Villarocker

Right, can someone with more intelligence than I please tell me who will partner Chester if Jedinak gets injured? Even worse, who forms the defence if Chester and Jedinak are out? Bruce's go to plan whenever we take the lead is to defend it. He better change that philosophy and start thinking we need 3 goals per game if we are to gain wins.

I had a feeling we would lose tonight and when I saw the team selection it just made my feeling a lot stronger. Has it crossed anyone's mind that he may have actually wanted to lose that game? I'm not vindicating it or even defending it but it's a possibility that he decided he didn't want us having the distraction of the North v South cup.

Nah, it'll be Jermaine Defoe - at last!

I wouldn't loan him out but I fear that he doesn't Bruce's style, which begs the questions A) Why did he buy him and Did he buy him? I reckon Bruce thinks that he can play either of Bolasie, Adomah, El Ghazi, Hepburn-Murphy or McKirdy there so might as well offload some wages for the rest of the season.

Is Gary Cahill out of favour for Chelsea and England now? If so, would there be any chance of bringing him back on loan for a season, maybe paying half his wages?

Bruce's decision not to bring in a decent centre back to replace Terry is the main reason we are struggling at the back. If he doesn't address that situation this week it's going to ultimately cost us promotion and his job. Bruce has always defended leads, something I used to question until I saw a stat in how many wins we'd had by doing that. However, defending leads is easier with John Terry in the defence, not so easy when it's Mile Jedinak playing instead.

People are in a hurry to drop Elmohamady from right side attack (his natural position) yet he's scored two and had one assist from just five games. He's not been that bad in that position. However, I would expect that an in-form Bolasie would provide more of an attacking threat. Finally looks like we have two wide men who can get to the byline. Like others have said, could be just what Hogan is wishing for.

If we do, Steve Bruce has royally screwed up and should be given his P45 together with a letter explaining the reason for his gross misconduct! It would be football suicide to only have one good centre back on the books.

I thought Chester had a poor end to his first season but was outstanding last season alongside Terry. He made an error or two against Brentford and now this one yesterday. I think Chester was a better player last season because he was playing alongside a great defender. I think he looks a bit jittery this season because he's playing alongside a slow midfielder.

Right now, who could possibly argue with that? Playing something like one new player and look a different quality to us. I'll add one thing though, they looks more youthful side to us so maybe they have more energy to play their pressing game? I could well be proven wrong though!

This has either 4-2 Villa or 2-1 Reading written all over it.

El Ghazi and Elhamady on the same wing = a lot of hell for left backs all season long

He was poor IMO and that's probably why he's only played 11 games since leaving us.

What this keeper needs is someone like John Terry playing in front of him. JT will organise the defence and the keeper and help him settle. He'll also help him cut out the errors.

TRO, Bruce doesn't do the coaching, does he? But, wasn't it him that brought those coaches in? I'm pretty sure they are his choices. Regarding players not being good enough mate; aren't most of them Bruce's players? Keepers, Axel, Elmo, Jedinak, Thor, Hourihane, McGinn, Adomah, are his signings, right? That goes without other players left out that he's signed. The main fact that people are making is that we seem to be continuing with the same performances and mistakes that cost us last season. That is worrying, especially when we've played so-called easier opponents in this league. Right now, performing the way we are, I wouldn't fancy us to beat the likes of Leeds, Forest, Sheffield United, Middlesbrough. We will be found wanting if we play like we are against a bigger and better side. I can understand why people want change. I know it seems a bit fickle given we've had our best start to a season for 56 years but, it's not like we've won 5 or 6 and played decent sides. It's three wins against bang average teams and we've struggled to boot. People want to see that lessons have been learnt and that we've improved from last season but there are no signs of that. I'm not saying he should stay or go -im sitting on the fence right now. It's one of those awkward situations where both sides of the argument are justified but, it is difficult to defend Bruce when the coaches are his, most of the players are his, he makes the same mistakes and nothing seems to have improved in terms of performance.

It's his responsibility to get us to beat 10 men. How many games against 10 players does he need to teach them? Well, it's not him to be fair, it's the coaching staff. Do we need new coaches?

I'm not sure what to make of today. I bet on a draw in the end simply because I realised I would otherwise backing Villa to win their first 4 games of the season, which is rare. We have to win that game today, especially when playing over half a game against 10 men. However, they were always going to shut up shop and that's when my hopes died because we rarely look able to break through that kind of defence. I don't know if it's Bruce or the coaching staff but I don't see enough to make me think we will automatically go up this season.

Got a feeling that McGinn is going to score at least one tomorrow. I'm going for a Villa win 2-1 with McGinn scoring first.

It was his debut so can't judge him overall but, for me, he didn't do well last night. Yes he had a clean sheet but he should have conceded as that was a goal, the ref made a huge mistake. Axel bailed the keeper out on the 1v1 and the time he went charging out of his area was just crazy. Some of his kicking was poor too. For me, that wasn't a great way to start your career at a new club. However, it could have been first game nerves and he could turn out to be great.

He was shocking. That run forward to try and play the guy offside, when he went through for the 1v1 with our keeper, was abysmal. He looks like he's regressed back to his worst following a few tidy appearances last season.

So relieved to hear Bruce say he's looking at bringing one or two more players in. That defensive unit tonight, keeper included, was terrifying to watch. He needs to sign two centre backs and a left back as a matter of priority.

I'm sure Bruce said that the keeper had a great debut. That penalty was awful and, for me, didn't rescue what looked like a very nervous debut. But, onwards and upwards.

That's a shame, would surely have had another chance to shine tonight.

Where's O'Hare these days? Not involved at any level in the most recent games so I'm guessing he's either injured or out on loan?

Mate, that high pressing game may come back to haunt Leeds later in the 46 game season - I certainly hope so. But, Wolves largely played the team team last season and they sustained it. Can't argue with the results but I think we all agree that the performances aren't good enough and will be punished by better sides.