Bradford Senior Team vs Crewe Alex U21s

[TrinidadsNumberOne]

So glad I've decided to forgo the £25 admission to Valley Parade (which I'd happily pay if we were a competent football club) on the basis that the Steve Davis reign of terror continues.

A 3-0 defeat will ensue, we'll take 100 fans (if that) and Davis will be safe for yet another week. We'll also have one of our kids subbed off due to injury due to the fact we lack a midfield type enforcer to protect our players.

Looking more forward to the back to back home games after this if I'm honest, this fixture is a massive inconvenience and Bradford will be three points better off come 5pm Saturday.

 

[JJ1532]

Going once again because I'm a glutton for pain.

4-4-2 should work better this week against another team that operates with a similar system, so I'd keep that formation and the same XI as the last 2, but with a warning that a response from the shambles is needed. But I can see him changing it and going 4-3-3 by bringing in Atkinson for Saunders. Depending on the injury situation with Colclough, I also think a 5-3-2 is possible. Inman shifts into midfield and Kingsley comes in at LWB with Guthrie moving inside. Will obviously depend on whether Colclough is fit or not.

Very tough fixture, Bradford seem to have got their act together and are making a push for the top 6. Hanson loves playing us and Clarke, Reid, Knott and Cole should also have a field day. Given how stingy their back line is, I just don't see us scoring. Not even sure if we'll manage a shot on target, because we all know Davis will go defensive and sit for a 0-0.

It's asking too much to hope King is dropped. Just hope he either sticks with the 4-4-2 or goes 5-3-2, if he goes back to the 4-3-3, we may as well pack up and go home. I don't think we'll get battered shoreline wise, Bradford aren't doing that to any team, especially at home. They'll probably win, but I can't see it being by more than 2 goals(immortal last words).

 

[TrinidadsNumberOne]

No Haber for us now because Canada have called him up, definitely going back to 4-3-3/4-5-1.

 

[LS Bantam]

There's no way we'll score 3, we just don't create enough for that to happen. Defensively we've been strong recently, I think 4 clean sheets in 6, but Meredith is away with Australia so ironically Greg Leigh will make his league debut against Crewe.
With those Crewe comments in mind I'll say we will win with an ugly 2-0, very similar to last seasons game.

 

[JJ1532]

Appealing Garratts red card. In a normal world, it's an easy appeal we should win. But because the FA couldn't organise a piss up in a brewery and want to back their refs, this will probably fail.

Still should stick with the 4-4-2. LDV in for Haber, Atkinson in for King. Job done. But you are right TNO, it'll be 4-3-3. Enjoy your 3 points Bradford.

 

[F!RTHY]

I can see a loss here.

 

[TimeyWimey]

Thanks Canada.

FA should overturn Garratt's red if they follow the law. But as JJ says, they tend to back their referees regardless so I hold little hope. Decision could be the difference between conceding one and conceding three or four.

But who would do a better job than Davis, huh?

 

[Robert Molenaar]

Gonna be a terrible one to watch, we'll sneak it 1-0;.

 

[Cas]

I'm with Firthy. Probably lose 5-0 with all of the goals being worldies.

 

[SRNP]

You're A foolish mortal JJ for going this.

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[bantamigo]

Crewe have a chance with this, our defence will be disrupted with Burke and Meredith gone and we are no good going forward. Get an early goal and the murmurs will start and we will struggle to respond. It really depends on if Crewe are as crap as they say they are.

 

[TrinidadsNumberOne]

Crewe have a chance with this, our defence will be disrupted with Burke and Meredith gone and we are no good going forward. Get an early goal and the murmurs will start and we will struggle to respond. It really depends on if Crewe are as crap as they say they are.

The league table never lies! 3 wins in 3 months this season in all competitions!

 

[TimeyWimey]

Crewe have a chance with this, our defence will be disrupted with Burke and Meredith gone and we are no good going forward. Get an early goal and the murmurs will start and we will struggle to respond. It really depends on if Crewe are as crap as they say they are.

We pretty much are as crap as we say. We've got 13 points through 1) Ben Garratt being completely awesome (no, seriously, his saves do account for a good 7 or 8 points) and 2) Shrewsbury, Barnsley & Sheff Utd were absolutely abysmal on the days we played them but they all still had clear chances to put 2 or 3 past us.

 

[SRNP]

And Ben Barratt is suspended for this game

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[1976Bantam]

Appealing Garratts red card. In a normal world, it's an easy appeal we should win. But because the FA couldn't organise a piss up in a brewery and want to back their refs, this will probably fail.

Still should stick with the 4-4-2. LDV in for Haber, Atkinson in for King. Job done. But you are right TNO, it'll be 4-3-3. Enjoy your 3 points Bradford.

I do think you have a chance with the appeal - watching the highlights it's right out towards the corner of the box and the striker's touch didn't take him directly towards goal, with at least one defender back covering in the middle. One of those I think where some refs would have chosen a yellow.

Don't get me wrong, better for us if he doesn't play of course and going off the penalty your sub keeper conceded where he hesitated badly and then rugby tackled the striker, I'd happily see him playing against us!

 

[Wootball]

And Ben Garratt is suspended for this game

No he isn't.

 

[JJ1532]

Not surprising. It was never a red. A big shout out to Carl Boyeson for being the most useless ref I've had the misfortune of watching in a long time. A big time charlie who wanted Saturday to be all about him.

Also looks like Colclough and Inman didn't pick up serious injuries from the reckless challenges they were subjected to. So just missing Haber for the weekend.

 

[Crewelad87]

I'll go for a 0-0 draw after being battered for 90 mins, and Garratt making at least 2 or 3 saves he's not even entitled to make.

Bradford 0-0 17,890 (110 depressed probably slightly insane railwaymen)

 

[SRNP]

I can't see more than 100 going, but we seem to have 100 or so mere fools that go no matter what

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[TrinidadsNumberOne]

Just smash us Bradford. Only way Davis is leaving this club, if we're lucky. Protests at Gresty Road in the coming weeks will be the highlight of our season until the real fans shoot us down for being uncivilised and not in the know of how our 'special' club works. Melts.

 

[JJ1532]

Well, we're missing Wilson, Dalla Valle and Haber, so we'll have no physical presence upfront.

No optimism whatsoever for this game now. I'd snatch your hand off for a draw. Bradford, if you beat us in this state...

 

[F!RTHY]

We're missing a few players too for different reasons.

James Meredith - Away on international duty with Australia.

Reece Burke - the colossal on-loan CB is away with England u20's.

Lee Evans - away with Wales u21's.

Lee Morris, Felipe Morais, Paul Anderson and Steve Davies remain injured.

Likely starting line-up;

Williams

Darby
McArdle
Clarke
Leigh

McMahon
Liddle
Knott
Reid

Cole
Hanson

Anything other than a win would be very disappointing.

 

[Crewelad87]

Actually put money on a Crewe win, I don't think we will but 7/1 is worth a shot.

 

[Football Purist]

Actually put money on a Crewe win, I don't think we will but 7/1 is worth a shot.

Worth sticking a tenner on.
COYR!

 

[Saddlerrad]

Momentum building for Bradford, 6 without defeat I believe.

 

[bantamigo]

It's 2 losses in 14 league games I think. Crewe were bad but just looked to be a lack of quality with touches and misplaced passes more than anything. I actually thought they looked more mobile than us in the first half. That said we just seem to be battering teams out the way at the moment and could have scored more than we did.

 

[TimeyWimey]

Same shit, different weekend. Never looked like getting anything from the game. Too many players well short in terms of ability. Steve Davis still making excuses, anyone but himself(Hopefully he's said something to the ref that will get him a stadium ban). Davis still having his backside licked clean by McGarry.

 

[Mighty_Bantam]

Crewe were worse than Blackpool. Impressive.

 

[JJ1532]

Same old, same old. Huffed and puffed and looked beaten from the moment the game kicked off. Only 1 team was ever going to win that. Even if we'd have had Haber and LDV available, we're still a striker short, have been all season.

To be fair, Bradford were one of the better teams we've faced this season. Clarke and Knott are decent players at this level, Hanson is always a threat and the wide players do work the ball around well and get crosses in. Should make the top 6.

Oh well, on to the hammering Posh will dish out next week.

 

[TimeyWimey]

Crewe were worse than Blackpool. Impressive.

Imagine watching that week in, week out and still having to listen to some fans* claim everything is hunky-dory and their only defence of the man is "who could do better?". Or "all Davis can do is pick the team, not his fault if they don't win". Or "yeah but what if we'd sacked Dario or sumthink".


*To be fair, they are generally fans who have Crewe as a passing interest and so are obsessed with this "Crewe way" shite. Or exiles who lap up the Radio Stoke bullshit.