Liam Ridehalgh: Bantams need to show they are top-seven team

Boss Mark Hughes is under pressure after jeers followed the weekend loss to Walsall.

The Bantams head for lowly Tranmere tomorrow night needing a result to ease the angry mood.

Ridehalgh, one of the experienced heads in the squad, insists there is no hiding place - but that is part of playing for the biggest club in League Two.

He said: “We don’t mind that as a set of players. That’s why we’ve come to the club.

“When you play for this club, you’ve got to rise to the expectations of the fans - and you’ve got to expect to be fired at when you’re not producing results.

How City's points total after 10 games compares with recent seasons (Image: Newsquest)

“We’re just hoping to put it right as soon as possible and I think we’ve got a squad more than capable of doing that.

“I’ve been in many a side when you’re losing games and you wonder when it’s going to turn. You’ve just got to stick with it and believe in yourself and it does.

“I would say we’re a top-seven team but we don’t look it at the minute and something needs to change. I’m sure we’ll do that.”

Ridehalgh was as bemused by the sudden downturn at the weekend as everyone else, particularly on the back of the 4-1 win at Newport.

“We’re really struggling to find consistency. The weekend before it looked like we’d turned the page and were right at it but then we let ourselves down.

“I thought we played really well in the first half, other than with the goals. All the principles that we go on about, we did.

“But the two goals were disappointing to concede, especially the set-piece, and then we came out second half and just weren’t at it for some reason.

“The fans are going to be just as frustrated as us. All we can do as the guys on the field is put it right.

“A lot of us have been in the game a long time. It’s a long season.

“We’ve got the players. It’s just finding that consistency to do it.”

Ridehalgh spent eight years with Tranmere, winning two promotions, before he joined City in 2021. Rovers are currently languishing in 23rd having lost eight out of 10.

The left back added: “Tranmere are a great football club. I was there for a long time and know how they run and try to operate things.

“They will be disappointed with the start. In terms of us going there, their start to the season doesn’t really make a difference.

Mark Hughes on the touchline in last season's win at Tranmere (Image: Thomas Gadd)

“We’ll both be looking to win the game so I’m expecting a tough night.

“We had a good win there last year. Tranmere are good at home, they run a lot and fight for everything.”

City have lost back-to-back games only once during Hughes’ 20-month reign but a defeat tomorrow would leave him hanging on for his job.

Ridehalgh remains confident that they will hit their stride after a spluttering run up to now.

“We have brought quite a lot of new players into the group and it is still early.

“I looked this morning and we’re only seven points off the top of the league and we haven’t had an amazing start.

“It’s helping us at the minute that nobody’s running away with it. That shows how tight it is and everyone’s more on a level playing field.

“I think we’ll be absolutely fine. We just need to get a few wins on the board and hopefully in a month’s time we’ll be in a better position.

“We have got the squad and believe in everything that we’re doing. I’m sure the results will come soon.”