| Walsall 2 |
| Allen 19 (pen), Johnson 88 |
| Bradford City 1 |
| Sanderson 38 |
By Adam Raj
Walsall are the very opposite of a bogey side where Bradford City are concerned. Only two losses in 16, and no losses ever at the Bescot stadium in League Two.
Well that record is no more.
Last week’s morale boosting win against Carlisle resulted in an unchanged matchday 18 and Graham Alexander will have been hoping for a similar outcome at 5pm.
Long balls over the top and round the corner of City’s less than mobile back line was the not so subtle tactic employed by the hosts. But whilst simple, it was effective for sure. Walsall’s big chances arrived via this route, more so in the second half but also early doors. In one instance, Nathan Lowe was sent clear through as City stopped and hoped for a flag that never came. Sam Walker was the saviour that time – but was helpless minutes earlier when the hosts took the lead.
Niall Byrne had gone down with what looked to be a muscular injury and quite clearly signalled he was unable to continue. He returned to the field of play, either of his own or accord or because he was under instruction. Instantly, Walsall found themselves in a 1v1 with the City number five on the right flank. Unable to commit, Byrne backed off which allowed Charlie Lakin to be fed in the box and draw the foul from Richie Smallwood.
There seems to be a little debate about whether this was a penalty, but at the time my reaction was stone wall spot kick. Smallwood was late and sliding in. On a day where the officials got very little right, this was probably one of those decisions. In fact, Smallwood was probably fortunate to stay on the pitch. He’d only just been booked for a similarly late lunge in what was a really poor opening period for the City skipper.
Whilst Smallwood was guilty of the foul, City shouldn’t have been in that position in the first place. It was clear as day that Byrne couldn’t continue yet he was not replaced by Jack Shepherd until the damage was done. The fact he was not replaced earlier does not reflect well on Graham Alexander.
City remained under the cosh for several minutes after conceding. That Lowe chance and a flurry of corners came the way of the visiting goal but City survived without further damage.
And then against the run of play City found themselves level. Essentially this was a carbon copy of the opener last weekend against Carlisle. Jamie Walker hunted down Taylor Allen just inside the Walsall half, won the ball and drove forward. City’s number seven squared this time for Olly Sanderson who calmly finished into the bottom corner past an outstretched Tommy Simkin.
It was City’s only chance of note in what was another fairly lacklustre affair on their travels. Matters were further complicated when Ciaran Kelly was forced off with an injury that he was struggling with for at least ten minutes of the first period.
Alex Pattison was his replacement, meaning a switch to 4-4-2 at the break. Pattison partnered Smallwood, with Walker and Clarke Oduor out wide. Tyreik Wright an orthodox left back.
It showed signs of promise. Oduor became more influential, Pattison was lively, Walker was still involved and Brad Halliday wasn’t the sole source of creativity on the right flank.
The chance of the game came eight minutes into the second period. Good work from Pattison released Oduor who drove forward and delayed the pass perfectly, teeing up Cook whose low cross was on the money for both Walker and Oduor. Somehow Walker missed it and – catching Oduor by surprise – the winger couldn’t react quick enough to get any meaningful contact on the ball.
It really should’ve been scored by one of them.
Andy Cook then came close to scoring his customary goal at the Bescot when his header was clawed off the line by Simkin. Cheik Diabate nearly opened his City account with a cross shot that was close to embarrassing the Walsall number one.
The hosts continued to exploit City’s vulnerabilities as Jamille Matt, Lowe and substitute Reyes Cleary all went close after breaking through.
It looked like a game where both sides would be playing the missed chances card, until substitute Danny Johnson popped up with the winner two minutes from time. Veteran Albert Adomah’s right wing cross found Johnson in the centre of the goal and his guided header found the bottom corner. It really was atrocious defending from City who didn’t have a defender anywhere near the match winner.
You can’t even blame it on the system. It’s just basic defending.
And that is still a big area of concern. City have been winning tight games in moments this season but the quality of their defending at times means they’re capable of losing tight games too. There needs to be an improvement at both ends of the pitch, in consistency more than anything.
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City are yet to look convincing so far this season. If you play with wing backs they have to be effective at both ends of the park. It isn’t working and we probably need to change system to 4 at the back, particularly with the injuries to Byrne, Baldwin etc. Richards would need to replace Wright at left back in this set up.
The dilemma is that Cook and Sanderson are developing a good partnership but how do we set up midfield if we play 2 up top?
Smallwood and Walker are key to the team and based on today’s performance Pattison provides balance and an attacking threat. That would leave 1 place up for grabs and you can take your pick from the under used Pointon, the inconsistent Odour or the savvy Sarcevic when fit.
Defensively we are shaky, particularly from set pieces and like the last couple of seasons we need more goals from our midfielder’s and defenders.
We are not a million miles away but it feels like we are unlikely to trouble the top 3 without a big improvement in our performances.
We can put this one down to bad luck and poor refereeing, to a large extent. Just about everything that could go wrong did go wrong, with a soft penalty, two key injuries and an unbelievable miss (by Oduour who had a very poor match and should have been off earlier). Even so, we should have done better, particularly in the first half. We only had two shots on goal and conceded a shocker, two defenders allowing the scorer a free header. Good teams don’t lose two on the trot so we shouldn’t lose to Wimbledon next week, should we! It will be a good test of our mettle and a real chance to tell whether or not we’ve got what it takes.
It’s now 3 wins out of eight league and cup games so far. City actually played well for fifteen minutes yesterday and could have had at least a couple of goals. However Walsall seemed to have a plan to press and push forward which exposed City’s vulnerability in midfield and defence. Brilliant away support as usual. Onwards and…..
Agreed with the exception of the support.
Another smoke bomb, no doubt another fine. The antics of their goalkeeper is no excuse to start throwing things onto the pitch – endangering the stewards who were just doing their job. Singing ‘Bradford Ranger’ in the bar at half time with women and kids about is just a little rubbish.
Following football has always been a little edgy but there’s a line and I felt that was crossed on Saturday which is a shame because we turned up in numbers…
so for next match, different structure to defense? Different characters involved? Different looking bench? Different formations? Sounds like a busy week of preparation to get a Different result.
Up the chickens 🐔
I’m nervous about the mounting casualty count, so early. The biggest wildcard in a season is the vagaries of who is out for how long.
Depending on Kelly & Byrne’s position, that could be 3 central defenders out. There’s been a lot of talk about improved fitness regime, I clocked an overhaul of the physio team in the off season. I imagine their are no readily available inter-team stats on first team injuries…i wonder whether the basic pre-match warm up is efficient enough, when I look at the number of hamstring injuries.
I’ve probably mentioned this before but could the practice facilities be the root of the problem due to a high water table and spongy surface??
injuries to our defence have left us very vulnerable and open to exploitation by any opposition. We won against Carlisle but we were somewhat fortunate because of Carlisle being poor at the back. Alexander’s team selection and insistance of not playing Pointon from the start, has made us predictable. We have disposed of probably one of our best defenders, Pratt to Notts County and a reliable defender, Stubbs. If Kelly and Byrne are out long term then we are in trouble. Over the coming weeks will be a true test of Alexander’s abilities as the manager of this club.
We offered Platt a contract and he chose Notts instead
when Byrne and Kelly are fit again we are still in trouble at the back. Too slow no passing ability always passing to the opposition,
I was disappointed by the team’s performance on Saturday. Very much wanting to see an improved display from our last away showing at Grimsby.
I’m speaking regarding the 90mins at Walsall and not at all writing off the team for the rest of the season.
The back three were very slow, laboured, and wilted under basic opposition play.
Odour had his worst game for the club, when Wight had the ball he was offered no option ahead of him. More often than not having to check back, pass to Kelly who’s inability to find a team-mate with a ball launched further than 30yards, meant it came straight back. When Odour had possession he ran often into trouble and was easily dispossessed .
It was telling that GA left it to within the last 10minue to haul him off and replace him with Pointon, Odour is clearly the first choice in this role!
Odour wasn’t the only culprit , the team as an whole couldn’t look after the ball at all, often squandering simple possession.
The forced tactical reshuffle at half time resulted in the first 15minutes of the second half to be chaotic, it was as if the whole team were playing together for the first time.
Then at 60mins we kicked in for a 10minute period where I started to feel fairly confident we’d get something from the game.
Sadly of course the script was written when Johnson came on for Walsall.
Positives, the two Walkers had good games, one back to his best in keeping the score line down and City in the game, the other again showing good tenacity in winning the ball high up the pitch to assist a goal.
Some rather scathing thoughts, however, it’s how I saw the game
Much for GA to address, however I feel there’s enough ability in the squad, and the forced changes could possibly be a blessing in disguise, as a basic system of a flat back four is maybe what we need at the moment.