Steve Bruce

[Vive_La_Villa]

4 minutes ago, omariqy said:

I thought the 3-5-2 made us a lot worse. We looked pretty threatening without getting in the final ball with Adomah and Jack working well on the left. We  completely nullfied any threat by switching to 3-5-2 as Adomah and Elmo spent most of the time playing as full backs and Jack was not receiving the ball in the final third but in our half. I think putting Thor at LB if Taylor was injured would have been the best move or maybe even move Elmo there and put Bree on. 

Agree. I thought we were more in the game until that change. We just became completely disjointed after that. 

[tonyh29]

Well on one hand I expected us to get 3 points out of Wolves and QPR  , so in that regard we are where I'd thought we'd be  .... but on the other hand after Sat's win that was such an anti-climax

Bruce doesn't have a plan B and yesterday exposed that  , Holloway out thought him and Bruce / the players couldn't adapt

We've been outplayed a few times this season , by Fulham , Cardiff , QPR , Sheff Wed , Brentford , Preston  arguably Millwall who deserved more than the 0-0 we hung on for .,... to balance this we've had  instances when we've been superb Norwich , Wolves , Bristol city etc but I don't know if it shows up major flaws in Bruce's ability .. I don't expect us to win every week but I think some teams get the measure of us very quickly and we don't adapt ....

I said a few months back we'd sorta stumble into the playoffs and then it comes down to 3 cup finals ..ok results have been fairly decent and you can argue we haven't stumbled into the play offs , but I just don't think we are that good a team .... going up or staying down there is a heck of a rebuild required for next season once loan players go back and the OAP's retire  .... I'm not sure I'd want Bruce to be that man tasked with the job  if I'm honest

 

 

[TRO]

1 hour ago, sne said:

Pretty shocking if the players are not motivated enough at this point of the season considering what's at stake.

Especially if they are less motivated than a QPR side that has nothing to play for.

I think it was selection and choice of way of attacking (they won more than 70% of the aerial duels) that cost us more than anything.

But I fully appreciate that they had difficulty to re-focus after the big game this weekend. But that's when having a big squad like us comes into play.

Every manager get's it wrong from time to time, this was one of those times and Bruce has admitted as much.

Just have to make sure it doesn't happen again this season.

 

I think you make a significant point.....we lost too many aerial balls....it sets a tone and a tell tale sign of whether a team is up for it, particularly in this league.We declared our position very clearly, we wasn't up for a tough physical battle

I think like sharks smell blood the opposition smells the reluctance to mix it and acts accordingly.they then imposed their game on us.....and Eze and Luongo did that very well.

its not a time to be too critical....they know themselves, it was a capitulation game...its best they are left alone to get on with it.

Edited March 14, 2018 by TRO

[omariqy]

4 minutes ago, tonyh29 said:

Well on one hand I expected us to get 3 points out of Wolves and QPR  , so in that regard we are where I'd thought we'd be  .... but on the other hand after Sat's win that was such an anti-climax

Bruce doesn't have a plan B and yesterday exposed that  , Holloway out thought him and Bruce / the players couldn't adapt

We've been outplayed a few times this season , by Fulham , Cardiff , QPR , Sheff Wed , Brentford , Preston  arguably Millwall who deserved more than the 0-0 we hung on for .,... to balance this we've had  instances when we've been superb Norwich , Wolves , Bristol city etc but I don't know if it shows up major flaws in Bruce's ability .. I don't expect us to win every week but I think some teams get the measure of us very quickly and we don't adapt ....

I said a few months back we'd sorta stumble into the playoffs and then it comes down to 3 cup finals ..ok results have been fairly decent and you can argue we haven't stumbled into the play offs , but I just don't think we are that good a team .... going up or staying down there is a heck of a rebuild required for next season once loan players go back and the OAP's retire  .... I'm not sure I'd want Bruce to be that man tasked with the job  if I'm honest

 

 

We rely a lot on our wingers and crosses from wide. QPR nullified that yesterday and we had no answer really. 

[TRO]

13 minutes ago, Vive_La_Villa said:

I don’t think it was motivation. I think they were just drained from Saturday. My mate who went to Wolves game said they looked leggy first half to but managed to stay in game then got on top. 

It wasn't motivation......but the aggression required was missing, fatigue (for whatever reason) possibly caused that.

Holloway had a few young players in his line up, we should be using our good academy kids in games like this and assist with the fatigue of first teamers.

I think Steve is reluctant to leave first teamers out.....if their fitness is not up to scratch, he should.

You can't wing games in this league its physically demanding.

[Demitri_C]

I think if we dont go up this year we are stuck in this league like leeds, we will lose key players like johnstone, terry, and snodgrass. then we have one CB at the club. Also financially we will be a shambles so have to sell some big players to balance the books. will players like chester and adomah want to stay here? 

Its going to be horrible next season if we are in the championship next year   

[TRO]

40 minutes ago, omariqy said:

We rely a lot on our wingers and crosses from wide. QPR nullified that yesterday and we had no answer really. 

They won everything in the air......14 corners, we never looked liked scoring.

a clear weakness on the night.

Edited March 14, 2018 by TRO

[sheepyvillian]

27 minutes ago, Demitri_C said:

I think if we dont go up this year we are stuck in this league like leeds, we will lose key players like johnstone, terry, and snodgrass. then we have one CB at the club. Also financially we will be a shambles so have to sell some big players to balance the books. will players like chester and adomah want to stay here? 

Its going to be horrible next season if we are in the championship next year   

Unthinkable.

[Demitri_C]

4 minutes ago, sheepyvillian said:

Unthinkable.

It really is, some (not many) have said they loved this season and its better than the premier league as we win we wont be this good next year no doubt in my mind. its either now or chaos 

[ender4]

34 minutes ago, Demitri_C said:

I think if we dont go up this year we are stuck in this league like leeds, we will lose key players like johnstone, terry, and snodgrass. then we have one CB at the club. Also financially we will be a shambles so have to sell some big players to balance the books. will players like chester and adomah want to stay here? 

Its going to be horrible next season if we are in the championship next year   

Plus there will be 3 new relegated clubs with big parachute payments looking to go straight back up.

[sheepyvillian]

1 minute ago, Demitri_C said:

It really is, some (not many) have said they loved this season and its better than the premier league as we win we wont be this good next year no doubt in my mind. its either now or chaos 

This season won't mean diddly squat without promotion.

[Demitri_C]

3 minutes ago, ender4 said:

Plus there will be 3 new relegated clubs with big parachute payments looking to go straight back up.

Yes exactly. If we were allowed to spend then I would feel confident but we will have a squad with so many holes in it and probably a very small budget with one or two key players being sold. its actually a nightmare if you think about it. Last night could not have gone any worse. That result could have massive repercussions for us now 

[Rob182]

39 minutes ago, Demitri_C said:

I think if we dont go up this year we are stuck in this league like leeds, we will lose key players like johnstone, terry, and snodgrass. then we have one CB at the club. Also financially we will be a shambles so have to sell some big players to balance the books. will players like chester and adomah want to stay here? 

Its going to be horrible next season if we are in the championship next year   

I refuse to believe that it will be as bad as some people are making out. Maybe Xia has balanced the books so well this season that staying in the Championship wont be a financial disaster? Maybe we'll still have enough available money to bring Terry back for another year?

 

Undoubtedly our team will change, but lets not forget that we still have a number of good players on our books that we will keep (we're not going to lose everyone), and we have good youngsters like Green, Doyle-Hayes, Davis * Hepburn Murphy.

 

Also, we don't know how the Wolves investigations will go, and the questions raised by the Leeds owner. Maybe some guidance will be given around the level of fine that teams should receive for breaching FFP, in which case Xia might see it as a worthwhile gamble.

[Rob182]

3 minutes ago, Demitri_C said:

Yes exactly. If we were allowed to spend then I would feel confident but we will have a squad with so many holes in it and probably a very small budget with one or two key players being sold. its actually a nightmare if you think about it. Last night could not have gone any worse. That result could have massive repercussions for us now 

Massive repercussions, yes. 'Chaos', no, not for me.

 

Looking at it in an extremely positive light, imagine if next season sees us blood Bree as our first choice right back, Davis as a first choice striker and Doyle-Hayes as a first choice midfielder, all coming on leaps and bounds. Teams have done it before, mixing experience and quality (Hourihane, Grealish, Adomah) with promising youngsters and still finished in the automatic places.

[holteend1982]

52 minutes ago, Demitri_C said:

I think if we dont go up this year we are stuck in this league like leeds, we will lose key players like johnstone, terry, and snodgrass. then we have one CB at the club. Also financially we will be a shambles so have to sell some big players to balance the books. will players like chester and adomah want to stay here? 

Its going to be horrible next season if we are in the championship next year   

And the clubs that will come down this year will be a lot better than Sunderland and hull who we got last year. 

[TRO]

2 minutes ago, holteend1982 said:

And the clubs that will come down this year will be a lot better than Sunderland and hull who we got last year. 

I tend to agree,

However, logic dictates.....if they were any good, they wouldn't be going down.

[TRO]

Something clearly out of the ordinary happened last night.

when your best game and worst game in a season is back to back, its baffling.

[TRO]

1 hour ago, tonyh29 said:

Well on one hand I expected us to get 3 points out of Wolves and QPR  , so in that regard we are where I'd thought we'd be  .... but on the other hand after Sat's win that was such an anti-climax

Bruce doesn't have a plan B and yesterday exposed that  , Holloway out thought him and Bruce / the players couldn't adapt

We've been outplayed a few times this season , by Fulham , Cardiff , QPR , Sheff Wed , Brentford , Preston  arguably Millwall who deserved more than the 0-0 we hung on for .,... to balance this we've had  instances when we've been superb Norwich , Wolves , Bristol city etc but I don't know if it shows up major flaws in Bruce's ability .. I don't expect us to win every week but I think some teams get the measure of us very quickly and we don't adapt ....

I said a few months back we'd sorta stumble into the playoffs and then it comes down to 3 cup finals ..ok results have been fairly decent and you can argue we haven't stumbled into the play offs , but I just don't think we are that good a team .... going up or staying down there is a heck of a rebuild required for next season once loan players go back and the OAP's retire  .... I'm not sure I'd want Bruce to be that man tasked with the job  if I'm honest

 

 

I understand your point and i think its a fair one......i think we struggle at times with physically big players.....with the exception of samba, who is injured, we don't have anyone in the squad to negate the threat......I think it is a weakness at out level.

when we are on we are on and a really good team, but we are too easily stopped.

We are not big enough to play the physical game and not quick enough to play the expansive game.....we are kinda neither one thing or the  other.....for me in that respect our squad is too samey to really have a plan B.

[Vive_La_Villa]

If we don't go up this season we should be parting ways with Bruce in my opinion.  Will need a manager that can start again from scratch.  Will be one of most important appointments ever. 

[Nabby]

1 hour ago, omariqy said:

We rely a lot on our wingers and crosses from wide. QPR nullified that yesterday and we had no answer really. 

Yes because the midfield 2 don't ever control a game .If we are under the cosh Jedinek is good generally at providing a cover for the defence but then all he is good for is laying the ball off .Houriane if you need a midfielder near the box to grab a goal he is decent but he doesn't dominate in midfield he is unable to set the tone of a game. Whelan is much the same.

There is also a lack of mobility in the middle , thats what Thor does add at least as he gets around the pitch well

The Wolves game we won as we worked our socks off , pressured them and when we got some chances we took them but that was always going to take it out of the players especially an aging squad like we have .Bruce knew this, after the game he admitted he considered changing what is the concern is he again sided with what he thought was the safe option of keeping it the same and it cost us in the end.