Bradford City v Plymouth Argyle – Bantams must not allow good work to go to waste, says Anthony O’Connor

It is why even the slightest of setbacks can feel like the end of the world at Valley Parade right now, as underlined a week ago when a home defeat to Fleetwood Town had the boos raining down from the stands and frustrated supporters predicting relegation on social media.

Anthony O’Connor, the Bantams defender, understands such a reaction after admitting it can be wearying to be in the dropzone for so long.

But the Irishman also believes credit should be given for just how much has changed for the better in recent months despite the club’s lowly standing in the table.

“The league position means people sometimes can’t see the bigger picture,” he told The Yorkshire Post. “The form from November has been good.

“We have won a lot of games, picked up a lot of results. The thing is we were seven or eight points adrift before that run started.

“We have had to work really hard to pull it back. We have done well to get in this position but now we have to push on.

“The key is not to be satisfied just to pull it back. We have to now pull away from the rest of the group.”

Plymouth Argyle, O’Connor’s former club and today’s visitors to Valley Parade, are a side who underline just how quickly things can change.

At the turn of the year, the Pilgrims propped up the table. Now, though, after five wins from their last seven games and fresh from taking a point from a typically hard-fought ‘Dockyard Derby’ with Portsmouth a week ago, Plymouth sit 15th in the table.

“Plymouth have shown what can happen,” added O’Connor, who spent the 2014-15 campaign at Home Park. “A couple of results change everything.

“When you look at the table and see your name above that line, it gives you a bit of confidence.

“We have only been out once or twice. But even that gave us confidence. A win against Plymouth may take us out.

“I don’t look at the other teams too much. You want people dragged in but the main thing is ourselves. No-one will do us any favours.

“We can’t go worrying about what happens if this team beats that team and so on. It is about us cracking on, sticking to what we are good at. If we play like we can, we will be all right.”

City are expecting a very different game to the Fleetwood defeat, Joey Barton’s side having been content to sit back and invite their hosts to make the running.

Nevertheless, Plymouth are likely to try and snuff out the threat of Bradford’s more creative players – something that Fleetwood achieved to great effect last weekend.

“You can see what teams are trying to do,” added O’Connor, who was in the Bantams side that drew 3-3 at Home Park in early December.

“Trying to nullify our attacking players, such as David Ball and Jack Payne. Keep them quiet and you keep Bradford City quiet, that seems to be the thinking.

“It is important everyone on the pitch chips in with a bit of creativity. If it is not going for ‘Payney’, someone else has to step up.

“We have seen Lewis O’Brien do it. He has scored a few goals. ‘Bally’ has done the same, including the last-minute winner against Shrewsbury.

“You see that all over the league. Different teams try to stop certain players. That is when they can become vulnerable.

“I always look at Wycombe. People try and stop (Adebayo) Akinfenwa but they concentrate so much on him that others can exploit the space he helps create.

“We need a bit of that now. If teams try to mark ‘Payney’ or ‘Bally’, let’s step up to the mark and do our bit for the team.

“Hopefully, against Plymouth we can do that.”

As for a run-in that continues next weekend with a trip to Walsall, who sit just three points above Bradford, O’Connor added: “Earlier in the season, confidence was really low and we were wondering where the next win would come from.

“The mentality of the group has changed and that is down to the manager and the staff. There is a winning mentality now.

“Plymouth will be a different test. A different side to Fleetwood. They will try and get the ball down and play.

“I have played with a few of their lads so know what they are like. It has the makings of a good game.”