[Archived] Bradford City V Rovers

[AndyNeil]

I've been doing a blog since the Nottingham Forest game at the back end of last season.  Here are my thoughts on yesterday - any feedback, comment and opinion is very welcome

https://andyneil74.wordpress.com/2017/08/20/up-and-running/

[Guest]

Results are all that matter. We're only responding positively to Mowbray's comments because we won. I wonder how we'd respond if we'd lost. You only have to look back at the previous two league match threads for evidence.

[JBiz]

2 minutes ago, Phil T said:

Results are all that matter. We're only responding positively to Mowbray's comments because we won. I wonder how we'd respond if we'd lost. You only have to look back at the previous two league match threads for evidence.

I doubt he'd have the gall to say it post defeat! 

[Guest]

14 minutes ago, AndyNeil said:

I've been doing a blog since the Nottingham Forest game at the back end of last season.  Here are my thoughts on yesterday - any feedback, comment and opinion is very welcome

https://andyneil74.wordpress.com/2017/08/20/up-and-running/

Great read!

I think we were underdogs in "the one that mattered" at t'Turf in December 2000. At least by the bookies.

[Pedro]

The sense of relaxation after yesterday's win. I want to get used to that feeling!

[Mercer]

Up and running and hopefully about to soar!

Sounds like we had the right mentality and approach.  Let's hope the penny has dropped.  If it has, we've the players to boss this league.

[Guest]

12 minutes ago, Mercer said:

Up and running and hopefully about to soar!

Sounds like we had the right mentality and approach.  Let's hope the penny has dropped.  If it has, we've the players to boss this league.

Well... The winning run was good while it lasted.

[Stuart]

10 hours ago, Phil T said:

Managed to catch the second half on iFollow. It's a nice surprise to beat promotion favourites, but the confidence in that Rovers team is rock bottom.

We've got nothing to lose against Burnley, and the thought and likelihood of us losing with a full strength side is depressing. Let's just chuck the youngsters in (Nutall, Fisher, Tomlinson, Rankin-Costello, et. al.), and see if we can cause an embarrassing upset. Got to be better than the current first team.

I would definitely like to see us blood some of the youngsters against Burnley.

There is little to gain by putting a full strength team out, especially if Burnley play some of their reserves, and it could be a real test and valuable experience for someone like Nuttall or Mols. Tomlinson also impressed against United last year.

Ultimately, I just hope that whoever Mowbray puts out is up for this. Dunn needs to be in that dressing room before the game.

[Stuart]

I also think that we need to be making a bigger deal of the record still intact for Rovers over 'that lot'. The pre-Venkys days when both clubs actually cared about competitive football and the match really meant something to those in charge.

Since Venkys came in with their various puppets we have stopped being a football club in the proper sense and are now simply a business so it's fair to claim that our footballing record over them still stands.

And will after Weds.

#30years

[DE.]

Mowbray's comments can be read as a dig at the owners, but I doubt he meant it that way. It wouldn't serve any positive purpose from his perspective to criticise them. I imagine he's just trying to get the supporters onside, and as a result accidentally ended up throwing some shade at Venky's. It's kind of impossible not to if you're talking about the true state of the club and our spiral of decline under their ownership. 

[had.e.nuff]

15 hours ago, Wing Wizard Windy Miller said:

First game of the season for me today.  Wasn't sure what to expect but saw a very committed performance.  Apart from the last 15 mins, I thought we were comfortable.  We created a few oportunities first half (nearest on the stroke of half time) and Dack was lively.  Second half we got the goal which I felt we deserved.  After that we knocked it about reasonably well  although our final ball is still missing.  I thought the back 4 did well today and nullified Bradford with Evans and Smallwood doing an excellent job.

I must say tht if Bradford are one of the better teams, then we have nothing to fear in this league...IF the players show the same committment as they did today.  

Raya: Not too much to do but handled the ball well.  A few poor kicks though.

Caddis: they seemed to target him defensively.  Thought he coped well today but didn't venture forward much.

Ward:  Looked solid today- won a lot of headers.

Mulgrew:  composed and read the game well.

Williams:  stuck to his job at the back and made some good runs forward.

Conway:  did well.  Tried to make things happen.

Bennett:  Put in a shift and tracked back well but doesn't really seem to create anything.

Evans:  Combative and tidy on the ball

Smallwood:  As above.

Dack:  Thought he looked lively.  Got stuck in and tried to carry the ball and be positive.  Got some rough treatment.  Hope injury not too bad.

Samuel: Showed some nice touches.  Competed well up front.  Much more mobile than Graham.  Scored!

Subs:

Gladwin:  couple of neat touches and tried to run the clock down.  Gifted Bradford a chance with a careless pass late on.

Whittingham:  Knocked the ball around tidily but not much impact 

Antonsson:  reasonable movement but slow and a bit light weight.  Not one for playing up front on his own.

We still need that pacey forward IMO.  Especially to push teams deep late on.

TM:  Got the committment from players today and the subs made sense (although surprised not to see Graham).  

Fans made a lot of noise. Enjoyable day out!

 

 

 

 

I noticed that they targeted our right back they must have worked at that this week ,must have assumed it was the weak link wonder who it was aimed at Caddis or Nyambe or was that their best attacking player. Did anyone else notice in the per-match warm up the back four practicing in a line and all were encouraged to clear the ball quickly.

[roversfan99]

Offered absolutely nothing going forward but we never looked like conceding because everyone was in their correct position and knew what they were doing.

Even Ward looked assured next to our best player in Mulgrew (bar one mistake)

Need to stick with 4 at the back and players in their correct positions, you can bring in the likes of Chapman, Graham, Antonsson, Gladwin, Feeney and Whittingham but as long as you stick to 4 at the back, well organised and players in their correct position you will win more than you lose.

[Bigdoggsteel]

3 minutes ago, roversfan99 said:

Offered absolutely nothing going forward but we never looked like conceding because everyone was in their correct position and knew what they were doing.

Even Ward looked assured next to our best player in Mulgrew (bar one mistake)

Need to stick with 4 at the back and players in their correct positions, you can bring in the likes of Chapman, Graham, Antonsson, Gladwin, Feeney and Whittingham but as long as you stick to 4 at the back, well organised and players in their correct position you will win more than you lose.

Lenihan could find it hard to get back in if Ward and Mulgrew continue to perform well. You are right, if we focus on getting the back 4 right, the rest will work itself out. We have the firepower 

[davulsukur]

1 hour ago, Pedro said:

The sense of relaxation after yesterday's win. I want to get used to that feeling!

Yer it's a good feeling. Glad to not have the weekend ruined by Rovers.

killed a few birds with that one stone yesterday:

First win of the season 

First away win of the season

First Clean sheet of the season

Not too bad at all.

[had.e.nuff]

9 minutes ago, Bigdoggsteel said:

Lenihan could find it hard to get back in if Ward and Mulgrew continue to perform well. You are right, if we focus on getting the back 4 right, the rest will work itself out. We have the firepower 

 

9 minutes ago, Bigdoggsteel said:

Lenihan could find it hard to get back in if Ward and Mulgrew continue to perform well. You are right, if we focus on getting the back 4 right, the rest will work itself out. We have the firepower 

that is what we did last time we where in this league sorted the back out and made ourselves hard to beat and nicked goals you don't need to play pretty football to get out of this league

[BlueMonday59]

Now Mowbray needs to instill the confidence and embed a better attitude so we can get on the run we need to get up.

A tall order but we have now made life difficult for ourselves.

[Bigdoggsteel]

30 minutes ago, BlueMonday59 said:

Now Mowbray needs to instill the confidence and embed a better attitude so we can get on the run we need to get up.

A tall order but we have now made life difficult for ourselves.

It is 3 games into the season, calm down mate 

[chaddyrovers]

44 minutes ago, roversfan99 said:

Offered absolutely nothing going forward but we never looked like conceding because everyone was in their correct position and knew what they were doing.

Even Ward looked assured next to our best player in Mulgrew (bar one mistake)

Need to stick with 4 at the back and players in their correct positions, you can bring in the likes of Chapman, Graham, Antonsson, Gladwin and Whittingham but as long as you stick to 4 at the back, well organised and players in their correct position you will win more than you lose.

Offered nothing going forward? Didnt Dack(and Gladwin when he replace him) both have good games? 

 

[blueboy3333]

58 minutes ago, roversfan99 said:

Offered absolutely nothing going forward but we never looked like conceding because everyone was in their correct position and knew what they were doing.

Even Ward looked assured next to our best player in Mulgrew (bar one mistake)

Need to stick with 4 at the back and players in their correct positions, you can bring in the likes of Chapman, Graham, Antonsson, Gladwin, Feeney and Whittingham but as long as you stick to 4 at the back, well organised and players in their correct position you will win more than you lose.

That was the first time in the league this season that you could look at the team sheet and understand the logic. For that reason I wouldn't be too quick to start putting Whittingham back in there. The centre of that defence is shaky, it needs protection, it won't get it from Whittingham. At least Mowbray dropped him.  

[roversfan99]

11 minutes ago, chaddyrovers said:

Offered nothing going forward? Didnt Dack(and Gladwin when he replace him) both have good games? 

 

Dack was bright enough but didn't do much substantial, apart from a weak deflected shock.

Gladwins main contribution was putting us into trouble at the other end at one point.

We will need alot more going forward, thats for sure. 

 

[arbitro]

1 minute ago, roversfan99 said:

Dack was bright enough but didn't do much substantial, apart from a weak deflected shock.

Gladwins main contribution was putting us into trouble at the other end at one point.

We will need alot more going forward, thats for sure. 

 

I thought Dack contributed a lot. He found pockets of space in between their defence and midfield and was prepared to go at them on several occasions. The number of foul challenges on him was indicative of how Bradford feared him. I'm sure that he will infuriate us at times but his importance in behind the striker will be crucial.

[blueboy3333]

https://claretandbanter.uk/threads/blackburn-rovers.53874/

BCFC fan's assessment seems to be it was a poor game between two average sides, but that we had a little bit more about us and 'did a job on them'. If we do that every week I'll be delighted

[blueboy3333]

Just now, arbitro said:

I thought Dack contributed a lot. He found pockets of space in between their defence and midfield and was prepared to go at them on several occasions. The number of foul challenges on him was indicative of how Bradford feared him. I'm sure that he will infuriate us at times but his importance in behind the striker will be crucial.

On their forums it suggested he played a bit further forward than when he had previously played against them. They also said he was class but that he also played a lot better against them before. Why Mowbray left him out at home to Donny is still beyond me.

[Miker]

15 minutes ago, blueboy3333 said:

That was the first time in the league this season that you could look at the team sheet and understand the logic. For that reason I wouldn't be too quick to start putting Whittingham back in there. The centre of that defence is shaky, it needs protection, it won't get it from Whittingham. At least Mowbray dropped him.  

Whittingham has looked fairly poor to me in the first 3 games so far, didn't do much when he came on last night. Evans/Smallwood in the centre of midfield is a solid partnership and Whittingham will need to do much better to dislodge either of them. 

[scotchrover]

4 hours ago, Stuart said:

3 on the bounce? Not lost in five?

Southend?

1 loss in 6 still isn't bad though. Plus the away form must be one of the worst in the 92.

 

I stand corrected though.