Steve Bruce

[srsmithusa]

In Bruce’s defense.  He did prepare us as he intended.  We completely silenced that Forestieri fella.  Maybe we should a focused on stopping a few of them other fellas too?

[VILLAMARV]

8 minutes ago, Shropshire Lad said:

I’ve wanted him out before, but found myself floating in between the two schools of thought since January 2017. What’s always held me back from being full Bruce out is the thought that we could go on another 5 or 6 game winning run. It’s always been so patchy under him.

Unfortunately the good runs of form  during his tenure (of which I think there have been about four genuine good runs of form) have been outweighed by the poor runs of form (which I would now consider to total six).

Easy to say looking back, but the patches of good form never had the same strong conviction that we would prevail with Bruce as the patches of bad form suggested we wouldn’t. The patches of good results always seemed the exception rather than the rule.

I think it will be quite fair to look back and say those good runs came after our transfer window activity had a chance to settle in and all that - it's just he never sustained it and by the time the next window opened the good run was long gone.

We've always been playing catch up with him, always been giving new players time, always waiting for what's just around the corner

[villabromsgrove]

I've just read Bruce's post match comments on the OS.

It appears that we now know as a team that we are giving too many goals away. "We're going to work on it this week" says SB. "We have to this before we even think of going forwards" says SB.

So .... We have six cracking attacking players, but before we can allow them to attack, we have to make sure that they stay back and sit deep to help us defensively.

Isn't that what we've done for 90 plus of your 100 games at Villa Steve?

Bruce says "we've got to go and prove people wrong next week". No Steve, your job is simply to prepare the team properly to go out and win matches. 

Forget this stubborn obsession with proving people wrong, and get on quietly with your job .... for as long as you have one!

"Dusting themselves down, and if they've got anything about them, go again" implies (yet again) that it's solely the player's fault.

 Stop blaming the players for your own ineptitude, and accept the consequences of your own failure to do even the basics properly.

 

 

[tinker]

It's not a decent squad , it's weak in central defence.......how can Bruce allow that to happen after 3 seasons in charge ? Enough is enough 

[Zatman]

2 hours ago, av1 said:

Can't agree with this mate. We have a new board, new players, the only constant is Bruce. He didn't even know that Foresteri was suspended today, so there is absolutely no planning at all going on at all. 

Forestieri had a cracking game today

[Zatman]

11 minutes ago, tinker said:

It's not a decent squad , it's weak in central defence.......how can Bruce allow that to happen after 3 seasons in charge ? Enough is enough 

I think we have a poor and unbalanced squad especially in defence. We have 2 recognised centre defender one is young and not trusted and the other is in shocking form

after that a right back playing left back and a bunch of midfielders not knowing there role and our best player stuck out of posititon

[paul1984]

3 hours ago, VillaChris said:

In their present form Preston simply has to be a win but think we'll struggle in our away games, Bristol on their patch are a fast energetic team and while Millwall are having a poor run of form we always struggle at the Den in recent times.

He simply has to go now. If he stays majority of the season we will finish outside top 6 I think. We need fresh ideas from the top for this squad.

I agree I was just stating what I think the board are thinking.

I would have got rid of him right at the start of the last international break, believe with the team we have we should walk at least half the games in the league, finish in the top 6 with our eyes closed and have a good chance at one of the top two places.

[Kiwivillan]

1 minute ago, paul1984 said:

I agree I was just stating what I think the board are thinking.

I would have got rid of him right at the start of the last international break, believe with the team we have we should walk at least half the games in the league, finish in the top 6 with our eyes closed and have a good chance at one of the top two places.

I thought that was right time to do it but I think owners when they took over thought Bruce was much loved by the majority of fans, which is true I suppose not that I agree, and now the bulk are turning

[AshVilla]

His latest post match interview is hilarious.

He appeared so wooden and is just going through the motions waiting for his payoff.

All he did was regurgitate the same stupid soundbites over and over again.

"Batten down the hatches" "We go again" "Dust ourselves down"

Put the bloke out of his misery he's finished.

[TheAuthority]

I think the new owners will get a new Sporting Director in before he's fired. The CEO is there, Sporting Director next, then some new scouts (the majority of the old ones were also fired this week.)

When thats all in place he'll leave and a new coaching setup with a new manager/head coach will come in. He probably realizes that he's on borrowed time already and so must the players - when there are big changes going on behind the scenes at a club it all filters down on to the pitch.

[TheAuthority]

Was having a reminisce and it's 25 years since this - but it's beautiful stuff.

9 outfield players touch the ball for the goal .

Starts with Kevin Richardson and, ooh, is that what they call a "high press" these days......

 

[delboy54]

Not able to see the game, but thanks to those on here I was able to see our fantastic goal...thanks!

Individual brilliant moments cannot be relied on to help out in each game. Its not the team SB puts out each game (on paper its a strong squad) but its the tactics, formation, instruction, training that is all missing. It has been like this almost every game I have been able to see since SB has been in charge - players look like strangers to each other, its like the first 11 that turn up at VP get a game. Our players treat the ball like a hot potato, they pass it to a fellow player who is surrounded by opposition players, they hoof the ball aimlessly and hopefully like a pub team on a sunday, build up play is so slow it can be counted in geological time, if we go behind it is highly likely that we will struggle to get back in the game. We only seem to be able to put up a half decent performance rarely and only for 45 minutes.

Try looking at old clips of Villa in the 1980's of how fast and quick we strung passes together to unlock defences.

I think SB knows his time here is nearly over. He did what we needed him to do that is steady the Villa ship, but the ship is steady (yes it nearly sank)....but there is stormy weather ahead if we persist with SB to be honest. I cannot see us getting promotion and I am sure our owners know this and dont like what they see.

Regards to all

 

[QldVilla]

It became quite clear during the Managers after match interview that he wasn't able to get the team to play the way he wanted, and that they have no plan B. He was talking about how the opposition had 5 at the back and 4 in the midfield. Are you surprised? He should be setting out the team to counteract these tactics because most teams are going to come to Villa Park, park the bus, and hope to nick a goal.

Its getting worse each week.

[paul1984]

5 hours ago, Kiwivillan said:

I thought that was right time to do it but I think owners when they took over thought Bruce was much loved by the majority of fans, which is true I suppose not that I agree, and now the bulk are turning

well not long to wait its 2 weeks until the break so if it goes on like it has then I'm certain they won't stick with him.

[paul1984]

1 hour ago, QldVilla said:

It became quite clear during the Managers after match interview that he wasn't able to get the team to play the way he wanted, and that they have no plan B. He was talking about how the opposition had 5 at the back and 4 in the midfield. Are you surprised? He should be setting out the team to counteract these tactics because most teams are going to come to Villa Park, park the bus, and hope to nick a goal.

Its getting worse each week.

They didn't just kick the ball they used their heads too it was astonishing! 

[Eastie]

6 hours ago, The Fun Factory said:

I have been fairly on the fence with Bruce but after the last few games it feels like it is going to end sooner rather than later. I would say before Christmas. 

Much sooner than that , I really can’t see him getting past 2 more weeks 

Edited September 23, 2018 by Eastie

[sharkyvilla]

7 minutes ago, Eastie said:

Much sooner than that , I really can’t see him getting past 2 more weeks 

Thing is we are only 5 points off the top, so why wait?  Getting someone in right now would give us our best chance of going up, whereas if we leave it too long we won't have a chance of catching up.  

Overall, Bruce has failed to address a blatant problem with the defence and his cluelessness he showed when talking about Forestieri just showed that he doesn't prepare properly.  This goes beyond results, it's just monumentally poor management all round.

[Demitri_C]

9 hours ago, TrentVilla said:

What does my son think? He thinks Steve Bruce is a clearing in the woods.

Actually he enjoyed it, which is remarkable he was probably the only Villa fan that did. It was his 4th game but first at VP so it was already a bit of a known quantity.

My advice would be;

* Get there early, take him to the club shop and spoil him, first impressions count and you want him to remember the day. He won’t remembet the game! (Thankfully) And it’s as much about your memories as his.

* Park closet to the ground than you normally would regardless of the traffic after

* Take lots of snacks! 

* Don’t take a tablet! Use the snacks as distraction, you don’t want to get into the tablet at games thing. I know people who have and it doesn’t work, my lad watches the game now but it’s taken a little time. Better start as you want to go on.

* Take lots of pictures it will be over in a flash

Most importantly enjoy - regardless of the football/result. It’s special taking you lad for the first time.

Unless Steve Bruce is the manager the man who always manages to ruin our weekend's 

[Demitri_C]

6 hours ago, jacketspuds said:

Still don't think we've played anyone particularly strong yet. We've not had to face WBA, Boro, Leeds, Swansea, Derby or Stoke, yet we're still only in 13th after 9 games. I'm already dreading December if Bruce is still going to be here.

Thats why i think we are not going up. Bruce has totally **** it up. A complete and utter failure. 

Time to go Steve you failed a d yoyr ideas dont work

[Demitri_C]

6 hours ago, jacketspuds said:

Still don't think we've played anyone particularly strong yet. We've not had to face WBA, Boro, Leeds, Swansea, Derby or Stoke, yet we're still only in 13th after 9 games. I'm already dreading December if Bruce is still going to be here.

Thats why i think we are not going up. Bruce has totally **** it up. A complete and utter failure. 

Time to go Steve you failed a d yoyr ideas dont work