Steve Bruce

[Stevo985]

6 minutes ago, mykeyb said:

Check out League Table for Feb 28th

http://www.statto.com/football/stats/england/league-championship/2016-2017/table/2017-02-28

I was wrong, but we have moved a massive whole point away from the relegation zone, so those 4 wins are massive.

I think the week before we were 8 points of relegation.

 

That table was after the Derby and the Bristol wins.

Before those games we were 6 points off relegation. Now we're 10 points.

[Demitri_C]

Still a Wally then?

Edited March 12, 2017 by Demitri_C

[kurtsimonw]

7 minutes ago, mykeyb said:

Check out League Table for Feb 28th

http://www.statto.com/football/stats/england/league-championship/2016-2017/table/2017-02-28

I was wrong, but we have moved a massive whole point away from the relegation zone, so those 4 wins are massive.

I think the week before we were 8 points of relegation.

 

You're using the wrong date. The table on that link includes 2 of those 4 wins. 

Before these 4 wins, we were 6 points clear. Now 10. 4 points isn't a massive leap, but it's still more than 1 point. 

[dont_do_it_doug.]

1 hour ago, mykeyb said:

Check out League Table for Feb 28th

http://www.statto.com/football/stats/england/league-championship/2016-2017/table/2017-02-28

I was wrong, but we have moved a massive whole point away from the relegation zone, so those 4 wins are massive.

I think the week before we were 8 points of relegation.

 

That wasn't the start of the run though, which is what you said. We'd just won 2 on the bounce.

[hippo]

So with a mounting injury list and at home to a top 6 side. We loose another player in the warm up - and another at just over quarter of hour.

There be enough be enough excuses for waffling windbags like Houllier and Remi Garde - but Bruce just got on with it and bagged his fourth win in 5. 

[Eastie]

10 hours ago, kurtsimonw said:

McLaren took Derby from years of midtable/bottom half mediocrity/rubbish to Playoff contender. 

The first time they sacked him he had them top in march and then they won one in the last 11 and missed out on the play offs completely - this time another bad run and he's fired - 6 managers iN less than 2 years - looks liKe rowett is going there now .

i thought derby would be one of our biggest rivals next season , not so sure now.

[markavfc40]

2 hours ago, hippo said:

There be enough be enough excuses for waffling windbags like Houllier and Remi Garde - but Bruce just got on with it and bagged his fourth win in 5. 

I think the whole time he has been here I have heard very little, if any, bollocks or him waffling on making excuses for poor results or performances. On Saturday I thought we played well but again he spent as much time talking about what we did wrong as he did talking about what we’d done right.

I have to say I have been really impressed with him since he arrived and that includes during that poor run. In fact that is probably the most impressed I have been with him. He kept his nerve, never once looked panicked or anything other than sure we would turn it around. He never once dressed up a poor result or performance and simply told it like it is. Maybe that is what comes with experience and the belief in yourself and knowledge that at this level at least you have excelled as a manager.

I know some seem to have made their minds up on him and arguably barring winning almost every game he won’t turn them. I noticed in the ratings and reaction thread a couple of people voted his performance on Saturday as very poor or poor. I mean how? We have around 10 injuries, lost one player minutes before kick off, another player 20 minutes in, and he made a switch few us of us would have considered and it worked a treat. Overall Bruce has shown way more tactical nous than I thought he would have. I had him down as someone who would have a favoured formation and would shoe horn players into it  just so he could keep it. Perhaps due to the players he inherited, or injuries, or just hoping to stumble on a system that has worked, whatever the reason he has been flexible in his approach and at the moment at least it is working.

I think the biggest reason for the turnaround though is simply hard work on the training ground and the players getting to know each other. Pretty much week on week now we look a better side. Players are reading runs better, covering for others if they move out of position etc, Just basically getting to know each other’s games. It has all come a little too late this season for a promotion push but it is good to see that we are still playing like a side with plenty to play for. Against Huddersfield and Sheff Wed you wouldn’t have known which team needed the points the most to get into the play offs. The challenge for the rest of the season is to keep this run going, for the players to continue to evolve into a team and to keep playing at a high intensity like a team still with plenty to play for. I think Bruce will demand that from the players and I am confident off the back of this season and a full pre-season we will be promoted under Steve Bruce next season.

Edited March 13, 2017 by markavfc40

[Jareth]

21 minutes ago, Eastie said:

The first time they sacked him he had them top in march and then they won one in the last 11 and missed out on the play offs completely - this time another bad run and he's fired - 6 managers iN less than 2 years - looks liKe rowett is going there now .

i thought derby would be one of our biggest rivals next season , not so sure now.

I'm starting to think Bruce's availability when we needed him was pure fate. My god, if our club EVER appointed Mclaren...

[hippo]

7 minutes ago, Jareth said:

I'm starting to think Bruce's availability when we needed him was pure fate. My god, if our club EVER appointed Mclaren...

No I think its having people who have some idea what they are doing running the club. lets not forget the club overlooked Pullis and Allardyce for Sherwood and Remi Garde - with decisions like that coming from the top - its a wonder we lasted as long as we did. 

[vreitti]

50 minutes ago, markavfc40 said:

Overall Bruce has shown way more tactical nous than I thought he would have. I had him down as someone who would have a favoured formation and would shoe horn players into it  just so he could keep it.

I respect your opinion, but let's not generalize just yet. Fact is he's only shown tactical nous against Wednesday, and perhaps to a minor degree in some other matches. As a whole though, he's really struggled with formations, and finding the best eleven, imho. I still don't understand how he got the results early on, because there was never a settled team, or any evident structure. On top of that, he did mess up enormously after the transfer window by throwing them all in at once, wouldn't you agree?

58 minutes ago, markavfc40 said:

I think the biggest reason for the turnaround though is simply hard work on the training ground and the players getting to know each other. Pretty much week on week now we look a better side

This I can agree on. Things take time, and most fans have zero patience. I'm sadly one of those fans. I do think the injuries have helped him out lately as well, but it doesn't change the fact that some progress has been made, and he's done really well.

1 hour ago, markavfc40 said:

I think Bruce will demand that from the players and I am confident off the back of this season and a full pre-season we will be promoted under Steve Bruce next season.

The football is not great, and I doubt it ever will be under Bruce, but he seems to get results. Still think it's a little bit early to 'be confident' he'll get us promoted next season, but the signs are there.

[TRO]

1 hour ago, markavfc40 said:

I think the whole time he has been here I have heard very little, if any, bollocks or him waffling on making excuses for poor results or performances. On Saturday I thought we played well but again he spent as much time talking about what we did wrong as he did talking about what we’d done right.

I have to say I have been really impressed with him since he arrived and that includes during that poor run. In fact that is probably the most impressed I have been with him. He kept his nerve, never once looked panicked or anything other than sure we would turn it around. He never once dressed up a poor result or performance and simply told it like it is. Maybe that is what comes with experience and the belief in yourself and knowledge that at this level at least you have excelled as a manager.

I know some seem to have made their minds up on him and arguably barring winning almost every game he won’t turn them. I noticed in the manager thread a couple of people voted his performances on Saturday as very poor or poor. I mean how? We have around 10 injuries, lost one player minutes before kick off, another player 20 minutes in, and he made a switch few us of us would have considered and it worked a treat. Overall Bruce has shown way more tactical nous than I thought he would have. I had him down as someone who would have a favoured formation and would shoe horn players into it  just so he could keep it. Perhaps due to the players he inherited, or injuries, or just hoping to stumble on a system that has worked, whatever the reason he has been flexible in his approach and at the moment at least it is working.

I think the biggest reason for the turnaround though is simply hard work on the training ground and the players getting to know each other. Pretty much week on week now we look a better side. Players are reading runs better, covering for others if they move out of position etc, Just basically getting to know each other’s games. It has all come a little too late this season for a promotion push but it is good to see that we are still playing like a side with plenty to play for. Against Huddersfield and Sheff Wed you wouldn’t have known which team needed the points the most to get into the play offs. The challenge for the rest of the season is to keep this run going, for the players to continue to evolve into a team and to keep playing at a high intensity like a team still with plenty to play for. I think Bruce will demand that from the players and I am confident off the back of this season and a full pre-season we will be promoted under Steve Bruce next season.

The voice of reason.....as always Mark a very well thought through rendition and spot on IMO

He has introduced a physicality in to the team that was missing for years and he can now build on that and start focussing on scoring more goals.

All these things to be worked on have to come slowly and surely.

Like you I am confident we won't recognise this team in the not too distant future.

PS I too, am impressed with his calm and composure.

UTV

 

[markavfc40]

55 minutes ago, vreitti said:

I respect your opinion, but let's not generalize just yet. Fact is he's only shown tactical nous against Wednesday, and perhaps to a minor degree in some other matches. As a whole though, he's really struggled with formations, and finding the best eleven, imho. I still don't understand how he got the results early on, because there was never a settled team, or any evident structure. On top of that, he did mess up enormously after the transfer window by throwing them all in at once, wouldn't you agree?

I did say he may well have been flexible due to injuries, the squad he inherited or just trying to stumble on a formation but the facts are that he hasn’t just come in and stuck steadfastly to a system and tried to shoe horn players into it. He has been flexible and been willing to adapt to find a system that suits. That has, almost inevitably I guess, meant that we have played formations that simply haven’t worked such as the five at the back.

This is why a manager needs time especially one that inherited someone else’s squad. I think we will be stronger next season for the manager having had three quarters of this season to mould players into a team. That is why I don’t see this season as a wasted one I see it has one that will have been a means to an end and been the foundation for promotion next season.

[wilko154]

1 hour ago, vreitti said:

The football is not great, and I doubt it ever will be under Bruce, but he seems to get results. Still think it's a little bit early to 'be confident' he'll get us promoted next season, but the signs are there.

Unfortunately the football will not be great until we are back in the Premiership again, that just isn't how the Championship teams work bar the top 2... and even they flop at times (look at Newcastle's last few games they have been poor)

In saying that if this team can pull together going into next season we could see some half decent stuff!

[Stevo985]

1 hour ago, vreitti said:

 On top of that, he did mess up enormously after the transfer window by throwing them all in at once, wouldn't you agree?

I wouldn't agree.

[Grasshopper]

I feel the deja vu of October all over again. Then I was behind him and hoping we could make the playoffs.

This time I think the results will get better as more teams we play go "on the beach" so we'll end up climbing the table.

I'm not convinced that "all is well" because a run of bad results maybe just around the corner and it could be that those bad results come at the wrong time next season meaning the appropriate action isnt taken and we'll be down here for another season.

I like winning and I'm sooooo glad its happening again but I cant get myself overboard and be of the opinion that Bruce's style will see us 1st/2nd next season. I think he can only grind us so far. I would feel more secure in a style of play that sets the tone for a game in our favour. Dominating, being the boss and always looking like a goal is coming (not hoping for one)

Maybe I'm setting the bar too high, but I've had enough of being on the end of other teams whims. I want us to determine whats going on.

 

[NurembergVillan]

1 hour ago, vreitti said:

I still don't understand how he got the results early on, because there was never a settled team, or any evident structure.

Not being snarky here, but perhaps that why he's a football manager and we're not?

Picking eleven players and putting them into a shape isn't a full time job.  There's way more that we have no exposure to, that I'm sure makes a huge difference.

[Grasshopper]

If I had the choice of being right or wrong I wouldnt take either.

I just want us back in the PL where DrT can bring is plans to fruition

[vreitti]

18 minutes ago, Stevo985 said:

I wouldn't agree.

Well, what's your interpretation of what went down then? Frankly I thought that Brentford loss was one of the worst shit shows I've ever seen. We were already on a terrible run as it was, we'd just snatched their best player, and they annihilated us. Afterwards Bruce told us Bjarnason hadn't played for 5 weeks. Surely a manager with Bruce's pedigree would have had to KNOW it would only end up a disaster?

[vreitti]

18 minutes ago, NurembergVillan said:

Not being snarky here, but perhaps that why he's a football manager and we're not?

Picking eleven players and putting them into a shape isn't a full time job.  There's way more that we have no exposure to, that I'm sure makes a huge difference.

I agree. Maybe I was a tad unclear. I suppose what I was trying to imply was that I think he was extremely lucky at the beginning. We played like shit for ages, but still got the results. Then the inevitable downfall came.

[vreitti]

34 minutes ago, wilko154 said:

Unfortunately the football will not be great until we are back in the Premiership again, that just isn't how the Championship teams work bar the top 2... and even they flop at times (look at Newcastle's last few games they have been poor)

In saying that if this team can pull together going into next season we could see some half decent stuff!

I refuse to accept this. It's perhaps a reality that the football will not ever be great with Bruce at the helm. With someone else, it might be, and "how the Championship teams work" has IMHO little relevance. In fact, given the far poorer level of play in general, one could argue it should be even easier to walk this league.