villianusa

1 minute ago, Lichfield Dean said:

Bacuna and Whelan... They were so poor...

We know Whelan can perform consistently well, Bacuna had one good run before his long suspension. Lansbury and Whelan should play together and someone else further up.

The first half was a very good performance and on another day we could have been 2 or 3 goals up. The forwards need to start taking more of their chances as opponents are always going to get a chance or two and they normally score them.

Didn't get to see the second half but it seems it may have been a little like last year. Bruce needs to get it sorted very, very, quickly, or it will be the owner who will be wanting him out and not just a minority of the fans.

2 minutes ago, srsmithusa said:

Actually, I think I can be both shocked and disappointed that Bacuna is in ahead of Green and behind Bacuna, Bruce and the entire team to make a shambles out of Hull.   It's not even hard really.

Thank you for pointing that out.

Bacuna is a bit of a surprise, but the manager has given him the nod. Let's get behind them all and pray Bruce is right.

Thor replaces Green.

Stream anyone?

*Found it

34 minutes ago, supermon said:

We're usually a 45minute team anyway, no wonder this format suited us. Hope we can translate this to the full 90, too many times last year we started the half too slow 

Maybe if they give us a hour break in between halves, we'll be okay?

He played well today and was tracking back when he was playing out wide. I was glad he was giving them a little bit back, dirty f%#$ers!

Just now, Phumfeinz said:

Finally something to replace my current wallpaper with!

 

I'm pretty sure that's a life - size Barry Bannan emerging from that trophy! Oh, wait! :))

Just now, Vive_La_Villa said:

They seem a lot sharper. Wonder why? 

Because we scored a few goals?

1 minute ago, DCJonah said:

Grealish number 10 or wide?

I would think left as McKirdy is a forward.

Just now, sne said:

That CB pairing 

Poor Samba, he'll be playing alone at CB and he hasn't got the legs to cove all that ground.

True test this.

Richards can do the running because he can't do much else.

6 minutes ago, sexbelowsound said:

Will the team for the final be announced anywhere or do we just need to look and see who is out there?

Someone said was this on stream, "Steer, "bree, richards, samba, amavi, bjarnason, whelan, lansbury, grealish, mccurdy, gabby" Not sure if it is 100%

38 minutes ago, Daweii said:

I believe that was Jake Doyle Hayes who was playing the Jedinak/Whelan role.

I thought it was O'Hare (17), who played the more defensive role alongside Hourihane and Haynes (29), who played the #10 role. Either way, they both played really well.

Hayes, the new Bannan? Too soon?

Finally got a chance to sit down and watch the first half of the game. I will watch the 2nd half tomorrow.

Not knowing what Bruce wanted the team to work on during the game, I thought the balance with the 4141 was pretty good. The team defended very well as a unit and only saw a couple of times when players were out of position. Hansbury was caught out a couple of times when he pushed on too quickly and too close to players without much of a chance of getting the ball. The ball was moved quickly around him and that is where Walsall's chance came from. If Bruce wanted them to focus on defending as a team, then I think the team succeeded.

On the attacking side of things, I felt Gabby held the ball up well and brought players into the game. The balls from out wide weren't the best but I think if some of the chances hadn't of fallen to someone who had been out for nearly a season, and a few games back into his recovery we may have scored.

Green, even though he can be exciting, he needs to learn when to release the ball. He took some good positions but when he received the ball, he was too slow to release the ball or picked the wrong pass. He needs more time and I look forward to his future. I would like to see the crosses delivered into the box a little bit quicker and not allow teams to get back into position.

It was good to see center mids making moves into the box and the lone forward not being isolated. There was good delivery from corners, and I think we will score some goals this season from them if he can keep it up.

I believe the ref got the call wrong on Terry's goal. Samba was being held around the waist and it seems the ref called it on him. 

I would like to see us pull defenses further up the field at times and feed balls in behind them and get them on the back foot. We play a lot in front of them and give them too much time to get set. 

Yes, there we sloppy passes, some confusion, but when you are learning something new then there are going to be mistakes but certainly some positives along with the negatives. Onto the second half.

4 minutes ago, Shropshire Lad said:

Team: Johnstone, Bree, Samba, Terry ©, Taylor, Lansbury, Hourihane, Bjarnason, Amavi, Green, Agbonlahor

Subs: Bunn, Chester, Hutton, Richards, Lyden, Veretout, Hogan.

451? or is Green playing up top?

I like Amavi as a left winger with Taylor behind him.

4 minutes ago, theboyangel said:

Their keeper has made some cracking saves. Arguably their best and most effective player today.

I see what you did there!

2 minutes ago, Chicken Field said:

Was the rule not changed this season ? fouling the last man and giving a penalty was supposed to not be a red anymore, as it was a too severe punishment.. ffs

If it is a valid attempt to win the ball. He would have done better to slide in and try and take the ball. May have given a pen but would probably only been a yellow.

Either way, he didn't impede the shot, he had already missed before he pulled him back.

I guess you can slide in and take someone's legs inside the box and it isn't a penalty these days.

Game plan worked to perfection!

Gabby showing Grealish how to be a true legend!

Showing over the last couple of games we can be competitive against teams higher than us in the league even when we are injured prone.

I'm looking forward to the remainder of the games and not dreading a loss at every game. We should be a force after a full preseason together.

1 hour ago, JAMAICAN-VILLAN said:

 

Alan Hutton is the missing ingredient I tell ya!

 

Since Bruce took over we have beat Reading, Fulham, Blackburn, Cardiff, QPR, Burton, Derby, Bristol City, Rotherham and tied Blues, Brighton and Leeds when all four have started.

So you could be right!

20 minutes ago, thabucks said:

I'm not fickle enough to change my views on him just because he has won 3 games in a row after losing 7 games in a row. 

I don't like the way he plays the game and his anti football isn't getting the best out of the players he has at his disposal. 

Happy with the 3 points but Bruce has not shown me anything to suggest he is the man to rebuild us or will make us force to contend with next season. 

 

I thought it was 5 in a row as we drew against Preston but maybe I'm mistaken.