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....makes no sense at all!

How would we have done this!?!?

Given how shit we are with 11, I don't think we should start playing with 10 men!

I'm resigned to us not reaching the play-offs now. I like to think we'll win more than we'll lose between now and the season's end. I just don't see a turn around in our results that's gonna trouble the top 7 or 8. If results and performances don't improve significantly, given the signings just made, then there's a decision to be made on Bruce come May. I say that as someone who was accepting of his appointment. The one issue that's bugged me, and it was RDM's undoing also, is our failure to match our opponent's intensity and desire, week after week. This seemed to have improved initially under Bruce. We've seemed very passive of late, however. Not like a team determined to turn their season around. The manager can't be blameless in all this, however much he likes to transfer blame. He's now got a squad capable of play-off results. I'd like to see them display that in the remaining games. Rectify this crippling deficiency by the end of the season please SB! Otherwise we should look for someone who can.

...Maybe your 8-a-side team are taking it too seriously!?!?!?

This only makes sense if we're on the verge of signing a starter up front. Could do with 2 forwards coming in now. Leaving it late! He tried as much as anyone last season. Which I respect him for. He hasn't had the impact I expected him to have this season, for whatever reasons. I'd rather keep him until the summer but he probably fancies the move. The club probably fancy the money. Good Luck to him if he goes.

Yeah, a loan move will be good for him, he needs to get games under his belt. More chance of that at Forest. I think he's got potential. I'd like to see him go and show it on loan. With his lack of opportunities under Bruce, I do wonder about his commitment in training, his motivation. Will he be motivated at Forest?...Or has he not had a fair chance under Bruce? Either way, we've got a few better options right now.

That's the spirit! Maybe he's had a growth spurt.

I posted "utter madness", maybe a little hyperbolic on reflection...maybe just madness! You talk about making an assumption about his trajectory, but that's precisely what you seem to be doing. Yes, he's been an idiot off the field at times. The lad is still only 21 though. Whatever else anyone thinks of Grealish, I'm convinced he wants to succeed at Villa, really bad. I think you and I are both saying let's wait and see. In terms of potential where would you rate Grealish, compared to other academy players? I don't know your time of reference. Barry looked like a future England international at 17. I'd argue he's possibly the most exciting since then.

It would be utter madness to sell Grealish at this moment in time! UTTER MADNESS!!! When I read comments by Villa fans such as...massive liability, gets fouled to much, (how dare he!) surplus to requirements, bit part player, championship will remain his level...well, I just despair! I feel, rightly or wrongly, that he's being judged for more than his footballing ability. The stand out moment for me, surely ALL Villa fans, in this last half a decade off relentless shite, was the Liverpool semi. The day when our best two players of that half a decade and a raw, homegrown 19 year old dragged us from a goal down against the hot favourites. The pride and joy of that day was magnified by the performance of Grealish. One of our own! Nearly two years on, I'd have expected to have seen a lot, lot more from him by now. Let's look at the whole picture though. His detractors keep banging on about "no end product". No end product in a team that was one of the worst in the history of PL football, under managers with no clue, surrounded by players with very little ability, and even less desire. On to this season, similar problems, playing in a team that has weekly failed to match the desire of their always "up for it" opponents. Couple this with their frightening inability to do schoolboy soccer basics like move into space, keep the ball moving. Someone posted about his end product for the U21s. Compared to his statistics at Villa, it's like they're for a different player. 6 appearances, 2 goals, 4 assists, 2 motm, I think. Is this end product acceptable??? This is why selling the, probably, most naturally talented player we have developed since the days of Yorke and Barry at this moment in time would be utter madness and, for me, unforgivable. I'm not going to say he's definitely going to be the Messiah, there are no guarantees, and he's got a lot of hard work ahead of him but, ffs, if you can't see his massive potential...well, I can't help you there. Let's judge him in a team that has Lansbury and Hourihane at it's heart, not Westwood and Gardner. Edit. Just noticed similarities with markavfc40's post. I wasn't plagiarising mate.We're just great minds, I think!

As he's the linked player I've wanted us to sign the most I'm feeling uneasy about this delay. The Villa's propensity for disappointing of late has me imagining a late gazumping by some relegation fighting PL team. The signings so far are promising, but Hourihane is the one that would have me believing we could sneak into the play-offs.

Sad, sad news. It's hard to explain to younger Villans just what a saviour he was first time around. As has been said, he brought Platt, McGrath and Yorke to our club. Arguably the only 3 world class players we've had in the last 30 years. Incredible memories from the 2nd division days to pushing a fearsome Liverpool team almost all the way. Damn you England for taking him from us too soon. The booing he received on the pitch at the end of his second spell was one of my least favourite afternoons as a Villa fan. Of all the people that didn't deserve booing in the history of our club.... R.I.P. Sir Graham.

According to Bleacher Report "journalist?" .....chortle, chortle.

Aston Villa are THE greatest club in all sports of every country in the world to me....but I also believe Delph contributed a lot for our great club. A proper leader. I never felt Delph was as bad as people made out in his post-injury days. At least he always tried, and he became a leader by example on the pitch....we sure missed that when he left! We will agree to disagree.

I guess it's all about perception. Treated us like shit?....erm....ok! His own drive and determination turned him into an England international, not Aston Villa. "Posting the images?" I seem to recall 1 image, posted by Raheem Sterling! Bet you still think Westwood had only 3 touches! We had to "stick by him," as you say. It's called a contract. And finally..."it's about morals?"....he had a change of heart. Maybe after realising Lerner was gonna cash in on the only other quality player we had. Should he have show the same lack of ambition as Lerner, so nobler would call him a Villa legend?

All this snake rubbish makes me laugh. If we had 11 players with the ability and application of Delph we'd be consistently top half in the Prem. Funny how Benteke, the man who admitted on arrival that we were a stepping stone, is still so revered, yet Delph is compared to Gabby and Hodge! Delph has been my favourite player of these last six years, because he's the epitomy of what you should want from a player. Battled through horrendous injuries, never stopped trying to improve himself, proved SO many fans wrong by overcoming his problems and, through sheer determination, made himself an England international. Yes, he said he was staying, and then he changed his mind. It was embarrassing, and annoying at the time, but big deal, get over it. At least he was conflicted by the decision! Most players would have been out of VP without a second thought. I'd LOVE IT if Fabian Delph came back. Too good for us atm though, I'm afraid.

Yeah, I was plagiarising. Seemed appropriate.

I was happy when Bruce got the job, and his ppg compared to RDM is a massive improvement for sure....but some of his decisions are infuriating. Cardiff away was always going to be a battle. When I saw the centre 2 he picked, I was sure we'd lose the battle. As inept a decision as RDM's Preston line up. So, he admits he picked the wrong team. Well good on you! Don't throw your players under the bus to placate the fanbase though! That don't impress me much. From what I've seen of all 3 players, (AW and GG over years, and AT over half a season) Tish is top of the pecking order, even more so v Cardiff away! With Jedinak missing picking Tish was IMPERATIVE for me...but that's been the case all season

Well I've seen him boss the midfield in at least one and a half games this season. (Rotherham and Newcastle) Westwood and Gardner haven't done that in any game for the first team....ever! So, yes, he really, really has.

He's shown more than Westwood and Gardner, in a lot less game time, imo!

I don't think ANYBODY is going to stop the Geordies...unfortunately, definitely not us, the turnaround in results for both teams just seems too unlikely. 2nd is something we should be striving for though. I haven't been overly impressed with any performance since SB took over, (Wolves and B-lose were actually disappointing) but we got the points on the board to get some momentum going. Results bring confidence so I'm hoping individual and team performances will continue to improve. A few people have stated they don't think we're good enough to even make the play-offs! I'd strongly disagree with that. We're still on paper (yes, I know!) One of the stronger teams in this league. I agree when people say anyone can beat anyone in this league, and this indicates to me a certain low-standard much of a muchness. The problem we'll have all season is that EVERY team will want to beat moneybags Villa just a little bit more, try harder to do so. Under RDM, we never seemed to grasp this fact, never seemed to match our opponent's intensity or determination, or BELIEF, for that matter! Our slow start and those late lapses gave every team added confidence and determination to keep going for the full 90. Under pressure, low on confidence and with nothing coming from RDM in terms of tactics or leadership, we were getting worse, floundering in fact. So while we're not performing as I'd like at the moment SB has certainly addressed the issue of matching our opponent's intensity and effort. That's a good place to start, I expect the better performances to follow. I do think there's a little too much to do for top 2 but I do EXPECT a play-off spot. Sorry for the long-winded post!

I think Gabby's professionalism has been questionable for a number of years now. The alleged disrespect and defiance towards Houllier. The ott personal weights program that seemed more about vanity than any attempt to improve his effectiveness on the pitch. The numerous times he was unavailable due to "illness." The seemingly couldn't care less persona on the pitch and, as we saw last season, off it. The last straw for me was his refusal of a loan move to Reading, one more two-fingered salute to the owner, manager and fans of the club. He was presented with the option of showing everybody that, actually, "yes, I do care about the club, it does mean something to me being a Villa player, and I'll work to get back in the squad." His preferred option was to sit on his ass and not bother. He hasn't bothered to such an extent that, almost 3 months into the season, he's put on a 6 WEEK fitness program just so he can be considered for first team action. Putting aside all nonsense about "personal circumstances" I ask his apologists and defenders, "how do you defend this?"

"When he played." You're using probably his worst performance of the season to make a massive generalisation. If Wolves is the barometer there's any number of players who should be " takinga back seat." His introduction v Newcastle was a significant factor in us changing the course of the game. (and, no, not just because he scored.) In our solitary win under RDM he bossed the centre of the pitch.(yes, I know it was "only" Rotherham.) Short memory much!? I'm just hoping he's not been fully fit so SB's been saving him for The Big One.

I'm concerned that Bruce seems to prefer Westwood, Gardner and Jedinak over Tish because, as I said, he's our best midfielder imo, and being overlooked for lesser players. We're winning because we've got a proper manager and our luck has turned. That's irrelevant to the point I made. I want Tish in the team.