Five things: Bolton Wanderers 0 - 0 Bradford City

So Bolton Wanderers managed to defy all the odds and snatch a 0-0 draw at home to a Bradford City side, who are so monumentally massive that we should feel privileged to be graced with their presence, for the first time this side of the millennium.

But what are the main talking points of this superb result?

1) Form

Obviously my intro was sarcastic and our form, especially at home, is starting to become a little bit of a concern.

We’re now six games without a win in all competitions and we’re just looking generally quite lacklustre in the games.

Injuries are obviously playing a part because the vast majority of players that we’re missing would be in the first team.

We do look quite solid defensively, which I’ll get onto but we need to just find a goal here and there to start grinding out results.

I do think we’ll eventually get there. It won’t be pretty but I don’t care if we’re winning.

2) Midfield conundrum

The system we’re currently playing plays to Jay Spearing’s strengths, there’s no doubt about that.

What there is a doubt about is where the likes of Josh Vela and Liam Trotter fit into this same system.

Neither are wide players, neither are a traditional attacking or defensive midfielder.

I’m not exactly sure what Liam Trotter is at all but I think Josh Vela is best as a box-to-box midfielder.

Vela’s form’s taken a little dip after an explosive few games earlier in the season and I thought on Saturday he was a red card waiting to happen but I still believe he’ll sort it out and be a key player for us.

As for Liam Trotter, I don’t really scapegoat him but I’m not particularly sure what he offers to the side. That being said we’re without Pratley and Mark Davies so playing him seems to be a necessity.

3) Goalscoring (or lack thereof)

We just look quite impotent in the final third to be honest.

Jamie Proctor tries very hard but I’m not sure he’s actually any good at the old football as he makes Gary Madine look like a superb player.

To add insult to injury, Conor Wilkinson has been in great form for Chesterfield, scoring twice last week and assisting another at the weekend, whilst Tom Walker provided the all important cross for Bury’s winning goal whilst we struggle to create anything of note.

I’m not saying either of these are the answer at all and I do have faith that the likes of Clough, Clayton and Anderson will share the goals when they’re available.

But it’s a lot of pressure to put on the shoulders of three players who have an average age of 21.

4) Wheater/Beavers

Despite our problems at the other end of the field, these two have developed a magnificent partnership and we never really look in serious danger of conceding. I won’t talk at length though because it’s been covered time and again this season.

Unfortunately, Marc Iles tweeted earlier that both are a doubt for the weekend.

Luckily we do have Derik Osede and Tom Thorpe to come in, who should both be adequate at this level but it still disrupts the back four and could mean chucking unproven players such as Alex Honeyball or Sam Lavelle onto the bench.

Hopefully it’s nothing serious.

5) Massive club Bradford

As per DownTheMannyRd’s superb article , I’d like to congratulate Bradford City on being absolutely MASSIVE.

They brought a million fans to the Macron, which is all the more impressive when you factor in that their population is only five times the size of Bolton’s.

Everyone knows that attendances are more important than results so they won’t be bothered in the slightest that we’re still above them in the league despite not winning any of our last five league games.

And most of all, well done on that Barca style of play that you’re so famed for that got them 51% of the possession and saw them create one whole more shot than Bolton.

I’m sure Parky’s kicking himself now.