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Bradford City (H) League One, Dec 17th 3pm

Reports and reaction from the 2016-17 season as Walsall finished 14th in League 1
Welsh_Saddler
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Bradford City (H) League One, Dec 17th 3pm

Wed Dec 14, 2016 9:00 pm

We welcome Stuart McCall's Bantams to the wobbly jelly fortress that is the Banks's stadium - they sit very comfortably in 4th place in League One on 36 points, having been defeated only 3 times in their 21 League One games. If there is the slightest ray of hope for us it is that Bradford City have only scored one League One goal in their most recent 4 games.......one face that we will remember well is that of Jordy Hiwula-Mayifuila - he was actually substituted after 83 minutes of last weekend's game against Charlton Athletic in what appears to have been a tactical move. Bradford City's recent League One form:

29 Oct AFC Wimbledon (A) Won 2-3
12 Nov Rochdale (H) Won 4-0
19 Nov Southend United (A) Lost 3-0
22 Nov Northampton Town (H) Won 1-0
26 Nov Swindon Town (A) Lost 1-0
10 Dec Charlton Athletic (H) Drew 0-0

Many of us have given up trying to work out Jon Whitney's selection reasoning (some of us are wondering if there ever has been any) and the defeat at home to "struggling" Oldham Athletic won't have given him many pointers, other than the need to radically tighten the alarming number of loose screws in an increasingly leaky defence. Is Erhun Oztumer injured? Should Makris be made available to a suitable Conference club on loan, and should Toner be made available to his parent club a.s.a.p???

It's hard to remain optimistic in predicting our games, more so recently. As has been said on other threads, let's at least have something approaching a gutsy performance, and not see heads dropping ... I would be happy with a point from a 1-1 draw for this one, and I honestly don't give a monkey's who scores for us. :?

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Re: Bradford City (H) League One, Dec 17th 3pm

Wed Dec 14, 2016 9:13 pm

Thanks Welsh - have to agree with your thoughts!!

Given how we managed to eak points out of Bolton and the Blades I find myself being sort of tempted towards feeling that maybe we'll get a half decent attempt by some of our sad lot but being realistic a draw is the best I can muster... 1-1 with an own goal from them to give us a charitable point before xmas!!

A defeat will pile a bit more pressure on JW but no doubt he'll sleep easy in the knowledge that the board simply couldn't get rid with that contract in place (or could they???)

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Re: Bradford City (H) League One, Dec 17th 3pm

Thu Dec 15, 2016 2:48 pm

We are due a fortuitous draw. And quotes like:

"I'm not going to get carried away."

"I thought the lads were exceptional."

"I told them if we man-up, dig deep, make our mortgage payments and score the same as them it would be a draw."

I am a not entirely sad to be missing this one to attend a wedding, though no one tell my wife, as I shall be milking my forced absence from the Banks's for all it's worth (probably about a bag of scratchings & half a shandy).

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Re: Bradford City (H) League One, Dec 17th 3pm

Thu Dec 15, 2016 5:02 pm

My first match since Rochdale away, it has honestly felt like an age since I last seen us play especially considering I have hardly missed a match in the past 2-3 years! I really did miss cheering the lads on (or in my case sitting down silently), even after the 4-0 embarrassment.

I'll go for a 4-3 Walsall win, end to end match with Jordy and Hanson x2 scoring for them, Morris, Oztumer, Baka and McCarthy for us. We have always seemed to play better against the better teams ever since Deano took over and with what we did to both Millwall, Bolton and Sheffield United another upset could be on the cards here. Shouldn't paper over the cracks though even if we do somehow get a result.

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Re: Bradford City (H) League One, Dec 17th 3pm

Thu Dec 15, 2016 5:35 pm

Fully expect us to win this such is the unpredictable season we are having :| 2-1

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Re: Bradford City (H) League One, Dec 17th 3pm

Thu Dec 15, 2016 6:39 pm

It's a Family Fun Day game, so expect a turgid performance culminating in a 5-1 defeat.

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Re: Bradford City (H) League One, Dec 17th 3pm

Thu Dec 15, 2016 8:52 pm

It all depends on the starting line up, as expectations of changing the game positively from 'in play' tactical switches are remote based on past evidence. That said, the matches that I've seen have been largely decent performances so I'm hoping this can be maintained in my presence on Saturday.

1-1, with Jackson for us, in front of 5,122, including around 1,000 from Bradford.

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Re: Bradford City (H) League One, Dec 17th 3pm

Fri Dec 16, 2016 6:48 am

Looks like this one might be tricky ... :?

But we are Walsall, so I'm going for a lucky 3-2 win. :D

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Re: Bradford City (H) League One, Dec 17th 3pm

Fri Dec 16, 2016 8:28 am

SaigonSaddler wrote:Looks like this one might be tricky ... :?

But we are Walsall, so I'm going for a lucky 3-2 win. :D


I can go for the "2" part, but where on earth is the "3" coming from? :?

:mrgreen:

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Re: Bradford City (H) League One, Dec 17th 3pm

Fri Dec 16, 2016 9:06 am

4200 hardy souls braving an away win certainty on the Accumulator

1-3

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Re: Bradford City (H) League One, Dec 17th 3pm

Fri Dec 16, 2016 10:32 am

I'm going for 2-2 with Makris getting off the mark.

I don't subscribe to this 'loan to a conference team' theory. I've seen enough to suggest there is a decent player who's a bit lost right now due to adjusting to new country, poor form of new club and questionable selection policy. Plus three minutes at the end of a game is never going to help.

But unless the latter changes, we might never know what he was capable of. Give him time, I say but I know that's unfashionable these days.

Or we could just start booing him and shouting abuse, I suppose, and get him off the wage bill too.

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Re: Bradford City (H) League One, Dec 17th 3pm

Fri Dec 16, 2016 11:54 am

It's not a good sign that we're about to enter the Christmas period and our manager hasn't got a clue what his best team and formation is.

We could play 4-2-3-1, a diamond, 3-5-2, 5-4-1 etc etc, it really could be anything.

I would go with the below team in a diamond formation.

Etheridge

McCarthy
O'Connor
Preston
Laird

Osbourne
Cuvelier
Morris
Oztumer

Makris
Bakayoko

I really think if we have a poor set of results over the next three games, Whitney will be gone. However, he seems to be one of those managers who pulls a result out of nowhere when the pressure is really on.

A very scrappy and flukey 1-0 win.

4,953 with 920 from Bradford.

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Re: Bradford City (H) League One, Dec 17th 3pm

Fri Dec 16, 2016 12:00 pm

nottmsaddler wrote:I'm going for 2-2 with Makris getting off the mark.

I don't subscribe to this 'loan to a conference team' theory. I've seen enough to suggest there is a decent player who's a bit lost right now due to adjusting to new country, poor form of new club and questionable selection policy. Plus three minutes at the end of a game is never going to help.

But unless the latter changes, we might never know what he was capable of. Give him time, I say but I know that's unfashionable these days.

Or we could just start booing him and shouting abuse, I suppose, and get him off the wage bill too.


To be fair, the last time Makris had a proper chance in the team, Southend at home when he started up front, the crowd were booing Whtiney he was taken off.

I agree though, he doesn't exactly look like a world beater but I'd rather we try and get him and Bakayoko to form a paternship which could be fruitful in a couple of seasons.

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Re: Bradford City (H) League One, Dec 17th 3pm

Fri Dec 16, 2016 1:08 pm

Tom_1992 wrote:To be fair, the last time Makris had a proper chance in the team, Southend at home when he started up front, the crowd were booing Whtiney he was taken off.

I agree though, he doesn't exactly look like a world beater but I'd rather we try and get him and Bakayoko to form a paternship which could be fruitful in a couple of seasons.


The last time Makris had a proper chance? That was our last home league game, so not all that long ago. Makris has now started 10 league games and scored no goals. Bakayoko has started 8 games in all competitions this season and scored 8 goals.

I would like to hear what Makris has to offer. What I have seen him do so far is: play simple football, run into the channels, chase lost causes, and work hard. There are lots of forwards in non-league who could do that.

But does he have above average pace in a chase for the ball? Is he quickest to react when the ball breaks loose? Does have above average skill with his feet? Can he dribble to beat a player? Can he win the ball in the air? Can he hold the ball up well? Can he make a decent pass under pressure? Does he have quick football brain? Does he come alive when a half-chance emerges? Can he even score one goal? As far as I can tell the answer to all those questions as far as Makris is concerned is NO. On the other hand I would answer YES to each one for Bakayoko.

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Re: Bradford City (H) League One, Dec 17th 3pm

Fri Dec 16, 2016 1:16 pm

3-0 to the Saddlers

Makris hat-trick!

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Re: Bradford City (H) League One, Dec 17th 3pm

Fri Dec 16, 2016 1:33 pm

Welsh_Saddler wrote:
SaigonSaddler wrote:Looks like this one might be tricky ... :?

But we are Walsall, so I'm going for a lucky 3-2 win. :D


I can go for the "2" part, but where on earth is the "3" coming from? :?

:mrgreen:


Same place Stuart Rimmer got his 3 at Roker Park. :wink:

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Re: Bradford City (H) League One, Dec 17th 3pm

Fri Dec 16, 2016 1:33 pm

I was awoken from my slumbers this morning by a cockerel welcoming the dawn. This probably doesn't appear too much of an omen but, we haven't got a cockerel!

On peering out of the window I could see what I believe to be the international space station hovering in the early morning sky somewhere above Bescot.

I also happened to notice four horsemen on the crest of the hill on the opposite side of the valley who were overflown by a herd of friesian geese travelling backwards in a 3-5-2 formation.

If you add to this the commotion in the grave yard at the rear of St Jeffrey's church over yonder, I get the feeling that something is a foot.

Where's Cully when you need him?

P.S. Gavin the goat's milk tasted a bit odd.

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Re: Bradford City (H) League One, Dec 17th 3pm

Fri Dec 16, 2016 1:43 pm

Leatherman wrote:I was awoken from my slumbers this morning by a cockerel welcoming the dawn. This probably doesn't appear too much of an omen but, we haven't got a cockerel


Cockerell-Mollett hatrick then? :D

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Re: Bradford City (H) League One, Dec 17th 3pm

Fri Dec 16, 2016 1:56 pm

Harry wrote:
Tom_1992 wrote:To be fair, the last time Makris had a proper chance in the team, Southend at home when he started up front, the crowd were booing Whtiney he was taken off.

I agree though, he doesn't exactly look like a world beater but I'd rather we try and get him and Bakayoko to form a paternship which could be fruitful in a couple of seasons.


The last time Makris had a proper chance? That was our last home league game, so not all that long ago. Makris has now started 10 league games and scored no goals. Bakayoko has started 8 games in all competitions this season and scored 8 goals.

I would like to hear what Makris has to offer. What I have seen him do so far is: play simple football, run into the channels, chase lost causes, and work hard. There are lots of forwards in non-league who could do that.

But does he have above average pace in a chase for the ball? Is he quickest to react when the ball breaks loose? Does have above average skill with his feet? Can he dribble to beat a player? Can he win the ball in the air? Can he hold the ball up well? Can he make a decent pass under pressure? Does he have quick football brain? Does he come alive when a half-chance emerges? Can he even score one goal? As far as I can tell the answer to all those questions as far as Makris is concerned is NO. On the other hand I would answer YES to each one for Bakayoko.


Calm down mate, if you read what I said I mentioned that it would be a good idea to try Bakayoko and Makris together and see if it works out in a diamond formation (see my earlier post for my preferred team for Saturday). I didn't say that Makris has showed any attributes that would suggest he's going to set the league alight, but we've got him for three years and he's our record signing we might aswell try and find a system where he is effective, rather than 2/3 minute sub appearances when we're chasing a game.

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Re: Bradford City (H) League One, Dec 17th 3pm

Fri Dec 16, 2016 3:58 pm

Difficult to see much here as Hanson will surely score at least once from a cross....but then again I saw 0 points from Bolton and Sheffield.

2-2.

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Re: Bradford City (H) League One, Dec 17th 3pm

Fri Dec 16, 2016 4:13 pm

Interestingly (not including last years away game) we both struggle to score more than two goals each??
Therefore I predict :-

3-3

Walsall: Manager-
Jamie Lawrence
Lee Todd
Neil Tolson
GK: Andy Petterson

Bradford:
Steve Staunton
Lee Sinnott
Rob Steiner
GK: Mark Prudhoe


in front of 5,218 ( 987 Bradfordoians)

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Re: Bradford City (H) League One, Dec 17th 3pm

Fri Dec 16, 2016 4:53 pm

1-3 bradford just dont see us stopping them from scoring with hanson upfront.

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Re: Bradford City (H) League One, Dec 17th 3pm

Sat Dec 17, 2016 5:01 am

3-1 to us thereby securing JW's job for another month or so.

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Re: Bradford City (H) League One, Dec 17th 3pm

Sat Dec 17, 2016 9:25 am

Leatherman wrote:I was awoken from my slumbers this morning by a cockerel welcoming the dawn. This probably doesn't appear too much of an omen but, we haven't got a cockerel!

On peering out of the window I could see what I believe to be the international space station hovering in the early morning sky somewhere above Bescot.

I also happened to notice four horsemen on the crest of the hill on the opposite side of the valley who were overflown by a herd of friesian geese travelling backwards in a 3-5-2 formation.

If you add to this the commotion in the grave yard at the rear of St Jeffrey's church over yonder, I get the feeling that something is a foot.

Where's Cully when you need him?

P.S. Gavin the goat's milk tasted a bit odd.


Fear not tis my annual sponsorship do at the Bescot and soiree in Rugeley [the town of dreams] and you need not worry because for the last 7 years the game has resulted in six wins and one draw. So put those lucky under johns to the back of the drawer and choose that festive outfit you normally wear under cover of darkness for attending the game today.

Just in case of bad luck clouds and a potential sighting of the cursed orange seagull Saigon and I have been busy monitoring average escalator speeds in random shopping centres and are happy to report no unusual variances although I am a little worried that Saigon hasn't reported in after last nights visit to the Yuk Sung Po Glorious Peoples Happy escalator.

Here's hoping for a good report :?

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Re: Bradford City (H) League One, Dec 17th 3pm

Sat Dec 17, 2016 11:01 am

It's matchday!

Everything else on the back burner. Sod the presents. I'm off to the Bescot for some Christmas cheer! :D

Come on me babbies!

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Re: Bradford City (H) League One, Dec 17th 3pm

Sat Dec 17, 2016 12:10 pm

saddla wrote:It's matchday!

Everything else on the back burner. Sod the presents. I'm off to the Bescot for some Christmas cheer! :D

Come on me babbies!


Would love to be there with you, but can't get down today.
Under normal circumstances, everyone would say "we play better against good teams" or "we are bound to spoil some accumulators cus that's what we do" However we are so bad at the moment, the bare face robberies against Bolton & The Blades are distant memories of when the team fought for every ball, now they appear to have given up all hope of ever looking like a football team. Heart says another 1-0 robbery, head says another 4-0 drubbing, hope it aint the latter!

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Re: Bradford City (H) League One, Dec 17th 3pm

Sat Dec 17, 2016 1:22 pm

This is about the closest we get to a home game this festive season so let's hope for a good crowd in fine voice and a Makris hat trick. If Markis gets one too, so much the better. :wink:
U T S.

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Re: Bradford City (H) League One, Dec 17th 3pm

Sat Dec 17, 2016 1:56 pm

At this seasonal time of year time to be philosophical and also magnanimous. So, let's allow football , in the form of our beloved Saddlers to elate and never depress. After all we don't live in a war torn country. So, with this reality to the fore i'll go for a home win today, 3 - 0 !!! Happy Christmas fellow supporters.

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Re: Bradford City (H) League One, Dec 17th 3pm

Sat Dec 17, 2016 2:56 pm

Starting line-up against Bradford City:

Etheridge

McCarthy
O'Connor
Preston
Laird

Osbourne
Chambers
Edwards
Cuvelier

Jackson
Bakayoko

Substitutes: McGillivray, Dobson, Oztumer, Ginnelly, Toner, Makris, Moussa

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Re: Bradford City (H) League One, Dec 17th 3pm

Sat Dec 17, 2016 3:06 pm

Elsewhere.....

Bury 1 Oxford United 1 (14 min)

Swindon Town 1 Fleetwood Town 1

Shrewsbury Town 1 Bristol Rovers 0

Northampton Town 1 Rochdale 1

Oldham Athletic 0 Southend United 1

Charlton Athletic 0 Peterborough United 1

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