treatment.
can’t see why they would, hopefully they won’t anyway.
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Is Anderson expected to be out?
Hurst v Halliday could be quite fun with his positioning
yes, I believe Anderson will be missing and back for the Stockport game which will be a big loss when we’re gonna be up against Andy Cook, gonna be a massive test for Nelson up against him.
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Big following coming from West Yorkshire (4k?)
Agree we need to target Clayton hopefully get him a booking and in effect take him out of the game
They have some big lumps up front so need to prevent crosses
Yeah they’ve sold out
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Is Anderson expected to be out?
Hurst v Halliday could be quite fun with his positioning
yes, I believe Anderson will be missing and back for the Stockport game which will be a big loss when we’re gonna be up against Andy Cook, gonna be a massive test for Nelson up against him.
Cook won’t bother Nelson, he will target Rowe as a weak point aerially.
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Is Anderson expected to be out?
Hurst v Halliday could be quite fun with his positioning
yes, I believe Anderson will be missing and back for the Stockport game which will be a big loss when we’re gonna be up against Andy Cook, gonna be a massive test for Nelson up against him.
Cook won’t bother Nelson, he will target Rowe as a weak point aerially.
I think I’d back Rowe to be a good enough match for him tbh, he’s certainly no weak link in the air, yes he’s not the tallest but his timing his very good. He also won a lot of headers and duels against Sutton (only one I remember him not winning was for the goal when he slipped).
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Is Anderson expected to be out?
Hurst v Halliday could be quite fun with his positioning
yes, I believe Anderson will be missing and back for the Stockport game which will be a big loss when we’re gonna be up against Andy Cook, gonna be a massive test for Nelson up against him.
Cook won’t bother Nelson, he will target Rowe as a weak point aerially.
I think I’d back Rowe to be a good enough match for him tbh, he’s certainly no weak link in the air, yes he’s not the tallest but his timing his very good. He also won a lot of headers and duels against Sutton (only one I remember him not winning was for the goal when he slipped).
The Bradford side look to be lacking in pace and creativity. Even if Rowe loses some duels, you’d back out more dynamic team to pick up second balls.
Bradford played a midfield diamond by the looks of it last week. We can really exploit that with our width.
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Bradford play 3/4 midfield players in a diamond possibly. We have two central midfield players who will have to work their socks off to compete. Yes we should be better in wide areas but will they get the ball. They play 2 upfront so that will keep our three defenders occupied.
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Think Miller will be asked to drop a bit deeper out of possession and man mark Clayton who will be playing as the deepest midfielder in the diamond, then one of Molyneux or hurst (assuming it’s them 2 who start) come into the middle when the balls on the opposite side, they will overrun our midfield 2 all game if not imo. Miller would also be able to press Clayton for the full 90 mins.
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I don't think we have to worry about Clayton, without tempting fate, he's far too slow now & Lakin will easily negate him.
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I don't think we have to worry about Clayton, without tempting fate, he's far too slow now & Lakin will easily negate him.
it’s not necessarily worrying about Clayton, it’s their whole midfield. They play a diamond so have 4 in the middle against our 2 so we will need 2 players to drop in and help close and Lakin out, hence I’m saying miller will probs need to drop and do a job on Clayton and press him all game. We can’t afford to give him time on the ball.
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If you’re going to the game on Saturday and come through town, be aware that South Parade and Bennetthorpe are closed for resurfacing work Saturday and Sunday 25/26 February. There will be diversions in place.
COYR
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Biggins if fit I would play him with Close and Lakin leaving either Hurst or Molyneux on the bench.
Playing a slightly modified version of DS favoured formation
3 4 2 1
The two wing backs can still over lap with Biggins and another working closer in getting forward aswell.
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Both our vteam and our supporters will need to be as one tomorrow, This game is looking more and pore pivotal for the rest of the season for both sides, in fact another Mansfield moment as far as our own club is concerned.
If the players are not up for this game, then they will never be up for much again in their careers, its a chance to make their mark and be remembered, failure basically is not an option for any of the sides, and Mark Hughes is on record as wanting revenge for our performance in the first league game of the season, when he objected to our approach to the game saying only Bradford were trying to win the game at the time.
So a lot on it, I hope we show some fight and ambition, and show we are now making progress and can compete when we have to, after the disappointments of the last few seasons the club and the supporters deserves better than has been seved up the last few seasons both in cup competitions and league performances, it's time the team stood up to be counted.
If we give our all, show some pride, and keep the improved performances of late going, if we are beaten by a better side on the day I can accept that and we can still look to move on and be better.
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Biggins if fit I would play him with Close and Lakin leaving either Hurst or Molyneux on the bench.
Playing a slightly modified version of DS favoured formation
3 4 2 1
The two wing backs can still over lap with Biggins and another working closer in getting forward aswell.
I think this is a good shout. Biggins Lakin and Close can nullify their slow ponderous midfield. Drop Molyneux and play the other 2 on the counter, which is more their strength anyway.
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keep the ball away from Andy cook and I think we will get three points.
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None of these lads are world beaters but will be a handful at this level - they’ve got Vadaine Oliver and Matt Derbyshire as well, if both fit. There is some wily experience there alongside Cook.
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We need Miller, Hurst and Molineux to have the confidence to run at their back line and turn them, and the midfielders to show up, that helps the back line with the play in front of them as we are not great when turned as most of us have witnessed for a couple of seasons without a lot of improvement.
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Let’s hope the first team mirrors the Academy lads who beat Bradford 2-1 with a last minute winner this morning
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We deserved nothing from that game. I can recall only one decent effort on goal and that was from Brown. We desperately need a goal scorer.
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Even first half. We were garbage in the second. Cook had more chances in the second half than we had the entire game. Really poor in the final third.
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Really poor, negative boring play again, played like we were the away team, Bradford were poor but attacking wise are light years ahead of us l
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I wonder if our supporters brought friends to this game. They won’t be coming again but our owners don’t understand how poor we are
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Inept.
The number of times we conceded possession from playing out from the back or throw-ins was simply pathetic and the goal was conceded from one example. Bradford were a very ordinary side but Rovers are far worse. Says it all when supporters are leaving in droves with five minutes to play and we're only one goal down.
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I wonder if our supporters brought friends to this game. They won’t be coming again but our owners don’t understand how poor we are
The club were getting pelters over the lack of marketing for this game, now looks like a very shrewd move.
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I wonder if our supporters brought friends to this game. They won’t be coming again but our owners don’t understand how poor we are
the owner does understand, he has done amazing for the club with the money he has put in, but it's like he doesn't care now or has given up, when he finally does leave the club it's a shame he will have left us in a worse place than when he bought into it
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We knew Clayton couldn't run but we never even made him have to break into a jog. We made Halliday look like James O'Connor in his prime, never looked like getting past him.
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Inept.
The number of times we conceded possession from playing out from the back or throw-ins was simply pathetic and the goal was conceded from one example. Bradford were a very ordinary side but Rovers are far worse. Says it all when supporters are leaving in droves with five minutes to play and we're only one goal down.
Nail. Head
Bradford were bang average. And that was comfortably enough.
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We performed in line with reality. Bradford are not great but will likely just about make the play offs. They were better than us though, which is why we are not likely to make the play offs.
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Terribly frustrating to watch. We play bits of brave football in all of the wrong areas and it breaks down when we get past the half way line.
Their goal was a shambles from our perspective. Mitchell lofted possibly the worst goal kick I’ve seen in all of my years straight to the feet of Clayton about 40 yards out. We then effectively concede a corner straight from our own goal kick, Mitchell flaps at thin air and the game is gone. We gifted that to a side that aren’t even very good and had so many weaknesses that could’ve been exploited.
We offered almost nothing in the final third. Miller’s all round game is feeble and we help him out with that by getting nobody anywhere near him. Hurst tried but it was a constant case of players running down blind alleys with almost no options to play to.
If only we put as much effort into playing football in the final third as we do in our own defensive third. Feel sick from watching that.
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That's our standard. It's as simple as that.
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Jonathan calls it well for me. We've improved a lot but we lack massively up the top end. Miller can't hold the ball up and isn't. Getting the ball in ways he can use it.
We're not a million miles off, the lack of alternatives up front worries me. Thought Bradford were bang average but had what you need, solid centre halves and a striker to play off. We need a better outlet up front. Let's see what Lavery or Griffiths can offer, what's the harm with the season dying out in seeing what they can offer for next year.
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I wouldn’t be surprised if we never saw Griffiths play a game for us again. Mood music looks very bad for him.
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Just have to accept it's a transition season and we're nowhere where we need to be in a poor division. Deep down we know we're shite but been clinging on to the faint hopes of the playoffs. Reality check
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You can't really afford to accept any season as a transition season. Too many of them and you'll find yourself out of the FL.
But I see progress under Schofield despite the results. The key is seeing whether we have learned any lessons on recruitment. Summer is going to be very interesting.
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You can't really afford to accept any season as a transition season. Too many of them and you'll find yourself out of the FL.
But I see progress under Schofield despite the results. The key is seeing whether we have learned any lessons on recruitment. Summer is going to be very interesting.
I think for now we can given that this side would still comfortably beat last season’s side.
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What’s wrong with Maxwell? We missed him today.
I love Tommy Rowe but age is finally catching up I fear.
On the plus side, Todd Miller looked lively.
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Sideshow Todd.
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The manager isn’t using the players right. Miller will never be converted into a hold up player, we don’t have one of those. So why do we keep trying to play that way?
Miller needs a partner. One of our best offensive players in Molyneux is left on the bench. Trying to be too. clever at times. Play your best eleven and see where it takes you. We have two wingers in Molyneux and Hurst, play them both from the start.
Get two up front and we might stand a chance.