JPAngel

I definitely agree with the above regarding keeping our expectations tempered. If I was offered promotion this season, investment in the summer and an uneventful 14th/15th placed finish come the end of next season then I'd snatch your arm off. We need to get into the Premier League and, primarily, cement ourselves there.

Crikey, that really does put things into perspective doesn't it? I'm not sure I 100% trust Bruce to go out and buy 7-10 players to make us Premier League ready but if the board does, then that's all that matters to me. Plus, the other option is to get in a new manager (and potentially a new coaching team) to oversee the changes and that scares me even more.

No offence taken on the ITK. I'm simply passing on the message. I like Bruce as a bloke and it's good to see that he's as frustrated as we all are - but the key point here is that if he can't change it and only has excuses then it's time to go. The only way my outlook has been changed by learning this is that I should probably be a little less ruthless in my criticism (which I was elsewhere) and at the end of the day, he's just another human. Or a potato.

Hey folks, It's been an awful long time since I posted here (I tend to visit forums at work when I get a spare minute (or hour) but VT is blocked by our proxy sadly. This means I can only use the Vital Villa board. Anyway, I posted something on there a couple of days ago that I thought you might be interested in regarding Bruce (if you haven't already read this). I just had a very interesting conversation with a friend of mine. He was at the day night test cricket last night and was sat in a box with a few other people. Three people of note were someone on the board at Villa (he couldn't remember his name), a certain Mr Bruce and his son Steve! After talking to Mr Bruce, Steve's step dad - an avid Newcastle supporter, he asked him what on earth was going on at Villa Park at the moment. Mr Bruce replied that he should speak to his son as he'd tell him all about it. Apparently SB was the most genuine bloke you could image and spoke very candidly about it. Take any of the below how you like, but at least we have a little bit of an insight into what Bruce is actually thinking right now. Here are the key points: - After the Cardiff game he wanted to take off every single senior player and replace them with the youth team - that was how angry he was with that performance. - He wants to sign more players but his hands are completely tied at the moment (but we already knew that). - There are certain players in the Villa squad that simply don't want to be there. One that was specifically mentioned was McCormack and the gate incident was specifically alluded to and apparently SB believed that the player simply couldn't be arsed to play. - He has identified "the right players" but currently they're stuck with some "wrong ones". It was a very eye opening conversation. My friend said that in the end he just felt sorry for SB as it's clear as day that he's as annoyed as we are and is having trouble turning it around. To be honest with you, it's changed my outlook on it quite a bit.

I'm in a position now where I think that no matter who we appoint it's just going to go wrong again soon. We just cannot catch a break at the moment. Thoroughly disillusioned with this club at the moment .

Are people seriously talking about sacking RDM? in September? I took a week away from VT because I know how things get on here when we're not winning. Good to see some things don't change

This made me do one of those quiet, wheezy laughs in the office. Well played.

Ignoring that this team has 12 players, I see your point. If you wanted more solidity then you could always do this? --------------------Gollini------------------------ De Laet---Chester----Elphick----Cissokho ---------Tshibola-----------Jedinak------------ Adomah---------Grealish-------------Kodjia -----------------McCormack------------------ OR (as we're doing at the moment) --------------------Gollini------------------------ De Laet---Chester----Elphick----Cissokho ---------Tshibola-----------Jedinak------------ Adomah-------McCormack---------Grealish --------------------Kodjia-----------------------

I think you're overlooking McCormack there. I know he was bought to score goals but he's created more chances than anyone else in the division so far (18).

What's sad is that for some, if we don't get promoted it'll be a travesty because of the money spent assembling the squad. On the flipside if we do go up, it'll be brushed aside because "we should" go up with the money spent assembling the squad.

Signed sealed and delivered by the good Dr!

Did that reject leave and get promoted like Adomah, too?

Looks done!

That is honestly the shittest, saltiest smile I have ever seen.

And here's the same for the 2014/15 season: Watford - 12 Norwich - 10 Brentford - 8 Bournemouth - 7 Middlesbrough - 6 Ipswich - 5

I thought I'd dig around just to see how are start to this season compares to the relative starts of the top 6 from last season. Interesting to see that Brighton were unreal and didn't go up. Brighton - 13 Hull - 10 Middlesbrough - 8 Burnley - 8 Sheffield Wednesday - 5 Derby - 4

Funnily enough I was talking with an Albion fan recently about RDM and he said that the fans (in general) liked him but felt he offered no plan B if things weren't working.The positive thing was that, in the Championship, plan A worked like a charm for the Baggies and they battered the league. Let's hope he's learned from his past mistakes and gets the team playing...

Please don't hold me accountable if he cocks up our season I just think he'll be okay. Having said that, I don't think it would be the worst idea to sign a backup who is actually decent as I don't think Steer or Bunn are good enough for this club. I like Gollini and I think he'll improve but I do worry about his willingness to parry into danger. Hopefully it's something that can be worked on. He's only, what? 21?

Oh god, please don't

I'm not one for condemning a young goalkeeper after a few games. I think he'll be fine.

I'm just learning to laugh along now .

Reckon RDM might play Kodjia on the right instead of Ayew with Gestede up front? Just a though!

I can see your point with Gana but Gil, Sanchez and Sinclair have never showed their potential ability for us. Traore is still here and at the end of the day, he's had one good game against Notts County. No big loss. De Laet > Hutton. Hutton is utter tripe. Did you not see him against Luton? Weaker at CB? In what world are Elphick and Chester worse than Lescott, Richards, Okore and Clark? Agree with the depth point, I think we could do with bringing in another CB on loan so we have Baker and someone other than Richards.

We've signed Tish and Jedinak, I'd say that's improving the midfield and how you can say that De Laet isn't an improvement on Hutton is crazy. I do agree with the wider areas though. I think the only explanation is that RDM doesn't want to play with wingers which would make sense as he has Grealish and Ayew on the left and right respectively as it stands.

Does it?