Barrow v Bradford City - Stuart McCall finds formation to settle on with Bantams

Stuart McCall has been demanding more consistency of his players this season, and Bradford City’s manager is prepared to practice what he preaches by settling on a formation.
SEEKING A WINNING FORMULA: Bradford manager Stuart McCall has settled on a formation to use moving forward. Picture: Martin Rickett/PA Wire.SEEKING A WINNING FORMULA: Bradford manager Stuart McCall has settled on a formation to use moving forward. Picture: Martin Rickett/PA Wire.
SEEKING A WINNING FORMULA: Bradford manager Stuart McCall has settled on a formation to use moving forward. Picture: Martin Rickett/PA Wire.

The Bantams began the season with a Sheffield United-style back-three formation featuring overlapping central defenders, only to revert to a four.

But having been pleased with how 3-5-2 worked at Bolton Wanderers in midweek – despite the 1-0 defeat – McCall is ready to persevere with it for the foreseeable future, starting at Barrow’s Holker Street this afternoon.

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“It’s about being consistent in the selection of the formation as much as the players,” said McCall. “We’ve got to stick at that now and go from here.

FIT AGAIN: Gareth Evans.
 Picture: Bruce RollinsonFIT AGAIN: Gareth Evans.
 Picture: Bruce Rollinson
FIT AGAIN: Gareth Evans. Picture: Bruce Rollinson

“There was a lot of belief in the second half (at Bolton). That wasn’t a team coming off the back of a really poor performance on Saturday.

“We talk about inconsistencies but that was a strong second 45 that merited far more.

“(Central defender) Anthony O’Connor was playing almost as a right winger and that’s how he got the penalty (missed by Billy Clarke). He was also close at the end.

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“Bryce (Hosannah, a right wing-back on loan from Leeds United) had two great chances. He cut in and just slipped as the boy blocked him on the six-yard box and was one-on-one with the keeper and put it wide – that could have been a penalty as well.

“It was encouraging the way we played in that system against a team who play the same.

“We overpowered them (in the) second half and were the dominant side but football’s about taking your chances.”

Zeli Ismail and top-scorer Lee Novak are still injured but the versatile Gareth Evans is back after missing the last four matches with a hamstring injury.

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