striker

Great first half of football between two teams in form. Wolves have better movement but Villa have a better attacking unit. Grealish brilliant so far and just out shining Neves as the best player on the park but Grabban is a real find and should be signed up at the end of the season. Has better quality than Hogan. All to play for in the second half then.

Yeah in his own head. He isn’t good at anything.

I would possibly consider replacing Terry with Axel next week as over the last two games Terry has looked short of his best just to give him a rest giving the captaincy to Chester. I’d play Bjarnson at Dm to give some added defensive energy in the midfield with hopefully Grealish and Adomah fit. And please Bruce no more Onomah. It’s hard enough to win games in this league with eleven players instead of ten. If Bruce does get Villa promoted then my worry is that he will try and sign Onomah on a permanent basis. Knowing Levy Spurs would be looking 10m for him and that in my opinion is 10m too much.

Onomah shouldn’t play again this season no matter what financial loss is incurred by Villa. Any loss will pale into insignificance if Villa are promoted. I’m sorry but my mate who is a Spurs fan told me he was useless and so it has come to pass. Its not only his lack of ability but it’s his attitude as well. Stinks!! Bruce must drop him from the squad and give his place to O’Hare. Looks to me me like a Billy big bollocks without the bollocks.

O'Hare, Hayes instead of Whelan and OhNo then you would have a decent midfield with Bjarnson as the DM.

I’d keep the same system when Villa went on the 7 game run. O’Hare in the Grealish role and Grabban replacing Adomah with Hogan up top. Keep changes to a minimum. Bruce should have done this two games ago.

Agree with your point about pressing. Villa generally give teams too much space to play although against Birmingham they were much better. It could be the age of the players that is hampering that plus Villa aren't blessed with pace either. It could also be that due to those points Bruce has Villa playing more zonally in defence preferring shape rather than press or just trying to draw the opposition out before hitting them on the break? Klopp has Liverpool pressing more than they ever did but even they struggle to do that consistently over ninety minutes.

Agree with most of that TRO apart from the comment concerning guile. I really do hate criticising anyone who has just gone through the trauma of losing a parent but over the last two games Bruce’s safety first approach has caused Villa losing points and it’s not for the first time this season. He had a like for like replacement in O’Hare yet played him in the U23s. He could have played Hayes instead of the dreadful Onomah both of whom generally have done well and certainly no worse when given the chance yet he chose not to. He could have played Lansbury instead of Hayes if he was worried about too much youth in the spine of the team but again chose not to. Two of those three are flair players so there is certainly more than one player with guile still available to Bruce. I still don’t think Bruce is utilising the squad well enough because he is fixated on sticking with experience rather than going to the next best player available relative to replacing the injury and it’s costing Villa.

Onomah?? Really must be doing something in training because he does **** all on the pitch. No creativity in the middle so Hogan and Villa are going to struggle again.

Cannot for the life of me understand why O’Hare isn’t on the bench as an option to a Grealish injury or giving Grealish a rest after 70 minutes. Super little player and one which would surely get more game time elsewhere in the Championship. I’m also completely mystified as to why Bruce doesn’t give Hayes more game time either instead of the ineffectual Onomah?

Not if the squad had been utilised better.

He’s a totally ineffective player and not good at anything really. Should be binned for rest of season or sent back to Spurs.

Disagree with this. There is a suitable replacement in O’Hare but Bruce won’t play him. I’d also play Hayes every day of the week rather than Onomah who is a total waste of space. Bruce got it badly wrong yesterday yet again with his team selection sending out the wrong message to Fulham and Villa lost the points because of that. I thought we’d seen the last of the safety first approach but sadly not. When you have injuries keep the same shape and play your next best available rather than changing everything.

It pains me to say it but I’m another who thinks Jedinak must play in this one.

If you play your cards right.

One thing I have noted is that TRO hasn’t been gloating and he has every reason to after the stick he has taken by defending Bruce on here. He should be commended for that. Top man.

To a certain extent they did but they did send out a thinly veiled warning that they weren’t happy. Since then and with the signing of Agnew results and performances have improved.

I was another who doubted Bruce based on the way the team was playing which flew in the face of the players available to him. What I mean is Villa having attacking players but not showing that attacking quality on the pitch. We could argue all day about why that was but I feel it isn’t coincidental that Villa’s performances dramatically improved with Agnew coming in. Bruce has to be given great credit for that because he identified with what most fans had been saying and did something about it. I feel that decision has kick started Villa’s season now getting the best out of the players available adding attacking intent to Calderwood solidifying the defence which has created the right balance. I also wish to add the tinkering with the system and team selection has stopped with players playing in their correct positions and maybe the return of Grealish has allowed that to happen? Its now a settled and winning team which Bruce has helped to create by the recent decisions he has made. Long may that continue.

A point here and another against the the Wolverine would do while obliterating the rest which will secure second.

Probably the best performance I've seen Villa put in since i've been a member here. Played some great football and solid as a rock defensively. Looked every bit like a team who are going to gain automatic promotion. When I saw the team sheet I thought the manager got it wrong with the inclusion of Jedinak but he was absolutely immense today and its the best i've seen him play. Kudos to the manager for that. Grealish put in the type of performance that truly belies the fee Man City were going to pay for Mahrez. Reminded me of Chris Waddle at his best and thats some compliment. Villa will need to go up to keep Jack and even then if he keeps playing like that Pep will take notice.

Haha

Grealish off. MOTM for me by some distance. Brilliant display.

Just **** brilliant goal and I’ve just asked for him to be subbed lol.

Hourihane has been poor all game. I’d replace him with some fresh legs now.

Yessssss