Bradford City - League One (H) August 16th, 3pm

[chestersaddler]

61% possession
1 shot on target
Sounds familiar.
Come on me babbays

[Ancient Moaner]

61% possession
1 shot on target
Sounds familiar.
Come on me babbays

Sshhhh! you'll wake Sallian up! all we need is another 'lecture' in the 'Sallian way'
which has GOT to be even worse than my mild moaning! :?

[chestersaddler]

which has GOT to be even worse than my mild moaning! :?

Nope :wink:

[BarnsleySaddler]

That`s all folks. 0-0. A point won or a point lost!

[Jolly Johnny]

That`s all folks. 0-0. A point won or a point lost!

or is it 2 lost?! :wink:

[BarnsleySaddler]

That`s all folks. 0-0. A point won or a point lost!

or is it 2 lost?! :wink:

:oops:

[JonnyOwen]

I would like to apologise to all Walsall FC fans for my shameful crossbar challenge attempt today, as well as the groundsmen for taking up a chunk of the pitch instead of the ball.

I am considering disappearing for 5 years or so due to the shame, what a cack effort.

[latviancheese]

[insert match report from last season here]

2 points dropped, Bradford were there for the taking to be honest, they held a shape in defence and we struggled to break it down. Tippy tappy doo dar huff and puff without a threat.

Bradford surprised me, they have some big lumps but they play with no wingers, this meant we coped fairly easily with their crap hoofs, and Holden came on to sure it up even more towards the end.

Bright notes, Liam Kinsella. Great debut. Sawyers, if the lad had some decent runners to pass too today we would have shredded them, in the free role they had no idea how to cope with him. Taylor and Benning also played well, worryingly our only threat is Taylor. Im glad Kinsella didnt go forward second half because i have no idea where Grimes was.

Bradshaw had little to work with. Clifford thinks he can run through brick walls.

All huff, no puff. Nearly though, oh so frustratingly nearly a great side.

[sallian]

After 0-0 at half time I predicted that it would end 0-0 (but you don't know as I didn't say it here).

Obviously far too few shots on goal.

Maybe they are undoing themselves at the very beginning due to having LOW EXPECTATIONS on goalscoring, low ambitions.

Go out to score five or ten and you might score 2 or 3 at least.

Be happy with 1 or 2 aimed for ...and you might get 1 or none.

Is Dean Smith clogging up the team with too many players who are out of position?

Haven't seen them...but if Grimes is the best finisher he's seen....then shouldn't he be advanced and central?

Seems like two games gone that could have been won....but low scoring ambition.....or maybe too many cooks with competing ingredients spoiling the broth...... You don't want curry powder and cranberries on your cornflakes.

Look forward to the reports.

On paper....I have more confidence about the team scoring goals....but in psychology and ambitions of the forward players....and manager....I lack confidence.

Aim for No.1 position and you might get in top 6.... Aim for No.6 and you might get to be No.12

This is the known as the Law of Reality Stretched Ambitions......Stretch further than normal and your natural flexibility and reach will increase.

[IHTC.]

Same old same old, all very pretty until we get 20 yards from goal and we are then pretty clueless.

Grimes should have done better especially with his effort in the first half, like his workrate and draws alot of fouls.

Kinsella was fantastic on debut, but would have liked to have seen him be abit more positive and attack their RB rather than pass sideways.

Taylor was immense, as was all the defence even Holden when he came on.

Felt sorry for Bradshaw as he was completely isolated.

Clifford looks a very good player, lets hope they do not dawdle when it comes to extending his contract.

Another 2 positives are Mantom still to comeback along with Cook.

[sallian]

Same old same old, all very pretty until we get 20 yards from goal and we are then pretty clueless.

Grimes should have done better especially with his effort in the first half, like his workrate and draws alot of fouls.

Kinsella was fantastic on debut, but would have liked to have seen him be abit more positive and attack their RB rather than pass sideways.

Taylor was immense, as was all the defence even Holden when he came on.

Felt sorry for Bradshaw as he was completely isolated.

Clifford looks a very good player, lets hope they do not dawdle when it comes to extending his contract.

Another 2 positives are Mantom still to comeback along with Cook.

Maybe the players are here now but not the correct formation and perhaps not the correct mix also....which can be difficult if many players competing for same positions.

[sallian]

I would like to apologise to all Walsall FC fans for my shameful crossbar challenge attempt today, as well as the groundsmen for taking up a chunk of the pitch instead of the ball.

I am considering disappearing for 5 years or so due to the shame, what a eartha effort.

Put up a video of it please, sounds entertaining.

[longdogs]

Kinsella won't be with us for long if he carries on playing like that. I can't remember a better debut by a player of his age. Clifford impressed me too. Otherwise, as other people have said, we look great apart from in front of goal, where we just don't shoot enough.

[EvenFlow]

Somewhat familiar- all very coherent until the final third, then when you're just anticipating that shot or incisive ball, it goes back out wide or back ten yards. Defensively, this display calmed a lot of my pre-season fears.

O'Donnell- Dealt with everything, never looked in danger.

Kinsella- Considering he was out of position, most encouraging debut from a first year pro for a very long time. Comfortable on the ball, looks like he could pick out a run, supported the attack well, and held up his end defensively too (one excellent block in particular).

Taylor- Ran himself into the ground, covered every blade of grass on the left. Again, a couple of important interventions defensively, and more or less our main attacking outlet. I shudder at the prospect of no Andy Taylor. MOTM.

Downing- This was one game I thought would be a litmus test for Downing without Butler, and he passed comfortably. Mostly assured, and didn't let Hanson unsettle him. The fresh legs of McLean looked to have stitched him up at one point, but made a superb recovery to make the clearance.

J Chambers- Won everything in the air (and on the ground). I pray he's not out long term, but it looked worrying.

A Chambers- Dropped back and put tackles in at crucial times, and had our best effort at goal. General standard display.

Clifford- Looks a great prospect. Fantastic for an hour, faded slightly thereafter, but had put himself about with more urgency than anyone else on the field. Seems to be a proper football brain in there.

Sawyers- I was encouraged with how involved he was throughout. Dropped deep to get the ball, & showed signs that he may be starting to compete more, physically. Looked the most likely to unlock Bradford. Might've got his head down & had a pop at goal a couple of times.

Benning- Covered Taylor effectively, wasn't able to influence much going forward.

Grimes- Fiesty in a couple of first half bursts, but otherwise pedestrian. Hope to see more from him in the coming games, as Cook will have his eye on Grimes' role today.

Bradshaw- Made some encouraging runs, but was feeding off scraps. Hard to criticise the lad.

SUBS
Holden- dealt solidly with everything thrown his way, gave it simple. Looked like a giant amongst our diminutive XI.
Forde- I was hoping his introduction would provide the explosiveness we were lacking in the final third. It didn't... but he didn't do anything wrong either.

As Latvian said, Bradford were generally underwhelming. I won't get too down on our failure to break them down- we don't have one physical specimen of a defender, but they get 3 out of 4 (Davies, McArdle and the big number 17)?! We were only ever going to get any joy by getting in behind them with pace, movement and high tempo.... pretty much all that was lacking. Oh, and a selfish barsteward around the 18 yard box, as no-one is taking responsibility for having a crack at present.

As with large portions of last year, we looked two big players short of a very good side.

[Pedagogue]

While nobody played badly today against a very "robust" Bradford team, the blend and balance is still not right. Maybe when our injured players are fit and we make that final signing, all will be ok.

As others have said, plenty of tippy-tappy possession football but no end-product. Our only on-target shot was in the 1st minute of stoppage time - from Adam Chambers, of all people! When our defence and midfield players are keeping possession and probing for an opening (oo-er, missus!), there is no movement from the front players and no runs ahead of the ball from midfield. We continually allow opposing teams time to get back in numbers, behind the ball. It worries me that this was obvious last season but we are still doing it. I'm sure DS and his staff must see it - which begs the question - what are they doing about it?

Kinsella was my MotM. For an 18 year-old on his starting debut, he was very cool and composed and rarely wasted a ball. His Dad would have been proud of him. Bradford immediately recognised that he was easily the smallest player on the pitch and put that brick outhouse, Hanson, up against him but Kinsella was totally unfazed by this tactic.

[latviancheese]

Bradford immediately recognised that he was easily the smallest player on the pitch and put that brick outhouse, Hanson, up against him but Kinsella was totally unfazed by this tactic.

They persisted with that nonsense all game too, he made Hanson look like a right muppet. Surprised they didnt test Kinsella out by having someone run at him.

I was very impressed by the lad, knew he couldn't bomb forward when Grimes was trotting off somewhere else too.

Leave him in.

[AliGJ]

Real shame not to take the 3 points today. We played some really great football and deserved more from the game, however Walsall hardly challenged the Bradford Keeper. Bradford rarely looked dangerous, except on the break and to be honest they brought nothing to that game. They seemed classless and relied on thuggish tactics, which was never dealt with by the ref. However many positives from the game, Kinsella was superb and I personally can't wait for the rest of the season. There seems to be a real buzz down at the Bescot again. Also 3 games undefeated... :wink:

[pumajaguar]

To quote Morrisey: 'the story is old, I know, but it goes on'.

This was the standard Walsall performance of the last 12 months, generally solid at the back, neat passing and movement of the ball up to the edge of the box, but not a lot of genuine goal threat. Deano has always been a bit of a draw specialist to be honest.

The good: Defence all played well, haven't seen Chambers put a foot wrong while playing centre back. Good debut from young Kinsella, especially against the six-foot-something cloggers of Bradford, he even got the better of Hansen a few times! Chambers and Clifford were very good in the middle, with Mantom to come back we look spoilt for choice there.

The bad: No one really stepped up to the plate in attack. They didn't play badly, but they didn't do enough to get in behind Bradford and really trouble them. Our two 'wingers' were a left back and a centre forward and I think it showed at times. Hopefully Cook and Forde can remedy this!

[tinned]

There seems to be a real buzz down at the Bescot again. Also 3 games undefeated... :wink:

I must've been in the toilet for the 30 seconds of buzz.

Groundhog Day, half decent football, no end product. Sexy football? Personally I find plenty of shots and a few goals to be loads more sexy than 90 minutes of tippy tappy, going nowhere football.

[PT]

Interesting game. A clash of styles, but with both styles being predictable so did the eventual outcome.

Decent performance. Throw Cook, Forde and Mantom into that and we'll be a good side at this level. Not world beaters but a good side.

Echo others' view on Kinsella.

[TheSwift]

It was perhaps one of the best footballing displays I've ever seen today.

Yes it was very tippy tappy but it looked so Donald sexy and not one player looked bad or even just adequate.

Bradford were there for the draw, or a chance to catch us out on (if we made a mistake). Hanson ended up playing really deep at times and had 10 men back nearly every chance.

I agree we should have shot more and we are eartha at every type of set piece or dead ball situation still but it was possibly one of the best 0-0 draws I can remember.

With Cook and Mantom back, as well as another striker then I reckon we could be in for a good season.

Would stick with Kinsella a RB, such a talent. Hardly put a foot wrong. Unless Chambers is put back there when we resign Butler :)

UTS!

[boringteacher]

More positives than negatives imo. Bradford are a nailed on top half side and it was, frustratingly 2 points dropped rather than gained against this caliber of opposition. Still not enough efforts on goal, but the approach play was so much quicker than last season that I'm sure that goals will follow in the future.

The defence was solid. Taylor was back to his best, superb going forward but still the player who put the block in on Hansen the only time he got a headed chance. Chambers (J) was magnificent until injured and Kinsella put in the most assured debut I can remember from a youth player.

Clifford , until the last 10 minutes or so didn't waste the ball once. Sign him up now. Chambers (A) was his usual assured self, Sawyers had a good game, Benning provided solidity which allowed Taylor to really provide a threat.

Utterly impressed by Bradshaw and delighted that we have a 2 year deal with him. I'd be surprised if he doesn't get into double figures this year.

Pleased overall. Bring on Yeovil.

[Andy_Petterson]

[insert match report from last season here]

2 points dropped, Bradford were there for the taking to be honest, they held a shape in defence and we struggled to break it down. Tippy tappy doo dar huff and puff without a threat.

Bradford surprised me, they have some big lumps but they play with no wingers, this meant we coped fairly easily with their crap hoofs, and Holden came on to sure it up even more towards the end.

Bright notes, Liam Kinsella. Great debut. Sawyers, if the lad had some decent runners to pass too today we would have shredded them, in the free role they had no idea how to cope with him. Taylor and Benning also played well, worryingly our only threat is Taylor. Im glad Kinsella didnt go forward second half because i have no idea where Grimes was.

Bradshaw had little to work with. Clifford thinks he can run through brick walls.

All huff, no puff. Nearly though, oh so frustratingly nearly a great side.

Grimes and Sawyers swapped positions for parts of the second half.

[Andy_Petterson]

While nobody played badly today against a very "robust" Bradford team, the blend and balance is still not right. Maybe when our injured players are fit and we make that final signing, all will be ok.

As others have said, plenty of tippy-tappy possession football but no end-product. Our only on-target shot was in the 1st minute of stoppage time - from Adam Chambers, of all people! When our defence and midfield players are keeping possession and probing for an opening (oo-er, missus!), there is no movement from the front players and no runs ahead of the ball from midfield. We continually allow opposing teams time to get back in numbers, behind the ball. It worries me that this was obvious last season but we are still doing it. I'm sure DS and his staff must see it - which begs the question - what are they doing about it?

Kinsella was my MotM. For an 18 year-old on his starting debut, he was very cool and composed and rarely wasted a ball. His Dad would have been proud of him. Bradford immediately recognised that he was easily the smallest player on the pitch and put that brick outhouse, Hanson, up against him but Kinsella was totally unfazed by this tactic.

Not strictly true. O donnell launched it long when Bradford pushed forward. That's the correct time to play it direct. The rest of the time Bradford sat deep, we can't do anything about that, and the best tactic is to recycle possession which we did very well today.

[sallian]

Judging by the reports...Walsall's lack of potency could be solved by five simple things:-

1) Take more shots, even if half chances and from edge of the box (with the understanding you get DEFLECTIONS, REBOUNDS and MISS-HITS that score) add to that....support runners expecting opportunities (thus my preference of two central strikers)

2) Don't just look to pass to MEN in the final third...but look to pass into DANGEROUS SPACE that can be exploited by runners) Defedning teams...mark players...but don't mark space so well (zonally) as there is so much of it....and any of it can be passed into...diagonally or straight.

3) More creative running off the ball in the final third

4) Quicker passes into space on the break.....rather than elaborate build ups that allow the whole opposition to get back into place

5) One touch snap shots...rather than control, steady, head down, head up, look right, look left (green cross code) aim, fire

[Andy_Petterson]

There seems to be a real buzz down at the Bescot again. Also 3 games undefeated... :wink:

I must've been in the toilet for the 30 seconds of buzz.

Groundhog Day, half decent football, no end product. Sexy football? Personally I find plenty of shots and a few goals to be loads more sexy than 90 minutes of tippy tappy, going nowhere football.

You're getting confused between football comics and the real world. It doesn't follow that more shots on goal equals more success.
Have a look and see how many teams who had the most shots on goal actually won today.

I feel sorry that you can't appreciate today's performance, there's more to football than just goalmouth action. I suggest you try the local primary school if you want this.

No offence intended.

[Garbinho]

If possession was worth money then today Bonser would have had a field day today because we had absolutely loads. Unfortunately goals are what this game is about and we didn't get any.

I'm happy with the players we've got. Today I think the difference could have been made by changing tactic. Either we needed to stop whipping balls into the box to no one (and this would have stopped Taylor running himself into the ground on the overlap) or we should have tried to get them turned and instead of playing in front of them, playing little threaded balls past the defenders and force their keeper to sweep. With the possession we have, we have enough chances to play them.

I think Smith has got a good team together and he's very clever at choosing players to fit what he needs based on our budget. I'm convinced he's planning on using James Chambers centre back all season which I don't think is a bad thing, the chambers brothers are the unsung spine to our team and James especially has the turn of pace you need at the back as well as committing to headers.

Of the newbies, Kinsella had one of the best league debuts by a first year pro I've ever seen in 25 years at Walsall. Hanson kept getting at him and he played him well by not committing. You can let a lump like that get the ball and then tackle him. Got forward well in the first half as well.
Clifford looks like he will be a good replacement for chambers if ever needed and seems to have the right attitude
Bradshaw made so many runs it's a shame we never played the ball to him!
Grimes looks like a goalscorer being played out of position. Deano should give 4-4-2 a try!
I don't think Forde touched the ball for the first 10 mins he was on and where I expected him to drive at defenders he seemed happy to cut inside and lay our standard square pass.
I'll treat left wing Benning as a new player and I'm happy with him there. Cover for the Taylor overlap and another chance for him to get game time and hopefully develop. Reminds me of a poor mans Danny Fox as he hasn't got the pace and tricks you expect from a winger but has got some technique.

We don't know how this result will look in 9 months time (like the Vale result last week) until we've all played 5 or 6 games to see how the league starts panning out. If we become more clinical I
in front of goal I think we'll be alright because everything else is good enough.

Anyway, it's a long way for Butler to come to watch a game today isn't it?

[tinned]

There seems to be a real buzz down at the Bescot again. Also 3 games undefeated... :wink:

I must've been in the toilet for the 30 seconds of buzz.

Groundhog Day, half decent football, no end product. Sexy football? Personally I find plenty of shots and a few goals to be loads more sexy than 90 minutes of tippy tappy, going nowhere football.

You're getting confused between football comics and the real world. It doesn't follow that more shots on goal equals more success.
Have a look and see how many teams who had the most shots on goal actually won today.

I feel sorry that you can't appreciate today's performance, there's more to football than just goalmouth action. I suggest you try the local primary school if you want this.

No offence intended.

Whoa, chill yer beans!

I never said I didn't appreciate the performance. It's just this annoying fact that goals win games that puts a fly in the ointment.

I'm sure you'll be happy singing "Duh, duh, duh, duh, sexy football" all season. Well the so called sexy football resulted in the grand total of 49 goals last season. Not good enough by a long way!

I enjoy a bit of possession football as much as the next person but not half as much as scoring 1 or 2 more than the opposition.

[SoccerHQ]

Didn't go today. Went to Vale and will be there on Tuesday night.

It's an O.k start, Vale won at Donny today and Bradford probably will be in the mix for top 6. It's a much more average division this year.

Good news for me is since a woeful first half at Port Vale the defence has settled down although the Chambers injury isn't needed, hopefully it's only a few weeks.

Upfront, still another stiker is needed. Not another technician or link up play bloke, just someone who'd probably push his granny to get a goal, just a ruthless finisher which I don't really see from this group of forwards.

Over to you Deano. He said one more will probably be in before Yeovil so let's see what he comes up with.

[NEWPORT SADDLERS DAD]

Kinsella was man of the match by a country mile,one misplaced pass all game,what a talent,Suffolk life must have one eye one this lad.