QldVilla

Your right. The unfortunate thing is that Bruce wants to play a certain type of football, but he isn't communicating it in a simple way that the players understand. It would seem a simple thing, but it is the difference between a good and great Manager.

Thanks professor...

The owners are being methodical with their appointments and won't be rushed. I don't think it's a matter of being in the bottom 3, I believe they will be focussing on how many wins they are out of the Top 6. You could be bottom 3 and only 3 wins out of the 6. The magic number I think may be 10 points out of the 6, and every 3 games that's 1 point less. Then they may pull the trigger before the season is lost. If I was them that would be my summation, but then again if it was me Bruce would be gone....

The owners aren't dumb, nor are they going to change manager just to appease the fan base. As some have mentioned already, until they appoint their director of football, Bruce stays.

I think there is some truth to this also, but the big clubs bounce straight back eg Newcastle etc. Villa were in a mess though and our early transfer business made it worse, but we should have bounced back last season. Bruce had his window.

The owners needed to pull the trigger in the international break, but now we are virtually in October, it has now become urgent. The million dollar question is however, have they identified their man?

It became quite clear during the Managers after match interview that he wasn't able to get the team to play the way he wanted, and that they have no plan B. He was talking about how the opposition had 5 at the back and 4 in the midfield. Are you surprised? He should be setting out the team to counteract these tactics because most teams are going to come to Villa Park, park the bus, and hope to nick a goal. Its getting worse each week.

Your kidding aren't you, cryptic messages...... an individual can be the biggest turd in the world, doesn't mean he doesn't know his job. One thing I also know when hearing things 3rd, 4th, 5th .... hand etc, those people before put their own spin, bias etc on the information, so by the time it gets to you it sounds nothing like the original message. I'm no supporter of Bruce, I think his time may be up, but the if you know what I know route is just bollocks. Nothing personal.

You just can't focus on the on field side. Bruce steadied a sinking ship 2 years ago and repaired it. HE took the team from relegation fodder to a play off final. Should we had done better than this? Absolutely. Let's just not underestimate what Bruce has done for the club. it's right that we are focussing on the on field concerns, but don't diminish his other good work for the club. It's quite apparent we need a new manager to take this team forward, but we have to identify a better one first.

Agree. I was prepared to give the manager until October, but I don't see those little signs that the team is coming together and evolving. I think the owners need to pull the trigger, but have they had the time to identify their man?

Would be the signing of the century for AV, but can't see him joining a championship club, but happy to be proved wrong.

It's been a crazy summer not being able to sign players, then with two weeks to kick off having new owners and being competitive in the transfer market again. But the weakness in central defence was always there and from the outside no clear plan or urgency to correct this imbalance. We shouldn't be signing a CB if there wasn't a better player available, a quality one is hard to find. As a member has already stated Chester goes down, we are in trouble. I hope there's a plan C, because we have 16 weeks until January and this period may just break our season if one or two CD go down injured.

You could be right, or he can't loan a better CB than what we have, sometimes it can be a catch 22. I hope he does find the right player to put in at CB, it could make the clubs season.

Agree. I think the manager has built up some credit over the past 2 years. We can nit pick about where we think the club should be, but that minimises where the club was after relegation, and the subsequent poor signings before Bruce's appointment. But that doesn't remove the concerns with how we are playing. The manager wasn't able to get the players he wanted this season due to the financial crisis, again, it shouldn't be minimilised. He basically only had two weeks to do anything, when he was preparing to lose his best players. But the club needs to try to correct it, where it can, with loan signings. Terry left a big hole in defence, his leadership, experience, confidence etc, IMO that's what we're lacking at the back. How we are travelling in October, will tell us how the club is situated.

I don't think anyone is offended by him not signing, but they have every right to be offended with his attitude and his actions. Villa tried to sign him in good faith, he showed none in return.

I'm glad we didn't sign this numpty, but the behaviour of Bristol, like it's a funny joke, Fulham who had every chance to show interest in the same time both Middlesbrough and Villa did, but waited knowing the player was in the middle of a medical and agreeing terms before acting one final time. But worse of all the player and his agent. There's a thing called class and integrity, of which neither have any. We can make excuses as fans, oh well it's a PL club, his heads been turned. He could have chosen Middlesbrough over Villa, but he didn't. If he wanted to go to a PL club he could have turned us down and stayed at Bristol. Whether he's signed a contract or not, that he chose Villa over Middlesbrough went through a medical and ageeed personal terms shows intent, everything else is just white noise. Did the player or his agent even ring to apologise to the manager and Villa for wasting their time? It would have been the right thing to do and treat Villa in the same terms and respect that they treated the player. Shame on Bristol, shame on the player and his agent.

It's one thing playing possession football, but you need to have the creative wide players who can deliver a pass for the striker. I don't think Gabby or Weimann are these type of players, at their best they can play off the main striker Benteke. I was in France earlier last year and had the opportunity to go to a couple of games, the one player that stood out to me was Morgan Sanson from Montpellier, he can play the Weimann role but he's at his best as an AM, can deliver a killer pass, good work rate and scores goals. For me he's the type of player we need to target to build pressure on defences in attack.

I think after the statements from both the general and the CEO in the past 24 hrs, we can disregard certain Managers that have been mentioned. They are looking for a similar manager to O'Neill, who plays both a similar type of football, and makes the team hard to beat. Lerner, obviously wants to keep the same squad, and doesnt want a mass exodus for the new Managers type of play. But also has a history in bringing through the next generation. My market is: Curbishley 7/4 Moyes 3/1 Sven 5/1 Hughes 8/1 Jol 10/1

Ahhh Jon, thanks for your most insightful response, but somehow I feel dumber for having to have read it.

Would appear my saying you can have the credit for the article has stuck Bri :-) Thanks for telling me what I can and can't do & When MON played a reserve side in the Europa league and got knocked out people went a little nuts, in addition in our cup exits to Leicester and QPR were criticised. So he was damned if he did and damned if he didn't. Furthermore I enjoyed the day at Wembley and there is no conclusive evidence that we would have finished 4th without the final that day in addition had it not been for the guy with a serious lack of bottle in the middle we'd have a trophy in the cabinet. This I agree with based on the fact we don't have the money to spend to overtake city. I always wonder IF someone had pulled a red card at Wembley how much of the vitrole aimed at Martin wouldn't exist as we'd have a trophy in the cabint. It's a mighty big word is if and if you are suggesting this is a knee jerk reaction you'd be wrong! Richard at not stage in my remarks was I referring to yourself. I can't forgive him for failing to learn from two seasons, when in a good position, to capitilise and break into the Top 4. You seem to forget that significant amount of players were frozen out of the first team last season, and didn't even , if rarely got chance or time in the Cup games, ie Reo Coker, Sidwell, Young, Davies, Harewood etc. At times during last season the team played tired and cost us premiership points, further his inability to change the Home form over the past two seasons verges on being incompetent. O'Neill has his own coaching methodology, but it is also flawed, and cost us a Champion League position. You seem to forget that one of the Big 4 cracked under the pressure last season, Arsenal nearly did the season before. In my opinion Tottenham won't cope with the extra competition this season, and Liverpool don't look any better, so we still could of pushed for the the Top 4.

I think it it's as bad as the information we are getting and neither Jol or Moyes (and I still can't rule him out, as he will become frustrated if Everton have another slow start) will come, then Erickson is the next best bet, he has the scouting network and tactically sound.

Sorry BOF, but I have to disagree with this article. As much as the reason O'Neill leaving may have some merit, it would also be remiss to mention that he was also in the position in the past two seasons in finish in the Top 4, but bottled it! You might be able to forgive him two seasons ago for failing to finish in the Top4, but when you get two chances, you can't forgive him, and I'll outline the reasons why: 1. The past two seasons our Away form has been as good if not better than the Top4, however our Home form was average, and the Manager made no attempt, (or if he did attempt, he failed to deliver) to change this in the past season. 2. He could have thrown all the resources into the League last season, but also focused on the Cups. 3. He was unable to show faith in players that he brought to the club to rotate them through the squad, he could of played these palyers in the domestic cups comps, but he didn't. 4. His inability to identify players in the european leagues of similar talent to replace those he's lost. No one can tell that there are not players of the same calibre of Milner and Barry or even better who would be available and happy to play for the Villa. His focus on british players has contributed to his conundrum. O'Neill is a very good Manager, but also a smart one. I for one don't believe he could take us any further, unless there was a real shift in his methodology. There has always been a bit of hype that goes with O'Neill, I believe he walked before the hype was diminished, and some of his weaknesses exposed.

General, I don't post often on this forum, but I do check reguarly on what is being spoken on the forum. I have been a Villa supporter for a very long time like most on the site, and we have seen it all before. I'm not going to get into the nuances of the Manager leaving, as I believe I have a good read on what has been going on behind closed doors, and I support the club in their direction. But what I will say, is that the next step the club takes in appointing a new Manager will define Randy and his ownership of the club. For me there is only one person who can take over from the previous Manager, has the experience and ability to break into the Top 4, is tactically superior and proven over many years at this level, and that is David Moyes. For me, anything less than David Moyes, and the club will take several steps backwards. he is the only person the fans and more importantly, the players will get behind and have confidence that the club can move forward. I hope the club makes the right decision.

After spitting out my Weet-Bix this morning on the news of O'Neill leaving, the one person that immediately came to my mind was, DAVID MOYES!!!!! We should not expect anything less from the Villa, and we should be pickiting the front gate with, We Want David Moyes banners. He is the logical choice, and the players would react to him. To me anything less than Moyes is an insult.