Steve Bruce

[villabromsgrove]

Steve Bruce's recent media comments indicate to me that he genuinely believes that he's been doing all the right things, and just needed to get a bit of luck to start winning games. A good result against Barnsley has reinforced his belief that he's right and his doubters are wrong.

He's entitled to say he's right if he believes it to be true,  just as those of us who think his methods are holding us back have every right to voice our opinions.

My opinion is that having Bruce in charge of Villa for the last eleven months has been a bit like watching someone trying to drive a car with the hand brake on .... we're barely moving in the right direction (are we moving?), and we'd go a lot quicker if we had a driver who was prepared to take the hand brake off.

I still think Bruce is the problem, not the solution.

 

[Keyblade]

49 minutes ago, mattjpa said:

I completely disagree. i want a manager who has the bottle to rub it in peoples faces and i commend him for doing so. He doesnt need to court the fan base as there is plenty of support there for him already. Every manager will make mistakes and go through bad patches im glad TX has given him a chance to ride it out.  

 

Giving the internet bed wetters the middle finger if anything gets him more respect from his supporters and hopefully the team as well...

Rubbing what in people's faces, beating Barnsley? Being 13th in the table? Not losing for 3 games? This is what he's gloating about for real? This is what he's using to prove we're not in crisis? Anything less than the playoff spots is a crisis I hate to break it to him.

[Villarocker]

3 hours ago, thunderball said:

I crave stability but still Bruce is just wrong for us. I hope he proves he is the manager we hoped he was. Confidence is the key.

In his favour, despite our stodgy unconvincing start we are only 7 points adrift, and there is no clear runaway team(s), although Leeds look as though they are serious this season. 3 wins would turn this situation around.

The other advantage is squad size and depth of quality which we have, over a long season that should give us an edge come February/March/April.

That's a good point you make about there being no runaway teams this season. Like you, I thought Leeds were showing signs of being the main contenders for the title and then they go and get beaten at Millwall. 

I think this season might contain many different teams filling the top 6 places throughout the season and there could be all to play for right until the very last game.

Also, the points tally needed for top two finishes could be lower than usual which would give us an even better chance. We just need to make sure we stop with the 0-0 draws at home. 

[villabromsgrove]

3 minutes ago, Keyblade said:

Rubbing what in people's faces, beating Barnsley? Being 13th in the table? Not losing for 3 games? This is what he's gloating about for real? This is what he's using to prove we're not in crisis? Anything less than the playoff spots is a crisis I hate to break it to him.

Anything less than automatic promotion may well result in a financial crisis next season.

[striker]

54 minutes ago, Eastie said:

Expect to see 10 or even 11 changes tomorrow and frankly couldn't care less about the league cup - forest , Burton and Bolton must be wins to get back on track and then we have a big October with wolves and blues away plus Fulham at home - should give us an insight into where we are heading or not .

For the sake of clarity I was referring to Championship games. I too couldn't care less what team he puts out in cup games. 

[AshVilla]

Bruce going is inevitable.

He's a terrible manager who is well past his sell by date.

We beat a poor team like Barnsley and suddenly everything is rosy and were going to get promoted again.... I admire people's optimism but let's not forget the last 11 months shall we.

People better pray that Kodija doesn't get injured again otherwise it's back to us looking clueless again as the only formation Strategy Steve knows is 0-0-1.

 

[Keyblade]

15 minutes ago, villabromsgrove said:

Anything less than automatic promotion may well result in a financial crisis next season.

Why's that? I thought the playoffs were there most lucrative tournament in football? What difference does it make if we're promoted automatically or via the playoffs?

[TrentVilla]

19 minutes ago, Keyblade said:

Why's that? I thought the playoffs were there most lucrative tournament in football? What difference does it make if we're promoted automatically or via the playoffs?

He said may, because there is no guarantee of promotion through the play offs as you know. 

[TrentVilla]

44 minutes ago, villabromsgrove said:

Steve Bruce's recent media comments indicate to me that he genuinely believes that he's been doing all the right things, and just needed to get a bit of luck to start winning games. A good result against Barnsley has reinforced his belief that he's right and his doubters are wrong.

He's entitled to say he's right if he believes it to be true,  just as those of us who think his methods are holding us back have every right to voice our opinions.

My opinion is that having Bruce in charge of Villa for the last eleven months has been a bit like watching someone trying to drive a car with the hand brake on .... we're barely moving in the right direction (are we moving?), and we'd go a lot quicker if we had a driver who was prepared to take the hand brake off.

I still think Bruce is the problem, not the solution.

 

I think there is a difference between responding to criticism and having a huff about there being any criticism.

Bruce has had his bottom lip out for weeks and in my view has made a few I'll advised and potentially counter productive comments, he is perhaps fortunate that results have stopped a greater backlash from fans in the last few games.

The criticism of Bruce has been fairly tame and in my view entirely justified, but he has never reacted very well when under pressure and that is proving to be the case again. At some level I think that is a self awareness of his own shortcomings.

I entirely agree with your last line.

[TrentVilla]

1 hour ago, omariqy said:

How his son went on the offensive with Howard Hodgson shows you the mentality of Bruce. Dead man walking.

It was frankly embarrassing by Bruce.

[villabromsgrove]

20 minutes ago, Keyblade said:

Why's that? I thought the playoffs were there most lucrative tournament in football? What difference does it make if we're promoted automatically or via the playoffs?

Apologies Keyblade I didn't make myself clear. What I meant was that the financial consequences of not getting promoted are too damaging to be left to the lottery games that form the play offs. A couple of key injuries or mistakes, or the opposition playing an uncharacteristic blinder, could leave us paying our huge wage bill on reduced income during yet another year in this league. Anything less than automatic promotion leaves us gambling on winning knock out matches. 

[villabromsgrove]

4 minutes ago, TrentVilla said:

I think there is a difference between responding to criticism and having a huff about there being any criticism.

Bruce has had his bottom lip out for weeks and in my view has made a few I'll advised and potentially counter productive comments, he is perhaps fortunate that results have stopped a greater backlash from fans in the last few games.

The criticism of Bruce has been fairly tame and in my view entirely justified, but he has never reacted very well when under pressure and that is proving to be the case again. At some level I think that is a self awareness of his own shortcomings.

I entirely agree with your last line.

I agree that he should have been more circumspect in the manner of his comments, He hasn't done himself any favours, but then I suspect that his recent comments have been aimed at creating an "alternative history" to cover his time at Villa if and when he's sacked.

[TrentVilla]

Just now, villabromsgrove said:

I agree that he should have been more circumspect in the manner of his comments, He hasn't done himself any favours, but then I suspect that his recent comments have been aimed at creating an "alternative history" to cover his time at Villa if and when he's sacked.

I absolutely agree and I first accused him of that back in the summer, I absolutely think he is now protecting his reputation above and beyond his relationship with the fans.

Its dead man walking stuff, things will come to a head in the not too distant future so personally I'd just rather call it a day now.

[Rob182]

Bruce really needs to keep his sarcastic comments between him and his son. If he'd had some harsh criticism then fair enough, but the criticism has all been warranted.

 

Before Barnsley we had 1 point per game. Continue in that form and we'd finish with 46 points, which last season would have seen us relegated in 22nd position. Consider then that we've got the best squad in the league and have spent a fortune over two seasons. Not to mention that we also have teams like Preston, Ipswich and Sheffield United ahead of us, with presumably modest transfer budgets, and it really shows how much we have underperformed under Bruce's management.

 

We should be spending the whole season within the Top 6. Preferably in the top 3 or 4 with a view to putting a few runs together. One win in four and he's bringing out the sarcasm. Wind it in Bruce.

[bannedfromHandV]

1 hour ago, Keyblade said:

Rubbing what in people's faces, beating Barnsley? Being 13th in the table? Not losing for 3 games? This is what he's gloating about for real? This is what he's using to prove we're not in crisis? Anything less than the playoff spots is a crisis I hate to break it to him.

Just for factual representation.

We're 6 games undefeated across league and cup, won 3 and drawn 3 scoring 12 and conceding 4

 

Of course, it kind of papers over the cracks of having to settle for 2 0-0 home draws in a week but who knows how those results will be evaluated come the end of the season.

[bannedfromHandV]

41 minutes ago, TrentVilla said:

I absolutely agree and I first accused him of that back in the summer, I absolutely think he is now protecting his reputation above and beyond his relationship with the fans.

Its dead man walking stuff, things will come to a head in the not too distant future so personally I'd just rather call it a day now.

Out of interest Trent, where would your thought process be if we win the next 3 games (all very winnable) with performances as good or better than Saturday?

 

IF we won the next 3, I'd imagine we'd be top 8, maybe even a little higher if things really went our way elsewhere.

[Guest av1]

The squad is so strong that the chances are Bruce will probably stumble on a winning formula, which may even see us scrape into the play offs. Wyness and Round will declare their appointment a success, and if we were to get promoted with Bruce we would come straight back down with fewer points than Derby. 

He has had long enough in the job now and has shown week after week that he exceeded his skill level the moment he drove out of Small Heath. 

Now I'm sure 1 or 2 will jump on this bit, but all things considered (including squad strength and opposition), there is now nothing Bruce can do that will convince me he is the right man for the job. This squad should be battering teams in this league, so be quite frank even if we do go on a win the next 5/6 games, my opinion of Bruce will not change one bit. 

 

 

[Grasshopper]

27 minutes ago, bannedfromHandV said:

Just for factual representation.

We're 6 games undefeated across league and cup, won 3 and drawn 3 scoring 12 and conceding 4

 

Of course, it kind of papers over the cracks of having to settle for 2 0-0 home draws in a week but who knows how those results will be evaluated come the end of the season.

Then again, at the end of the season regardless of who our manager is, Factual representation may be that turning one if those 0-0 into a 1-0 is the difference between 2nd & 3rd OR 6th & 7th.

But whatever.

If you start at an earlier point in Bruces reign, say January for example, and get sceptical about promotion/playoffs, then when the fat lady finally sings and we're not at the show, what do you do then? press the hit & hope button that the "same again" doesnt eventualize?

Well, the coffee is there for those who are prepared to smell it.

Promotion is not gonna happen under Bruce, he knows his times up soon, he's in selfpreservation mode and is not concerned with the long term outcome of our season.

It is even in his own reputational interest to keep the job as long as possible hindering the chance of his successor succeeding. By ticking off games and keeping us under a pts per game average that would give us a good chance at top 2/6 but keeping him in the job he is indeed in/Directly if not subconsiously  ***** it up for the aftermath of his reign.

When the fat lady sings again and his successor hasnt got us up from the game-tally he left, he can say, "I wasnt given the time" and everything will be alright in Bruce-osaurious-land

 

[Grasshopper]

1 minute ago, av1 said:

The squad is so strong that the chances are Bruce will probably stumble on a winning formula, which may even see us scrape into the play offs. Wyness and Round will declare their appointment a success, and if we were to get promoted with Bruce we would come straight back down with fewer points than Derby. 

He has had long enough in the job now and has shown week after week that he exceeded his skill level the moment he drove out of Small Heath. 

Now I'm sure 1 or 2 will jump on this bit, but all things considered (including squad strength and opposition), there is now nothing Bruce can do that will convince me he is the right man for the job. This squad should be battering teams in this league, so be quite frank even if we do go on a win the next 5/6 games, my opinion of Bruce will not change one bit. 

 

 

with you 100%

[Keyblade]

20 minutes ago, bannedfromHandV said:

Just for factual representation.

We're 6 games undefeated across league and cup, won 3 and drawn 3 scoring 12 and conceding 4

 

Of course, it kind of papers over the cracks of having to settle for 2 0-0 home draws in a week but who knows how those results will be evaluated come the end of the season.

In the league 1 win in 4 against such mighty opposition as Brentford, Barnsley, Bristol and 10 man Middlesborough. Scoring 4 goals in those games with 3 of them coming at the weekend. It's really nothing to shout about. 

Including the other 2 matches, it's a decent run at best. We're still in 13th place, a good 7 points off where we need to be already at this stage. Until he gets there he has no room to gloat and patronize the fans, and even then it would be in poor taste.