Bradford City (A)

[Traf]

6 minutes ago, Tombwfc said:

Surely 3rd vs Stevenage is the best outcome?

It won't be easy, but we'd really have to fuck up to lose to them over two legs I reckon.

Stockport, Bradford, Plymouth at any stage is just a toss up to me. And I haven't seen Luton kick a ball once this season so I've no idea if they're any good.

3rd v Stevenage is a far more palatable prospect than playing either of Stockport or Plymouth

[Johnnyrotten]

4 hours ago, Ani said:

Draw best, bet then prefer Bradford win. Means Plymouth can not finish above us, Luton can catch us but goal difference means play off spot is sorted. Next week at Bradford becomes about 4th or 5th. Looking more and more like we play Bradford, Stockport 3rd and whoever 6th.

ironically 4th looks best spot. 

If we finish 3rd (and its out of our hands now), we might well get Stevenage.  As "dull" as that is, surely that's our best chance of winning?

Plus the away leg is at the quietest, smallest ground you could wish to go to.

OK one drawback is we'd get 9 season ending injuries there but I'd fancy us to win. 

[Dennis Peacock]

I wouldn’t be surprised to see the table finish:

3. Stockport

4. Bradford

5. Wanderers

6. Plymouth

Which would be a bit of a nightmare. I think it’s really important that we get something at Bradford to try and secure fourth.

[bwfc2003]

Bradford play there game in hand tomorrow

[freds dad]

7 hours ago, bwfc2003 said:

Bradford play there game in hand tomorrow

As do Stevenage, Stockport, Luton and Plymouth.

Edited 14 hours ago by freds dad

[Wanderlust]

On 19/04/2026 at 17:30, Traf said:

3rd v Stevenage is a far more palatable prospect than playing either of Stockport or Plymouth

Mate - we have to beat whoever we’re drawn against and the winner of the other semifinal so it makes no difference - we just have to be the best. Job now is to secure a spot, stay injury free and improve our performance level - the rest will take care of itself.

[gonzo]

10 minutes ago, Wanderlust said:

Mate - we have to beat whoever we’re drawn against and the winner of the other semifinal so it makes no difference - we just have to be the best. Job now is to secure a spot, stay injury free and improve our performance level - the rest will take care of itself.

I get the sentiment but to me it's imperative we play home second.

We've been beaten once at home all season and generally dog shit away.

Having seen us tussle with Stockport twice I'd rather play them on a massive open pitch at Wembley with double the amount of fans there. 

 

[bolton va va]

I certainly think that finishing 3rd ( or 4th ) gives you an advantage that is worth fighting for.

Having got bogged down in the Mickey Mouse, Stockport have injuries & are playing a centre forward at centre half & Bratford have been stuttering for a while.......there's every chance that Plymouth will take points off them tonight.

If we play to our potential, we should still finish 3rd (or 4th )......the fear is that we  could throw in another Port Vale or Cardiff performance.

[Whitestar]

Well big pitch doesn't always suit our defence, the pitch at Port Vale is big (although in poor condition) and we really struggled.

[Zico]

Right now I'd take finishing 3rd and playing Stevenage in the semi over any other possible opponent 

Don't care who we play at Wembley

But I definitely want to avoid Stockport, Luton and Plymouth in the semis

[Eddie]

23 minutes ago, Zico said:

Right now I'd take finishing 3rd and playing Stevenage in the semi over any other possible opponent 

Don't care who we play at Wembley

But I definitely want to avoid Stockport, Luton and Plymouth in the semis

Yes please!

We all know from the Oxford experience that ‘easiest’ doesn’t always work. But Stevenage in the semis and then for me Bradford in the final would be the best outcome (although they’d have more fans than Stockport and if Stockport still had Wooton at centre back I think I’d prefer them).

[Ratwhite]

it matters not who we play.

This is basically a mini tournament, just like FA Cup (apart from everyone plays their first team)

Complete lottery and i fucking hate them. They’re great viewing when your not involved.

 

 

[gonzo]

1 hour ago, Whitestar said:

Well big pitch doesn't always suit our defence, the pitch at Port Vale is big (although in poor condition) and we really struggled.

That pitch wasn't good enough to put livestock on.

Imagine ACD on that glorious Wembley turf.

[Traf]

4 minutes ago, gonzo said:

That pitch wasn't good enough to put livestock on.

Imagine ACD on that glorious Wembley turf.

How big will the gap behind our left back be on a big pitch? 😉

Just asking.

[ianofcleveleys]

30 minutes ago, Traf said:

How big will the gap behind our left back be on a big pitch? 😉

Just asking.

Therein lies the conundrum with us, wide open spaces will allow us to pull the opponent about and our wide men to run at / past people. 

When we lose the ball we need our half of the pitch to suddenly shrink by about 20%. 

[masi 51]

No we do not.....We just need to tell our defenders they are not prime 1990 Franco Barasi but lge1 Defenders who cannot pass wind. Nothing more nothing less

[paulhanley]

4 hours ago, masi 51 said:

No we do not.....We just need to tell our defenders they are not prime 1990 Franco Barasi but lge1 Defenders who cannot pass wind. Nothing more nothing less

Ask defenders simply to defend. Its quite the concept. Someone in modern day game may catch on at some point. Same as someone might have a brainwave that passing it around in your own 18 yard box is just a tiny little bit risky.

[masi 51]

Yes and ask a modern manager why he does not have his two wingers on the halfway line to drag 3 or 4 defenders away from our box when the opposition have a corner. And why when we have a corner we leave just one defender back marking two even though we have conceded numerous times this season.....SS gets a lot right but my he gets some basic things wrong

[Johnnyrotten]

31 minutes ago, paulhanley said:

Ask defenders simply to defend. Its quite the concept. Someone in modern day game may catch on at some point. Same as someone might have a brainwave that passing it around in your own 18 yard box is just a tiny little bit risky.

Before you know it they'll be asking keepers to use their hands and defenders to mark attackers.

[paulhanley]

33 minutes ago, Johnnyrotten said:

Before you know it they'll be asking keepers to use their hands and defenders to mark attackers.

Or asking the keepers to catch crosses where possible and position themselves in such a way that it hugely lowers the chance of conceding a cheap goal by being beaten at the near post.

Edited 55 minutes ago by paulhanley

[Johnnyrotten]

1 hour ago, paulhanley said:

Ask defenders simply to defend. Its quite the concept. Someone in modern day game may catch on at some point. Same as someone might have a brainwave that passing it around in your own 18 yard box is just a tiny little bit risky.

Begovic at Leicester hasn't had the memo from his manager Rowett yet.

The commentator said "you can't legislate for that" as if its not the manager's fault.  Of course it is and of course you can legislate for it by not doing it. 

[paulhanley]

21 minutes ago, Johnnyrotten said:

Begovic at Leicester hasn't had the memo from his manager Rowett yet.

The commentator said "you can't legislate for that" as if its not the manager's fault.  Of course it is and of course you can legislate for it by not doing it. 

How can an entire cadre of professionals engage in such harmful groupthink? They spend their lives scientifically looking for the "one per cent extra" that might give them the edge ... then have players passing it square 10 yards from goal. 

[Tombwfc]

Big crowd with 3k away fans, away from home, bit of needle with Sarcevic. 

This does have absolutely all the hallmarks of a game we'll lose. But then so did Plymouth and we (somehow) won that one with 10-men.

[Tonge moor green jacket]

7 minutes ago, paulhanley said:

How can an entire cadre of professionals engage in such harmful groupthink? They spend their lives scientifically looking for the "one per cent extra" that might give them the edge ... then have players passing it square 10 yards from goal. 

Think the civil service as a whole.

 

[paulhanley]

13 minutes ago, Tonge moor green jacket said:

Think the civil service as a whole.

 

True. Very true.