Wezbid

Go on Brucey lad.

I think people should have had the common sense to understand that he'd barely played for West Ham and was seriously lacking in match fitness and it would take a good run of games to get him close to the proper Snodgrass we knew for Hull in the Premier League. It's the modern day era of football that I hate, no sense of perspective or patience, it has to be now, now, now. That's why I try and avoid message boards around/after game time as x player is either crap or brilliant these days. The guy has been a quality player for years, not sure why it was such a mystery that it'd take time to build him back up. He was wheezing first half of games at the start, you can't judge a player when his lack of match fitness is that low.

He may have had his problems and behaved badly during them but he's produced whilst out on loan, what else can you ask from him. We have 2 fit strikers. Gabby can barely make it to the bench, let alone produce in first team games. I would have him on the bench next game without hesitation. Gabby doesn't seem to have even entertained the thought of going out on loan and proving himself. I'm much more content going into the season's end with Hogan, Davies and McCormack than I am with Hogan, Davies and Agbonlahor. If we can get decent money for him, move him on but if not, we currently have a player bang in form and full of confidence, I don't care what league he may have regained that form and confidence from. Let's use it.

We normally agree on most things but I have to disagree on this one. Against Barnsley his energy and running was top notch and not utilised by other players enough. Whelan is a tougher tackler. Bjarnason has the mobility that Whelan doesn't. I don't mind Whelan at all in all honesty, he still reads the play well but his mind is quicker than his body. If I saw Whelan getting the ball, passing it off and having the energy to sprint into space to recieve the ball again and offer an option like Bjarnason did against Barnsley then I'd be hugely impressed but he can't. They both have wayward passing at times but Bjarnason is faster (significantly) in moving play forward either through running with the ball, passing it or just giving people in possession further back an option of a pass with his movement. If Whelan did that then I doubt people would slate him. I don't get the hate for Whelan but I don't get you not appreciating what Bjarnason brings to the table on and off the ball in the DM role. I'm not going to judge his performances now based on what he's done previously in other positions. He's not the next coming but his off the ball work against Barnsley was immense. We look a lot better going forward now he's in there whilst still not shipping goals. I understand is just a few games and form is temporary and he has to keep producing but you don't think he even is producing which I don't get. If Whelan goes back in there we'll be back to grinding out wins rather than attacking quickly from deep and putting teams away as we have been.

One thing that BB does over Whelan and Jedinak is pass it off to a player then sprint full pelt into space to get the ball back. Happened time and again on Saturday but Elmo just ignored him half the time and launched it. BB's fitness and movement off the ball is hugely impressive, if we use it more rather than just launching it then some of these strong wins could turn into thrashings.

Anyone around my age (32) knows that Kevin Muscat is an absolute disgrace to the game and I don't mean disgrace how people shout it willy nilly after a player goes down easily. The guy went in to seriously injure fellow players. He's a grade A c-bomb. I think I recall him destroying Stan Lazaridis who was his international team mate. He nearly cost Matty Holmes a leg after one 'tackle', but 'just' the 4 operations on his leg instead. He's the sort of player who made me stopped playing after U-16's as these people are out to seriously injure anyone with an ounce more talent than they have. I love a good, tough, hard tackle and player but Muscat was an animal and should have been banned from the game. He's the sort of person I hope gets bitten by one of your nasty little bugs over there. Keep it up Ross.

And so it was. A settled side makes a ton of difference, especially when it's got the quality of ours.

I wouldn't, I'd wait for Snodgrass to get fully fit and reap the rewards.

It would be valid if he didn't constantly chop and change seemingly every week. If he started playing a consistent team we might actually start getting consistent results. The keeper and JC, JT, NT and finally Hourihane are there and reward in a tight defence in the main but the rest of the team is in and out more than a porn star's willy.

Great cross from Elmo for the goal. Might get some people off his back for 5 minutes.

Giving them more respect than they deserve, they've played some nice enough stuff since we've not got in their faces. I wouldn't describe them as awful at all but we could put a few more past them if we actually press them and don't camp out in our own half.

They're not great but absolute dogshit is over the top. They're hardly whipping boys.

I said the team is balanced. 2 up top, 2 proper wingers, 2 central midfielders, 2 full backs, 2 centre backs. We're giving them too much respect but the players and formation is a better balance than previously.

Liking the line-up, nice and balanced. Snodgrass roaming centrally whilst also providing width. Stick with this line-up consistently and we should pick up points.

He's put out a balanced side with most of our best players. Stick with this and he'll probably get results and keep his job, it's not rocket science.

If he had, I'm sure he'd have let everyone know about it.

He might have his issues but I don't see him as the spawn of Satan, either. We're desperate for goals and we can't even stick him in the bench. A guy banging in 25 plus a season with his 'issues and baggage'.

Love a double post.

There was a guy who was at Watford who said selling clubs were peed off if clubs bid for their players without tapping them up first. They would much rather other clubs sound out their target and get a feel for if there was interest in a move (plenty don't want to move). Clubs would rather their player be tapped up through agents than a public approach or doing it via the correct channels and causing more unrest than simply asking an agent if they'd be interested. It makes sense to me. In this day and age I would think every single manager would expect their club to put the feelers out about a replacement if they aren't up to scratch. Managers and clubs do it with nearly all players.

Pouble Dost.

Answering questions with questions, very little substance. Is there a minimum price the club would have to charge season ticket holders for AVTV for example or is it just lumping the blame with the EFL? Discount at the club shop, items are insanely over-priced on what they cost to make. If the club lose money by not selling at full price then something is wrong. It's asking for a lump sum of money from the fan on blind faith with little reward for that loyalty. Villa Park doesn't sell out, more and more people will start to pick and choose their games if there's little benefit to stumping up all at once. It smacks of taking people's loyalty for granted and this is after some of the worst years for fans for decades. People can read through the jargon and bull these days. I appreciate these meetings but everytime I'm left underwhelmed after reading. Nothing really seems to be progress.

Sickening.

I've gone full circle and want super Olof again. It's a risk but all appointments are, Bruce on paper looked like a sure thing with his history.

I blame wine and auto-correct.