W 3-1 vs Bradford City (A) - League Two - Sat 30th Sept, 3pm

[RobHarv3y]

This weekend sees us travel to Bradford City as we seek a first win there since March 2014!

The Bantams are managed by ex-Premier League player and manager, Mark Hughes who is still being tasked with trying to get the club back into League One, and his squad contains no less than THREE ex-Saddlers, in the shape of Emmanuel Osadebe, Andy Cook, and the amazing Ash Taylor. All three of these players are recent Walsall players and each of them took heavy criticism from many of our fans, and in a lot of ways for good reason.

Osadebe has made 7 appearances this season following a successful recovery from a nasty double-leg break in his debut game at the start of last season.

Ash Taylor has played one game this season and then has been nowhere near the starting XI since. Maybe he has had a long bout of Covid… but in all reality, he has the turning circle of a 40ft truck stuck in deep mud, and Hughes must have worked out he is terrible. The Bradford fans certainly have.

Finally onto Andy Cook. Top scorer in his one season with us, he has carried on scoring goals and last season scored THIRTY-ONE of them in claret and amber! He has just made a goal-scoring return from injury and is certainly going to be rubbing his hands together at the prospect of facing his former employers, who, as we know, are struggling defensively following retirements and suspensions!

Heading into the fixture, Bradford City are 11th in League Two after a fairly average start to their season. That said, they are only two points outside of the play-offs at this time and victory in this game could see them crash into the top 7.

Their recent fixtures have given the following results:

Onto The Saddlers now and we head into this game after a disappointing 3-1 home defeat last time out against AFC Wimbledon.

Mat Sadler’s team are short on defenders following Taylor Allen’s red card in the last game, to add to the retirement of Chris Hussey and an injury to loanee David Okagbue so will this be the game we finally make a switch to four at the back?!

Tom Knowles is back into the squad and will be straight back into the starting XI I feel, does anyone disagree?

How should we approach this fixture? We can’t really afford to lose again can we?

Who makes your starting XI?

Personally, I can see a heavy defeat, and Cook scoring. If I had the money I would “Lump On™” the Cook to score part. I fear that an early goal for the hosts and we are in for it big time.

If you’re going, you’re crazy but enjoy the game!

Come on You Redssss!

Bradford City vs Walsall - Match Result

• Bradford City Win
• Draw
• Walsall Win

[karm]

I think Sadler’s going to show us a tactical master class, deploy a 4231 and we’ll nick it 1 (Cook) -2 (Draper, DJ). Would also be tempted to lump on Knowles getting a yellow

[Jonny]

Evans
Foulkes Williams Daniels Gordon
Knowles Hutchinson Stirk Oteh
Johnson Draper

For me.

But Sadler will go with

Evans
Foulkes Williams Daniels Gordon
Riley Stirk Hutchinson
Knowles Draper Oteh

[Sephiroth92]

5-0 Bradford I can’t see anything else
Sadler will play 532 somehow , he has already said in the media he will not go away from what he believes whatever the circumstances
I imagine him somehow trying to make it work

Evans
Foulkes Williams daniels Gordon Oteh
Hutch stirk tierney
Draper Matt

[KingCrod]

The University of Bradford Stadium is always a difficult place to go and our recent record there attests to that. We MUST aim to get off to a quick start, an early goal against us again would be nigh on unforgivable. I’d snap your hand off for a point to be honest which will be something to build on for Sadler and the boys.

I’m hoping this is the final game I miss due to the dreaded new COVID variant. The downturn in form since I have been missing can’t have just been coincidence. Hopefully even in my absence there will be a solid travelling gate.

[WiltshireSaddler]

(C) Lump On

This has 4-2 written all over it (to the Bantams)

[Jamiew2841]

Really hope we dont play foulkes… guy gets targeted every game… he just isnt ready for league 2

[WalsallOne]

Riley must surely play at RB however whoever plays I cannot see us winning. A narrow defeat for me 1-2

[michaelr]

Y’know what, it’s at times Walsall have absolutely no chance that they end up having a chance. Cook to miss the game through food poisoning and we snatch a 0-1.

[DanG_WFC]

Only two winners here, the owner of the pub we’re going in before, and Bradford City.

[Bluejay]

Always remember Walsall pull off the unlikeliest results - never forget Sunderland 0 v 3 Walsall after a certain home defeat

We’ve got this - Ash Taylor own goal

[kshammer]

Loss unless Ash Taylor plays.

[Belgiansaddler]

@KingCrod

The downturn in form since I have been missing can’t have just been coincidence. Hopefully even in my absence there will be a solid travelling gate.

Superb. That made me chuckle

[Sondek]

It’s very difficult to call when you factor everything into the mix.
Bradford haven’t been in great form until the Newport game which also saw cook return and hit the ground running.
Our form has dropped off not helped by suspensions and a habit of conceding early goals.
Have Bradford turned the corner, have we learned our lesson not to start slowly.
All will be revealed but it may be decided by MS sticking (or changing) to a formation better suited to the player’s.

[Lukeyboy]

Bradford win, Cook to score at least once

[Blazing_Saddler]

Unfortunately, this just seems inevitable.

Maybe Saturday is when DJ gets his mojo back.

[Cumbria-Saddler]

2-1 Bradford, Cook to score in the first 10 mins, Daniels to equalise before HT, them to score late on.

Still, slightly annoyed to be missing my most local game as we’re away for the weekend

[Worsul4eva]

Anyone else think that Bradford’s ‘rugby’ strip is the worst design in the EFL?
Obvious defeat, just a matter of how many Bradford actually get on the day.
Anything less than 5 goals and Bradford fans will be up in arms, we are the perfect gift that keeps on giving.
Most feel Sadler will not play DJ again (something definitely wrong with their relationship) not that it matters a great deal, we’ll probably not get past the half way line at all.
We live in hope, but it’s the hope that kills ya!
Sadler the finest proponent of the maxim “keep doing the same thing but hoping for a different result”

[JumboTrudgeon]

@Worsul4eva

Anyone else think that Bradford’s ‘rugby’ strip is the worst design in the EFL?

I’m not sure it is entirely fair to judge anything that is being modelled by Gash Taylor.

[KingCrod]

On Saturday I would like to see Sadler the pragmatist, not Sadler the idealist, coming to the fore. With our injury crisis and confidence low after a couple of chastening defeats it may not be possible to play the eye catching, front foot ‘Sadball’ style for which Sadler wants to be renowned. We need to find away to get a positive result on the road however we do it.