Steve Bruce

[TRO]

19 minutes ago, Dave J said:

TRO - everyone knows how much you like him - and that's perfectly fine - I think Bruce is a jovial and likeable kind of guy - I do think he needs a rain check sometime when talking to the press - but I don't hold this against him - I just don't want him here next season come what may 

Well, its getting better than wanting him to go this season....you must be warming to him.lol

when these 18 games have been played....we will know much more.

To say catergorically that its no to him next season, for me is premature.

but hey, respect your view.

[perchman]

I've just watched the video someone posted of our atrocious game against Southampton....I think it was the game that sealed relegation. Watching that few minutes has shown me how so much has improved at the club (IMO) the problem with incremental change is that you don't notice it and while we were waiting to wake up one morning to see wholesale changes, some good work has gone on, we have a seemingly great and cohesive bunch of players who are performing for themselves, the club and us, rewind 3 years and we had a team who in the main, held the fans with mothing more than utter contempt.

 

Watchign that vid has really woken me up and I do think Bruce deserves some credit for this.

[TRO]

2 minutes ago, perchman said:

I've just watched the video someone posted of our atrocious game against Southampton....I think it was the game that sealed relegation. Watching that few minutes has shown me how so much has improved at the club (IMO) the problem with incremental change is that you don't notice it and while we were waiting to wake up one morning to see wholesale changes, some good work has gone on, we have a seemingly great and cohesive bunch of players who are performing for themselves, the club and us, rewind 3 years and we had a team who in the main, held the fans with mothing more than utter contempt.

 

Watchign that vid has really woken me up and I do think Bruce deserves some credit for this.

You make a very good point.....we don't see it so much, because its incremental.

We have improved in so many ways.

like a kid growing up and their long lost Aunt sees him and says" hasn't he grown" but the mother doesn't notice so easily.

[dont_do_it_doug.]

4 hours ago, TRO said:

Come on Dave....I've been looking to hear your take on things of late .....Avfc

I said during the poor December run that even if we were to go on another run of 3/4 wins I wouldn't be getting carried away, I'd always be wondering when we're about to hit the wall again. 

However NOW I see what people were asking for when they said they wanted to see something more sustainable in terms of the style. Even though there were some comfortable, controlled performances such as QPR and Preston compared to now they seem like the low bar. We finally look way too good for the league. 

We're setting our stall out to blow teams away. We're a composed, skillful, dominant team and rather than feel nervous about our next game, or the one after that, I'm more excited to see whether this likeable and exciting bunch of players can rack up a cricket score. 

Steve Bruce, as the manager and the man who takes the flack when things aren't going well, deserves as much credit as anyone for that. He has gone from doing an ok job in my eyes to doing a very good one in short order and I'm utterly gripped by it.  

[dont_do_it_doug.]

3 hours ago, TRO said:

Not to cause an avalanche of controvesy.....but it was interesting to see Bruce in front of the Dug out waving players forward in the second half , when we was 3-1 up and they ( Barnsley)were having a go. The attest for me of Bruce wanting to attack.

 

He seemed really annoyed that they took their foot off the gas after 65 minutes. I've read elsewhere that this was a tactical decision, in which case the manager is lying and blaming the players for his conscious decision. Whatever you think of him that conspiracy theory is nuts and wouldn't suit anyone. It simply didn't need to be said unless it was true. 

Football players aren't robots. We've all seen enough of the game to know that being 2 goals up having missed 3 or 4 opportunities to bury the game is often a sticky place to be. Even for the very best sides.

I'd much rather be arguing about how we win better than what we've become accustomed to over the last 6 years. 

[AvfcRigo82]

2 hours ago, srsmithusa said:

I have been a Bruce outer for a long time.  But it would be insane to fire him now.  Things are finally working, I hope they continue and that he gets us promoted.  I think in 10 years time, I'll look back and say that he did a good job turning the corner for us, but that I'll still think he made several blunders en route and took longer than necessary to really impact the change.  That's assuming he gets us promoted, and then someone else takes over and creates the board's "second team" to make us stable in the premiership.

Fingers crossed that the board's plan works, and SB plays his role in the first re-incarnation of Villa.  (And based on recent performances, I feel much more confident that it might just work.)

Cracking post SR and agree with many points you make.

Bruce could have made it a less bumpy ride that is for sure.

Glad things are starting to fall into place for him and the team now on our push onwards and that the hysteria becomes a distant memory.

[Rob182]

...and just as you were about to start your protest @AvfcRigo82 

[AvfcRigo82]

23 minutes ago, dont_do_it_doug. said:

I said during the poor December run that even if we were to go on another run of 3/4 wins I wouldn't be getting carried away, I'd always be wondering when we're about to hit the wall again. 

However NOW I see what people were asking for when they said they wanted to see something more sustainable in terms of the style. Even though there were some comfortable, controlled performances such as QPR and Preston compared to now they seem like the low bar. We finally look way too good for the league. 

We're setting our stall out to blow teams away. We're a composed, skillful, dominant team and rather than feel nervous about our next game, or the one after that, I'm more excited to see whether this likeable and exciting bunch of players can rack up a cricket score. 

Steve Bruce, as the manager and the man who takes the flack when things aren't going well, deserves as much credit as anyone for that. He has gone from doing an ok job in my eyes to doing a very good one in short order and I'm utterly gripped by it.  

Great post DDID, we look a more organised transformed outfit of a team now and we have gone from the unsure to when's the next game. I hope the momentum continues.

[AvfcRigo82]

7 minutes ago, Rob182 said:

...and just as you were about to start your protest @AvfcRigo82 

Protest?

#Banner Out

On this occasion we will move swiftly on Rob.  

[terrytini]

51 minutes ago, dont_do_it_doug. said:

He seemed really annoyed that they took their foot off the gas after 65 minutes. I've read elsewhere that this was a tactical decision, in which case the manager is lying and blaming the players for his conscious decision. Whatever you think of him that conspiracy theory is nuts and wouldn't suit anyone. It simply didn't need to be said unless it was true. 

Football players aren't robots. We've all seen enough of the game to know that being 2 goals up having missed 3 or 4 opportunities to bury the game is often a sticky place to be. Even for the very best sides.

I'd much rather be arguing about how we win better than what we've become accustomed to over the last 6 years. 

He specifically said on WM that he was disappointed how we retreated in the last half hour......so there’s no doubt it was not tactical. He is on the attack and power to his/ our elbow !

[Tomaszk]

4 hours ago, TRO said:

Not to cause an avalanche of controvesy.....but it was interesting to see Bruce in front of the Dug out waving players forward in the second half , when we was 3-1 up and they ( Barnsley)were having a go. The attest for me of Bruce wanting to attack.

 

Not to disturb the loose tonnes of snow...

David O'Leary classic move that. Very visible and vocal when on top.

Good to have him urging the team forward though yes.

[briny_ear]

10 hours ago, Stevo985 said:

Why was he mocked for that?

Let’s face it, Bruce has been mocked by some infividuals for almost everything he has done and said this season.

So it’s not surprising he was mocked for that.

[briny_ear]

It feels like the infividuals who have been so vocal in their criticisms of Steve Bruce are now reduced to muttering to themselves in a corner.

Which is a good thing.

[Villan_of_oz]

2 hours ago, briny_ear said:

It feels like the infividuals who have been so vocal in their criticisms of Steve Bruce are now reduced to muttering to themselves in a corner.

Which is a good thing.

Why are you still criticising people. Enjoy the winning form. Stop poking the bear when he isn't even hungry. 

[ciggiesnbeer]

I am delighted. Keep ramming it down my throat Bruce. We are playing some pleasing stuff as well. I am liking the attack! attack! attack! philosophy. I have no idea whats got into him but long may it continue.

[Daweii]

5 hours ago, AvfcRigo82 said:

Great post DDID, we look a more organised transformed outfit of a team now and we have gone from the unsure to when's the next game. I hope the momentum continues.

My biggest takeaway from our transformation is I no longer know what we're capable of, I just know that I don't expect us to lose all that often anymore at least in this league.

Now I understand that this 4 win streak could be the calm before the storm, but it could also be the initial footsteps towards us going unbeaten for the remainder of the season.

It's nice not having any expectations, not knowing what this team is truly capable of long term. I'm just glad I'm no longer expecting a loss each weekend before the ball has even been kicked. 

[AvfcRigo82]

3 hours ago, briny_ear said:

It feels like the infividuals who have been so vocal in their criticisms of Steve Bruce are now reduced to muttering to themselves in a corner.

Which is a good thing.

I disagree Briny.

I would say they are still very much vocal, it's just Steve Agnew has helped transform fortunes that has kept critisms to a minimum... for now.

Let sleeping dogs lie.

[AvfcRigo82]

1 hour ago, ciggiesnbeer said:

I am delighted. Keep ramming it down my throat Bruce. We are playing some pleasing stuff as well. I am liking the attack! attack! attack! philosophy. I have no idea whats got into him but long may it continue.

An attacking coach with a bit of nouse of modern day football by the looks of it.  

[ciggiesnbeer]

13 minutes ago, AvfcRigo82 said:

An attacking coach with a bit of nouse of modern day football by the looks of it.  

I will take it! Someone else on here smarter than me said we seem to be able to play a bunch of different ways right now. I reckon thats right. Its a nice feeling as well. 

[Keyblade]

7 hours ago, dont_do_it_doug. said:

I said during the poor December run that even if we were to go on another run of 3/4 wins I wouldn't be getting carried away, I'd always be wondering when we're about to hit the wall again. 

However NOW I see what people were asking for when they said they wanted to see something more sustainable in terms of the style. Even though there were some comfortable, controlled performances such as QPR and Preston compared to now they seem like the low bar. We finally look way too good for the league. 

We're setting our stall out to blow teams away. We're a composed, skillful, dominant team and rather than feel nervous about our next game, or the one after that, I'm more excited to see whether this likeable and exciting bunch of players can rack up a cricket score. 

Steve Bruce, as the manager and the man who takes the flack when things aren't going well, deserves as much credit as anyone for that. He has gone from doing an ok job in my eyes to doing a very good one in short order and I'm utterly gripped by it.  

This.

I'm fully on board now, and I have no qualms about admitting it. This looks sustainable. I'm confident we can get promoted now. This obviously wasn't the case before, and even our good runs were built on shaky foundations. But he seems to finally have rectified that (hope I'm not jinxing it  ) and he deserves credit for that.