League Two Rovers v Bantams

[Rockford's Love Child]

It is Bradford City next for Rovers. The Bantams spent heavily in the summer and poached the highly rated Derek Adams from Morecambe, but have underachieved and are currently becalmed in mid table. City have drawn their last three matches and like ourselves have struggled to score goals, and Adams is already under a bit of pressure.

They have got some decent players, such as Vernam and Lavery, but fortunately for us Andy Cook is currently out injured.

I think our starting line up will be very similar to the one that finished the game yesterday. This is the team I would go with, either in a diamond or a straight 442, and I don't think Mellon's selection will be too different:

Doohan
Cogley Clarke Davies MacDonald
Morris Spearing Foley Hawkes
Glatzel Maynard

The home games next week provide a great opportunity to push back into the play off places, so hopefully we can build on the positive display yesterday. Bradford will bring a decent following, so it should be a good crowd and atmosphere for a Tuesday night game.

 

[ADD]

It's an important game and as you say RLC win this and next Saturday and we are right back in it.
I agree your team selection looks good though personally I would bring Murphy in however I doubt MM will do so.
Going for a 2-1 win with Glatzel getting one of them.

 

[Sparky]

RLCs line up looks positive and I hope Micky takes note. Agree it is an important game. Defeat would undo the good result yesterday and would mean another loss in front of the SWA. Pleased Cookie is absent as he is dangerous but I hope ridehalgh gets a good reception.
Adams leaving promoted morcambe means the bantams faithful have big expectations for the season but like us they sit in mid table but not too far off the top 7.
As ADD says Micky May be tempted to recall Murphy but I doubt it. Davies has looked a bit shaky in recent games but then so have Clarke and KP so will be interesting which one partners Peter in the back 4. I’d prefer Davies but MM may prefer the balance with KP on the left
Should be a good atmosphere and a big opportunity for 6 points over the coming week

 

[bigmart]

A very big couple of weeks ahead with 2 league and 2 Cup games.

Think we will draw this 1 1

 

[bring back the cowshed!]

A very big couple of weeks ahead with 2 league and 2 Cup games.

Think we will draw this 1 1

Agreed, Mart. City have actually drawn their last five matches in a competitions 1-1. That may already be a record, but surely six 1-1s would be. We can't be sure that we have turned the corner after yesterday and Bradford are a decent side under a good manager.

I agree this could be a critical fortnight. Optimistically, four wins could see us back in the promotion hunt, three games from another Pizza Cup final at Wembley and into the third round of the FA Cup for the fourth year in a row with possibly another Premier League scalp to contemplate. Pessimistically, we could remain in midtable and without any cup glory to anticipate. It may be argued that the Orient game is the one we want to win above all, as an attractive third round tie might generate some cash for players.

 

[Boz]

Bradford fans haven’t been that impressed with Adams so far. However he’s good at setting up teams as hard to beat and how they set up to achieve a result won’t be pretty.

No issues with the side RLC suggests. I agree with ADD about Murphy but don’t see Micky changing things there. Really important that we get something out of this game and ideally all the points but a hard one to call.

 

[Ian]

I think coming back from two goals down will give the lads confidence going into this one. We may also have found an answer up front so hopefully we will see a lineup as suggested by RLC above. Going for 2-0.

 

[aldoes mustache]

yet Another game I can,t get to with my Xmas parties starting tomorrow, at this rate another season will be gone with me not watching,I would keep the team who finishr=ed the game for Tuesday 3-1 with glaz and Maynard getting them

 

[Sparky]

Bradford have apparently sold over 700 tickets. Impressive for a cold Tuesday night

 

[aldoes mustache]

good its great that we will have a great atmosphere at the ground

 

[Rockford's Love Child]

Going briefly off topic, Peter Clarke beats Cole Stockton to the North West League Two player of the season award.

 

[keep the faith]

for me murphy and davies should start but have given up trying to second guess mickey hope we put in a good performance as being 70odd cold Tuesday nights are no fun

 

[bring back the cowshed!]

for me murphy and davies should start but have given up trying to second guess mickey hope we put in a good performance as being 70odd cold Tuesday nights are no fun

I agree with all five of your comments - including my age! I don't know why we have so many midweek games this month when some could have been played earlier in the season when it was a bit milder.

 

[aldoes mustache]

It's ok chaps I'm going to be stuck in a Lovely hot kitchen doing turkey dinners for 80 covers LOL, yes would be great to have a good performance and result,sure as hell we need aome

 

[bring back the cowshed!]

If you are interested, Bradford City are in the top ten teams we have played the most often in the EFL. Surprisingly, considering their pedigree, we have beaten them more times than we have lost.
played won drawn lost % won

Bradford City	80	34	19	27	42.5

 

[Ian]

Last time we played Bradford at home, it was a terrible game although PP was pretty devoid of atmosphere with around 2k in attendance all wearing wasks! Let's hope for better tonight.

 

[Rockford's Love Child]

If you are interested, Bradford City are in the top ten teams we have played the most often in the EFL. Surprisingly, considering their pedigree, we have beaten them more times than we have lost.
played won drawn lost % won

Bradford City	80	34	19	27	42.5

Although Bradford is a big city, the football club has bumbled around in the bottom two divisions for much of its history like ourselves, so perhaps unsurprising that we have a good record against them

 

[Sparky]

Maynard and glatzel start. Spearing on the bench/ looks like Micky reverts to a back 4 with foley and OConnor in the middle of midfield. Quite an attacking line up overall

 

[aldoes mustache]

I am happy with the two lads up top not surprised Elliot has been dropped, also not surprised with no Feeney or Macca

 

[Boz]

Hmm. Pleased about Maynard and Glatzel. Surprised O'Connor kept his place after central midfield was often a weak point at Bristol. Foley looked decent again when he came on, so pleased he's starting. No place for Nevitt on a geriatric bench, if things aren't our way there don't seem to be many game changers there, Duffy perhaps.