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Steve Bruce


Demitri_C

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43 minutes ago, OutByEaster? said:

The issue I have with these signings is that when they go, this money is dead - there's no resale, no recycling of the money - if we'd paid a couple of million for a risky twenty year old and it hadn't paid off, we'd have been able to recoup most of it and go again. Next summer could be really difficult, we're not out of the woods on FFP and we'll need to fill lots of holes in the squad. I think it's particularly important for a club in our position to keep an eye on our residual squad value.

 

Failure to go up this season and I think what few jewels we still possess will be sold in the summer to help finances - if we don’t go up this season I expect a much weaker and younger villa side next season and a long haul ahead - it is vital we win these 3 games and get back in the hunt this week .

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48 minutes ago, OutByEaster? said:

The issue I have with these signings is that when they go, this money is dead - there's no resale, no recycling of the money - if we'd paid a couple of million for a risky twenty year old and it hadn't paid off, we'd have been able to recoup most of it and go again. Next summer could be really difficult, we're not out of the woods on FFP and we'll need to fill lots of holes in the squad. I think it's particularly important for a club in our position to keep an eye on our residual squad value.

 

I take the point and would usually agree with you. As I said I was against the Terry signing initially. I think it's a calculated gamble though. Hourihane & Lansbury (for example) were signed for minimal outlay and should balance out the lost value in these signings. I know the opposite side of the argument is  e.g McCormack but I still think that we've enough to balance the books and buy again next year especially considering some sale fees were delayed til next year. That's a matter of opinion though.

We weren't in the position to take chances this summer.  We'll obviously only be able to judge whether it was a success in hindsight.

 

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7 minutes ago, markavfc40 said:

I think too much focus is being put on the older players in the squad but I think we have a good mixture. Yes we have Terry, Whelan, Samba and Jedinak in the twilight of their careers with little or no sell on value. We also have some very promising young players in Bree, Grelaish, Green, Davis etc. Then in the middle of those extremes the likes of Chester, Taylor, Elmo, Hourihane, Lansbury, Kodjia, Hogan, Adomah.

So whilst the likes of Terry, Whelan, Samba and Jedi may need replacing next summer, although I think Whelan and Terry could still hold their own at the lower end of the Prem, I'd like to think that the likes of Bree, Greaish, Greeen, Davis, RHM etc would have kicked on and developed over the course of this season.

This squad is good enough to get out of this league. You can't really ask for anymore than that in terms of how we have developed it. I think you do need a number of older, experienced heads at Aston Villa and some natural leaders given the levels of expectation and the fact that so many last season seemed to play like rabbits in headlights. The reason Terry and Whelan were signed was not just for what they can offer in terms of their playing ability but what their experience and attitude could bring out in others.

The big issue here and where I think most agree in this thread is that we have a squad good enough to get out of this league, and the manager should be given credit for putting it together, but he now has to consistently get the best out of it. I think the last couple of league games we have played well but that will count for f all if if it is a false dawn and we don't string a run of results together. That has to happen now otherwise he has to go.

Very well said mate, I think it sums up well what a lot of people feel, and you've articulated it better than I could've. 

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No question for me it's a decent squad and a very good first 14 or so. No Manager ever gets it completely 'right' with transfers - and all are influenced by player demands etc, but within reason the recruitment has been good. Nothing wrong with a few old hands either.

But..

Time has all but run out on choosing the right combination and having the right approach to complement those players.

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38 minutes ago, Villan_of_oz said:

Very well said mate, I think it sums up well what a lot of people feel, and you've articulated it better than I could've. 

Mark always makes sense.

It would all make sense what people post here in/on VT.

It's the biggest shame that we have a manager who cant make any sense whatsoever of it at all - all he does is:

1 - Not get enough goals/results/pts

2 - lie about the facts

3 - critisize the fans for being hysterical

Edited by Grasshopper
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41 minutes ago, markavfc40 said:

The big issue here and where I think most agree in this thread is that we have a squad good enough to get out of this league, and the manager should be given credit for putting it together, but he now has to consistently get the best out of it. I think the last couple of league games we have played well but that will count for f all if it is a false dawn and we don't string a run of results together. That has to happen now otherwise he has to go.

Not wanting to appear argumentative and also not wishing to use any stick to beat Bruce, but I can't give him too much credit here. With the amount of money invested it would be incredible if a manager could not put a half decent group together - weve clearly got a good squad by Championship standards but in my opinion we could have done even better - whatever, any credit should go to Xia for providing the levels of finance

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17 hours ago, Eastie said:

I’m sure every single person on this site wants to win tomorrow and onwards whoever is in charge .

Last week people were openly admitting on here that they wanted us to lose. So I wouldn't be so sure.

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3 minutes ago, VillaCas said:

Not wanting to appear argumentative and also not wishing to use any stick to beat Bruce, but I can't give him too much credit here. With the amount of money invested it would be incredible if a manager could not put a half decent group together - weve clearly got a good squad by Championship standards but in my opinion we could have done even better - whatever, any credit should go to Xia for providing the levels of finance

Bruce yesterday named kodjia ; jedinak and Grealish as arguably our best players last season - interesting  none were his signings , along with the likes of Chester he inherited some decent players and has added quality to them - no question with this squad we should be targeting automatic promotion and not being there or thereabouts.   

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2 hours ago, OutByEaster? said:

The issue I have with these signings is that when they go, this money is dead - there's no resale, no recycling of the money - if we'd paid a couple of million for a risky twenty year old and it hadn't paid off, we'd have been able to recoup most of it and go again. Next summer could be really difficult, we're not out of the woods on FFP and we'll need to fill lots of holes in the squad. I think it's particularly important for a club in our position to keep an eye on our residual squad value.

 

It's promotion or bust to be honest, parachute payment income drops to around £15m next season, so we'd have to ditch a hell of a lot of our squad.

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2 hours ago, markavfc40 said:

I think too much focus is being put on the older players in the squad but I think we have a good mixture. Yes we have Terry, Whelan, Samba and Jedinak in the twilight of their careers with little or no sell on value. We also have some very promising young players in Bree, Grealish, Green, Davis etc. Then in the middle of those extremes the likes of Chester, Taylor, Elmo, Hourihane, Lansbury, Kodjia, Hogan, Adomah.

So whilst the likes of Terry, Whelan, Samba and Jedi may need replacing next summer, although I think Whelan and Terry could still hold their own at the lower end of the Prem, I'd like to think that the likes of Bree, Grealish, Greeen, Davis, RHM etc would have kicked on and developed over the course of this season.

This squad is good enough to get out of this league. You can't really ask for anymore than that in terms of how we have developed it. I think you do need a number of older, experienced heads at Aston Villa and some natural leaders given the levels of expectation and the fact that so many last season seemed to play like rabbits in headlights. The reason Terry and Whelan were signed was not just for what they can offer in terms of their playing ability but what their experience and attitude could bring out in others.

The big issue here and where I think most agree in this thread is that we have a squad good enough to get out of this league, and the manager should be given credit for putting it together, but he now has to consistently get the best out of it. I think the last couple of league games we have played well but that will count for f all if it is a false dawn and we don't string a run of results together. That has to happen now otherwise he has to go.

He signed 14 players and spent £15 million on a forward yet he admits he can now only play 2 upfront when 2 players he inherited are available. 

Hourihane was on the bench for bacuna until home fans contributed to his transfer request.

Adomah was sitting in the stands till recently.  

He's signed some decent players, I think the club being a huge one in this league and the wages we pay make that possible. 

And while this squad is good enough for promotion, if he fails to achieve it I think he's put together a squad that's going to have serious holes in next season and need a lot of work doing to it  

I think the squad he's put together and the way he uses it could in fact cause us long term problems. 

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1 hour ago, Stevo985 said:

Last week people were openly admitting on here that they wanted us to lose. So I wouldn't be so sure.

You are usually very good at ensuring people's recollections equate to the reality.....

My recollection is that there were certainly some saying they would take a defeat "if it meant Bruce got the sack" which is of course an entirely different thing to " wanting us to lose " in the same way that some people were happy to take a defeat in the Cup " if it means we win On Saturday ".

The sentiment may still displease some, but let's get it right !!

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1 hour ago, Stevo985 said:

Last week people were openly admitting on here that they wanted us to lose. So I wouldn't be so sure.

I wanted to lose against Boro, I thought that would be it for him but now I'm not convinced and I just couldn't bring myself to continue wanting it. I enjoyed the Barnsley win and I feel very confident for today and the next few games. I desperately want out of this league. 

 

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1 hour ago, Eastie said:

Bruce yesterday named kodjia ; jedinak and Grealish as arguably our best players last season - interesting  none were his signings , along with the likes of Chester he inherited some decent players and has added quality to them - no question with this squad we should be targeting automatic promotion and not being there or thereabouts.   

If Hutton, Gabby and Richards were out for a long time Bruce would say they were our best players last year just to prove what good job he's doing under atrocious circumstances!! 

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Last season the aim was to not get relegated?? I've heard it all now from Bruce.  His entire "6 months" at the club has been nothing but lies.

I'd like to hear Keith Wyness' views on these latest comments, an explanation as to why RDM was sacked if the target was to not go down would be nice too, apparently we were 2nd bottom when Bruce took over as well (In Bruces World). In reality we were 17th, 8th from Bottom, you can check this on the official site.

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3 hours ago, Keener window-cleaner said:

I don't know if it is a coincidence that he says that we will be looking to play more expansive football days after we had the lowest attendences for many years?

  

Bruce says alot of things, very little of them true or based on reality. 

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I have wanted Bruce out since around April/May. However I have changed my mind, I want him to stick around for another 19 days.

The comedy factor when he gets congratulated on a years service, the look on his face will be one to relish forever as he will look so confused and bewildered 

"but .. but .. i've only been here 6 months"

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