Grasshopper

4 hours ago, striker said:

It's nothing to do with hindsight either though is it. You simply don't spend 12m on a player then ask him to play in a totally different way than he's used to and expect him to flourish almost immediately.

 

That‘s the bit that he doesn‘t want to understand

3 hours ago, Demitri_C said:

I think Spurs will give him a chance as they rate him highly. Personally I dont think he is good enough for Spurs. The premier league is a lot tougher and that Spurs team, despite their recent struggles is bloody good. Cant see how he will be good enough for them when he is so inconsistent with us at a much lower level. 

we‘re dragging him down to our level

He‘ll have to prove he‘s good enough first.

For example.

His distribution will mean 50% of our Goal kicks or his kicks will come straight back at us.

The likes of Stoke, Burnley et al will overload the 6yrd box at corners = 0-1

So back to ManUre July1st 2018 please. Then they can loan him out to WH in the Ch.

2 hours ago, bannedfromHandV said:

GH, it's got naff all to do with 'dealing with hoofs' - as stats/facts have illustrated we don't actually 'hoof' it as much as you and a selection of others would like the rest of the world to believe.

And irrespective of that, it's not the fact that he can't deal with 'hoofs' that's the issue, it's more worrying when he mis-controls a simple 5 yard pass or the fact that he never looks remotely like scoring a goal or when you forget he's even on the pitch.

I spent a whole day recently pondering our (lack of) options up front and it took hours for me to realise that I hadn't even considered Hogan, I totally forgot he was here, that says it all.

 

I have no agenda against Hogan personally but he has no-one to blame but himself for his failure.

 

Your analogy, as per usual is way off the mark.

We're not asking a "carpenter to do the job of a plumber", that would be akin to asking him to play at centre back.

Adapting style slightly shouldn't be so difficult that it makes you look like a complete fraud of a footballer.

oh Whatever!

12 minutes ago, trom_borg said:

But we were loosing against Leeds until he actually made some changes. With all the talk about not changing a winning team on here and SB using that argument as well, both Lansbury and Grealish should be in the team on sat. Also, what signal does it send to the rest of the squad if the guys that came on and changed the results still cant get into the first team? Good chance to freshen up and give some lads a needed rest imo, lots of games coming up.  

it‘s called Bruce-Ball

If we dont freshen things up it will eventually cost us points or more injuries/Burn out.

Millwall, who are apparently shit, is the perfect oppertunity to do this.

Yes, we have a week till the next game but a longer than normal resting period for the Brucian fav‘s will benefit the next period of games in quick succession.

Injuries through Fatigue or burn out should be avoided or put on hold as far back as possible, giving our crocked time to return and the possiblities of loans in january.

I‘d like to add a little bit of „FM 1892“ wisdom.

When a manager comes into a club, he has what he has (player pool) if a future Transfer window is 3months away, you have enough time to know what you have and what you want.

Therefore, Buying in players is compareable to piecing a jugsaw puzzle. You dont buy a circle to fit the space of a square. it may have the same mass and you could (if possible) reshape it. But why not just buy a square in the first place? it may even be cheaper

1 minute ago, lapal_fan said:

Hogan has to take some responsibility for his games - once he goes on the pitch, what he does and how he plays is entirely up to him (to a certain point).  

Whenever I play (lol, different standard obviously), if things aren't going well, I try an different approach.  If  coming short doesn't work, go long.  If we're not seeing much of the ball, drop deep and get the ball.  If crossing isn't happening, go help out on the edge of the box.

He's been poor.  Yes, he has scored goals playing in another team, but he's had quite a few chances playing for us, and he's almost entirely been poor. 

I'd love him to come good, but he's going to have to change something, in order to become a success.  I think he'd have success dropping deep to be honest.  From the little we've seen of him, he seems to do well running with the ball at opponents towards their box - but he doesn't do it enough, he's always on the last man - which is fine - but our opponents often play deep, nullifying space behind.  He can't challenge aerially, he's so lightweight he just doesn't win headers, so don't do that.  

I would agree with you if he was given the licence to „do what he wanted“ in order to find where he could be effective.

But hoofing to him telling the dog to „go fetch“ is setting him up to fail

20 hours ago, AvfcRigo82 said:

Grasshopper taking us through his first season playing Football Manager '18.

I was taking the P*ss out of those of you who do 

14 minutes ago, briny_ear said:

You could argue that Bruce has finally produced a style of play that suits the team - just look at our recent results - but that Hogan hasn't adapted or made the required grade. I suppose you can criticise Bruce for not being a soothsayer and foreseeing that this would happen but IMO there is no requirement on Bruce to produce a style of play just so Hogan can feel comfortable with it. If he can't deliver what we need, sell and move on.

why did we buy him then?

4 minutes ago, bannedfromHandV said:

Funny how everyone else has managed to adapt to this plethora of systems.

If a 19 year old kid can adapt from playing non-league football then why can't a £15m player adapt?

I think players are cut far too much slack, this is not a stick to beat SB with, Hogan has to take full responsibility.

?

would you ask a carpenter to do the job of a plumber?

Davis‘s build enables him to challenge for and hold it up. Hogans build is for movement and poaching on loose balls.

By saying Hogan is a flop BECAUSE he cant deal with hoofs I can presume that if we played quick one-twos ball along the ground with the ball played through the channels for Davis to run on to, when you would see him struggle to be effective you‘d also say he‘s a flop?

11 minutes ago, Vive_La_Villa said:

Fair enough. Didn't Hendrie also have a lot of properties too?  

not the brightest either

11 minutes ago, Vive_La_Villa said:

Anyway keeping it back on football

why?

Football has no place in the Gaby thread

11 minutes ago, Vive_La_Villa said:

I guess if he can get fit he may be useful to have on the bench during the December period. 

there‘s a joke in there somewhere

3 hours ago, TheAuthority said:

Didn't RDM sign McCormack for Villa not Bruce?

No

RDM loaned in Januzaj with the money he got from selling Benny McCarthy who Sherwood bought from Garde

@JAMAICAN-VILLAN

Gaby for President

He‘d love the MLS 

Medium or Large Shishkebab

6 hours ago, DaveAV1 said:

Oh come on GH, haven’t you heard? We have the finest manager in our history. It’ll be a breeze mate 

Yes, I forgot

Here‘s to the Double 

1 minute ago, DaveAV1 said:

Where’s the heart, the romance, the glory? If we can’t have both, then my heart says The Cup. I’ve seen us win everything but The FA Cup, the oldest and greatest cup competition in the world. Once your name is on it it’s there forever. Lift that famous old trophy, that we’ve had knicked more times than  SHA have won it, or fight for the glory of finishing in the middle of the Premier League?

I know promotion is the sensible, pragmatic choice, but who follows football for those reasons? Apart from accountants. Come on death or glory!! When the time comes to be a Holte Ender in the sky, will you look back on a play off final against Bristol City or beating Man U in the FA Cup Final? 8 times, come on!!!!

Down boy!

I loved this post.

love the passion

But unless we continually draw L1 & 2 teams till we have the honour of entertaining Exeter at Wemberley we have ZERO chance.

Lets get up first so that DrT can use his Trillions buying the 21st Century equivalent of

Rimmer/Spinks

Swain/Gidman

Aitken/Williams

McGrath/Laursen/Evans/McNaught/Melberg/Southgate & Ugo

Bremner/Sid/Mortimer/Morley/Daley/Taylor

Platt/Withe/Shaw/Yorke/Saunders/Atkinson & Benteke

A squad similar to that would go far and win more than just the FA Cup

ManUre just hedging to secure a transfer fee.

IF we go up, he may not be good enough, especially if JT no longer plays in front of him.

If we do go up maybe DrT has bigger targets.

1 hour ago, Vive_La_Villa said:

It will be the first time a lot of Wolves players have been there. The smell will be like a 12th man! 

yeah lol

Record Ch away win please

0-12

43 minutes ago, bannedfromHandV said:

Net spend doesn't tell the whole story, agreed.

But I don't think SB has spent 'a lot' of money, the club has spent a lot of money since Xia came in but most of that was spent by RDM and at least 50% of that spend was a complete waste (in hindsight).

It's not fair to lump it all in the same bracket and then blame it on SB.

Hourihane, Lansbury, Thor and Bree were all under £5M (in fact, all under £4M weren't they?)

Whelan and Elmo £1M

Terry and Samba free

Johnstone, Snodgrass, Onomah all loans (some fees included for each I'd imagine)

So unless I've missed anyone off (and I fear that I have), his only significant signing has been Hogan at £12M+ and yes, the way that's panned out doesn't reflect well on SB but then it happens, it will happen again.

Sure, we're probably paying large wages for most if not all of the above but then that's the advantage of being Aston Villa in the Championship.

 

I just don't get this notion that he's spent or wasted a ton of money, particularly when you factor in the gains made on players sold.

I agree with you

(that may even be a first)

When DrT took over and talk of ins & outs were rife, I posted that I didnt think it would be possible to get all the bad apples out immediately/in a short space of time. And that we may need 2/3 manager changes to finally make a total clearout. (as we still have Bunn, Hutton, Richards, Gaby on our books with Gil still loaned? - the clearout isnt complete)

I was amazed that we got so many „remnants of our failed past“ out so quickly.

The fact that most of those „apples“ cost PL prices meant (most likely) that we could possibly get favourable sums for them. Add the fact that there were soooooooo many of them, it is hardly surprising that if the „mass“ of outs were sold for £x a lot of the costs for new/loan players wouldn‘t be too much (calculating nett sales & wages out <-> buys/loans & wages in) and would be covered aided by a few of DrT‘s invested cash.

So its more of a „job well done“ to those responsible, which I would include both RDM & BRUCE, for the actual ins & out rather than how much has been spent (nett or not).

The fact that we spent 12, 15, & 12mill (correct me if wrong) on Kodjia, Hogan & McC is neither here or there because not all signings will work out. Its unfortunate that from 3 players bought for one position 2 have not worked, 1 has but is now injured. Its borderline to critsize RDM & Bruce for not having a 100% success rate with buys. Indeed regarding outs too. (Bruces decision - if it was his - to sell Baker still irks me greatly) because not even Fergie got everything right. But as Bruce has been here for all but 11 games in this league, and a decisive amount of ins/outs have been under his reign, it will be on him if we dont go up.

Logic suggests that a goalscoring forward costs that much, and we may have to invest such a sum again. But, Luckily, there is a loan market we can explore, which I hope we do to find someone who can  replace/support/compliment Davis and fit Bruces approach (or dare I say it - influence a more progressive approach)

Bruce, RDM or the board cannot be critisized for a few signings not working out when there has been such a great turnover of players, but unfortunately, there have been too many, and RDM’s reign should take most of the blame for that, not Bruce‘s reign, which can be blamed for Hogan not being a fit and the far too slow (imho) change in „results over an extended period“ as we are still playing catch up.

However they need to be on the ball when the next set of decisions regarding who to keep/get in comes around.

I think slamming Bruce because of the amounts spent (nett or not) is less the point. We had the Capitol to trade, we had the parachute payments and the cash from DrT which meant we were at an advantage over all other teams but Newcastle (last season), Wolves and Boro (this season) regarding ffp.

If we dont go up, it will be because of an inability to make the tools we‘ve had at our disposal to secure promotion. Bruce will be largely responsible for that.

I‘m still not convinced that Bruce will get us to 2nd and I think the playoffs are a risk we could fail.

 i hope come May the table reads

1 Wolves

2 Aston Villa

I‘ll even be delighted with a wemberley victory if need be - but I fear for my health as much as us failing

Needless to say

Front foot

Dominate

Create as many chances and score as many as possible

Select to freshen up

Sub to rest

3pts

no excuses

IMHO

A SJ mistake is just around the corner (due to JT‘s absence/influence)

Hutton was very close to a Red card v Leeds. Is a RC also just around the corner?

Samba just played 3 in a weeks - time for a rest? (before he gets either a tired tackle wrong or an injury)

Hourihane & Onomah could do with a rest

If Millwall really are so shyite away from home, then the risk of resting some of Bruces prefered XI (not that I agree with him or his approach) is not too great.

I would rather ease players in and out rather than wait till its too late and we are forced into a „no other choice“ senario.

So for me

                      JS

    Bree Chester RDL Taylor

                  Whelan

Snod/Elmo Lansbury Adomah

            Grealish/O‘Hare

                     Davis

Subs

SJ Hutton Samba Elmo/Snod Hourihane O‘Hare/Grealish (CF ?)

However, Bruce will „go again“ with

SJ

Hutton Samba Chester Taylor

Whelan

Snod Onomah Hourihane Adomah

Davis

Untill JT Jedi & Kodjia/New signing can be brought back into the team

If this tactic breaks us and costs us, hindsight will tell us and Bruce will have to live or die by it

3 hours ago, S-Platt said:

They have a waiting list for season tickets of 50K if you believe the bollocks that Karen Brady speaks!!  

Bollox?

what do you expect when you pair yourself with the B*ll*ck-brothers

Quote

They will probably survive as there will be 3 worse teams than them. 

Moyes will try his hardest to be worst 1

Quote

If there is karma though then Sheff Utd will replace them in the Prem.  The fact they cheated to stay up a few years back and Sheff Utd got shafted and were paid a few quid to accept the fact is still a massive pisstake.

 

Nothing to do with karma

everything to do with Sir Trevor Brooking - a shame because I liked him as a player - as a bent administrator a complete and utter word removed clearing

12 hours ago, Genie said:

Why didn’t the Olympic committee just build a football stadium, but convert it to an athletics stadium for 4 weeks then it’s a football stadium for 100 years+ rather than the other way round? 

They could have probably sold it for a profit then to one of the London PL clubs.

there is far too much logic right there

9 minutes ago, TRO said:

Personally, i am just looking at top 6, i still don't think we move or move the ball well enough for Auto....but equally think we will be well equipped for the playoffs.

Some fans think we have the best players.....they would do well to be a neutral and watch some of our competitors individual play and movement.

Bristols players look far more surefooted than us at present.

What is it that players from other teams are being managed/coached/instructed/setup to do which seems evident in their play and absent in ours?

At which point do we stop watching what others do and start doing it ourselves?

Poor lad

I hope it doesnt break him.

He needs help. Support from whoever is playing from :

Snod, Elmo, Onomah (also a young un) Hourihane, Lansbury, O‘Hare (also young) Grealish and Adomah

^ are we spoilt for choice or what?

A big tweek in tactics would help him too. Us having the ball in the oppositions half for long periods of the game would consequentially give him less ground to cover and more support. A goal or 2 and assists would also get the adrenaline pulling him through 90mins+ every few days untill we can get RHM fit, Hogan too, McC back or buy/loan in a Brute.

How long is Kodjia out for? I have the feeling that the injury on injury on injury might take its toll on him resulting in him needing even more game-time before he gets on fire.

Davis till the end of the season as lone-striker simply wont work out.