Sam Walker: Bradford City squad stands up to injury test

Eight casualties have heavily affected numbers – and even forced a change in formation.

But keeper Walker’s faith in the squad Graham Alexander has assembled has been justified by their response to the adversity.

“We’re certainly stretched with the injuries we’ve picked up,” he admitted. “So many of them are unfortunate incidents as well.

“The club did a really good job in the summer, in my opinion, in building a squad that’s competitive and has cover across the board.

“That is being tested at the moment. But hopefully over the coming weeks we can get a few of those lads back and get that competition back.”

Defence has been hit particularly hard with Lewis Richards becoming the latest in a growing casualty list when he was forced off at half-time against Wimbledon. But City hope to see him back this weekend.

Richards' replacement Joe Adams also disappeared early – but the response to even more injury adversity has encouraged Walker.

“I wasn’t aware Lewis had a problem but then he came in with it at half-time and, all of a sudden, we have to adapt again.

“Then Joe gets injured and we have to change it but it’s a credit to the group that everyone is ready.

“We saw that at Mansfield that the guys who haven’t been playing regularly came in and put in a really good performance and got a great result.

“We’re having to be really adaptable at the moment. I think we’re fortunate we’ve built a squad that allows for that.”

Alexander was forced to abandon his favoured back three set-up when Neill Byrne and Ciaran Kelly were both crocked at Walsall.

That put a huge onus on loan centre-halves Cheick Diabate and Jack Shepherd but the duo have risen to the challenge.

“We’ve worked on a three at the back for a long time,” added Walker. But from half-time last week, we’ve had to go to a four and we’ve not looked back since.

“I include the second half at Walsall, even though we got the sucker punch at the end.

“That goal defensively wasn’t great but largely in that second half, again on Tuesday and then Saturday, that four has worked really well.

Lewis Richards has become the fifth defender currently out (Image: Tom Pearson)

“That’s credit to the lads who have come in because it’s important that guys are ready to step in like that.

“Cheick and Jack have been excellent the last couple of games.

“It’s a different dynamic between a back three and four and they’ve been really good.

“It’s important we’ve got experience in the spine of the team with myself and Dickie (Richie Smallwood) and Brad (Halliday), who I include in that.

“We can help talk these guys through and give them the information that we can.

“I thought they were very good against Wimbledon’s physical front two and long may that continue.

“It was nice to get a clean sheet. We’ve got a couple but the Bromley game probably should have been one as well and Carlisle but obviously that was my error.

“Arguably we could have had four. It’s something for us all to keep working on and striving for because I really believe that if we do our jobs defensively, we’ve got the quality going forward that can hurt teams and will score goals.”

A clear midweek provides a handy opportunity for bodies to ease as City prepare to settle a score at Harrogate – the scene of their most miserable defeat last season.

Walker said: “We go to Harrogate next weekend and that kicks off a really exciting week for with three games in quite quick succession and opportunities to pick up points.

“We owe it to ourselves and to the fans to go there after last year’s performance and right some wrongs.

“We’ll all be looking to do that. We’ll get in a good week’s training, see who shapes up and is available and then try to move forward.

“We’ve had a solid and a steady start but there’s plenty for us to improve on across the pitch. I’m sure we will do that over time.”