Tuesday night represented a big hit for Bradford City. Already struggling at the foot of the table, the Bantams lost 2-1 to a good Cheltenham outfit.
That loss, their third on the trot, saw the West Yorkshire outfit slip a place closer to the relegation places – a situation which sees them a single point shy of the dropzone itself.
Saturday brings play-off side Carlisle United to Valley Parade in what could be a very tasty match indeed.
Three things Bradford City must change before Carlisle game
1. Lose their demons
City have lost three-in-a-row and sit just one point away from the relegation mire. Getting drawn into this sucking mass could be catastrophic for the Bantams. They seem blighted by self-doubt, disjointed play and a tendency to crumble once a sidestarts putting on sustained pressure. That needs to be arrested and turned around into a positive.
2. Consistency and sustained approach
Another big area of concern is the fact that Bradford City cannot sustain the good passages of their play. In the 2-1 loss to Cheltenham, the Bantams took the lead and looked good in parts. This all drifted apart and the threat they posed was in pockets of play that were simply too far apart to be effective. They must exert their pressure for more concerted periods of play.
3. Simply win – that is all
As daft as it sounds, all that Bradford City need to do is find a way to win. Any way would be sufficient and would sate the fans somewhat. Confidence seems to be shot to pieces at Valley Parade. It needs to be rebuilt and teh best way to do that is through a win – three points. A draw would be good – it’s points on the board after all – but a win would be better.
