GRAHAM Alexander laid the blame at his own door for City’s defensively disastrous first half against Notts County this lunchtime.

And having witnessed that horror show first hand, the 52-year-old admitted that he and his assistant Chris Lucketti might need to make more drastic on-field changes than they initially thought.

The Bantams looked terrified every time the hosts came forward in the first 45 minutes, and remarkably, they were probably fortunate to only be 4-0 down at the break.

City looked like a different team after the interval, with their high press causing the County defence all manner of problems.

But they had left themselves with too much to do, with Alex Gilliead’s deflected effort, off the unfortunate Richard Brindley, and Jamie Walker’s fierce strike merely consolation goals in the Bantams’ 4-2 defeat.

After the game, Alexander addressed that nightmare first half, saying: “I don’t think we engaged people.

“When we had individuals three yards off someone, we stayed three yards off someone.

“We never got that physical contact or got inside somebody’s personal space and you have to do that, because football’s all about duels all over the pitch.

“I’m not putting it all on the players, because if I got selection or shape wrong, then I have to take that responsibility.

“I’m learning what the players are capable of. We’ve gone with a structure that was really similar to what was played before Chris and I arrived, because we didn’t want to come in and turn everything upside down.

“But that’s something we might have to do.

“We’ll look at the formation of the team and what suits the way we want to play, rather than each individual.

“How we play, and who fits into that, might be the way forward for us.

“But I want to analyse the game first and make sure we make the right decisions on that.”

City at least gave Alexander cause for optimism with a vastly-improved second half.

Bradford Telegraph and Argus: Jamie Walker scored a fine second goal for City, but it came too late to save the game.Jamie Walker scored a fine second goal for City, but it came too late to save the game. (Image: Thomas Gadd.)

He said: “That’s where I have to take my fair share of the blame, because we weren’t as aggressive enough in our set-up before the break.

“At least we corrected that at half-time and we looked much more like the team we’re aspiring to be.

“We want whoever opposes us comes off the pitch thinking it’s not nice or not easy to play against us.

“That’s where our starting point has to be, then our quality, goals and creative side comes after that.

“But without being competitive first, you won’t win any game of football.

“In the first half we weren’t competitive enough, and I take responsibility for that.”