Steve Bruce

[bobzy]

1 hour ago, Dave J said:

Well please tell what job you think he would get incredibly easily higher up the pyramid? I just don't see it - Bruce in my view is a yesterday man and becoming more out  of of flavour with each passing season - the likes of him and Sam belong consigned to the corridors of the past

yes I agree he will work in the championship because this is his level

I don’t know what your point is. Your original post was along the lines of “he’s got 4 promotions in 20 years, please tell me what job he gets after this one”. Absolutely any job in the league he’s in, for the same reason he got this job. 

You have now shifted to him getting a job “incredibly easily higher up the pyramid” - something which literally no-one has said.

[Vive_La_Villa]

2 minutes ago, rodders0223 said:

So we won in spite of him and he is giving it the billy big bollocks in his post match comments basically.

As for his mass hysteria comments, Tony and Wyness were concerned enough to address the unacceptable form.

I cannot wait until we are shot of him.

It's a dig at his employers. The guys ego holds no bounds. 

[DCJonah]

34 minutes ago, lexicon said:

'Absolutely nowhere near' - 7 points. 

.... Not much else to say. 

It was 7 points 4 months ago. You seem to want to ignore that.

[NurembergVillan]

14 minutes ago, Dr_Pangloss said:

I've seen this said by a few and I don't get it. With the drop in level and enormous sums spent on players in terms of transfer fees and wages, we shouldn't expect anything less, and even then what we're doing falls significantly short.

Not picking on you specifically, you're just the most recent person to post this.

We really haven't spent enormous sums on players.  Of all our signings, only Kodjia has cost more than the £12m we spent on James Milner over 9 (NINE) years ago.

We haven't come anywhere near what we spent on Darren Bent nearly 7 (SEVEN) years ago.  Since then the world transfer record has risen to £220m, and in the Premier League alone we'll have three players who have cost at least £75m.  Manchester City spent £150m on full backs in the summer.

The team we beat today, away from home, spent the thick end of £60m this summer.

I'm not saying we've not spent, clearly we have.  And I'm not saying Bruce shouldn't be doing better, as clearly he should.  I'm not even saying we've had amazing value for money with our signings, as the more we've spent the worse we've typically got.

But this notion that we've spent enough money to have bought the title in this division is just absolutely, 100% untrue.

[bobzy]

6 minutes ago, DCJonah said:

It was 7 points 4 months ago. You seem to want to ignore that.

So, currently on automatic promotion form? 

[Dr_Pangloss]

Just now, NurembergVillan said:

Not picking on you specifically, you're just the most recent person to post this.

We really haven't spent enormous sums on players.  Of all our signings, only Kodjia has cost more than the £12m we spent on James Milner over 9 (NINE) years ago.

We haven't come anywhere near what we spent on Darren Bent 6 (SIX) years ago.  Since then the world transfer record has risen to £220m, and in the Premier League alone we'll have three players who have cost at least £75m.  Manchester City spent £150m on full backs in the summer.

The team we beat today, away from home, spent the thick end of £60m this summer.

I'm not saying we've not spent, clearly we have.  And I'm not saying Bruce shouldn't be doing better, as clearly he should.  I'm not even saying we've had amazing value for money with our signings, as the more we've spent the worse we've typically got.

But this notion that we've spent enough money to have bought the title in this division is just absolutely, 100% untrue.

Sorry but you're benchmarking this to the wrong league. How many Championship clubs have spent more than what we have on the likes of Hogan, Kodjia and McCormack? Not many at all. For instance Kodjia probably cost more than the entire Brentford team that just outplayed us. We simply have spent an enormous sum on players for this level. 

[Vive_La_Villa]

2 minutes ago, NurembergVillan said:

Not picking on you specifically, you're just the most recent person to post this.

We really haven't spent enormous sums on players.  Of all our signings, only Kodjia has cost more than the £12m we spent on James Milner over 9 (NINE) years ago.

We haven't come anywhere near what we spent on Darren Bent 6 (SIX) years ago.  Since then the world transfer record has risen to £220m, and in the Premier League alone we'll have three players who have cost at least £75m.  Manchester City spent £150m on full backs in the summer.

The team we beat today, away from home, spent the thick end of £60m this summer.

I'm not saying we've not spent, clearly we have.  And I'm not saying Bruce shouldn't be doing better, as clearly he should.  I'm not even saying we've had amazing value for money with our signings, as the more we've spent the worse we've typically got.

But this notion that we've spent enough money to have bought the title in this division is just absolutely, 100% untrue.

To add to this I've also heard the fact we have the largest wage bill in the league should mean we are top 2.

Lets not forget we also had a very large wage bill the year we got relegated. 

[TRO]

16 minutes ago, Dick said:

No issues at all with Jedi playing at the back, but I think Elphick deserves a bit more respect from Bruce. I can see why McCormack might have struggled, especially if he does have problems (whatever they may be) I cannot see Bruce being sympathetic. He probably thinks a ladies place is in the kitchen and Farage is a top bloke.

We all know its the bedroom and Farage is a desired taste.

oh each to there own.

[briny_ear]

1 hour ago, omariqy said:

1. We have had only had a bad 45 mins recently. We should've lost against Millwall, poor 45 v Leeds, poor 70 mins v Sheff Utd, poor 90 mins v Derby and a poor 80 mins against Brentford. In fact after those games he commented after each game about how bad we were.

2. Adomah was on the sidelines because of Green's good form. He wasn't, he was on his way to Bristol City before Green got injured.

3. He talked about getting us into the playoffs when he came in last year and this year he was saying his remit was to keep us in the league.

4. Building the team around Grealish. Yet drops him after his first few starts and some good performances.

I could go on and on.

If I could be arsed, I would take the whole of this post apart but let’s just focus on the really loony bit, highlighted.

Grealish couldn't play because he sustained a freakish and really nasty kidney injury that required a long recovery period. He wasn’t “dropped”. 

[NurembergVillan]

1 minute ago, Vive_La_Villa said:

To add to this I've also heard the fact we have the largest wage bill in the league should mean we are top 2.

Lets not forget we also had a very large wage bill the year we got relegated. 

And the money we have spent hasn't been spent on improving a good squad, like the big money most teams spend.

It's been spent sprinkling some glitter on a steaming pile of shit.

[bobzy]

5 minutes ago, NurembergVillan said:

I'm not saying we've not spent, clearly we have.  And I'm not saying Bruce shouldn't be doing better, as clearly he should.  I'm not even saying we've had amazing value for money with our signings, as the more we've spent the worse we've typically got.

But this notion that we've spent enough money to have bought the title in this division is just absolutely, 100% untrue.

All of this is spot on.

We should be doing better and we should have bought better, but we don’t have a divine right to be walking the league because we’ve spent £60m on our squad. 

[NurembergVillan]

3 minutes ago, Dr_Pangloss said:

Sorry but you're benchmarking this to the wrong league. How many Championship clubs have spent more than what we have on the likes of Hogan, Kodjia and McCormack? Not many at all. For instance Kodjia probably cost more than the entire Brentford team that just outplayed us. We simply have spent an enormous sum on players for this level. 

A couple of days ago I listed 5 or 6 other clubs who have spent similar amounts to us since we got relegated.

You can say the word "enormous" as many times as you like, but it still won't make it true.

[TRO]

8 minutes ago, NurembergVillan said:

Not picking on you specifically, you're just the most recent person to post this.

We really haven't spent enormous sums on players.  Of all our signings, only Kodjia has cost more than the £12m we spent on James Milner over 9 (NINE) years ago.

We haven't come anywhere near what we spent on Darren Bent nearly 7 (SEVEN) years ago.  Since then the world transfer record has risen to £220m, and in the Premier League alone we'll have three players who have cost at least £75m.  Manchester City spent £150m on full backs in the summer.

The team we beat today, away from home, spent the thick end of £60m this summer.

I'm not saying we've not spent, clearly we have.  And I'm not saying Bruce shouldn't be doing better, as clearly he should.  I'm not even saying we've had amazing value for money with our signings, as the more we've spent the worse we've typically got.

But this notion that we've spent enough money to have bought the title in this division is just absolutely, 100% untrue.

Well said.

[NurembergVillan]

3 minutes ago, bobzy said:

All of this is spot on.

We should be doing better and we should have bought better, but we don’t have a divine right to be walking the league because we’ve spent £60m on our squad. 

The team we beat today had £40m worth of new signings in their starting line up.

[bobzy]

Just now, NurembergVillan said:

The team we beat today had £40m worth of new signings in their starting line up.

Well that’s why we beat them - we spent £60m, they spent £40m!  

[Vive_La_Villa]

4 minutes ago, briny_ear said:

If I could be arsed, I would take the whole of this post apart but let’s just focus on the really loony bit, highlighted.

Grealish couldn't play because he sustained a freakish and really nasty kidney injury that required a long recovery period. He wasn’t “dropped”. 

I think he was talking about him being dropped today. 

[bobzy]

Just now, Vive_La_Villa said:

I think he was talking about him being dropped today. 

Which would be a bit of a silly thing to criticise given he’s played the last few games in full, and we have a game in 2 days time. He was rested. 

But, hey, we all love sticks. 

[JAMAICAN-VILLAN]

https://7500toholte.sbnation.com/2017/12/30/16833870/steve-bruces-selective-targeting-of-the-aston-villa-fanbase-is-going-to-end-badly

 

Quote

 

Steve Bruce’s selective targeting of the Aston Villa fanbase is going to end badly

Why does Steve Bruce say the things that he says?

Coming into his role at Aston Villa, Steve Bruce was expected to be a clean pair of hands to perform a tidy job and get Villa promoted.

However, there’s a problem.

We are only a week away from crisis at Aston Villa according to the rather mocking tone of Bruce, who has ironically mentioned crisis and mass hysteria at least three times within a week.

---

After today’s 1-0 win against Tony Pulis’ Middlesbrough, Steve Bruce was questioned by Villa about the result. The first thing he did? He lead into the ‘mass hysteria’ narrative that is entirelyof his own creating. The ‘crisis’ is like the episode of Black Mirror where that weird nerd plugs his head into a video game - it’s made up and only he is living in it. There’s no crisis at all, nobody is panicking - the truth is that people are just plain bored of Aston Villa sleepwalking through games - games that are not free to enjoy. Especially when the talent in Villa’s side - even with an ‘injury crisis - is capable of storming the league. There’s no panic, just frustration; that’s the honest truth.

So, what did Bruce say in his presser? Here’s the first minute or so of what he said to Villa’s media team.

‘We had a bad forty-five against Brentford, and all of a sudden, we’re in a crisis. It was only a game and a half ago that we were two up against Sheffield United. We’ve got to stop this mass hysteria otherwise we aren’t going to get anywhere.

I know we disappointed against Brentford, but you’ve just got to look at the Championship results to see how difficult a league it is and I know we are Aston Villa and there’s a big expectation, but you know - all of a sudden there’s a crisis again.

The result? I’m delighted. I’m delighted we went up to Middlesbrough and won... Because it’s shut a few people up hasn’t it? It’s become very, very annoying that we are a week away from a crisis, because we’ve gotta’ stop and get on with the job at hand, and that’s taking this club forward’

What’s lost in this paraphrased copying of Bruce’s comments is the tone. It’s the genuine delight he takes in proving a set of Villa fans wrong. It’s an almost orgasmic glee that he hones in on when he mentions how delighted he is with the win, and not because it’s three points - but because it has ‘shut a few people up, hasn’t it?’

This selective targeting of an outspoken portion of the fanbase (be it those who booed Bruce off against Brentford, or those on social media) is never going to end well. At best, it splits the fanbase into defensive sections (akin to #WengerIN and #WengerOUT), and at worst it pisses everyone off.

Why does he say these things? Well - for the reasons of self-preservation. Before today’s game, Steve Bruce had seemingly thrown in the towel:

 

villareport@villareport

 

Bruce: “We are down to the barebones. Can we cope without our best players? I’ll be able to tell you in a couple of hours.” [bbc wm] #avfc

5:20 PM - Dec 30, 2017

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A squad down to the bare bones would be, well, down to the bare bones right? Forced to deploy reserve players and youth teamsters in most positions? Right? Well, not unless you’re Steve Bruce, because ‘down to the bare bones’ also translates to ‘having to use Tommy Elphick’. Elphick was poor at points last season, but having to use someone who has been very good at this level throughout his entire career apart from a single season, is not, as you’d put it, down to the ‘bare bones’. Implying that Elphick is a last resort is a bit of an insult to him, his ability and Villa fans.

Elphick, who put in the best performance of his time at AVFC so far in today’s match, wasn’t even going to start. Why? Because Bruce was going to force Mile Jedinak into the centre-back slot (after this move had failed previously), only for Glenn Whelan, Villa’s only other holding midfielder (apart from Josh Onomah and Conor Hourihane and Jake Doyle-Hayes) to call in sick. Thus, Mile had to play his natural position and Tommy had to play his natural position as well. Influenza picked a better team than Bruce.

And that’s the general concern of the Villa fanbase. Not that Bruce is a bad manager, at all - but the fact that his squad selection is extremely suspect. Tottenham fans have been telling us all season that Josh Onomah is better in midfield - but Bruce will isolate him as a 10 and lump the ball to him. Brentford found success running Scott Hogan through the channels and using through balls to utilise his pace - while Bruce’s Villa will put the ball on the Cassini Probe and launch it to Saturn, hoping it falls into the path of Hogan. There are a bunch of players who are doing well for Bruce, but there are a number who are genuinely suffering as a result of his choices.

But of course, Bruce is immune from this criticism as ‘he knows what he is doing’ - and of course, Villa fans are wrong. We, of course, don’t know as much as he does about the job he is doing, but we also have enough evidence to highlight a number of flaws and improvements that he could make to his system.

---

As for the crisis and mass hysteria? Well, paying £600 for a season ticket doesn’t entitle us to wins and points, but it should at least bring some form of entertainment. Boos and moans aren’t a crisis - we’ve seen that before (see 15/16), so it’s very mocking of Bruce to suggest that we plunge into panic mode with every loss. It also hints at SB being the type of manager who can’t wait to fall on his sword and run to the media when he eventually loses the job - a martyr splashed with warm ale in a dimpled cup. You can already see the TalkSport ‘tell-all’ coming, can’t you?

Now, a real crisis? Try this on for size:

Last week Tommy Elphick was strangled to death. Mile Jedinak has lost his sight and Jack Grealish has broken down with arthritis. Jonathan Kodjia also retired from football - Easah Suliman and Cal O’Hare have moved into modelling and Albert Adomah teaches dance instead of playing for the Villa. Also, Tony Xia was a liar all along, the club has been run with monopoly money, administration is coming and now Villa Park is owned by Mike Ashley.

Let’s reflect. That’s a crisis. A few fans booing, bemoaning the poor mis-match of footballing styles, player usage, and shouting on Twitter is not a crisis - so Bruce, please don’t act high and mighty for performing somewhat poorly in a job you are being paid to do - because we are paying to watch. Bruce does need the fans on his side, and we are always halfway there, but calling people out is going to do a lot more harm than good. There is not one Villa out there that revels in the club’s failure, and everyone wants to see Bruce, and Aston Villa succeed - but not if they are to be mocked for calling out bad performances when Villa do bumble their way to victory.

 

Brilliantly summed up.

[NurembergVillan]

McCormack, Hogan and Kodjia are our big money signings at £12m, £12m and £15m respectively.

This summer, Boro spent £17m on Assombalonga and £11m on Braithwaite; Reading spent £8m on Aluko (they may as well have signed his sister); Sheff Weds spent £10m on Rhodes; Fulham spent £9m on Rui Fonte; and Wolves have a dodgy set-up that enables them to sign players worth £20m for either less than their market value or on loan.

And this is just forwards.

If we looked at midfielders, even Small Heath managed to spend nearly £6m on one of them this summer.

There are plenty of sticks to beat Bruce with (and someone already beat us to it with the "ugly" one), but spending isn't one of them for me.

[NurembergVillan]

7 minutes ago, bobzy said:

Well that’s why we beat them - we spent £60m, they spent £40m!  

Not this summer we didn't