By Jason McKeown, Tim Penfold and Alex Scott
In yesterday’s first part of our assessment of the squad, we concluded City would need to concede around 10 goals fewer than they did last season, and score 11 more goals at the other end, if they are to achieve automatic promotion. If it’s the play offs, they’re not far off goals-wise – but still need to be better defensively.
We’ve already established that in the goalkeeping department, things look pretty good. So what about the defence in front of him?
Let’s find out, starting today with the wing backs.
Brad Halliday
| 23/24 apps | Mins % | Goals | Assists |
| 41 (3) | 89% | 4 | 4 |
By Jason
As we will come onto discuss, there are a few question marks about whether Bradford City’s excellent defensive record under Graham Alexander can be maintained with the close season changes at the back. But one area where there won’t be any doubts is the right wing back role – and the Ginger Cafu.
Brad Halliday had an exceptional 2023/24 season, cleaning up at the player of the year awards after a campaign of solid displays that even included four goals and four assists. Halliday adapted brilliantly to City’s three at the back/wing back approach. In a season of general inconsistency at the club, you could always rely on a 7 or 8 out of 10 performance from Halliday.
The mission for Halliday this time around is quite simply to repeat it. Sure, he could be a little bit more effective in the final third at times. But we’re nit-picking. More of the same will do nicely. Halliday’s boundless energy to get up and down is such an asset, and all Alexander really needs to focus on is getting the team to make even greater use of their rampaging number two.
The alterations around him will be a test though. New relationships to build. Understandings to develop. There’s a hint of potential competition from the arrival of his former Fleetwood team mate Callum Johnson. But really there should be nothing to stop Halliday bossing the right side of City’s 3-5-2 set up once again. He is vital, he is dependable – and he just needs to keep doing what he does so, so well.
What a good season looks like: He plays most games and puts in decent performances, without necessarily commanding huge attention. Brad Halliday in 2022/23.
What a great season looks like: He is effective both in defensive and attacking moments, helping the defence be rock solid whilst chipping in with goals and assists. A standout performer that makes him the first name on the team sheet. Brad Halliday in 2023/24.
Callum Johnson
| 23/24 apps | Mins % | Goals | Assists |
| 11 (6) | 22% | 1 | 2 |
By Alex
The first of our new names in this preview, Callum Johnson joins from Mansfield to strengthen City’s depth on the right of their defence. You’ll be unsurprised to learn that the 27-year-old right back began his career in the Middlesbrough academy (drink!), winning the domestic Under 18 title in 2015 alongside Alex Pattison and former Bantams Callum Cooke and Harry Chapman.
Johnson is also familiar with his competition at right back, being the year behind Halliday at Middlesbrough, before replacing him at Fleetwood Town in 2021 after Halliday’s devastating knee injury. Reunited again, the dynamics have shifted a little with Halliday coming off a League Two Team of the Season nomination and a new contract, and Johnson coming off stints at Ross County and Mansfield where he struggled to get going.
Johnson comes in as a direct replacement for Daniel Oyegoke, and Luke Hendrie before him, as a useful squad player, with the ability to play right back, centre back, and defensive midfield. Given his track record earlier in his career – he had a League Two title, and 150 League One appearances by the age of 24 – you would like to think he should elevate the squad over the season. And he will also help with the car pool duties down from Redcar.
The question though – and the reason City were able to get him for the role they were offering, and only an initial one-year contract – is that his career seems to be stalling. This time three years ago he was entering his prime, and coming off an 8th place finish in League One with Portsmouth, for whom he started 39 league games. Now he’s approaching his late twenties, coming off the bench in League Two. On paper, this doesn’t really add up. The question which will become relevant to City this season is why?
On its face, this seems a good signing and there is definitely upside here. But there is that big question lingering. In other news, he has yet to feature in pre-season due to injury.
What a good season looks like: He competes well at right back, pushing Halliday for the starting role, and capably handling defensive utility duties off the bench. Daniel Oyegoke in 2023/24.
What a great season looks like: Supplanting the reigning Team of the Season right back might be a stretch, but strong performances and carving out a niche in the starting eleven would be a real plus, strengthening a promising side with a way to go. Tony McMahon in 2015/16.
Lewis Richards
| 23/24 apps | Mins % | Goals | Assists |
| 20 (6) | 42% | 0 | 2 |
By Tim
We spent all of last summer wondering who would play at left wing back, as the options in the squad didn’t seem to be there. Clarke Oduor wanted to play further forward, Liam Ridehalgh surely didn’t have the legs to get up and down and Alex Gilliead was really a midfielder as well as being right footed. The answer, it seemed, was former Wolves youngster Richards.
He was, to be fair, not bad. He got up and down the pitch well and helped City progress the ball from back to front by carrying it and stretching play. His defending was decent enough, though there were some weaknesses when he was played in a four, and his end product needed a bit of work.
Richards was missed during his injury in January, where Ridehalgh’s inability to cover the entire flank left City badly exposed, and generally did fine in between periods of injury. He never entirely convinced though, and City’s excellent end of season run came when Tyriek Wright replaced him at wing back.
This season it looks like it’s between Wright and Richards again for a slot in the first team, although Richards’ ability to cover on the left of a back three could see him get game time if anything happens to Ciaran Kelly. He’s likely to start on the bench, but he’ll surely get chances to cement a place, and he’s young enough to have room for improvement.
What a good season looks like: He gets a good number of games under his belt and continues to improve as a player, even if he’s not guaranteed first choice. Lewis Emanuel 2002/03.
What a great season looks like: He establishes himself as the first choice option fairly early, and makes the left flank his own. Wayne Jacobs 1998/99.
Tyreik Wright
| 23/24 apps | Mins % | Goals | Assists |
| 11 (3) | 22% | 2 | 0 |
By Tim
The return of Tyriek Wright in January was greeted with some enthusiasm. He’d been a vital part of Mark Hughes’ team in the first half of 2022/23, with goals, assists and direct wing play endearing him to all at Valley Parade. He was on the verge of signing permanently, only for Plymouth to swoop in and take him from under our noses. There’s a reasonable argument to be made that City’s failure to get promotion that season, and ultimately the downfall of Mark Hughes as manager, can be traced to that point. So when Wright returned, people were happy – albeit with some caution.
City now played wing-backs, whereas Wright had done his best work as a winger in a 4-2-3-1 and had struggled to establish himself in Plymouth’s 3-4-3 system. Where would Wright fit in? The answer, for a while, was that he didn’t really. He had a couple of games as a striker in the 3-5-2, then a few as a wide forward in a 3-4-3, but didn’t quite fire. At the end of the season, however, he came in at left wing back and generally played pretty well, and it’s in this role that he’s been signed again.
It’s often difficult to recruit wing backs, especially at this level. The trap that managers often fall into is playing more orthodox fullbacks there. This can work, as Brad Halliday showed, but Gary Bowyer’s selections always seemed to be a back five, as did Derek Adams’. But just playing wingers there can also be a problem – see Notts County’s ultra-attacking system that got them lots of goals but led to a hugely leaky defence.
The quintessential wing back team of the modern era is Antonio Conte’s title winning Chelsea side of 2016/17, and their wing-backs were an unusual pair. Marcos Alonso was capable at full back, but was generally better going forward than defensively, whilst on the other side was Victor Moses, a winger who was hard-working but not quite good enough for a top Premier League side. In a back four system, both players had their weaknesses, but the extra defender covered Alonso’s defensive weaknesses, while playing a bit further back gave Moses the extra space he needed to thrive.
Wright could well be that sort of wing back – given the acceleration room he can cause major problems, and his attacking nature balances out the more conservative Halliday on the other side. It seemed to work at the end of last season – hopefully it will again.
What a good season looks like: Plays plenty of games and offers a good attacking threat, albeit with some defensive weaknesses. Connor Wood 2019/20.
What a great season looks like: Runs the entire flank, providing defensive cover and causing havoc going forward. James Meredith 2016/17.
Gabe Wadsworth
| 23/24 apps | Mins % | Goals | Assists |
| 0 (0) | 0% | 0 | 0 |
By Jason
It looked like this season might be the one for Noah Wadsworth. The 19-year-old got a small bit of gametime from the bench at the end of 2023/24, with an impressed Alexander declaring, “I was considering him for starting one of the games…I think he’s got the potential to be a good player.” Yet within weeks Noah was released and joined Hull City’s Academy. The opportunity for a young full back to emerge through the youth ranks to establish themselves at Valley Parade will go to someone else.
And so, step forward another Wadsworth. Gabe, younger brother to Noah. Emerging from the shadows, and getting some pre-season action at Chorley, where Gabe looked very promising. The wing back role is so important to what City and Alexander want to achieve. And though competition is fierce, G Wadsworth will hope to at least get a chance along the way.
What a good season looks like: He plays in an EFL Trophy game and does well, getting a further opportunity for a run of games when injuries strike. Finn Cousin-Dawson in 2020/21.
What a great season looks like: He bursts onto the scene, dislodging a more experienced rival for the full back/wing back role, and impresses everyone with his composure and maturity, sealing the player of the season award from nowhere. Luke O’Brien in 2008/09.
Our review of Bradford City’s defensive options continues tomorrow with the centre backs.
Categories: Previews
The magnitude of this next week for Bradford City can’t be understated 
Hope 
This means more 
This is what we’ve all been waiting for 
widthofapost.com 
or in other words
left back is a problem
loan signing?
I still think Callum Johnson will compete for RCB if Halliday is fit. In the 352 system the wide centre backs get pulled out to cover the wide areas. As you mention that great Chelsea team who was the RCB and standout player in defence? Cesar Azpilicueta. Converted from right back for exactly that reason.
A great season for me will be replicating Vincelot. Joining the club recognised for his performances in a different position but capable at CB going onto become a standout centre half.
Looking forward to the battle at LWB and hope the Wright gamble pays off as it will also mean we have a more offensive, exciting style of football to watch.
Nothing to disagree with in the first two episodes on keepers and wingbacks. Personally, I am slightly concerned that neither of our left-sided players is a specialist in this most important position in the current system that relies on wingbacks to double as defenders and attackers. Time will tell.
I am looking forward to tomorrow’s analysis of our centrebacks. I will be interested to see which Jason and Tim see as our first-choice threesome, and their assessment of what looks on paper like potentially our weakest area.
I wonder if we are signing either of the players we had on trial in Austria. In the remaining two friendlies we need to be giving game time to our starting eleven, not experimenting with players who may not be with us.
Forgive me indulging an idle thought with no connection to today’s piece. Or perhaps it has. If I were a multi-millionaire who lived in Bavaria and the football team I owned was playing four hours away by road, in Austria, I might strap myself in my beloved Porsche and bomb across the Alps to see them play. Yes, I think I would probably go over and do a bit of gladhanding of my players and staff, mingle with the supporters and tell them about my new exciting plans for my club.
You’re right. We wouldn’t care about these things if we were successful though. He’s pledged to communicate more and to attend more games this season so we’ll see soon enough if he was lying or not
Apart from Halliday I don’t think the wingbacks are anything to write home about. Remember the days of Mitchell and Goddard Now they were brilliant wingbacks.
Full backs?
The phenomenal Cec Podd was a fullback in defence and a winger when bombing on. ‘Surging forward, outpacing the field’ is probably a better description. He was thirty years ahead of his time, a genuine wingback, even though playing in a back four. And he hardly ever missed a match. (I read with sadness, a couple of months ago, of the death of the Guiseley stalwart, Steve Harney, who would have played more for us but for Cec’s form and fitness.)
With a reference to the point in the earlier article about needing to score more goals, I feel confident this shouldn’t be an issue for us next year and we should be able to score the average of 72 goals for a 3rd place team.
Looking at the likely wing backs, you would expect Wright and Halliday to get around 4 goals each, Wright arguably more, given his attacking traits but it remains to be seen how often he can get into the box.
With the midfielders, you would expect whoever out of Pattison, Pointon, Sarcevic and Walker is starting and playing the most minutes to be getting between 5-10. Whoever out of them is coming off the bench/starting the odd game, you would hope, they could get at least a few (i.e. 3-5 each).
With the strikers, Cooky should get between 15-20 in the league, given his previous form over the last few years. Jake Young should at least get between 10-15 too, given he got 16 in half a season with an attacking Swindon team. Then you would expect/hope, that whoever are 3rd and 4th choice to be getting between 5-10 over the course of a 46 league game season.
Of course, I’m presuming who will be starting and we all know very well that players can produce radically different form depending which manager they are playing for and how the system suits them. But, at least we’ve seen that Alexander has got us scoring more goals in this new system and we’ve had time to see lots of the aforementioned players play under him.
We may need to become a more potent attacking threat, as I’m not sure we’ll be as solid defensively without Platt and, potentially, playing a more passing it out of the back style with Baldwin. However, happy to be proven wrong.
Great series of articles/previews, any chance you can publish a retrospective of how the ones from last year panned out? Would be an interesting read.
Thanks
Interesting omission of Gilliead, though he is very much our utility player / James Milner. Always played very well at LWB and I wouldn’t be surprised to see Richards competing with Kelly for the LCB spot and Gilliead competing with Wright. A lot depends on whether we sign another defender or midfielder on loan.