TRO

Still think we are defending resolutely but are committing too many bodies to it.....its having a detrimental effect on our offensive capability....but necessary. but first things first. That is not criticising, it's observing. I think there will be a few surprises in the summer transfer window.

ok so He didn't sign him........but he couldn't get anything he wanted out of him.....that was the main point.....a top manager like him? If he doesn't prove you wrong, he will have proven me wrong. Its only an opinion....we have both nothing to worry about.

Yep!

There will come a time when he has too.....I think by merely admitting as much, he is someway to doing that.....He knows he has to fix it.

So if you are saying ...if you are saying? The defence is ok, the frontline is ok.....I presume you are saying ,its just midfield.

Its interesting today on WM how Tony Morley said "there is too much Rubbish spoke about formations" Me.......I remember Derek Dougan saying " Its 1 -10 isn't it? When I used to go in my earlier days.....we talked about who played well, not what system we played, it was never mentioned. ps whenever I read about systems the proviso is always.....If you have the players to play it. pps wait for it.....What does Tony Morley Know, he's a dinosaur.

I am actually beginning to have my doubts about certain players, but AV ....I don't want to go in to that to cause further distraction and ambiguity.

Hey Dave hold on a minute.....you could be right, I could be wrong and I will be the first to come on here and say so. and incidently, I have often chuckled at Blind Faith, so I know exactly what you are saying. Look.....without all the explanations and reasoning.....Despite watching football at present fit for the rubbish tip.....I still think he is the right manager for us ant this time and I think he will get us up.....but I don't know when. He has just said today he will be having a busy summer, so that tell me many changes. Its not Blind Faith Dave......rightly or wrongly.....I still don't think this team is balanced and I still don't think enough of our players dominate their position and dominate the ball. and futhermore, I do not support stability, just for the sake of it......but I do think we desperately need some. This job is not too big for Steve Bruce and he has plenty of support in Steve Round etc.....But what I do feel passionately about, is its not a job that can be turned around as quick as some of us seem to think is can......such is where we have come from. Just my Opinion, nothing more nothing less.

I thinks its fair to say, that in the fullness of time if things are still looking the same, then there is a case to answer. With one window, no pre-season and and incomplete season where the fixtures just keep hitting you. I think some of the criticism is a bit judgmental. I think he needs more time.

So Terry what is your point? If the music was screechy and shit, would you blame Simon Rattle.....no, the MusIcians have to take responsibility for their part. Is it case of just having a pop at me for defending HIM when I have already said that I see the same football as all those complaining about him, or what. He has already said himself that we do not take care of the ball enough, so is well aware of the problem of spectacle. Steve has already said today it will be a busy summer, what does that tell you Terry?.....job far from complete.....yet you still argue manager. He has openly said he has set us up as "Hard to beat" , yet you still bang the same drum. How do you know that some of the things you call Instruction, literally are, its just your take on it.....it may well be, but equally it may well be a part of hard to beat.Why don't you write to him and ask him? You then go on to explain, you think you know what it is and form a point of mitigation of which I am comfortable with.....you then go back again and partially threaten his first game of the season.....6-0 or else oh and 75% possession......ok I am teasing a tad. It was only in some of your most recent posts, SB seemed to have secured some of your support, now this. Its early days mate....It is obvious for me, He is not as trusting with what he has got to play open attacking football, rightly or wrongly.That is what I believe. I think he see's too many losing the ball too easily when taking on an opponent and puts us on the defensive too often. For anyone to suggest he don't know what he is doing, for me, is ludicrous.....you might not like it......but he knows what he is doing.

Oh we are jumping to another angle now.....could be him, could be Steve Round......but SB must have rubber stamped it, must be his fault. Is it game of just keep going until you can blame him for something......its convenient, just blame the manager, we have had enough of them another on might as well take the blame. Do you blame Klopp for signing Benteke, seems ok now at palace.....Klopp must be rubbish. Give him a break mate, who ever is at fault, not every decision will be right. This is a much bigger job than you imagine. ps He is not going anywhere, so my advice is embrace it or drive yourself nuts.

So Gabby comes on wins a tackle the crowd go in to raptures and then we start playing......? Even Tony Morley made a reference to that......These players haven't been with us long enough to know the passion.....most of the Blues lads have. Harry has been with them for one game......do you remember Steve's first few games?.....manager bounce, yes,no. I think that has always been his plan ( in bold)after taking over in a relegation threatened position. Look it can get tiresome, defending the manager.....lets change him again and see how we get on. I still say we haven't got the players to play how we want. Just take Lansbury and Hourihane.....this is an observation, not necessarily a criticism.....but they have added a modicum of improvement, they do not dominate the ball. Jed sits infront of the Back four......a man mountain, but that leaves the offensive side short, which he has trouble contributing too there again an observation not a criticism.# ( probably our best player to day in what he does best) There are players we have that are getting praise, but they can't do it with out unnecessary help, we can't play with 15 players. some of our players are expecting others to do it for them. We say the 2 CB's are playing great......Take Jed out......Bang!!!......different ball game. I am not having a go.....don't get me wrong.....good result, but we have a long way to go......with or without Steve Bruce.

If you are asking me has he set this up to become hard to beat, i would say yes.......If you are then saying he has set us up to play this poor, I would say no......its a by product. He doesn't want us playing this bad. In my view, its not the same.....perhaps you think its envitable, I am not so sure its is.

I am not a Bacuna fan, so it would not take much persuading me.....but Steve Bruce has already said he gives me more energy, thats his opinion. I am surprised at Hourihane ,I was expecting him to dominate the ball more.....but its still early days.

I agree the style of football has to improve......it just happens that Steve Bruce agrees with you too. How do you know that the stats you mention, were not actually down to the players they played with at their previous clubs , just a thought. I have seen very little to get excited about from Hourihane or Lansbury. our attacks break down too easily and we lose the ball far too easily. we are some way from playing the way you , me and Steve Bruce wants us to play.

He may have the assists....but not as much energy. we do need a busy industrious midfielder, I don't think Hourihane is

Its not as daft as it sounds.....I think the ground does raise expectations, maybe standards they just can't reach.

yes, in the main, I think it's the players fault, in as much as I think they could do more. If i don't understand the basics.....don't debate with me. but has it ever occurred to you.....I simply do not agree with you. i would suspect the issues surrounding Grealish and Adomah we would disagree on anyway, so I am not going to try.

When you have fallen as far as we have .......you are never going to replace them in one window with suitable quality to take us back to where we want to be. It has to be a gradual improving process.......players that are good enough ,will not want to sign for us......we have to sign marginally better until our status improves and we can once again sign who we want. its a slow evolving process for us now.

I see what you see. but my interpretation is much different from yours. but I also see a Harry Redknapp team that has emulated a Gary Rowett team....so maybe he didn't need much time to explain it. This Blues team was above us until a Rowett left and brought in a manager that tried to Introduce a brand of football the players could not capitalise from.....just like we had a RDM team that our players could not capitalise with his theories. you can have all the gameplans and systems in creation.......but you have to have the players to play them.

But ironically had they (Blues) continued their "hard to beat"style under Rowett, they would have possibly been still above us. Zola is from the champagne football camp and these Blues players and ours have not got the quality to play it......arguably RDM is another one from that camp, who thought he could do it......the similarities are alarming. Its all very well, talking attacking football but you have to have players who can do i it without constantly losing the ball....we have players who attempt it and the moves break down......we are not ready for it. Steve Bruce was right to make us " hard to beat" in his initial approach.....He himself see's what we see....he has said today, we have much to do to improve and expects a busy summer. that says a lot to me.

Tony Morley scoffing all these formations on WM, saying it's a load of old rubbish. Said Harry just set them up " hard to beat".....and got them fired up. When you have teams like us and Blues you have to initially set them up "hard to beat" we still have a long way to go. Tony said "Gabby wins a tackle and gets the crowd going, that says a lot about the other players, what were they doing to fire up the crowd?

Many.....also, too many are too samey. I think he will bring in c 5-6 in the summer. when Gabby had to galvanise things.......there are still too many issues. I was always of the opinion that this will take an evolving process over many windows.....don't see many of these players being with us if we are to progress.

Or Gabby came on to rally the troops that should not have had to happen......too many players with no fire in their bellies, no effect, no contribution, no self respect. He changed the game.....and the players responded. It may not happen next season either.......but it will happen. IMO you make too much play on systems and not enough on the players themselves.

I do not subscribe to the theory that Steve Bruce is playing like this out of choice. He is playing like it because he feels it's his only way to get wins and points.Necessity is the mother of invention. what comes first the chicken or the egg......The players have to show enough, that allows SB to give them the licence to attack......but they get beat by their opponent far too often, that puts us back on the back foot And sucks us in to defence. Steve has already just admitted that he has much work to do and has also admitted to a busy summer ahead......which tells you the players are not good enough. Gabby should not have to rally the troops like he did.....many of them are simply not up to it.