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1 minute ago, Stevo985 said:

I think that's a reluctance that you perceive, but isn't actually true.

If they're good enough, he'll play them. He had Green ahead of Adomah before Green's injury, he's clearly not reluctant to play him. I'd wager he'll be first choice again soon.

Yeah he went with experience last night, and we won 3-1, and Elmo scored, so I think it's justified.

He also gave game time to RHM. 

Plus he's just signed Tuanzebe, apparently to be first choice, and bidding on Bryan, another young player.

 

Yeah Bruce probably does lean towards experience more, maybe too much, but like most things involving him, it's greatly exaggerated on VT. This perception that he never plays or signs young players is just plain wrong.

I think any younger signings will be due to his instructions from above as he has alluded to regarding the block on attempts to resign Terry and Snodgrass. We will see if this season he gets on board with a philosophy that is not a natural fit for him. Time will tell, I guess...

18 minutes ago, terrytini said:

I would agree he has always tended more towards experience than youth, there is nothing intrinsically wrong with that.

However,  call me crazy but I think he, along with his staff, assesses the relative merits of his squad on an ongoing basis. I doubt he would deliberately chose players he thought were inferior to others.

No use picking someone just because they are younger than someone else, and nomgood just throwing them in any how, any time.

He has said we need to be fresher, quicker, and younger. Again, call me stark raving bonkers, but I’m going to believe he isn’t lying.

Yes but he always seems to side with experience due to a perceived lack of trust with the younger players. After watching the pre-season games, I do not understand how he decided to pick Elmo on the wing as opposed to Green. I know that Elmo scored, however, it is this inherent reluctance, on the face of it, to give the younger option a place in the X1 that baffles me.

Bruce commnet after the game "“I just went for a bit of experience and know-how in the first game of the season".

Rinse and repeat! He will say he wants to make the team a lot younger but it's in his DNA to default back to 'experience'......leopard and spots...

I will never be a fan of Bruce and his style of football but a win is a win. I think he has been told very clearly by the owners that the 'young, quick' players route must be taken by him; I've never heard Bruce talk so much about how slow we were in the first half and that we needed an injection of pace that Green and RHM gave us.

I do not believe that Bruce can change his style of play enough to incorporate the required strategy but at least it was refreshing to hear him talking about how we need 'young players' and that 'we needed to be a lot quicker'. Our team is woefully short of real pace so hopefully the next couple of weeks ion the market will start to address that issue...along with our lack of any creativity (Jack aside).

3 hours ago, sheepyvillian said:

That's why when we lose, it's so dreary. There's no punch to our play, it's almost pedestrian at times. We need more purpose to our play. Even with a 3 - 1victory away, there's a feeling of something is still not right.

100% this. We simply have to get more pace into the side. We are extremely one dimensional most of the time and if Jack doesn't get involved we are desperately short on creative ability.

3 minutes ago, sne said:

Might be 5-3-1-1 or something like that?

Certainly isn't 3-5-2

532 or 352.....both mean playing 3 CBs with wing backs......at least in the traditional sense. 

Just now, rodders0223 said:

Current interview now. What do you need to do differently

"We have to be a bit younger. Too many games. Should have changed it more often. The age of squad was wrong side of 30. We need more legs and energy"

 

Starting line up - 7 out of 10 players are or will hit the 30 mark this year.

You **** serious?!?!?!

 

 

100% this mate. 

Shocking team selection. As per bloody normal, Bruce goes safety first. Green on the bench!! WTF!!  6 defensively minded players, if it is 352 why the **** does he have to play a strict holding midfielder and only 1 up front!!??

He simply is the completely wrong person to take us forward. He needs to go ASAP. 

Obviously a massive factor.....but not the only one.

Just now, alreadyexists said:

I think it’s just the way transfers pan out, if we need a CB, a Striker, a CM and an LB, just because we sign the LB first doesn’t mean it’s highest priority. We’d be silly to turn down a good deal/player because we’re waiting to get another player we also want.

Good logic, mate.

Just now, NeilS said:

I would guess he is more of a Wing back than a Left Back judging by that video. Some of his positioning is far too attack minded to be part of a back four, like the header at the far post from open play. Maybe he can play both but obviously the highlights video is going to show him scoring goals rather than defending well, with  Bruce looking to implement a 3-5-2 formation, this would make sense.

it would only make sense if we had any bloody CBs!! 

Just now, Jareth said:

We'll get him then.

You'd like to think so.....i'm unsure as to what our current wage structure is now with FFP still a major factor... 

He's got a straight choice between us and Boro......both of us have agreed fee.

Boro have also agreed fee for him......

Again, I don't think that term, dinosaur, is discriminatory. I use it myself to indicate a manager who uses outdated tactics and strategies....it is the approach that is dated not the physical attributes of the man himself!

Crikey...didn't see that coming! Not that I don't rate the lad but i hope this doesn't impact on our CB, Winger and Striker signings that, to me, are a greater priority......

1 minute ago, osmark86 said:

well it's something that we'll see over the coming games.

I think people make too much fuss over the guy's age tbh. It's as if the common feeling is that since he is old his ways are outdated and he is incapable of learning and approaching problems differently. I believe he is smarter than this and also has demonstrated willingness to try different things albeit with mixed results. I can understand criticism of him from the point of view of his managerial abilities, but bringing age into the equation is a cheap shot at best and straight up discriminatory at worse.

Wow....'old dog, new tricks' is a figure of speech. Don't see why people would view that as discriminatory??

Patience is the key here. We are now owned by 2 very successful businessmen who will be fully aware of what is required from a Snr Mgmt perspective. I trust them to make the appropriate appointments accordingly. 

1 hour ago, A'Villan said:

Is our ability to hunt the best of CEO's limited in any financial capacity by our other financial responsibilities, like FFP?

I think his/her salary would contribute to our FFP costs so it may be a consideration.....

2 minutes ago, alreadyexists said:

Just something I was thinking about today, but does anyone else get the feeling that this season is a bit of a write off for Sawaris and Edens?

If they don’t invest this year, but remain competitive then next year they can spend more as that first year of Dr’s splurge will be off the three year FFP schedule.

Might explain them not spending too much now... it’s a rebuild year?

Not to rinse and repeat what is in the FFP thread.....they can’t spend big money even if they wanted to, simple as that. 

Hands massively tied for the short and med term future......unless we make....oooh I dunno.....at least £30M in player sales....now where we gonna get that sort of money from

1 hour ago, omariqy said:

I'd be shocked if he is still here by the end of the window.

Completely agree. Pretty much certain to leave. This will massively help to address our FFP obligations and get us on a sound financial footing going forward. I would be as gutted as anyone but no Championship club can turn down £30m for one player no matter who it is. As I’ve previously said, Mendes remit must surely include a JG replacement. 

Looking at FFP I imagine his replacement would be a loan with option to buy. 

9 minutes ago, DaveAV1 said:

I don’t disagree that counter attacking football is a very effective tactic when done well. Leicester won the league doing it. The problem with us was that we tried to do it with a team that lacked real pace. We lack pace all over the pitch and don’t turn defence into attack quickly enough. Allied to this lack of physical speed, I feel we also lack in speed of thought. We don’t have enough players with nous. 

I believe also this lack of smart thinking has been endemic throughout the club, on and off the pitch, for years. Hopefully the new owners can remedy this. 

Top post mate, couldn’t agree more. Football today is all about power and pace, especially the Champ. At this moment in time, our squad lacks both and that is a real concern. 

I will be staggered if Jack is still here after the 9th. Too much noise around this transfer even if it is all coming from London...

54 minutes ago, stegzy said:

Watching the Westham game and unfortunately Snodgrass started and has played really well and just set up Toni Martinez for the only goal with a great bit of play.

He isn't coming back....let's move on.

Possibly,  but I doubt billionaire owners would be swayed by some of Bruce's mates. I am confident that they did speak to Henry but I guess the real reason it was not pursued will never be known.