Bradford City Vs Bristol Rovers (SKY)

[F!RTHY]

on SKY at 12:30pm Saturday.

We were atrocious on TV last year, and have been for a couple of seasons now, come to think of it.

After cruising at Walsall last week, to only then collect 1 point after being 3-nil up, McCall has sprung into action. We appear to have signed a decent right-footed CB, Adam Thompson, who surely now has a lot to prove given the first 6 weeks at Bury has gone against him in a way no one could have predicted. There's a decent player in there somewhere, oh so our Southend chums tell us.

Team!

Colin Doyle on international duty, so providing our new German sensation receives international clearance, he'll be making his debut.

GK: Lukas Raeder

RB: Tony McMahon
CB: Adam Thompson
CB: Nat Knight-Percival
LB: Tom Field

CM: Romain Vincelot
DCM: Jake Reeves
CM: Nicky Law

RW: Alex Jones
CF: Charlie Wyke
LW: Dominic Poleon

Harsh on Omari, but he'll run Rovers ragged from bench.

Am I confident, yeah just a little.

In other news, I'll be smashed come 6pm.

Att; 19,000

3-1 CITY

 

[WilsdenBantam]

on SKY at 12:30pm Saturday.

We were atrocious on TV last year, and have been for a couple of seasons now, come to think of it.

After cruising at Walsall last week, to only then collect 1 point after being 3-nil up, McCall has sprung into action. We appear to have signed a decent right-footed CB, Adam Thompson, who surely now has a lot to prove given the first 6 weeks at Bury has gone against him in a way no one could have predicted. There's a decent player in there somewhere, oh so our Southend chums tell us.

Team!

Colin Doyle on international duty, so providing our new German sensation receives international clearance, he'll be making his debut.

GK: Lukas Raeder

RB: Tony McMahon
CB: Adam Thompson
CB: Nat Knight-Percival
LB: Tom Field

CM: Romain Vincelot
DCM: Jake Reeves
CM: Nicky Law

RW: Alex Jones
CF: Charlie Wyke
LW: Dominic Poleon

Harsh on Omari, but he'll run Rovers ragged from bench.

Am I confident, yeah just a little.

In other news, I'll be smashed come 6pm.

Att; 19,000

3-1 CITY

Doyle is only back up for Ireland and is available to play (unfortunately), Thompson in the other hand is playing for Northern Ireland tomorrow. Rest of the team I agree with, unless we get a last minute midfielder, then I'd drop Law.

 

[07.05.16]

Lovely of sky to give us a 12:30 ko for our longest trip of the season.
Will be without our 2 first choice centrebacks, which is obviously a big let down, due to international callups. Would also bring in Lines for Sinclair, who may be injured still.

GK: Slocombe

RB: Partington
CB: Burn
CB: Broadbent
LB: Brown

CM: Sercombe
CDM: Clarke
CM: Lines

RW: Bodin
ST: Gaffney
LW: Nichols

Not too sure on the result, depends on how Burn and Broadbent get on together. Will go for a sneaky 1-2 away win with Bodin scoring another screamer and Nichols getting off the mark late on.

 

[F!RTHY]

Lines always scores against us. Lump it on, you won't be disappointed.

 

[miagsygas]

Honestly think we're in for a struggle on this one. The two first choice centre backs out (Captain Lockyer with Wales, Sweeney with Ireland u21s). If we go 4-4-2, the natural replacements would have about a combined 30 appearences between them. Wouldn't be shocked to see DC throw somewhat of a tactical surprise in there however.

I'd definitely take the point though under the circumstances, but I'm predicting a Bradford win.

 

[PoshinPretoria]

Lovely of sky to give us a 12:30 ko for our longest trip of the season.
Will be without our 2 first choice centrebacks, which is obviously a big let down, due to international callups. Would also bring in Lines for Sinclair, who may be injured still.

GK: Slocombe

RB: Partington
CB: Burn
CB: Broadbent
LB: Brown

CM: Sercombe
CDM: Clarke
CM: Lines

RW: Bodin
ST: Gaffney
LW: Nichols

Not too sure on the result, depends on how Burn and Broadbent get on together. Will go for a sneaky 1-2 away win with Bodin scoring another screamer and Nichols getting off the mark late on.

Do you rate Nichols? For us he was an absolute disgrace. Just scared of everything...heading, shooting, tackling, being challenged etc etc and in the end he had to go as he had just become a figure of fun with the fans. Which was a shame really cos he had a bit of skill about him.

 

[07.05.16]

Do you rate Nichols? For us he was an absolute disgrace. Just scared of everything...heading, shooting, tackling, being challenged etc etc and in the end he had to go as he had just become a figure of fun with the fans. Which was a shame really cos he had a bit of skill about him.

There's clearly a tidy footballer there, just needs that first goal and hopefully he can go on a good run.
From what I've seen he certainly isn't afraid of shooting.

 

[miagsygas]

Do you rate Nichols? For us he was an absolute disgrace. Just scared of everything...heading, shooting, tackling, being challenged etc etc and in the end he had to go as he had just become a figure of fun with the fans. Which was a shame really cos he had a bit of skill about him.

He's been good, unfortunately for him due to our shape as of late he's actually not playing playing in a position that he's been likely to score in, more playing in our link up play. We've been playing with a front three with him and Bodin on either side and then Harrison or Gaffney furthest forward so his chances have only really been half chances at best, but the overall side of his game has been good. That being said, you'd say we'll only get a full view of him in a natural striker role, but that will only come if we play in a two, he doesnt have the attributes to be a lone striker at all.

 

[WilsdenBantam]

There's clearly a tidy footballer there, just needs that first goal and hopefully he can go on a good run.
From what I've seen he certainly isn't afraid of shooting.

The sort of excuse that some of our lot used about Luke James, if a striker never scores they're usually just shit regardless of a decent first touch or not.

 

[SeasideKurt]

Sam Slocombe done okay? I saw BR against Salisbury pre-season and they looked pretty good. Rob Sinclair looks his usual good busy self.

0-1 Rovers.

 

[bantamigo]

We seem to be having far less trouble scoring and BR are turning up with a dodgy defence...

0-0 then.

 

[miagsygas]

The sort of excuse that some of our lot used about Luke James, if a striker never scores they're usually just shit regardless of a decent first touch or not.

James didn't score for us playing as an authentic striker all season. Nichols has been four games playing more as a left wing/inside forward, little bit too soon for that comparison.

Sam Slocombe done okay? I saw BR against Salisbury pre-season and they looked pretty good. Rob Sinclair looks his usual good busy self.

0-1 Rovers.

Tidy, hasn't had to do too much but has been commanding. Started season backing up Adam Smith who broke his finger or bone in his hand.

Oh, and it's Stuart Sinclair, Rob's his brother.

 

[07.05.16]

The sort of excuse that some of our lot used about Luke James, if a striker never scores they're usually just shit regardless of a decent first touch or not.

I also said the same about Matty Taylor when he was struggling to find the net in his first season. He turned out alright didn't he.

 

[WilsdenBantam]

I also said the same about Matty Taylor when he was struggling to find the net in his first season. He turned out alright didn't he.

Is he off to City as well?

 

[RobboPOSH]

Do you rate Nichols? For us he was an absolute disgrace. Just scared of everything...heading, shooting, tackling, being challenged etc etc and in the end he had to go as he had just become a figure of fun with the fans. Which was a shame really cos he had a bit of skill about him.

Nonsense, he wasn't a disgrace. He was a confidence player and was too easily made a scapegoat for other players having poor games, bizarre tactics and genuinely terrible football. He still finished our top scorer last season although Marriott who replaced him is a much better player. I'd sooner have Nicholls than Morias in our squad.

The sort of excuse that some of our lot used about Luke James, if a striker never scores they're usually just shit regardless of a decent first touch or not.

Fergie insisted playing him on the wing for us which was why his goalscoring record was poor. He always looked like he had something about him and i'd like to have seen us give him a go upfront.

 

[bantamigo]

To be fair to Luke James he barely got a run in the team for us. He was expected to basically score a bagful in the 10 min sun appearances he made. Not that he did anything worthwhile in those appearances either.

 

[Aber gas]

Going to Bradford without Lockyer and Sweeney is problematic but I'm still confident of turning these over. Broadbent has done nothing wrong when given the chance and Burn has summat. I'll go for a 3-1 Gas victory with Bodin, Nichols and an Ollie Clarke special for us.
UTG.

 

[07.05.16]

Not sure why we've dropped Partington with the form he's been in. Can only think that he's absolutely shattered from fixture pile up.

 

[miagsygas]

Managed to find a pub in Polzeath showing the game, probably regret that by 1pm with today's defence

 

[JoshBCFC]

Horrific defending from a set-piece by Rovers. Bradford deserve their lead, just smashing it straight up to Wyke seems to be working

 

[Gassy]

Dreadful first 30 minutes. Sat in a cafe in Zagreb watching via wifi. Seems like we've changed to 4-4-2 and much better. Defence looks shaky as hell but that's to be expected with our 2 CBs out. I'd have taken a draw before the game and right now I'd be over the moon with a draw.

I'd take Moore off for Telford or Nicholls at half time

 

[07.05.16]

Oh dear that was shocking.
Really should have undeservedly gone it at 1-1 though with that Moore chance. Whole goal to aim at and he heads it at the one place where it'll get blocked. He heads that high and it's in.
Came into the game last 10 minutes, hopefully get a foothold in the second half.
Need to go 4-4-2, IMO. Put on a striker for Lines/Sercombe. Bradford have 5 in midfield and are ripping us apart.

 

[miagsygas]

This has been laughable, so so bad. Moore is the weakest player in the football league and I'd legitimately release him tomorrow if he wasn't our only left winger. Every player has been dreadful and you can see the lack of belief in the two centre backs resonate in the whole squad. Feels like we can concede with every attack. Can't believe we haven't been put away to be honest. Kind of half improved after 35 but not good enough

 

[Cas]

Bristol Rovers will get something from this. Too obvious.

 

[Gassy]

Crap defending yet again. Embarrassing defending. We're missing Yates as defensive coach so much it's unbelievable

 

[Aber gas]

Bloody terrible.

 

[Aber gas]

Pulled apart at will. Actually embarrassing is this.

 

[07.05.16]

Oh dear.

 

[WilsdenBantam]

Very good performance, Rovers can't have any complaints thought we could have won by a couple more but that's the demanding in me.

Best performance of the season, hopefully we've turned a corner. Wyke was unplayable, everyone else decent and solid, what a difference Vincelot makes to our aggression in the centre.

With Rovers you can see they have something, but look like they lack the quality in the centre of midfield to really challenge for promotion. Bodin is quality though, without him they'd have offered nothing to the game, fancy a swap? You can have Nicky Law.

 

[bantamigo]

Nichols did well for their goal to be fair.