striker

Since the appointment of Martin O'Neill have Villa really gone out on a limb to spend the type of money needed to attract a big name manager who would be able to deal with the type of pressure that comes with managing a club like Villa? Not so sure when you look at recent Villa managerial appointments that Villa have attempted to do this. Villa over recent seasons have thrown bucket loads of cash at player purchases yet it seems to me they haven't done that in employing the right manager. If as previous posts suggest that fans are now recognising the need for a manager who can deal with the pressures of managing Villa, then rather than spending another 10m on a forward why not invest that type of money on a manager who is going to implement his own style of play from the start and not buckle under the pressures of a few defeats?

I think where we differ is that you feel more of the same will be 'dished up' with a different manager? For me it depends on who that new manager is. Recent managerial appointments at the Villa have been poor even with several major turnovers in squad. Consider what those managers have done since being sacked by Villa and although none of us can predict the future I would be surprised to see Bruce manage another big club again when he leaves here. The choice of manager has been the problem so I would suggest that once Villa get rid of Bruce and employ a forward thinking manager then you will see much better performances from the current squad of players and promotion at the end of the season.

Have Villa improved at the back since the signing of Terry or have they looked more vulnerable?

Tro there may be something you aren't considering. Is it the players who need to learn how to do the basics right or is it in fact the manager? How many times this season and last have the Villa fan base groaned at his team selections which have, with very few exceptions, produced consistently turgid football with players played out of position in a system that doesn't suit them. How can you expect those players to replicate their previous club's form when they are being asked to play in such a way that is alien to them. Basics of management is to either identify the best system to suit the players available and play that system so the players are comfortable with it or if you wish to play a different way then buy the players to fit the system you want. Bruce has done neither and Villa are suffering because of that.

He is part of the problem. Watched brief highlights of him trying to get back into position when Brentford broke on Villa. Never one of the quickest he is painfully slow now even at this level. Wouldnt surprise me at all to see a new manager drop him in favour of one of the younger players coming through. Terry's legs have gone. An absolute travesty to break up a solid centre back partnership just to bring in Terry.

Just interested to know why Bruce felt the younger players were jaded after the international break? They shouldn't have been.

Maybe that was due to those managers being crap? What have they done since leaving Villa?

Yeah mate more than fair reply but I can't feel grateful to him because Villa finished 13th with the players and funding available to him last season. No matter what we all think Tro Xia looks to be giving him until the end of September which will be in and around the cut off point for me. Bruce has imo the best squad in the Championship by far so if Villa don't start racking up the points over the next month then Bruce can have no complaints.

Ha probably and yes a sucker for punishment.

Yes mate. Liked both Everton and Villa but have chosen Villa as my team now. Have asked a mod to remove the Everton supporter from my profile but no dice yet?

Being a former Everton fan I was always impressed how Moyes conducted himself at the club and what he did there but appointing Moyes as Bruce's replacement at Villa would be replicating the same type of old school prehistoric management Villa are experiencing now. Villa need to move on from that in every aspect of the club to bring it out of the doldrums. A fresh approach is needed with new innovative ideas.

The expectations from fans and board alike last season were promotion were they not Tro and when it became apparent that it wasn't achievable only then did Xia change the goalposts slightly for stability. However I haven't seen it stated anywhere that averting a slide into Division One was seen as an achievement by anyone other than yourself now. In fact you seem to be grasping onto the last bastions of excuses for a manager who clearly, so far, has failed to achieve not only the expectations of promotion last season but a coherent team this season with the much lorded pre-season and DM that was going to allow Villa's offensive players to play.

I can't wait.

Yet the record states that Villa finished 13th in the Championship last season so Jedi does not make that much of a difference. If you or Bruce are pinning your hopes on Jedinak to turn results around on a consistent basis then i'm not sure where Villa go from here. You also can't rely on Jedinak staying fit as we've already seen. Last season Jedinak was the missing link and Villa needed more leaders but neither worked. This season it was the signing of Whelan that was going to turn it around but so far that hasn't helped either. The only thing thats going to improve results to a level of automatic promotion is Bruce having a brain wave allowing all his players to play in their correct positions in the team while removing the shackles from them.

What about Whelan. Was he not supposed to be Jedi's replacement protecting the defence and allowing others to play yet Villa have still been vulnerable in defence this season? Since the signing of Whelan my biggest fear for the Villa under Bruce has been Bruce playing both Jedi and Whelan in the same team against Championship sides. Villa don't need two defensive midfielders in the Championship as they have enough attacking options now to to put most teams to the sword in this division. Ability wise the JT of two years ago would have been head and shoulders above any Villa defender that started this season but Terry is no longer that player. Villa didn't need to pay the extra outlay on JT's wages when they already had a solid central defensive partnership in Baker and Chester who were playing well together and had built such an an understanding that they were ready from the off this season. The decision to split that partnership in compensating for the arrival of Terry is, imo, the main reason why Villa are less secure at the back and nothing to do with the absence of Jedinak who again imo is not as good as Whelan.

I hope your right mate I really do but for that to happen Terry will have to play a lot of games and I'm not sure he's up to that anymore?

Cracking point and to repeat what I've said before the current Villa squad is the most talented seen in the Championship for many a year and should be walking this league. It's simply being held back by an ultra defensive manager who's day has come and gone.

Did it need strengthing though? Certainly imo opinion the second half of last season the first choice Villa defence was becoming very solid. Chester, Baker and Taylor especially. But Bruce changed it with the signing of Terry (needlessly in my opinion and that's not with hindsight due to saying it at the time when Terry signed) and then sold Baker. Thought that was a mistake and have seen nothing yet to change my opinion. The old adage when it's not broken don't fix it applies here with the consequence that Villa's defence is less solid due to buying a name at the end of his playing career. How many times have Villa done that over the years?

My only concern with this signing is O'Hare won't get too many games now if Snodgrass stays fit.

Don't think anyone can work out why you hand the initiative to the opposition from the start by inviting them onto you through using the wrong formation when you've been playing well using a different system. Villa didn't look like a team until Bree was brought on and players put in their correct positions. Second half I thought Villa played some lovely stuff in parts with Davis outstanding in his hold and link up play allowing others to run off him. Davis first touch is excellent as well so he is a real find. Generally speaking a point at Bristol considering the first half debacle (caused by Bruce's tinkering) is not a bad result as most teams visiting will struggle to get anything there but unless Bruce settles on one system (not three at the back) and stops paying Championship teams too much respect then he will be out of a job with Villa too far behind again to allow any new manager to play catch up.

At least he's acted quickly this time.

Sitting far too deep again. You would have thought Bruce would have learnt by now. Giving Bristol too much respect.

Not sure I agree with the Villa squad now not being good enough for automatic promotion. Personally I think it's plenty good enough already with Snod coming in to improve it further. In fact I think its the most talented squad seen in the Championship for some years with the perfect mix of talented youth and experience hence why expectations levels are so high (rightly so) and with so much pressure on Bruce from the start of this season.

Bruce did mention that Davis had hamstring trouble.

The only thing I can think of is that the club wanted to safeguard him going on a free If he was close to the end of his contract?