Saturday 15th August, 2009last year, mid-August
A decision is made, a result is reached, and City move on
Bradford City 0 Port Vale 0 At Valley Parade in League Two, 2009/2010
If the season started here in the third match following the week in Nottingham then it started slowly with a 0-0 draw with Port Vale which saw the visitors get the point they came to West Yorkshire for and City stop conceding after eight goals had been lifted out of Simon Eastwood’s net since the season started.
Indeed so clear was Stuart McCall’s desire to ensure that the Bantams would not be looking at a hefty concession rate that the changes had been rung and the solution was found in a full midfield that saw two number fours – Michael Flynn and Stephen O’Leary – hold and Chris Brandon nominally given the right hand side but spread himself over the middle of the pitch in the kind of performance that his status called for.
The industry of the Flynn and O’Leary pairing allowed Brandon to enjoy his roving role – James Hanson was also nominally left flank but spent more time at the far post assisting the strike pair of Michael Boulding and Peter Thorne – and linked the midfield to the forward two effectually or as effectively as the Valiants would allow with their deep sat five and midfield on top.
As such the pattern of the game was set. Vale’s ambition was limited and City’s measured with the Bantams controlling play in the first half to such an extent that at one point a twenty pass move probed either side of the visitors backline without finding a way through. City’s best chance came when Hanson – powerful in the air – won the ball for Brandon to take into the box and Michael Boulding to try finish only to find Chris Martin standing tall to make a save. I tried so hard to come up with a joke about Coldplay’s lead singer but as with City just lacked that touch of inspiration.
Vale on the otherhand failed to convert a few crosses that flashed past the City box for the want of men in the box and some good defending from – especially – Simon Williams who made his home debut with a performance of genuine quality calmly showing a class to slot alongside Zesh Rehman and a physicality to cope with the ageing late sub Geoff Horsfield.
Williams and Rehman kept Marc Richards in pockets save an stinking shot from an actuate that Eastwood took confidently. Second half and City had James Hanson go close cutting in with a shot and could have won the game late on when a cross from Simon Ramsden – who did a grand job down the right with an acre in front of him and little support with Brandon playing more inside – hung deliciously but Hanson rising at the wrong time.
Hanson impressed too although seemed to fade in the last quarter of the match. Gareth Evans came off the bench and hit a dipping shot over the bar. Michael Flynn tested the keeper from range, Luke O’Brien did the same.
Flynn and O’Leary responded to some aggressive play by Vale with a series of lively challenges as the Bantams seemed to find a pairing that looked interested in joining a League Two battle. Vale’s four Anthony Griffith was lucky not to see a red card after a string of feet off the floor tackles ended in Luke O’Brien getting spun and limping through the rest of the match. Born in Huddersfield perhaps he was an excitable Town fan. Regardless he was lucky to stay on the field long enough to be substituted.
Flynn showed a willingness to battle but O’Leary was something of a minor revelation making himself available in midfield for passes, getting stuck in and using the ball well it was a mighty promising display and one that might keep Lee Bullock cooling his heels on the bench. Late in the game Vale put on former City favourite Claus Jorgensen who was roundly and warmly applauded but in the last five minutes that despite some bluster both clubs were happy to see out goalless.
The men on the bench – the management that is – made the point today with a team that joined the battle for League Two. Tuesday night Lincoln City come to Valley Parade and City will look to build on this match but as with the team of Paul Jewell’s eleven years ago – who drew early on with Sheffield United and Bolton Wanderers making the two points from seven games – the shakedown of the start of the season was brought into context later in the season.
Today City did not let anything past – or look like letting anything past – and anything that comes later comes from that.
I was impressed with the new signings today – thought Ramsden, O’Leary and Williams in particular looked good. Had expected Ramsden to perform given the good things I’d heard about him, but was a bit surprised at how comfortable Williams seemed and how well O’Leary played. Thought all our players performed at least reasonably today – no-one had a bad game, which is not something I remember saying too often last season.
I feel a lot better about this season having seen that performance. I thought we were solid, and showed some neat touches going forward. Am now “cautiously optimistic” and actually looking forward to our next game.
It was a good result to start to bring confidence back, if it had ever gone. Nobody expected anything from the Forest game and the County result will in hindsight maybe expeced too. Or does Notts County’s victory today put last week’s result in perspective? I believe that come April next year, Notts County will be clear at the top. Signing Schmeichel who is playing a division or two below his level for 700k+ shows the cash they have to spend and with Sven and Charlie McParland will go far.
City will be there or thereabouts in April and some of the new signings might just be targets for higher clubs.
Will I wonder with tongue firmly in cheek, Everton fans be calling for the head of a clearly clueless David Moyes this evening? Should he be bringing in an experienced assistant?
Tongue firmly in cheek or not, I saw little yesterday that suggested our management team had learnt from the pervious 2 seasons – some seem to want to use a 0-0 draw as a springboard to predict we will be there or therabouts come next May – In my view we need to be THERE – and I am coming to the conclusion that our legendary player is struggling to make much headway as a manager – I don’t want to hear about limuited budgets when I see the likes of Burton Albion and Daggers (again) scoring freely.
Its the first game at home with a new look midfield. They are going to take time to gel. You have no idea what went on in the Burton and Daggers games – there could have been mistakes that led to goals and all sorts.
Ultimately we kept a clean sheet and built up some confidence. Yes its annoying we didnt get the goal, but there were enough positives to take from the game.
Williams was brilliant – very calm and collected, no tendancy to dive in, quick, good in the air and a strong tackler. A real gem I feel.
O’Leary in my opinion was the best player on the pitch for us. He came for the ball from the back 4, played it neatly, wanted return passes and got stuck in tackling. He looked composed and didnt rush, a sign of quality in this league surely. Its funny how we were hoofing the ball for 10 mins then when Rehman realised O’Leary kept coming short and wanting the ball, he could use him. No more Graeme Lee hopeful punts to Boulding.
O’Brien struggled I thought and was surprised to see Colbeck not on sooner. The fact that Ramsden got so far forward was great, but his crosses were often from a deep area and with Brandon going where he liked, I think Rambo would have liked a winger to work with. Colbeck and Daley obviously fit that bill.
I am amazed at the level of some peoples expectations. Everton getting thumped at home kind of demonstrates how flukey a game of football can be. On Saturday Flynn and O Leary played together in midfield for the first time since both were signed in the week prior to the season starting.Saturday was the first time City played in a formation without out and out wingers against a team that came for a draw.
We got better as the game went on and our midfield dominated in the second half with Brandon doing very well in that free role. The back four seemed stable with the only worry being O Brien and I feel Hanson and Evans offer more than Thorne and Boulding .
All in all I came away from VP feeling a lot better about this season and yes Notts County will probably walk it but I do think we will do better than last year
I think I might be a lone voice in the wilderness here, but I just can’t agree with the lauding of Brandon, both here and in the T&A report. Steve Baker hinted at it with his comment of ‘Brandon going were he liked’ – unfortunately from where I was sat, this was mainly sideways or backwards. He looks busy, but on Saturday, there was no end product – how many passes did he actually make to either Thorne or Boulding? I work with a whole load of Town fans and my review of Saturday’s game came as no surprise to them, saying he did exactly the same for them!
Anyway, I have to say I actually enjoyed the game on Saturday, even though there were no goals and in Hanson and Williams we have finally done what most of the other teams in this division have been doing for a while and signed some decent players from non-league who are desperate to play football and not just turn up for the cash.
Hopefully, we’ll actually start turning round the goals against column tomorrow against Jacko’s mob!
Come on you Bantams!
Good point Phil – the purpoise of Brandon having that roving role was presumably to help the forwards by way of getting the ball to them through midfield – it dod not come off in that case and we seemed to look to the channels with Hanson (who should have been centre forard IMHO)getting through a lot of work.
In my view Brandon is akin to Kyle Nix but no doubt on very much more in terms of wages.
Interesting to hear Burton Albion lauded as a team who have succeeded on a limited budget. Arguably a major contributing factor to their success is the patience they showed Nigel Clough as he gradually improved their league position by three or four places a year. If we are to consider Burton’s seven year campaign to escape the conference to be a success story, and we should, then perhaps Stuart should be allowed the same level of patience.
Overall, I have to agree with Michael’s report. It wasn’t the best performance that I’ve seen from Bradford City but there were certainly plenty of positives to take from the game. I’ve got to agree with Fred Blogs; no City player had a poor game. As stated by others above, the new signings showed alot of promise with Williams, O’Leary and Evans (when he came on) all looking capable of being good players in this division.
People have to remember that it’s only a couple of home games ago (yes I know our last home game was several months ago) that the majority of the Valley Parade faithful were chanting McCall’s name and willing him to stay with us. Good things come to those who wait and if it takes McCall, Jacobs, Wetherall et al four or even five seasons to get us into Division Three so be it. Personally, I’d be really pleased if we get into the play-offs this season as being a realist I think that we will finish mid-table this season. It was heartening to hear and see the players getting applauded off the pitch following the 0-0 against Port Vale. Let’s get behind the players tomorrow against Lincoln City.
With regards to Phil Hobbs and the lauding of Brandon. I dont think anybody is saying that Brandon was the be all and end all. What I found encouraging was that Brandon, Flynn and O Leary were all prepared to look for the ball and put their foot on it and look to make the pass. In time I am sure that any of those 3 will be playing the forward incisive pass to any one of Boulding ,Thorne and Evans. It is early days and we have a completely new midfield , 2 new centre backs who have only just started together . 10 years ago we got off to a slow start with a set of new players by mid September we were beating West Brom away and never looked back.