Ratings & Reactions: Villa v Hull

[Demitri_C]

Consistent from last season bruce.  Have us play well for 30 mims or so then drop off let team back in first bit if pressure then concede. Then waits 15 mins before changing and points dropped

Ffs bruce that was poor and whelan looks shite

[Lichfield Dean]

Very poor. I pin that loss totally on Bruce. He was the one who started Bacuna, he was the one that sat and watched Hull tear us apart for half an hour until they finally scored and did nothing until after that, and he is the one that still hasn't managed to work out how to link up play with our strikers.

Bacuna was awful, Whelan was poor, I am not sure what so many saw in Hogan today because all I saw was a small guy who failed to win a single challenge and couldn't make any space for himself at all.

Good points? Elmo and Hutton linking up well, Terry was class, Green and Onomah changed the game when they finally came on. I don't blame Green for the miss - I was sitting in the Doug Ellis and I was surprised that ball came through to him so I can only imagine he was surprised too. I also thought Gabby put in a good shift and looked a real handful for most of the game.

[Stockport_Villain]

I actually thought there were some good points in the performance. Nice neat passages of play, should have at least another goal and 3 wouldn't have flattered us. Need to stop sitting back as we look much better going forward.

[thunderball]

First game of the season, we didn't lose, we played well for a spell and Green and Onomah point to the future. Players to come back too. On balance positive.

[TheStagMan]

37 minutes ago, pacbuddies said:

1. Because Hull were shit last season.

2. Because Hull have lost their better players.

3. Because Hull's manager was in charge of his first game in English football.

4. Because we have spent a fortune on players in the last 12 months.

5. Because we are favourites to go up.

6. Because according to some, Bruce is a good manager that has been promoted 4 times.

Take your pick!

Amen to that brother!

[sidcow]

Worrying similarities to last year for me. Gave the ball away too cheaply time and time again allowing them too much of the ball.

Missing too many chances which would have probably guaranteed us the result. 

Bacuna selection is just bizarre. He is worse than offering nothing, he is a liability. 

Our play was summed up for me by 2 instances towards the end where we had simple chances to play the ball to players unmarked in good attacking positions but instead of playing that obviously correct ball tried something more tricky that ultimately failed and gave possession away and which even if they had come off would not be as good as the original spurned easy chance. 

Our players decision making is so so poor at times. 

[Chewie]

1 hour ago, Vive_La_Villa said:

I guess you didnt watch the first half. If you think the problem is Bruce you're deluded.

I watched the first half, and could very easily say the same about you considering this is the umpteenth time we've come out completely on the back foot after a Steve Bruce half time team talk!

[Vive_La_Villa]

9 minutes ago, Chewie said:

I watched the first half, and could very easily say the same about you considering this is the umpteenth time we've come out completely on the back foot after a Steve Bruce half time team talk!

Ok lets give it at least 5 games. Is that fair?

[MrSmirch]

Second half was a **** shambles, absolutely screamed of a manager who was happy with one nil and wanted no more of the matter. Piling the pressure on the young players as per **** usual, **** stupid. 

[fightoffyour]

2 hours ago, penguin said:

Played well enough in the first half to be well in front and missed two golden chances in the second. But i'm sure it's all Bruce's fault.

Made no attempt to change the game for 20 minutes when we were clearly under immense pressure, persevered with a midfielder who was clearly performing badly rather than bringing on a player who was one of our best performers in pre season, at least in a creative/attacking sense. But I'm sure it's all not Bruce's fault.

Edited August 5, 2017 by fightoffyour

[NurembergVillan]

The first half was as enjoyable as any Villa performance I can remember since the Cup semi final.

The second half was a stark reminder of almost every single match since then.

[Chewie]

1 hour ago, Vive_La_Villa said:

Ok lets give it at least 5 games. Is that fair?

https://imgflip.com/i/1tmxke

[Kiwivillan]

Why the **** did Bacuna start? What is wrong with Hourihane?

Bruce won't last the season

[AVFCDAN]

1 hour ago, Vive_La_Villa said:

Ok lets give it at least 5 games. Is that fair?

Why would we do something as crazy and rational as that!

This was the first game of the season and we didn't steam roller a team who were in the premier league last year, our season is practically over already.

[reykjavik]

Where we got the lead when we should have completed the game.
Other result is unacceptable.  We were much better in the first half.

3 points today would have been statement.  Be aware we are a strong team. 
It would also be warning to Hull, which is very likely to promote.  This was psychologically very important game.

What happened in the dressing room in half time?  Bruce is not reaching to players.
If we had made subs earlier for example in 55min, when Hull had played better last ten minutes. We would have managed to turn the game back to our favor.
Tactical mistake by Bruce.

Well my thoughts are zoomed up in these posts, no need to rewrite it.

2 hours ago, Mantis said:

Our biggest problem is mental. Simple as that. We clearly had more than enough quality to win it comfortably but we can't cope whenever teams get their tails up.

2 hours ago, Eastie said:

Very promising first half but again Bruce tactically outwitted at half time and a poor 2nd half - we simply cannot afford to miss easy chances like today !

2 hours ago, Genie said:

Close to winning it, wasn't great but wasn't that bad either. A young lad nodding into an open goal away from taking all 3 points.

2 hours ago, Chewie said:

Bruce has learnt nothing from last season. Same old 45 minute performance, same old baffling subs, same old leaving it too late to make a change. Title winning teams take their chances and finish off the game with confidence. 

2 hours ago, bannedfromHandV said:

The only thing I'd criticise Bruce for is not making subs sooner

We created enough chances to win two games, it's not his fault they didn't end up in the net 

 

 

 

 

[villa89]

2 hours ago, Sam3773 said:

I thought I had seen it all on Bruce's last comedy roadshow, but long balls to Samba up top. That's a  hell of a new addition for 2017.

And the formation lucky bag is now being deployed mid game instead of 5 minutes before each game.

[avfc456]

The one real concern I have is that we play well for one half then the other half we are terrible, should of killed the game off in the first half, and like others I have said leaving the subs late is one that annoys me 

[PaulC]

I'm not too concerned as its only one game but the writing was on the wall well before Hull scored and Bruce didn't change things around quick enough. Positive for me was John Terry. Gabby started the game well but was anonymous is the 2nd half so can only assume hes a a fav of Bruce.  Two aways game now so we don't want to be three games and no wins do we! 

[AJ]

I think a lot of lessons were provided in the Germany COT games, but this game shows that nothing was learnt or applied.

Two games of 45 minutes. There is an urgency on time. Villa destroys two average Bundy 2 league teams in one half of football each. From that, we learn how we should play. Hogan is brilliant, and our defence is unbreachable.

A 90 minute match against a reasonable Hull team, at home, however we are served up the usual same ol' same ol'. Does apathy and complacency set into the dressing room because the match goes for an hour and a half? Is it considered too much effort to spend the next hour trying to nick a second goal, or is it just more sensible( in their minds) to just chill out, defend, hope for the clean sheet, but if that fails, then we start chasing? If this is the case, then this mindset absolutely MUST be broken!

What we saw in Germany, this Villa team has the potential to bury teams. If there was a positive taken from the pre season, this was it.

On the bright side, at least we are still undefeated this season.

 

[El Zen]

1 hour ago, NurembergVillan said:

The first half was as enjoyable as any Villa performance I can remember since the Cup semi final.

The second half was a stark reminder of almost every single match since then.

Absolutely. First half was good, really good. Best I've seen us in a long while. 

Then the second half came and reminded me  I'm a Villa fan. 

It is worrying, though, how we look terribly uncomfortable leading football matches, especially after a 15 minute break. Makes me think about something Wyness said about Bruce, how he doesn't sleep at night because he's so scared of losing. I'm sure Keith meant it as a compliment. I'm not so sure that it is. 

Edited August 5, 2017 by Michelsen