LoughboroughLion

8 hours ago, Razor said:

He's coming home he's coming home he's coming...    [I hope]

3 hours ago, imavillan said:

fixed...

No, fixed...

All a bit bizarre.

Why get Huth when Terry seems available? Can't imagine there's more than 30k between the wage - which would be pretty immaterial for FFP.

Maybe there's a piece to the puzzle I'm missing.

7 minutes ago, AVTuco said:

I don't think he's such a risk if there's no-one else to sign. Either it works or not.

There’s still risk despite him being the only option. 

If not, let’s just sign all the free agents and see how they do on the off chance we’ll win promotion? 

3 minutes ago, wilko154 said:

I don't understand why people are saying he is past it ... Granted he missed all of last season.

I think you’ve answered your own question.

I’m not saying Huth won’t do a job - but he’s a big, big risk.

Terry is/would have been a risk, but a suitably manageable one for me. 

Huth would be similar to Samba I reckon - maybe slightly better - but still not automatic promotion material.

Having said that, Huth will likely go some way in offering that intangible side we craved from Terry.

Not to the same extent, but my Leicester pals suggest he’s a big influence in the changing room. 

Absolute shambles.

I categorically fail to see how anyone could prefer Huth or any other ageing cb to Terry. 

If we sign a cb of Terry’s ilk, having clearly declined the opportunity to sign Terry, it’s nothing short of a joke.

The main problem I have is that all his career Bruce has built his teams around a strong defence. His 'brand' of football - love it or hate it - often works because his teams defend well and don't concede many.

Our squad is currently suited to the exact opposite style of that.

That's what;s worrying me. If we had a solid defence, I would be fine with keeping Bruce because it's tried and tested.

Now we find ourselves in a position where he HAS to set up an attacking team because it's the only way our squad fits together naturally. I just don't think he can implement that sort of strategy, though.

A good manager, promotion record, but he just isn't a fit for our current squad.

4 hours ago, Mic09 said:

What I don't understand is that we were perfectly happy to play him just 4 months ago and we praised him as one of our best players but now, only 16 weeks later, he is past it and too old.

It’s like the age old (if you’ll pardon the pun) assessment of someone being 29 one day and 30 the next with people calling 30 too old despite it being one day apart! 

Bring back Terry and let's smash this:

------------------------------ GK ---------------------------

----------- Tuan ------ JT ----------Chester -------

--- Elmo ----------------------------------- RDL ------

----------------------- McGinn --------------------------

--El Ghazi---------Grealish-----------Bolasie---

------------------------- Kodj -----------------------------

Two teams smack bottom and we’ve gifted them half their points.

In the context of the teams we’ve played, this isn’t a good start. I’d say it’s an average start and we need to do better.

28 minutes ago, villanmac said:

Still clinging onto the hope that two 46 game campaigns in a row is too much for  Terry so we've told him to have a proper rest over the summer and we'll pick you up in September/October...

Me too. 

I still think it’s unlikely though as surely the management structure would prefer to have his influence at the club while he’s resting.

I just don’t understand how anybody could have opposition to him coming back, if it was financially sensible. Owners included!

A new strategy of having young and hungry talent but (a) relying on Jedi and (b) developing youth we have no chance of keeping.

If we bring in a new CB that is up and coming, fine. But in the abscence of that just get JT back

Not sure if it’s been posted elsewhere, but SB conforming Jedi is very much the answer to our CB scarcity:

https://audioboom.com/posts/6981134-steve-bruce-reacts-to-the-2-2-draw-with-brentford

at 2.25

I think a Kodjia Abraham partnership would be magnificent.

Abraham is a real poacher. Kodjia loves to try and do it all himself. They compliment each other.

Ideal scenario: Kodjia picks up out wide, takes on a man, smashes an average shot at the keeper who slightly fumbles / parries, Abraham acts first and poaches a goal by beating the defender to the ball and toeing it in.

Repeat 47 times and win promotion. Nice tactics Brucey!

I thought what we saw against Yeovil was promising and I thought what we saw last night was promising.

I would stick him in at CB on Saturday. We need to give him 2 or 3 games to settle and I'm confident he will be fine.

He's not going to amazing and will have moments over the season where he makes mistake and they may cost us, but on average, he's the best we've got and I think he's good enough to be part of a promotion pushing team.

Like it - susceptible to the counter, but look fairly comfortable. Need more shots and test the keeper

2 hours ago, Godders said:

I would think his current club hold all his medical info. We have a lot more flexibility with a loan in that we can send him back. I would imagine there's a clause allowing us to cancel the loan if it turns out he's suffering from something that wasn't disclosed to us, so we don't need to do a medical, or at least one as in depth as would be for a full transfer. 

Like we did with Jermaine Jenas 

2 hours ago, av1 said:

If thats the case (i not doubting you btw), and given that he is currently without a club, he seems to have 3 choices. 

1) pay cut.

2) Move abroad.

3) Retire. 

I guess we'll find out soon enough. 

(2) don’t think he would given his kids are pretty set here and his daughter plays for Chelsea and is trying to make it in women’s football - if I’m not mistaken

(3) he’s already said he wouldn’t, so that’s clearly not the desire.

so that leaves (1), if (a) he doesn’t want to, see above and maybe he’ll reassess or (b) there’s another option without a pay cut, why hasn’t that happened yet?

The above leaves me to believe if we wanted him, he would be here. It’s a really interesting scenario.

Those saying move on - how on earth would we do that now? Our only option would be a loan, and that’s pointless given Tuanzebe is the best it gets in that category.

In sum, sign JT up (providing it doesn’t bankrupt us!) 

10 minutes ago, AlwaysAVFC said:

Unless there is something in Bruce’s contract stating he has control, would the new owners really back down immediately on their supposed plan? Oh yes Mr Bruce anything you say Mr Bruce.

What would the alternative be? Declare your support for a manager and then sensationally remove him from his position owing to a difference in strategy? Hardly gets the era of ownership off to a great start.

Also, there is a middle ground where both the owners and Bruce diplomatically agree to a mix of strategy. Moreira wasn’t a Bruce signing, so who’s signing was it?

41 minutes ago, alreadyexists said:

The Mendez stuff was all nonsense then wasn’t it? All we’ve done is sign one Goalkeeper on loan, with a buy option, that Mendez is agent for... I think the rest was just paper talk.

 

Maybe I'm reading too much into this - and I can't give strict examples because I can't remember them and piece it altogether, but:

I got the feeling when Moreira joined, this was the beginning of the Mendez stuff but Bruce threw his toys out the pram and we've since seen a compromise whereby SB picks players according to the owners' strategy.

Some of the press conferences I've watched and SB post-match AVTV stuff just gave me the feeling something wasn't quite right. Why would SB pick Moreira, why would we then sign someone SB was keen to state 'we've been watching him for a few years'. The way he talks about Moreira is just weird.

As I say, can't give much solidity to my gut feeling above - but interested to know if anyone thought the same?

Although Elphick is his senior and been here longer, it seemed Tuanzebe was the communicator and organiser last night - which is positive.

Think being next to Chester will improve his game slightly, and I'm sure he can step up to be the CB we want him to be.

Things take time and in three or four games time, I think he'll have settled down and look a lot better.

That said, we NEED to get another CB - either JT (please!) or someone in his mould. The season is long and, as other have pointed out, we're an injury away from being in a very worrying position.  

3 hours ago, Villan4Life said:

 De Laet was rated on his arrival ?  I was dismayed when we signed him just like I was with Richards.

He is an average run of the mill player, never rated him.

Going off topic, but playoffs, promotion, featured a decent amount of times in a league winning team, won promotion with Middlesbrough. He's not setting the world alight, but we're in the Championship and he's proven at this level.

5 hours ago, Michael118 said:

I don't rate... De Laet

Curious as to how you've made this judgement?

I don't particularly rate him, but considering he hasn't featured for us much, had a very good preseason, and was rated upon his arrival, seems a bit odd to write him off.

Excited about his addition to the team 

My issue isn’t the tactics, it’s the team he picks to implement those tactics.

8 minutes ago, ismail-villa said:

Mirror reporting that Bruce has asked the owners to release Richards and McCormack from their contracts. Could free up plenty of wages. 

Wonder how much of a discount they would take on their contracts 

Snodgrass on wham bench