TRO

Right.....but how many Ronnie O'Sullivans are there? am I to glean from that no other player is worth watching if they can't do what Ronnie does? Sheepy, I think you have an Eliteist/Idealistic view of things.....That not a criticism, its an observation.....I think if you could open up your appreciation of lesser mortals, you would be more fulfilled.... Like Steve Bruce ( to get back on topic).

Does it surprise you that I agree, with your first line....I think long balls are sometimes a necessity as opposed to a choice, but the better the player, the more likelihood that that method will not be used. Any professional footballer can pass and move.....where the doubt comes in or forced error, is when the players on the other side are better and they force the said player in to error, so he ends up giving the ball away, sometimes cheaply. Any Pro footballer can pass a ball on the training ground and move unhindered from opposition or pressure......That changes everything. Football can be very frustrating.....usually when the team we are playing are playing better individually which manifests in to collectively.....as fans we have to understand sometimes that our players ARE doing their best, its just the opposition are better. I honestly believe if any fan can't appreciate what the opposition do.....you can't appreciate properly what your own team is doing.

Bit Like Jimmy White v Steve Davis. One won all the trophies.....but if they were playing either side of the road, Jimmy would probably be playing to the packed house. Its what virtues you glean from a game....no one is right or wrong its an opinion. But results are facts and how you play is irrelevant to the result.

Sheepy, I agree. He may "try" and play the same way, but it may not come off like it does now......You have to have the players mate.....and their are incremental degree's of better, until you get to the very best, which he surrounds himself with.....that is not meant to take anything away from him. He knows what he is asking them to do, they can do.....If you listen to his musings he says this very thing. You cannot ask a player to do something he is incapable of doing.....you can work on him on the training ground, but some just have limitations.

Well said, Terry. "Winning" football is the the one, that encompasses so many virtues of the game.....but "exciting" is in the eye of the beholder. I guess, to hear the comments on this, from Rocky Marciano fans, would be a view worth listening to......for the younger fans, here was a guy that was never beaten in a professional fight( probably never won a round too, just joking there).....But they must have gleaned from his fights something worth following him for......He was battered in most of them, but he knew how to win.

He is arguably the best manager in the World.....Furthermore his humility and love of the game is amazing.....it seems he is happy to divulge his philosophies at the drop of a hat and his approach to football is open and approachable....He clearly is a Top man. But, and its a very big but.....He is fortunate that he has been able to convince the clubs with the best players to appoint him and they too have the resources to add to that, its self perpetuating. He will tell you himself, he has some of the best players in the world playing together. From what I have seen of the man.....He would fully endorse what other managers have achieved with lesser players......He is that sort who appreciates what he has and what others have not. He is a Top Man.

They must be aware that they have played us twice this season, with potentially / arguably our best 2 players missing.

haha.....you're right.

I feel less nervous about the final, than the semi final.

Shafted by the club? well, I certainly think he got his own back with a 5 year contract for Gabby on the way out.

I was talking generally....relating to win ratio's to all teams.

absolutely and abundantly .....spot on.

I feel sure I haven't said that, because I am always mentioning it with others at the game....But I can't remember every thing I have written.....but could be typo on my behalf or a misinterpretation. for the record......I would like to see our centre forward up front in a position to capitalise on a breakaway at opposition corners .....but I ain't the manager mate, he must have his reasons. Look, Sheepy.....We have never had a manager I have agreed with everything they do.....I just support them when they do most of the things I agree with....Thats why I support Steve Bruce. I would have no idea how to get this football team promoted.....so while i have reservations of some things Steve does, I bow to his greater knowledge and let him get on with it. I see other managers do strange things, but its their job on the line, not mine.

but they have better players to play in a better division.

No,No Terry.....sorry for being so sensitive. I know what the detractors are getting at, but for me he has done a very good job and at present that all I want to concentrate on. I do genuinely believe that if we get up, the folk who have been knocking him will see a different ( progressive) approach from him......I don't buy this set in tablets of stone stuff. There have been many occasions this season when SB has been directing them forward, moments like that do not strike me as OVER cautious......I think he is just cautious. The semi- final was always going to be tricky with an away goal and us just needing a draw. Interesting how the other semi- final only ended with the winning team having a one goal advantage, just like us.