Lerner's Driver

Some people talk about other people’s weakness and failures with so much pleasure you would swear they are describing their own successes. The two things are different though, aren't they? I mean, it couldn't be possible, could it, that someone becomes so convinced of their own truth, they are blinded by that certainty? Is that possible? Because if it is, then I guess that same person might just say and do anything in their power to ensure it becomes true, right? At least in so much as they can persuade those around them. Is that really a thing, though? I mean, is there a set of circumstances, where even if the outcome is yet to be established, some people might actually consider sabotaging the desired result just to be correct? That would surely be absurd and counterproductive, no? No one could possibly disagree that constructive criticism is valuable, but that kind, the 'utterly convinced before the fact' kind, surely isn't helpful.

I think you missed the gag.

He'd be a real challenge for you in the running commentary stakes.

In what realistic sense do we get to choose at all?

Agreed re: it's universal application, but I personally think we are special in our suffering. You don't have to look far for any number of 'Villa ruined my otherwise perfect life' case studies.

The eternal unspoken debate which sustains this forum and will forever more... As an Aston Villa fan, is my search for happiness and the fact it continues to elude me, a sickness all of my own, or can I find someone to blame?

I said Bruce has got the art of picking up points down to a tea just lately. You then deflected with the above comment, which doesn't make sense because why would you include Blues in a discussion about points, when we picked up a point there? You also mentioned Wolves and no, I haven't forgotten about the performance against them, or the fact we came away with zero points, but just lately it is the only game we haven't got anything from. Sloppy, artless, self indulgent splurrrge

Leaving 'in' right there? I thought you were all about the 'out'? And no, I don't "get" why you have to bang on the way you do. In your recent emotional splurge, you mentioned being an artist, which made me wonder what kind because I always thought the key to being a good one was to convey your message (whatever it might be), succinctly and with charm. There is absolutely nothing wrong with having a different opinion and no one is denying you it, the issue is with your delivery, the art if you like. You can also be as passionate as you like, but endless repetition, with little attention paid to light or shade, merely provides a canvass for others to scrawl across. Anyway, back to Bruce. He seems to have got the art of picking up points down to a tea just lately.

Exactly. From now until the end of the season, it's need must and whatever works. All the other whingeing is irrelevant.

Ahh, there he is! We missed you. I was thinking of 'reacting' to your post, but I only got to the bit where you say, I won't waste space ripping the whole match apart, before you then wasted lots of space by ripping the whole match apart, so forgive me, but I only skimmed the rest. Suffice to say, I started to feel the joy drain away as your hands tightened their grip, but was grateful of some slight relief when you reassured us everything else in your life was just tickety boo. Woe betide us and those other actors (especially your poor golf clubs), if any were to drop to the same disappointing standards shown by our manager. Promise to keep us updated won't you?

I'd be more interested in anyone's opinion whose worked with or against him in the game, over any football fans, as those from the latter are notoriously pig headed in their view.

An admirable sentiment, fairly expressed, but where is Mr Joy Bringer? We miss his cast iron certainty.

Carlos Carvalhal: 'Villa are the best team in the Championship' http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p05lvg2h The manager of our next opponent rates us as the best team in the division 'with a good coach'. I listened to it all, but if you only care to hear him talk about Villa, it happens around the 10 minute mark. And yes, he is partly showing us some respect by saying it, which is classy, but he also wouldn't be saying it if we were actually shit.

I'm sure he's aware of those options and his responsibility.

I agree, the lack of ball retention is frustrating, disappointing, etc because with that we'd be properly mullering teams. I also agree the players we've got are capable of it, if not yet showing it. Not sure aggressive threats and blame culture fines will achieve the aim though. Growing confidence and team spirit from good results might. Who knows what hopeless, innocent victim, Steve Bruce will plump for.

Will you congratulate Steve Bruce for last night's performance? Go on, you can do it. It won't hurt for long and no one will lose respect for you in the meantime. We know you were first and hard in telling us what you already knew about Bruce being hopeless and we won't forget, we promise. Go on, say something nice about Steve...

Agreed, not as good an individual footballer as Kodija, yet, but I think he has the potential to overtake him eventually. The confidence of knowing he's good because the goal chart shows it and his manager loves his contribution could take him all the way. Let's hope we keep hold of him. Also agree Kodj will still have a part to play this year.

Agreed, the Robson example is perfect. Perhaps it's my age showing, but those twists of fate which turned in your favour, just seemed so much more enjoyable when I was younger because they fuelled your dreams and you just accepted them unquestioningly. Now Im old, it's different of course because you have the tools to analyse their importance in context and so the drama loses some of it's naturally unfolding joy. That whole point of something fun being ossified into a mechanical process, is only exacerbated by the ridiculous money which feeds unrealistic expectations as a plague on the game these days. As such, hooray for 'human endeavour earning you some luck', as two things which even money cannot totally corrupt.

Well, ultimately yes, who cares, but actually, it does reveal an interesting talking point because don't we all stumble on breakthroughs in life sometimes? To imagine success is only achieved via perfectly executed cunning master plans, is the stuff of fantasy land message board forums... not that I'm accusing you of that Terry, your posts are nearly always thoughtful and balanced. In fact, you could argue that it takes a good leader to recognise and utilise opportunity when it presents itself because an orthodox extremist would reject it based purely on his or her limited understanding of the world up to that point. It's funny, when I first heard we were after Bruce, I tried to recall my perception of him as the manager of other teams and apart from his time at Blues, I remembered a midweek game where Hull had been on a long shit run and the camera turned to his anxious face, as in the first half they were losing again. He looked certain to be sacked. I can't recall the specific 'lucky' element which then precipitated Hull going on to win in the second half, but they did and my abiding memory from that night was that the secret of his success seemed to be that he just keeps going and he keeps believing that something will come up. In other words, if you continue applying yourself, you earn the right to express yourself. It's not a very sophisticated approach, not when you can also coach ball boys to serve your team preferably at throw ins, or flexibly rotate your team's playing style several times during the same match, but durability and adaptability are probably the two basic qualities all managers need to achieve any kind of success. I think he is naturally cautious and probably too much so at times, but on the whole, he does learn and his teams do seem to grow with him in most of the roles he takes on. It won't always be pretty and it may be annoyingly slow, but I suspect Bruce will always be a wait and see type manager, never truly inspiring absolute confidence, but more often than not achieving some level of success in the end. That's the only reason I've felt it better to take it one game at a time with him, as opposed to proclaiming my absolute certainty that he is a shit manager. He clearly isn't.

Agreed. He reminds me of Drogba somehow. Obviously nowhere near him in his prime... yet, but he already has pace, power and no small amount of skill!

And the froth subsides. Well done Steve Bruce and well done Aston Villa. A good team performance, we are definitely getting stronger. Will you congratulate the manager @Grasshopper?

We see what we want to see.

Oh, I am following and I guessed that's what you meant, but you've reverted to posting non-sequiturs, which is why I can't see how his humblebrag comment prompts your query about his life being fulfilling. It certainly doesn't address his point that you are anything but humble. In fact, your response, like most of your posts, merely amplifies what he was saying.

Isn't his what?

Right, of course you are because there can only be one correct view can't there? Yours.