carewjust4u

I'm still dumbfounded when I think back to how many times I've read that we should of let Jack go in the past.

He's still got a way to go, but he's finally starting to look like the player we all know he can be.

Would love it if he got 20 goals this season, not too far off it mind you.

As good or bad as you think Bruce is, there is no doubt he is infinitely better than;

Aston Villa: Emile Heskey is our Franz Beckenbauer says Alex McLeish

http://www.birminghammail.co.uk/sport/football/football-news/aston-villa-emile-heskey-franz-163190

1 hour ago, Stevo985 said:

Before this argument about win ratios erupts as it does periodically...

 

Win ratios cannot be directly compared. You can't say Steve Bruce is better than Ron Atkinson becuase he has a better win ratio, because there are tonnes of variables that need to be taken into account. Mainly the fact we're in a different league now.

 

However, win ratio CAN be used as a general indication of performance. The fact Bruce's is so good is an indication that he's probably doing a decent job.

For the record I completely agree with this, a perfect summary of the situation.

1 hour ago, DCJonah said:

Not this again. 

"Looking at current win ratios - Steve Bruce has a better win ratio 44.4% then ANY villa manager since 1990 - Graham Taylor's first stint at the club #avfc #UTV"

https://twitter.com/TheVillaHome/status/953221708449763328

3 minutes ago, Demitri_C said:

Cant argue with any of them add berson, dawkins, bennett, djemba djemba amd ireland 

Jean II Makoun.

Everyone complains that we have to play Whealan too much, plus Thor has had one good half at DM. Plus, Jedinak will likely become fit just in time for the international break and get injured playing for Oz again. Having an extra option in the DM position only seems positive to me, what if Thor turns out to not be the answer?

From what i've seen, this could be a cracking loan.

I was thinking the other day, when was the last time we had a manager that went onto better things at club level? Would be nice to have a manager on the way up, rather than on the way down.

21 minutes ago, Demitri_C said:

Well its interesting isnt it? I never saw for the life of me us beating boro and then battering Bristol City 5-0. It could have even been more. What has been really pleasing is that both games we have looked pretty comfortable and two clean sheets without Terry OR Taylor. I think this could be a turning point now, hopefully we have had our blip now and to be 4-5 points from second for me is a miracle considering the recent results. We could have quite easily gone down the Cardiff and Sheff United route prior to the Brentford game. Its great to bounce back with a win.

This is literally what I've been thinking all week. I don't know about you guys but this week I've been very positive and confident following the result on NYD, I can only imagine the effect it's had on the players. As you said, the best part is how we've closed the gap to 5 points, when 2 games ago it felt our season was over.

8 minutes ago, Mat Kendrick's Dentist said:

As I said, I'm not a fan of Taylor, but Hutton is horrendous. He has literally no technical ability, which is one of many reasons why we're unable to keep the ball. On the left he's also forced to move inside, which is rarely what you want from a full-back. He's poor defensively too, constantly defending too narrow in the knowledge that he's getting skinned if he engages the winger. If we're content with the likes of him, Whelan, Johnstone, etc in ou starting XI and Bruce in the dugout then we'll never get anywhere imo.

If you look at www.whoscored.com/Players/6434/Show/Alan-Hutton you can see he has an average rating on 7.04 whilst playing LB for us, which would support my point about why he is a better option than Taylor at LB.

I think we both agree that they are both poor footballers, but your opinion of his performanes at left-back are incorrect. I think that to say he has no technical ability is very harsh, his short passing game is actually pretty decent.

What I'm trying to say, is that at RB he is terrible and a liability..whereas the LB posiion forces him to play in a way that isn' prone to leaving us at risk.

I would much rather we had a decent left-back and didn't have to play either, but Hutton is definitely a better option in that position no question.

9 minutes ago, Mat Kendrick's Dentist said:

I disagree with every point you've made there. I'm not a huge Taylor fan, but Hutton lumped away every ball he got today. It was as if he was trying not to find a Villa shirt. Can't even overlap on the left, so Adomah was left isolated. Awful player imo.

I'm sorry but that just isn't true at all, he played many balls into Adomah's feet. The problem with both players is that when they overlap, they do not have the pace to get back and get into position and it causes us great issues. Obviously in an ideal world we need much better full-backs, but I cannot see what Taylor brings that Hutton doesn't do better. Can you honestly tell me something Taylor does well, or tell me a game that Taylor has played well in?

5 minutes ago, sidcow said:

Because he runs down the wing then either a) is tackled b ) stops and passes the ball back to the fullback or c) hits a terrible cross. 

When he or Snodders are set down the wing I cannot even get excited anymore because I just know what's coming. 

Case in point was last week when he was set free down the wing in acres of space, Hogan made a good run to the near post which he must have seen but instead he hoofed it over everyone and it nearly went out for a throw in on the far side of the pitch. 

If you think he's good than fair play, it's a matter of opinion and we have different views, but I would be putting Green back into the team at the earliest possible opportunity. 

Please remember he's crossing with his weaker foot, it's harsh to call him a terrible winger because he loses the ball crossing with his weaker foot to players under 6ft tall. Also consider that touching it with his natural foot will always take it away from goal, so he has to beat his man and cross with his left foot, or cut side and play it into the centre with his right. Compare that with the right hand side, where you can use your trickery to beat the full-back and play a cross in with your strong foot (see his assists last season).
 

You're definitely right on Snodgrass, i can't see what he brings to the team. On the otherhand, Adomah brings directness, goals and game-winning moments. Wasn't Adomah our best assister last season? I think when Kodija comes back and the goals he brings, you'll see Albert go back to his natural right side and play much more like a traditional winger.

2 minutes ago, av1 said:

Adomah has been absolutely fantastic this season and his goal return is impressive, but i get where @sidcow is coming from. He isn't a winger in the traditional sense. 

Adomah and Snodgrass are both strange wingers for me. If you are playing 3 behind a striker you need the wide lads to play quite narrow, otherwise there is a big gap between midfield and attack and the striker is isolated. 

Adomah and Snodgrass both start by hunging the touchline but don't operate as traditional wingers in terms of going past players and getting crosses in. 

For me you operate in the traditional way, or work really narrow to support the striker. 

Snodgrass and Adomah do neither of these. 

You make a valid point and it is a good-observation, but I think in this system you need to play with wide-players to stretch the defence across the pitch (for the record, i am not a fan of this style, but it's the one we;re stuck with). We do not play patient and assertive attacking football, so you need to utilise your wide-forwards to make those runs down the touchline, and unsettle the oppo's back four...do it enough times and the ball will find an attacking player in the box and you will score (see today as an example). 

I find it strange that you criticise Admoah on not getting the ball into the box, as this is his biggest asset for me (see last season with Kodija). You have to remember he is playing on his weaker foot on the left wing, and will naturally cut inside. Also, he has Hogan, Grealish and Snodgrass as options..all under 6tft...if you're in his position, i cannot fault him for not trying to cross to them.

Snodgrass on the other hand has not been a good-winger in any sense for us, and you're definitely right on that .I'd probably bring green in and displace Snodgrass.

4 minutes ago, sidcow said:

Each to their own, I think Adomah is a terrible winger. 

why?

2 hours ago, Vive_La_Villa said:

Awful player. Can't believe he has managed to score so many goals. Whenever he gets the ball you can almost guarantee we will lose possession.

To be honest all direct-wingers will lost the ball more-often than not, the difference is that when they don't, you score...see the example today. To use an extreme example look at Ronaldo for Real Madrid, he spends all game losing the ball and then scores and gets world player of the year...it's the nature of the position.

He always drives at his man and must be a nightmare to play against at this level, he always wants to put the ball in dangerous areas. He is a crucial crucial player for us, when he came off at Brentford we offered absolutely nothing.

2 minutes ago, sidcow said:

What is even wrong with him? Seems to have been injured forever.  Desperately need him back to replace Snodders or Adomah because wingers they ain't. 

Adomah is literally the best winger we have? Do you mean Onomah when he has to play out wide? God damn auto-correct.

He is literally better in every single way at LB then Taylor. He looks a completely different player; wins headers, is decisive , is direct but doesn't over-commit, brings the ball inside and makes tackles.

Please please keep him there.

There is no doubt he is fantastic at playing off the last-shoulder, but he struggles to read the game and anticipate the ball coming from defence. RHM came on today and always was there when the ball was cleared, such a noticeable difference...same can be said about Davis, it isn't a coincidence. With Hogan up top the defence always has time to bring the ball down and play a dangerous pass, which is often the difference in these Championship games.

In a team built for Hogan he would score you over 20 goals easily, but i think he is a limited footballer. It's a shame because he will go somewhere and will get goals, but he will never succeed here and it's in the best interest of both parties that he leaves soon.

You cannot underestimate how important his hold-up play is, he allows us to move up the pitch. 

I know he has his critics for being "slow on the ball" or "not direct enough".Compare him to Adomah or a Green, both great players who are likely to get you the assist or the ...but Jack allows the entire team to move up the pitch and get players into attacking positions. All our promising attacking play that isn't route-one involves Jack.

I hope he was dropped for rest-purposes, but please Bruce...first name on the sheet please.

He reads the game much much better than hogan, he anticipates where the ball is going and makes himself available. IMO, much more valuable than a player that is brilliant at playing on the last shoulder. 

His touch is what impressed me the most, trapped the ball with ease. He was unlucky when through on goal, no other play in the division would of made that tackle other than Adama.

That is the midfield we need to start with every game, Glenn needs to be an option off the bench. Jedinak nullified all their long balls, Hourhaine actually was able to play higher up the pitch and looked far more comfortable. Adomah is class, constantly driving at his man..he must be a nightmare to play 90 mins against. 

Hutton needs to be our starting left-back, he i strangely better in everyway in that position in comparison with neil taylor. Overall, the back 4 looked excellent today, and made Boro look pedestrian.

Grealish is so instrumental for us, he is the only player than can hold onto the ball and open up the attack, without him we can't work it up the pitch.

RHM looked very promising, hopefully he's going to get more chances to force his way onto that teamsheet.

Overall, the style is still the same and we all know that. The difference is that we actually looked confident today, and today was a huge win for us in the table.

Confident of a win on Monday night.

2 minutes ago, handsworthvilla said:

I must have been watching a different game, I thought we were alright compared to recent performances. Grealish was superb, completely different team with him in the starting 11. Unlucky not to nick it in the second half. Take away Jedinaks two individual mistakes and we were by far the better team. Not much Bruce can do about Jedi completely missing the ball twice, but I imagine Bruce will take the flak for it 

Jedinak had a bad game against Derby, and we had Elphick on the bench...an actual centre back.