AVFCDAN Posted February 1, 2017 Share Posted February 1, 2017 Just now, vreitti said: Just listened to Bruce's post match interview, where he admits Bjarnason hadn't played for 5 weeks, yet he still started the lad. Baffling decision. Surely we had other options? He's on loan at Nottingham Forest Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AntrimBlack Posted February 1, 2017 Share Posted February 1, 2017 41 minutes ago, kurtsimonw said: Agreed. With hindsight, any decisions are the wrong ones when you lose like this. If you'd have asked Villa fans to pick the team, the only changes would've probably been Bree in for Hutton and maybe Grealish in for Green. Bree yes, but Green every time ahead of Grealish. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
vreitti Posted February 1, 2017 Share Posted February 1, 2017 2 minutes ago, AVFCDAN said: He's on loan at Nottingham Forest Who? Bjarnason? Bruce? Our entire bench? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jon_c Posted February 1, 2017 Share Posted February 1, 2017 3 minutes ago, vreitti said: Just listened to Bruce's post match interview, where he admits Bjarnason hadn't played for 5 weeks, yet he still started the lad. Baffling decision. Surely we had other options? That's not just baffling, it's moronic and incompetent. 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
terrytini Posted February 1, 2017 Share Posted February 1, 2017 (edited) I didn't think it was a great excuse to say we don't play any football because of the midfield, but ok, run with that. Now we didn't play any football because - despite being highly rated- the new midfield (in some strange way) couldn't repeat what they've done all season because they need time .... ( not sure how that explains lack of pressing, drive, movement off he ball, getting within a mile of Kodja etc , but never mind) Ok let's run with that. So against Forest we will play some proper football. We will, won't we ? Edited February 1, 2017 by terrytini 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
terrytini Posted February 1, 2017 Share Posted February 1, 2017 5 minutes ago, AntrimBlack said: Bree yes, but Green every time ahead of Grealish. Have to say I like Jack but bringing Green to the fore ahead of him is one of the few good things I've seen in the last six weeks. Good decision by Bruce.....although for me an hour maximum would make more sense. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
VILLAMARV Posted February 1, 2017 Share Posted February 1, 2017 16 minutes ago, dont_do_it_doug. said: I'm storing up a big rant. I'm really not pleased. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BOF Posted February 1, 2017 Moderator Share Posted February 1, 2017 39 minutes ago, PaulC said: I accept your point but how long would you give him to turn it around? I know he has got a good previous track record but you would expect to see some improvement from now until the end of the season. Lambert has come in and made a big difference at Wolves. Its going to take time but we need to see some real improvement especially away from home because right now we are no better than under Rdm I would want to see progress between now and the end of the season because right now is the first time this season that we've had a squad (complete with midfield) that we can compete with. So over the coming months I'd expect this squad to gel. What I would not do is question signings based on their debut, or judge the merits of the new setup based on their first performances together. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tinker Posted February 1, 2017 VT Supporter Share Posted February 1, 2017 We are now weak up front, let 3 strikers go and replaced them with one who's injury prone and is very similar to the other striker we have, if we want to change the way we play we will have to rely on Gabby to try and hold the ball up front, which is Bruce's style of play Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Eastie Posted February 1, 2017 Share Posted February 1, 2017 (edited) 3 minutes ago, tinker said: We are now weak up front, let 3 strikers go and replaced them with one who's injury prone and is very similar to the other striker we have, if we want to change the way we play we will have to rely on Gabby to try and hold the ball up front, which is Bruce's style of play Gabby is out a few weeks injury and I would not want to rely on him if he was fit to be honest . Edited February 1, 2017 by Eastie Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bunnski Posted February 1, 2017 Share Posted February 1, 2017 1 hour ago, terrytini said: I didn't think it was a great excuse to say we don't play any football because of the midfield, but ok, run with that. Now we didn't play any football because - despite being highly rated- the new midfield (in some strange way) couldn't repeat what they've done all season because they need time .... ( not sure how that explains lack of pressing, drive, movement off he ball, getting within a mile of Kodja etc , but never mind) Ok let's run with that. So against Forest we will play some proper football. We will, won't we ? No but if we're lucky we'll get a lucky goal and can sit back and try and hold onto it, oh joy. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BOF Posted February 1, 2017 Moderator Share Posted February 1, 2017 1 hour ago, terrytini said: I'm ok giving Bruce time blah blah but suggestions that the fans are in any way unreasonable or a contributory factor to our Form is plain wrong. To clarify my own point. I wasn't suggesting that we are contributing towards the form. But I was suggesting that some fans are being unreasonable with their criticism at this stage. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Upper north stander Posted February 1, 2017 Share Posted February 1, 2017 3 hours ago, vreitti said: My only criticism of Bruce for last nights pathetic display is trying to breed in all the signings at once. That to me, is a sign of a clueless manager, way out of his depth. With that wealth of experience, he really should know better. I'm still willing to accept it takes time 'to gel' and to develop a tactic that best suits our (new) players. However, we have to see some more improvement in the coming weeks & months. I kinda agree, but new singings or not Bruce has them on the training field for the last week and they should of been drilled to know where they are meant to be and where to go on a pitch, they didn't seem to know, and when Brentford changed it up after 10 mins we got destroyed to the point of embarrassment..... and people talk about tactics Tim! Been said in this thread today and other days we have no Plan A, B or C Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Upper north stander Posted February 1, 2017 Share Posted February 1, 2017 7 minutes ago, BOF said: To clarify my own point. I wasn't suggesting that we are contributing towards the form. But I was suggesting that some fans are being unreasonable with their criticism at this stage. I really think the unreasonable criticism and I do think some of it is unreasonable, comes from the last 6 years of absolute dog poo that we have been subjected too... and the criticism is coming from a feeling of anger, frustration and at times embarrassment and shite we have take from our Tesco loving, dingle and SHA friends. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TRO Posted February 1, 2017 Share Posted February 1, 2017 4 hours ago, Bunnski said: Ugh, thinking about watching this dinosaur play shit football for the rest of the season gives me inner rage. Id happily see him replaced by a young manager that understands the modern game and actually encourages his players to hold onto the ball and try string a few passes together and take the game to the opposition. Even the commentator said last night that teams that have gone to Brentford and had a go at them have won comfortably whereas teams that have sat back and tried to counter have struggled. He has been critical of his players for not doing exactly that.....and I suspect previous managers have too. He is changing players for amongst other things that very reason. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Popular Post dont_do_it_doug. Posted February 1, 2017 Popular Post Share Posted February 1, 2017 OK so here goes... I am, or was, a fully fledged member of the Steve Bruce fan club, but my patience is fast wearing thin. I am sick to the high teeth of the embarrassing, inept displays. Early on, the performances were not always vintage but they garnered results and I could see signs of a 'plan' forming. Yet slowly over time they have descended into rotten, bone crushing defeats or at best scrambled points. It's completely unacceptable to me that Aston Villa should be continuing to fail, week after **** week. I'm done with it. Now, you can say "but they're not Bruces players yet" and to a degree I accept that. However he has had 4 months in which to build a framework into which 'his' players can slot and he has completely failed in that remit. Last night was possibly the worst performance not only of his tenure but every bit as bad as the bilge served up by the likes of Eric Black. It was pathetic. Yet I am told that after 4 months with the squad, not a great bunch of players admittedly but surely adequate professionals in the main, he cannot put a structure in place into which the likes of Lansbury and Hourihane can at least perform to an acceptable standard? If not, why start all three of a brand new midfield in an away game straight off the bat? Spend more time with them, ease them in to a system away from a place where it directly affects the club on the pitch. Why Birkir over Grealish, for example? At least he knows they system by now and if he does not, why not? The system we employed last night, by the way, was utter dog shit. If that is his plan, forget it. Both Lansbury and Hourhane playing a deep lying role 25 yards from Birkir who runs around like a headless chicken, Kodjia does Kodjia, Adomah doesn't track his runner, Hutton tucks in and gets made a fool of, yet again, and we start a 22 and a 19 year old on the other wing. And I got wet. Rubbish, total **** rubbish. Don't apologise and stop throwing the players under the bus. **** sort it out, especially now you have been backed to the hilt. There are no excuses left. I can accept things taking time to click, but I won't accept any more of that shite. 18 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Popular Post dont_do_it_doug. Posted February 1, 2017 Popular Post Share Posted February 1, 2017 Oh and I am not advocating sacking him, that would be bonkers at this stage. But if things don't improve from that crap and quickly then whatever. If we have to sack 10,000 managers to get back to where we belong then so be it. I'm past caring about individuals. 5 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
srsmithusa Posted February 1, 2017 Share Posted February 1, 2017 tbf, I was only able to watch the first half. Bruce's post match comments that we collapsed after their first goal is very concerning. We collapsed before that. All three newcomers in the mid-field showed moments of real ability and we certainly improved over the past. But once Brentford made a few adjustments we were not able to play with them. Nobody knew what to do with a ball before they touched it and Brentford didn't give time to look up and find that pass. We resorted to hoofing things out with only Kodjia to chase it because we didn't know where a teammate was in order to pass the ball out. I think we have the talent to pass the ball out (certainly more than showed last night) but we couldn't because there was no plan to do so. Brentord made it worse again by pressing up high on the wings forcing Adomah and Green to help out Amavi and Hutton who looked to be falling apart. That meant there was no safe outlet on the wing. No safe pass because you couldn't "know" where a teammate was or was moving to, so the frantic clearance to no-one became the best option. I blame the manager. Too many new pieces, not prepared well enough. He was out-coached and had no response. The fact that he said we didn't react well to their goal says to me that he didn't notice that we lost the match when they adjusted 5 minutes before their goal, and we had no reaction or response to it. Poor repsonse to their goal was not our downfall. The lack of response to their tactical adjustment was out downfall. And a painful downfall it was. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mykeyb Posted February 1, 2017 Share Posted February 1, 2017 I agree totally. How long has Lambert been at Wolves?, Their fans can see what he is trying to achieve. McLaren has rejuvenated Derby who were below us when Bruce came, they are now out of sight. I am not suggesting that we sack yet another manager as this season is a do over now. I do expect to see us show a system, see movement at throw ins rather than the 2 types we do now, I expect to see our keeper not just smash it up the pitch with every kick he has. It looked last night like Brentford had 2 more players on the pitch so kudos to Dean Smith. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
terrytini Posted February 1, 2017 Share Posted February 1, 2017 40 minutes ago, BOF said: To clarify my own point. I wasn't suggesting that we are contributing towards the form. But I was suggesting that some fans are being unreasonable with their criticism at this stage. Well on that I agree. Some of the comments against him have in my view been way way over the top tantrum like outbursts that are really quite embarrassing. However we will have to agree to disagree on how much tolerance and leeway he deserves on current performances and results... 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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