Harry

Smith took Whelan off and put Hogan on. Under Bruce it would have been the exact opposite. Stoke were Stoke - exactly what i expected to be honest - in your face and dirty We lacked a bit of flair and the midfield did little to protect the back four. I smiled when we equalised when the Stoke player with his 'injury' was clearly hoping play would be stopped.

Hooofffff!!!!!!!

The comparison between Bruce and Smith is simply incredible. We always knew we were a better side, it just needed a manager to get us to play like one.

Probably the most ridiculous comment I have ever read on VT.

The obvious lack of fitness compared to Norwich was a real worry. WTF was Bruce and his team doing on the training pitch? It was echos of the MON era.

My take on tonight: Massively missed McGinn and I would have started Bjarsson over the woeful Whelan. Grealish is beyond awful at the moment. His corners fail to clear the first man, his free kicks offer nothing and he dithers on the ball always looking for the foul. I think the new contract has gone to his head. That leads me nicely on to the refereee who seemingly allowed Norwich players to foul at will with just the occasional yellow card. Their one defender fouled Grealish for the entire game and got a yellow early on and nothing else. Piss poor defending for both goals gifting them to a typical six yard box player who is pretty much a journeyman. Ironically he would walk into our side the way we played in the second half. Probably the most annoying aspect of the game was the way that Norwich pressed our midfield and they just crumbled. i think Smith now knows the size of the job. Pretty much everyone in a Villa shirt tonight needs a massive kick up the arse. They need to work harder and care more.

We kept the ball on the deck, enough said.

To be quite honest it is precisely what I expected. KMac could not organise the proverbial in a brewery and the mess Bruce has left the defence in is little short of criminal. We need a decent manager asap who is going to kick the arses of the players before we piss away more points against poor sides. In isolation this result does not bother me too much but we have got to start building for the future with a new manager.

Totally agree on that.

Can’t see Bruce lasting beyond the Millwall game whatever the result.

Not an excuse given the options available but I think Whelan used to take Stoke’s penalties?

Bruce has to go as the winner takes it all. And we have to take a chance on someone else. The owners have the money (money, money) to hire a better manager.....its a rich man’s world.

Are you having the time of your life?

If we lose this which is pretty much nailed on surely to goodness he will get the sack......he said hopefully.

Same old, same old rubbish.

The result of one game is irrelevant. What the owners have to look at the the overall direction of travel .Bruce has no idea of his best starting 11, no idea what formation to play, no organisation and even less idea of how to change a game. Add to that his pig headedness in persisting with players playing out of position when it is clearly not working. Those traits have been evident from virtually the start of his tenure and arguably are getting worse. The Sheffield game was a masterclass in all those failings. Yes they were a good side but boy were they well organised and disciplined, something I would expect from any half decent manager. Bruce's failings were woefully exposed such that a bang average player like Bannan was make to look like Iniesta. His Hollywood balls, which we struggled to deal with all game, were tantamount to taking the piss. A tipping point is rapidly approaching where the owners will realise we will not get promoted with him as our manager unless he is pretty much winning every game which is very unlikely.

Dreadful today.

Way too slow, got turned so many times it was untrue today.

If true that shows how poor our options really are.

Can defend, can’t attack and virtually every cross he did was caught by the keeper....otherwise superb today.

Sack him before this season is completely flushed down the toilet.

When? All I could hear were the fans singing that stupid Steve Bruce song. We left a couple of minutes before the final whistle so maybe at the end?

Awful, awful performance. As ever the ball goes sideways and backwards. As ever the substitutions are reactive rather than proactive. As ever the opposition keep in our faces in midfield and we fold. Bruce has literally no idea how to change a game. Really we were lucky not to lose by more. Ironically I could see one moment of individual brilliance getting us a point which would have papered over so many cracks which would have masked yet another shite performance. SW deserved to win and duly did. Bruce is a manager who is taking us nowhere. Yes we will win games against better sides but we will certainly lose against worse sides. At best the direction of travel is sideways. The owners must be starting to realise he is taking us nowhere. Finally gripe why does the Holte sing Bruce’s name at any point during the game and then boo at full time and half time? We have the players for the most part, the problem is Bruce.

I don’t know whether he is injured or even fit but if we are seriously contemplating signing an unfit and probably over the hill James Collins who seemingly was a decisive influence on the dressing room why not look st Richards? Can he be any worse? i have my suit of armour on ready for the replies!

Ah yes James Collins....happy memories.......Hoooooofffffff!!!!! He will suit Bruce’ s style perfectly.