ViewFromT2

If that's true (which I honestly don't think it is)...then Wolves are screwed. Their wage to turnover in 2015-16 was 67%, it has gone up to 119% this season! Is the confusion down to this bit in the Premier League rules: "Clubs will be able to increase their wage spend by £7m each season from 2016/17 to 2018/19"

If that's true (which I honestly don't think it is)...then Wolves are screwed. Their wage to turnover in 2015-16 was 67%, it has gone up to 119% this season!

Picking a Villa team is almost impossible these days. 100 fans could come up with 100 variations of formation and personnel. For what it's worth, here's my guess at tonight's lineup....bearing in mind Bruce pretty much blamed the younger players on Saturday, I am fully expecting none of them will feature from the start tonight. Get the feeling Onomah, having gone off injured in last 2 home league games, will also be benched. Pretty sure Bruce will change it up. That said, I can see him at least sticking to the recently employed 4-1-4-1 formation. However, I wouldn't be at all surprised if Jedinak started with Whelan in a 4-2-3-1....if that's the case, we will get destroyed in the middle of the park. If Bruce really is at the last chance saloon, he may even gamble starting Kodija in place of Andre Green, Kodija (left), Snodgrass (centre) and Elmo (right) behind Hogan. Perhaps he will give the 3 x CB's another try, with Taylor and Elmohamady as WB's? Nothing should surprise us at the moment. If Boro had a scout at Villa Park on Saturday and saw how many times we were opened up with a diagonal ball, I expect plenty more of it tonight. Neil Taylor's positioning off Terry and Chester has to be better cos if Adomah gets released none of our back four will see his arse for dust!

Shame to see him undergo the knife at his age. He is still developing physically, an injury like this could be very bad news for a player with so much pace as a major asset. A different type of injury, but I always said Gardner would never fulfill his potential after suffering that knee injury so young....getting a second one finished him! This injury has highlighted what a poor transfer window we have just witnessed. If, god forbid, anything happens to Taylor then we basically have no left hand side! To sign two over the hill centre backs (when the defence wasn't the issue) and reduce the squad to one LB whilst not getting cover at LW is staggering. Adding Snodgrass after getting already Elmohamdy when we already had Adomah (whi is probably better than both)...is also staggering!

I agree with this. It is too early to make too harsh a judgement. 26 championship appearance as a teenager is all he has had. He looks a bit intimidated in my opinion. If I'm honest though I don't quite get the signing.....signed as one for the future? Yes, absolutely....but signed to play instead of Richie De Laet?...Not for me. No way. RDL is clearly the best RB we have. All I can think is that Bruce doesn't want him playing every game yet so soon after that injury.....if he's leaving him out for 'tactical reasons' then Bruce really is a buffoon!

What the cockin' hell is that supposed to mean? How in the name of sweet jesus can a football team not be ready to play strikers? For christ sake the bloke is a total moron! Is he gonna play 4 at the back and 6 in midfield?

He also mentioned something about using the U23 players going forward if the first team perform like they did on Saturday again. Presumably he is keeping the likes of O'Hare away for now to see if the first team respond. It's a dicey tactic to play against the modern day player. They could very well play at 80% capacity tonight on the back of that threat. If they do and they get turned over again then Bruce is backed into a corner....drop £40/£50m worth of investments, or retract on his threat! Of course, 20 years ago such threats would most likely have gotten the desired reaction from championship players. It's a shame Steve Bruce seems to be stuck there!

he also said something about the players and coaching staff having a meeting on Monday after Hull game....that must of gone well!

It's our 'style of play' that is lacks pace, not the players. We have pace everywhere in forward areas...but we are just too lethargic. This has been a problem for years, its not a new thing.

Since Xia has bought the club, we have gone absolutely nowhere on the field. We may well be better behind the scenes, I have no idea and really couldn't give a rats arse to be fair.....on the field is where Aston Villa starts and ends, lives and dies! If/when he sacks the latest turnip to manage our club, he really needs to look again at the people he has entrusted to bring success back on the field. The people in place that are responsible for recruitment (recruitment of managers/coaches and players) should all be cleared out in my view, they have failed twice in less than 12 months! I like Xia. I think he has the club at heart. He seems to be trusting, but I pray his loyalty is not misguided for too long. Great business leaders are quick to remove under performers. There won't be too many that achieve success by being loyal to failures. We cannot let Steve Round or Keith Wyness anywhere near the next appointment in my opinion. Moyes is bound to be top of their list....dear god! I was never his biggest fan at the time, but to me there is a manager that could give the whole club a massive lift if he came back....and that would be Martin O'Neill. We need a manager that is a big personality, can handle the expectations of the fans and likes to attack the opposition FFS.....I think MON could relight Villa Park.

Would of thought cover for Taylor was paramount yes....but then again, we are talking about Steve Bruce! Just a thought, but maybe John Terry could persuade Baba Rahman to come on loan from Chelsea? Don't think he is likely to be in Chelsea's premier league 25 man squad is he? Was on loan at Schalke last year....he's probably better than Taylor to be fair!

hey....no arguments here, but Bruce justifies his selection because of this supposed attribute!.....one of the worst players I've ever seen in a villa shirt.

Lansbury played the advanced role at Forest last season...scored 6 goals in 17 games before Bruce got hold of him. If you read any interviews with him he states that's his best position and that's where he wants to play. The fact Bruce played him so deep last year is baffling.

Said this before guys, and I think it is highly relevant. It is COMPLETELY POINTLESS bringing in a 'creative midfielder' with Steve Bruce is charge. We bypass that area of the field, we don't play that kind of football. The creative types we have in the squad already (Grealish, Hourihane, etc) are consistently left out by Bruce in favour of a more physical type....he admits that is the reason Bacuna got in, and remains, in the side. To utilise a creative midfielder...a number 10 if you like, we must play a different style of football. We are far too static in our play, the 'number 10' thrives off movement and creating space. We have the players already in the squad. We need a manager/coaching staff that are prepared to adopt the style on the pitch.

We'll get beat at Cardiff....its almost guaranteed. Warnock will definitely get the better of Bruce. The Reading game could be a struggle too....meaning Norwich at home is huge. I really don't think Steve Bruce will be in charge beyond October.

Totally agree. He gets out-boxed by every manager he comes up against. All managers snuff out our initial threat before half time, then adjust their own tactics for the second half and we struggle. There are simply no excuses for not winning that game on Saturday. Hull offered no opposition for 35 minutes. Said it all summer. We will not go up with Steve Bruce in charge.

One thing is for certain...FFP is bloody mind-blowingly confusing! Do they base the assessment on playing staff alone (ie. transfer fees and wages)?...surely that is a must. So if we are still having to pay out money to a previous owner for instance...surely that figure doesn't impact on FFP?

Points deduction for FFP?...who? when? The option was only made available to the EFL last year FFS! Clubs have been penalised for going into administration....are you getting confused?

I've seen that report.....but tell me how that correlates with the official statement released by the club? Wyness says we have lost £83.3m over the last 3 years and are in effect in breach of FFP already. FFP allows our losses to be £83m (2 x £35m premier league season + 1 x £13m Championship). Next year the 3 year tally will need to be below £61m and if we don't go up, £39m the year after. The Wyness statement again contradicts the Guardian article...how can we have lost £81m 2 seasons ago, but only show a 3 year loss of £83.3m?

You need to calm down....points deductions etc...will never happen! Can you imagine the legal wrangling through the courts! The big clubs get around FFP easily enough, it really isn't worth jack shit in reality. If Xia is as minted as (only) Villa fans seem to think, then why isn't RECON Group the clubs main sponsor? Why isn't it (or any of his other massively unknown entities) on the front of our shirts and paying a ridiculous amount of money to do so? Why hasn't he sponsored the stadium to generate funds?

See above

According to our Strategic Report...we never lost anywhere near that. Presumably the £7m loss relates purely to the playing side of the business, to which FFP applies?

We did spend bucket loads yes....from transfer monies recieved and premier league parachute payments. No extra investment from the owner really was there? FFP allows a £13m loss per season (EFL now in line with Premier League)...this is reviewed over a 3 year period. We are using the FFP line as a get out in my opinion. I highly doubt the owner has the kind of funds he makes out, or at least if he does have them, he damn well ain't gonna be pumping into Villa! edit: I found this statement online. Clearly the clubs losses over the last 2 seasons are way short of the FFP limit....yet Wyness is saying we are close to breaching? We've been cutting costs and wage bills since Lambert joined.

Wouldn't hold your breath guys. Bruce has been on Talksport this afternoon saying we won't sign a replacement for Grealish unless we sell players due to FFP....however he may bring one in on loan! Think the old doctor may have to rethink the "challenging for the premier league in 5 years" rubbish he came out with last year :-) We'll be lucky to be in the prem in that time.....thought this guy was minted? The clubs with real money take no notice of FFP whatsoever....we are already using it as an excuse after 12 months....imagine what it will be like in a years time...!