GRAHAM Alexander could understand City’s low-key finish to pre-season with today’s goalless draw at Altrincham.

There were very few incidents in the game with the National League side which brought down the curtain on the friendly fixtures.

Alexander was happy to see more minutes in the players ahead of next week’s big kick-off at MK Dons.

The Bantams boss wanted more from his team but can appreciate that all eyes are turning towards the League Two opener.

“We spoke about it before the game and certainly at half-time that we’re an aggressive team in and out of possession,” he said.

“We want to press, we want to pass and we want to play at speed.

“If you come off the dial to seven or eight, it takes quite a bit out of our game and I think we saw that.

“I get it. In 11 or 12 years as a manager, the last game of preseason has not got the edge to it as the other games maybe have.

“We changed the personnel round to get more match minutes. We didn’t just want to turn out the same team, play below the level we did in midweek, and not get good minutes into players that needed it.

“We got 90 minutes into more players, which was great, and there’s probably increased match minutes for all the starting team that they haven’t had prior to this. From that perspective, we’re really happy.

“We’d have like to have won the game going into the season but I think the players can be content with how they’ve performed over the course of pre-season training-wise and attitude-wise.

“Ultimately the performances and results only count from next week.”

City’s starting 11 showed three changes from the win over Sunderland.

Tyler Smith partnered Andy Cook up front and Jamie Walker and Bobby Pointon played in the advanced midfield roles.

Alexander made eight subs through the game – with Aden Baldwin and Ciaran Kelly staying on for the full 90 minutes.

The Bantams chief added: “I just want the players to understand we’ve got more than 11 good players. We want to have a good group and a good squad if we want to be successful over this coming season.

“I can’t just put the work into 50-60 per cent of the squad. I have to put it into all 20-odd players to make sure they are in the best place physically and tactically to help us win games.

“It was always my intention to get to this point with as many match minutes into as many players and to have everyone available from Monday onwards.

“Barring Callum Johnson, we’ve done that and they’ve all worked exceptionally hard.”