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Steve Bruce


Demitri_C

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For 65 Minutes yesterday I saw what I wanted from Bruce all along. Yesterday proved that we have the players to play that kind of football against the better teams. I don't expect it every week but even if we played it in half of our games across the season I think we would be 'there or thereabouts' in terms of promotion. Bruce mentioned that he has been working on the team to be more expansive and it showed. Once we get the new wingers in we can hopefully create more chances.

I don't mind players out of position but it is so obvious that Jedi should not play CB that it needs to be changed. I thought Axel did really well at RB bar his missed header against Watkins. 

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2 hours ago, Vive_La_Villa said:

I think the players have to also take responsibility. There is no way Bruce would set them up at home to sit back and not press players. It makes no sense. At times we see the players just not at it. Slow, predictable and sloppy. Bruce doesn’t make them play like that. 

It must be as frustrating for him as it is for us.  He needs to try and get the best out of them every game. But it’s not just a tactical issue in my opinion. 

I’m not a fan of Bruce but the way some fans go on about him you’d think he is controlling the team with a joypad. 

But you’ve only got to read his own comments to see this is a deliberate and specific change he has made. Which by definition means it was a deliberate and specific choice not to, previously.

Similar to last season when he ‘ upped’ it from caution to more positive - said so himself - this season he’s now upped it again - and said as much.

He has a lot of control over how we choose to play. Of course he doesn’t control individual performances within that.

In my view this gives him credit for his role.....those who ascribe our poor efforts to players can’t then praise him for things like last night.....whereas those who think he has a significant role, can...... 

Rather than suggest he is something of a bystander, at the whim of players, I prefer to give him credit ( or criticism) for deciding how we play and implementing it. Sometimes ( rarely in the last 10 months) I’d criticise what I personally see as excessive caution, but more usually, and increasingly, he has tried to get us playing positively and has often succeeded.

 

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4 minutes ago, omariqy said:

For 65 Minutes yesterday I saw what I wanted from Bruce all along. Yesterday proved that we have the players to play that kind of football against the better teams. I don't expect it every week but even if we played it in half of our games across the season I think we would be 'there or thereabouts' in terms of promotion. Bruce mentioned that he has been working on the team to be more expansive and it showed. Once we get the new wingers in we can hopefully create more chances.

Agree.

Id add, though others wouldn’t agree, that he has been doing so since October last year, with varying degrees of success.

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1 minute ago, terrytini said:

But you’ve only got to read his own comments to see this is a deliberate and specific change he has made. Which by definition means it was a deliberate and specific choice not to, previously.

Similar to last season when he ‘ upped’ it from caution to more positive - said so himself - this season he’s now upped it again - and said as much.

He has a lot of control over how we choose to play.

The problem is we seem to have lost any defensive solidity. If we keep playing the way we are our games will be very entertaining with lots of goals but I think you need to be better at the back than we are to get automatic promotion.

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1 minute ago, villa89 said:

The problem is we seem to have lost any defensive solidity. If we keep playing the way we are our games will be very entertaining with lots of goals but I think you need to be better at the back than we are to get automatic promotion.

I’m not sure it’s the change that’s the major cause of that.....we are bedding in a new defence.

Secondly, I’m not sure it matters, in this League every team will concede, but if you are scoring goals you’ll Win enough games. 

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2 minutes ago, terrytini said:

I’m not sure it’s the change that’s the major cause of that.....we are bedding in a new defence.

Secondly, I’m not sure it matters, in this League every team will concede, but if you are scoring goals you’ll Win enough games. 

Probably doesn't help 3 of the back 4 are being played out of position.

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Just now, Folski said:

I don't think he does a good job there.

Fair enough that’s your view.

But that’s the ‘ comparison’ that’s being made, not the ability.

I think he is very very good in the role personally, he always reading what’s needed, which is key in that position, and has a fairvsuccess rate of dealing with the dangers that arise. Has a decent pass on him too, and puts a real shift in. But each to their own.

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1 minute ago, Folski said:

Probably doesn't help 3 of the back 4 are being played out of position.

Maybe, maybe not. In any event, the point was that it’s not the increased emphasis on attacking play that's leaving us a little more open defensively.

As it happens, I think Hutton is a better LB than RB and showed it all last season. As for Axel being ‘out of position’....I think he’s played more often at RB than CB now, in domestic football. But again we all have our opinions on this.

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8 minutes ago, Folski said:

People are actually comparing Glen Whelan to Kante.

No. Its pretty clear no one is comparing him to kantes ability, just the importance of their roles they play in that midfield which many people overlook, but I think you knew that already. 

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5 minutes ago, Folski said:

I don't think he does a good job there.

So the 7 wins 2 draws last 9 he's started is happenstance? 20 goals for 6 against(3 of those in last 2). Is it possible he does the donkey work/positioning that frees attacking players to score goals?

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12 hours ago, VillanousOne said:

while i remain cautious about the prospect of this form continuing have to give props to Bruce on our forward play and sense of urgency today.

still not convinced by Jed at centre back but Axel did some good things at right back, Whelan did the holding role superbly.

Excited about the new signings, I just fear that we are not linked to any defenders being a sign Bruce is fine with our defence.

But enough moaning, the potato done good.

I have exactly the same sentiment. Agree 100%

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59 minutes ago, terrytini said:

But you’ve only got to read his own comments to see this is a deliberate and specific change he has made. Which by definition means it was a deliberate and specific choice not to, previously.

Similar to last season when he ‘ upped’ it from caution to more positive - said so himself - this season he’s now upped it again - and said as much.

He has a lot of control over how we choose to play. Of course he doesn’t control individual performances within that.

In my view this gives him credit for his role.....those who ascribe our poor efforts to players can’t then praise him for things like last night.....whereas those who think he has a significant role, can...... 

Rather than suggest he is something of a bystander, at the whim of players, I prefer to give him credit ( or criticism) for deciding how we play and implementing it. Sometimes ( rarely in the last 10 months) I’d criticise what I personally see as excessive caution, but more usually, and increasingly, he has tried to get us playing positively and has often succeeded.

 

I was neither defending or criticising Bruce. My post was more to do with some people crediting or blaming Bruce for every single thing that happens on the pitch and really struggling to get over last season. 

 I’m trying to just look at this season and I thought we were poor in our first three games even though we got 7 points. I don’t think it was due to tactics as they wouldn’t have been much different to last night. It was more due to poor individual performances. 

 

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2 minutes ago, Vive_La_Villa said:

I was neither defending or criticising Bruce. My post was more to do with some people crediting or blaming Bruce for every single thing that happens on the pitch and really struggling to get over last season. 

 I’m trying to just look at this season and I thought we were poor in our first three games even though we got 7 points. I don’t think it was due to tactics as they wouldn’t have been much different to last night. It was more due to poor individual performances. 

 

I knew that ...apologies if it came across different

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7 hours ago, DaveAV1 said:

You’re right about the crosses. They sussed us out and cut off the supply line, which should have left more room down the middle for Jack and John. But we didn’t exploit that. 

Very good for an hour or so, but then we tired and ran out of ideas going forward. I’m slightly concerned that despite our dominance we didn’t work their goal keeper enough. Someone who could make the most of all those crosses would be good, especially as we have more wingers on the way. Also CB and a left back essential additions in my opinion. 

I think the problem is the crossing.. Adomah hit one or two decent ones but generally was pretty poor delivery. Elmo's was ok.. fullbacks were awful. Bolasie and El Ghazi will hopefully improve this. So would De Laet and Targett as our full backs. 

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3 hours ago, villa89 said:

The problem is we seem to have lost any defensive solidity. If we keep playing the way we are our games will be very entertaining with lots of goals but I think you need to be better at the back than we are to get automatic promotion.

I agree. It's the trade off any team has to make, you can't be 100% solid at the back and play expansive attacking football at the same time. I prefer playing good attacking football and then loose or draw the odd game because of mistakes at the back, compared to the way we have played focusing on defence and nick a goal. With that tactic we nevertheless loose the odd games, but in a turgid depressing manner.

There is also much improvement to be made in our defence, bring in a solid cb next to Chester, hopefully Nyland will improve and after a while a new back four will hopefully become more solid. So we have the potential to play good football and still be fairly solid at the back.  

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