villianusa

Another good win. He still has us on course for a chance of promotion. Still, a long way to go. To win, after receiving the news about our forwards this week will give the players a boost to move on and do it without them.

Whatever formation a team may play (442, 433, 532, etc) there are also a number of patterns of play that a team can choose to play. The POP, dictate who passes to who and in what area of the field. Then on top of that, there is what tempo a team is going to do it at. These things added together, can lead to many different ways a team may play with the same formation. Teams who do this well, (Brazil, Barcelona, Arsenal) make it look so fluid and that it's just natural and down to just ability. It isn't, these teams practice and practice this until players know where to be at all times. Either though I'm not against Bruce, it doesn't look like we practice this enough. We often look very splintered, and not knowing where the next ball should be played. There is an article somewhere, where Bruce says he doesn't pay much mind to tactics. This practice normally takes place in preseason, because it can take 2-3 months to get everybody on board. If I could get a few minutes with Bruce, this is what I would ask him to work more with the team on. Players are often left isolated, with very little movement off the ball. Saying that some of the passes from players this season has been abysmal. The players need to be able to pass consistently well, or we are never going reach our full potential, no matter what formation we play

If we can stay in touch with the leaders going into the new year, I'll be happy. Not an ideal position, but no team is going to win every game, no matter what their name is or what the fans expect. I expect us to be promoted this year, and I still feel Bruce is capable of doing that. A little bit harder now Terry is injured. I'm looking forward to the next game, I haven't said that much in seasons prior.

Read the post above from H&V, it explains quite a lot.

I'm not trying to dismiss you point of view as in some cases it is true. I have also played at the level you have for over 20 years, and have also coached a a fairly high level during and after that also. Going through my UEFA licences, I have worked with some present Premier League managers and coaches. Talking to pro players, I was amazed how some find even the slightest change to tactics so difficult to get to grips with. i'm not saying that all players aren't the brightest, but quite a few that I have experienced could have done with studying a bit more at school. These are players who probably never went onto get a degree, and were set financially by their early 20's and on their way by the time most of us think of higher education. You can have most of the team get the system get the system very quickly, but a few struggle, and the team will also. Sadly, it seems teams struggle to get 11 good players, who have the book smarts too. Coaches with may more years of coaching experience than me, and at an even higher level, are the ones who express the time it takes the majority of teams to change systems.

We don't know who he was trying to bring, but we do know he brought Hogan in. We don't know what other players he may have tried for and was turned down until he finally got Hogan. We do know he tried playing a 12 million player who was pants. We don't know if he was told he had to play the 12 million player and told there wasn't money available. Maybe, Tony panicked at the end of a poor month and said we need to get someone in. All we do know is we got Hogan right at the end. So, to make the assumption that Bruce didn't try or want another forward earlier in January is a little unfair. If you can find somewhere that he said that, then I would stand corrected. I do remember saying he bought Hogan because he was cheaper than Rhodes, so it might support Tony wanting to splash too much on forwards when he had already spent a bunch on McCormack and Codger. I actually think a bigger mistake was changing the midfield so quickly after the Cardiff defeat. Westwood and Gardner had been doing okay, and we were on the way up. One defeat, and he tried to cram in Lansbury and Hourihane, and for me, it was too much too soon. What would be those bolded issues be in your mind?

If I was looking for dramatic effect, then I would post against every pro-Bruce, or visa versa. I believe plenty of these have been in and around the first team http://www.worldfootball.net/teams/aston-villa/2017/6/ http://www.worldfootball.net/teams/aston-villa/2018/6/6/ If you think all those changes are going to build stability, then I would care to disagree. You don't think the club was in turmoil when Bruce took over? In the relegation zone of the Championship, 1 win in 11, after the worst every season in Premier League, after 6 years in decline. We have a new owner who was looking to spend and I'm happy for that. If not turmoil, then what? I think the signing of Snodgrass, Elmo, and Onomah have helped with the creativity and the resurgence of Albert. Leaving Davis out when you have Hogan is understandable to me. Spending 12-15 million in January on Hogan meant he had to try and get him firing, it didn't work out and Davis has now taken his chance. We were as you say, conceding goals later in the game, so yes the player he has brought it has helped fix that. Terry, Snodgrass, Elmo, and Whelan, while being able to hold onto Johnstone. I think our aim is promotion, an automatic promotion would be great, but in through the play-off will do just fine.

If Bruce, continues to play the same formation and the same players, and the player's performance drop, then it falls on the player. We can't expect them to perform 24/7 (players have bad games), and it would then be the manager's fault if he didn't make the correct subs during the game, or in future games, if the poor performances continue. Now, if the manager changes the tactics and things go pear-shaped, then that falls at his door. I apologize if I didn't explain my opinion clearly enough first time. "Become more entertaining", than we have been. We are never going to be Barcelona, but wins will build confidence, in turn, players are more relaxed, and more likely to entertain. I would certainly agree with your last sentence.

Since we were relegated, 39 players have been sold or loaned out and 35 players have been purchased or loaned. This comes on the back of the clubs worst season in the Premier League, on the back of 6 seasons of dross caused by years of mismanagement, and poor managers. RMD came in an try to buy his way to success, and due to the teams poor run, he was fired (we'll never know if he could have turned it around). Bruce took over a club in turmoil, old players who had given up hope and new players who were trying to find their footing at the club. Bruce got the team on some sort of run before Christmas, and I believe he made the mistake of trying to bring in players to fill in for Codger while he was away. It didn't work and too many changes were made and we went into another slump. The remainder of the season showed him what players would take the club forward and those that wouldn't. He made a couple of poor purchases, but for the best part his have turned out well. Over the summer, he has worked well to fix the issues that we all saw towards the end of the season. 14 players in, 14 players out over the summer has caused a period of settling that has made performances inconsistent and not much fun to watch. The club and the players are finally starting to come out of the years of depression, but it still going to take some time for this to happen. With the amount of turnover of players, and trying to change the mindset of the club has taken longer than some have wanted. Even though I have supported Bruce for the best part I started to waiver before the Reading game. It can take teams 2-3 months to finally understand a new pattern of play and a new system, and with so many players in and out, this can take longer. The team has had good September, but he needs to push on against tougher teams after the international break. In this league, some wins will be pretty and other will be a mindboring 1-0 win with a lucky goal of someone's shin. I'm okay with that, as long as we keep moving up the league. Personally, during the poor games, you have to blame the players on the field for this, and the managers if he doesn't make the changes to fix it during the game and subsequent games. I believe over time, the team will continue to become more entertaining and be successful in promotion to the Premier League. All of us want us to be there, the only difference is some want Bruce and other's don't. If we are outside the playoffs going into the new year, then for me bigger questions need to be asked. I understand where you are coming from, but from the club is coming from, it takes more than just having good players on paper.

Which are the players you are referring to? And he said he recently, he wanted to make our defense more difficult to beat and that does sometimes lead to less entertaining football. I believe he has finally achieved that and hopefully we can continue to improve in attacking areas.

Why is it? He has shown with the right players he can get teams promoted, last season we didn't have the right team. Hopefully, this season he does.

Wolves won't play like Bolton They won't kick our forwards every time they get the ball, try to stifle play at every opportunity. You play the team in front of you, sometimes you can beat teams prettily, other times you have to scrap for an ugly win. That's what we did today, and I'm happy with a win, and another clean sheet.

Thanks

What did JK do that was so selfish? Following the forum as I'm at work.

If you are handed a bucket of s#%t, it takes time to add the right ingredients to turn it into manure,

I only caught the second half, but I don't see how you can't beat Bruce up when the players can't keep hold of the ball. In the last 20 minutes, I lost count of the number of times players lost possession when they weren't really in much trouble. This is down to the players, we had plenty of possession. but Forest had more because players lost most of the 50-50's and gave the ball away too many times. We should win the next two and that should put us in the playoffs going into the international break. I'll be happy with that at the end of October.

I disagree, but that's what forums are all about.

I honestly don't know where he fits in the team. He needs to to improve his game to get into the starting line up for me. For all his potential he hasn't shown a great deal for me except for the odd moment and game here and there. Good off the bench against tired players, but not a starter for me.

I believe we bought Taylor to replace a poor defender not a winger. I always thought Amavi would be a better left midfielder than defender and your points seem to agree with my view point. I would of kept him and played him ahead of Taylor as I believe it would have given us more balance.

Sacked Rowett when they were 7th I believe, always thought it was a smart move. :))

Glad he is doing well, also rated him when he was here.

Never said they were plentiful, but we are still missing chances other teams would be putting away. If that is playing under pressure, or players just being careless it needs to be corrected. We still had enough clear cut chances to win the game yesterday.

Only saw the highlights, but we should of won that game. Our players are missing chances that international players shouldn't be missing. I have to agree with Bruce when he says our missed chances are costing us. If they keep happening they will cost him his job. I agree, he probably should have gone on the attack after the sending off, but you practice a formation all week, I can see why you would want to try it a bit longer in the game. I would have sent Lansbury off too, there is difference between taking one for the team and the cynical (high) tackle he did.

How was the result met by the fans at the ground?

If we could win today, we'd have been two points closer to the leaders with Cardiff losing. It just never seems to want to go our way.