Stuart McCall slammed a “shocking” defensive showing - after his side fell 3-1 away at Oldham Athletic.
The Bantams were 2-0 down inside half an hour at Boundary Park, before another goal in the second half ensured defeat.
Despite being encouraged by his side’s creativity, McCall criticised City’s defensive efforts.
He said: “We wanted to come out, have a go and create opportunities - and I thought we did that in abundance. That was probably as creative as we have been, going forward, for a long time.
“We just cannot keep giving away such soft goals. There needs to be a shake up in certain areas of the park.
“The first two goals were really poor. Defensively, in certain areas, we were shocking.
“Going forward and creating chances, we were very good, but taking those chances not so much.
“There was a big difference in both boxes, and that was crucial.”
Despite defeat, the Bantams boss was pleased to see frontman Lee Novak back on the field, and can take positives from the way his side came forward.
He suggested Novak and other returning players will prove important as his side look to build upon the attacking positivity on show.
McCall added: “Having Novak back was good, and he showed what he brings to the team.
“In the first half, Bryce Hosannah was our main man. He was withdrawn with a hamstring injury, but there were promising signs going forward.
“I can be critical in certain areas, but at least we created a lot of opportunities and looked a good team, going forward.
“The lads had an honest debate after the game and we know where we need to improve.
“We scored a goal at the end and it was important for us to show commitment until the final whistle.
“There were some strong, decent performances out there, but the bottom line is that we were let down at the back.”