Grasshopper

So after the last 2 results it looks very much like a stay of execution for mr Bruce-ball.

yey da f****** yey whoop de f****** whoo

Still, be careful what you wish for eh?

With Moyes & Puel doing well, Jokovic bitching again at Fulham, we‘ve really missed the boat sticking rather than twisting.

When it appears that we‘re back on track again only for Bruce to f*** it up again it‘ll be self protect mode and excuses galore.

Keeping Bruce is too much like Russian roulette for my liking. Our forward thinking players (CH JG AA RS & SH) who did more than a good job against a tired out Bristol City side will either be reigned in again or a less fatigued team will show us up for what we are, a slow unimaginative team who are set up scared to lose.

If Bruce would only just let them loose he could take some credit (from me and a few other realists on VT) for the results that may even get us 2nd - because we HAVE the players AND enough of them as a squad when used correctly - If we somehow get to the playoffs but lose out, there will be no comfort in a „nearly got it right scrape-through“. It‘ll be a whole new ball game next season with a somewhat reduced squad and budget.

I shudder at the thought

Bruce Out

2 minutes ago, mikeyp102 said:

Well when he signed it was as a season long signing, that would indicate no recall option.

It is not about me arguing the toss, it is about contract law. I don't know the terms of the contract and neither do you, but you'd hope the club do know contract terms and that's why they are sure he won't leave

It has been mentioned on here that there is a recall clause.

If that indeed is true and ManUre will lose a GK they will be able to do 1 of 2 things

1 recall SJ and keep him

2 recall SJ Sell him to whoever (or even force a sale to us) use the money for a replacement.

Now if ManUre have to react to the situ at hand, they will not consider our needs, if they are not interested in SJ as a player for them, they wont be acting in his interest either they will just sell him.

If that is the case, the Dr can say all he wants and SJ may even want to stay here for the whole loan period or permenantly, if ManU want 4/5mill for him and we havent got £££ (ffp) then we have no chance of keeping him long or short term.

28 minutes ago, mikeyp102 said:

Nothing to do with Man Utd caring about us, more to do with the terms of the contract agreed between the clubs. There will be deals where there is no recall option.

it is because

it is how it is

this deal (as said on vt) has the recall option

ManUre will act in their own interest regardless how you argue a toss or not

still no-one correct

On 02/01/2018 at 22:30, Vive_La_Villa said:

I doubt the Doc would have tweeted he is staying if there was a chance he could be recalled. 

DrT‘s lackies can tweet what they like. If ManU lose a keeper and cant get a replacement they will recall him.

Also, if they have their eye on someone for around 4mill then its a good move FOR ManU to 1- recall 2- sell 3- buy

We shouldnt be under any illusions, ManU dont give a f*** about us

On 26/11/2017 at 23:35, av1 said:

Sorry mate i have to ask. How do you determine a blokes fitness levels by watching him play golf? 

there is only one sport that uses more different muscles than used in a golf swing, along with the degree of difficulty

guess which sport?

Promotion because of Agnew & the players despite Bruce maybe?

On 01/01/2018 at 22:47, OutByEaster? said:

I'd like to see us mix it up a bit.

 I'd keep Johnstone in goal - if only because it means he won't be able to play for anyone else in the cup afterward and that'll make him less attractive to others.  

Excellent point

(then sub him after 2mins?)

On 01/01/2018 at 22:47, OutByEaster? said:

Maybe something along the lines of:

-----------------------Johnstone----------------------

Bree--------Chester-------Elphick-------Taylor

-----------------Whelan--Doyle Hayes-------------

O'Hare---------------Onomah-----------------RHM

----------------------------Davis-------------------------

 

I‘d go with that but Onomah for whelan and Hogan up top. We need more Hogan-ball to get him used to scoring. v Fry-boys we dont need a DM as such, let alone a shit one like Whelan

On 02/01/2018 at 19:48, av1 said:

Its been said a thousand times in here but if Hogan is going to a success here it really depends on the way we play. Now I'm not going to get on at Bruce here (I've done enough of that in the Bruce thread), but i think the style of play that suits Hogan also suits us.

Yesterday we pressed up the field, the inclusion of Jedinak (who i think is more disciplined in the DM slot that GW), also meant Hourihane could press and venture forward. It gave Grealish options and Hogan thrived. As well as the goal he is probably not getting enough credit for the header that led to the second. 

A criticism of Hogan would be that he can only play in a certain set up, but on the evidence of last night, that set up also benefits Aston Villa. 

More of the same please. 

cracking post

the bold bit is the key.

Hogan-ball suits the players we have

Bruce-ball doesnt

Hogan In

5 minutes ago, sne said:

And what happens if the song or piece the conductor has them playing is crap or flawed? 

 

you‘ll have to ask Bach, Beethoven and a number of graveyard prowlers before you ask Brucian era conductor Sir Steve Hoofitlong

14 minutes ago, TRO said:

I accept it is not mutually exclusive.....but if the orchestra is poor the conductor won't make them good either.

Both factors have to be right.

well v Bristol the players certainly showed they can

guess which factor is wrong at AVFC?

3 hours ago, TRO said:

Because they improve the whole environment....recruitment, scouting, motivation,....many many factors.....mental aura of the whole thing.

Its like i said in my post of course they have an affect on a game.....but Imo not as much as some fans allude to.

but that does not make me right.....its just how i see it.

it can also be said how most managers have a shelf life and that can depend on their overall ability....its widely recognised a "voice" can only last so long.

I have always been an advocate of relying on the quality of the players to sustain success.....the more you have with quality the better affect and subsequently the work rate improves through positive activity.....confidence.

I see a manager more like the music conductor and the players as the orchestra.

but hey, just my view.

I went to an orchestea concert recently. It was stuff from Britton and Elgar. By the time they got to Nimrod (Elgar variations) the conductor had them playing Everything too fast to the point that I wanted to punch him out, speaking to others afterwards everyone to a man said the conductor ruined the pieces for them.

No matter how good or bad the players are, if the manager is shit then you wont get full potential out of the players

11 minutes ago, bannedfromHandV said:

The fact that you took Lexicon's post personally should, in itself, be a warning sign for you (bearing in mind he didn't aim it at anyone or reference anyone specifically).

 

Though I doubt it'll be taken on board.

either it goes in or it doesnt

37 minutes ago, lexicon said:

'Fickle' is a stupid term that gets thrown around all the time when it comes to football. 

FWIW, I think that it's a lot more mature to base your opinion on present evidence and accept that it might change, than it is to blindly stick to your guns because you're petrified of being wrong about something. Having 'strong convictions' is not necessarily a positive thing, it can easily turn into stubborn stupidity or close-mindedness. 

Ok

then you should „keep your mind open“ to the FACT that Bruce will get us to look like Barca one day, whilst some on here, me included, rely on reality.

In your opinion I will remain immature by having a grasp of reality

43 minutes ago, lapal_fan said:

 

Maybe you're just wrong? 

no way mate

20 minutes ago, lapal_fan said:

I don't know what you're talking about and from the bolded part of the quote, I'm unsure you do?

Hoof it and Bruce it

pretty self evident what is meant

if not, use your imagination or just take a wild guess

20 minutes ago, lapal_fan said:

Surely, even as someone who actively dislikes Bruce, you don't honestly think he sets us up not to score goals, and that it happens by luck? 

I think he concentrates on setting the team up to sit back and be defensive.

He allows himself this because the likes of Kodjia, Adomah, the odd goal from Grealish or a foul on Grealish, free kick, corner, hoof and stick gets us points.

So imho it is.

Sit back, keep it tight, someone might make something happen up front.

All that has to be is that the ball gets „up front“ occasionally, his tried and trusted method is hoofing it or Brucing it.

1 hour ago, bannedfromHandV said:

Coming off the back of two very good and very different wins against what were on paper, good teams.

John Terry, Andre Green and Henri Lansbury all returning to fitness leaving just one long term absentee.

Played most of the top teams away from home already, played Bristol City twice and got Brentford (apparent bogey team) out of the way too.

Over the next few weeks we'll have got Sheff Utd out of the way too, although they already appear to be heading south anyway.

 

Not sure there's many teams that wouldn't trade places with us right now outside of Wolves and Derby, definitely an encouraging way to start 2018!

So are you saying Bruce has no excuse for not finished 3rd?

20 minutes ago, vreitti said:

You cannot possibly know the exact intentions of Bruce, no more than I can. It's all a matter of opinion.

I think there have been numerous times he's deliberately set us up in a way where he's played for a draw, and merely hoped we might nick it with a moment of brilliance or luck. 

This is it for me

set to keep what we have (0-0 1pt) and see what happens.

But thats 50/50 thinking as ot can ho either way. with the players we have, there us a good chance it might come off.

Above all this is the main reason why we didnt get promoted last season, or reach the 10th place revised target and are NOT 1st or 2nd this season.

I remember the HYSTERIA after The Norwich and Wigan games. Our next 3 games were draws (iirc) and back to sh*yte Hoof-it-and-Bruce-it-Ball

1 hour ago, Stevo985 said:

I said it earlier in here.

Comments like "Bruce finally let them off the leash. Let's not go back to playing defensivley"

As if Bruce's team talk last night was "ok we usually defend, but today we should attack!"

 

It doesn't work like that. We don't usually set up to draw or just "not lose" games. I think we always set up to win in this league. It doesn't always happen of course and the way we set up and play can result in us looking negative. But I don't think it's a conscious decision.

if that was anywhere near true @bannedfromHandV‚s mum could get Barcelona B Munich & Citeh to play like they do

1 hour ago, bannedfromHandV said:

I don't wonder how Pep has managed to succeed at all.

Barcelona, Bayern Munich, Manchester City.

 

My mum could win trophies with those but thanks for your input.

wow

unbelievable

feed the Hog and he will score

5-0 unbelievable Jeff

We have the players to be at least 2nd

today showed that

or maybe its all down to Agnew

SJ

Elmo Chester Elphick Hutton

Snod Jedi Hourihane Adomah

Grealish

Hogan 

Only thing I dont like is Hutton @ LB

Now IF (the biggest IF so far this year) we take the game to them and have them pinned back on their 18yrd line we might get the ball in to Hogan to score or a freekick from a foul on Grealish adomah or snod around the box (CH scoring the FK)

However I think Bruce will have em sitting back hoofing to Hogan who will go off after 60mins frustrated and knackered. the game plan may work with a late goal from the bench, but this all depends on how „tight we keep it“.

If BC score then it‘ll probably be too little too late

1 hour ago, alreadyexists said:

they’re missing their first choice ‘keeper,

the position that we test the most

apart from the ball boys