Was It As Good Or As Bad As....

[The Humble Realist]

Lots of surprisingly polar opinions on here of either...we were great or we weren't that good.

My view was as follows ...

First 15mins we were great, caused a lot of trouble n baldock in particular looked dangerous

Then we lost control n let in a joke goal from a fielding error who.looked nervy all game

My biggest concern was the 2nd half where we seemed incapable of keeping the ball anywhere! We hit a lot of long balls from the back all match n Bradford on another day would have wun.

Another huge issue for me is the physical strength of the team . Wagstaff n Bryan were passengers for large parts of the game in my.opinion n we really missed Alberts ball carrying skills to get the ball up the pitch (without launching it). Also who were will win us the ball back away from home out of Kilkenny, wagstaff, Bryan n wynter (our midfield at the start). The only reason we had ball in attacking areas was winning 2nd balls (often jet who shud not have been subbed)

Next match I'd like to see pack in for Kilkenny n Elliot in for bryan. We will need more muscle as otherwise we won't get the ball back wen we lose it !

Coyr-we didn't lose n I think there is potential !

[Corleone]

We were in complete control up until the Fielding howler, and we never really recovered from it. Our 2nd goal was well against the run of play.

I thought we missed a Kelly, Cisse, Elliott type....while Kilkenny Pack and Wynter were excellent at passing the ball about, they didnt break up the play when bradford had possession, enabling them to have too much time on the ball to create.....add to this Wynter being pushed out right (supposedly), this left Maloney isolated against a talented winger.....something that led to momentum going further to Bradford.

We need muscle in the middle, someone who can do the dirty work (Kelly's job), that is what we missed more than anything today....if we had that, we would of won.

Bryan and Wagstaff are workhorses, nothing more, personally woould prefer to see Pearson on the left as I think he has the experience that Bryan needs to gain.

One positive was how we are playing decent football, something that is polar opposite to last season, plus Flint looks the part at the back.

[OneManMob]

Looked pretty much same old same old to me

[mozo]

The ten minutes leading up to our second goal was enthralling. there was a real tussle, a war of attrition between the two sides that saw us firmly on the ropes, and to weather the storm with grit and guile and see Jay slot the chance away was a moment of huge relief. Bradford weren't really in the game until fielding gifted them a goal and their second goal was also unacceptable from a defensive point of view. cut two errors out and we looked pretty dam good for a bunch of new signings and misfits. I'm optimistic!

[Fiale]

The problem 2nd half was Moloney was double teamed and he had little support - they played down their left with total freedom to our touchline. Part of this was Wynter being pushed onto the right wing which I don't think he looked comfortable with - and because the 2 CBs had their hands full so were slow to come across to help him.

Even so - I think if we can play like the first 25 minutes for the rest of the season (just varying the pace and tempo so they don't get knackered) then things look good.... ultimately we lost today to 2 sloppy goals, Fielding is hopefully unlikely to make that mistake again, and not picking up a player on the near post for a corner is criminal..... we did not really look in trouble other than that, yes Bradford had a lot of possesion, and came streaming forward in the 2nd half, but they did not really look like they could take advantage of it.........

[bobbyhutchscurlymullet]

We were in complete control up until the Fielding howler, and we never really recovered from it. Our 2nd goal was well against the run of play.

I thought we missed a Kelly, Cisse, Elliott type....while Kilkenny Pack and Wynter were excellent at passing the ball about, they didnt break up the play when bradford had possession, enabling them to have too much time on the ball to create.....add to this Wynter being pushed out right (supposedly), this left Maloney isolated against a talented winger.....something that led to momentum going further to Bradford.

We need muscle in the middle, someone who can do the dirty work (Kelly's job), that is what we missed more than anything today....if we had that, we would of won.

Bryan and Wagstaff are workhorses, nothing more, personally woould prefer to see Pearson on the left as I think he has the experience that Bryan needs to gain.

One positive was how we are playing decent football, something that is polar opposite to last season, plus Flint looks the part at the back.

so how would bryan gain experience?

[TRL]

so how would bryan gain experience?

By watching pearson fanny about!

Never understood a lot of our fans. Don't play the youth, want them loaned out. Then moan about our youth system. I moan about our youth system.. bloody play them.

[Corleone]

I think Pearson is currently a better left sided midfielder than Bryan.

[Ryan_BCFC]

Everybody expects too much...

[AshtonGreat]

I think Pearson is currently a better left sided midfielder than Bryan.

Bryan can't be very good then haha

[CheddarReds]

I thought we controlled the game until the Fielding error.

Came out second half and took us 10mins to start passing well again.

I think with 15mins left a lot of the side looked tired.

IMO Bryan and Wagstaff were good, both looked slightly tired towards the end. Like to see another wide player come in.

Wynter looked solid in centre midfield but lost on the right side. Pack looked good, like to see him start against Gillingham or Coventry.

JET first touch is sometimes off, for a big guy he gets pushed off the ball easy and his heading isn't great. Seems pretty unfit. BUT, he creates chances and took his well and I have no idea how he does it after the stuff mentioned.

[SJC]

Starting from the back, Fielding looked pretty ropey. Goalkeeping mistakes are magnified ten fold and his background suggests he is a good keeper who I have no doubt will settle and come into his own, but today he had very little to do and of that didnt do a lot of it incredibly well. He was obviously at fault for the first goal, he dallied on a back pass during the first half which could have easily gone wrong and then shinned clear a through ball in the second half which, again, could have easily fallen into trouble.

He had one decent punch and, which will go unmentioned, gave one very strong shout to avert a potential own goal for Flint(?) near the start of the second half. The fact im struggling to remember him making a save (I think I read Bradford hit the post early - the ticket situation is for another thread . .) and yet there are questions over his performance isnt a great start, but I have no doubt it will get better.

Cunningham was decent and, at least for me, not hugely noticable, which tends to be a positive for a defender. Moloney really struggled with Reid (?) second half, consistently being beaten on the outside when he should have been showing him in. That said he didnt get a great deal of help from Wynter who impressed me centrally but looked lost and leggy when pushed wide to accomodate Pack.

I was very impressed with Flint. No nonsense, ball winner, whether it was an especially powerful clearing header or not he tended to win the ball and it is already clear that he will be a force in both boxes. Fontaine, and I know it is now fashionable to slate him, I was less impressed with. He just seems to have lost an edge, he lets the attacker get onto the ball. If you're not a force in the air then you need to read the game well and be decent with your feet. Unfortunately im not convinced Fontaine is now, whereas he perhaps was at one point, enough of either of those to deserve his place. To his credit he did dummy a dangerous cross when, with less composure, he could have taken a swipe.

We signed Flint and Williams in the summer, gave Carey an extension and offered Nyatanga a new deal. I assumed, perhaps wrongly, that Fontaine would be one of the players O'Driscoll suggested needed to 'step up'. I presume he has in training, because on this showing he hasnt advanced from last year.

Kilkenny will be a big player for us this year, whether or not people like it. It's Lee Johnson all over again. He'll float around infront the back four receiving the ball with a dash of licence to roam. Every now and then he'll spray a decent one but ultimately he'll recycle the ball either in our half or theirs if we're pushed further up the field. By the time the season ends he'll have a couple of assists, a goal or two if he's lucky and if we havent made the play-offs the chances are it will be his 'fault'.

Considering it was his professional debut I was really impressed with Wynter. He, along with Flint, gave us a physical presence but he's clearly at ease on the ball too and was happy to do more than be your traditional ball winner. When Pack came on he was pushed wide and suffered for it. He looked positionally lost which led to them having good success on the left flank. We desperately need a right sided midfielder.

I was very impressed with Pack when he came on, showed a level of vision which none previously had and played two or three lovely balls. The interesting thing now will be accomodating him. I cant see him playing off a striker despite the vision yet I cant see him displacing Kilkenny or Wynter.

Wagstaff and Bryan were largely annonymous I felt. Didnt provide us with any realy width, failed to stretch them which just condensed our playing space and contributed to the insane tactic of passing across the back four before punting for Baldock to chase.

Emmanuel-Thomas showed glimpses. Tidy finish for his goal and showed some neat footwork on occasion. He'll be a threat and will continue to score and create.

Baldock was isolated throughout. Chasing long balls or running the odd channel. Im not convinced he can play the lone striker unless we consistently get the ball to whoever plays as the 'false 9' and they can spot a pass. Im sure thats the aim, get the ball into the hole then either run at the defence or slide it through, the reality today was rather different and any team which crowds the middle and has a couple of ball winning centre backs will be difficult for us to break down in this style.

All in all it was decent enough. I think we had 6 (?) debutants, interestingly most of which if not all outshone the incumbents, it will take time to gel. It is crucial that people remember that we are a side in transition. Id be thrilled if we finished 6th.

[Evander SnowyField]

Looked pretty much same old same old to me

Cracking user name, did you coin this from my paragraph in the Fontaine thread or was I not the only one who thought he was heading like a 50p head today?

[Corleone]

Starting from the back, Fielding looked pretty ropey. Goalkeeping mistakes are magnified ten fold and his background suggests he is a good keeper who I have no doubt will settle and come into his own, but today he had very little to do and of that didnt do a lot of it incredibly well. He was obviously at fault for the first goal, he dallied on a back pass during the first half which could have easily gone wrong and then shinned clear a through ball in the second half which, again, could have easily fallen into trouble.

He had one decent punch and, which will go unmentioned, gave one very strong shout to avert a potential own goal for Flint(?) near the start of the second half. The fact im struggling to remember him making a save (I think I read Bradford hit the post early - the ticket situation is for another thread . .) and yet there are questions over his performance isnt a great start, but I have no doubt it will get better.

Cunningham was decent and, at least for me, not hugely noticable, which tends to be a positive for a defender. Moloney really struggled with Reid (?) second half, consistently being beaten on the outside when he should have been showing him in. That said he didnt get a great deal of help from Wynter who impressed me centrally but looked lost and leggy when pushed wide to accomodate Pack.

I was very impressed with Flint. No nonsense, ball winner, whether it was an especially powerful clearing header or not he tended to win the ball and it is already clear that he will be a force in both boxes. Fontaine, and I know it is now fashionable to slate him, I was less impressed with. He just seems to have lost an edge, he lets the attacker get onto the ball. If you're not a force in the air then you need to read the game well and be decent with your feet. Unfortunately im not convinced Fontaine is now, whereas he perhaps was at one point, enough of either of those to deserve his place. To his credit he did dummy a dangerous cross when, with less composure, he could have taken a swipe.

We signed Flint and Williams in the summer, gave Carey an extension and offered Nyatanga a new deal. I assumed, perhaps wrongly, that Fontaine would be one of the players O'Driscoll suggested needed to 'step up'. I presume he has in training, because on this showing he hasnt advanced from last year.

Kilkenny will be a big player for us this year, whether or not people like it. It's Lee Johnson all over again. He'll float around infront the back four receiving the ball with a dash of licence to roam. Every now and then he'll spray a decent one but ultimately he'll recycle the ball either in our half or theirs if we're pushed further up the field. By the time the season ends he'll have a couple of assists, a goal or two if he's lucky and if we havent made the play-offs the chances are it will be his 'fault'.

Considering it was his professional debut I was really impressed with Wynter. He, along with Flint, gave us a physical presence but he's clearly at ease on the ball too and was happy to do more than be your traditional ball winner. When Pack came on he was pushed wide and suffered for it. He looked positionally lost which led to them having good success on the left flank. We desperately need a right sided midfielder.

I was very impressed with Pack when he came on, showed a level of vision which none previously had and played two or three lovely balls. The interesting thing now will be accomodating him. I cant see him playing off a striker despite the vision yet I cant see him displacing Kilkenny or Wynter.

Wagstaff and Bryan were largely annonymous I felt. Didnt provide us with any realy width, failed to stretch them which just condensed our playing space and contributed to the insane tactic of passing across the back four before punting for Baldock to chase.

Emmanuel-Thomas showed glimpses. Tidy finish for his goal and showed some neat footwork on occasion. He'll be a threat and will continue to score and create.

Baldock was isolated throughout. Chasing long balls or running the odd channel. Im not convinced he can play the lone striker unless we consistently get the ball to whoever plays as the 'false 9' and they can spot a pass. Im sure thats the aim, get the ball into the hole then either run at the defence or slide it through, the reality today was rather different and any team which crowds the middle and has a couple of ball winning centre backs will be difficult for us to break down in this style.

All in all it was decent enough. I think we had 6 (?) debutants, interestingly most of which if not all outshone the incumbents, it will take time to gel. It is crucial that people remember that we are a side in transition. Id be thrilled if we finished 6th.

Almost completely agree with this.....disagree on Baldock and think JET showed more than glimpses IMO.

[OneManMob]

Cracking user name, did you coin this from my paragraph in the Fontaine thread or was I not the only one who thought he was heading like a 50p head today?

I coined the name all by myself.

[Evander SnowyField]

I coined the name all by myself.

Great minds...

Lets hope he can sort it out before gillingham

[JamesBCFC]

Starting from the back, Fielding looked pretty ropey. Goalkeeping mistakes are magnified ten fold and his background suggests he is a good keeper who I have no doubt will settle and come into his own, but today he had very little to do and of that didnt do a lot of it incredibly well. He was obviously at fault for the first goal, he dallied on a back pass during the first half which could have easily gone wrong and then shinned clear a through ball in the second half which, again, could have easily fallen into trouble.

He had one decent punch and, which will go unmentioned, gave one very strong shout to avert a potential own goal for Flint(?) near the start of the second half. The fact im struggling to remember him making a save (I think I read Bradford hit the post early - the ticket situation is for another thread . .) and yet there are questions over his performance isnt a great start, but I have no doubt it will get better.

Cunningham was decent and, at least for me, not hugely noticable, which tends to be a positive for a defender. Moloney really struggled with Reid (?) second half, consistently being beaten on the outside when he should have been showing him in. That said he didnt get a great deal of help from Wynter who impressed me centrally but looked lost and leggy when pushed wide to accomodate Pack.

I was very impressed with Flint. No nonsense, ball winner, whether it was an especially powerful clearing header or not he tended to win the ball and it is already clear that he will be a force in both boxes. Fontaine, and I know it is now fashionable to slate him, I was less impressed with. He just seems to have lost an edge, he lets the attacker get onto the ball. If you're not a force in the air then you need to read the game well and be decent with your feet. Unfortunately im not convinced Fontaine is now, whereas he perhaps was at one point, enough of either of those to deserve his place. To his credit he did dummy a dangerous cross when, with less composure, he could have taken a swipe.

We signed Flint and Williams in the summer, gave Carey an extension and offered Nyatanga a new deal. I assumed, perhaps wrongly, that Fontaine would be one of the players O'Driscoll suggested needed to 'step up'. I presume he has in training, because on this showing he hasnt advanced from last year.

Kilkenny will be a big player for us this year, whether or not people like it. It's Lee Johnson all over again. He'll float around infront the back four receiving the ball with a dash of licence to roam. Every now and then he'll spray a decent one but ultimately he'll recycle the ball either in our half or theirs if we're pushed further up the field. By the time the season ends he'll have a couple of assists, a goal or two if he's lucky and if we havent made the play-offs the chances are it will be his 'fault'.

Considering it was his professional debut I was really impressed with Wynter. He, along with Flint, gave us a physical presence but he's clearly at ease on the ball too and was happy to do more than be your traditional ball winner. When Pack came on he was pushed wide and suffered for it. He looked positionally lost which led to them having good success on the left flank. We desperately need a right sided midfielder.

I was very impressed with Pack when he came on, showed a level of vision which none previously had and played two or three lovely balls. The interesting thing now will be accomodating him. I cant see him playing off a striker despite the vision yet I cant see him displacing Kilkenny or Wynter.

Wagstaff and Bryan were largely annonymous I felt. Didnt provide us with any realy width, failed to stretch them which just condensed our playing space and contributed to the insane tactic of passing across the back four before punting for Baldock to chase.

Emmanuel-Thomas showed glimpses. Tidy finish for his goal and showed some neat footwork on occasion. He'll be a threat and will continue to score and create.

Baldock was isolated throughout. Chasing long balls or running the odd channel. Im not convinced he can play the lone striker unless we consistently get the ball to whoever plays as the 'false 9' and they can spot a pass. Im sure thats the aim, get the ball into the hole then either run at the defence or slide it through, the reality today was rather different and any team which crowds the middle and has a couple of ball winning centre backs will be difficult for us to break down in this style.

All in all it was decent enough. I think we had 6 (?) debutants, interestingly most of which if not all outshone the incumbents, it will take time to gel. It is crucial that people remember that we are a side in transition. Id be thrilled if we finished 6th.

Spot on, the long balls to baldock just weren't working

I think a draw was probably slightly unfair on us, Bradford came into the game more in the second half but overall we edged it

[AshtonGreat]

Spot on, the long balls to baldock just weren't working

I think a draw was probably slightly unfair on us, Bradford came into the game more in the second half but overall we edged it

I couldn't go today but hearing this depresses me. It's exactly the same tactic as last season and it doesn't work.

[JamesBCFC]

I couldn't go today but hearing this depresses me. It's exactly the same tactic as last season and it doesn't work.

It wasn't long balls to him all the time but was used a fair bit, 1st goal was a nice bit of play and 2nd was a good counter attack