Villarocker

I think you're right and I think he will probably end up a the highest club in Europe - Tromso. That's probably about his standard.

If Bacuna being picked is down to other midfielders not having any pace then surely Bruce has questions to answer? Did he or our scouts not see enough of Hourihane and Lansbury to realise they are no speedsters? If he wanted energy in the middle of the park he should have only bought one of those two and invested the remaining cash on someone with pace because Bacuna surely couldn't have shown anything to justify staying here?

Hull's defence played like strangers first half. Not surprising given the fact they had lost 4 of their back 5 this summer. On the contrary, we'd changed only 1 of our back 5 and brought in a player who is undoubtedly the best centre back playing in this league. I said to my Dad at half time that - if they can sort themselves out at the back - Hull are going to make us regret not scoring more in that first half. It was a typical, predictable Villa. Nothing new and any other team watching that will know what to do to us, just like last season. Bruce baffled me on Saturday and seemed to have been out-smarted by a man new to the English game, which is worrying. I don't think we've worked on the areas that needed improving, in the summer, and last season's problems will still be faced. I really hope I'm wrong because this cycle of changing the Manager every season isn't good. I just fear Bruce isn't up to the task.

Gabby scored and people are saying he did nothing for 60 minutes. If Green had played from the start would he have been in the same positions for the chances - who knows? Either way, it was Bruce's decision to pick that team and, by all accounts from the Watford game, Gabby looked a sure started anyway. So, I don't blame Bruce for starting him. What I do question is why sign Hourihane and Onomah but leave them out for Bacuna? Why sign Bree, look like your offloading Hutton and then, play Hutton ahead of Bree? What will Hogan make of being subbed for a player that plays centre back and who only recently earned himself a deal? Bruce made some strange decisions on Saturday and for me it appears that he doesn't really know what he is doing. Like I said before, I think he will be going within 8 games. I don't think Tony Xia will afford him the start to the season that Di Matteo had last season.

All he needs to do is be second best to Kodjia and he's guaranteed a place. Did better than Hogan today.

A foreign manager new to English football, with a much more changed team, managed to pull off a 1-1 draw today. They had something like 9 chances in a row to score. I wish I was as optimistic but I'm a realist.

Same old Villa, for me. A 1-1 draw was just so predictable. I'd sack him tomorrow if there was a more attack minded replacement lined up.

Hogan & Bacuna off. Green on the left, Gabby down the middle and Hourihane in midfield.

Can you tell I've had a few beers?

Analysis so far: Gabby looks fit and interested. Bacuna looks the same as usual. Defence looks uninpenetrable. Elmohamady can cross and looks good. Referee looks like what we have become accustomed to - shit!

Can see a 1-1 at best and 1-2 at worst

How the fook does Bacuna start ahead of Green? If it's a 451 with Hogan up front, Gabby left side attack and Elmo right with Lansbury behind Hogan and Bacuna alongside Whelan - why not have Hourihane alongside Whelan. No formation should allow for Bacuna being in that starting line-up.

That tweet from Josh is beautiful. I really hope this lad lives up to expectations.

This is basically where I am at with the manager. I neither like or dislike him well, in fact, I am probably more prone to liking him to be fair but, I just don't see anything from us that makes me think he is the man to take us up. The area of the pitch that concerned me was the final third where we practically looked clueless last season unless Kodjia played. Right now, I am fearing any games that he misses. Only time will tell if Bruce and his coaches have managed to address that in pre-season and, with Kodjia missing still, we will soon find out if they have succeeded.

Mate, I hear what you are saying with regards to Bruce attracting these players to the club but is it really that much of an achievement to get them here? Terry wanted to play outside of the Premier League and how many other Championship clubs would have been able to pay him the kind of wages he will be earning plus, have the prestige that we have? Did Whelan have many PL suitors for him? Even if there was other clubs after him he would have been on decent money at Stoke so maybe any PL clubs after him didn't fancy paying that kind of wage and we did? Elmohamady probably wasn't so well sought after and he has worked with Bruce before and obviously has a rapport with him so that's no big surprise either. Even if Bruce did do great in attracting those players to the club, I can remember how Veretout was asking "who are Leicester City?" when he came to us and look at the difference between us and them that season! Just because these players have chosen us it doesn't necessarily mean we are going to be a better football club on the pitch. That's not me knocking the players or Bruce for signing them, it's just me stating the obvious that those players might turn out to be bad as much as they could be good - time will tell. I guess I just would have been much happier had we changed a couple of coaches or maybe brought in attacking players that could create chances because last season showed how badly we lacked creativity in the final third and I am not sure that we have addressed that this summer. But, the window isn't shut yet and that could still change. For now, I have seen nothing to make me think that we won't see the season start off with another 0-0 or 1-1 draw.

You can't build a system around one player anyway so that simply won't wash with the Villa faithful. We have plenty of players for all areas and he simply needs to get the best out of whoever plays where - no excuses this time.

Then we can sing that age old classic - Xia, Ho, Round and Silva everywhere we go now baby

He could score 30 goals this season and I still wouldn't want us to offer him a new deal because you simply cannot trust he will score another goal for the whole of any new deal.

This makes me think that Bruce is trying to find a way to fit both Jedinak and Whelan into the team. I was thinking he would switch to 3 centre backs with Baker left side. I'm now thinking it will be Terry left side and Samba or Jedinak in the middle. I'm really not sure we've done the right thing here and worry what will happen if Terry or Chester are out for any given time.

Cant understand this given Terry and Samba's recent playing records.

You need around 2 points per game to get top two in this league so anything less than 12 points from the first 6 games will have me fearing the worst.

Can't wait to see the back of Hutton, together with Bacuna, Richards, Bunn, Cissokho and Gabby. I think they have all been poor for the last few seasons and their lack of quality contributed massively to our relegation. Veretout, Amavi and Gil could (should) be able to do a decent enough job at this level so wouldn't mind them staying although it appears all three will go or be gone as soon as possible.

I don't think we will leave it at this with regards player recruitment. We will have played a handful of games before the window shuts and if we are not firing on all cylinders I can see Dr Xia pushing for the required players to be brought.

Or better still, the Katie Price Pleasure Dome - for tired and ageing tw*ts that have been around a bit!

I hear what you're saying mate but I'm still not convinced that the new players are going to make that much difference. For instance, surely Whelan and Jedinak will perform the same role so it's one or the other. I can't see Elmohamady playing ahead of Adomah or Brew so he will only be a cover or instead of one of them. Terry will play at the back. So, I struggle to see what difference these new guys will make to free-up our offensive players. I hope you're right and I'm wrong though.