Grasshopper

6 hours ago, TheStagMan said:

Jesus Christ, this again. NO it is not the return of two points from 3 games that has caused the knives to come out. In case you missed most of this thread (and this season) it is the negative tactics, piss poor management, our team looking inept, our lack of any playing style, the scraping of results, the lack of any visible plan B, the inability to influence a game, the excuses, the lack of playing to the player's strengths and the lack of sufficient improvement in the team for OVER A YEAR that has caused the knives to come out, the last few games are the icing on the cake showing that we have not "turned a corner" as the Bruce-in camp have been saying after each win, in fact our concerns have come true, our "good form" was not sustainable (just like last season).

We have not beaten a top 8 team (certainly this season) and yet people are confident that we will go up via the play offs?????. 

It's not funny, it really isn't. It is actually devastating, and any true Villa fan should be seriously worried about the future of this club. 

I get that the objective this year is "get promoted by any means" and Steve Bruce has achieved this miracle FOUR times, FOUR but he really does not look capable of doing it again. 

He simply IS NOT GOOD ENOUGH - We have to get rid. There is a reason he has hovered around this level for most of his managerial career.

As for the injuries excuse - Other clubs seem to have injuries as well, yet it is only us that is crippled by them - why is this? is it the lack of afore-mentioned plan B, would it be the fact that Bruce sacked off most of our strikers, and didn't think about getting in a replacement (other than Gabby?????? Jesus!), who thought that Terry, Chester and Samba was all we needed at CB for the season? Whatever it may be, injuries are part of football and it is the manager's job to mitigate injuries, and have the squad in a position where they are able to deal with the situation. If we had a system where everyone knew their roles, a different player could slot into that role and the overall team strength would remain at a similar/slightly lower level, we just seem to collapse. 

In addition, we could rotate players into and out of those roles so that they weren't playing as many games, had more recovery time and perhaps therefore would not get injured as much, and if they did then their replacement would be ready.

Best post of the whole Thread

100% correct

AND

on Sooooooo many points.

Reel those points off to a „company owner“ who „flies by“ ocassionally leaving a CEO in charge and he would go straight down to the managers office and SACK him immediately

1 minute ago, Stevo985 said:

He says he's a deep lying midfielder. 

My point was Bruce isn't the only one that plays him out of position. Seems Pochettino does too.

I appreciate your point.

Poch has decided that he‘s not needed (atm) and that we could develop him a little. (or whatever you call it).

We‘ve seen with Thor, Bruce has played him LB LW CM AM -ish, that a player can be abused out of position.

If I remember correctly you described Thor as „utter shit“.

If it doesnt help an already seasoned player to play him here, there and everywhere, it will take an exceptional young player a lot more to adapt.

Onomah has been decribed as Motm in some games, „the worst player on the pitch“ in others. He‘s probably been everything inbetween too.

That suggests to me that either in a certain position, constellation or style Onomah can be a good player.

Finding that out is the managers job

1 hour ago, Stevo985 said:

 

My Spurs supporting work colleague tells me he's always been played out wide when he's made appearances for Spurs.

So what is his „position“ then?

On 09/12/2017 at 13:04, VillaJ100 said:

 

He's done quite a few houses over the last 5ish years but he said a lot of the time the player isn't home and it might be their PA or partner etc who let's him in. 

Sounds like a job for Terry when your dad retires

4 minutes ago, TRO said:

Terry.....I know what you mean.

but it seems ironic that in one of his quotes he said " you are only as good as your strikers"

He must have seen that first hand at United.

Well thats noble and wise of him.

F*** your strikers over so that there non left then you have a ready made excuse

8 minutes ago, Zatman said:

not uncommon. Martin O'Neill played Gardner, Gabby and Luke Moore out of position when he came in. Houllier done it with Clark and Lambert with Weimann

How did that go then?

Bruce-Ball is killing him

17 minutes ago, VillaChris said:

I think the issue with sacking SB now (given we are still 5th in the league) is perceptions.

Dr Tony sacked RDM after just two months and you can imagine the stick in the press if we sack a manager while still in the play off zone (not bottom half like last season) so Dr Tony would be portrayed as another Cellino etc.

Of course he hasn't got to where he has in business being a shrinking violet so would imagine after the very poor start he wanted to give SB more time or at least the length Di Matteo got and by end of September we were winning.

Only way SB gets sacked before May is if we bomb like we did this time last year and fall out of the top 6.

Looks increasingly like we'll just trundle along, winning a few, losing the odd game and generally looking unconvincing.

Next season will be a big problem I think.

This is the problem.

It could be sold as

„Quit while you‘re winning“ with Bruce  but it‘s time to step up.

Adkins <-> Pochettino

But then we cant trade like for like (British old school hoof-ist)

We‘d have to go for a „foreigner“ with a reputation for a footbal identity. Someone who looks at the likes of Hutton, Whelan and Jedi and straight away thinks „who else we got then?“ „Oh look who we have here, Snod, Lansbury, Hourihane, Onomah, Grealish, Adomah & Hogan, that’s a start, great! let’s press, win the ball get it on the deck, pass and move“

6 minutes ago, peterms said:

Agreed.  But I assume he still thinks we can, and will stick with the current setup until promotion is shown to be impossible.

then we are F****ed.

We might as well change now then

1 hour ago, sne said:

So the defensive midfielder we loaned in doesn't work as attacking midfielder or striker?!

Is there some other position we could try him at, like I don't know central midfield maybe?

Play him in central midfield or send him back, we're not doing us, him or Spurs any favor by playing him out of position.

Who in their right mind plays a young player out of position?

2 minutes ago, peterms said:

Really can't imagine anything like that amount of restructuring at this point in the season.  

you may well be correct

which may not mean that it wont happen

2 minutes ago, peterms said:

As for building for the future, the main decisions made so far seem to have been with a pretty short-term focus, choosing managers and players for the immediate situation rather than a long-term patient plan. 

correct

2 minutes ago, peterms said:

I don't see that changing.

I do, because I don‘t see Tony overseeing the same „way“ as he has now seen 

2 managers underperform

countless signing of players with either no long term future at the club or with any kind of re-sellable value.

Loans of a GK CB and 2 MF‘s will end June 1st and there is a distinct possibility of

Chester, Taylor, Hourihane, Lansbury, Adomah & Kodjia

wanting out/PL interest come June 1st

He has no choice if we dont go up

We will be left with

GK JS

RB Bree

LB Taylor (?)

CB‘s Chester (?) Elphick Richards

RW Adomah (?) Elmo (?)

LW Green

DM Whelan Jedi

CM Hourihane (?) Lansbury (?) Thor

AM Grealish McC

CF Kodjia (?) Davis Hogan

(?) possible offers from other clubs

BRUCE OUT

Just now, srsmithusa said:

And therein lies the long term cost of Bruce ball 

It‘s Bruce-Ball

it‘s shyite

So Tony, you have a transfer window to come in a few days.

Do you

1 - spend more money/trade who we have sellable, and put it in the hands of Bruce - basically writing off Hogan and McC‘s (if reports are that it is NOT a ACL injury) transfer fee‘s and wages as dead capital.

or

2 - Sack/compensate Bruce and invest in a new manager who can get the best out of

SJ/JS

Bree Chester RDL Taylor

Lansbury/Onomah Hourihane

Snod/Elmo O‘Hare/Grealish Adomah

Hogan/Davis/Gaby (yes even Gaby)

for a few games untill we can re-group and see who is available on a free/loan

I suggest the only roll of the dice is

Bruce Out

along with Calderwood, Clements, Wyness & Round

Try to Sell/trade - Bunn, Hutton, Elphick, Richards, Elmo, Whelan, Thor, Tish, McC & Gaby

Keeping in mind that if this season has in fact „gone“, we build for the future.

Short-term till a manager is appointed

Brian Little assisted by John Terry

1 minute ago, Vive_La_Villa said:

Then why on earth spend so much time and emergy on the club if you have lost all hope and belief? 

I love AVFC

my Love for it has nothing to do with hope or belief in the FACT that the person who‘s responsibility it is to lead, direct and decide this team is absolutely F****** useless at it

27 minutes ago, Vive_La_Villa said:

I still think 2 is possible. Looks very tricky and maybe even unlikely but it's not out the question. 

If you can't believe then what's the point? 

Belief is a misguided word.

For one to „believe“, there has to be a „truth of fact“

I can believe in myself getting up from my couch to make a cup of coffee

I can‘t believe in someone else doing it for me. I can ask in the most polite sweetest way, but if that said person either cant or doesnt want to, my belief is unfounded.

I can also hope, pray.......whatever.

BUT if that „task“ that be is beyond capability. it is not going to happen.

It is beyond AVFC with Bruce in charge.

Why do I think that?

Because he has not got us to do or be that what is needed for the task at hand - Promotion

2 minutes ago, Vive_La_Villa said:

Fair play but you sound in denial

In Denial is thinking that we‘ll

1 - finish 2nd

2 - finish in the top 6 (possible) AND winning our way past 2 out of 3rd-6th in the table

With Bruce in charge.

Being 4th (briefly) is as good as it gets.

3 hours ago, AvfcRigo82 said:

Chop list winter 2017...

Steve Bruce 1st out the door please  

literally the ONLY way we will have any effect to the team, performances and results from any incoming players is if a different manager is in charge

Therefore. yes. 100%

1st for the chop = Steve Bruce

11 minutes ago, markavfc40 said:

Just looking at the ratings are we rating the managers performance based on the result now? we had no 100% fit strikers today and had to play a midfielder at centre back to save going with a centre back whose last start 3 months ago was dire.

We lost the game today because of one diabolical error and losing possession in injury time whilst chasing the game. Aside from that we did ok and dominated possession but not surprisingly lacked a cutting edge.

The ratings are a parallel of where we are now - 5th - sliding down the table - less players fit, on form or being effective for us to climb the table.

The argue „for“ has been „but Bruce gets us results“

Well my maths say that if 2ppg is the perceived total we need, the last 3 games has cost us 4 pts less ( 2pts from 3 games instead of 6pts from 3games) this last game being the worst „result“ from the 3.

Note - going WDDL suggests things are not getting better

That simply means 4 wins are needed to make up the pts we have lost.

Add to that the ppg we are already behind ( in the 2ppg theory) and there is little if nothing to suggest its a good job done till now. Directly meaning the job need doing in the future needs to be less und les faultless as the games whittle away.

I hope the patience are at breaking point and it doesnt need much more to tip Tony over the edge.

Has the Dr tweeted yet?

2 minutes ago, Bunnski said:

Aston Wigan FC...

BirmingHullWigerland United

Hi Tony (hopefull of the remote possibility the he, or someone close to him reads this thread)

We wont get promoted playing this type of football which will not change whilst Bruce is in charge. Maybe the coaching staff too. Possibly Wyness and Round if they are all in support of Bruce and his methods.

Therefore

Bruce has to be replaced ASAP.

Those who are also of his mould and incapable of bringing a positive approach to the team, training and recruitment in, must also be released.

It may already be too late this season, maybe not. At the worst, we would have a headstart in preparing for next season.

How much more proof does anyone need?

Bruce Out

2 hours ago, OutByEaster? said:

...and he says too many individual mistakes, that we gifted them a goal and that there wasn't much in it with the exception of the individual errors we made.

 

Did a journo remind him of the numbers at the top left of the screen?