Darth Villa

Did well when he came in for Terry last season but I suspect the relationship with Bruce meant he was going to be pushed out regardless. We can only hope we're getting the composed organiser from Hull rather than the overly nervous player with one bad mistake per game guaranteed. I'll reserve judgement but genuinely hope he does enough to earn a new contract as I can't help but admire his professionalism. Let's see what Smith and Terry can do with him...

Would be a big confidence boost if we can hold out but definitely need to get another if we're to win this...

Hanging out in the dark side for a bit too long ? classic line, you really made me smile. As for the other points you raised, I agree both are correct in the broader context of Lerner and Xia but MoN made his decision and took Lerner to the cleaners as he was only interested in safeguarding his reputation when the spending stopped and not the club's (in my view), same goes for Bruce - the new owners were installed and the money situation fixed by the time he let Elphick and De Laet go out, hence I see it more down to him ruining the squad (in my view) rather than being under pressure to save cash. To be fair to both, MoN did give us some memorable results and Bruce did stabilise a team in terminal decline but I still think both wasted vast amounts of money and also acted petulantly in the end, so no amount of broader context justifies their behaviour in my opinion. Happy for you @praisedmambo to disagree as it's an opinion I hold and not 100% based on any concrete ITK facts beyond information I have about how Bruce treats his "favourite" players versus those he wouldn't urinate on in an inferno...

It's quite clear that Dean Smith will need time, it's frustrating for all of us (including our manager and his team) as the league is wide open this year BUT... With the infrastructure sorted and squad deficiencies addressed we will ultimately get to a better, sustainable position. I suspect Bruce knew his day's were numbered and hence he screwed the club by leaving an unbalanced squad for his successor (hence Elphick and DeLaet loans, and overpaying for an unfit Bolasie) - similar to a MoN departure in intent I.e. Maximum harm in a fit of spite. Smith can't address the gaps until January but what I saw at QPR was individual mistakes but a far better team performance so it's going to be a rollercoaster season but that's the price of long-term sustainability and hopefully success. The game against the small heathens will be a real test given their improvements and our continued slump but let's keep any result in perspective. We are now going places, they are still awaiting an FFP points deduction ?

I thought he did rule himself out yesterday?

I was chatting to a friend today who has previous insight into Bruce and his methods, specifically; 1. He doesn't coach the team at all. He really is tactically inept. 2. He has his favourites, and bombs people out to the kids. Players work hard to avoid being in the bomb squad. In combination, that motivates in the short-term but after a couple of years the player's suss him out and he loses the dressing room. Terry and Snodgrass were his lynchpins last season and he's struggling without them. I'm not ITK but when I was told this it confirmed to me what I suspected, it's definitely time for Bruce to go, his 2 years really are up and we're only going downhill with him in charge.

We need a Brucexit...we need it now!!!

I've never known such a "good bloke" divide the opinions of so many "good people" as Steve Bruce is managing to... he is at fault for many things (lack of shape, tactics, entertainment!), as are the lazy players who take their foot off the gas at every opportunity instead of going for the second or third goal...we simply don't have the killer instinct required to be wining the Championship or any other league. I never disliked him (feel sorry for his recent personal loses too) but his comments last night about the "intelligent fans" just felt childish and uncalled for, he's his own worst enemy at times. As for the future, I think the owners can see what we do, Bruce is under pressure to deliver this season and if not, he'll be gone. We do have an excellent (in this league) albeit unbalanced squad and should still be aiming for promotion but my gut feel is that won't be happening with Bruce and even if it did, he wouldn't keep us up. I keep wishing that I'll be wrong but I've seen nothing so far to change my expectation.

We're not pretty to watch, seemingly lacking an effective system but Mr Potato head lives on to fight another day. Kodjia had a cracking game alongside Tammy with McGinn man of the match for me. Jedinak provided the physical presence at CH too. I just wish we inspired more confidence as I still can't see Bruce getting us up this season or any season for that matter!!

I'm already feeling depressed and we haven't even kicked a ball yet.... can anyone offer even a glimmer of an optimistic thought..

Totally agree with this, we're looking at owners with a long-term outlook and whilst they won't want to hang around in this league you can bet they won't do anything knee jerk either. Bruce will get us promoted or be kicked out, we just have to hold our nerve and wait for him to keep screwing up. The end will come soon enough but I still wish it wasn't like this. We're Aston Villa, we'll be here long after Bruce and i'd love him to prove us all wrong...but just can't see that happening!

Something has definitely changed with regards to Bruce and his relationship with the players. Not sure if it's down to Terry and Snodgrass no longer influencing the dressing room or the bizarre team selections but for me that's the major step backwards from last season. Whoever comes in next should provide an immediate lift in moral amongst players and fans. I think we need an established manager who can demand respect, coach during the week and kick arses on a matchday. Just not sure who fits that profile?

We often debate Bruce's ability to setup a team with regards to cunning (or more like basic) tactics and now we suspect (hope) he has hatched a fiendishly brilliant way to bring JT back despite giving his number to Kodjia? As @Junxswas right, that ship has sailed and we need to keep everything crossed that Chester can stay Injury free between now and the January window..

Whilst positive in lots of ways, the stories about his knee being shot are a concern - although we did once sign a player from Man Utd with suspect knees and he turned out to be God. Hope this Bolasie doesn't turn out to be like the Devil, Christ it's been bad enough with McCormack all these months...

I think a Mitrovic type striker is exactly what we need... anyone know of a Portuguese equivalent we can get through our new international super agents?

^^ Very much this, I know it's a dull, damp afternoon and therefore the perfect time for a VT debate but I equally think we were so close to going up that over analysis will indeed lead to paralysis (to quote the old pun). We have a good core of players, albeit lacking pace (and one or two much older than we'd like) and with no consistent team style but I feel confident that things will come together. That's not a reflection of the manager or any given player, it's simply that we now have owners who know what they're doing. Steve Bruce will get a final chance to deliver, if he fails then he'll be gone. No messing, no doubt, just decisive leadership - I'm not sure we can ask for more than that?

Enjoy your season in the Premier League @Wolf man as p-taking aside, you won the league by some distance and deserve to feel smug for that. That been said, it's very reassuring to see that you're worried enough to come on here but I still don't understand why you and the rest of the Dingles have become so fixated on the Villa? The immutable law of football states that no matter how bad things are in B6, they're always worse in B9 - as proven by their recent transfer embargo kicking in just as the sh!t was hitting the fan down Villa Park. No mention of Dingles or Tesco bags anywhere in that and yet you do seem to have become somewhat obsessed. Have we wronged you somewhere along the way without realising it or are you trying to establish yourselves as a big club by seemingly claiming to rival a truly famous club such as the Villa? It could be worse mind you, seeing as our new BFF's from Leeds have seemingly vanished all together now that we're not going to the wall ?

^^This is exactly the point bothering me. Hollis was brought in to sell the club and I don't believe Xia was his first choice either. How is it right that we can be threatened with FFP on one hand by the same governing body that couldn't get its DD and background checks right in the first place (allegedly). In all of this, that point seems to be almost as easily forgotten as the shared culpability of Steve Bruce!

I think the timing of the letter is key, were clearly selling players to balance the books but we knew that already. So i'm guessing it's bye to Jack next week (Tuesday always seems a popular day for such things) and a few others. Seems Bruce is staying and so is Xia - so if we survive the summer from a financial perspective then we've at least a season of both staying put. Now I really am depressed..???

Lerner - Xia - Trump (the unholy trinity) What club would survive that sort of ownership?

Make Aston(Villa) Great Again! Who knew Trump was a Villan all this time?

I think we all get hot and bothered some days and perhaps that triggers some OTT reactions. It's not surprising that people are getting a bit twitchy though as the football world has gone mad this summer as I can't believe Japan are 2 -1 up against Belgium. Makes some of Xia's behaviours almost seem sane! (if that's even possible?).

I think this is a reasonable stance regarding ITK type posts but equally isn't it the random speculation and insinuations that keep us coming back to Villa Talk? What we know for certain is tomorrow is definitely Tuesday and it will be followed by Wednesday. We suspect out owner is a tw@t and our club is fooked financially speaking but let's not forget we definitely all want a good outcome, no matter how irritating we find some posts...we're all Villans after all or at least I think we are?

Fair enough, I agree the propaganda machine will be on overdrive alongside click-bait stories from all and sundry too. The truth will out in the end as they say... That makes more sense, although I would caution you in going over the historical statements as you are very likely to be even more angry/depressed with the current regime when you confirm to yourself that it was all indeed a pile of bollocks ?

Now you're just taking the p!ss…