striker

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. 

9 hours ago, Grasshopper said:

A very recent result put paid to all that this season.

I dont want the club to take the risk.

New manager please

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.

Reminds me of McCormack's performances for Villa so far but taking into consideration that due to injury he hasn't really had a decent run of games yet to settle i'm sure when that happens we'll see a far better player.

On Thu Apr 06 2017 at 21:19, sidcow said:

Yep, I think everyone was still thinking of the Everton Moyes, hard done by at United and a dangerous overseas assignment fish out of water. His star has truly sunk now. 

Thinking about it Everton were often a bit up and down under him too. A good season was often followed by a bad one.  Maybe the truth is he got a bit lucky with some signings, and Everton were always better at keeping hold of their better players than the likes of us. They managed to hold the club up for those good seasons more than Moyes perhaps.

Yes Bruce for me all the way over Moyes. I think we had a lucky escape. 

A tad unfair on Moyes. The chairman at Sunderland pulled investment on players. No chance of any manager keeping that current Sunderland squad in the Premiership. Lerner did the same to Garde.

Could never understand why Moyes went to Sunderland in the first place. With the same investment from Xia I feel he would have brought in a replacement for Kodjia and not lost as many points as Bruce did.

If that tweet is correct then there is massive pressure on Bruce to get his squad right this summer with the right signings.

Glad to see Bruce shovelling criticism back down my throat. Long may it continue.

Having only been a member here for just a short time I'm not so sure there's been a tendency to be black or white on Bruce for instance. Most of the posts I've read have been well constructed on either side of the debate not forgetting the plus and minuses of Bruce's reign so far and to that end most of those posts have been fairly well balanced. Those that have not still have fully explained their viewpoint and I haven't seen too many posts basically stating that Bruce is crap with the out banners all over the forum.

Jas 10 is the latest perfect example of what I'm getting at.

6 hours ago, JAMAICAN-VILLAN said:

Did what I thought was a fair predictor...

It's not happening  

 

Just looking at that projected top six Villa have more than competed with all of them. A little more clinical in front of goal with less player error and there should have been even more wins.

I just wish Villa were starting this season with the team and manager Villa have now but things are starting to click.

Win our next couple of games with other results going our way then I will be interested to see how 5th & 6th react?

Would like to see Amavi given until the end of the season in his new role before judging him.

Still think though that he'll end up at Liverpool or some other mid table Premiership team in the summer.

2 hours ago, dont_do_it_doug. said:

I'm not being funny, genuinely, but it's 4 wins out of 5 and one unlucky defeat. They don't have to all be 'tactical masterstroke' victories, sometimes getting it right from the very start and keeping plugging away is more than good enough. 

Lost two left wingers against Rotherham, replacing the one already injuried. He's dealing with what is it now, ELEVEN injuries? 

The injuries may just have worked in Bruce's favour. With less players to choose from it has stopped his tinkering and as a consequence its starting to look like a team now.

Then it's Gollini as number 2 with a new more experienced keeper signed in the summer? I'd be happy with that.

If we're giving Bruce at least until the end of the season to make judgement then his new keeper should get the same consideration.

Wednesday will ruin Villa's Saturday.

25 minutes ago, Eastie said:

Think that is a reasonable expectation for this season .

Not when Bruce first came in though and considering the start he had.

Goalposts have definitely changed to give him more time and maybe save the face of those who recommended him to be fair?

He has to mid next next season for me and if Villa are not challenging for automatic promotion by that time then it will imo be time for a change.

Can't see McCormack playing for Villa again unless Bruce is sacked or moves on.

2 hours ago, JE- said:

You mean you don't commit to a proper opinion on Bruce so when he messes up you can slide off that other side of the fence and say hello he was crap see I was right all along.. Or if he gets us up you can come down on like  ton of bricks to folks who don't rate him and say the same thing? 

Sorry but this don't wash with me I see right through it 

It's clear as day by the responses I'm getting that Bruce is getting massive defence based on past glory rather than what he is actually achieving at villa which is a disgraceful league position playing disgraceful football 

I've asked the question twice now to disprove your point.. I'm happy to sit back and hear all the reason why Bruce is a good appointment if you take away talking about just promotions.. What other qualitys does the guy possess? 

Currently on the fence with Bruce sliding on the side of out but despite that I'm prepared to give him until the first 10-15 games of next season just to see if he can turn it around.

I'm doing that because employing a guy who has gained four promotions in approximately the same period in the same league we are now in deserves that time.

You see that's what owners and chief executives do when employing managers. They look at their past record and how they conduct themselves in the media.

Maybe you expected Wyness and Xia when interviewing Bruce to ask him which hairdressers he goes to due to having nice hair if that's the other qualities you speak of?

17 minutes ago, Eastie said:

Probably the only option left at present - hogan may be back in 10 days time so will see how Bruce jiggles things.

I honestly feel that Villa should keep the same shape now even if Hogan is fit again in two weeks. Keep Kodjia up front on his own or starting Hogan if Kodjia needs resting.

With Thor's injury probably ruling him out for the rest of the season and Amavi replacing him this is probably going to be the team that most Villa fans wanted to see on the pitch. Bar further injuries it will be interesting to see how this better balanced side imo does tonight and Saturday against two of the best teams in the Championship?

Bruce may just have stumbled via injuries on his best team?

1 hour ago, Djemba_Villan said:

6-8 weeks. Could have been worse. 

Season just about over then.

Chance for Amavi to make left midfield his own then for the rest of the season?

19 minutes ago, vreitti said:

 I'd just forget about Hogan until next season. 

Going to be at least a month out then after an injury like that it will take him more time to get his confidence back again. Bruce will probably ease him back in gently especially if Kodjia stays fit so it could indeed be next season before Villa see the best of him? Still feel he will turn out to be a very good signing though.