Steve Bruce

[villabromsgrove]

I am so sorry for the turmoil and suffering that Steve Bruce is suffering in his family life. God bless his dad, and I pray that his his mum gets better.

Steve is a lovable bloke who knows the importance of an arm around the shoulder.

Sadly he's not a good tactician, not a good coach, or a forward thinking, technical football person.

If we meet Fulham in the play offs, I think we know what's likely to happen. Jokanovic will probably run rings round Bruce.

Despite our current excellent position, one thing has been an insuperable problem all season. SB's fear of losing, constrains us against the better teams that pose us real problems.

Wolves and Fulham for example attack with pace and plenty of support, and will use the space (that we concede to them) between the half way line and our penalty area to dominate us. It's space that we don't concede to lesser teams, but we do when SB is frightened of this type of opposition.

I know we had two key injuries against Fulham, but our team selection an hour before the match virtually conceded the three points. Fulham knew that Bruce would bottle it (as had happened a number of times earlier in the season). Sadly most of us fans knew this as well.

We pay our management team a fortune, and yet when it comes down to the big games they aren't up for it. We roll over .... and what's worse is that other top teams know we will well before they play us!

Our players are good enough, they've proved that, and yet SB and his coaches don't trust them enough to allow them to go out positively and attempt to beat certain teams. The resulting negative team selection with an isolated striker (and the resulting hoof ball) seldom wins games, and yet it appears to be Steve Bruce's default tactic every time he gets nervous.

Promotion is a real gamble while we continue to hamstring our players with such negative tactics in big games.

Why am I worried about the game against Preston? We should beat them.

Look at the Villa squad .... look at the Preston squad .... then imagine what the result would be with a quality tactical manager .... but we have to rely on Steve.

I hope we win, but SB is still our weakest link.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Eastie]

13 hours ago, villabromsgrove said:

I am so sorry for the turmoil and suffering that Steve Bruce is suffering in his family life. God bless his dad, and I pray that his his mum gets better.

Steve is a lovable bloke who knows the importance of an arm around the shoulder.

Sadly he's not a good tactician, not a good coach, or a forward thinking, technical football person.

If we meet Fulham in the play offs, I think we know what's likely to happen. Jokanovic will probably run rings round Bruce.

Despite our current excellent position, one thing has been an insuperable problem all season. SB's fear of losing, constrains us against the better teams that pose us real problems.

Wolves and Fulham for example attack with pace and plenty of support, and will use the space (that we concede to them) between the half way line and our penalty area to dominate us. It's space that we don't concede to lesser teams, but we do when SB is frightened of this type of opposition.

I know we had two key injuries against Fulham, but our team selection an hour before the match virtually conceded the three points. Fulham knew that Bruce would bottle it (as had happened a number of times earlier in the season). Sadly most of us fans knew this as well.

We pay our management team a fortune, and yet when it comes down to the big games they aren't up for it. We roll over .... and what's worse is that other top teams know we will well before they play us!

Our players are good enough, they've proved that, and yet SB and his coaches don't trust them enough to allow them to go out positively and attempt to beat certain teams. The resulting negative team selection with an isolated striker (and the resulting hoof ball) seldom wins games, and yet it appears to be Steve Bruce's default tactic every time he gets nervous.

Promotion is a real gamble while we continue to hamstring our players with such negative tactics in big games.

Why am I worried about the game against Preston? We should beat them.

Look at the Villa squad .... look at the Preston squad .... then imagine what the result would be with a quality tactical manager .... but we have to rely on Steve.

I hope we win, but SB is still our weakest link.

Can’t agree with this and noticeably you wait until we lose before popping back up with it - Bruce had little option yesterday with his attacking  options - Grealish adomah and green out is a big loss .

you talk about Fulham but without cairney they won 4 in 17 games earlier in the season - all teams miss their best players.

Had Grealish and adomah been fit then Bruce would have been able to play a more attacking style .

[AJ]

A big chunk of our good run was down to the excellent form of Jack and Albert. Take those two out of the equation, and no matter who is the manager, we were bound to struggle.

Is it Steve Bruce's fault? No. I blame the football gods. Jerks.

[KSV]

51 minutes ago, Eastie said:

Can’t agree with this and noticeably you wait until we lose before popping back up with it - Bruce had little option yesterday with his attacking  options - Grealish adomah and green out is a big loss .

you talk about Fulham but without cairney they won 4 in 17 games earlier in the season - all teams miss their best players.

Had Grealish and adomah been fit then Bruce would have been able to play a more attacking style .

Disagree. Leaving Elmo at rb. Playing bikir in midfield instead of mile. Leave snoddy where he is. Grabban in for grealish. More attacking. Fewer changes. Would have been the way to go. Even Lansbury. He chose two replace two of our best attackers with defensive midfielders. Whilst moving hourihane snoddy etc out of position. We looked lost.

Edited February 18, 2018 by KSV

[Rugeley Villa]

lose one game, and they come out back stabbing a manager, that's doing his best to get this club up. Un*******real. 

[Demitri_C]

If fulham had cairney and sessagnon injured thats equivalent of our grealish and adomah to us . Their two key players. Let's not forget one of the goals was a stupid and quite frankly dumb mistake from Johnstone. It would have ended 1-0 if he didn't which although disappointing isnt battered or shameful when you consider the team we had.

Like others have said if we don't beat preston then i can understand the frustration building again

[Nigel]

30 minutes ago, Rugeley Villa said:

lose one game, and they come out back stabbing a manager, that's doing his best to get this club up. Un*******real. 

After 7 victories in a row too. Suddenly now they see managerial flaws. 

Sometimes losing away to one of the best teams in the league, playing well, us with a decimated attack can be explained away with other reasons other than the manager.

[Rugeley Villa]

Another bad result on Tuesday, and we will probably see some of the vile abuse he suffered a few months back. 

[Eastie]

4 hours ago, KSV said:

Disagree. Leaving Elmo at rb. Playing bikir in midfield instead of mile. Leave snoddy where he is. Grabban in for grealish. More attacking. Fewer changes. Would have been the way to go. Even Lansbury. He chose two replace two of our best attackers with defensive midfielders. Whilst moving hourihane snoddy etc out of position. We looked lost.

Replace Grealish with grabban ? We’d have got absolutely hammered .

lansbury maybe would have been a better option but first half we were comfortable , losing Elmo meant changing things again and once Fulham scored it was basically game over .

i think he made mistakes team selection wise , but the options weren’t great to replace 2 key  players .

tuanzabe is in the team to stay now in my view , I’d have liked to see him in midfield but he did look very good at right back .

[DCJonah]

28 minutes ago, Rugeley Villa said:

Another bad result on Tuesday, and we will probably see some of the vile abuse he suffered a few months back. 

You mean 2 or 3 people on the internet? I'm sure he will cope.

[Rugeley Villa]

13 minutes ago, DCJonah said:

You mean 2 or 3 people on the internet? I'm sure he will cope.

I'm sure he will. 

[AvfcRigo82]

6 hours ago, villabromsgrove said:

I am so sorry for the turmoil and suffering that Steve Bruce is suffering in his family life. God bless his dad, and I pray that his his mum gets better.

Steve is a lovable bloke who knows the importance of an arm around the shoulder.

Sadly he's not a good tactician, not a good coach, or a forward thinking, technical football person.

If we meet Fulham in the play offs, I think we know what's likely to happen. Jokanovic will probably run rings round Bruce.

Despite our current excellent position, one thing has been an insuperable problem all season. SB's fear of losing, constrains us against the better teams that pose us real problems.

Wolves and Fulham for example attack with pace and plenty of support, and will use the space (that we concede to them) between the half way line and our penalty area to dominate us. It's space that we don't concede to lesser teams, but we do when SB is frightened of this type of opposition.

I know we had two key injuries against Fulham, but our team selection an hour before the match virtually conceded the three points. Fulham knew that Bruce would bottle it (as had happened a number of times earlier in the season). Sadly most of us fans knew this as well.

We pay our management team a fortune, and yet when it comes down to the big games they aren't up for it. We roll over .... and what's worse is that other top teams know we will well before they play us!

Our players are good enough, they've proved that, and yet SB and his coaches don't trust them enough to allow them to go out positively and attempt to beat certain teams. The resulting negative team selection with an isolated striker (and the resulting hoof ball) seldom wins games, and yet it appears to be Steve Bruce's default tactic every time he gets nervous.

Promotion is a real gamble while we continue to hamstring our players with such negative tactics in big games.

Why am I worried about the game against Preston? We should beat them.

Look at the Villa squad .... look at the Preston squad .... then imagine what the result would be with a quality tactical manager .... but we have to rely on Steve.

I hope we win, but SB is still our weakest link.

 

   What a load of bollocks!

 

Edited February 18, 2018 by AvfcRigo82

[Stevo985]

13 hours ago, villabromsgrove said:

...If we meet Fulham in the play offs, I think we know what's likely to happen. Jokanovic will probably run rings round Bruce.

Despite our current excellent position, one thing has been an insuperable problem all season. SB's fear of losing, constrains us against the better teams that pose us real problems.

Wolves and Fulham for example attack with pace and plenty of support, and will use the space (that we concede to them) between the half way line and our penalty area to dominate us. It's space that we don't concede to lesser teams, but we do when SB is frightened of this type of opposition.

I know we had two key injuries against Fulham, but our team selection an hour before the match virtually conceded the three points. Fulham knew that Bruce would bottle it (as had happened a number of times earlier in the season). Sadly most of us fans knew this as well.....

Wow Fulham sound brilliant. 

Amazing that we’ve already beaten them once this season.

you talk about our formation like we only bring into it for big games. We don’t. It was be same formation we’ve played that has won us 7 games in a row. So to claim it seldom wins games is just not true. 

VillaTalk, where you really are only as good as your last game. 

[lexicon]

We also lost due to our own mistakes rather than anything they did. 

[Demitri_C]

3 minutes ago, lexicon said:

We also lost due to our own mistakes rather than anything they did. 

The second goal deflated us game was lost when Johnstone made a mistake. HAD IT gone in at 1-0 longer longer nerves may have gone in and we may have snatched a point

we are our own worst enemies at times, Johnstone mistake was pathetic. League two standard

[lexicon]

Yep, was a stupid one from Johnstone. Hopefully he'll learn from it and not let it get to him. 

[Eastie]

Just now, lexicon said:

Yep, was a stupid one from Johnstone. Hopefully he'll learn from it and not let it get to him. 

Probably a once in his career thing - harsh lesson learnt .

[AvfcRigo82]

2 minutes ago, Demitri_C said:

The second goal deflated us game was lost when Johnstone made a mistake. HAD IT gone in at 1-0 longer longer nerves may have gone in and we may have snatched a point

we are our own worst enemies at times, Johnstone mistake was pathetic. League two standard

One mistake from a keeper that has been near enough faultless most of this season happens from time to time, it happens to the best of them.

We where just not at the races yesterday on any level it's as simple as that. 

[AvfcRigo82]

2 minutes ago, Eastie said:

Probably a once in his career thing - harsh lesson learnt .

Would *like* but I have used up the allocation.

I agree he will learn a great deal from this and it will make him a better keeper overall in our long term.

[AntrimBlack]

9 hours ago, AvfcRigo82 said:

To be honest mate regardless how we setup today it was always going to be one of them horrible scrappy games.

The only things I would have perhaps altered would have been Grabban instead of Hogan and Elmo switching positions with Tuanzebe? but otherwise it was a nightmare.

 

Well, not necessarily. He could have set us up better. The selection showed them and us that he was withdrawing back into his defensive shell, and our guys must have stepped onto that pitch with that in the back of their minds.

This game was when he needed to do something to say we are not a 2 man team and send the team out with confidence in themselves.

But, although I think he could certainly have done better yesterday - we were on  7 match unbeaten run, are still sitting top 3 - so we are ok, and I am still confident he can get us promoted.

Whatever team he puts out on Tuesday, though, with or without Grealish and Adomah, he needs to send  them out with the attitude that they can still win games without those players.