McLaren provides missing link in City midfield

6:55pm Thursday 21st August 2008

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City’s lack of a midfield playmaker last season was nowhere better illustrated than in the two games against Rochdale.

David Perkins ran the show in both matches for the Spotland side and the general consensus among Bantams fans was: We need someone like that.

He’s got that bit of quality which we probably lacked in the middle of the park last season to dictate things

Stuart McCall

Step forward Paul McLaren, who boss Stuart McCall signed in the summer after the midfielder had claimed the most number of assists for Tranmere in League One last season.

The pair may be different in stature – Perkins is small and tricky while McLaren is taller and more imposing – but what they have in common is they know how to pass a ball.

McCall said of his new capture: “He is someone who can get on the ball and make things happen for us. He’s got that bit of quality which we probably lacked in the middle of the park last season to dictate things.

“There’s more to come from Macca. Pre-season he was at the top of his game but don’t get me wrong, he’s been efficient and done well.”

Perkins signed for Colchester in the summer but Rochdale have otherwise kept the same nucleus of the side together that reached the play-off final before losing to Stockport last season.

Keith Hill believes his side have improved since and McCall said: “I agree with their manager. I think they are stronger than last year.

“They might have lost Perkins but for me, the captain (Gary) Jones is very influential – they’ve signed Clark Keltie from Darlington alongside him. They can perm two strikers from four and have the same back four.

“They finished where they deserved last year and I fully expect them to be in the top seven again.”

It may be the Bantams’ toughest test yet but two wins from two games means they are full of confidence.

And with the new signings still bedding in, the City chief believes the best is yet to come.

He said: “Having studied the first two games I think we can get better. We’ve had two victories and that’s all you can ask for but I know there’s more to come.

“There’s certain things we can do better but we look dangerous going forward.

“At times we need to pick the right option when we are in the last third. We’ve done it well a couple of times but I still think with the amount of ball we’ve had going forward it is a key thing to pick the right option.

“There is a belief in the dressing room that we have got match-winners now and we’ve got to gel it all together in a team performance.”

City will be without striker Willy Topp for two to four weeks after the striker injured his hamstring playing for the reserves in the 2-1 defeat to Rotherham in midweek.

Chris Brandon also had a minor setback after tweaking his ankle again in training but McCall expects him to back in the frame next week.