Steve Bruce

[Junxs]

42 minutes ago, Tommo_b said:

Also pretty sure Monaco isn't a small time job??

No but they're not huge either.  When Wenger was there they'd only ever won 4 or 5 titles.  Capacity of 18k or so. 

[TRO]

9 hours ago, DaveAV1 said:

I thought it was already irrefutable fact old chap......

no,no  not fact.....just emphatic in my opinion.

[DaveAV1]

40 minutes ago, TRO said:

no,no  not fact.....just emphatic in my opinion.

You score very highly on sticking to your guns TRO. An admirable quality. I hope your judgement on football managers turns out to be equally admirable 

[TRO]

4 minutes ago, DaveAV1 said:

You score very highly on sticking to your guns TRO. An admirable quality. I hope your judgement on football managers turns out to be equally admirable 

me too.

still think we need a schemer who can open teams up.

[DaveAV1]

6 minutes ago, TRO said:

me too.

still think we need a schemer who can open teams up.

Agreed. I thought perhaps RMC could have done it,  but it doesn't look like he's got his mojo back and so perhaps he will move on. Lansbury maybe? None of our midfield look much like Paul Merson that's for sure. To even think of them, let alone speak of them in the same sentance as Sid Cowans is surely a crime against football?

[Guest av1]

Still not seen anything that gives me great hope for the season, a week before the start of the season and there just hasn't been a huge amount of progress imo. 

Lets look at the improvements first of all.

Though I'm not a huge admirer of Sam Johnstone, I think as defensive unit there have been improvements. I think Terry will prove to be a great signing, and is a massive upgrade on Baker, who I'm not to sorry to see leave. That said, after playing almost no football over the last couple of years there has to be a question mark over Samba. 

Glenn Whelan is a big upgrade on Jedinak imo. He can read the game, make a tackle, and looks calm on the ball. Good signing. 

So defensively we are ok. But was that the reason many of us left Villa park last season banging our heads up against the wall? No. The reason for that was that we looked abysmal goimg forward due to Bruce's negative tactics. And whats changed? Well we have signed Ahmed Elmohamady. Now i like the bloke, i think he will prove to be a decent signing, but is he going to tranform us as an attacking unit? No. 

Some may well say 'but its about building from the back so Hurihane and Lansbury are given greater freedom'. Now in theory that works, but we had Jedinak sat infront of the back 4 last year and our midfield was still on a tight leash, so i don't see Bruce's approach changing too much in that regard. 

So the gameplan again looks like 'tight and the back, hope for a miracle up top'

Not much has changed from last year then has it?

 

 

[TRO]

27 minutes ago, av1 said:

Still not seen anything that gives me great hope for the season, a week before the start of the season and there just hasn't been a huge amount of progress imo. 

Lets look at the improvements first of all.

Though I'm not a huge admirer of Sam Johnstone, I think as defensive unit there have been improvements. I think Terry will prove to be a great signing, and is a massive upgrade on Baker, who I'm not to sorry to see leave. That said, after playing almost no football over the last couple of years there has to be a question mark over Samba. 

Glenn Whelan is a big upgrade on Jedinak imo. He can read the game, make a tackle, and looks calm on the ball. Good signing. 

So defensively we are ok. But was that the reason many of us left Villa park last season banging our heads up against the wall? No. The reason for that was that we looked abysmal goimg forward due to Bruce's negative tactics. And whats changed? Well we have signed Ahmed Elmohamady. Now i like the bloke, i think he will prove to be a decent signing, but is he going to tranform us as an attacking unit? No. 

Some may well say 'but its about building from the back so Hurihane and Lansbury are given greater freedom'. Now in theory that works, but we had Jedinak sat infront of the back 4 last year and our midfield was still on a tight leash, so i don't see Bruce's approach changing too much in that regard. 

So the gameplan again looks like 'tight and the back, hope for a miracle up top'

Not much has changed from last year then has it?

 

 

bear in mind, its difficult to go from where we was to finished article in a relatively short space of time ( and of course that alone is subjective, what is short)......I know the walls of jericho will come tumbling down, but I am unsure of Lansbury and Hourihane, more Hourihane......I am not going to write them off so soon, but lets say dubious......I still think we will be better as the season progresses ( baring too many injuries) and I am hoping those two improve as the team gels.

I think Jed and Whelan despite both being DM's are different.......we now need a merse or a Solano or even a the little italian with the curly hair, his name has gone.

I still don't think we are the finished thing even for what we want to do....but it is what it is......I think we will have enough for promotion.

ps got it Carbone.

 

Edited July 29, 2017 by TRO

[DaveAV1]

17 minutes ago, av1 said:

Still not seen anything that gives me great hope for the season, a week before the start of the season and there just hasn't been a huge amount of progress imo. 

Lets look at the improvements first of all.

Though I'm not a huge admirer of Sam Johnstone, I think as defensive unit there have been improvements. I think Terry will prove to be a great signing, and is a massive upgrade on Baker, who I'm not to sorry to see leave. That said, after playing almost no football over the last couple of years there has to be a question mark over Samba. 

Glenn Whelan is a big upgrade on Jedinak imo. He can read the game, make a tackle, and looks calm on the ball. Good signing. 

So defensively we are ok. But was that the reason many of us left Villa park last season banging our heads up against the wall? No. The reason for that was that we looked abysmal goimg forward due to Bruce's negative tactics. And whats changed? Well we have signed Ahmed Elmohamady. Now i like the bloke, i think he will prove to be a decent signing, but is he going to tranform us as an attacking unit? No. 

Some may well say 'but its about building from the back so Hurihane and Lansbury are given greater freedom'. Now in theory that works, but we had Jedinak sat infront of the back 4 last year and our midfield was still on a tight leash, so i don't see Bruce's approach changing too much in that regard. 

So the gameplan again looks like 'tight and the back, hope for a miracle up top'

Not much has changed from last year then has it?

 

 

Hard to disagree with that very reasoned post. I'm hopeful that like you say Lansbury and Hourihane will operate further up the pitch and create more than we did last season. Never the less as TRO said in an earlier post, a schemer to open up defences would be a great improvement. I shudder to think what might happen if Kodjia doesn't hit the heights of last season or gets a long term injury. If that happens then we need to change the way we attack teams and start to play in a way that is more suited to getting the best out of Hogan. Who is also injury prone. 

Still I've promised to be positive and so I'm going for Steve Bruce to mastermind a 2-0 win against Hull a week today .

[7392craig]

11 minutes ago, TRO said:

bear in mind, its difficult to go from where we was to finished article in a relatively short space of time ( and of course that alone is subjective, what is short)......I know the walls of jericho will come tumbling down, but I am unsure of Lansbury and Hourihane, more Hourihane......I am not going to write them off so soon, but lets say dubious......I still think we will be better as the season progresses ( baring too many injuries) and I am hoping those two improve as the team gels.

I think Jed and Whelan despite both being DM's are different.......we now need a merse or a Salano or even a the little italian with the curly hair, his name has gone.

I still don't think we are the finished thing even for what we want to do....but it is what it is......I think we will have enough for promotion.

ps got it Carbone.

 

In the back of my head I was thinking carbonara, not sure how racist that is. Loved Carbone when I was a kid.

[TrentVilla]

I'm sorry but Bruce's football is simply awful.

We look tighter at the back and marginally better in midfield but there is still he same creativity on the pitch as Gabby stringing together a sentence. 

This seasons tactics appear to be keep it tight in defence and midfield, leather it in the direction of Elmo to win the header and  let Kodjia feed of them and hope he pulls a goal out of nothing out his locker every week and we can try and defend it.

Not going to to be good enough in my view.

I would be delighted to be proven wrong but I hold little hope at this point in time based on last season and what I've witnessed this summer.

I think he could well be gone by Christmas.

[briny_ear]

Well it's a bit early to be writing off next season in my untutored and humble view.

It hasn't even **** started yet and some of our resident fortune-tellers are already foretelling failure.

Maybe we should see how a few actual games go before going nap on the doom & gloom?

Edited July 29, 2017 by briny_ear

[Guest av1]

2 minutes ago, briny_ear said:

Well it's a bit early to be writing off next season in my untutored and humble view.

It hasn't even **** started yet and some of our resident fortune-tellers are already foretelling failure.

Maybe we should see how a few actual games go before going nap on the doom & gloom?

Or maybe we could form an opinion on the fact that nothing much has changed since 30 odd games of dross last season?

Lets not pretend posters are getting on Bruce's back after 5 minutes in the job. The bloke has had 36 games last season, a full pre season, and the gameplan that failed so miserably last year hasn't changed one iota. 

 

 

[AntrimBlack]

1 hour ago, av1 said:

Still not seen anything that gives me great hope for the season, a week before the start of the season and there just hasn't been a huge amount of progress imo. 

Lets look at the improvements first of all.

Though I'm not a huge admirer of Sam Johnstone, I think as defensive unit there have been improvements. I think Terry will prove to be a great signing, and is a massive upgrade on Baker, who I'm not to sorry to see leave. That said, after playing almost no football over the last couple of years there has to be a question mark over Samba. 

Glenn Whelan is a big upgrade on Jedinak imo. He can read the game, make a tackle, and looks calm on the ball. Good signing. 

So defensively we are ok. But was that the reason many of us left Villa park last season banging our heads up against the wall? No. The reason for that was that we looked abysmal goimg forward due to Bruce's negative tactics. And whats changed? Well we have signed Ahmed Elmohamady. Now i like the bloke, i think he will prove to be a decent signing, but is he going to tranform us as an attacking unit? No. 

Some may well say 'but its about building from the back so Hurihane and Lansbury are given greater freedom'. Now in theory that works, but we had Jedinak sat infront of the back 4 last year and our midfield was still on a tight leash, so i don't see Bruce's approach changing too much in that regard. 

So the gameplan again looks like 'tight and the back, hope for a miracle up top'

Not much has changed from last year then has it?

 

 

Good post. Although I am still clinging to the hope that this is still pre season and that it will be different when the real football starts. Trying to be optimistic.

[TRO]

4 minutes ago, av1 said:

Or maybe we could form an opinion on the fact that nothing much has changed since 30 odd games of dross last season?

Lets not pretend posters are getting on Bruce's back after 5 minutes in the job. The bloke has had 36 games last season, a full pre season, and the gameplan that failed so miserably last year hasn't changed one iota. 

 

 

I think it is more a case that posters simply don't all agree.

I seen improvements today, the passing was snappier and we was closing down and tracking better......I also seen a decent Watford team,from the premier league  who failed to score ( should have in my view).

I think there is still a concern about the creativity, but I tend to think that is more player, than manager.

I don't buy this notion that SB is inhibiting them from scoring......I also I believe JT for one would have something to say about that.....I also think Steve Round would be having a quite word too, if there was any mileage in it.

The players have to do the business......Kodjia will do it when he returns.......and it will be the same manager.

I am not going to go in to this season with anything other than a positive attitude, but yes I see some things like, very little damage from the flanks or not particularly impressive through balls.....But I don't think the manager is oblivious to this, he will know and it will be discussed with people i have just mentioned.

As for Steve Bruce not making it until Xmas......only results will do that......If he is getting them he will still be here.

If he is getting the results but the football is dour and unconvincing, he will go back to the market and get players in who can do that.

 

[carewjust4u]

I actually thought we played positive football for very large portions of the game today against a team that did well in the prem...but hey-ho, people like to see what they want to see.

[Guest av1]

1 minute ago, AntrimBlack said:

Good post. Although I am still clinging to the hope that this is still pre season and that it will be different when the real football starts. Trying to be optimistic.

Me to pal. It doesn't matter if you are pro Bruce or anti Bruce, we are all Villa fans, we all want the same, so we all have hope. 

I just don't see that much has changed since last season. The issue is Bruce's tactics, and he's been the same for his entire career. 

[carewjust4u]

4 minutes ago, TRO said:

I think it is more a case that posters simply don't all agree.

I seen improvements today, the passing was snappier and we was closing down and tracking better......I also seen a decent Watford team,from the premier league  who failed to score ( should have in my view).

I think there is still a concern about the creativity, but I tend to think that is more player, than manager.

I don't buy this notion that SB is inhibiting them from scoring......I also I believe JT for one would have something to say about that.....I also think Steve Round would be having a quite word too, if there was any mileage in it.

The players have to do the business......Kodjia will do it when he returns.......and it will be the same manager.

I am not going to go in to this season with anything other than a positive attitude, but yes I see some things like, very little damage from the flanks or not particularly impressive through balls.....But I don't think the manager is oblivious to this, he will know and it will be discussed with people i have just mentioned.

As for Steve Bruce not making it until Xmas......only results will do that......If he is getting them he will still be here.

If he is getting the results but the football is dour and unconvincing, he will go back to the market and get players in who can do that.

 

This x100.

[AntrimBlack]

55 minutes ago, TRO said:

bear in mind, its difficult to go from where we was to finished article in a relatively short space of time ( and of course that alone is subjective, what is short)......I know the walls of jericho will come tumbling down, but I am unsure of Lansbury and Hourihane, more Hourihane......I am not going to write them off so soon, but lets say dubious......I still think we will be better as the season progresses ( baring too many injuries) and I am hoping those two improve as the team gels.

I think Jed and Whelan despite both being DM's are different.......we now need a merse or a Solano or even a the little italian with the curly hair, his name has gone.

I still don't think we are the finished thing even for what we want to do....but it is what it is......I think we will have enough for promotion.

ps got it Carbone.

 

Now you are beginning to worry me. Your support seems to be waning. And he will not be given the time you are now suggesting he will need. And you are one of his strongest supporters. And we do not want to be playing catch up.

Apologies for all the `ands'. Very poor English.

Edited July 29, 2017 by AntrimBlack

[AntrimBlack]

To be fair to Bruce - Terry, Elmohamady and Whelan all seem to be very astute signings.

[TRO]

13 minutes ago, AntrimBlack said:

Now you are beginning to worry me. Your support seems to be waning. And he will not be given the time you are now suggesting he will need. And you are one of his strongest supporters. And we do not want to be playing catch up.

 

No my support is far from waning, I can see what the fans who are not entirely happy can see......I just don't agree with their reasoning for it.

I just happen to think to get where we want to be from where we have come from is such a big ask and I am unsure how long, how many players and how much money it takes.

We still had 2 influential players from last season missing.....Jed was probably negated by JT & GW......but i saw a big improvement in some aspects of our play and not so much in others depending on what you are focusing on.

I am sure we have the right manager and staff in terms of Steve round/Keith Wyness /Tony Xia to do it.

I have said this trillions of times.....results is the only thing that will get him the sack......if he gets them right, the stadium will be full and his p45 will be in the safe.

ps in terms of signings we are getting stronger all the time......still to go for me.....the offensive side is still not quite right for me.

Edited July 29, 2017 by TRO