Steve Bruce

[AntrimBlack]

12 hours ago, briny_ear said:

Knives out for Brucey again, I see!

Well, I think criticism is justified on this occasion, but no knife from me.

I still think he will get us automatic promotion.

He has done great recently - he is allowed a blip.

[lexicon]

13 minutes ago, Eastie said:

Probably a once in his career thing - harsh lesson learnt .

You'd think and certainly hope so. He's developing into a good keeper, so hopefully he'll handle this well. 

[Vive_La_Villa]

6 hours ago, KSV said:

Disagree. Leaving Elmo at rb. Playing bikir in midfield instead of mile. Leave snoddy where he is. Grabban in for grealish. More attacking. Fewer changes. Would have been the way to go. Even Lansbury. He chose two replace two of our best attackers with defensive midfielders. Whilst moving hourihane snoddy etc out of position. We looked lost.

Must people on Villatalk were saying Elmo shouldn't play at right back against Fulham. I disagreeed because I think our right side has been superb as an attacking threat with Snod and Elmo together. I would never split that up. 

I cant comment on how it went yesterday though because I missed the game. 

[mykeyb]

2 hours ago, Nigel said:

After 7 victories in a row too. Suddenly now they see managerial flaws. 

Sometimes losing away to one of the best teams in the league, playing well, us with a decimated attack can be explained away with other reasons other than the manager.

Can I ask where you happy that Snodgrass and Elmo were moved around which weakens us down the right after losing Albert and Jack down the left? I am a firm believer in making as few a changes as possible so as much as I don't like him it should have been Onomah for Jack and Bikir for Uncle Albert.

I think even after seven wins that is a valid question to level at the manager.

[Nigel]

10 minutes ago, mykeyb said:

Can I ask where you happy that Snodgrass and Elmo were moved around which weakens us down the right after losing Albert and Jack down the left? I am a firm believer in making as few a changes as possible so as much as I don't like him it should have been Onomah for Jack and Bikir for Uncle Albert.

I think even after seven wins that is a valid question to level at the manager.

Bruce sees the players every day in training, he knows more than i do about the strengths and weaknesses of the players, so id go with his ideas over my happiness;  Think hes earnt that.

TBH watching Onomah in that 2nd half made me glad he didnt start.

The only question would be whether we nullified Snodgrass.  I think he was trying to help nullify there most potent weapon (Playing Elmo there) and Snoddys runs forward may have proved a problem when they countered, which was what we saw when he reverted there 2nd half.

Also i thought Elmo played well on the right before he got injured, we looked solid.  Things only started to fall apart once he left the field.

Im with you in that id like to see as little disruption as possible but I think he made the right call in trying to keep it tight, but thats obviously only my opinion.

Edited February 18, 2018 by Nigel

[A'Villan]

3 hours ago, Demitri_C said:

If fulham had cairney and sessagnon injured thats equivalent of our grealish and adomah to us . Their two key players. Let's not forget one of the goals was a stupid and quite frankly dumb mistake from Johnstone. It would have ended 1-0 if he didn't which although disappointing isnt battered or shameful when you consider the team we had.

Like others have said if we don't beat preston then i can understand the frustration building again

We can't even say it would of ended 1-0. We would've still been in the game much more than we were after going 2-0 and having to chase.

Might've got a point out of the game.

[Demitri_C]

1 hour ago, AvfcRigo82 said:

One mistake from a keeper that has been near enough faultless most of this season happens from time to time, it happens to the best of them.

We where just not at the races yesterday on any level it's as simple as that. 

The problem is these errors are costing us big time and they are so avoidable. Terrys slip last week we got away with and remember hourihane bad mistake at the sty where jota missed a one on one? 

Then whelans mistake against derby? These simple mistakes are happening too often.  If we have aspirations of  second we have to stop these idiotic mistakes that are completely avoidable.

We maybe would have lost anyway yesterday but at 1-0 there is always nerves. We can't afford any more of these kind of cock ups. You always feel there is a big mistake with us.

[Demitri_C]

15 minutes ago, A'Villan said:

We can't even say it would of ended 1-0. We would've still been in the game much more than we were after going 2-0 and having to chase.

Might've got a point out of the game.

Very true. The second goal killed us. What's worrying for me is when the opposition score first we hardly ever go on to win that game.

[Vive_La_Villa]

Just now, Demitri_C said:

Very true. The second goal killed us. What's worrying for me is when the opposition score first we hardly ever go on to win that game.

Thats because we are a direct counter attacking team.  In the main its worked for us but against better teams there is always the chance they will take the lead and no longer need to try and break us down.  That is when we are forced to try and take the game to them and allow space for them to score a second. 

[sne]

Was always going to drop points, every team does

We are still doing better than I thought we would and are still on course for where we want to be at the end of the season.

Just gotta hope we can cope with the injuries (and hopefully not get them) so we can play the way we want to. We've finally found a way to be successful with our plan A.

Once again I wasn't able to see the game so not much to add on specifics...

[TRO]

1 hour ago, Demitri_C said:

The problem is these errors are costing us big time and they are so avoidable. Terrys slip last week we got away with and remember hourihane bad mistake at the sty where jota missed a one on one? 

Then whelans mistake against derby? These simple mistakes are happening too often.  If we have aspirations of  second we have to stop these idiotic mistakes that are completely avoidable.

We maybe would have lost anyway yesterday but at 1-0 there is always nerves. We can't afford any more of these kind of cock ups. You always feel there is a big mistake with us.

I think you make an excellent point.....and its concerning.

We must cut out these sloppy errors.

its making all the other good work look secondary.

[terrytini]

1 hour ago, Demitri_C said:

The problem is these errors are costing us big time and they are so avoidable. Terrys slip last week we got away with and remember hourihane bad mistake at the sty where jota missed a one on one? 

Then whelans mistake against derby? These simple mistakes are happening too often.  If we have aspirations of  second we have to stop these idiotic mistakes that are completely avoidable.

We maybe would have lost anyway yesterday but at 1-0 there is always nerves. We can't afford any more of these kind of cock ups. You always feel there is a big mistake with us.

Not an issue for me. We are a Championship side, we are bound to make mistakes. In fact whatever level, you get mistakes - did Gerrards slip cost Liverpool the title ? No - it was just that it came at a time when it looked that way, one game into the season nobody would’ve made much of it, because all sides make mistakes.

Over a 46 game season our position will be decided by how well we work together, our tactics, the level of performance each week, our skill levels, all sorts. It definitely won’t be defined by mistakes, nor will any other side. In my view it’s a red herring, and suggests players have to be almost infallible.

[wilko154]

12 hours ago, villabromsgrove said:

I am so sorry for the turmoil and suffering that Steve Bruce is suffering in his family life. God bless his dad, and I pray that his his mum gets better.

Steve is a lovable bloke who knows the importance of an arm around the shoulder.

Sadly he's not a good tactician, not a good coach, or a forward thinking, technical football person.

If we meet Fulham in the play offs, I think we know what's likely to happen. Jokanovic will probably run rings round Bruce.

Despite our current excellent position, one thing has been an insuperable problem all season. SB's fear of losing, constrains us against the better teams that pose us real problems.

Wolves and Fulham for example attack with pace and plenty of support, and will use the space (that we concede to them) between the half way line and our penalty area to dominate us. It's space that we don't concede to lesser teams, but we do when SB is frightened of this type of opposition.

I know we had two key injuries against Fulham, but our team selection an hour before the match virtually conceded the three points. Fulham knew that Bruce would bottle it (as had happened a number of times earlier in the season). Sadly most of us fans knew this as well.

We pay our management team a fortune, and yet when it comes down to the big games they aren't up for it. We roll over .... and what's worse is that other top teams know we will well before they play us!

Our players are good enough, they've proved that, and yet SB and his coaches don't trust them enough to allow them to go out positively and attempt to beat certain teams. The resulting negative team selection with an isolated striker (and the resulting hoof ball) seldom wins games, and yet it appears to be Steve Bruce's default tactic every time he gets nervous.

Promotion is a real gamble while we continue to hamstring our players with such negative tactics in big games.

Why am I worried about the game against Preston? We should beat them.

Look at the Villa squad .... look at the Preston squad .... then imagine what the result would be with a quality tactical manager .... but we have to rely on Steve.

I hope we win, but SB is still our weakest link.

This is absolute nonsense and a massive over reaction to a poor performance on the back of 7 straight wins.

You can't blame Bruce for the the line up yesterday when two of our most influential players were out injured. We are short on wingers currently and with both Grealish & Adomah being injured we had to change things, then with Elmo going off it had to change yet again. Unfortunately Green is injured again yet Bruce is being slated on social media for not playing him...

'The resulting negative team selection with an isolated striker seldom wins games' we have just won 7 games in a row, give your head a wobble.

A poor day hampered by injuries, we go again on Tuesday, hopefully with Grealish back, take the 3 points and forget yesterday. Automatic promotion is still in our hands with Cardiff to play at home.

[AvfcRigo82]

We might have got something from the game yesterday had they both been fit but we will never know and it is what it is now.

I hope Jack and Albert back as quick as and I hope they make it back by Tuesday night, however if either are fully there I wouldn't want to rush them back either.

We have the players that can take their places and cope. We need to stop relying on one or two players as our be all or end all and learn to be able to adapt to these situations. - One man shouldn't make a team in effect.

We just have to get that little bit of tinkering right in the next game and off we go again, the game after we should hopefully have a full squad again.

Edited February 18, 2018 by AvfcRigo82

[Vive_La_Villa]

Does anyone else think when Bruce has a few injuries he tends to try and be a bitof a tinker man rather than trying to keep it as close as possible to what has recently worked?

Or was it a one off?

[TRO]

1 minute ago, Vive_La_Villa said:

Does anyone else think when Bruce has a few injuries he tends to try and be a bitof a tinker man rather than trying to keep it as close as possible to what has recently worked?

Or was it a one off?

I think its because we do not have identical or closely identical replacements.

Birkir, is not a winger.....and I don't think Callum is ready to be ( bucking Bronco) riding the tackles like Jack has to.

 

[TRO]

6 hours ago, terrytini said:

Not an issue for me. We are a Championship side, we are bound to make mistakes. In fact whatever level, you get mistakes - did Gerrards slip cost Liverpool the title ? No - it was just that it came at a time when it looked that way, one game into the season nobody would’ve made much of it, because all sides make mistakes.

Over a 46 game season our position will be decided by how well we work together, our tactics, the level of performance each week, our skill levels, all sorts. It definitely won’t be defined by mistakes, nor will any other side. In my view it’s a red herring, and suggests players have to be almost infallible.

Well reasoned Terry, but I guess the less errors we make the better.....and ours just seem glaring ones.

its a fair comment you make, but equally managers can't be directly blamed, when those same errors have a major bearing on the final result.

some blame tactics, but they usually do when we lose, we just ****** up particularly on one goal, that probably secured them the match.

Edited February 18, 2018 by TRO

[A'Villan]

6 hours ago, terrytini said:

Not an issue for me. We are a Championship side, we are bound to make mistakes. In fact whatever level, you get mistakes - did Gerrards slip cost Liverpool the title ? No - it was just that it came at a time when it looked that way, one game into the season nobody would’ve made much of it, because all sides make mistakes.

Over a 46 game season our position will be decided by how well we work together, our tactics, the level of performance each week, our skill levels, all sorts. It definitely won’t be defined by mistakes, nor will any other side. In my view it’s a red herring, and suggests players have to be almost infallible.

While I enjoy the sentiments, I don't agree.

I think Gerrard's slip might, in hindsight, of cost them the league had it happened in Gameweek 1. It was a very important fixture for them.

Part of working together, and all else you mention, is a lack of mistakes.

For example, we may have aquired a point yesterday, had Johnstone not put us 2-0 down, making having to chase the game harder.

I'm not on Bruce's back at all here though.

[terrytini]

I agree mistakes make things worse, but my argument is really more that they happen to every side, including all our competitors, and whilst they may affect a game, they won’t affect the season. In my view.

 

[Dave J]

On 17/02/2018 at 16:47, sidcow said:

I would love to see if they were miles ahead of us if they had lost their main striker for the whole season and their best midfielder for half of it and their best defender over the crucial Christmas period. 

Whilst at the same time we had Jack Grealish and Kodjia all season, and Terry didn't break his foot. 

I suspect their fans would then be saying how they were streets behind us. 

But surely you have only highlighted my point? With respect  - wolves have good players and strength in depth- this is no accident or fluke