Steve Bruce

[Vive_La_Villa]

28 minutes ago, DaveAV1 said:

I absolutely agree that confidence and momentum are massive. Tactics play a part in that the players have an idea as to what they're trying to achieve. 

That is also true but I doubt Bruce's tactics involved no pressing, no movement and an inability to pass the ball. If they did then I agree he has to go. 

[AshVilla]

When was the last time we had a preseason where we spanked every team 4 or 5 nil

Would nice to see us as flat track bullies for a change and wipe the floor with these sides

[Condimentalist]

I hope that Round or somebody is keeping Bruce in check a bit. One thing I've noticed about him throughout his managerial career is he has a tendency to go overboard in the transfer market on some pretty average players. Links like Whelan and Elmohamady make me think he hasn't learned his lesson - do we really need them? Whelan I can understand to a point given Jedi's age but Elmohamady is really unnecessary.

Could just be paper chat of course. 

[Dave J]

26 minutes ago, PatrickCousens said:

I hope that Round or somebody is keeping Bruce in check a bit. One thing I've noticed about him throughout his managerial career is he has a tendency to go overboard in the transfer market on some pretty average players. Links like Whelan and Elmohamady make me think he hasn't learned his lesson - do we really need them? Whelan I can understand to a point given Jedi's age but Elmohamady is really unnecessary.

Could just be paper chat of course. 

Totally agree 

[Vive_La_Villa]

Just wondering about those who perceive Bruce as a negative manager. If that's he case how come Hull were the 4th highest scorers in the league the year they got promoted? Surely it should have been a lot lower if they were scraping wins. 

[DCJonah]

4 minutes ago, Vive_La_Villa said:

Just wondering about those who perceive Bruce as a negative manager. If that's he case how come Hull were the 4th highest scorers in the league the year they got promoted? Surely it should have been a lot lower if they were scraping wins. 

Are you saying his villa side last year weren't negative? 

Look at Lambert. His Norwich side flew up the league's playing attacking football and ends up being terrible and negative at villa. 

Bruce may not have been negative at every point in his managerial career but he was last year. Hopefully that changes this season.

[Vive_La_Villa]

Just now, DCJonah said:

Are you saying his villa side last year weren't negative? 

Look at Lambert. His Norwich side flew up the league's playing attacking football and ends up being terrible and negative at villa. 

Bruce may not have been negative at every point in his managerial career but he was last year. Hopefully that changes this season.

They were negative but I think that was because he realised the size of the task at hand and it soon become about getting the team to get used to not losing games. It's importance to get a strong solid team before you think about attacking in my opinion. 

[TRO]

17 hours ago, DaveAV1 said:

For what it's worth I think Steve Bruce has had a good summer so far. He's done what a manager with his history and experience should do, in that he's used his contacts and good reputation to make signings which perhaps a less experienced man wouldn't be able to. Well actually one signing so far, but all this banter with TRO must have got my Brucie tinted spectacles cleaned .

However we are yet to kick a ball and my concerns have always been about tactics and mind set. The squad is coming together nicely and JT could be a game changer. We have the personnel to play a more positive, on the front foot game and so there can be no excuses if we don't. I would find it bizarre if we continue in the same cautious way as last season and so that conclusion gives me reason for optimism, albeit cautious. Yes he will start the season and yes he will be given time, hopefully not wasted time. 

Interesting Dave how SAF said he would have signed JT if he was still there.

This is a massive coup for us and I am sure there will be  a significant knock on effect.

I have no doubts that JT would not be happy playing like we did last season, its not going to happen.

Whelan will add steel and Lansbury and Hourihane will be freed to play their natural game.

we will have so many permutations to choose from.

i see Jedinak and Whelan playing as the 2 DM's.......Then the choice of 4 wreaking havoc.

Edited July 7, 2017 by TRO

[Grasshopper]

14 hours ago, PatrickCousens said:

I hope that Round or somebody is keeping Bruce in check a bit. One thing I've noticed about him throughout his managerial career is he has a tendency to go overboard in the transfer market on some pretty average players. Links like Whelan and Elmohamady make me think he hasn't learned his lesson - do we really need them? Whelan I can understand to a point given Jedi's age but Elmohamady is really unnecessary.

Could just be paper chat of course. 

more to the point

Who is keeping Round and the mystery "somebody" in check?

[BOF]

Just now, Grasshopper said:

more to the point

Who is keeping Round and the mystery "somebody" in check?

Do you trust anyone at the club?

[TRO]

11 minutes ago, Vive_La_Villa said:

They were negative but I think that was because he realised the size of the task at hand and it soon become about getting the team to get used to not losing games. It's importance to get a strong solid team before you think about attacking in my opinion. 

Spot on.

It amazes me how so many fail to see that.

[TRO]

24 minutes ago, Vive_La_Villa said:

Just wondering about those who perceive Bruce as a negative manager. If that's he case how come Hull were the 4th highest scorers in the league the year they got promoted? Surely it should have been a lot lower if they were scraping wins. 

I see him as a practical manager.

i could not see how we was going to stop leaking goals last season, it was worrying.....He did it, albeit there was a trade off in terms of attacking play, but for me thst is phase 2, like now.

Edited July 7, 2017 by TRO

[Villan_of_oz]

17 minutes ago, BOF said:

Do you trust anyone at the club?

No cos GH is actually RDM, that's why he bitches about SB so much because he is still bitter the good doctor gave him the ass

[DCJonah]

25 minutes ago, Vive_La_Villa said:

They were negative but I think that was because he realised the size of the task at hand and it soon become about getting the team to get used to not losing games. It's importance to get a strong solid team before you think about attacking in my opinion. 

We didn't lose that many games under RDM. 

So if it was to get used to not losing games it was Bruce that started that trend last season. 

[DCJonah]

10 minutes ago, TRO said:

I see him as a practical manager.

i could not see how we was going to stop leaking goals last season, it was worrying.....He did it, albeit there was a trade off in terms of attacking play, but for me thst is phase 2, like now.

Like the games lost, we weren't leaking a ridiculous amount of goals before Bruce. 

So again this problem he had to fix looks like something he initially caused then. 

[Vive_La_Villa]

2 minutes ago, DCJonah said:

We didn't lose that many games under RDM. 

So if it was to get used to not losing games it was Bruce that started that trend last season. 

So you reckon we should have kept RDM?

[Grasshopper]

22 minutes ago, BOF said:

Do you trust anyone at the club?

Ron Saunders

[DCJonah]

Just now, Vive_La_Villa said:

So you reckon we should have kept RDM?

No not really, although I think we'd have probably ended up about the same. 

I just find the myth that Bruce made us harder to beat and defensively better funny. He didn't and yet it's used as an excuse for abysmal football and negative approaches to games. 

[TRO]

12 minutes ago, DCJonah said:

We didn't lose that many games under RDM. 

So if it was to get used to not losing games it was Bruce that started that trend last season. 

Maybe, but more importantly, we was unable to secure wins under RDM and conceded too easily from winning positions.

I am uneasy with blaming RDM too much too, such was the mess we was in and I take no joy in over analysing his performances either.

Steve Bruce had to find a way of reversing the "easy to concede" situation, i think he did that to an extent.....but the job was nowhere near complete it was just phase 1.

in order to fix our situation, many managers have made mistakes, recruitment men have too....it hasn't been plain sailing, there has been ups and downs and IMO over analysing individuals is wide of the mark......this for me is a collective thing that we must work our way through......and I think we are.

looking forward to next season with confidence.

 

Edited July 7, 2017 by TRO

[Vive_La_Villa]

1 minute ago, DCJonah said:

No not really, although I think we'd have probably ended up about the same. 

I just find the myth that Bruce made us harder to beat and defensively better funny. He didn't and yet it's used as an excuse for abysmal football and negative approaches to games. 

So we wernt falling down the table when he took over? 

The way I see it is he took over and made us harder to beat. Then made far to many changes in Jan which led to that horrid run. The changes were needed but there were too many at once. That was a blunder but you can understand why he did it. But yes he still f**ked up.  We then steadied the ship and went on the best winning streak of any team in the league but ended poorly as damage had already been done. 

So it was a very unsuccessful season all round but one that is hard to judge managerial performance on because there were so many other factors with the largest one being the lack of stability all year and so many changes!!

Now he has a whole preseason with his players. If we are not in the mix for top 2 after 2 months and the football is still poor I will agree no excuses, he has to go.