Steve Bruce

[Lerner's Driver]

4 hours ago, sheepyvillian said:

Manager's don't play for him , I'd be more interested in the opinions of players ,who have played for him over the years .

I'd be more interested in anyone's opinion whose worked with or against him in the game, over any football fans, as those from the latter are notoriously pig headed in their view.

[Lerner's Driver]

4 hours ago, Grasshopper said:

no tin hat

no holes barred.

I joined the game last night after 16mins so I cant comment on how good or bad it was.

temporarily ffwd to HT sky coverage and Chesters goal was very reminisent of Guzan in goal and a static noncommiting defence a la Lambert. Basically their defence just stood there and let Chester score.

rewind to where I joined the game.

16mins 0-1

I thought „great, way to go, this may end up 0-3/4“

Then as the next minutes unravelled, I saw a team that cost £2mill, managed by Alex Neil (AN ffs) pass and move us off the park with 69/31% possesion. Now stats are really not my thing, but is that not asking for trouble?

The inevitable happened and our defence was forced into a desperate challenge. My first reaction was „oh no, penalty“ I was both astonished, and relieved that the ref didnt give it. Somehow he conveniently ran away from his normal line of view and a Villa player (snodgrass?) blocked his view.

I thought, ok, lesson to learn, we must get back into a stride, but no, we just let them come again and again. admittedly they didnt trouble much but wtf is that?

As it turned out an even more horrendous error left them chasing back whilst we had PL quality players taking advantage.

Some will argue 0-2 what more do you want? Now come on. We all knew beforehand that their defence was made up of 2nd & 3rd choices (and had on pitch injuries) Why oh Why didn‘t Bruce just go for the throat? Goals for Davis, Onomah, Hourihane and Adomah would have done wonders. No, let’s sit back, be cautious, make it uncomfortable - and absolutely frustrating to watch - for ourselves. Shyte, utter scarred to attack shyte.

Now what would have happened had the ref called penalty? 1-1

Maybe without the luck of injuries the pen would have meant 1-0.

ffs what is this shyte?

Is there sooooooo much wrong with trying to make a sure thing of it all and play football, keep possesion, play players in their natural positions, playing their natural game, introducing our youth players into a „style“ alongside experienced PL players against inferior players in the hope that they will develop the right way?

(look at Clark & Baker for example - 2 players with potential shown up in the PL and to an extent her in the Ch.)

Are we seriously acting like a professional football club? in the past no! now? is hoofball and defensive shyte of any use to Davis, Green, O‘Hare, Doyle, Bree, Lyden and anyone else coming through? we are going to need them  in Ch AND a level above (hopefully soon).

I‘m not gonna waste space here ripping the whole natch apart, but is anyone honestly serious that that what was on show yesterday was anywhere near decent football?

If so, standards of expectation and tollerance has stooped alarmingly low for my taste.

Is there really any merit for scraping through the season, getting promoted somehow (playoffs/penalties..... whatever - and it seems some VTers AVFC and whoever would accept anyway thats up) and having the thought „new ball game here in PL, lets just buy 18 PL players in one window and hoof/caution our way to survival?

a big no from me. Because, SJ loan ends, Cafu/Roberto‘s contract is up, (for the Allern lovers) Terry‘s loan ends, Jedi & Whelan are another year older/slower/injury-prone, Snoddy‘s loan ends, Onomah‘s too, we would go up with a skelton 1st XI and an even less of a squad.

I‘m going to casually remind myself that we may be yo-yo-ing in and out of the top 6 when we should already be top 2.

And whilst I‘m at it, why can AN get a team costing 2Mill to pass to one another, whilst we have a 1st XI costing more than 10 times that not even play a basic form of competent football, not relying on mistakes or a bit of individual magic. (come to think of it nearly every other manager in this league so far) It wont work against every team in this league home & away (as proven) and may just be the difference between promotion and not. (does anyone need the consequences of not going up spelt out?)

I‘m absolutely astounded that yesterdays win is so highly held. I‘ve heard comments like „win the league like this“ „SB has turned us around so quickly“ Wtf? are these serious thought out beliefs?

Unbelievable.

I‘ve seen us play some real shyte since MoN left. Has it really effected our relativety that much? I‘ve seen the days of Div3 football. Andy Lochhead, Brian Godfrey, Barry Hole and a number of others who were no great shakes, BUT we never played this shyte. Even in those times we had talented player who were allowed to shine, like Rioch, Chico, Anderson, Little, Graydon and many more. Not stiffled like this lot. Even the dark days of Dougs flogging off the crown jewels, one could not put 100% of the blame on messrs Venglos/Turner/McNeil. As recent as Remi Garde, who was hung out to dry, it was no surprise that we were so bad, full of bottlers and missfits.

Bruce has it golden, and comes up with this shyte. Wtf? w.t. absolute £ is going on here. Is it really so much fun playing with destiny that we could fall short?

Now before many of you think GH has completely lost it (I really dont deny the possibility that that has already happened) or I‘m having a rant for my own sanity, let me give an insight, if I may, to why I think as I think.

As a person, I‘m an artist by trade and have played sports since childhood. (I‘m by no way proclaiming abilities, just an insight of my thought angle). my job is about 50% creativity and 50% chores (aquisition, logistics and all the typical shyte one has to deal with) However, regardless of the task at hand I wear my „work attire“ with pride and give my all, much like I imagine my heroes to wear the Villa shirt and stand in the „Doug-Out“ proud of the honour & privelige. I ask myself, looking from inside the shirt and through the mind of the manager, „is this shyte what‘s before our faithfulls eyes in any way worthy, and something to stand up and be proud of“? Can anyone honestly answer that what we‘re seeing is anywhere near some kind of pheasable concept of progression that can lead to an outcome that would favour us to a climb out of this division and on to better things?

All I see is a hanging on a thread, scraping through, oh It‘ll do! its only the Ch and the rest are shyte.

Now some will argue, But it‘s going well now x ppg from x games and all comers welcome (SotC - Derby are t*$$ers.dingles a go go....etc) May I remind myself:

1- we started syhte

2- still play Hutton

3-Elmo, Hourihane and Adonah out of position

The upturn in results coincide with

Kodjia‘s return

Davis (Bruce admitted he had no other option) turning out to be the mist important fraction of our hoofball

Greens injury forcing Bruce to fetch Adomah from the stands to LW

can anyone honestly say this all happened by design?

The design was appently Grealish as a Nr. 10

But when Davis is not on the pitch, it‘s still hoofed.  ???????

Why is Hourihane attempting to spray passes from around the center circle when he‘s a goalscoring MF‘er?

So many factors, and we‘re still not 2nd, just scraped a 0-0 v the Sc*m, However, after a „Circumstances favoured a win“ we‘re gonna win the league and have turned the ship around „so quick“ Wt£?

I‘ll get pelters and ridicule, but I don‘t care as I wear my Villa heart on my sleave and believe in seeing and telling it as I see it.

Rant over (or maybe I‘ve just completely lost it)

So I‘ll get back to my own life of Loving my wonderfull girlfriend, Loving my Job, loving my Golf, eating well and trying to get healthy again and maybe when I pause from my daydreaming of a better world Villa will finally be in the PL performing proudly as our history suggest and our fans deserve.

UTV

VTID

 

Ahh, there he is!

We missed you.

I was thinking of 'reacting' to your post, but I only got to the bit where you say, I won't waste space ripping the whole match apart, before you then wasted lots of space by ripping the whole match apart, so forgive me, but I only skimmed the rest.

Suffice to say, I started to feel the joy drain away as your hands tightened their grip, but was grateful of some slight relief when you reassured us everything else in your life was just tickety boo. Woe betide us and those other actors (especially your poor golf clubs), if any were to drop to the same disappointing standards shown by our manager.

Promise to keep us updated won't you?

[villan_007]

5 hours ago, Grasshopper said:

1. Then as the next minutes unravelled, I saw a team that cost £2mill, managed by Alex Neil (AN ffs) pass and move us off the park with 69/31% possesion. Now stats are really not my thing, but is that not asking for trouble?

 

2. Why oh Why didn‘t Bruce just go for the throat? Goals for Davis, Onomah, Hourihane and Adomah would have done wonders.

3. We would go up with a skelton 1st XI and an even less of a squad.

 

I'll just have a go at these.

1. No. Leicester won the league averaging 34% possession. As Gary Neville beautifully says, stats are for people that never played football.

2. Davis had a shot saved brilliantly, a header saved, a shot wide. Onomah had a few efforts, adomah blazed over and set up a few. You're watching the game hating Bruce and missing all the action.

3. The club have said countless times that they budgeted for a 3 squads. Get up. Stay up. Challenge. First and foremost get out. I don't think for one second Bruce thinks he'll be there if we go up.

Look forward to chatting again when we're back in the Prem and you come back from the wilderness.

[Eastie]

3 hours ago, LockStockVilla said:

His contract is rolling if I am not mistaken, so it is a definite possibility...I'm certainly not his biggest supporter, but if we did do that, it would be a bit ruthless. If the man does the job asked of him and gets us up, I do think he deserves a crack at the top level with decent backing. 

Rolling 12 month deal so he would be entitled to a years pay whenever he's sacked - I think we would give him a chance in the premier but of we got off to a poor start he would soon be gone - happy to cross that bridge when the time comes as JT once said

 

Grasshopper - you come across as a decent guy and I like your passion in posts but I think Bruce does deserve credit when Due just as he deserved the criticism when it was due - I was very impressed at Preston and long may it continue - a long last things are looking up so let's enjoy the ride !

Edited November 3, 2017 by Eastie

[Vive_La_Villa]

I'm starting to trust his judgment and believe he can get us promoted his way. I don't like it or agree with it but if it works than im sure we will all be happy. 

[Vive_La_Villa]

4 hours ago, LockStockVilla said:

His contract is rolling if I am not mistaken, so it is a definite possibility...I'm certainly not his biggest supporter, but if we did do that, it would be a bit ruthless. If the man does the job asked of him and gets us up, I do think he deserves a crack at the top level with decent backing. 

Well it depends on the agreement he has with the club. If his remit is to get us promoted and that is it then when we are not obliged to give him a chance at the top flight and it wouldn't make sense to either.

If he has been bought in as part of a longer term rebuild of Villa than yes he should be given a chance.  I really hope it's not the latter as a year with him in the top flight is a year  wasted and extra work to rebuild by whoever inevitabley takes over.

[Vive_La_Villa]

Why do fans think Bruce is telling the team to sit deep when we get a lead? He was clearly screaming at players to get up the pitch.

No matter who is playing when a team takes a 2 or more goal lead there is a natural tendency to drop a bit and remain solid. The team losing will up their game and force an attack. To continue to attack gung ho would just leave us open to a team that no longer has nothing to lose in the game. 

Even the dire Villa that got relegated would put on some pressure on teams when going 1 or 2 down. That is football.

[a m ole]

7 hours ago, Grasshopper said:

no holes barred

[bobzy]

9 hours ago, briny_ear said:

I swear that as and when we get promoted, some people will be posting they are not 100% convinced by the promotion.

“I know we got promoted, but with our squad and resources we should have won the league by 30 points.”

[Vive_La_Villa]

Just now, bobzy said:

“I know we got promoted, but with our squad and resources we should have won the league by 30 points.”

You want him to be given a chance in the top flight if he gets us up?

[bobzy]

Just now, Vive_La_Villa said:

You want him to be given a chance in the top flight if he gets us up?

I think anyone who gets a team promoted deserves a shot at it - but I wouldn’t be fussed if he wasn’t our manager if this big “if” of promotion happened.

But then I’m a huge fan of continuity, so....

[AJ]

6 hours ago, maqroll said:

If we win promotion with Bruce,  do we cut him loose at end of season?

It depends.

If it is by automatic promotion, he deserves a shot. He would have earnt it.

If it is by the playoffs, then we should shop around, as Bruce would have established his ceiling quality. We should say thanks very much, muchly appreciated, give him a toaster with the Aston Villa logo embossed on it, a 5 star platinum class season ticket which is good for 10 years, and a 500 dollar voucher for the local kebab shop, then kick him out and change the locks.

Edited November 3, 2017 by AJ

[ciggiesnbeer]

I go back and forth with Bruce. I think he is that kind of manager.

Right now he is at his best. Knows what he is doing, doesnt make it complicated. Really how can any of us complain about his recent run of form? The game against Preston was completely dominant. Heck Sky called it a "Masterclass in tactics by Steve Bruce." And yes, yes we have played some good attractive football the past few weeks. Its direct or on the counter, but thats ok so do a lot of exciting teams.

At his worst he seems paralyzed by fear and unable to figure out how to set us up for attack. In some ways I still am not so sure that is his focus. I think he is most comfortable when the defence is well marshalled with a good holding midfield in front of them. Then he just plays two up front and lets the players quality do the rest, usually on the counter.

Anyway. "Bruce In" again for me (I have flip flopped twice and probably will again). 

 

 

Edited November 3, 2017 by ciggiesnbeer

[villa89]

13 minutes ago, AJ said:

It depends.

If it is by automatic promotion, he deserves a shot. He would have earnt it.

If it is by the playoffs, then we should shop around, as Bruce would have established his ceiling quality. We should say thanks very much, muchly appreciated, give him a toaster with the Aston Villa logo embossed on it, a 5 star platinum class season ticket which is good for 10 years, and a 500 dollar voucher for the local kebab shop, then kick him out and change the locks.

To be honest I'd sack him even if he gets us up. The best he could do is get us 40 points in the premier league, that's his maximum. Better off getting rid and getting a manager in who might be able to keep us up long term, not just scrap for 40 points and then inevitably fail.

[Eastie]

14 minutes ago, villa89 said:

To be honest I'd sack him even if he gets us up. The best he could do is get us 40 points in the premier league, that's his maximum. Better off getting rid and getting a manager in who might be able to keep us up long term, not just scrap for 40 points and then inevitably fail.

 

I think he would get a chance at villa but I dare say he probably wouldn’t last the season unless things were going pretty well in the premiership - they would probably give him 8 games and see how it went .

Edited November 3, 2017 by Eastie

[Stevo985]

16 hours ago, BigJim said:

Trouble is, I'm not sure he sees it as poor play. He has put all his effort into turning us into a side that will soak up pressure and stop the opposition from scoring. We have to give him credit for that. If it's ugly to watch that doesn't bother him at all.

And I don't think it bothers most Villa fans. It certainly doesn't bother me.

I think we all knew when we hired Bruce that we weren't going to get free flowing, attacking, tiki taka football. What a lot of us thought we would get is direct but effective football that would bring results.

The problem has been that until this recent run of form, we've had BOTH a lack of "good" football AND results (or at least results good enough to get promoted.

 

If our current run of form continue then I couldn't care less if we win every game 1-0 with one shot on target.

IF he gets results, then Bruce can play however the **** he likes, imo.

[Eastie]

Just now, Stevo985 said:

And I don't think it bothers most Villa fans. It certainly doesn't bother me.

I think we all knew when we hired Bruce that we weren't going to get free flowing, attacking, tiki taka football. What a lot of us thought we would get is direct but effective football that would bring results.

The problem has been that until this recent run of form, we've had BOTH a lack of "good" football AND results (or at least results good enough to get promoted.

 

If our current run of form continue then I couldn't care less if we win every game 1-0 with one shot on target.

IF he gets results, then Bruce can play however the **** he likes, imo.

Totally agree - winning feels good , it’s been a long time coming so let’s enjoy this feeling - winning games is what counts to get promotion 

[Lerner's Driver]

1 minute ago, Stevo985 said:

And I don't think it bothers most Villa fans. It certainly doesn't bother me.

I think we all knew when we hired Bruce that we weren't going to get free flowing, attacking, tiki taka football. What a lot of us thought we would get is direct but effective football that would bring results.

The problem has been that until this recent run of form, we've had BOTH a lack of "good" football AND results (or at least results good enough to get promoted.

 

If our current run of form continue then I couldn't care less if we win every game 1-0 with one shot on target.

IF he gets results, then Bruce can play however the **** he likes, imo.

Exactly.

From now until the end of the season, it's need must and whatever works.

All the other whingeing is irrelevant.

[Straggler]

43 minutes ago, a m ole said:

I was wondering which one to use myself. 

[Stevo985]

52 minutes ago, Vive_La_Villa said:

Why do fans think Bruce is telling the team to sit deep when we get a lead? He was clearly screaming at players to get up the pitch.

I've tried to make this point before.

Us (and most other teams) sitting deep when they get a lead is rarely a direct instruction from the manager. if we're all intelligent enough to realise it's not a good idea then rest assured the manager also knows that.

Teams sitting deep comes from an inability to relieve pressure and retain possession further up the pitch. 

That doesn't mean it's not the manager's fault. It absolutely is his fault, or at least partly his fault.

But Steve Bruce doesn't tell his team to go a goal up and then camp on the edge of our own box. Like you say, you only have to watch him when we do start seeing deep to see that he wants the exact opposite.