By Jason McKeown

This most unloved of competitions continues to prove remarkably kind to Bradford City’s season. Not for the first time in recent weeks, a Football League Trophy fixture has enabled City to switch off from their troubles and hit the refresh button on their flagging fortunes. This richly deserved success away to League One Derby County was their fifth victory in the competition – and has now taken them into the quarter finals.

Just like in their handsome November 5-1 victory against Barnsley in the first round, Graham Alexander has ended the evening with a workable new plan to implement beyond the distractions of the cup. After being so resistant to changing his starting XI and approach in recent weeks, he finally mixed up the side here and adopted a different tactical slant. Both developments yielded encouraging results.

Seven alterations were made to the line up – and those who came in have offered up significant food for thought. Overlooked and cast into the cold, the likes of Sam Stubbs, Harry Chapman, Kevin McDonald and Bobby Pointon emerged from the wilderness to send a strong message to their manager. As much as Alexander doesn’t like to have a large squad, here he got to appreciate the merits of its depth.

It was fitting that each of the discarded quartet were involved in the game’s decisive moment. McDonald featured in winning a turnover that sent City away on the counter attack. The visitors were thwarted by Derby, who conceded a corner. The delivery wasn’t the best, but Pointon did really well to keep it alive and win a second corner, from which Chapman expertly picked out Stubbs to head home.

Stubbs was almost frowning in his celebrations. The 25-year-old’s demotion to the sidelines has inevitably fuelled rumours he is set to leave this January window. That might still prove to be the outcome, in which case this was a memorable parting gift. But perhaps his goal and all round strong performance, slightly out of position on the left side of the back three, will reshape opinions over his value to the club. This might be the night where Stubbs’ prospects at Valley Parade go from doomed to rejuvenated.

Chapman and McDonald have also been the subject of whispers that they will be allowed to go, with supposed interest from other League Two clubs in Chapman at least. They were both excellent here. This was McDonald’s first outing under Alexander, having not been seen on the field since the days when he was caretaker player-manager, subbing himself off at MK Dons in late October. Back in the fold and playing alongside Richie Smallwood, McDonald did an excellent job controlling the tempo of the game and ensuring City were the better side throughout.

That they were so much sharper came from a significant adjustment from the 3-5-2 that – on Saturday against Crawley at least – had begun to look one-dimensional and relatively easy to stop. It really did feel like a different Bradford City team tonight, as the long ball was packed away for 90 minutes. The 3-4-3 formation tried out saw the ball largely kept on the floor. Passing is back.

The 3-4-3 was successful because of the way it allowed Pointon and Chapman to operate as wide forwards, mixing it up between charging down the byline and cutting inside to link up with others. On Saturday, both must have felt so deflated that they were left unused on the bench, while their fellow sub – the 37-year-old striker Matty Derbyshire – was brought on to play as a number 10. Pointon and Chapman channelled their frustration in the right way here, causing Derby no end of problems.

Alexander will surely have enjoyed watching the pair tonight – but must surely also feel slightly embarrassed that he’s ignored their qualities in recent weeks. For the most part, neither player has even been on the bench of late. What a strange way to handle a talent like Pointon especially.

It all helped City to produce a performance of great maturity. For a team that has shown little interest in trying to control games of late, here they took charge on the field, giving a very below-par, under-strength Derby team a tough time. The biggest compliment you could pay City was the extent that Derby boss Paul Warne had to break the emergency glass by summoning from the bench his usual first choice players at half time and midway through the second half. But by then it was almost too late. City had grabbed the ascendancy and were in no mood to relinquish it. Derby just never got going.

Much of the game followed a pattern of City having territorial advantage and a decent amount of the ball. They pressed effectively, forcing errors and going forward in numbers when they won turnovers. Brad Halliday sat this out through suspension but Alex Gilliead was a more than able deputy at right wing back. Liam Ridehalgh did a reasonable job on the opposite side.

The only player who looked slightly awkward was another member of the squad who has been struggling to get into the team. This was Vadaine Oliver’s first Bradford City start for 350 days – the last being the 0-0 draw against Stockport in January 2023. It was almost cruelly ironic that Oliver finally got to start here on a night City moved away from the direct style that he would be so well suited to spearheading. Oliver didn’t do a lot wrong, but didn’t have those usual City high punt forwards to challenge defenders for.

Stubbs’ goal, at the exact midway point of the second half, led to the Bantams turning up the screw. A game of few chances suddenly saw lots of City opportunities to get a second. Gilliead, Chapman (twice) and Ridehalgh saw efforts blocked. As Derby pushed players forward for an equaliser, Chapman and Pointon were making hay with the extra space left behind. A 1-0 advantage is never comfortable, but in truth it was hard to see Derby equalising.

The final whistle saw players, manager and coaching staff celebrate with supporters – and Friday evening’s quarter final draw will be watched with keen interest. With the competition rightly remaining regionalised for now, they are only two rounds away from Wembley. Between now and the quarter final tie – which takes place w/c 29 January – they will return to league action, hopefully buoyed from the success of testing this new set-up.

There is some irony that the new plan is 3-4-3. This is the formation that the Bantams began the season playing under Mark Hughes. The set-up that quickly saw the Welshman lose friends and popularity at Valley Parade, ultimately leading to him bowing to pressure to do something different. The contrast with Hughes’ 3-4-3, and the set-up here at least, was the greater pressing of City at Pride Park. The higher levels of bravery in the final third. This style of play was more in keeping with what Hughes was trying to do in pre-season, only for the opening day loss at Crawley to lead to a conservative retreat.

Given the way Crawley exposed the predictability of Alexander’s 3-5-2 in the return fixture last weekend, there is a lot of logic in going with this 3-4-3 approach next Saturday. How can you leave out Chapman and Pointon after these performances? Especially with the struggles to replace the injured Jamie Walker, Tyler Smith’s form having dipped, and with two up top no longer working as well. Bring back a rested Andy Cook for Oliver, and let’s see what damage this front line can do at Colchester.

The Bantams return from the East Midlands with £40,000 in prize money. But on a night of so many positives, it is that new path forward which might just prove the most important development.

Once again in the club’s hour of need, this competition is having a revitalising effect.   

Categories: Match Reviews

Tags: 2023/24, BCAFC, Derby County, Football league Tophy