Villarocker

I don't care whether Bruce stays or goes - seriously. I understand that we would have looked like a good side tonight but against what? Their team was ripped apart defensively and we managed to score two goals from mistakes and hardly created any clear cut chances ourselves. I just wish the shackles could be taken off and allow the players to express more freedom. Had we done that tonight we could have gone on to win by 4 or 5 but it just seems like the first instinct is to be defensive. They clearly should have had a penalty and, had they score it, we may have seen a different result tonight. Had that happened, maybe the comments in the Bruce thread wouldn't have been so favourable tonight!

I doubt we would have beaten a full strength Preston tonight. The first goal was just ridiculous defending although, it was a good header from Chester. The second goal was a sloppy pass from their player but, to be fair, the three Villa players involved did well to end the mistake with a goal. They should have had a penalty and, if it wasn't for a few last ditch tackles from our defenders, they would have had a few more chances to score. I hoped the two goals would mean the shackles would come off but they didn't and it wasn't the easiest of games to watch second half because there was always this nagging doubt that someone would slip up, Preston would score and, go on to at least snatch a point. We need to be more decisive and more attacking. It's ok keeping it shut like that when gifted two goals but what will we do when we go in against a team that had a solid defence? If Bruce lacks confidence in the players' ability to keep it tight at the back well, that's his and the board's fault for buying those players.

That's what playing behind that central defensive pairing can do. If Terry, Chester, or both, are out we might see Johnstone be a whole lot busier. But, in far more confident about him now than I was last season.

Should have dropped Onomah for O'Hare tonight and played Taylor at left back. To not have O'Hare on the bench at least is very questionable considering Thor is on there! Hutton is terrible at left back, just ask Isaac Vassell who now faces months out through a cruciate injury due to Hutton being unable to make a left footed challenge. Taylor should be back in! Like others have said - struggle tonight, and fail to win, and things will turn a bit ugly later.

I said the other day that we were - prior to the weekend's games - only 2 points above the position that we ended up in last season. It's ok people thinking we are doing well because we won 5 out of 6 etc but the hard truth is that start to the season left us sat on the grid whilst our rivals shot off into the distance. This team needs to win, win and win again and carry on with that mentality because, if they don't, they will still be in this league next season. It all relies upon our manager growing a pair and stop with the negativity!

That's the lottery part right there - will Bruce let the players off the leash or just play 6-3-1?

My heart wouldn't take that! It would be bad enough watching Villa play 3 play off matches but to throw 2 penalty shootouts into the mix is just f***ing cruel!

Guess it's not a pedigree then, at that price?

When Kodjia plays we almost always have a chance of a goal. Davis is a good player to lead the line, rough up the defenders and bring others into play but, is he a real goal threat? Hogan might play off him as suggested but I am not so sure about that working or the real will of Bruce to play a 4-4-2 formation that would be needed to give that a chance of working. Even then, Hogan isn't one for creating something out of nothing, like Kodjia does. I think that, if JK is out for 5 or 6 games, we will be wishing him back far quicker than some people realise.

If the reports are true that Preston will have makeshift centre backs playing, Bruce surely has to go for the jugular and play Davis and either Kodjia or Hogan up front to keep their pairing busy? If he goes negative again, and it costs us the three points, he should be publicly flogged in Chamberlain Square!

I saw a lot of things I didn't like yesterday: Hutton at left back - why didn't Bruce get cover for Taylor in the summer? Hourihane playing deeper that he should be - one of our leading scorers needs to be further forward. Whelan picking up N'Doye at set pieces - why did that not change before half time? Onomah playing poorly and not subbed - surely should have gone off for Davis with Kodjia being switched to the left? Hogan playing left wing - wtf? I would also ask why Bjarnasson was on the bench? Surely to cover the left side if needed but, when someone was needed there, Bruce chose Hogan instead. De Laet was surely cover for both full back positions so if cover for the left side was needed but Bjarnasson not fancied, why not put Grealish or O'Hare on the bench? I saw a lot of things yesterday that were wrong and must be attributed to Bruce. He needs to stop worrying about nullifying our opponents because by doing so he is nullifying his own players!

What a shit player he is!

He did hold on to it more than he should but, so did Onomah. However, where Onomah looked impotent and should have been taken off, Kodjia ran his heart out and did try to create goalscoring opportunities.

JK's influence is more than people think. Are people seriously doubting the fans t we'd have faced a relegation battle withouthis goals last season?

Sorry but, I don't get this criticism of Kodjia. The guy is fantastic and works his socks off mostly ploughing a lone furrow up front and creating his own chances/goals. Today, he almost scored out of nothing and yet he gets criticised for his play? We need to appreciate him more because he is the most skilful forward I've seen since Benteke and is borderline Dwight Yorke.

I'll tell you where I'm at: Bruce should concentrate more on what our attackers can do than the opponents'.

Onomah should not have stayed on that pitch! Managers decision to allow that!

I think Trentvilla is just in despair at what he sees week in week out, to be fair. I can sympathise with his sentiments.

That's what I see happening too!

Playing shit against Jota. He keeps showing him inside, maybe on to HIS stronger right foot, to make a challenge but, he needs to show him wide and down the line, where he can be less effective.

Two changes need to be made. Davis for Onomah with Kodjia dropping in to the space behind Davis. Davis is the physical presence needed up top to hold it up and he can lay it off to Kodjia to have shots at goal. Jedinak for Whelan - Whelan is marking N'Doye at every set-piece and it's just a matter of time before Whelan gets out-jumped for a goal. N'Doye is a brute so we need someone in there who can compete with him physically and Jedinak is the only one on the bench that can do that. Hutton needs to stop showing Jota inside and make him go down the line on to his weaker foot - if he doesn't, it's just a matter of time before he scored or has one parried out to an in-rushing forward. Apart from the above, we simply need to compete faster and stronger. They are shit and lack any quality other than Jota. They are simply out-battling us and coming out of challenges with the ball.

It's so easy to get carried away right now but, the truth is, we are only a couple of points above the place we finished in last season. That's the pessimism out of the way! Come on Villa, don't mess it up tomorrow! Win at all costs, the faithful will go wild, and we will be up to 4th and homing in on an automatic promotion place. Seeing the name Aston Villa at the top will frighten the shit out of the rest of the teams in the league!

I don't think it will be as bad as everybody thinks. Huddersfield didn't spend loads of dough and neither did Brighton. I know the likes of Leeds, Forest and Sheff Weds went down and struggled but that doesnt necessarily mean it will happen to us. You mention teams in the Championship being accustomed to being there and we aren't. We are Aston Villa Football Club - they aren't! We will still remain a big catch for all footballers willing to play at that level.

I don't think anyone will disagree that the stats for our last 10 games make good reading. What we need now is to see that run continue and not turn into what happened last season where we hardly won a game for quite some time. But, to be fair, that was after the January transfer window, so a lot of disruption there, plus, Kodjia was away. This time, we can avoid that and the run has started earlier, so maybe we can expect to keep this up and only lose the odd game in 6 or 7. At the end of the season, as long as we are promoted, nobody will give a toss about how we managed to do it and what style of football we played.

I support Reading too, and Riting and Rithmatic!