After two dominant performances this week that have only yielded a single point between them, it seems most Bantams fans are expecting our season to tail off during our last three League One matches. However keep calm because our destiny is still firmly in our own hands!
On Saturday we take on third placed Walsall it what could arguably be described as our biggest match this season. A few weeks back this fixture was highlighted as a potential automatic promotion decider but with recent poor results instead City are now looking nervously over their own shoulder towards those teams on the fringes of the top six. It has to be outlined and made clear however that the Bantams are still in charge of their own destiny and with other teams around us yet to play each other the gap to seventh isn’t as perilous as it first seems.
Despite a disappointing draw with Shrewsbury last Saturday and an even worse result in our loss against Coventry on Tuesday we still sit in a fantastic position, the like of which us Bantams fans thought would be impossible to imagine only a few months ago. The fact that we’ve let go of potentially stealing second spot from Burton Albion is understandably disappointing for the players and fans alike but a play-off place is nothing to be sniffed at in this very competitive league. With our experience in the League Two play-off promotion campaign a few seasons back, we still have a very good chance of catapulting ourselves into the Championship next season if we manage to secure a top six finish in three weeks’ time.
As mentioned above despite our previous two performances Phil Parkinson still obviously remains very upbeat about his sides play-off push. In his pre-match press conference Parkinson sounded very optimistic about a top six finish in League One this term and asked fans to "look at the bigger picture. We're in a very good position in the league - a lot of teams would love to swap with us." He’s right. Despite a below average week we still have three games to rectify our mistakes and us supporters need to once again get right behind the lads. The team is just a bit low on confidence right now and singling out players for abuse will only make matters worse in the long run. Billy Clarke in particular has suffered with poor form for a while now, only managing to score once in his last 25 appearances but the lack of respect shown by some City fans is shocking. Maybe he should be dropped by Parkinson for a few games and so on but we’re all in this together and shouting abuse at certain players won’t solve anything. Without his few goals this season we’d be sat outside the play-off places in seventh place.
Team news wise with two games in rapid succession the Bantams have picked up a few knocks over the last week. According to the gaffer Reece Burke is suffering with a bit of a tight calf but should be fine for this weekend’s match against Walsall whilst Jamie Proctor is suffering with a back problem. Wes Thomas also has a virus and Steven Davies is suspended following his red card at the Ricoh Arena on Tuesday night. Potentially then a few changes could be made for the visit of the Saddlers on Saturday afternoon.
As for our opponents they’re still gunning for automatic promotion and a win against us could put them into second position come the end of play on Saturday. For many people Walsall’s success this season has been a surprise but looking through their squad, especially going forward, it is clear to see why the Saddlers are towards the top end of the table. Scoring 61 times in League One so far this season Walsall have a potent strike force for this level that are capable of blowing away any defence if they perform well.
Their main striker comes in the form of Welsh forward Tom Bradshaw. Still only 23 years old, Bradshaw is an out and out striker capable of scoring any kind of goal whether it’s a poachers finish, a header and a long range strike, the youngster can put away any chance and that’s shown in his stats as he’s grabbed 15 goals this season in 37 appearances. Alongside Bradshaw comes Milan Lalkovic. The Slovakian forward, a former Chelsea trainee, who is also 23 years of age has too impressed this season and has found the net on 7 occasions this term, assisting 4 goals as well in 37 appearances for the club. The one to watch however has to be Saint Kitts and Nevis international winger Romaine Sawyers who has 5 goals in 42 appearances for Walsall this season and a further nine assists to his name. His pace and skill have led him to be named the second best player in League One during the 2015/2016 season, behind Gillingham’s Bradley Dack, as voted for by opposition managers.
The Saddlers are handy at the back too with 18 year old Rico Henry occupying the left-back spot. Henry was very recently nominated for the Football League ‘Young Player of the Year’ award and is currently been courted by some of the Premier League’s biggest names including Tottenham, Liverpool and Manchester City
Back in late November when the two sides met at the Bescott Stadium, it was Walsall that ran out the victors. Strikes from Tom Bradshaw and Milan Lalkovic either side of a Lee Evans goal meant that the game ended 2-1 to the Saddlers putting a stop to Bradford’s then unbeaten run of ten matches and run of seven matches without conceding a goal.
With good recent form then and five wins out of nine this season against the other teams in the top six in League One currently, Walsall will pose a real danger on Saturday. The Bantams rear-guard will have to be on top form to keep the Saddlers at bay as we look to grab a vital three points in our hunt for a play-off finish.