Parkin: Why the pessimism over Bradford City draw? (From Bradford Telegraph and Argus)

Because we're playing rubbish and losing to team like Wimbledon, we really going to go on run from now till May? seems very unlikely.

because we can see it slowley slipping through our fingers.
I thought City played good last night and did raise the game but so did daggers , both teams went for it. Enjoyable game to watch (apart from reid, if you beat your man you dont take him on again and then again and loose it everytime, beat him once and whip a cross in)
I don't think we could have done anything more as parkin says but i think that is the problem, the tough tasks now are York and Vale away. Yes the playoffs are still within reach but its just getting slimmer and slimmer! Bring on York and go from there but currently we are bobbing along steadily and relying on other results to go our way, meanwhile teams like Burton are consistantly winning and flying up the league.

Pessimism ?!

Are you kidding me??

The crowd were great last night, backed the players all the way.

Sure there were groans when Reid or Doyle or Nelson gave the ball away whilst trying to pass it 6 yards for the 19th time. But pessimism? No. Disappointment after all the hype and the "lets get at them" talk? Yes!

Would a pessimistic fan base sell out an away game 3 weeks before the game?

Parkin's got this all wrong for me!

When Connell came on he showed he has more quality than Gray and should be higher in pecking order,Reid had an off night and should have been subbed. Also it looks like Nelson is above McHugh now, don't think Jonny Mac didn't do much wrong so should keep his place for York.

I think the answer to that is the last four home league games, with only one point out of twelve, but specifically the perception that:

We've lost key players: eg Meredith and not replaced them in terms of quality or they've 'come back' and are not performing at that level yet-eg Reid particularly but also Davies.

We are too dependent on one striker-ie Hanson-when he's not playing we have little threat.

Some have gone off-form a bit-eg Wells

Some have 'not made it' eg Gray

Yes, there is 'hope'. Until the games in hand have run out and we're mathematically out of it, theres hope, but the current 'picture' doesn't suggest a rapid turnarund.

Still, keep at it Mr & Mr P, and we'll be behind you both!!

We're too predictable and teams know exactly what to do against us, this is why you get new players in January who bring something different and provide a bit of inspiration.

Gray has had games and not exactly been inspiring, yes he can hold the ball up and has experience but he's not going to get us out of this league. Also teams know if they stop Reid and Hines it cuts off the supply.

York game is going to decide our fate this season in my opinion

The pessamism probably comes from watching City play their socks off, with performances like that against Villa, and then seeing their league form drop like a lead balloon. We played well last night in the first half (apart from Gray-bad signing), but second half, we were poor until they scored. There was no movement off the ball. Not really good enough, lack of consistancy - that's the source of the pessamism.

What do you expect Parkin city's league form is appalling. At the very least you have to win at home. I agree with earlier post regarding Connell. I don't know what this lad has to do to get in. Gray is not only a waste of money on wages but also a waste of a position that could be occupied by a player more deserving. Get Shut in summer deal or no deal.

Pessimism? Couldn't be anything to do with the fact that the team have won only 3 home matches in over 4 months against the teams currently lying 20th, 22nd and 24th in the league?

Thought the fans were superb last night. As for pessimism, i think they are just been realistic.

Based on the form since the new year we would be in a relagation fight. I think we still have a chance but need to be getting three points at home, as in amongst the games in hand are some difficult away matches such as Cheltenham....

Overall i thought we were much more positive last night which was great to see. Jones was getting in the box more times than any other game this season. We played for the win......

Ironic though that when we play with two wingers hanson is on the bench. We also hit the channels more which would have suited Nahki. Actually Thompson played well but Gray has shown nothing to make me change my mind that he is the wrong signing. he does not look to be a goal threat at all and thats what we need, as last night proved. Hanson 'knockers' must be very happy with Gray then?

Another minus is Reid constantly checking and or looking to come inside even when the space opens up for him to drive to the byeline. Thats where they should be heading as its not dangerous to lose the ball there and the plusses out weigh the effort e.g. gets a cross in, free-kicks, corners etc.

Ultimately it was our crossing that let us down yesterday. It was so inconsistent and very poor at times. Parkinson can't do anything about poor delivery and had it been better i'm sure we could have had more opportunities and won.

However fair play to dagenham who didn't just sit back and had a real go second half and will also be looking at their missed penalty has three points lost.

We're in poor form but i felt we showed more energy and forward momentum yesterday. We will need that as draws will not suffice. Without the cup run it would be interesting to see what people would be thinking about parkinsons position. I still feel that tactically he as more to show but he wasn't to blame for the poor delivery. Gray aside he went for it imo. Ps anyone know why its was parkin doing the radio interviews afterwards? I caught the back-end and it was Parkin.....

We can still do this but it needs to start quickly. Its not pessimism though and no other side in this division creates the noise that we did at times last night.

Parkin needs to realise that the players and performances can also create positivism......

fans have a right to be pessimistic ... the form is dire ... the quality on the pitch is dire ...

very average teams are giving city lots of trouble ..as invariably city have lots of possession but cant produce quailty attacking play ...

Dagenham are rubbish ..but should have won the game ....

the fans were excellent last night ...

...unlike the lack of any forsight at city in making this a planned discounted game to get the Wembley hordes in to swell the gate ...

no discounts for kids ...no offers ...big queues outside trying to get in and paying way over the odds to do so ..

kids £12 .... shocking really ...

then at the eleventh hour ..a keep your stub statement on its own website ???

i paid cash to try and see the first half ..rather than queue at the ticket office and miss it ...

so i have no stubs for me and my kids ..

does Mr Parkin think the fans are thrilled at the prospect of watching this level of football for another year ??

It didnt look like we were fighting as though our football lives depended on it ...

when we meet the quality teams in the final 5 game run in ... what will they do to such an out of form team ?

Missing:
20,000+ Bradford City fans. Last seen on a bandwagon bound for Wembley.

On a plus side the fans last night were amazing. The respect from the Dagenham players & staff before the game was a fantastic sight to see.

Shame about the match though.

It's not a problem Parkin if you don't want promotion but it is a problem we just scrape a draw at home to a team on a shoe string budget.

Gray and Reid added nothing last night, those two should have been subbed not Gray and Thompson.

Thompson had a decent game and looked quite good up front.

Why couldn't Parkinson see what 10k of us could when he kept Reid on the pitch?

Because in addition to the above about the poor form etc. its another team thats come to play anti-football and time wasting tactics from the 30th minute, once again a visiting keeper goes home having done barely anything, and we have Thomson and Gray as a strikeforce when we have 3 strikers with 35 between them on the bench. They may need a rest but could have used one.

dannbradfc has it accurately portrayed from a fan's perspective.

For a neutral the game was a gem for the second division, but for stalwart City fans another occasion where bright flowing football, two purple patches, lots of enthusiasm and endeavour produced very little of consequence.

The defence didn't have the authority it usually has with the necessary changes due to injury. The best football is played in the middle of the park with the final ball from midfield or the flanks always favouring a well drilled opposition defence. We are predictable and it was only late on when the Daggers stuttered to deal with changes.

Gray wasn't as bad as comments here make out, but on so many occasions the final ball to he and Thompson favoured the keeper or a defender. We struggled on the flanks; two wingers must get past the full back and deliver accurate crosses; they didn't, though Hines energy was high, whilst poor Reid looked a shadow of his pre-injury self.

It's still the set-up that's the problem. When we do have bodies in the box from set pieces, they clump and occupy the same space. You'd think the most dangerous position in an attacking strategy, the far post, was totally omitted from the City coaching manual. There was one occasion when we were 1-0 down when Hines did do the business and get a ball into the box - only Hanson was there with four defenders in attendance.

So, nothing new in last night's game; some beautiful football, the usual commitment and enthusiasm, discipline and effort. Our 'goals for' tally will be the crucial statistic by the end of the season and with the traditional 4-4-2 failing to deliver on too many occasions, our predictability and lack of creative capability will probably cost us.

Poor ref again; the penalty decision was another joke and had it gone in, we might well have lost another three points.

Form is dire and you keep picking the wrong team.

You did it on Sunday and you did it again last night.

Gray was no good 10 years ago so he will not be any better now, albeit in a lower league. He is ineffective and slow and we should not have signed him.

Right now, we are in relegation form Mr Parkin.

Dear oh dear Mr Parkin!!!

With the greatest respect, this squad has the ability to beat 3 Premiership teams on our glorious cup run this season, clearly showing that they can raise their game when needed, in turn, with 15 games left, we can be forgiven for expecting a more offensive display than was witnessed last night!

I thought we were to expect nothing less than positivity in the remaining games, I can see that PP believes in using the depth of his squad and maybe chose to give the B team strikeforce a run out last night as we should canter to a win, but this clearly backfired, as you said yourself, we offered nothing in the final third!

If your players are not injured or exhausted, it must be obvious that your best chance of winning games is to play your best team!

If Hanson and Wells had started last night we may well have seen 3 more points on the board this morning!

As for the starting two up front, can anyone please tell me what on earth Gray brings to the table that Connell doesn't! I have no idea what Connell seems to have done to upset PP but it was clear for all to see last night within minutes of him being introduced he is much more effective than Gray in and advanced position!

On your head be it for the remaining games PP, but to stand the best chance of winning, please play your strongest and best players in position and don't forget about those that have really contributed with vital goals already this season instead of has-beens living on past glories!

Thee Voice of Reason wrote:
Gray and Reid added nothing last night, those two should have been subbed not Gray and Thompson.

Thompson had a decent game and looked quite good up front.

Why couldn't Parkinson see what 10k of us could when he kept Reid on the pitch?

Spot on TVOR, I wouldn't pick Gray to play for Huddersfield and I hate em.

All his inclusion in our squad has done is push Connell further out of the picture who in my mind is one of the most technically balanced players we have had. He also puts graft and effort in as could be seen in his chasing down last night and attempt to get the ball back in play asap.

Don't know what Parkin or even Tim n Stix were watching last night but it wasn't the game I was at judging by their post match comments re Gray, his hold up play was dire and only found his man twice in an hour. Hanson knocked the first three headers to NW/ZH/NW in under 5 minutes.

Hines MoM, Thompson close if he'd have stayed on for a bit longer, Jones??? Who were sponsors, his mum and dad? Couldn't pass wind last night never mind a ball.

I think the static nature of the CM positions is giving us more problems than we need, it is starting to become apparent that if we want to win there needs to be a change in the engine room, neither are bad players and neither deserve dropping for forms sake but for team shape/tactics.

I agree with the post above, City are too predictable. Laudrup only had to watch the DVD from Villa Park to work out how to nullify us. Every other team in the division has had our tactics dissected on TV and in the press and every one of those teams wants to beat us to make their own statement.

We cannot underestimate the sheer mental and physical exhaustion of the cup campaigns (plural). Any wonder that we lack imagination on the pitch and no surprise that the squad doesn't have quality in depth.

On the positive there was lots of effort and commitment by the players last night but unfortunately that is insufficient.

My concern is that the club doesn't lose the momentum of enthusiasm and feelgood feeling among the Bradford public but I think there needs to be some realism by all and management of expectations.

Last night city reverted to the old 'up and under, games which never pays off.
Keep the ball on the ground and deny them possession.
Lets see an emphatic win at York to dispel the gloom and doom merchants.
Keep positive

I couldnt be there last night (i live 240 miles away), so from a distance a draw is a huge disappointment. I noticed that a former manager is doing really well up in Scotland with a team that has grown and matured since he went there..including 1 or 2 of "our castoffs!". So, is the club going to spend enough of the "cup run" profits on building a side that either A) can get us out of this league or B) give us a fighting chance in the league above..for me: at the minute the chances of being in the play offs is diminishing, WILL U answer my question please (faithful city supporters) are PP and SP the right men to lead this club upwards and onwards?..Connell hasnt had enough time on the pitch for me..we have yet to see the best of him.

When a squad of players beats premier league teams three times (ok two draws, one win and one defeat), we should expect that they should compete with, and beat, other teams from our league.

Opinion is great, but we only see the players on match days, we dont see what goes on day in, day out.

From last night, I'd say that the defence has only one problem - No left back. Darby is a good pro, infact, he;s been an unsung hero for me this season, but he's not the type of leftback you need to get the best out of Reid. You need an overlapping leftback like Meredith who takes dfenders out of Reid's way. There is nothing PP or SP can do aout this especially as the player who looked like doing it in Dickson, is injured.
Davies looks like getting back to where he was, nelson is a bit of grunt, but with no real footballing class, and McArdle is as usual, reliable.

We have got two central midfielders who look great when our wingers attack, but see what I said above about the LB position regarding getting the best out of Reid. It impacts here too.

Up front, Hanson looked great for 25 mins last night. Maybe for a few weeks that should be his role - impact sub. I think Gray isnt what we need, as Connell is better.
Wells looks like he is starting to believ his own hype and only in ever briefer flashes do we see what he can do. I thought Thompson was outstanding in his hour last night, and I'd hoped that Wells would come on for Gray to benefit from Thompson's intelligent play.

The system needs looking at for the run in. We need to be trying to win games from the outset, not just holding out and hitting teams on a break, or from a set peice. Loyalty to players is all well and good, but we've got to look at progressing however we can

3-5-2? 4-4-2? 4-3-3? 3-2-2-2-we have the personnell but would it mean a gamble with square pegs in round holes?

Davies Nelson Mc Ardle
Doyle Jones
Hines Atkinson Reid
Thompson Wells

or

Darby McArdle Davies McHugh

Jones Atkinson Doyle

Thompson Hanson Connell

It was a penalty, it wasn't intended by Reid but he did clip the lads heels and the lino and ref were close enough to see this. One of those coming togethers that cannot be avoided I'm afraid.

Felt more comfortable with JM in net, at least the defence were given info when they were facing their own goal.

Strange reaction from Parkin. The vocal backing was good right from the get go. Performance was not great. Too much reliance on Jonah ..little quality in the final third and 3 or 4 very average performances. They will consider themselves unlucky having created the better chances..passed it better in spells and having looked solid throughout. Hopefully the game and Jims cameo will prove to folk how much we rely on him

amazing how i got called allsorts on monday for criticising parky's management but now everybody else is?
jokers lot of you.
told you we had no chance of play offs.
negative one plan waste of space.
we had a lucky cup run, big deal, would take 10 more points instead of it.
and yes i was there as usual!!

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I am out of the country---but wonder if it was 4-4-2 AGAIN. Did we not learn anything from the approach work by Swansea.???.
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Pumping balls up to Hanson on his own IS USELESS!!!.
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When are we going to try 4-3-3 for example. Work the ball up into the box--with 3 Players IN THE BOX. Other Players just behind the box area for rebounds or poor clearance etc.
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Everyone knows--A Draw IS NOT GOOD ENOUGH. To achieve Play Offs..
*
Either everyone WANTS IT---or NOT !!!.
*
Why are the defence still leaking goals??.
This has been prevalent throughout this whole Season so far.
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I am very disappointed!.
*

Prisoner Cell Block A wrote:
It was a penalty, it wasn't intended by Reid but he did clip the lads heels and the lino and ref were close enough to see this. One of those coming togethers that cannot be avoided I'm afraid.

Felt more comfortable with JM in net, at least the defence were given info when they were facing their own goal.

Having just got back to Scotland from London on Tuesday I wasn't at last night's match but I listened to the commentary on Bantam's Player.They suggested that the ball was out of play before Dagenham scored, did you see that?

Sometimes the management team should think about their post-match comments before making sweeping statements about individual players because those sitting in the stands invariably have seen a different game.

Parkin should know by now that Pessimism is part of every City fan's DNA!

It sounds as if it's time to go into the loan market to find a young box to box goal scoring Premier League or Championship reserve midfield player.

Couldn't see from my viewpoint, guy at work said same when I got in this morning, their view from that side is over and above the touchline, its t'other side for me.

In all honesty, if Gray had been subbed for Hanson at HT I would be inclined to say we would have won comfortably.


Old Dave, good post fella, I'd have swapped Gray for Jimmy but Wells for Gray may also have had an impact (I'm not sure where the lad's head is at present)

I'm now off to purchase my 2013/14 season ticket.......if I can get beyond the throngs who will probably have managed to push the bandwagon back from London by now, I heard it had broken down last night and they were struggling to get there!!!!!

The ball was out of play before Dagenham scored. Where were all the fans that went to Wembley last night helping to fill our bank balance up further!

York away is now a MUST MUST MUST MUST win .......

or we will all fall in to season over apathy from such a great height ...


We are running out of chnaces to close the points gap ....


and to be honest the team dont look very good whatever team is put out ...

The forward play IS the problem ...

The tempo is not right and the movement up front is not right ...

TORA TORA TORA at York ...2 big strikers with Wells playing off them ..

It has to be 4 3 3

MUST WIN ....

and that has to be the attitude at every game ...

SCORE GOALS mentality ...

the defence can look after itself ...

I think the pessimism is because the expectations are high at Bradford. When you have over 10,000 loyal fans and are playing teams that somehow survive on around 2,000 fans and with much smaller budgets, there is an expectation that we should beat many of these teams, which has been heightened by our ability to play so well against teams from higher divisions.

Being runners-up out of 92 teams in the Capital One Cup is a phenomenal achievement that has rightly been acknowledged throughout the footballing world. Unfortunately, the run has had a detrimental effect on league form, which has taken second place during the run - resting players and changing the team regularly. Also, we have had another season of unprecedented long-term injuries, which doesn't help in getting a settled team. At the start of the season, with a small but good squad, we had a more settled team until injuries set in. I have said this before often in recent years but I do not believe that you can get out of this league unless you have a settled way of playing that suits the players and where the same players play week in, week out with changes only made for injuries, suspension or lack of form. Rotation may suit PL teams where the players are of a similar high quality or, to an extent, in lower leagues where the players brought in play in exactly the same way and are like-for-like replacements. I don't think it suits us where the players changed often are different types of player or even, sometimes, play out of position. I also think we should go out and play to our strengths, respect but not worry too much about the opposition and certainly not 'big them up', which we seem to be good at.

I am not going to be critical of Mr Parkinson or Parkin, as getting a League Two team to a major final at Wembley is an amazing achievement that will never be beaten. Like many other fanatical City fans, I do have certain observations and these are just my honest opinions, whilst respecting that Mr Parkinson is much closer to players on a daily basis and in a much better position than me to judge:

I said before the match on Sunday that the team was not the one I would have picked - I would have had players in who had the most experience, including at Wembley - but I would also have included one of Hines or Reid to try to push on and give them something to worry about and also to give us a chance to get the ball to the strikers and try to win free kicks and corners that would give us chance to test their defence. As it happened, when we went forward the 'wingers' were too far back and the ball was played backwards rather than forwards so that Swansea simply maintained the initiative and possession and our strikers were redundant and outnumbered. Yes, we may still have lost 5-0 but at least it would have given us something to cheer and, as we were 99.9% certain to lose anyway, why not do it with more aggression and have a bit of a go?

Last night we had more changes - surely the players couldn't all have been exhausted after Sunday? If we were really going to have a go at the league in the remaining matches, I would not have left on the bench the strikers who have between them scored nearly every goal this season. In trying to accommodate 'key' players in defence, we had a very unbalanced back four with no left footer amongst them which, I am sure, opposition managers and players will certainly pick up on and try to exploit.

We should not worry about accommodating certain players. A successful team does not have to include the eleven best players necessarily - it needs to be balanced in all departments and able to play effectively as a unit. In my opinion, we need to have a settled and balanced team - stop educating players to believe that they are exhausted because they play two games in a week - that plays to its strengths. If we are playing a big centre forward that most opposition managers recognise as giving them all kinds of trouble, then I would expect to have at least one winger that is going down the line and putting in crosses in front of the centre forward regularly each match - unlike now where we can go whole games without a decent cross across the box.

I think the biggest cause for pessimism, Mr Parkin, is that, for us oldies in particular, it is yet another example of where we enter this stage of the season in the position of chasing a play-off place that is achievable, especially with the squad we have, saying we need to win 10 out of 15, then 10 out of 14 etc and we can see the season eventually fizzling out because draws are not going to make up 10 point deficits now. That is what we are faced with at the moment. It is made even more galling because there are teams well above us who are 'smaller teams', have less resources and supposedly lesser quality players, that are able to win 7 games out of 8 at home or 9 out of 11, when we have picked up one point out of the last four 4 games. And we lose away to teams like Barnet and Wimbledon when we have had most of the play, not being able to keep clean sheets and often not being able to score.

To end on a positive note, at least we have stopped the consistently downward rot of the last ten years and should end up comfortably mid-table at least this year. We also have a better squad than previous years but we need to be ruthless in adding a few new better players for next season to improve again. Hopefully, one year soon we will have cause for our magnificent fans to celebrate a long overdue promotion in the league. Fair play, we have enjoyed a fantastic cup run this season that has raised money to help us going forward. However, success is ultimately about going up the leagues again.

Gray is a poor player well past it, Thompson did ok last night but why did wells need resting or even Hanson? Couldn't possibly be tired as they only jogged around Wembley so no more work than a light training session. Jones and Doyle were the players that had the hardest work on Sunday and both played the full 90 again. I have always appreciated what Hanson brings to the team and my only criticism of him is he doesn't score nearly as many goals that his talent should.

Leaving home last night I was optimistic we would win by 3. Soon as I heard team sheet I changed my mind and said we would lose 1-0. Only 5 mins away from being correct. Its all right Parkin talking about pessimistic fans when Parky puts out a player like Gray. Also why Darby at left back? Why not McHugh? Or wait for it we are at home an need wins so why not 3-5-2 and win midfield, how many teams come here to attack us.

Last night hurt far more than Sunday as realisation sets in that we will be here again next season. Half the squad will be gone and parky will run away faster than bolt. Fml

What must Connell do to get a start or at the very least more than 15 mins at the end of a game.

City were a much better side last night when all 3 substitutes came on.

Yet again Mr Parkinson needs to look at his team selection.

Cannot see us even making the playoffs, certainly wont if we are only picking up single points.

Good luck at York.

I must be the only one who thought Gray improved as the game went on! but then again i did think Jones was derseved MOM. thought PP should have brought Well on at half time to partner Gray and if that didn't work after 10/15 then bring Hanson on. Very dissapointing the way we paniced with 20/25 to go. agree that Connell has not been given a fair shake. Reid - nuff said.

Really do not see what some others obviously do in Thompson, i see slow, no close control, and no chance of scoring a goal. his one plus over gray is that at least last night he appeared to try!!! Gray was all of the above plus no effort.......
As we are now left with no left back (probably for the remainder of the season) would like to see us go as follows for as many of the 14 games left as possible:

J Mac
Davies McCardle McHugh
Darby Jones Doyle Hines
Connell
Hanson Wells

This may at least give us some invention from midfield, and based on last night Reid and Gray should not even see the bench for some considerable time.

CheltCity fan..great post, nice balance and thought.

macca,
"Last night hurt far more than Sunday as realisation sets in that we will be here again next season. "

Unless a massive turnaround in the backroom thought process I agree 100%

Northern Bull

V York City....ATTACK ATTACK ATTACK ATTACK ATTACK

and so on and so forth until the final match.

CheltCityFan wrote:
I think the pessimism is because the expectations are high at Bradford. When you have over 10,000 loyal fans and are playing teams that somehow survive on around 2,000 fans and with much smaller budgets, there is an expectation that we should beat many of these teams, which has been heightened by our ability to play so well against teams from higher divisions.

Being runners-up out of 92 teams in the Capital One Cup is a phenomenal achievement that has rightly been acknowledged throughout the footballing world. Unfortunately, the run has had a detrimental effect on league form, which has taken second place during the run - resting players and changing the team regularly. Also, we have had another season of unprecedented long-term injuries, which doesn't help in getting a settled team. At the start of the season, with a small but good squad, we had a more settled team until injuries set in. I have said this before often in recent years but I do not believe that you can get out of this league unless you have a settled way of playing that suits the players and where the same players play week in, week out with changes only made for injuries, suspension or lack of form. Rotation may suit PL teams where the players are of a similar high quality or, to an extent, in lower leagues where the players brought in play in exactly the same way and are like-for-like replacements. I don't think it suits us where the players changed often are different types of player or even, sometimes, play out of position. I also think we should go out and play to our strengths, respect but not worry too much about the opposition and certainly not 'big them up', which we seem to be good at.

I am not going to be critical of Mr Parkinson or Parkin, as getting a League Two team to a major final at Wembley is an amazing achievement that will never be beaten. Like many other fanatical City fans, I do have certain observations and these are just my honest opinions, whilst respecting that Mr Parkinson is much closer to players on a daily basis and in a much better position than me to judge:

I said before the match on Sunday that the team was not the one I would have picked - I would have had players in who had the most experience, including at Wembley - but I would also have included one of Hines or Reid to try to push on and give them something to worry about and also to give us a chance to get the ball to the strikers and try to win free kicks and corners that would give us chance to test their defence. As it happened, when we went forward the 'wingers' were too far back and the ball was played backwards rather than forwards so that Swansea simply maintained the initiative and possession and our strikers were redundant and outnumbered. Yes, we may still have lost 5-0 but at least it would have given us something to cheer and, as we were 99.9% certain to lose anyway, why not do it with more aggression and have a bit of a go?

Last night we had more changes - surely the players couldn't all have been exhausted after Sunday? If we were really going to have a go at the league in the remaining matches, I would not have left on the bench the strikers who have between them scored nearly every goal this season. In trying to accommodate 'key' players in defence, we had a very unbalanced back four with no left footer amongst them which, I am sure, opposition managers and players will certainly pick up on and try to exploit.


We should not worry about accommodating certain players. A successful team does not have to include the eleven best players necessarily - it needs to be balanced in all departments and able to play effectively as a unit. In my opinion, we need to have a settled and balanced team - stop educating players to believe that they are exhausted because they play two games in a week - that plays to its strengths. If we are playing a big centre forward that most opposition managers recognise as giving them all kinds of trouble, then I would expect to have at least one winger that is going down the line and putting in crosses in front of the centre forward regularly each match - unlike now where we can go whole games without a decent cross across the box.

I think the biggest cause for pessimism, Mr Parkin, is that, for us oldies in particular, it is yet another example of where we enter this stage of the season in the position of chasing a play-off place that is achievable, especially with the squad we have, saying we need to win 10 out of 15, then 10 out of 14 etc and we can see the season eventually fizzling out because draws are not going to make up 10 point deficits now. That is what we are faced with at the moment. It is made even more galling because there are teams well above us who are 'smaller teams', have less resources and supposedly lesser quality players, that are able to win 7 games out of 8 at home or 9 out of 11, when we have picked up one point out of the last four 4 games. And we lose away to teams like Barnet and Wimbledon when we have had most of the play, not being able to keep clean sheets and often not being able to score.

To end on a positive note, at least we have stopped the consistently downward rot of the last ten years and should end up comfortably mid-table at least this year. We also have a better squad than previous years but we need to be ruthless in adding a few new better players for next season to improve again. Hopefully, one year soon we will have cause for our magnificent fans to celebrate a long overdue promotion in the league. Fair play, we have enjoyed a fantastic cup run this season that has raised money to help us going forward. However, success is ultimately about going up the leagues again.

Absolutely spot on. An excellent post if which I said nearly word for word to my brother last night. Do you sit near us lol

pudseykid wrote:
I couldnt be there last night (i live 240 miles away), so from a distance a draw is a huge disappointment. I noticed that a former manager is doing really well up in Scotland with a team that has grown and matured since he went there..including 1 or 2 of "our castoffs!". So, is the club going to spend enough of the "cup run" profits on building a side that either A) can get us out of this league or B) give us a fighting chance in the league above..for me: at the minute the chances of being in the play offs is diminishing, WILL U answer my question please (faithful city supporters) are PP and SP the right men to lead this club upwards and onwards?..Connell hasnt had enough time on the pitch for me..we have yet to see the best of him.

In Answer to your question this is Parkinsons Team and he must now take the responsibility for it you will now get your answer are they the right men,Personally i have always backed Mr Parkinson but in view of the poor percentage of Wins i am now having second thoughts. Someone suggested JEWEL if things go wrong. Very Interesting.However i hope Parky gets it right for he is a Decent and Honest man COME ON CITY GIVE US A GOAL

Would have to echo many of the earlier sentiments re: last night. I thought the fans' support was fantastic. We gave the team everything we had. I thought the team did too, only problem was it was the wrong team. At the very least Wells and Hanson should have been brought on after half time. When they weren't, it ended up being in excess of 20 minutes in, and it was obvious straight away how much we'd missed them. I don't like to knock players, especially when large sections of the crowd are already on their backs, but Gray did look poor again last night, and shouldn't have been on in front of Connell. The team on Sunday for the final appeared to me to be born of sentiment rather than a willingness to go out and try and get a result at all costs. Parky had been tactically astute in the first half of the season, and it was largely down to his shrewdness that we did so well against teams we didn't have a right to be competing against, but in teh last couple of months it's like we've gone full-circle. it's unfathomable at the moment. Desperately hope we can put it right again, starting at York on Saturday. Come on the Bantams!

Agree again babbsy

some good posts:take a good look in the mirror plese Parkin and Parky.

Is this the best team you could have picked and how many goals did you expect it o score. To my mind you were going for a 1.0 win and at worst a 0.0 draw. THE FANS DO NOT WANT THAT IN ANY SHAPE OF FORM.

If those tactics are geared to get us up a division then you are both .

tyker2 wrote:
some good posts:take a good look in the mirror plese Parkin and Parky.

Is this the best team you could have picked and how many goals did you expect it o score. To my mind you were going for a 1.0 win and at worst a 0.0 draw. THE FANS DO NOT WANT THAT IN ANY SHAPE OF FORM.

If those tactics are geared to get us up a division then you are both .

How on earth do Parky and Parkin expect goals to be scored when the three leading goal scorers are sat on the bench ?. Yet again too many changes and Gray couldnt score n a brothel

parader no1 wrote:

tyker2 wrote:
some good posts:take a good look in the mirror plese Parkin and Parky.

Is this the best team you could have picked and how many goals did you expect it o score. To my mind you were going for a 1.0 win and at worst a 0.0 draw. THE FANS DO NOT WANT THAT IN ANY SHAPE OF FORM.

If those tactics are geared to get us up a division then you are both .

How on earth do Parky and Parkin expect goals to be scored when the three leading goal scorers are sat on the bench ?. Yet again too many changes and Gray couldnt score n a brothel

Connell has to be started ahead of Gray ever time. start with wells,hanson and Connell and go from that point

We cannot win any games because we CAN'T SCORE!!!!!
New goal scorer requred. HANSON just not up to it

Hanson was the best player by far last night despite only been on for 25 mins

Certainly ran the other contenders close shoatsy..think Zav just edged it and Thommo has improved game on game since November IMO.

tyker2 wrote:

parader no1 wrote:

tyker2 wrote:
some good posts:take a good look in the mirror plese Parkin and Parky.

Is this the best team you could have picked and how many goals did you expect it o score. To my mind you were going for a 1.0 win and at worst a 0.0 draw. THE FANS DO NOT WANT THAT IN ANY SHAPE OF FORM.

If those tactics are geared to get us up a division then you are both .

How on earth do Parky and Parkin expect goals to be scored when the three leading goal scorers are sat on the bench ?. Yet again too many changes and Gray couldnt score n a brothel

Connell has to be started ahead of Gray ever time. start with wells,hanson and Connell and go from that point

Agreed m8

People should just leave Hanson alone. You obviously know zilch about the game if you think he is no good. He works his socks off every single time he pulls on the shirt and just because he hasn't bagged 20 goals this season people find him an easy target to slag off. Why don't you just look at the word supporter in the dictionary you may be enlightened. Bradford city get to the league cup final I was there and still cannot believe it lets support the lads come what may and see where we end up. Stop the typical bradford negativity. CTID.

shoatsy wrote:
Hanson was the best player by far last night despite only been on for 25 mins

Are we that bad, REALLY?

Don't get me wrong, I like Hanson but he's the icing on the cake when we're playing well. When we're not playing well, 'flick-ons' apart, he offers us very little. He's not got a lot of pace, he's got no tricks, he's not skilful enough to beat a man, his first touch isn't great so he struggles to hold the ball up, his ability to run the channels and find space leaves a lot to be desired and worst of all, for a big centre forrad he lacks aggression. Happen that's why his strike partner has scored twice as many goals. The bottom line is that he relies on the team playing well to utilise his assets cos his skill set isn't good enough to influence the game on a regular basis.

As for Reid, anyone knocking him needs to have a little think. Parkinson's spent the season lavishing him with praise so to miss out on a Wembley appearance must have been a real kick in the gonads for him. He's only human so a setback as big as that might take some getting over and to be fair his confidence appeared to be shattered. Besides that he was usually double teamed, left isolated and generally given very little support by his team mates.

The thing most worrying me is Nathan Doyle. Where has he gone? If anyone sees him can you tell him his team needs him back and playing well asap.

Realistically only sixth and seventh are left and that will require strong form from those outside of the top seven and some significant faltering from two of the sides already sitting fourth downwards. Can it be achieved....yes it can.....as it has been before in all divisions and by a variety of football clubs throughout the years. The only time we will truly know is at the season end...as mathematics is a finite subject and will determine where we finish. Several City wins are needed from the last 14 games but each club will lose again before the season ends. City could win at York and Port Vale and probably need to now.....ive a funny feeling that we will....and indeed finish seventh at the end of April. Cheltenham will be the fall guys and City will win there on the last day of the campaign prior to a semi final v Burton Albion in fourth (awaiting the winner of Exeter in fifth v Northampton in sixth). You heard it here first??

Shadrach Dingle wrote:

shoatsy wrote:
Hanson was the best player by far last night despite only been on for 25 mins

Are we that bad, REALLY?

Don't get me wrong, I like Hanson but he's the icing on the cake when we're playing well. When we're not playing well, 'flick-ons' apart, he offers us very little. He's not got a lot of pace, he's got no tricks, he's not skilful enough to beat a man, his first touch isn't great so he struggles to hold the ball up, his ability to run the channels and find space leaves a lot to be desired and worst of all, for a big centre forrad he lacks aggression. Happen that's why his strike partner has scored twice as many goals. The bottom line is that he relies on the team playing well to utilise his assets cos his skill set isn't good enough to influence the game on a regular basis.

As for Reid, anyone knocking him needs to have a little think. Parkinson's spent the season lavishing him with praise so to miss out on a Wembley appearance must have been a real kick in the gonads for him. He's only human so a setback as big as that might take some getting over and to be fair his confidence appeared to be shattered. Besides that he was usually double teamed, left isolated and generally given very little support by his team mates.

The thing most worrying me is Nathan Doyle. Where has he gone? If anyone sees him can you tell him his team needs him back and playing well asap.

Agree about Hanson (Fox in the box) and Doyle, and I think Reid could have been supported a lot more but he is a winger that seems to have a phobia about running on to a through ball!

Shadrach Dingle wrote:

shoatsy wrote:
Hanson was the best player by far last night despite only been on for 25 mins

Are we that bad, REALLY?

Don't get me wrong, I like Hanson but he's the icing on the cake when we're playing well. When we're not playing well, 'flick-ons' apart, he offers us very little. He's not got a lot of pace, he's got no tricks, he's not skilful enough to beat a man, his first touch isn't great so he struggles to hold the ball up, his ability to run the channels and find space leaves a lot to be desired and worst of all, for a big centre forrad he lacks aggression. Happen that's why his strike partner has scored twice as many goals. The bottom line is that he relies on the team playing well to utilise his assets cos his skill set isn't good enough to influence the game on a regular basis.

As for Reid, anyone knocking him needs to have a little think. Parkinson's spent the season lavishing him with praise so to miss out on a Wembley appearance must have been a real kick in the gonads for him. He's only human so a setback as big as that might take some getting over and to be fair his confidence appeared to be shattered. Besides that he was usually double teamed, left isolated and generally given very little support by his team mates.

The thing most worrying me is Nathan Doyle. Where has he gone? If anyone sees him can you tell him his team needs him back and playing well asap.

Entirely agree on all 3 counts.

I think the pessimism is down to the fact that if we were going to get into the play offs, then realistically it was a game we had to win, against a side we should be beating, especially at home.

lets be honest and i dont like saying this has i like this team and how thay have done but the bottom line is carnt score anough goals and that is killing us in games

on the subject of Reid: he has no right foot so when he beats his man by cutting back he knows he has no way to go other than to try get it on his left foot again: ergo the need to beat another man. However if someone had got up to support him he would simply lay the ball back or would he?

Perhaps balls over the top of fullbacks for wingers to run on to and then compress play therefrom may be an option?

NO let us stay as we have played all season with rigidity and no midfield players pressing and no fullbacks overlapping or getting higher up the pitch. No keep it as it is or fullbacks may get nose bleeds from crossing the half way line, play for a 0-0 and hope ,somehow, to nick a goal.

Was it not thus under Tinkerman Taylor and now under Parky.

WE HAVE A DRAW AT KICK OFF SO LET'S KEEP IT THAT WAY AND NICK A GOAL LATE ON BOYS !!!

BORING NEGATIVE STUFF GUARANTEED TO KEEP US MID TABLE IN THIS LEAGUE OF DEAD END GROUNDS AND PLAYERS and please let us not be pessimistic about a home draw against the high flying super rich ,massive stadium and resources of Dagenham . What say you Mr Parkin.

10000 plus home supporters need to be entertained or had that passed you by?

Shadrach Dingle wrote:

shoatsy wrote:
Hanson was the best player by far last night despite only been on for 25 mins

Are we that bad, REALLY?

Don't get me wrong, I like Hanson but he's the icing on the cake when we're playing well. When we're not playing well, 'flick-ons' apart, he offers us very little. He's not got a lot of pace, he's got no tricks, he's not skilful enough to beat a man, his first touch isn't great so he struggles to hold the ball up, his ability to run the channels and find space leaves a lot to be desired and worst of all, for a big centre forrad he lacks aggression. Happen that's why his strike partner has scored twice as many goals. The bottom line is that he relies on the team playing well to utilise his assets cos his skill set isn't good enough to influence the game on a regular basis.

As for Reid, anyone knocking him needs to have a little think. Parkinson's spent the season lavishing him with praise so to miss out on a Wembley appearance must have been a real kick in the gonads for him. He's only human so a setback as big as that might take some getting over and to be fair his confidence appeared to be shattered. Besides that he was usually double teamed, left isolated and generally given very little support by his team mates.

The thing most worrying me is Nathan Doyle. Where has he gone? If anyone sees him can you tell him his team needs him back and playing well asap.

Totally disagree, this team only plays well when Hanson does. I am not advocating he is the best player in the division or the best in our squad but we have been set up with him as the focal point, if he isn't there or is off his game we are dire.
As was seen on Wednesday, lots of balls to Gray and Thompson with nothing held and not much created, we looked far busier and more of a threat once he arrived, I'd like to see him and Thommo together to be honest.

Prisoner Cell Block A wrote:

Shadrach Dingle wrote:

shoatsy wrote: Hanson was the best player by far last night despite only been on for 25 mins

Are we that bad, REALLY? Don't get me wrong, I like Hanson but he's the icing on the cake when we're playing well. When we're not playing well, 'flick-ons' apart, he offers us very little. He's not got a lot of pace, he's got no tricks, he's not skilful enough to beat a man, his first touch isn't great so he struggles to hold the ball up, his ability to run the channels and find space leaves a lot to be desired and worst of all, for a big centre forrad he lacks aggression. Happen that's why his strike partner has scored twice as many goals. The bottom line is that he relies on the team playing well to utilise his assets cos his skill set isn't good enough to influence the game on a regular basis. As for Reid, anyone knocking him needs to have a little think. Parkinson's spent the season lavishing him with praise so to miss out on a Wembley appearance must have been a real kick in the gonads for him. He's only human so a setback as big as that might take some getting over and to be fair his confidence appeared to be shattered. Besides that he was usually double teamed, left isolated and generally given very little support by his team mates. The thing most worrying me is Nathan Doyle. Where has he gone? If anyone sees him can you tell him his team needs him back and playing well asap.

Totally disagree, this team only plays well when Hanson does. I am not advocating he is the best player in the division or the best in our squad but we have been set up with him as the focal point, if he isn't there or is off his game we are dire. As was seen on Wednesday, lots of balls to Gray and Thompson with nothing held and not much created, we looked far busier and more of a threat once he arrived, I'd like to see him and Thommo together to be honest.

Describing Hanson as something akin to a luxury player is baffling.

He is the target man. When all else fails the ball is lumped up to him and he is supposed to work miracles.

For his part, he wins nearly every ball and in so doing is invariably fouled or has the whislte blown at him by an idiot referee.

The fact he hs not bagged twenty goals is probably due to the lack of service and the amount of effort he has expended.

Not the most naturally gifted but good enough at this level surely?

Vital at this level.
On these pitches.
With these players who can knock a ball the length of the field in roughly the right direction but cannot play a decent one two, wall pass.

The failure comes from not getting the bodies left, right, beyond and in front picking up the ball in the opponents final third. An area of the pitch that even if we lose possession will not damage us too much but could lead to numerous positive outcomes.

Laid off to one of ours

Fouled, chance to put free kick into box

Defender gets a touch, gives away a corner, throw in, another chance to put the ball in the box

Defender wins challenge but due to having men around JH we pick up second ball.

Negative outcomes.

Dead ball

Straight to keeper

Hanson fouls

Defender takes ball down and plays out of defence.

None of the above put us in imminent danger of conceding but raise the percentage of our chance to score

Trying to play tippy tappy ends up with us losing possession in our own half and only having two or three men in the correct position to defend this.

Nahki runs beyond, Connell picks up from in front, Zav and Reidy give the wide outlets.

Jones or Doyle sit deeper, the full backs push on a little giving many options and outlets when going forward but still have enough cover to negate a breakaway.

Michael Clayton wrote:

Prisoner Cell Block A wrote:

Shadrach Dingle wrote:

shoatsy wrote: Hanson was the best player by far last night despite only been on for 25 mins

Are we that bad, REALLY? Don't get me wrong, I like Hanson but he's the icing on the cake when we're playing well. When we're not playing well, 'flick-ons' apart, he offers us very little. He's not got a lot of pace, he's got no tricks, he's not skilful enough to beat a man, his first touch isn't great so he struggles to hold the ball up, his ability to run the channels and find space leaves a lot to be desired and worst of all, for a big centre forrad he lacks aggression. Happen that's why his strike partner has scored twice as many goals. The bottom line is that he relies on the team playing well to utilise his assets cos his skill set isn't good enough to influence the game on a regular basis. As for Reid, anyone knocking him needs to have a little think. Parkinson's spent the season lavishing him with praise so to miss out on a Wembley appearance must have been a real kick in the gonads for him. He's only human so a setback as big as that might take some getting over and to be fair his confidence appeared to be shattered. Besides that he was usually double teamed, left isolated and generally given very little support by his team mates. The thing most worrying me is Nathan Doyle. Where has he gone? If anyone sees him can you tell him his team needs him back and playing well asap.

Totally disagree, this team only plays well when Hanson does. I am not advocating he is the best player in the division or the best in our squad but we have been set up with him as the focal point, if he isn't there or is off his game we are dire. As was seen on Wednesday, lots of balls to Gray and Thompson with nothing held and not much created, we looked far busier and more of a threat once he arrived, I'd like to see him and Thommo together to be honest.

Describing Hanson as something akin to a luxury player is baffling.

He is the target man. When all else fails the ball is lumped up to him and he is supposed to work miracles.

For his part, he wins nearly every ball and in so doing is invariably fouled or has the whislte blown at him by an idiot referee.

The fact he hs not bagged twenty goals is probably due to the lack of service and the amount of effort he has expended.

Not the most naturally gifted but good enough at this level surely?

We have struggled to score goals for the last few seasons. Common denominator - Hanson.

Exactly what I've been saying over n over and not just this seaso. We play cautious yet are still Losing games. Why? Because We are inviting pressure. This is why atkinson has played so many games despite not been a winger. Too few goals, why? It's simple. There isn't enough scoring options in the side because its negative first. Parky tactics at fault for me.........

My comments above were to reply to prisoner