Steve Bruce

[TRO]

2 hours ago, Lerner's Driver said:

'Whether tis nobler in the mind to suffer the slings and arrows of outrageous fortune, Or to take arms against a sea of troubles, And by opposing end them'.

I hate slang....too colloquial for me.

[weedman]

49 minutes ago, Dave J said:

That's unfair in my view - GH has his views which he is entitled to - and I for one believe he posts a lot of sense 

I agree, however for a "balanced" view you have to consider and appraise both the positive AND negative. 

If you genuinely believe there are no positives at the moment despite us sitting 5th in the league, 5 points off automatic having just beaten a major promotion rival 5-0 while missing our 2 best players, considering the shambles we were when he took over then your view is not balanced. 

GH generally makes well reasoned posts from what Ive seen, and a lot of good points, however the lack of any balance and clear bias to turn even the most trivial things into a major stick to beat Bruce with means the posts will not be taken seriously most of the time

[sheepyvillian]

5 hours ago, Vive_La_Villa said:

Football is not actually that interesting. Most games are pretty boring, especially in the Championship. Even watching Wolves is nothing special, they just have players that do something from nothing. They actually score a lot of big goals from set pieces. 

I get being bored when going to games but as long we win does it matter? 

For me it does . I don't want to be bored watching the team I support . Yes ,I want us to win, but not at the expense of some aesthetically ,pleasing football . I'm of the belief that football should be entertaining or at least try to be .

[AvfcRigo82]

4 minutes ago, sheepyvillian said:

For me it does . I don't want to be bored watching the team I support . Yes ,I want us to win, but not at the expense of some aesthetically ,pleasing football . I'm of the belief that football should be entertaining or at least try to be .

For the amount of money in the game, what the players get paid and what fans are charged, I totally agree with you.

[sheepyvillian]

8 hours ago, flashingqwerty said:

i dont think that he meant anyone is a lesser fan for having a different opinion - i'm also a brouter.

but i would never hope, let alone put money on viĺla losing.  If my opinion of bruce is correct, results will seal his fate.  if my opinion is wrong and we get proted then fantastic!  Seems like a win-win for me.

Exactly . Couldn't of said it better myself . The very suggestion that as a Villa fan ,you would ever wish us to lose ,it beggars belief .

[sheepyvillian]

5 hours ago, dont_do_it_doug. said:

2 x Football league championship runner-up 

2 x Playoff winner

1 x FA Cup runner-up

38.2% win ratio as a manager. 44.6% as Villa manager so far. 

I have absolutely no idea what his possession % is over his career but we are sitting at 49.8% this season. 

You don't count being runner - up in the FA Cup as having won something .l. Let's have it right .

[vreitti]

24 minutes ago, sheepyvillian said:

Exactly . Couldn't of said it better myself . The very suggestion that as a Villa fan ,you would ever wish us to lose ,it beggars belief .

Just to clear things up. I've been a lifelong Villa fan, and we are taking about more than thirty years here. I've never ever wished for us to lose, not ever. Irrespective of my views of the current manager.

I do a lot of betting, and I've recently bet against us, but it's certainly not an indication of me wishing that we'd lose a game of football.

[vreitti]

7 hours ago, dont_do_it_doug. said:

I said in the summer I was happy to write off last season for varying reasons. So for me the '15 month' angle doesn't really fit, it seems like a bit of a red herring. He walked into a very difficult situation and has in two transfer windows fully flipped the squad on it's head, completed the rebuild if you like. That's not to say I wasn't disappointed with the events of last season, only that I got over it fast. 

So taking him on this season alone and the current position we find ourselves in I can only come to the conclusion he is doing 'OK'.

I'd rather be doing better, the football has at times slipped from being workmanlike to turgid and he has made a couple of absurd tactical errors. By the same token I have genuinely enjoyed watching us at times, for extended periods and for the first time in years, and on top of this we are within striking distance of automatic promotion with several key players coming back from injury. You can say he had the squad to cope better with the injuries than he did and to a degree I agree, but that doesn't mean that having John Terry, Mile Jedinak, Jack Grealish, Andre Green and Henri Lansbury available again won't improve us. 

If having those players come back in does improve us, if only by a few percentage points, then it's not unreasonable to suggest we are comfortable favourites for 2nd. If we win promotion all of this waffle about style of play becomes insignificant. 

Welcome back Doug. I've actually missed you on here, however strange that might sound. I agree about Bruce doing "OK". Then again I don't think it's at all reasonable to suggest we are favorites for 2nd, given what we've seen these last 15 months, or the last 6 months. We've been far too inconsistent to make such a claim IMO. Sadly I think we'll barely make playoffs with Bruce, which in my view isn't good enough, not even close. For me the last game feels like an anomaly, but I suppose we'll soon find out. 

 

[Dave J]

7 hours ago, dont_do_it_doug. said:

I said in the summer I was happy to write off last season for varying reasons. So for me the '15 month' angle doesn't really fit, it seems like a bit of a red herring. He walked into a very difficult situation and has in two transfer windows fully flipped the squad on it's head, completed the rebuild if you like. That's not to say I wasn't disappointed with the events of last season, only that I got over it fast. 

So taking him on this season alone and the current position we find ourselves in I can only come to the conclusion he is doing 'OK'.

I'd rather be doing better, the football has at times slipped from being workmanlike to turgid and he has made a couple of absurd tactical errors. By the same token I have genuinely enjoyed watching us at times, for extended periods and for the first time in years, and on top of this we are within striking distance of automatic promotion with several key players coming back from injury. You can say he had the squad to cope better with the injuries than he did and to a degree I agree, but that doesn't mean that having John Terry, Mile Jedinak, Jack Grealish, Andre Green and Henri Lansbury available again won't improve us. 

If having those players come back in does improve us, if only by a few percentage points, then it's not unreasonable to suggest we are comfortable favourites for 2nd. If we win promotion all of this waffle about style of play becomes insignificant. 

I'm sorry but it's  very convenient to write off last season - I don't believe for one minute that neither he nor the club did otherwise why call time on RDM? - you speak of us being in striking distance of 2nd  place - hand on heart you really expecting us to finish 2nd? No not me either-  when you say that promotion masks a number of issues- you might well be right.

[dont_do_it_doug.]

14 minutes ago, Dave J said:

I'm sorry but it's  very convenient to write off last season - I don't believe for one minute that neither he nor the club did otherwise why call time on RDM? - you speak of us being in striking distance of 2nd  place - hand on heart you really expecting us to finish 2nd? No not me either-  when you say that promotion masks a number of issues- you might well be right.

Yes and I have said so since day 1. 

As for last season I think you've missed the point. The very fact that we made such a complete **** up of the summer and had to sack RDM is exactly why I was able to put it out of my mind. 

See, I think I've written quite a balanced post there. I'm impressed you've managed to make it sound happy clappy. 

[dont_do_it_doug.]

1 hour ago, sheepyvillian said:

You don't count being runner - up in the FA Cup as having won something .l. Let's have it right .

Apologies I just listed the honours without comment. Feel free to disregard. 

[dont_do_it_doug.]

32 minutes ago, vreitti said:

Welcome back Doug. I've actually missed you on here, however strange that might sound. I agree about Bruce doing "OK". Then again I don't think it's at all reasonable to suggest we are favorites for 2nd, given what we've seen these last 15 months, or the last 6 months. We've been far too inconsistent to make such a claim IMO. Sadly I think we'll barely make playoffs with Bruce, which in my view isn't good enough, not even close. For me the last game feels like an anomaly, but I suppose we'll soon find out. 

 

Well we are currently 5th. So if I'm right and we improve a little with the players we have coming back then we will likely be promoted. How we do it, as in style, is neither here nor there. 

I am pleased we finally beat, nay murdered, a rival. Hopefully that hoodoo has been lifted. 

[AvfcRigo82]

3 minutes ago, dont_do_it_doug. said:

Well we are currently 5th. So if I'm right and we improve a little with the players we have coming back then we will likely be promoted. How we do it, as in style, is neither here nor there. 

I am pleased we finally beat, nay murdered, a rival. Hopefully that hoodoo has been lifted. 

Consistency is key though if we are to get this promotion we all crave.

[dont_do_it_doug.]

3 minutes ago, AvfcRigo82 said:

Consistency is key though if we are to get this promotion we all crave.

I agree. I think getting key players back will help that. I'll be happy if I'm proven right. 

As I've said none of this is me saying I think Bruce is a great manager, as I've also said I think he's doing OK. With the squad we have I think that will just about be enough. 

Edited January 5, 2018 by dont_do_it_doug.

[AvfcRigo82]

1 minute ago, dont_do_it_doug. said:

I agree. I think getting key players back will help that. I'll be happy if I'm proven right. 

As I've said none of this is me saying I think Bruce is a great manager, as I've also said I think he's doing OK. With the squad we have I think that will just about be enough. 

Absolutely.

We cannot have another month like we witnessed in December or it will be more or less curtains in terms of promotion.

[srsmithusa]

Glad you’re back Doug.  I hope you are right.  

I just wish I didn’t suspect you aren’t.  

[tinker]

For me Bruce is a fading manager blessed with a very good championship squad.

Tomorrow he should set up with a similar shape as we had against BC, with squad players who can play the same formation . That way any injuries can be covered with players who have experience in the system he wants to play, or should want to play. Instead he will risk injuries to players he shouldn't and change the system to suit . 

For me Davies cannot play like Hogan, RM can, Grealish should sit out for O Hare , Landsbury for Hourihane. Try and introduce some competition amongst the squad members .

Sometime soon, with Terry coming back, he will be pushed into playing a back 3 , arguably a back 5 with 2 full back pushing on, or he will drop Elphick.

Football is all about opinions, right or wrong. Good luck Bruce I hope u prove me wrong . UTV

 

[TRO]

If we miss out automatically and go up via the play offs......our final league position will be purely academic and forgotten the next season.

are Huddersfield bothered?.....are they in awe of Newcastle and Brighton?......No.

It is irrelevant how we do it......its just do it.

[tinker]

Ultimately yes , however  I remember , as u do, hicoming down and consolling myself with the thought of restructuring the team and coming back up with a style that would give us the impedance to stay out of a relegation battle. I don't see that style coming from the current setup. 

Ican't see it,  maybe it's a stealth o plan that will take us by supprise like the win against BC .UTV. Fingers crossed Bruce proves me wrong .

[Villan_of_oz]

9 hours ago, TRO said:

If we miss out automatically and go up via the play offs......our final league position will be purely academic and forgotten the next season.

are Huddersfield bothered?.....are they in awe of Newcastle and Brighton?......No.

It is irrelevant how we do it......its just do it.

This could be a defining run of games for Bruce and AV. If we can take any momentum and win a few on the trot, we could positing ourselves well into the top 6.

I will agree TRO I don't particularly care if we go up via the playoffs. My issue has been believing that we could win through the playoffs the way we go about it.

A bit of the monkey of the old back giving Bristol C a flogging. I really hope the positive attributes of the players we have in our squad can shine through more regularly. Despite my criticisms of Bruce, I happily back him and the players to take enough momentum into the playoffs to win our way through or better snag 2nd.

For now I will stop criticising as I don't think it serves any purpose. 

Over to you Mr. Bruce, you have shown us what we're capable of. I'm keen for more.

#GiveBruceachance