striker

While reading some posts in the thread this morning I understand that Bruce has stated there will be yet another busy summer in the transfer market. Previously I noted that one of the criticisms of sacking Bruce was that bringing in another manager would promote too much change yet according to Bruce that's exactly what we're going to get in the summer again, at least concerning turnover of players. So with that in mind would it make much difference in bringing in a more progressive manager even if he wanted his own players? I'm not calling for Bruce's head yet even though like others I'm more than a little concerned at how Villa are being set up to play but just making the point that the excuse that sacking Bruce would promote more instability is now wearing a little thin.

Didn't see the game but just overjoyed that Villa won against the arch-enemy and Redknapp.

No Hourihane?? Twice the player that Bacuna is and what a way to treat one of your own signings in an all important derby. This would have been a perfect opportunity to boost Hourihane's confidence. Agree with posts above that it is a wretched decision by Sky not to cover the game even without recent circumstances.

This works against the adage that there's no such thing as bad publicity and from a man several years ago who in his column alikened himself (looks wise) to Paul Newman.

Bruce pick the right team and just pin a photo of Ugo on the dressing room wall in front of the players and walk out without saying anything. Nothing more needs to be said or done.

Really very sad to hear this. Super defender and a real gentleman to boot. Football will be a much sadder place without him. RIP big man.

Don't think Delph would help the possession stats now either. Good energy but continually lost possession in bad areas of the pitch.

I can't speak for all of Kodjia's goals as I haven't seen all of them but he does tend to make quite a few on his own plus more recently he has capitalised on defensive mistakes. Hogan on the other hand tends to prey on the through ball and chances made by others.

Until the manager allows Lansbury and Hourihane to play their natural game Hogan will continue to struggle and so will the rest of the team. It isn't a player issue.

Have these issues started since he signed with Villa or have they been there before that? If it's the latter then someone **** up big time when researching the character of the player.

Bruce cost Villa the game yesterday with his team selection and tactics. How many times does he have to play three centre backs before realising that it just doesn't work for the current crop of players? He got two major warning shots across his brow before Fulham eventually scored so why didn't he become proactive and change it? Why did he leave Villa's best midfielders on the bench when there are so few games left in the season? Did he write the game off against Fulham to concentrate on sha? I posted prior to the game stating that I'd hoped to see an improvement in team play. What I saw was yet another disjointed performance with the initiative handed immediately to Fulham and they should have buried Villa in the first half. Fulham kept forming cute little triangles to give the player in possession a constant out yet not once did I see Villa players doing that. That surely must come down to the manager and his coaching staff. In fact I would go so far to say that comes under the title Basic Coaching so what the hell are Bruce and his coaches doing on the training pitch? Even if Villa had Tom Cairny in midfield he would look as shit as Lansbury and Hourihane have under Bruce's tactics. In short I don't think it's the players. It's the way they are being asked to play and Bruce is strangling the life out of them. Another performance like that and Bruce will have lost me.

Blowing for a foul when Gardener clearly played the ball was an awful decision by the ref.

And they score again.

What a goal by Grealish.

Why did Bruce rest Villa's two best midfielders when there was nothing to play for? Villa's squad simply isn't good enough to do that.

Damn right mate. Bruce really starting to lose me. Awful first half from the Villa.

Not in the present Villa team he wouldn't.

Should have been two there.

Pretty poor this and I hope Bruce doesn't try and use the sending off as an excuse because Villa were getting slaughtered before that.

Bruce needs to change it now before they score another. What I'm seeing at the moment is the difference between a progressive manager and a Neanderthal one and we've been seeing that since Bruce arrived. Just as I'm writing this Kodjia gets himself sent off. At least Bruce has to change it now.

By now we should be starting to see better cohesive play from Villa. The new players have had time to bed in and Bruce should be using the last few games as an elongated pre season in preparation for the push for promotion next season. I'm therefore looking forward to watching the game today and hoping to see at least a modicum of improvement in not losing possession too much and the formulation of a team which is capable of automatic promotion next season and I want to see that continue until the end of the season. What I don't want to see is Villa players having one foot on the beach already and not competing. No excuse for that when players should be playing for their positions next season in a side vying for promotion.

Spoke to an Everton mate of mine who agreed with me that Barry is now incredibly slow. I'm not sure that I'd want to rely on Barry and Jedinak as Villa's DMs for next season. Neither would be able to play two games per week over a Championship season. What Villa need imo is a much younger version of both players to play most of next season with Jedinak as back up.

Just wondering how the club would look sacking a manager who has won 7 out of the last 8 games? Remember the reaction to Birmingham sacking Rowett? AVFC would look every bit as comical if Bruce was given his P45 and who would come here after that?

Ball retention has been as poor under Bruce as it has been with most recent Villa managers. So what's causing it? Is it a lack of movement around the player in possession in which case it has been a series of poor coaching at fault or can it be blamed on players simply not being good enough ability wise or tough enough mentally to play for Aston Villa. If it's the latter then Villa's recent managers must be at least partly to blame for signing those players in the first place but if you look at Villa's squad now, on paper, Villa should be retaining the ball better than they are. I haven't seen Villa's last two or three games but reading reports and opinions on here from those that have attended those games Villa have started well, playing good football and creating chances but reverting to poor possession as the game progresses. That at least suggests that the current Villa team have it in them to retain possession better but can't yet do it for a sustained period. That to me smacks of a lack of confidence leading to anxiety when opposition teams start to press and attack Villa. That is natural for a newly built team constructed from the ashes of such a bad relegation. Next season I don't expect any Steve Bruce team to continually play free flowing attacking football but having already identified the problem, I do think ball retention will improve under Bruce when the team has had more time to knit together.

I like Bruce. I like his demeanor and honesty which frequently reflects the opinion of the fans that to dominate matches Villa need to hold on to the ball better. He signed midfielders to do exactly that but it hasn't happened yet. The players still look anxious and hesitant on the ball probably because of the expectations surrounding the club. Now that will wash with me for the rest of this season due to the amount of change and time for the manager to get his ideas across but by the start of next season the players and manager should have settled and Villa should, with a few more additions, be looking at automatic promotion. I still tend to think though that Villa sit too deep and need to be more offensive. You cannot continually rely on the odd goal to win matches because somewhere along the line you must be able to compensate for player mistakes and good play from the opposition even in the Championship. I also feel that Xia moved the goalposts for Bruce when it became apparent that Villa were not going to make the playoffs this season. There's no doubt in my opinion that was the expectation when Bruce arrived at Villa but I do not see any further allowances being made for Bruce next season. He and his team will have to start well and all of us hope that he will do that but if Villa are languishing in mid table by Christmas then I do not see Wyness or Xia tolerating that.