Popular Post terrytini Posted August 20, 2018 Popular Post Share Posted August 20, 2018 (edited) 4 hours ago, abdulaziz1 said: You could say that but, we are much better in the midfield (we didnt have Jack some parts of last season, McGin is a huge addition), we have Kodjia upfront who is better than last season strikers. We had the LB issue last season. So our weakness are GK and CB, many clubs are having less than average keepers and going with it. If we’re having an issue with wingers, why just we don’t play from the midfield which is our main strength? Spot on. Firstly...... The suggestion that - in a Championship Team - because some players are below par or inconsistent we as a Team will play poorly/ be ineffective/ struggle to Win/ whatever else one wants to call it, makes no sense at all to me. There is barely a Team in the World that DOESNT have those issues. The whole point of a Manager is surely to devise systems, tactics, plans, and selections, to minimise the effect of the negatives and maximise the effect of the positives. To expect/ want/ hope for a Team full of quality, consistent, players is fantasy land. Secondly......... As you rightly point out the differences between last seasons squad and this seasons are minimal. The difference in the first choice first eleven likewise. Of course Snodgrass is a big miss, Terry likewise.......but that's 2 players and we certainly appear to have a guy of quality arrive in McGinn. And as you say, ( certainly at present ) Jack and Kodja injury free. We know Green has ability, we know Kodja scores goals, we know Albert can play. We also know CH scores goals ( yet isn’t getting in the team ?). Of course their form will vary, their output will vary, but the job of the Manager is to get performances of a type and level that minimise these variables. I don’t want Bruce sacked, ( it’s my view that results stack up) and I don’t personally have an issue with his style or methods ( because, in my view, results stack up).......BUT it is clear as day that that style, and those methods, leave him more susceptible to variations in the form of players than a more sophisticated, repeatable, style would. (On the other hand those that would prefer alternatives should be aware that such systems and styles of play still guarantee nothing). Id say that he would be better served to select positively, and ensure sufficient creativity in the side. Starting Saturday with only Jack and McGinn as creative players ( Elmo is an attacking Full Back at best, Albert is nothing at the moment) WAS defensive, and cautious. At our best last season ( I know some say that was still not good enough !) we played with 4 creative players, in Snodgrass, Jack, CH, and an in form Albert. Two is insufficient. It certainly makes no sense to have Elmo and Albert both in the Team and CH on the bench. Yes, Green has looked off the pace, but Albert is totally out of it......why not select Green and give him the confidence and licence to make mistakes ? Tell him “ go and forge an ‘Elmo/ Snoddy’ partnership with whoever is RB’.....The answer is, the Manager has a default position of caution. Yes Axel is naive, and unproven, at CB.....but Jedi is proven to be limited. .......why not select Axel there and tell him “ go and forge a partnership with Chester and the GK”. Because, caution says go with Jedi. Its almost as if the Manager doubts the ability in the squad and so selects from a safety first view - which is what he did ( with possibly more justification) in the first half of his tenure. It’s not helped by him referring to the “ loss of half a team” and the “ need for 5 or 6”. I have never thought his ‘ style’ or lack of one is the issue, and I certainly don’t think the players are the issue ( although on Saturday, for example, they carry responsibility for a lack of composure when shooting). Be braver, be bolder, select accordingly, take a chance on someone rather than select a struggler, give the creative guys licence. Take the game, and the League, by the scruff of the neck. Edited August 20, 2018 by terrytini 6 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tomaszk Posted August 20, 2018 Share Posted August 20, 2018 1 hour ago, Villan_of_oz said: I admire all of you, who still pay any money to watch our matches. I still love Aston Villa, the club I chose to support when I first started following the sport. Maybe it's living in another country, Australia. Maybe it's every time I pay $10 just to watch one match, I get served up dross. I fell asleep at my computer in the 2nd half on Saturday night, (mind you it was 1230am and I'd been up since 6 in the morning) it was just like all other times I'd bothered to pay $10 to watch my team. Mostly crap. I don't blame Steve Bruce for us being a mess of a club. I don't blame him for us being in the championship. I do blame him for being just plain bored of watching! Doesn't mean I want him sacked, necessarily. His boring, restrained, defensive, incohesive, non flowing style of play may just do the job. I'll be very happy for him and us if it does. But I ain't staying up all night and paying a tenner too watch it again. I'll wake up in the morning and check the scores. The. Football. Is. CRAP. Yes. He's strangled us horribly. Once again I will say...if we were getting these results in the premier league, even with these vile performances. It'd be much more acceptable. But we aint. There's no benefit in trying to grind out results in this league when getting this squad playing would see us promoted automatically without issue. 1 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vive_La_Villa Posted August 20, 2018 Share Posted August 20, 2018 2 hours ago, Villan_of_oz said: I admire all of you, who still pay any money to watch our matches. I still love Aston Villa, the club I chose to support when I first started following the sport. Maybe it's living in another country, Australia. Maybe it's every time I pay $10 just to watch one match, I get served up dross. I fell asleep at my computer in the 2nd half on Saturday night, (mind you it was 1230am and I'd been up since 6 in the morning) it was just like all other times I'd bothered to pay $10 to watch my team. Mostly crap. I don't blame Steve Bruce for us being a mess of a club. I don't blame him for us being in the championship. I do blame him for being just plain bored of watching! Doesn't mean I want him sacked, necessarily. His boring, restrained, defensive, incohesive, non flowing style of play may just do the job. I'll be very happy for him and us if it does. But I ain't staying up all night and paying a tenner too watch it again. I'll wake up in the morning and check the scores. The. Football. Is. CRAP. If I was you I’d stay in bed on Wednesday mate. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Villan_of_oz Posted August 20, 2018 VT Supporter Share Posted August 20, 2018 41 minutes ago, Vive_La_Villa said: If I was you I’d stay in bed on Wednesday mate. I was thinking of paying the tenner so I could watch Brentford play football!! 1 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
StefanAVFC Posted August 20, 2018 Share Posted August 20, 2018 9 hours ago, PompeyVillan said: A Bruce in or out poll on Aston Villa Worldwide on Facebook with 1800 respondents had Bruce in at 75%. There's your problem. Football Facebook groups are full of idiots. 1 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vive_La_Villa Posted August 20, 2018 Share Posted August 20, 2018 4 minutes ago, Villan_of_oz said: I was thinking of paying the tenner so I could watch Brentford play football!! I’m genuinely worried we might get schooled again. If Bruce isnt able to set us up to press and get at them then they will create chances. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheStagMan Posted August 20, 2018 Share Posted August 20, 2018 3 minutes ago, StefanAVFC said: There's your problem. Football Facebook groups are full of idiots. I was about to say something very similar...... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stevo985 Posted August 20, 2018 VT Supporter Share Posted August 20, 2018 4 minutes ago, StefanAVFC said: There's your problem. Football Facebook groups are full of idiots. They are, but a 75% Bruce in vote sounds about right to me for the wider fan base. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
StefanAVFC Posted August 20, 2018 Share Posted August 20, 2018 1 minute ago, Stevo985 said: They are, but a 75% Bruce in vote sounds about right to me for the wider fan base. Tyranny of the majority 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
villan-scott Posted August 20, 2018 VT Supporter Share Posted August 20, 2018 5 minutes ago, StefanAVFC said: There's your problem. Football Facebook groups are full of idiots. The one guy the runs AVFC The Pride Live or something or other is a right tool. Talking about going up to Wigan for a scrap after the videos of a bit of a fight when we played them the other week. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vive_La_Villa Posted August 20, 2018 Share Posted August 20, 2018 5 minutes ago, StefanAVFC said: There's your problem. Football Facebook groups are full of idiots. To be fair if it’s a simple Bruce in or out then i’d probably say in. Whilst i want him gone Im scared of the unknown. I wonder if a new CEO will start sounding out replacements. Similar to how Southampton did with Poch. Atkins was doing well but was always going to lose his job. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stevo985 Posted August 20, 2018 VT Supporter Share Posted August 20, 2018 Just now, Vive_La_Villa said: To be fair if it’s a simple Bruce in or out then i’d probably say in. Same. In an ideal world I'd like to see him replaced, but I'm very unsure if there is a better candidate we could get at the moment. Sacking for the sake of sacking is dangerous. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sne Posted August 20, 2018 Share Posted August 20, 2018 14 minutes ago, Stevo985 said: Same. In an ideal world I'd like to see him replaced, but I'm very unsure if there is a better candidate we could get at the moment. Sacking for the sake of sacking is dangerous. I agree, for me it comes down to what connections and ambitions the new guys have. Best case scenario they have football people lined up who then have a manager and team lined up. If not they might as well keep Bruce until they do. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Popular Post Stevo985 Posted August 20, 2018 VT Supporter Popular Post Share Posted August 20, 2018 2 minutes ago, sne said: I agree, for me it comes down to what connections and ambitions the new guys have. Best case scenario they have football people lined up who then have a manager and team lined up. If not they might as well keep Bruce until they do. Exactly. I'm all for getting rid of Bruce. But I want a good replacement lined up to come in and take over. Sacking Bruce and then scrambling around for a new manager and ending up with one of the usual suspects would be a bad move. 6 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kiltorken Posted August 20, 2018 Share Posted August 20, 2018 41 minutes ago, StefanAVFC said: There's your problem. Football Facebook groups are full of idiots. Unlike this forum, where we are all certified geniuses. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
StefanAVFC Posted August 20, 2018 Share Posted August 20, 2018 1 minute ago, kiltorken said: Unlike this forum, where we are all certified geniuses. Well, I am. I can't speak for everyone else though. 1 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PompeyVillan Posted August 20, 2018 Share Posted August 20, 2018 26 minutes ago, kiltorken said: Unlike this forum, where we are all certified geniuses. Thanks, I don't particularly like Villa Facebook groups. But as if VillaTalk is any different. If anything I suggest that these platforms give a voice to those wishing to air their grievances, which doesn't widely reflect the feelings of the fan base as a whole. I would have guessed at 75% in support for Bruce too, because at games there is plenty of support for him. Nothing wrong with not supporting Bruce by the way, I just do sometimes wonder when I read opinions on VT and other places whether I am reading a majority view. I think it would be fair to say that a lot of the fan base are not in love with Bruce's style of play or at least how we've been playing at the start of this season, however it doesn't seem a particularly prudent time to change manager based on this factor alone. I would imagine with a few poor results the 75% support in that poll would slip dramatically. I think it's easy to say things like 'We accept mediocracy, I demand better'. But we've got to be pragmatic as a club in what is torturously another 'transition' stage in the club's history. Instant success would be lovely, but we don't seem to have the recipe or ingredients for that. This fabled 'Villa way' hasn't materialised. It's up to our new owners to decide what the 'Villa way' is first whilst also whilst traversing the FFP obstacles. I don't think they're quite ready to make that change, but I don't doubt that they'll be thinking about it in the medium-longer term. 1 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest av1 Posted August 20, 2018 Share Posted August 20, 2018 You have to wonder about our fanbase if 75% of it think keeping Bruce is a good idea Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
osmark86 Posted August 20, 2018 Share Posted August 20, 2018 1 minute ago, av1 said: You have to wonder about our fanbase if 75% of it think keeping Bruce is a good idea you would sack him today if you called the shots? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest av1 Posted August 20, 2018 Share Posted August 20, 2018 1 minute ago, osmark86 said: you would sack him today if you called the shots? If i was calling the shots he would have been sacked months ago. But to answer your question, yes. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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