Steve Bruce

[Keyblade]

Probably our best performance under Bruce. I just can't understand why this is the first time he's approached an away game against a top half side like this.

Like I've said before, nothing wrong with counterattacking/direct football if that's clearly your plan. But what we've been seeing against Cardiff, Reading, Bristol, Wolves etc was nothing more than sitting deep and aimless hoofing out which even someone who doesn't know much about football can see that probably will never win you a game.

If we keep playing like this however, and continue with our home form I'll be much more confident of closing the gap to the top 2 and getting promoted. Keep it up Steve.

[tomav84]

7 hours ago, maqroll said:

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

anyone who wins promotion deserves a crack...players and managers. i often cite bournemouth in this situation, they are still playing with a lot of the players from the championship and even league 1 days cause they gave them a shot and largely have delivered

[wilko154]

1 minute ago, Keyblade said:

Probably our best performance under Bruce. I just can't understand why this is the first time he's approached an away game against a top half side like this.

Like I've said before, nothing wrong with counterattacking/direct football if that's clearly your plan. But what we've been seeing against Cardiff, Reading, Bristol, Wolves etc was nothing more than sitting deep and aimless hoofing out which even someone who doesn't know much about football can see that probably will never win you a game.

If we keep playing like this however, and continue with our home form I'll be much more confident of closing the gap to the top 2 and getting promoted. Keep it up Steve.

As @Stevo985 just mentioned I don't think Bruce did approach this game any differently on Wednesday.

The difference was that Davis up top held the ball up and brought players into the game. The aimless hoofing that has happened in recent away games, Blues for example, was happening, the ball wasn't sticking up top and then coming right back at us.

If we are going to continue playing this way, and over the last 50 games Bruce has managed here it seems we will, he needs to play Davis up top to cope with the type of football he plays. If Davis can't play every game it could be argued that we need to pick up another target man in January, whether on loan or using money from the sale of players. For me Hogan doesn't suit the style of play we have unless he is played next to a player like Davis, however you then leave Kodjia out of the side.

[Keyblade]

Just now, wilko154 said:

As @Stevo985 just mentioned I don't think Bruce did approach this game any differently on Wednesday.

The difference was that Davis up top held the ball up and brought players into the game. The aimless hoofing that has happened in recent away games, Blues for example, was happening, the ball wasn't sticking up top and then coming right back at us.

If we are going to continue playing this way, and over the last 50 games Bruce has managed here it seems we will, he needs to play Davis up top to cope with the type of football he plays. If Davis can't play every game it could be argued that we need to pick up another target man in January, whether on loan or using money from the sale of players. For me Hogan doesn't suit the style of play we have unless he is played next to a player like Davis, however you then leave Kodjia out of the side.

Yeah that was my main criticism of him for the Blues game. You want to play more direct, fine. But don't leave Keinan on the bench ffs. 

On the flip side, if you don't have the players available for your playing style, play one that suits the ones you have! It's this tactical inflexibility that will end up costing us crucial points this season (already cost us 2 against a woeful Blues side).

[Dave J]

10 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.

That would be me - I wound not trust him one jot in the prem 

[Dave J]

45 minutes 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.

Best of luck with that - won’t get us very far in the prem if we do go up.

[Stevo985]

Just now, Dave J said:

Best of luck with that - won’t get us very far in the prem if we do go up.

We don't need it to.

[Dave J]

13 minutes ago, Stevo985 said:

We don't need it to.

I can tell you now - it’s called relegation 

[Nigel]

This wont get us very far in the champions league!

It will be fine playing the lesser teams but what happens when we get Bayern or Madrid?  

 

[Stevo985]

40 minutes ago, Dave J said:

I can tell you now - it’s called relegation 

Steve Bruce will not be our long term manager.

We don't need him to get us far in the prem.

We need him to get us out of the Championship, and PROBABLY keep us in the prem for a season (unless the club go with another manager straight away but I doubt they would). He is capable of that.

[Stevo985]

13 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

I've said it before, but it's posts like this that dilute your other posts.

Sometimes you make good points. Stuff like this spoils it.  its embarrassing. 

Edited November 3, 2017 by blandy
pop removed

[bannedfromHandV]

1 hour ago, Dave J said:

That would be me - I wound not trust him one jot in the prem 

I am Jack's complete lack of surprise

[avfc1982]

1 hour ago, Dave J said:

I can tell you now - it’s called relegation 

Jesus wept, we’re trying to get back to the PL not qualify for the CL. Let’s walk before we can run, eh. 

This club was sabotaged beyond belief by Lerner and we’re taking small steps to get back to where we belong. Bruce is the man to get us back, but will he be there in the long term? Probably not, but let him get on with the job in the mean time. 

[One For The Road]

We are only just into November, still sitting 5 points off promotion, and yet we've got posters already having relegated us from next seasons Premier League. Probably the most pessimistic optimism there is.

Madness.

 

Edited November 3, 2017 by One For The Road

[sheepyvillian]

7 hours ago, Lerner's Driver said:

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.

It's  ok ,it really is ,because if it wasn't for people like you ,I wouldn't be able to see myself so clearly. 

[sheepyvillian]

10 hours ago, maqroll said:

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

Yes .

[Grasshopper]

 

5 hours ago, Eastie said:

Grasshopper - you come across as a decent guy and I like your passion in posts  

thnx

5 hours ago, Eastie said:

but I think Bruce does deserve credit when Due just as he deserved the criticism when it was due

We can ageee to disagree here - I have no problem with other reasoning. Imho I cant give him credit for a number of things ranging from McC, Gaby, Hutton, how he plays Hourihane & Hogan, replacing Adomah twice, the hoofball, sitting back, They are all part of the reasons why we were not promoted last season and why we are not already top2 this season. Throw in that the „final jigsaw piece“ appears to be Davis, a fluke in all honesty, and Adomah‘s re-intro to the team, I have no confidence of his design for our future.

5 hours ago, Eastie said:

 I was very impressed at Preston and long may it continue - a long last things are looking up so let's enjoy the ride !

I was not impressed. Things may be looking up a little - if you are happy with the playoffs - I fail to see how this type of football is enjoyable to watch, maybe it‘s all down to personal preference. I prefer something very different.

[Dave J]

26 minutes ago, Stevo985 said:

It's just a shame that your agenda will suck any enjoyment out of this season for you.

Or just maybe GH like me see a different view to you? 

[carewjust4u]

14 minutes ago, Grasshopper said:

Throw in that the „final jigsaw piece“ appears to be Davis, a fluke in all honesty, and Adomah‘s re-intro to the team, I have no confidence of his design for our future.

 

Could you not argue that Bruce created his own luck with Davis, after all, he would of assessed the young lad before he put him into the side. Look at Rashford for example, he only got played when Martial and all the other strikers picked up an injury...now he is the only United player that has started every game.

With Adomah, could you not argue that benching him drove the player into hitting his best ever form for us? 

Football is a game that has a close and direct relationship with luck and fine margins, it goes for and against.   

Edited November 3, 2017 by carewjust4u

[Grasshopper]

28 minutes ago, Stevo985 said:

It's just a shame that your agenda will suck any enjoyment out of this season for you.

Stevo - I really dont want enemy status between us.

It‘s really not an agenda, honestly. I think that Bruce‘s „way“ is not good enough in the immediate & long term. I really don‘t enjoy the football, and the results so far have not got us promoted or in a promoting position so far. You don‘t have to agree with me, but at least accept my pov.

Those who say they don‘t care how as long as we get promoted, I can understand their pov. I just dont have that opinion. What is soooo wrong with that?

I explained why I see things as I do, and the Art of something is the attraction for me. Surely if you are thirsty and you pay for the drink, it‘s your choice and you choose your prefered drink.

If I pay for a ticket or sky coverage surely I am free to enjoy what I deem enjoyable and vice versa if what I see is not. (Even if I‘m only paying with attention or fanatisism)

Anyway, on with the season.

I honestly want us promoted, I‘ll take a scrape through if it‘s all we get. I wont enjoy the spectacle if this is as good as it gets.