Keener window-cleaner

My negativity towards him is based on the fact that he runs around like a headless chicken kicking the ball in different directions without thinking and being a constant liability for the team. On top of that I dislike his up-pumped macho style and behaviour towards opponents, officials and team mates. That we managed to sell him and get a fee for him must be the best business we have done in quite a while. Thanks a lot Jaap Stam!!

I fully agree, I didn't understand the hype about him towards the end of last season. It doesn't matter how hard he tries or how much passion he shows, he still cant defend or pass the ball properly. I will support him as long as he gives 100%, but he is still a limited fotballer and I would rather see us giving Bree or someone of the youth players a chance.

Didn't Trent already shoot down our hopes on this one? If Snodgrass is in the same form as a year ago I'd love to have him here, but I guess it wont be happening.

I hope Micah will be a good lesson to the kids, focus on technique instead of spending hours in the gym building muscles.

So if we have used all pre season to work out a formation that was geared around a nr 10, then please continue with that system and play the best nr 10 we have in that position, McCormack.

And more home made videos with villa songs!

I think he looked like a very promising player, he seems to have good technique and is comfortable on the ball, great physique as well. Altough it looked like he was labouring at times, a bit lazy perhaps. I guess that's why Bruce wont pick him, as I get the impression that he demads 100% commitment from the players. Can't fault Bruce on that point. Hopefully he rolls up his sleeves, plays regularly and comes back like a proper player (and if so taking responsibility for this himself and not handing it over to God).

Exactly my thoughts too.

It's not as if I demand a medical certificate of anything. Just curious when people are implying things, what it is they mean in a broad sense. I tried to google "McCoremack and issues" etc, and searched on twitter, but all I got what that story from April. Would be good to know how credible these rumours are and what it is about, otherwise it's kind of difficult to have an oppinion on it. It's also kind of unfair to RMC.

Man U away he hit the crossbar with a smashing shot if I remember correctly. I wonder what Tonev is up to nowadays...

Be careful of what you say about China Zatman, you might have the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to "closley monitor the situation".

Try closing the door next time.

True, he sure performed better elsewere!

What are these issues that we are implying but not writing about? It's not like we normally are respectful to players on here. If there are some issues with him I see it a an employer problem, the employer needs to deal with it and should do it in a professional way. If he needs help, give him the help he needs.

Like who?

I feel sorry for him personally that he (allegely) turned down Leicester and joined us, relegation instead of champion. The few times I saw him play I didn't see anything special in him, he was good at passing the ball quickly to the nearest player and was fairly good at set pieces, but that was it. It looked like he didn't quite cope with the tempo, looked slow and a bit weak. I think he was in the same mould as Westwood, but can't say he was better. Would actually prefer Westwood to Veretout. I think having a foreign player, not speaking the language, who doesn't show any great interest of wanting to be at the club creates a bad atmosphere, so I'm glad he has left. In a league with slower tempo as the serie a he will probably do alright. Have fun and bye bye!

Well I based my conclusion on the fact that we have played that way for 10 months now, regardless of players, formation or opponents, not on today's game :-) But I wasn't beeing sarcastic, I actually am going to try to see the beauty in beeing a solid, structured, hard to beat side. I want to be positive and enjoy seeing us play and will focus on how good we are defensively instead of moaning about the lack of attacing play.

I liked the performance against Hertha Berlin, but must say that the first match against Doucheburg was far from good altough we won. They kind of out played us until we scored, then we added a second and they gave up. Very good to see Hogan getting a brace though!

Who's the giant in the background?

Man mountain, hardly put a foot wrong today and covered up for the mistakes Micah the ex body builder managed to do on the short time he was on the pitch.

Even without my newly found love for graft, I must say he looked like a really solid midfielder. I loved the way he regularly tracked back and followed his man, all too often in the last years our midfielders have just stood still watching the opponents midfielders run through, but Glenny seemed to have the instinct to directly run with his man. His passing was good as well, often a forward pass that found the player insted of the "ticking over" sideways pass. Looks like a complete, solid midfielder. With him and Lansbury it was the first time since I don't know when that I've seen us have two proper CM:s. First match together and they clicked directly, both covering for each other defensively and linked up well with the passes. Not the anxious meaningsless tapping to the nearest player, but actually trying to solve the situations and driving the team forward. Very promising!

So, in a pre season friendly we play 4-4-2 with 3 grafters and one player in midfield and a midfielder as one of the strikers. It's going to be a long hard season to continue to moan about Steve Bruce's tactics and wanting us to play free flowing attacking football. I have lost any hope I had left of this, so I will just have to accept that we will be a defensive, grafting, hard to beat team. I will try to start enjoying it and see the beauty in the excellence of defending.

I'm very happy with this one! Always liked him!

Fixed.