Bantams boss Graham Alexander won't hide from goal problem

The Bantams boss understands their scoring woes are a constant topic of conversation.

And he will not shy away from bringing it up – even if it shines more spotlight on the players.

The City boss said: “There’s a balance. I want to be honest in my appraisal after games and with the press and supporters.

“We give the players what they have been doing well and just say, ‘look, we need to improve this’ as it focuses the mind.

“I don’t want it to become a big issue, but I ask the question through you guys (the press) or supporters. I just want to be honest.

“I am honest in highlighting a fact which will be then scrutinised and highlighted even more.

“But if you want to play professional football and want to play for Bradford City, then pressure is something you have to handle. That’s normal.”

Alexander took Andy Cook out the frontline to start with against Wimbledon last week but the Bantams fired another blank.

They are the fifth lowest scorers in the division with 35 goals – 20 fewer than this afternoon’s opponents Wrexham, who are averaging three a game at home.

City have netted just six times in the eight-game winless run since Christmas.

Alexander hopes his team will view the pressure being applied on them from the fans to start converting chances as a positive.

“It’s a better place to be rather than ‘well, I don’t really think they will score, what’s the point?’

“I think if they expect of you, they must look at you and think you are a decent player or team. It’s how you control those thoughts and messages, information and feeling and push it into a positive.

“Loads of things come across you in life and football which test you. If you think with a negative mind, then you will have a negative outcome.

“If you think there’s an issue you can go ‘right, let’s find a solution for this’ and put in the practice to get the solution, train and train, practice and persevere, then it will come good.

“But if you don’t, forget about it.”

Kevin McDonald was on the touchline against Wrexham at Valley Parade (Image: Thomas Gadd)

Kevin McDonald has no qualms about facing the most dominant home team in League Two and is not getting caught up in the hype surrounding the Welsh club.

Wrexham have won eight on the trot at the Racecourse Ground – with just the one loss on opening day to Alexander’s MK Dons.

Midfielder McDonald said: “We want it to be like that at our place, we want teams to be coming here facing 20,000 fans and us peppering the goal every single game.

“Ultimately that’s what Wrexham have done and been successful. They’ve got a bit of money behind them, everything in place.

“But I don’t really care about it. It’s just another football club to me, it doesn’t really interest me.

“It’s the same as everyone else and that’s how we’ve got to approach it.

“Three points are up for grabs, it’s a League Two game and if we perform, we’ll have a chance.”