GRAHAM Alexander has defended his decision to drop Andy Cook and Brad Halliday in City’s thrashing by Mansfield.

Cook came off the bench in the second half to score his 17th goal of the season.

But Halliday was not involved at all as the Bantams were thumped 5-1 at Valley Parade – the first time they have conceded that many since September 2020.

Alexander said: “I just go on performance. It’s not like I’m going, ‘I haven’t left him out for 10 weeks so I will do to prove a point’.

“If the team’s performing and winning games, why am I going to change it around? But if it’s not, I have to try and find solutions to make it win.

“I look at the performances, I look at stats, data, I look at training performances and the performances and attributes of other players.

“We have a game every three days and it’s physically sapping doing that. We have to make sure that we use the squad as well as we can.

“We could have had 12 players and if we defend like that we’re not going to win a game.

“I’m going to make decisions, I do them for the right reasons. If I believe that anyone is untouchable, then I don’t think that’s a competitive team.

“I still feel these are valuable players for us, they have been and they still will be.

“But I can’t play the same 11 players game in, game out. It’s a matter of fact. Teams would just go with the same 14-man squads like we did 30 years ago.”

Alexander gave Tyler Smith the nod over Cook up front and Alex Gilliead moved to right wing-back for Halliday, who had started every league game since the opening month of the season.

“That’s what I’m paid to do,” added the City boss, when asked about his team selection.

“I’m not going to come out and criticise any individual player to prove my point or to justify why I’d do that.

“I will sit down with a player and speak about what they have to do to improve. But that’s how it is.

“I’ll just make decisions honestly and without prejudice and for the better of the team.

“Sometimes I get them wrong. I’m not going to say I’m perfect and kid myself.

“But I feel over the course of my career I’ve got more decisions right than wrong and that’s why I’m here.”

READ MORE: City humiliation was not down to owner Stefan Rupp

It was a second successive Valley Parade setback for City, who are at home again tomorrow night for the rearranged visit of Notts County.

Alexander admitted he could not fathom how the team’s results have suddenly dropped off after last week’s convincing win at Accrington.

“I’m scratching my head. We’re trying to find the answer to help these players but it’s a conundrum.

“But if you’re not consistent in everything else you do – and that’s from the start of the season, pre-season, off season, the lot - then it catches up with you.

“We were so dominant last Saturday away from home.

“We’ve conceded another early goal and haven’t won the game. That hasn’t been the first time this season.

“We’ll look to see how we can improve the performance. But if we look at the bigger picture, the team haven’t been good enough over the course of the season to compete at that level.

“It might on occasion but not every three days. That’s what you have to do if you want to be successful.”