Regista

2 hours ago, Eastie said:

Bruce has said he prefers the 352 system but hasn't deployed that here as it depends on the right personnel - he spoke on Saturday of now having the right 2 strikers to make that system work and as you say with Jedi back the centre midfield area should look much better in this system - I think Bree and Taylor are also an upgrade on what we had and will be decent wing backs - sort the keeper out in the summer and get another central defender and we have the makings of a really good side once players get used to the system.

Will be slightly concerned if this was his intial plan and he's bought no CB's in Jan though. Only have 3 first team CB's in the squad. Any injuries will mean square pegs in round holes. I know Bree can apparently play there but I'd think it best with young players sticking to one position. 

SORRY, we have Micah how could I forget!

4 hours ago, HanoiVillan said:

These sentences contradict each other?

Pointless response, do you have nothing relevant to respond with? In the way you and other people may have construed the sentence yes, it may seem contradictory. 

What I meant was I don't think it was the initial plan and it may be a case of trial and error with regards to formations. He's going to move on to 3-5-2, if that's doesn't work for a few games maybe 4-4-2. Therefore, no long term plan of a system in place or an identity, he basically has no clue how he wants this new team to play. 

39 minutes ago, HanoiVillan said:

Well, I assumed that it was a stereotype of British managers, but rereading your post I don't think that was a fair assumption on my part. So I take the word 'stereotype' back. 

You're right, though, that I'm on much stronger ground pointing at your own assumption, which seems completely unsafe. My primary evidence for this is that of the players we brought in in January, seemingly none of them are specialists in the kind of long-ball football that you are assuming is a tactical choice. I think the idea he would spend north of £20m on players without having an idea of what system they would play in is for the birds. 

Judging by his actions so far I personally don't think he has any idea of what type of system he is going to use. It seems as though he changed plans after Brentford and wanted to trial 3-5-2 and may now move forward with this. 

Whatever happens over the next few games I hope to God we see an improvement and that Bruce starts to turn things round, we should at least give him time. (If you ask me about this within a few hours of a dire performance I may think differently). 

I just have this feeling that Bruce may not be the right type of manager to implement a pro active playing style, but like I said I hope I'm proved wrong. 

One final thing is I hope he never attempts to play 4-4-2 as it will never work with the players we have. Hourihane can play in that, but Jedi or Lansbury alongside him will 100% not be effective. Lansbury is so poor without the ball and isn't mobile enough. On the ball however he is brilliant, and we have 3 players who will fit into a perfect 3 CM system with Jedi holding. 

12 minutes ago, HanoiVillan said:

With respect, this might be walking around dressed like a fact, but it is really just your stereotypes and assumptions. 

Can I ask what stereotype? 

Yes, it's all assumption but assumption based on his managerial career and how his teams play. It is of course, only my opinion, but I believe it to be true. 

4 hours ago, Grasshopper said:

I honestly hope you are right

4 hours ago, HanoiVillan said:

I don't follow your post. 

'Hoof it' is not an instruction given in the manager's team meeting before the game. It is a response to players getting possession of the ball and seeing no-one to pass to, or not feeling confident in team-mates to hold the ball under pressure. This is exactly what I'm talking about. When they are more familiar with each other, they will be more confident in each other's ability and will understand each other better. Which will lead to less hoofing. 

However, even if you were actually right, and even if, in some alternate universe, all Bruce did was curse, order players to do press-ups, and yell over and over again to 'HOOF IT!', it would still be a better and more successful tactic if they were hoofing it in the general direction of another Villa player, ie. they still need to know 'how they move, where they're likely to run, what they do off the ball.'

As I said. 

Hmmm the problem here is again reverting back to the type of manager Bruce is. He isn't a tactician and I doubt he has us working on the training ground around passing sequences utilising midfield etc. Tactical managers are all about pictures/diagrams and going over and over passing sequences until players can't get it wrong. For example when a full back is under pressure a sequence of 'in out in out' passes to beat the press. 

Bruce isn't the type of manager to do this and is all about team shape/fight/being hard to beat (which we aren't). He will probably be hoping because we have brought in some really good technical players for this level and will all click but unless he starts to implement a style and getting the best out of these players this team will not reach its potential. 

This reverts back to my main gripe over Grealish. He shines in the England U21's, but when playing for villa he just gets bypassed and ends up having to chase the ball for 90% of the game, so he looks bang average. 

Im willing to give Bruce until the end of the season, plus I don't think there's anyone that would come here at the minute who is the right type of manager to get the best out of these players. Hope he proves me wrong! 

Do agree his touch was poor tonight though! 

Also people mentioning Hourihane being invisible. I'd be interested to know how many people on here have played football at a decent level. 

Ignore coming in to a new team completely. Unless we use the midfield they will all be passengers. The only thing he was able to offer was intensity in closing down off the ball. Not only did he cover a lot of ground but he did it with intensity too. Having 30% possession alone and then along with the little amount we had it mostly involved bypassing midfield, I actually feel sorry for the guy. 

1 minute ago, terrytini said:

I would clarify.

In patches we played well. Whenever we got forward.

But our tactics are a huge huge handicap.

Never forget the time Bruce once said 'I'm not that bothered about tactics'. 

Think that's it with him, he will choose the shape/formation but tactically it seems he's just hoping everything clicks without establishing an actual way of playing. You can see him getting annoyed with Baker and co' for hoofing it, but i bet (just my opinion) he's not worked on an alternative in training to offer a solution and allow us to become more effective in possession. We don't use triangles, we don't press as a team, we hardly pass and move and we literally just hope an individual comes up with a bit of magic because we actually have players with good ability. 

We never see players moving towards the ball, always away from it. I could go in to more detail but right now I can't be arsed to type it all out as yet again Villa have got me in a huff. 

1 minute ago, imavillan said:

and neither does he, to a Villa shirt that is

He's a playmaker mate. He passes forwards, takes risks, and has a lot to learn. We won't ever see the best of him unless we start keeping the ball more. 

First yellow petulant but have to defend Grealish slightly I feel. It seems people think he's overrated but the reason he hardly gets involved is because we don't pass the f***king ball. 

Livid with this. Get this Icelandic guy off right now. Strolls around like Stephen Ireland used to, no intensity or urgency whatsoever. 

Commentators picking up on Grealish being a passenger, he's a No.10 and all we do is hoof the ball forward over his head!

Apart from LWB, only concern is the space infront of the CB's. Hoping we are more aware of this than last game. 

Downside to Lansbury is off the ball, his positional awareness is poor so playing in a 2 this could be trouble. If this side of his game was stronger he would have been a BPL regular years ago. 

The amount of people wanting Lansbury and Hourihane in a 2 at CM is very worrying. 

5 years in the making but I finally made an account this evening. More than anything the reason for this is a serious will to express my opinion somewhere and to debate/discuss things Villa related with a group of passionate people!

I like to consider myself to have a fairly extensive knowledge of the game as far as a non-professional is concerned. The main concern at the minute is the formation moving forward seems to be a 4-2-3-1. The concern being for me at the minute is the 4 most important positions in this formation (2 FB's and 2 CDM's) appear awfully suited, which is causing us to be abhorrently poor defensively.  

The 2 FB's need to provide the width and out balls to players in the middle of the pitch, especially when playing with CAM's on the wing, i.e Grealish (which can I just add, every single thing about his game points to him playing in the middle of the pitch), but that's another debate altogether. The issue with the fullbacks is they aren't playing correctly with regards to the system, for it to work. I'm sure the left side will be addressed when Amavi returns to full fitness. He may have been poor against Luton but when he's back fully fit he will be far and away the best full back in the league. 

This now brings me on to another discussion I am looking forward to having with people with regards to our CDM's. These are vital in this formation, and the right types of players to play here are required for it to be successful. These players have to be able to read the game well and be aware of what's happening with regards to a full 360 view. If they are players who struggle to impose themselves on the opposition (i.e Westwood) the game just passes them by and they cannot influence it. They act as a full 360 degree pivot in this formation and need to be incredibly disciplined to allow the FB's to influence the game. I won't go into more detail as I have an inclination this article will just pass the whole website by and it'll be a waste of my time writing this!

To cut a long story short, I'm also desperate for us to get rid of these players who have plodded along at this club for the last 4 or so years, being massively below par and somehow being given chance after chance. I saw people tweeting Dr Xia today pleading with him four Gabby to stay and that he could be useful. This ambition to keep below average players and give them another chance after producing nothing for the majority of their career is what is holding us back. These players have to go. Again i could delve deeper in to this but maybe this is a discussion to be had with others at a later date.

All in all I'm actually feeling pretty positive still! I think every player signed so far has been the correct one, very impressed! Desperate for a RB and a couple of CM's mind. 

Oh and for the people moaning about Xia selling to buy! I by no means no anything for certain but think about it, the club has been relegated, who have a huge squad that needs trimming and it makes perfect sense to keep the numbers in line with regards to OUT's and IN's, this does not mean we have no  money, it's a business, and cutbacks are needed. 

I hope at least one person reads this so it's not a complete waste of my time! Another positive, I'm prone to a pun or two........