Harry

2 minutes ago, DCJonah said:

The only way you could possibly think he's been singled out was if this was the only thread you read. 

Maybe singled out is the wrong phrase but there is focus on him as a new signing.

Written off is probably more apt phrase. All I am saying is it's too early to judge.The middle part of the Jedinak thread, for example, is an interesting read given how he is viewed now.

My concern is the tactics, formation, game plans and management of the whole side rather than one player's performance particularly so early in his Villa career.

10 hours ago, bobzy said:

Hardly a hate figure - but he's not going to get any praise on the back of any of his appearances thus far.  He's been awful.

You disagree?

Well yes. The whole side has been abject with just a few glimpses of what we should be capable of so I don't think it's particularly constructive to single out a single player Whelan is a decent player who has not played well, so far, who already seems to have been written off by some fans and let's not kid ourselves we have previous in that department.

On 15/08/2017 at 13:46, Demitri_C said:

God help us

So not going to happen.

Good to see we have already found a new hate figure amongst the players and it's only taken three games.

1 hour ago, Villan4Life said:

Sunderland fans view on Bruce.

 

https://www.readytogo.net/smb/threads/bruce-out.1385504/

I found myself reading that in north east accent....bizarrely.

.......sound awfully familiar.

We can't let him go now. Not that l wanted him to leave.

It is very difficult to see a way back for Bruce now.

Unless we win convincingly on Saturday (unlikely) I think he is finished, if not before. I fully expect a loss in the next game and I think that  will be that.

Our recent outgoing managers have alluded to problems at the club or even openly criticised the club Much of that was, in the past, well justified but I think now it would be hard for Bruce to do that. The media love to knock Villa but the simple facts are he has had plenty of investment in players, full control, experienced football people running the club, a very supportive owner and until this season supportive fans.

The media will spin it as Villa chopping and changing again and how fickle the fans are but when you watch these dreadful performances and then listen to a manager who seems to have a complete inability to even begin to explain what has gone wrong and then admits he 'does not really do tactics' what is the club supposed to do?

FIVE YEAR CONTRACT FOR BRUCE?

That's me done I think. I can't bear this shite any more. Assuming he is still our manager on Saturday it will be very very ugly if we don't win. A draw won't be good enough.

1 minute ago, Rugeley Villa said:

I think he will be gone after tonight. Expected so much more tonight.

If they get more than 2 more I would say definitely yes.

To continue the execution theme I think we are watching the last rites of Steve Bruce.

1 hour ago, Wezbid said:

I would walk around with a permanent erection if Olof became manager. 

I think mate you would be pretty flaccid after a few games with Olaf in charge much as I love him

If Bruce goes I think it will be Moyes. Available and with too many contacts already at the club. I'm not sure he is the busted flush most think he is but still not my ideal choice.

I think there is a massive difference between the managers we would like to get in and those we are capable of getting in. Sadly I don't think we are a big draw for most decent managers. 

Personally I think the chances of attracting the likes of Howe, Benitez or Jovanovic are close to zero. Big Sam, Moyes, Warnock or Pardew are more realistic. Little, Mellberg, Laursen, etc are crazy choices based on recent and relevant experience. The same could be said for the foreign names being bandied around. Maybe as a three year project one of them might be but it would be an almighty punt.

The only people who really believe that we are somehow a huge draw these days for a manager are probably posters on this forum.

Personally I'd have Big Sam and accept ugly football to win games rather than losing playing ugly football as we are now.

Overall very depressing.

I think Bruce was a good shout at the time. Sadly it looks like he is not up to it. He had had the investment and we look no better. The really worrying aspect for me is the apparent total lack of tactical nous or any Plan B.........or A for that matter.

1 hour ago, Jas10 said:

Bruce needs to go, he's been given too much time if anything and it's just going to get worse. We desperately need to replace the whole coaching & management team with the right people (someone ambitious, adventurous, determined and clued up, someone who actually knows what attacking football is!!).

I think we should take advantage of certain situations now, act fast and go for Jokanovic. Or go all out for Benitez or even Rodgers. Before it's too late...

It's about time we stopped being negative and restricted and show everyone what Aston Villa FC is all about, we should be going all out, all guns blazing and blow the majority of teams away at this level!!

I am sick to the back teeth of the shit we have had to endure for far too long!

That is just not a feasible or gettable option.

I think he will have lost me too if we don't do something against Reading.

Embarrassing disaster.

3 hours ago, sne said:

He can cover a lot of positions, but he's not really any good in any of them.

Rather we put on a RB if we need an RB, a CM if we need a CM, a RW if we need a RW and so on.

He's an utility player, but wherever you may utilize him he does a mediocre job at best.

Get rid.

Agreed, given we can have six, I think, outfield subs on the bench I don't think we actually need a so called 'utility'player. Particularly a poor one.

I think we can so safely conclude that his supposed 'versitility' is far outweighed by his basic lack of ability. Take whatever we can get for him and move on.

14 hours ago, JAMAICAN-VILLAN said:

Is that not similar to last season? When on top we failed to take chances, gave the ball away needlessly, and at other times were just straight crap.

With the money we have spent, missing our "Star striker" shouldn't necessarily be an excuse for some of our complacency.

Hogan should be a "star striker" in theory. I thought one of the reasons for the squad improvement was to lessen reliance on Kodjia?

Anyway i'm deviating from the point, eventually, those 1 pointers which could/should have been 3 points come back to haunt you in the end.

Of course there are positives, and I would usually be one of the people saying EXACTLY what you just have in your post, BUT this isn't our first rodeo.

If we played a team better than Hull today I feel like we would have lost. (Although we sometimes have a knack of raising our game against better opposition)

I DESPERATELY WANT US TO GO UP.

I don't think there is any room for "Mr. NiceGuy"

No one is saying anything is set in stone, however we are seeing certain signs of things which aided to our undoing, Bruce STILL takes too long to make changes etc.

I don't see anything wrong with that nervousness some have.

JV I agree with what you are saying save for one point, i just think its too early to extrapolate this performance to how we may perform over the season. I agree its disappointing we have seen the same frailties in yesterdays game. TBH if it does continue this way I don't see Bruce remaining as our manager

Just now, JAMAICAN-VILLAN said:

To be fair, I think people are more worried that it all looks WAY too much like last season.

Both with some of the players, and tactics, subs etc.

Except it's the first game and we are missing our star striker. Five games plus in and it's the same I will be concerned. Really annoyed about the result but the bottom line is we don't take our chances.

Finally got my two yesterday.....phew!

I'd keep him. I think we are mad to loan him out. If balancing the books is an issue we have plenty to let go apart from RMcC.