Let's talk about the Bradford City game

[selby]

  I suppose the big question is about our own side, which one will turn up, the S**T or Sugar. From reports the team have had a rollicking from the manager who must now realise that some of our regular players making the same mistakes time after time at regular intervals are not as good as he or we in many cases think they are.
  We rarely win games on the bounce either at home or away, and this season, or the last couple of seasons have a terrible record against top half sides in the division which after a change of manager and the usual upturn in form Bradford now are.
  Injuries are always being pointed to for our poor performances, rightly so in some instances , but, you and I have to accept that over the last few years many of the team that played against Morecambe have repeated the mistakes in defence, the attitude to the game when their heads go down, and their general demeaner and approach to the game not just under this manager but others who were not as bad as we made out, just left to manage some players who have proved over a long period not good enough.
   How do we get over that? contracts are agreed and cannot be broken so we have little scope and it is the wrong transfer window to do a lot of business so youth and a couple of astute signings and hopefully players like Faulkner coming in with attitude and desire back from injury can keep us out of trouble at the wrong end of the division, have a little cup run and finish the season in better fettle, while getting as many as we can of the players not doing it out on loan for their own good. That would be my approach, do you agree?
  Bradford come on a high and will have a big following, will be looking for an early Christmas present off us, and will turn up full of confidence, again will we be the S*it shown against Morecambe? or the sugar at Peterborough? I have no idea, and I do not envy Grant having to try and lift the whole club out of what is becoming again a poor season with the same players making the same mistakes over and over again.
  The one shaft of light is the EFL cup that can lift the season, and hopefully a little consistency on the Sugar level of performances, I am beginning to get tired of some of the players and inconsistent form shown, it is down to attitude and desire which I question about this playing staff.
 What do you think? there is a lot on this and the following holiday fixtures all against top sides, lose the lot which on yesterdays form is a distinct possibility and heavy losses at that, and the S**t will really hit the fan, Lets hope we have some Sugar and at least some injured players with attitude to fight for us come back, and the latest manager's blast has woken a few up.
  Please have your say, and vent your feelings.

   

[Chris Black come back]

They have won their last 5 games on the trot in all competitions and kept 4 clean sheets in that run. Their away form in the league is play off form (7th) and much better than their home form (19th).

They have if fit Andy Cook, Tyler Smith, Vadaine Oliver and Matt Derbyshire to choose from up front against our highly porous defence. You would imagine there is a very high chance of a cross into the box and a headed goal from some of those lads.

[Filo]

I’d say there’s a good chance of another heavy home defeat

[Donnywolf]

After being so positive recently I expected us to kick on . Started to eye a top half finish and expected us to actually "paste" someone

Perhaps it might have been yesterday but , no , we were the battered ones and it feels so disappointing and with Bradford Mansfield and Notts County coming up I feel the batterings are coming our way

PvO ? L L L for me . I want us to win each one but it looks beyond us on yesterday's showing

[normal rules]

It was interesting to hear GM talk about players being “self employed. “
They aren’t though are they? They get paid no matter what.
Those who are truly self employed know that they are only as good as their last job. And reputation is everything. Those that pulled on the rovers shirt yesterday, barring a few exceptions, were shockingly poor and a disgrace.
Players still have way too much power imo. It’s a shame contracts don’t have clauses in for repeated poor performances. And performance related pay based on managers assessments. Most of them wouldn’t have got paid yesterday. And if they did, it would be a fraction of what they currently get.

[Spilsby Red]

Players should get a basic wage. Then topped up on win bonuses and how they pay etc. I don’t get much money. I have a 3-4 hours round journey. I don’t think the players understand what our supporters pay to see them. It’s not just the tickets. We have a good core of away support to. It all adds up. I don’t mind when we lose as long as the players put a shift in. It frustrates me as it does all our supporters when that was served up yesterday.
Yes we have injuries, the ones that are fit should be thinking here’s my chance. But no.
As said before, if we put a shit shift into our work, it would be warnings or being sacked
Fed up with excuses about injuries. Yes we have lots, god knows why but the fit players should be looking forward to playing and doing there best

[DonnyBazR0ver]

Recalling the Bradford game last season, it was another when perhaps we feared the worst prematch and one where the knives were already being sharpened for the manager.

But I do remember us getting into the game and just starting to get on top of Bradford. Their travelling support celebrated throw ins like goals, yet when we were getting into good positions, our support was relatively quiet.

Just as we were getting on top, the game flipped when they scored prompting the return of all the angst and anxiety both on and off the pitch.

I fear the same could easily happen but, I really hope fans come to the game with an open mind, putting yesterday behind them, and at least try and match Bradfords fans support of their players.

[Chris Black come back]

We’ll treat Cook just like we do Matt Smith and Charlie Wyke. Soft as shit, get bullied at every juncture, and inevitably will score.

[ravenrover]

According to GM, Selby, he said nothing to the players. Have you got some different insider information?

[Campsall rover]

Think he will have had plenty to say.
Wish I was a fly on the wall after that yesterday.
They will have been made to sit and watch the entire game down at Cantley Park this morning.
Some home truths said.
I just want to see some serious leadership out on the park.
Pity Wood isn’t fit.
In fact I would like to see Rob Jones out there with this lot. He might be about 48 now but by heck he would have rattled a few necks yesterday.
He would have strung a few of them up in fact.
Literally.

[Butchers Red]

For me Andy Cook is the best Centre Forward in this league by a distance, I would have Bailey do a man marking job on him all game, sadly neither Tom or Joe are capable of maintaining concentration for the 90 odd minutes. The thing about Cook is, his aerial ability is obvious, but he drops deep and plays wide men in with slide rule precision and then has the pace and determination to then get on the end of things - which is why he has to have a man to man job on him.

Without Cook they haven't much else out of the ordinary from what I've seen.

Louis still has the gloves for me

Sterry / Olowu / Anderson / Senior operating as a back 4 albeit the wide lads have licence to push on a bit.

Bailey CDM - "Cookwatching"

It's our centre midfield though - Has to be Close with Nixon on right and Molly or Hursty left

Mo/Jo up top

We simply MUST get better quality crosses  in to the middle and find the front lads with threaded balls and cut out the sloppiness

[selby]

 Actually no Raven, just repeated what another supporter has told me.  If it is true he did right as far as I am concerned, they were really poor and deserved any S**T that was thrown their way.
 To me they showed no pride in wearing the shirt yesterday, and deserve a dressing down

[moses]

In the home game last season Cook bullied Olowu. Watch for Cook moving onto Olowu for every header.

[ncRover]

And watch Tyler Smith looking to run in behind Anderson at every opportunity.

I might need a fair few mad Friday drinks for this one.

[scawsby steve]

Although I'm a ST holder, I'll be watching this on iFollow in the warmth at home.

There's no way I'm turning out in the cold to watch us getting pumped.

[Donnywolf]

And watch Tyler Smith looking to run in behind Anderson at every opportunity.

I might need a fair few mad Friday drinks for this one.

And I'm off to a Funeral in the afternoon as well for extra "grief"

[Campsall rover]

Although I'm a ST holder, I'll be watching this on iFollow in the warmth at home.

There's no way I'm turning out in the cold to watch us getting pumped.

And we will get pumped SS
You a fortune teller now. Thought it was only BB with a crystal ball.
Come on SS get behind your team. Think GM will get a reaction from the players on Friday. If they do not turn up again then the axe will fall heavily in the summer because GM wants winners in his team and he isn’t going to accept players just going through the motions.

Think you will miss a very competitive derby game which we have a chance of winning.
Anyway it’s not too cold. It is quite mild for December. Get your coat hat and gloves on SS and help our team. We need lots of vocal support as Bradford won’t be short of it. They are bringing well over 3.000 fans.

[Plumbster]

I hate to say it but if we have to start with Biggins and Hurst again I think we will get another hiding. At the moment neither are remotely competitive and playing both gives the rest of the team too much to do. 

[idler]

Although I'm a ST holder, I'll be watching this on iFollow in the warmth at home.

There's no way I'm turning out in the cold to watch us getting pumped.

And we will get pumped SS
You a fortune teller now. Thought it was only BB with a crystal ball.
Come on SS get behind your team. Think GM will get a reaction from the players on Friday. If they do not turn up again then the axe will fall heavily in the summer because GM wants winners in his team and he isn’t going to accept players just going through the motions.

Think you will miss a very competitive derby game which we have a chance of winning.
Anyway it’s not too cold. It is quite mild for December. Get your coat hat and gloves on SS and help our team. We need lots of vocal support as Bradford won’t be short of it. They are bringing well over 3.000 fans.

They might not bring well over 3,000 fans though.
I will be over with the grandkids and we will be meeting up with two of my late son’s mates and their kids.We only gave City 2,800,tickets initially. The ones that I am meeting got tickets easily and know other City fans that would have come on the Saturday not bothering with a Friday night fixture. It will seem a long journey back to Bradford if we lose. 
At least I know plenty of City fans who will be happy if we give them three points.

[Colin C No.3]

If ever there was a game where not only the players showed their true mettle, but McCaan can show the supporters that given their support, he can carry this club forward.

After Saturday, whether we finish 7th, 10th or 19th this season, this game above all others is a must win.

There will be close to 3,000 Brad City supporters there who will drown out anything the Black Bank can ‘throw’ at them.

The team has to put on a performance that will silence them.

They owe us one.

[donnyguy]

Forecast winds of 40 mph + might improve quality on display.

[selby]

  It is simple, our form at Peterborough, and shown in other games and Bradford come willing to take us on in an open game, the chances are we will at least compete.
  If they come here like any side I would bring here as manager, and get in our faces, get on top early and pressure us fiddling around at the back, and are willing to break our play up with the tactical foul, they will have every chance of rolling us over.

[Reg of the Rovers]

I thought Kuleya was the one bright spot on Saturday - on that basis I think he's earned a start - the only one who looked bothered and showed signs of quality.

I'd give Lawlor a start, Sterry to start and play a back four. I thought Mo was poor on Saturday and dropped off last few games, needs a rest and another option but obviously we don't have one at the moment!

Hopefully a big crowd, and we can turn up and compete. They'll fancy this, and as others have said Cook is exactly the sort of bully-boy target man that we can't cope with.

Grant got to do something to spark a reaction, as I thought he let us down on Saturday not making the changes at HT. A full half and only a two goal gap and the extra energy of Kuleya and Goodman could have changed things, we only needed an early goal and they'd have crumbled I think. Changing wholesale at 0-3 meant the game was over and we were chasing shadows.

[Campsall rover]

Although I'm a ST holder, I'll be watching this on iFollow in the warmth at home.

There's no way I'm turning out in the cold to watch us getting pumped.

And we will get pumped SS
You a fortune teller now. Thought it was only BB with a crystal ball.
Come on SS get behind your team. Think GM will get a reaction from the players on Friday. If they do not turn up again then the axe will fall heavily in the summer because GM wants winners in his team and he isn’t going to accept players just going through the motions.

Think you will miss a very competitive derby game which we have a chance of winning.
Anyway it’s not too cold. It is quite mild for December. Get your coat hat and gloves on SS and help our team. We need lots of vocal support as Bradford won’t be short of it. They are bringing well over 3.000 fans.

They might not bring well over 3,000 fans though.
I will be over with the grandkids and we will be meeting up with two of my late son’s mates and their kids.We only gave City 2,800,tickets initially. The ones that I am meeting got tickets easily and know other City fans that would have come on the Saturday not bothering with a Friday night fixture. It will seem a long journey back to Bradford if we lose. 
At least I know plenty of City fans who will be happy if we give them three points.

I still think we would get a bigger gate on Saturday Idler. Xmas or no Xmas.
Someone told me they had sold their full allocation and were getting more tickets. 

[ncRover]

Although I'm a ST holder, I'll be watching this on iFollow in the warmth at home.

There's no way I'm turning out in the cold to watch us getting pumped.

“Faithless is he that says farewell when the road darkens.”

[Butchers Red]

Although I'm a ST holder, I'll be watching this on iFollow in the warmth at home.

There's no way I'm turning out in the cold to watch us getting pumped.

“Faithless is he that says farewell when the road darkens.”

Exactly - another Lord of the Rings moment !

[Reg of the Rovers]

Although I'm a ST holder, I'll be watching this on iFollow in the warmth at home.

There's no way I'm turning out in the cold to watch us getting pumped.

“Faithless is he that says farewell when the road darkens.”

"This day does not belong to one man but to all. Let us together rebuild this world that we may share in the days of peace".

[Monkcaster_Rover]

“Man flesh!” When Andy Cook sees what idiots he’s up against on Friday.

[selby]

  Monkcaster  Rover, we are not that bad a side, are capable of playing very well, and Bradford and Cook although decent are not outstanding by any means and a Real Madrid at this level, or they would not be playing here Friday.
  The main question is not Bradford, but if we win the battle to play our game, and if our defence and midfield stand up to be counted, if they do we are capable of giving any team in this division a hard time of it and they will have to play somewhere near their best to take anything from the game.
  That is my frustration, we are better than we show we are in a lot of games and don't earn the right to play our game.

[Chris Black come back]

How many times do we see a ball pumped into the box and an opposition number 9 head or bundle it into the goal.