KJT123 Posted August 12, 2017 Share Posted August 12, 2017 A loss here and I think we can wave goodbye to Brucey. We need to fix our away form sharpish if we have any hopes of making the playoffs, let alone automatic promotion. I'd go with: Johnstone Bree Chester Terry Taylor Adomah Whelan Onomah Green O'Hare Hogan 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John Posted August 12, 2017 Share Posted August 12, 2017 Currently fourth from bottom of the league following a home draw and a shocking 3-0 away defeat we now face a trip to Reading on Tuesday evening at 20.00. Reading sit just one place above us on goal difference and this was one of the few away games that we won last season (2-1) despite our opponents eventually making the play-off's. We really need another win if we are to at least to match last season's league results (we lost at Cardiff last season and drew at home against the team that replaced Hull (Newcastle) last season) which really is a minimum requirement. Reading last won at home against us in 2007 and we have won at Reading on each of the four occasions that we have travelled to Reading in league and cup games since then. This will be our 22nd game against Reading. We have lost 3 and won 16 of those so history is at least on our side. I think it is time for Bree/De Laet, Hourihane and possibly even McCormack (if he is still with us by then) to start this one. I have to admit that I am not over confident that we will get anything from this one let alone our customary 85-0 win. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AshVilla Posted August 13, 2017 Share Posted August 13, 2017 Bruce will need a convincing win i'm talking 3 or 4 nil to even start to try and get people back on side. Not going to happen is it, i'm backing another capitulation with Hutton starting at RB again. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sir_gary_cahill Posted August 13, 2017 Share Posted August 13, 2017 11 hours ago, KJT123 said: A loss here and I think we can wave goodbye to Brucey. We need to fix our away form sharpish if we have any hopes of making the playoffs, let alone automatic promotion. I'd go with: Johnstone Bree Chester Terry Taylor Adomah Whelan Onomah Green O'Hare Hogan I'd love to see that team Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AJ Posted August 13, 2017 Share Posted August 13, 2017 What I want to see is us playing to our potential. 50% plus possession, at least 3 nil, shots on target in double figures, and the players besides the kids to show at least a bit of f######g interest. I know I am asking too much. Its not going to happen, is it? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mantis Posted August 13, 2017 Share Posted August 13, 2017 We're away therefore a loss. At best a draw. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jackbauer24 Posted August 13, 2017 Share Posted August 13, 2017 If nothing else Bruce needs to demonstrate that he's willing to make changes and not be full of ego. I'm fed up of hearing the same cr*p coming out of his mouth for nearly a year now - it's away, we need to give a better account of ourselves, we need to show more attacking ability and we need to not be just waiting for Kodjia to come back. If that's all we're waiting for we're doomed anyway - no team gets up on one player alone. Kodjia would just paper over cracks over our style of play and set up. Cardiff tore us to shreds, they were direct, they were quick and they defended high up the field and were organised - we need to know how to break teams down rather than a hopeful punt forward. Personally I'd shake it up. Johnstone Bree Chester Terry Taylor Adomah Hourihane, Onomah, Bjarnason (it's his real position!) Hogan (O'Hare/McCormack/Hepburn-Murphy/Davis; someone looking to make a point) Have the likes of Whelen on the bench to close games up, not stop them ever being open. We can't score goals with the midfield we currently have starting. Whelen and Lansbury won't create or score and slow play down. We need to go the 'we'll score one more than you' route because the sitting back like timid animals until the opposition takes one bite of us and then we get slaughtered approach isn't really working for us! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
troon_villan Posted August 13, 2017 Share Posted August 13, 2017 Why is this on at 8 and not 7 45 if not on the telly? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Demitri_C Posted August 13, 2017 Share Posted August 13, 2017 Bruce's last defeat before he is sacked 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DevonIsAPlaceOnEarth Posted August 13, 2017 Share Posted August 13, 2017 McCormack has to be back in for me. As many have said, another disgraceful performance here would be the end of Bruce. Reading have had an almost equally disappointing start to the season. I think this will be a draw, which in isolation would not have been a bad result, Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PaulC Posted August 13, 2017 Share Posted August 13, 2017 (edited) We will win this. If Bruce doesn't get a reaction from the players after Cardiff then the end is nigh Edited August 13, 2017 by PaulC 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HanoiVillan Posted August 13, 2017 Share Posted August 13, 2017 I would agree with the consensus that a defeat here would leave Bruce in big trouble, and maybe out of a job. We would likely be in the relegation zone and 8 points behind the leaders. This team doesn't have it within them to recover from that. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
villabromsgrove Posted August 13, 2017 Share Posted August 13, 2017 I've given up trying to pick a team for the next game, because the way Bruce will set up the team to play will ignore the strengths of each individual player. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sidcow Posted August 13, 2017 VT Supporter Share Posted August 13, 2017 Can't believe the stupidity of selling Bacuna to them in time for him to play against us! Could they not have delayed it? Do they not know the rule that ex players always score against you? Nailed on for one of those spectacular free kicks which we haven't seen in 4 years. 1 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
8pints Posted August 14, 2017 Share Posted August 14, 2017 (edited) On 8/13/2017 at 17:02, PaulC said: We will win this. If Bruce doesn't get a reaction from the players after Cardiff then the end is nigh That's a good point and something I was thinking about too. Here is a perfect opportunity, where the Cardiff game is still raw, to show what they can do and/or if they can do it. I'd go - Johnstone Bree---Chester---Terry---Taylor Hourihane---Whelan---Onomah Adomah---Hogan---Agbonlahor I'm going to say 4-1 Villa Bacuna bicycle kick But then... Terry header from a corner (hopefully he's okay to play so soon), Hogan tap in from an Onomah through ball, Hourihane free kick and Onomah finishing a 1-2 move with Adomah. Edited August 14, 2017 by 8pints Revised due to current injuries and O'Hare playing for the U23s Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Eastie Posted August 14, 2017 Share Posted August 14, 2017 14 hours ago, troon_villan said: Why is this on at 8 and not 7 45 if not on the telly? Reading always play night games at 8 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Skills Posted August 14, 2017 Share Posted August 14, 2017 Need a reaction from the players at Reading... was a disgraceful performance on Saturday but its all about how we react and if the current staff can pick up the team and get them firing for the next game. If we don't see that, Bruce should be gone within the fortnight Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Grasshopper Posted August 14, 2017 Share Posted August 14, 2017 Maybe it'll be the second installment of "Down-tools till he's gone" from the players. Terry silently waiting in the wings thinking "give me Norwich at home and Bristol away - jobs mine" Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
markavfc40 Posted August 14, 2017 Share Posted August 14, 2017 (edited) I have a feeling Bruce will go defensive in this one and play not to lose. He has already said that we may not be ready to play 2 strikers. I’d imagine Gabby or Hogan will drop out and we will go 4-5-1. Whelan, Lansbury, Hourihane as the middle three with Adomah and Bjarnason as the wide midfielders. We may scrape a draw. Edited August 14, 2017 by markavfc40 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PieFacE Posted August 14, 2017 VT Supporter Share Posted August 14, 2017 8 minutes ago, markavfc40 said: I have a feeling Bruce will go defensive in this one and play not to lose. He has already said that we may not be ready to play 2 strikers. I’d imagine Gabby or Hogan will drop out and we will go 4-5-1. Whelan, Lansbury, Hourihane as the middle three with Adomah and Bjarnason as the wide midfielders. We may scrape a draw. And here-in lies the problem with Bruce. No idea how to play attacking football, so has to rely on turgid football and hope for a scrappy 1-0 win. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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