[Archived] Bradford City V Rovers

[lraC]

The next instalment of the foray into then unknown waters of league one, sees us lock horns with Bradford City this coming Saturday. If ever we needed the boost of an unexpected away win this is it. With the early season optimism , beginning to disappear and the next game up being our arch rivals at home, we certainly need something from the game.

When I think of Bradford City, I think of the disasterous fire at the old Valley parade and the shocking pictures, shown live on TV. The horror of this, is etched into the memory of many. On a brighter note, they have played in the premier league and had some good players in those days, Stuart McCall, being on the springs to mind. More recently, as a league two team, they enjoyed an unpresented, in the modern game, trip to Wembley in the league cup final in 2013, before losing out to Swansea in a one sided affair. That cup run did see them take the  premiership scalps of Wigan, Arsenal and Aston Villa, which was truly remarkable.

Back to the upcoming game and although my heart bleeds for a win, I can see us losing this, by a margin of at least two. I am therefore going for a score line of 3-1 to continue our dreadful start. The bookmakers offer Bradford at around 11/8 at the minute, which is good value and I see those odds dropping before kick off.

[K-Hod]

I was seriously debating going initially to make it 26/92 for me, but it's looking quite unlikely after Saturday's shower tbh.

[blueboy3333]

I can see us winning by 3,4,5 possibly 6 clear goals. Tony will have them fired up after Saturday's capitulation and Bradford won't be able to cope. You can get odds of 7/2 on the b ollo cks I've just written.

Mercer.

[JHRover]

Bradford very strong at home, haven't lost a league game there since March 2016. They'll be too much for our bunch of suckers and we'll be 9 points behind Wigan by Saturday night.

[RV Blue]

Team I would play:

                      Raya

Nyambe Lenihan Williams New/Doyle

Feeney Smallwood Mulgrew Gladwin

                       Dack

                      Samuel

Tell Feeney to run down the wing and cross it.

[DE.]

Can see our team of wimps being roughed up and knocked off the park. Expect 90 minutes of passing the ball nowhere whilst the opponent cuts our pathetic, slow defence to pieces.

Bradford 3-0 Rovers, followed by Mowbray giving a lecture on philosophy, the players apologising on Twitter/Instagram, and the true fans telling the rest of us to shut up and give Tony more time.

[chaddyrovers]

My team would be

                          Raya

Nyambe Lenihan/new Mulgrew Doyle

                 Evans Smallwood

Chapman         Dack            Gladwin

                        Samuel

Subs:- Luetwiler Williams Caddis Whittingham Bennett Antonsson Graham

[blueboy3333]

6 minutes ago, RV Blue said:

Tell Feeney to run down the wing and cross it.

No,No,No,No! We must keep possession. He must pass it back into midfield where it can very slowly work it's way to the other wing, then back again. That should take no less than 9 minutes. If we can do that 10 times in a match we won't concede.

 

[JacknOry]

Bricking it - the last result had me feeling terrible, not sure I can handle any more.

[Pedro]

I'd get Conway in the 1st eleven if fit. I think he'll be valuable at this level. Graham needs support and a supply so I'd play Dack  just behind him. I think a CM of Smallwood/Evans or Smallwood/Whittingham. Hopefully Lenihan is fit to partner Mulgrew. Raya under strict instructions that if in any doubt, knock it out.

Team talk would basically be, stop fannying about, grow some balls, let's not be scared to play the percentage game and actually get balls into the box and shots on goal.

[J*B]

Bradford have possibly as @#/? a defence as we have. Play a normal formation and we have a chance here.

[G Somerset Rover]

Bradford have Matt Kilgallon at the back. Yes, Matt oil tanker Kilgallon. They cannot be that good.

Bradford 3 Rovers 1

[G Somerset Rover]

1 hour ago, blueboy3333 said:

I can see us winning by 3,4,5 possibly 6 clear goals. Tony will have them fired up after Saturday's capitulation and Bradford won't be able to cope. You can get odds of 7/2 on the b ollo cks I've just written.

Mercer.

No, it can't be Mercer, as there was no 'Good times are just around the corner' @#/? to sign things off.

[Lancaster Rover]

We shouldn't need to play with 2 holding midfielders at this level, the defence should be capable of defending not relying on midfielders to help them out. 

We should play with 2 banks of 4 and a man (Dack) playing off the main striker. I'm not Feeneys biggest fan but his pace would be an asset, we need players who can stretch the play. Gladwin impressed in his short spell on saturday, he was positive and looked to get at his man everytime he received the ball. That's what we need, players who will drive forward and open up pockets of space for players like Dack and even Evans bursting forward (whilst Smallwood sits).

Having 5 midfielders just congests the centre of the park and leads to ponderous 5 yard passes, 2 sitting works if one is a tackler and one is dynamic like Tugay, Evans is not that player and Whittingham's legs/touch looks to have gone. I was pleased with his signing but its looking increasingly like Warnock was right to let him go, he trapped it further than most kick it on Saturday.

Samuel should be told to sit on Killa's shoulder and run him, all day. Drag him all over.

[tomphil]

It's only up the road and less than £15 return on train so no excuse if there isn't a big following for this.

All being well i'll be there and looking forwards to it despite that shower on Saturday and i'm thinking TMs formation may suit being away better when your naturally pushed back a looking to counter.  Big game and very tough game but I've a feeling they might pinch something here there certainly should be a reaction of some sort although we will let in one or two terrible goals as per.

Raya worries me greatly mainly because he's having to learn his trade behind a couple of pansies.

 

Bradford  2    Rovers  2

 

[AAK]

1 hour ago, JHRover said:

Bradford very strong at home, haven't lost a league game there since March 2016. They'll be too much for our bunch of suckers and we'll be 9 points behind Wigan by Saturday night.

Damn, unbeaten all last season at home, very impressive

[AAK]

13 minutes ago, tomphil said:

It's only up the road and less than £15 return on train so no excuse if there isn't a big following for this.

All being well i'll be there and looking forwards to it despite that shower on Saturday and i'm thinking TMs formation may suit being away better when your naturally pushed back a looking to counter.  Big game and very tough game but I've a feeling they might pinch something here there certainly should be a reaction of some sort although we will let in one or two terrible goals as per.

Raya worries me greatly mainly because he's having to learn his trade behind a couple of pansies.

 

Bradford  2    Rovers  2

 

allocation only 1200 and only 700 sold as of just after Southend game, won't be a great following

[Pedro]

2 minutes ago, AAK said:

Damn, unbeaten all last season at home, very impressive

Yet still not promoted.

(I'm just trying to remain positivish)

[chaddyrovers]

Why play Feeney? When we got Chapman, Gladwin,.Bennett and Conway who are better than his. 

Chapman and Gladwin with their skills and pace would cause problems for them. 

I think Feeney wont be Rovers player come September

[Bigdoggsteel]

Complete lack of leadership on the field at the moment. The current bunch strike me as a team that wouldn't even fall out with each other at training. Too many nice guys coasting by picking up a wage packet. 

Unless there is a team meeting and the air is cleared and some home truths are named. I can't see things changing to be honest. 

[Sparks Rover]

Why play any of them? They are all @#/?.

Get battered at Bradford. Good home team. Big support... 4-1 loss.

[perthblue02]

43 minutes ago, Gavlar Somerset Rover! said:

No, it can't be Mercer, as there was no 'Good times are just around the corner' @#/? to sign things off.

To be fair he is usually standing here when posting it 

[Mattyblue]

First League game at Bradford for nearly 30 years and we'll have around 1200 there.

Was fairly obvious that these 'take overs' of away grounds would not be happening unless we were storming the league .

[Tom]

3 at the back and a 2-0 home win

[AAK]

38 minutes ago, Pedro said:

Yet still not promoted.

(I'm just trying to remain positivish)

Yes, they drew 12, 5th best home record, and away they had 6th best away record. Sheff Utd had best home record, but lost 3, however won 17.