Steve Bruce

[vreitti]

2 hours ago, Godders said:

That said, he will have earned a tilt at leading us under Xia's plans for world domination when he does get us up.

So this is a certainty already? Don't get me wrong, he's made a fantastic start, and long may it continue, but there is still a long way to go...

I agree though, IF he gets us up, this season or the next, he'll have earned the right to give it a go in the PL.

[AntrimBlack]

12 hours ago, Jareth said:

Bruce will have heard Tonys plans and at the back of his head have thought he was unlikely to be manager once we go up. SB knows his level.

Oh, come on. No one thinks``this is my level''. We all think we can do better. Why would Bruce be any different.

[dn1982]

Bruce has got the clubs he has managed so far to the top of their levels. There's nothing to say he can't get us to the top of our level as we are the biggest club he has managed he may not have found his level yet. 

[Godders]

1 hour ago, vreitti said:

So this is a certainty already? Don't get me wrong, he's made a fantastic start, and long may it continue, but there is still a long way to go...

I agree though, IF he gets us up, this season or the next, he'll have earned the right to give it a go in the PL.

I did put 'if he gets us up' to begin with. Then thought bollocks to it, Bruce is going to get us promoted. So yeah, when he gets us up.

[TRO]

I don't buy in to this notion, that Steve Bruce is just here to get us up.I think that is an insult to the man

He has never had ambitious funds to get to this so called next level....so we have never seen what he can do.

Steve Bruce will have a test when it comes to buying the top class talent, but thats all it will be a test, like every manager....He can do it.

i have every confidence he will rebuild the playing side of this club of ours....in a similar fashion to what Ron Saunders done by building 2/3 teams over the years.

its like saying I can't go swimming with the school until I have learnt to swim

He will adapt to having the responsibility for big money signings, but don't be too surprised If he gets them at good prices too.....Steve is not a splash the cash for the sake of it merchant, he will be prudent.

Its all about the blend and he seems well aware of that.

This guy is the real deal.....I just hope we keep our heads, when we get a reversal.

[TRO]

Talking to a couple of sensible blues fans on Sunday night.....yeah, there are some.

They said adamantly, that as soon as they heard of his appointment, they instantly knew, their honeymoon with our demise was over.

They said no, ifs or buts.....He will rebuild Villa.

They still tried to claim some Glory, by saying takes a blue nose to sort you lot out.....I retorted, yeah takes a Villa fan to sort you lot out too.

on a serious note you see in their eyes, we have got a good un.

 

[TRO]

I also think this will be Steves moment.....He didn't get the England job, but any manager who can resurrect us, deserves it.

However,I do think that managers have their moment I.e cloughie at Forest, Saunders at Villa.

I think Aston Villa is his moment, this  will be where he fulfills his true potential.

Edited November 28, 2016 by TRO

[BOF]

1 hour ago, TRO said:

I also think this will be Steves moment.....He didn't get the England job, but any manager who can resurrect us, deserves it.

However,I do think that managers have there moment I.e cloughie at Forest, Saunders at Villa.

I think Aston Villa is his moment, this  will be where he fulfills his true potential.

Now you've got me thinking I want Southgate to do well, because with Brucey doing well here he's going to be pretty damn high up the FA's wishlist if the job comes around again   If not top of it.

[TRO]

1 minute ago, BOF said:

Now you've got me thinking I want Southgate to do well, because with Brucey doing well here he's going to be pretty damn high up the FA's wishlist if the job comes around again   If not top of it.

I think it is a genuine worry......However, Dr Tone is a wise ole owl, making SB aware of his "mouth watering" ambitions for the club.

[terrytini]

1 hour ago, TRO said:

I also think this will be Steves moment.....He didn't get the England job, but any manager who can resurrect us, deserves it.

However,I do think that managers have there moment I.e cloughie at Forest, Saunders at Villa.

I think Aston Villa is his moment, this  will be where he fulfills his true potential.

I would add I don't think what has happened so far is all one way.  He has been superb for us so far, no question, but I think we have been superb for him too.

(As an aside I'm not sure I go with those who say if we had had him from the start we would be right up top - yes its an easy idea but maybe, had he been here from the start, the impact he has now had may not have happened.....all the pressure would've been on him, he would have had more doubters, more people questioning why we had him, etc.instead he came in when we really really felt like we were hitting rock bottom and he took to that like he was born to it.)

As for this being a two-way thing ...........I've watched Steve Bruce Teams for years and while I accept I wouldn't have watched with the scrutiny I do now I think in much the same way some cricketers elevate their performance once they become Captain he has elevated his. For example,  I cant think of a substitution he has made where I have disagreed with the timing or player (or if I have at the time he has been proven right).  His awareness of how each Side we have played and what formation/style is best suited has also been top Class - I never saw all that in him before ! (although of course he must've been doing something right).

As for the stuff about getting rid of him after he gets us promoted, that's baloney - we have no idea how he would do with us, and getting rid of what would be our most successful Manager for God knows how long to plunge into the unknown would be utter madness.

[Mantis]

1 hour ago, BOF said:

Now you've got me thinking I want Southgate to do well, because with Brucey doing well here he's going to be pretty damn high up the FA's wishlist if the job comes around again   If not top of it.

Pisses me off that the FA only consider English managers these days.

[TRO]

26 minutes ago, terrytini said:

I would add I don't think what has happened so far is all one way.  He has been superb for us so far, no question, but I think we have been superb for him too.

(As an aside I'm not sure I go with those who say if we had had him from the start we would be right up top - yes its an easy idea but maybe, had he been here from the start, the impact he has now had may not have happened.....all the pressure would've been on him, he would have had more doubters, more people questioning why we had him, etc.instead he came in when we really really felt like we were hitting rock bottom and he took to that like he was born to it.)

As for this being a two-way thing ...........I've watched Steve Bruce Teams for years and while I accept I wouldn't have watched with the scrutiny I do now I think in much the same way some cricketers elevate their performance once they become Captain he has elevated his. For example,  I cant think of a substitution he has made where I have disagreed with the timing or player (or if I have at the time he has been proven right).  His awareness of how each Side we have played and what formation/style is best suited has also been top Class - I never saw all that in him before ! (although of course he must've been doing something right).

As for the stuff about getting rid of him after he gets us promoted, that's baloney - we have no idea how he would do with us, and getting rid of what would be our most successful Manager for God knows how long to plunge into the unknown would be utter madness.

totally empathize with all of that.

Edited November 28, 2016 by TRO

[blandy]

1 hour ago, terrytini said:

I cant think of a substitution he has made where I have disagreed with the timing or player (or if I have at the time he has been proven right). 

This. Exactly the same for me. It's weird isn't it? The last manager where it happened (for me) was John Gregory for his first few years. Most managers I have not had a clue when or what or why they've made changes half the time. I mean I know MO'N would drag the left back off if we were losing, but that's not the same thing. But with Bruce, like Gregory you just know who's coming off, who's coming on and kind of have been thinking about "maybe he should take off Adomah now, and maybe bring Gabby on? and then it happens. Spooky.

[dont_do_it_doug.]

The only in game decision I've disagreed with so far is the straight swap of McCormack on for Adomah in the derby. That was puzzling. McCormack could gone up front, or Gestede with Kodjia out wide if he wanted to retain a 'target man' element. Any other disagreement has been minor, timing etc, everything else has been cock on the money or at least made perfect sense. 

[The Fun Factory]

Just seems a good fit so far for manager and club. Long may that continue. 

[blandy]

30 minutes ago, dont_do_it_doug. said:

The only in game decision I've disagreed with so far is the straight swap of McCormack on for Adomah in the derby. That was puzzling. McCormack could gone up front, or Gestede with Kodjia out wide if he wanted to retain a 'target man' element.

I'm really pleased with the way it's going and the changes in spirit and fortitude etc. that Bruce has brought about. He was nowhere near on my list of who I'd like to be the manager, mainly because of the way he managed Sunderland, and because I felt he was a "plan A is this, there's no plan B" type of manager. He's done way better than I thought, and I'm really pleased, but in the spirit of positivity I do have one observation that's niggling me.....it's this. The forward play. The defence is way way better - organised, resilient, committed, confident, the midfield which most people (including me) recognise could be better, well that's not his "fault" - until we can strengthen the squad, he's blameless there and he's getting the best from what he has. But I don't think we're doing anything like as well as we could be in terms of the forwards linking up with each other. Yes Adomah makes chances, which is great, but there's not much interplay between the forwards, not much movement a lot of the time from them. They're all very able, but I hope to see a fair bit of improvement in their forwardy team play. It's a bit basic, saved perhaps by the fact that Kodjia in particular can make a goal from nowhere. With him loitering out wide there's not much threat, often, down the centre of the pitch, and often next to no-one in the box, or even making runs into the box, when they should be. Definite room for improvement and something to look forward to.

[Grasshopper]

7 minutes ago, blandy said:

I'm really pleased with the way it's going and the changes in spirit and fortitude etc. that Bruce has brought about. He was nowhere near on my list of who I'd like to be the manager, mainly because of the way he managed Sunderland, and because I felt he was a "plan A is this, there's no plan B" type of manager. He's done way better than I thought, and I'm really pleased, but in the spirit of positivity I do have one observation that's niggling me.....it's this. The forward play. The defence is way way better - organised, resilient, committed, confident, the midfield which most people (including me) recognise could be better, well that's not his "fault" - until we can strengthen the squad, he's blameless there and he's getting the best from what he has. But I don't think we're doing anything like as well as we could be in terms of the forwards linking up with each other. Yes Adomah makes chances, which is great, but there's not much interplay between the forwards, not much movement a lot of the time from them. They're all very able, but I hope to see a fair bit of improvement in their forwardy team play. It's a bit basic, saved perhaps by the fact that Kodjia in particular can make a goal from nowhere. With him loitering out wide there's not much threat, often, down the centre of the pitch, and often next to no-one in the box, or even making runs into the box, when they should be. Definite room for improvement and something to look forward to.

spot on

Attack wise we have relied on a  it of magic from someone most of the time.

However, is our "not so cohesive attack" because our play from deep is limited to Ayew/grealish picking the ball up deep leaving a maximum of 2 players in front of them? 2 forwards against a back 4 plus DM/s is not going to get us a lot.

or

A long ball with no bulldozer up front

we seem to "creep up the pitch" with our ball play because of our limited MF leaving our front 3 surrounded by 5/6 players. Movement becomes difficult because they always run on to another man. our quality is getting us goals not our teamwork

[Zatman]

10 hours ago, hippo said:

Problems start for Bruce when he needs to sign a striker. Hopefully we have so many on our books that won't be for a while.

Unbeaten in 7 - and he hasn't mentioned 'Ethos' or 'Culture' once. - well done that man.

 

I hope he never says we go again

[Villan_of_oz]

I hope he never sits back in his chair gives a really smug smile and then rambles on about nothing for 5 minutes.....

[Villan_of_oz]

12 minutes ago, Zatman said:

I hope he never says we go again

I cant fault the lads