Bradford City: Graham Alexander deserves big credit - but acid test now looms | OneFootball

Bradford City have had many setbacks to key players this season, but still, manager Graham Alexander is picking up points home and away.

Things are looking up for Bradford City and manager Graham Alexander after a series of results, which have brought back some of the optimism to the Valley Parade stands after a rough patch that saw some pressure rise early into the season.

Unbeaten in the previous seven games, the Bantams have only lost once, with three draws and three wins, which gives the team and manager Alexander something to build on in the lead-up to Christmas.

The recent upturn in form is somewhat of a surprise as the club has battled injury problems since the summer, including the signing of Callum Johnson, who is yet to kick a ball for the club in a competitive fixture and Alexander’s men were also hit with sickness over the previous week, something else the Scot had to manage.

Injuries are still an issue and must be addressed despite the current results on the pitch.

Injuries are plaguing the Bantams off the pitch this season

As mentioned, injuries have been a problem for Bradford City since the start of the season. Recently, the club turned to the free agent market to bring in much-needed bodies, including the vastly experienced Paul Huntington and former Blackburn Rovers midfielder Corrie Evans. However, they are yet to make a mark on the pitch, most likely due to a lack of match fitness at this stage.

Callum Johnson is a long-term absentee, while Antoni Sarcevic, Aden Baldwin, Ciaran Kelly, Alex Pattison, Joe Adams, and Neill Byrne have all been absent recently. Byrne is the only one of these players to return recently, even adding goals to his game to help the Bantams on their current good run of form.

According to manager Alexander, illness also recently caught up with the squad when speaking with local reporter Simon Parker of the Telegraph and Argus. But this seems to be something the squad is now over, which will be a relief to supporters.

These injuries have caused serious problems with the defence as this is where the club has been hit the hardest and caused the club to change formation away from their primary 5-3-2 to a back four, causing a temporary dip in form, which began to worry some sections of the fanbase.

Furthermore, Alexander is likely just as frustrated as supporters with these injuries. Although this can happen and does to some clubs each season, there could be underlying factors to these injuries, which the club should be looking to and rectifying. These key players are missing who could be the difference between a top-three finish or another disappointing season in the basement division.

Next up for the Bantams is fellow Yorkshire club Doncaster Rovers in what should be a great game at Valley Parade. Both teams are in form, and both sides are equally looking for the bragging rights over the next week.

Antoni Sarcevic, Aden Baldwin, Ciaran Kelly, Alex Pattison, and Joe Adams are not expected back for the game. Tyreik Wright, Jay Benn, and Clarke Oduor, who all missed the draw against Cheltenham Town on Tuesday night, are also doubtful.

However, fans shouldn’t be too worried. Alexander and his coaching staff have shown that they can still achieve positive results without these players, who are all still stand-out names at this level. Players like current joint EFL League Two top scorer Andy Cook and hard-working midfielder Jamie Walker, two match-winners on their own in this league, are still fit and ready to go at the weekend.

Although the football can be hard to watch at times, Alexander has been effective despite the setbacks and deserves credit. The boss has managed to win 20 of his 43 league games in charge and has shown at the end of last season that he and his players are capable of maintaining a positive run of form, which is something that the expected 15,000+ supporters at Valley Parade will want to see continue on Saturday against Doncaster Rovers.