Bradford City manager Graham Alexander is hoping to kick the new year off with a bang as his side travel to Crewe Alexandra.
The trip to the Mornflake Stadium is the last in what has been a hugely congested period for not just Bradford, but all League Two clubs.
After the matches on New Year’s Day, there will have been four matches in the last ten days, it has had the potential to make or break many teams’ seasons, with Bradford’s outlook now seemingly a lot more positive.
The Bantams have gone unbeaten during this period so far, with a win at Doncaster followed by draws to both Morecambe and top of the league Stockport County. Those results have continued what is now a six match unbeaten run for the Bantams, which has yielded 14 points.
As a result, Alexander’s side have shot up the League Two table and are now just four points off of the play-off positions. Given their position under former manager Mark Hughes, the players have really rallied under Alexander and have given themselves a more than realistic shot at a place in the top seven.
On New Year’s Day, the Bantams travel to eighth-placed Crewe Alexandra in what will be another test for the players. Although Crewe might be higher in the table, their recent form is woeful with no wins in their last five matches, and just two points gained during that time.
After a huge point at home to Stockport County on Friday night, confidence levels will no doubt be high within the Bradford squad, who now have an excellent opportunity to go even closer to the play-off positions at the expense of a rival.
Speaking to the Telegraph & Argus regarding the recent rich vein of form, Alexander wanted to thank his players for their hard work of late.
“The players are improving game-by-game.”
“We’re only eight or nine games into our tenure here. We’re still getting the team right to where we need to. There’s still improvement to be made. But the players are showing the right attitude to make that improvement in game as well as in training.
“The players are giving us everything. You see the output they are doing and they are definitely doing the right things away from the pitch.
“Otherwise, you can’t play like that three games in a week and then go again. Fair play to them but we have to keep that discipline and sacrifice.”
Writer’s View
Earlier in the season, it looked as if the Bantams were struggling from a ‘play-off hangover’ which we have become accustomed to with many teams after being knocked out of the play-offs the season prior, just look at Salford for example.
Since Alexander has come in the building, vast improvements in performance have been seen and Bradford look back to their best which they showed last season. Three points to start the New Year would be massive for the quest to reach the play-offs, something which looks far more likely than a month or so ago.
Senior Editor
