Bradford City vs Leyton Orient preview
@Valley Parade on Saturday 11 December, 2013
By Gareth Walker
On Saturday Bradford City begin a hectic period of playing five games in two-and- a-half weeks, most of which are against teams who themselves hold promotion ambitions. The Bantams own aspirations have taken somewhat of a knock over recent weeks, as we have managed only one win in the last 10 games in all competitions
There are of course mitigating circumstances for this current run. In my opinion, it is far from coincidental that the sticky period has occurred in the absence of Andrew Davies from our defence due to injury. To find our last win prior to the recent victory at MK Dons, you have to go all the way back to the 2-0 triumph away at Walsall on 5 October, which just so happens to be the last time that we saw Davies in a City shirt.
To be without a player such as Davies for a significant period of time is going to hit any team at this level quite hard, but to lose two players of that calibre, one at each end of the pitch, could prove to be unmanageable – and that is what City have had to cope with for a good proportion of this slump. Prior to the Walsall win was City’s last home victory – 2-1 against Shrewsbury – where we lost Nahki Wells for a period of five games.
Now back in the team and back in the goals after a rusty couple of games against Wolves and Crewe, Nahki is showing us what we had been missing. Despite City only having registered the win at MK Dons since his return, supporters are much more optimistic of picking up three points and going on a winning run with the Bermudian in the team than they were when he was stuck on the sidelines.
His wonderful hat trick against Coventry, tap in at MK Dons and neat finish in the club’s last outing against Oldham have meant five Wells goals in his last four games, and 13 league goals for the season. It is difficult to argue that City would have earned more than the two points they achieved when Wells was missing. In fact, a further delve into the stat book shows that – out of the 32 league goals that we have scored this season – Nahki has been responsible for over 40% of them.
It is understandable, therefore, that we lost some of our momentum when Wells was out of the side. Momentum is a massive thing in football. As a result of the momentum built up from last season’s heroics, the whole atmosphere around Valley Parade has been fantastic. It is important that we ride on this crest of a wave for as long as possible and let it take us as far as it can.
Opposition fans who have visited BD8 have commended us on the positivity that we supporters have provided our side. Yet, of late, it has been disconcerting that some of the moaning minority are finding their voices in the stands once again. We need to be reinforcing the momentum, not contributing to its premature conclusion.
Considering the contribution that Wells has made both this season and last, it is understandably concerning for everyone connected with City that talk has again turned to the possibility of his transfer out of the club. Supporters could be forgiven for thinking that, during the two recent T&A interviews with joint Chairman Mark Lawn, we were being braced for the sale of our top scorer. Indeed, Lawn’s comments about the club needing to find some cash due to our first round exits from all the cup competitions appeared to contradict David Baldwin in his recent interview with WOAP, during which he stated that the club budgets for going out in the first round of each of the cups.
My own personal opinion is that Nahki will leave in January and I have mentally prepared myself for his departure. Furthermore, I think it is ludicrous to expect the club to lavish a large chunk of the money from his sale on a replacement. However, I am not of the opinion that his departure should signal the end of our forward journey. On the contrary, we should use it as an opportunity to take us to the next level.
Obviously Wells has been a massive factor in our success over recent years. But he is only one part of what we have achieved, and with him in our squad at the moment we are still sitting outside the play off places in the division. We have been told that the money from last season’s cup run has now been spent and it concerns me just how long the current momentum will last before it peters out.
The worst case scenario for us is that Wells’ contract runs down and we lose him for next to no transfer fee, assuming that he isn’t going to sign a new deal. At least if we were to sell him on our terms in one of the next couple of transfer windows, we would benefit financially to an extent whereby we could tie down our other better players to longer term deals and, hopefully, build an even better squad for next season.
What is becoming clear is that we are not going to be able to keep Wells and invest in other, better players to strengthen the rest of the team. And as his departure now appears to be more and more inevitable, we have to make sure that we get the best deal for the club so that his sale – and his goals – contribute to the continuation of our momentum and upward progression, rather than signalling the end of the journey.
Our next four games are against Leyton Orient, Peterborough, Rotherham and Swindon. Orient are first up this weekend and currently sit proudly at the top of the League One table. The Os have been the surprise package of the season so far, as they have defied the small numbers in their squad and brushed aside all before them.
Managed by the wily and astute Russell Slade, they are the top scorers in the country and, understandably, their strike force of Kevin Lisbie and Dave Mooney has been making all the headlines. Lisbie has been around for a long time and is a proven lower league scorer, but captain Mooney in particular is having the season of his life. Fortunately for City, both marksmen could be missing for the game at Valley Parade. Lisbie has been absent the last two games through injury and remains a doubt; whilst Mooney is definitely out as he serves a suspension for the red card that he received in the final minute of Orient’s last outing against Walsall.
Even if both strikers are missing however, City will still have to be at their best against a rampant team that also includes one-time Bantams transfer target Romain Vincelot and former Huddersfield Town captain Nathan Clarke.
As for City, Phil Parkinson will be expected to field the same starting XI that drew at BoundaryPark almost two weeks ago. That would mean Jon McLaughlin in goal behind a back four of Stephen Darby, Matthew Bates, Rory McArdle and James Meredith. The midfield will be the only area where we might see changes, as Mark Yeates will stand by to replace Garry Thompson, who has been struggling with an injury. The other three midfielders of Kyel Reid, Gary Jones and Nathan Doyle pick themselves at the moment despite Jason Kennedy’s brief cameo in the side a couple of games ago. Inevitably, James Hanson and Wells start up front.
Come the end of the festive fixture programme, we should be somewhere closer to knowing what the future holds for Wells and for Bradford City. If Wells is still wearing Claret and Amber and banging in the goals, all would be well and good. But if he is on the verge of leaving us, let’s make sure that we’ve enjoyed it and got as much momentum out of him as possible. Using his sale as a means to continuing our progression.
Categories: Previews
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My current feelings are that breaking in to the top 6 and staying there will prove very tricky, and even if we do then getting past the 3 of Orient, Wolves, Peterboro, Preston & Brentford in the play offs will be even trickier still.
I think we should, with a replacement bought for £750k – £1m be able to stay around mid table and avoid slipping towards the bottom 4, and therefore, all things weighed up, think it would be best to sell Wells for £2m + add ons this January. Or we could invest some of the money to getting a good championship player in on loan and investing in a transfer fee in summer.