Graham Alexander’s Reaction to Bradford City Draw at Chorley
Bradford City manager Graham Alexander believes the Bantams’ goalless draw at Chorley offered a timely reminder that there’s still much work to be done before the season begins.
City were held to a 0-0 stalemate in their second pre-season friendly on Thursday evening, and while the result was not overly concerning, Alexander admitted the performance left plenty to reflect on.
“We want these kinds of games in pre-season because they show you the areas that need addressing,” said Alexander. “Chorley were well organised, worked hard, and made it tough for us. We didn’t do enough to break them down, and that’s something we’ll need to improve.”
The match at Victory Park saw City fail to convert their spells of possession into meaningful chances. Though they controlled long periods of the game, they rarely tested the Chorley goalkeeper.
Alexander noted the lack of sharpness in the final third and pointed to issues with tempo and decision-making under pressure.
“We didn’t move the ball quickly enough,” he added. “We’ve got quality in the squad, but quality only comes through if you play at the right speed and with purpose. That was lacking at times tonight.”
One notable absentee was striker Calum Kavanagh, who has been nursing a sore shin and missed some training sessions leading up to the game. His absence was a blow to City’s attacking options, but Alexander confirmed it was precautionary.
“Calum’s got a bit of soreness in the shin,” he explained. “We’re being careful with him – there’s no point rushing anything at this stage. It’s about making sure he’s 100% when the season starts.”
The City squad will now head to Austria for a training camp that begins tomorrow evening. Alexander plans to use that time not just for physical preparation, but for tactical reflection as well.
“We’ll sit down tomorrow night and go through some clips from the Chorley game,” he said. “This is what pre-season’s about – learning, correcting, progressing. I want the players to see it too, not just be told it. If we want to achieve anything, we have to be honest with ourselves.”
Despite the frustration of the performance, Alexander remained upbeat about the squad’s overall progress. He stressed that pre-season results are secondary to fitness, cohesion, and developing a playing identity.
“There’s no panic,” he concluded. “This is all part of the process. The players are working hard, and we’ve seen good things in training and in spells during the games. It’s about putting the pieces together now.”
City continue their pre-season schedule with further friendlies in Austria, where Alexander hopes for a step forward both in performance and intensity.
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