Bradford City fans are a frustrated lot at the moment, not least with their manager Gary Bowyer.
After starting the season with a 4-3-3 formation, his side struggled to impose themselves on matches. He went into a 4-4-2 for two games, won both and looked to be on the right track.
Yesterday afternoon, for the visit of Forest Green Rovers, he went back to a 4-3-3. The result? His side lost.
It was a frustrating game for both sides, punctuated with 11 yellow cards, bizarre decisions and finally a late goal, another ruled out and a red card. As the whistle went both sets of players charged down the tunnel in some passionate and angry scenes.
Bowyer played down the final whistle furore, insisting the players just wanted to ‘swap shirts’, as reported by the Telegraph and Argus.
“I just think one or two wanted to swap shirts, nothing more than that,” said the former Blackpool boss.
“They were two very committed teams – one’s obviously delighted they got the victory and one was disappointed. There’s nothing to report on that. It was people just doing a bit of shouting, just passion.”
Forest Green boss Mark Cooper didn’t agree at all, admitting there was ‘animosity’ between the two sets of players.
“It should have been about football today but it was about the referee’s performance. He ruined the game for both teams and caused nearly all the animosity.”
Whatever caused the animosity on the field, the change of tactics seems to have done the same amongst the fervent Bantams support.
Total, complete and utter B****cks. We have no midfield. He sets them up like that; it's down to him. End of.
— Cllr Ian Parsons #FBNHS (@IanLabour) August 24, 2019
A bit of pressure??? A wet sheet of paper would've been more difficult to break down than FGR.
— Train Traveller (@TrainTraveller5) August 24, 2019
Why did you change the formation and the team?? It worked so well last weekend, should’ve just kept it
— stephanie (@stephlaurenm_x) August 25, 2019
https://twitter.com/Ackroyd_Gareth/status/1165335613433929729
I like Bowyer, I really do, but he has failed to address the tactics particularly why the players didn't close down from the front. They were clearly told not to, but he should be explaining the thought process behind this.
— Danny Cowling (@Bantamdan) August 24, 2019
GB are you serious!! Their goal is not important its your questionable selection and tactics that cost the game , we were supposed to be home team 😡 and to be honest we were lucky to get a win last time so guess it evens up 😤
— Tulga (@tuka_e) August 24, 2019
@officialbantams @CambridgeUtdFC 4-3-3 drew@officialgtfc 4-3-3 drew@OfficialOAFC 4-4-2 won@StevenageFC 4-4-2 won@FGRFC_Official – back to 4-3-3 lost
Doesn’t take a genius to work out.
— JoeyJunior (@joesutcliffe86) August 24, 2019
