striker

Watched the game yesterday. Right from the off the Villa looked nervous. Misplaced over hit or under hit passes everywhere which continued into the second half. Total lack of confidence and belief in what they were trying to do. Reminded me of a bunch of lads getting together on a Sunday morning for a kick around trying to get rid of hangovers. No cohesion and no pressing as a team. Watched McCormack wave his hands in total despair as Wolves were continually given free range of Villa Park to do what they wanted. Thankfully the Wolves were without bite upfront because a more clinical team would have put Villa to the sword yesterday by at least four. Bruce's expression after the game said it all and was reflected in his post match comments. Not fit enough or simply don't have the legs in midfield to press teams to get the ball back again particularly in the second half of games. Jedinak even taking into consideration his long flight back from international duty is an awful signing. Can't pass, doesn't have enough bite in the tackle to defend or enough energy to press. Surely Sanchez would have been a better option? Bruce must, must, play a three in midfield (no Jedinak) from the next game until January as Wolves continually drove a bus through Villa's centre yesterday and other teams will do the same. After yesterday have now revised my prediction than the Villa will gain promotion this season and I take no satisfaction whatsoever in saying that.

Welcome to the madhouse that is AVFC Steve and lets hope by the end of the season both you and the fans get a brucey bonus back to the big time.

I now think the Villa will be promoted this season under Bruce and for that reason imo a two year contract would be enough.

This post for some reason has really annoyed me. So, so defeatist and exactly what is wrong with the Villa. Villa are imo two decent midfielders away from being a very good team that, under the right manager (one who actually knows what he is doing and plays to the strengths of the squad rather than trying to fix square pegs into round holes) can still gain promotion this season. If the new manager is indeed Bruce then he will not play a two in midfield and will certainly not over laden the team with forwards. That in itself will improve the balance of the Villa team plus make the Villa much harder to beat while still carrying a goal threat. Bruce will also be backed in January to improve the midfield. Apart from Newcastle (who Villa have already drawn against) and maybe Norwich there is no other team in the Championship that should be a worry. Top six gets you a playoff spot in a very poor league. Currently Villa are sitting in a false position due to more than a bit of bad luck (how many times have Villa hit the woodwork this season and conceded late in games) plus this season being under the stewardship of yet another inept manager, even worse than Lambert, Sherwood and Garde. Sorry for the rant but with so many games to play yet with a better manager to come in who will be backed in January to improve an already decent squad I see no reason at all why Villa can't have a very strong second half of the season and at the very least gain a playoff spot.

You would have thought then if Bruce was Villa's first choice and he does want to come to the club they wouldn't make him wait? Sounds to me waiting on a decision from someone else first.

Good points but a manager having a word is imo is trying to boost confidence. A player or athlete showing spirit, well to me anyway, is still giving 100% despite his form being poor and not wanting to hide. Maybe spirit and confidence are the same thing but to me there is a difference.

Why should any manager have to inject spirit into a player? That is one of the basic requirements of any competitive sports person especially footballers who are paid fortunes. Any footballer lacking spirit shouldn't be on a pitch. Westwood just isn't very good and no amount of spirit will make up for that.

Not sure forming a list is the right way to go about it. Villa don't have time for that. Indentify who you want and go and get him. Decent managers prefer to be first choice.

Wouldn't it be lovely just to get a manager who knows what he is doing producing a set way of playing that the players and fans can identify with. If you look back at recent Villa managers they have chopped and changed systems so much that the fans play spot the ball with every team selection prior to the team being announced. Villa won't gain any consistency or go on a run of good results until that stops.

Referring to Di Matteo as a manager is being rather kind.

A point I made in another thread is that Villa should not be fixated on a manager with Championship experience but just appoint the best one available. Who is that? Well you'd have to say Big Sam but is he going to be embroiled in a battle with the sweet F.A and would the Villa players respect him after what has just happened? Seen Rowett being mentioned but would he leave an improving Blues? I guess it would be Bruce for me not because he has Championship and promotional experience but his teams are always organised, generally play good football, no external baggage and no compensation needed.

There's always a little tinge of sadness with me when a manager is sacked at the Villa because it means that the club have been struggling again and it's the same with Di Matteo. I didn't think he was the right appointment at the time due to the rumours emanating from his time at Chelsea that it was in fact the senior players running the team. That concerned me with some of the characters in our squad. More worryingly though as his time at the Villa progressed we could see that the forever weakness in midfield was still not addressed and he tried to compensate for that by overloading the forward line with questionable tactics which continually created an imbalance to the team. He paid for that with his job.

If Di Matteo is sacked then I would hope that Round or whoever is responsible for choosing the next Villa manager will not be preoccupied with Championship experience. Rafa doesn't have Championship experience yet has Newcastle right up there. Just go for the best manager available.

I've no post option to like that TheStagMan which is a pity.

Holloway to see if he can improve on his prediction of 16th or Steve McClaren to hear his brummie accent.

I feel that with maybe a better manager there is still much hope for the Villa to be promoted but Xia must act now before it's too late. For instance I don't think Bruce would play with a two in midfield and be top heavy with forward players. A system in place to suit what Villa have will improve results until the January window opens and then Villa can sign the players needed to push on into the top six.

Best player the Villa have had in a very long time. Bigger version of Andy Gray perhaps? Glad to see him knocking them in for fun again with the right service.

After today, eleven games into the season, the Villa manager should, by now, be getting to the stage whereby he will know his best team and system. We should also start to see signs of the team coming together as a unit with results improving. That has to happen on the pitch and translate to points on the league table rather than just words to the press. Seen some criticism of the forwards not being clinical enough. Well that should also apply to the manager in his team selections in getting the right balance between attack and defence in the first half of games and tactically when trying to close those games out.

Not sure this will be seen as a confidence booster for the players or the owner after the expenditure? A manager given that type of money to spend in the Championship would, or certainly should expect to achieve automatic promotion when the standard of that league is so poor. It sounds to me that Di Matteo is creating a buffer for himself should Villa continue to struggle and that hopefully won't wash for too much longer with the owner?

Should have purchased Rhodes who is the clinical striker Villa needed.

Robinson or Johnson to score against the Villa to force another draw?

But he still hasn't learnt from previous mistakes. He keeps repeating them. I don't think there are too many owners who will 'guarantee RDM will be here for the next two seasons no matter what happens.' Certainly not a manager who has currently one win in ten after being handed over 50m to spend. What if Villa are relegated again for instance, perish the thought?

Not sure this is correct but is it 4 wins in the last 50 league games for the Villa after spending close to 100m? If so that's a 8% win ratio. Please don't think I'm having a dig here because I'm not. Love the Villa but if true that is a horrible statistic for any fan to put up with.

When the new owner wanted to bring 'leaders' to the club he didn't apply that to the manager.

Could not believe he subbed Tish. Should have taken one of the attackers off and played the remaining minutes with a three in midfield.