striker

Looking at Bruce yesterday towards the end of the game and afterwards he knows what a gigantism task he has ahead of him to get the Villa back where they belong. It's going to take time and probably more time than even Bruce realised. Its therefore up to the fans to give him that time and it may mean at least one more season in the Championship before we see a squad and team good enough not only to get promoted but to be able to stay in the Premiership. Bruce isn't stupid and in fact he has been very honest in his interviews about recent performances which haven't been acceptable to him nor the fans. Throughout his career he has been a winner and knows what it takes to get out of this league so don't turn against him before he has a chance to get his own players in and let's all have the patience to let him get on with it.

Which was my point. Villa would be looking for a new manager by the end of this week. Bruce needs to be given the tools to start rebuilding now and not in the summer which has been suggested. Signing those linked midfielders for the fees mentioned would certainly not imo be short termism. It would signify the start of a rebuild and give plenty of time for those new players to bed in If Villa don't gain promotion this season.

How did Fulham and Leeds get the best out of McCormack? If I was Bruce I'd be looking at a few videos or contacting the managers of those clubs at the time McCormack was there to get advice as clearly Bruce doesn't know what to do with him.

I would like to be a fly on the wall if Xia informed Bruce on Monday morning that he will not finance anymore signings until the summer.

After watching that this evening I feel it may be in Villa's best interests not to get promoted this season. Even with a few new additions just imagine the bulk of that squad in the Premiership next season. Sure fire relegation again and possibly the lowest points total ever. Not sure the club could recover from that in it's present condition? Bruce needs to be given time to not only rebuild the squad into a competitive unit but to rid the club off the shower of shite that is currently there. It is certainly going to take more than one January window to do that and it may actually take two seasons in the Championship before Villa are ready to face the elite again and stabilise in the Premiership. This is not easy for me to write because since I've joined this forum it is Villa's result I look for first now rather than Everton. I was also very moved by the tribute to former manager Taylor from both Villa and Wolves fans. Both sets of fans did their clubs and indeed Taylor proud. Now we need the players to do the same.

This really is awful.

Changes. Not before time.

Pretty poor again. Sorry but Jedinak really is an awful player. Totally useless. How Bruce thinks Villa can get by with McCormack and Gabby up front this month is beyond me.

Considering the amount of time it has taken Amavi to get back up to speed (and some might say he hasn't got there yet) it could be even longer than suggested to see Laet back to his best. It is therefore imperative than Bruce signs a decent RB this window.

Just something to consider. I understand the feeling that he has been less effective than most Villa fans hoped going forward but when played out wide he has a shit load of tracking back to do to help cover for the FB. In today's game being effective going forward while constantly having to track back is a very hard thing to do stamina wise. If Villa sign better midfielders this window who can actually hit a through ball for Ayew to run onto but also have good positional sense to sit when needed to help negate Ayew's defensive duties then you might see a more effective Ayew in the run in.

My thoughts exactly and truly a very sad loss for anyone connected to the Villa. In my neck of the woods there's a saying that the good always go first. RIP.

One thing I noted concerning Gollini was his kicking. Johnston's first game against Spurs showed how weak Gollini's kicking really was. Another poor signing and better to move him on now if a better replacement can be found.

Need to win not only for the points but to be a more attractive proposition for the players Bruce wants to sign.

If this is true ffs Bruce don't play him on Saturday.

Bringing Benteke back would mean having Westwood back in the team to hit those floating corners.

Made my night that. Thanks mate.

Plus 6m in the bank already from the Rudy Gestede sale.

And wore an I luv u Taylor Swift t shirt. No thanks.

Awful puns. Just too cheesy.

Reading through this thread in particular it's very clear to see from a fan perspective where Villa need to strengthen and with Villa's mooted interested in Lansbury the manager has also indentified that weakness so both are singing from the same hymn sheet. One would hope Bruce is thinking of more than just one midfielder though as Villa's midfield needs a complete rebuild. I also feel Villa need to invest in another forward. Agbonlahor isn't going to create on his own. He hasn't been prolific even with a better midfield behind him. McCormack isn't really an striker in the true sense of the word and to get the best out of him he needs to play in behind a forward who plays on the shoulder of a defender. So far Bruce has been reluctant to play that way with Kodjia positioned out wide. To me this is one reason why Villa's forwards haven't been firing as they should. So if Bruce is going to persist with Kodjia as a wide forward when he comes back and Agbonlahor is clearly not up to the job of scoring on a regular basis then even with a better midfield in place I think it's imperative that Bruce brings another forward in. Rhodes would be ideal on loan or someone of his ilk just to give Villa a better option than Gabby to make Villa less predicable going forward.

Since the rumoured 25m bid his performances have taken a nose dive. Either his mind is elsewhere or the expectation on his shoulders now is weighing to heavily on him? It might be better to move him into a left midfield position with Ciss more solid defensively at LB?

Never going to be a player is he. Over the next two transfer windows Bruce will get rid along with several others.

You won't get the best out of McCormack until Kodjia is played centrally or Villa buy a forward that makes runs off the shoulder of the defender.

Tish looked marginally better than either Westwood or Gardner but offensively it's hard to judge him without having a forward to pass to.

Pretty much the above. Surprised at the reaction here. For most of the game Villa A were playing against Spurs B and no ambition was shown to win the game, none. It was an absolutely abysmal performance which lacked any type of quality and that game was lost before the players went onto the pitch. Its like playing in the Championship has become a comfy pair of slippers for the Villa and when you come up against a Premiership team now, even a B team you expect to lose. So much wrong with that mentality and it hasn't changed any since being relegated. In fact it's gotten worse. As the quoted post above stated a decent Championship team with a better mentality would have asked more than a few questions of that Spurs team today. Villa just rolled over and got their tummy tickled.