striker

Getting the hairdryer treatment on social media hasn't done Bruce any harm has it.

It's ok quoting stats but you also have to keep them in context concerning the situation those managers found themselves in. Bruce is in a lower division against lower quality teams with probably the best players and considerable financial aid available to him. He also has more games to play. Considering he finished 13th last season presiding over a poor start this season with the above available to him no wonder he has had to face criticism.

With all due respect to Burton these are the type of games Villa need to win to achieve automatic promotion. If you're going to pay too much respect to the likes of Burton then enjoy being a lower to mid Championship team for the next few seasons.

Another thing that annoys me concerning Bruce is the use of the word "challenging." He's been using that in practically every interview. Does that mean challenging for a playoff spot or automatic promotion? I know it's a minor detail and I guess you have to earn what you get but the cynical side of me is thinking that using the word "challenging" covers a lot of bases for him if Villa only manage to reach the playoffs. My worry is that reaching the playoffs would be seen as a successful season by Bruce even if Villa weren't promoted when you consider his recent comments about arresting Villa's apparent slide into League One. I'd like him to be more decisive in what he really thinks is possible for Villa this season and would love someone to tie him down on this when being interviewed.

I also see an upward trajectory but against the poorer teams in the division. It was generally the same last season. Most posters on site expected Villa to win the last two games due to the opposition and so they have, extending Bruce's employment. Where Villa tend to struggle is against better teams in the league and they did that last season and the start of this one so it will be interesting to see how Villa fair once again when they get a harder run of fixtures? That will be the acid test for me because Villa will have to get results against the likes of Leeds, Fulham and Wolves if they are to finish in the top two. Automatic promotion should be the ambition and not just reaching the playoffs which are a lottery.

Take three points any day of the week but still not convinced there has been much improvement in performance level and I wonder will history repeat itself from last season when Villa went on a decent run? For that not to happen performances must improve. Whelan was awful today again so I can't understand why Lyden is not being given more of a chance to shine? More energy than Whelan and better technically imo.

Been very impressed with Forrest so far. Have played some terrific football and unlucky to be behind. Villa need at least one more to put this to bed.

Great pass and finish.

Think he stated or implied it would be the same team in his press conference. Going for a 3-1 Villa win despite Bruce.

That's a very interesting press conference. Has basically reiterated what Tro has been banging on about on site over the last several weeks. Setting the team up to play more defensively to stop losing games and by doing that keeping Villa in the Championship rather than looking for promotion. So promotion wasn't even on the radar then when he came in? I find that hard to believe when you consider what was stated when he first joined the club and the subsequent backing he received in his first window. Why has he only stated this now? Stating this at the end of last season or even during pre-season would have kept the fans on side more. The cynical side of me thinks that after the criticism on social media it has forced his hand and he has now acted accordingly setting his team up to play more expansively. Maybe it's also no coincidence that he has mentioned this when his job is under pressure? I also don't understand why he implies that he had to wait on the return of Kodjia to play two up top. Why didn't he play Davies with Hogan or purchase another forward to play alongside Hogan? It all feels lop sided and a reactionary press conference to me which doesn't ring true.

Would it not have been better to give one of the U21 CBs a run out last night rather than play Elphick? Total waste of time and space.

Thought his performances for Iceland were very good and at 1m he would be a very good cost effective signing but currently not seeing the same player here which has been a disappointment so far.

Can't see Calderwood's and Clemence's focus changing when the manager is also of the same mind set.

Poor result (didn't see game) from players that would probably find themselves in the first team of most other Championship sides. Still can't understand why Bruce doesn't give Lyden more of a chance? Perfect opportunity last night to give him a full 90 minutes. My worry is that he is absolutely destroying the young player's confidence. My only hope is that Bruce leaves the club before Lyden is sold.

Wouldn't it have been great if Bruce over the last couple of weeks had decided not to react to the criticism and just got on with the job. He inadvertently has fuelled more criticism. You only have to read this thread to see that. Of course that's very hard to do but it's the difference between a statesman and someone who just can't take criticism.

With the current Villa squad Bruce should not have Villa challenging for promotional places. He should have Villa in the top two going for automatic promotion. I also do not subscribe to the view that a new manager coming in would leave Villa starting from scratch again. Any new manager worth his salt should be able to work with the players Villa have now.

Or simply they had a far better manager who would imo have gotten Villa promoted if he had been Villa manager.

No Newcastle didn't blow every team away last season but in many of their games they were decidedly comfortable in getting the three points. Teams do tend to take the foot off the gas when comfortable or substitute their better players saving them for the next game. More importantly in most of the games I seen involving Newcastle last season Rafa (generally a defensive manager) did not take the Bruce approach in paying the opposition too much respect, one, if not the main reason why Newcastle were promoted last season with a squad imo not much better than Villa's. The difference was imo the respective manager's approach.

Thought he was poor against Barnsley. Didn't do a lot right but it's early days yet. Better to give him a few more games before judging him.

For the sake of clarity I was referring to Championship games. I too couldn't care less what team he puts out in cup games.

It's just a question of rinse and repeat the team without playing on the break and that should be plenty good enough to get another win against Forest. Sometimes I think Bruce's problem at the Villa is he has more quality to choose from than at his previous clubs where his choice of player was limited. Basically his best team was forced upon him every week. He needs to start doing that at Villa but just change his best team when injuries require it.

Mmmm. I would hazard a guess that there are few if any teams in the Championship that have the same quality of player as Everton to warrant Villa playing two defensive midfielders. If you also consider the results gained by Villa with more offensive players I would absolutely hate to see Bruce return to a more pragmatic approach against opposition that do not warrant that type of respect. It was that approach which caused 'hysteria' in the first place.

Just goes to show that this Villa squad is plenty good enough to turn over the opposition in this league by some distance without Kodjia scoring and even when not playing well if the right players are chosen in their preferred positions. The point is, will Bruce stick with that now or will he become more defensive again knowing his job is safe in the immediate future? Maybe the fans should keep on his back through social media until the end of the season to keep him angry and vindictive so that he will become more adventurous and pay Championship teams less respect?

Could be mate but I would hate that to eventually rebound on the club and lose the player.

Not being played more won't exactly entice him to sign a new contract. Think he is a super little player.