Team responsibilty (From Bradford Telegraph and Argus)

Team responsibilty

12:11pm Wednesday 5th November 2008

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Rhys Evans is quite right. The Bradford City goalkeeper said: "At some point people have got to say this has to stop; but that's got to be during the game. It's no good reflecting about this afterwards."

The thing that the team is so obviously missing is a commanding presence on the pitch who can inspire and direct players the way that Stuart McCall used to do. Waiting for the manager to sort out the problems at half-time is all very well, but experienced professionals should be able to think for themselves.

Both Rochdale and Bournemouth presented City's midfield and defence with problems that could have and should have been worked out and solved on the pitch. Rochdale's greatest threat came down the left and Bournemouth had a canny way with corners and free-kicks.

The team gives the impression that individually and collectively it is unable or else unwilling to come up with answers to problems during a game. Unless that starts happening a promising season is going to be undermined by more avoidable reversals of fortune.

However, if independent thought is beyond the players they can make up for that with effort. Watching players in fancy footwear swanning about, dithering and sometimes not bothering, rightly infuriates City's long-suffering fans.

Incidentally, on the subject of fans. The reason why Ashley Cole got a rollicking at Wembley had nothing to do with the colour of his skin but the perception by England fans that his mind was more on the size of his wallet than playing for his country.

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