The Bantams are fourth in the table, six points off the top spot, and have a game in hand against the league leaders. So, why are some Bradford City fans still unhappy?
Bradford City’s Goal-Shy Tactics a Cause for Concern
Watching the Bantams last season became a form of punishment for Bradford City fans, some even resorted to simply avoiding Valley Parade. Instead preferring to pursue more enjoyable activities, like playing poker with no cards. The performances were dire and, more often than not, ended in defeat. In contrast, this season Bradford are within touching distance of the top three but some fans are still unhappy and the performances are to blame.
Despite Their League Standing, Some Fans Believe the Team Should Be Doing Better
Bradford are undeniably one of the biggest teams in the bottom tier. They have the largest stadium and average attendance in the league by a wide margin. The Bantams can also boast one of the better wage budgets. Over the summer the Bradford City hierarchy even overhauled the squad in order to revitalise the club. On paper, an overused term when discussing Bradford, the team looks strong. The shakeup of the club led to a boost of optimism in the pre-season of 2019/2020. In reality, football is never that simple and teams should never be expected to gain promotion just because they are the ‘bigger’ team. Sunderland is a stark warning to those whose hubris knows no bounds. Gary Bowyer will be aiming for automatic promotion but the thought that the clubs stature alone will achieve it is utter nonsense.
In fairness, the team has struggled offensively, with the main concerns being a lack of attacking intent. Big-name signings such as James Vaughan and Zeli Ismail have also, by and large, been somewhat disappointing. This is something that Bowyer needs to address. However, there are definitely more positives than negatives.
Bradford City Fans Are Bemoaning Bowyer’s Tactics as City’s Frontline Fail to Impress
One issue particularly important to Bradford fans is Bowyer’s reluctance to play 4-4-2. Whether the formation is the crux of the problem is by the by, however, the fact is that Vaughan does look extremely isolated in the current system. There is also the curious case of Bradford City’s Eoin Doyle. Doyle has seen a resurgence in form, scoring 23 goals, unfortunately, he was loaned to Swindon Town at the start of the season. That means Doyle alone has scored more goals than Bradford’s top five goal scorers combined. This has caused unnecessary pressure on Vaughan, who cannot possibly take all the blame. The lack of attacking nous from the midfield is startling. For example, the starting midfielders for Bradford against Swindon had, and still have, a combined goal tally of zero.
With these facts considered, Gary Bowyer has three issues to iron out. James Vaughan needs more support, the misfiring midfielders need to chip in with goals, and Eoin Doyle‘s future needs to be resolved.
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