Villarocker

Oh well, at least tomorrow night we get to go again

Like others have said, how can our players, across multiple managers and changing of staff, be so unfit? How can that possibly be? Also, as others have mentioned, at times this season we have finished the better team. I don't think that the players are physically unfit. I think our club as a whole lacks a mental toughness. I think we need someone in to toughen up the place in a mental way.

I like what Bruce said about the game on the OS. Thought it was good of him to highlight the problems and question the fitness of the players.

We look lethargic as a team and lacking confidence. Teams like that are always relegation threatened. Bruce's priority should be to keep us in the Championship this season because we look like relegation candidates right now.

He's a good player but that not passing to the wide man in the second half was f***king criminal

I said it all season, the players, McCormack apart, show no signs of urgency throughout games. They stroll along like a bunch of Billy big bollocks' and the opposing team have as much time as they like to do whatever it is they like. We need to be a lot more physical as a team and to be that Bruce will need to sign players because the current bunch don't have it in them.

We need Bruce to strike gold because the midfield and defence needs serious help. By January, I also reckon we'll be looking for a new goalkeeper. Not based on today's game but others and because I also think he'll cost us more goals along the way.

Agree with others, lock this thread. Bruce's main priority should be to keep us in this league and not worry himself with promotion.

If indeed is favoured formation at home is 3-5-2 I reckon he might start with something like this: -------------------------------Gollini----------------------------- ----------------Elphick----Chester---Baker-------------------- Bacuna--Jedinak-McCormack--Tshibola--Amavi ----------------------Ayew----Kodjia--------------- Possibly swapping McCormack and Ayew around?

I wonder what the reactions will be like in this thread at 7:30 tomorrow night. Imagine a 1-2 loss? Lots of flak I would guess. A 3-0 win and loads of people tipping us for automatic promotion

Out of respect for the man I really do think "King Edwards Claret & Blue Army" should be belted out. 1) It would show that we have a sense of humour. 2) It would show him that we remember the Bruce of old but now see him in a new light. 3) Fans around the country would wonder what the f*** we are singing about

I'm really surprised Richard. I didn't realise you even had a heart!

Has Dr Xia owned Villa for 6 months already? Wow, time flies! Why has he been naïve in the transfer market? He bankrolled the signings of two of the top goalscorers in this division, last season. He spent a load of money, more so than most Championship sides have done on their whole squads. That's good business even if he had to pay over-inflated prices for some of them. But hey, it's his money so he's welcome to do so. If, by naïve, you mean lack of signings in certain areas well, that's not down to him, is it? That is down to the previous manager and probably the reason he is no longer our manager. Should Dr Xia have intervened in what the previous manager was wanting in terms of player? No he shouldn't! I don't mind his twittering, it is quite informative and amusing.

We all need to move on Richard. It's done now and only time will tell whether it was right or not. He wasn't my idea of the right man but, without doubt, his CV says that he probably should be. We need a new manager and one that has history of getting out of this league is not one to be sniffed out, especially when he has done it so many times. I know he struggles in the Premier League but we can worry about that when (if) he gets us there. Steve Bruce is here now and whether we like it or not we might as well try to start being positive about it and try to create a better atmosphere around the place. We can all say "we told you so" IF it all goes pear-shaped. Until then, I think that we all need to put personal feelings aside and support the man because he will only want the same as us - to get Villa back into the Premier League.

If we could change our midfield right now then of course the play offs should be within reach. But, as we stand now, and after what we've shown so far, I think it'll be too big an ask after January.

I think Steve Bruce is another manager in the Martin O'Neil/Paul Lambert mould and that concerns me when I think about where the club wants to go but, as many have said, he is probably (CV would back this up) the right man for us at the moment. As long as his transfer dealings are watched over closely by those above, and he doesn't lumber us with hefty wage bills and dud signings, I think that he will get us back to the Premier League. However, he is not a magician and he would need to be to get our midfield working. Therefore, let's please all be aware of this and give the man enough time to do his job. He won't (realistically) be able to change that midfield until January so let's give him chance to do that before making any harsh criticism - IF things aren't going greatly. If we don't get promoted this season I don't think people should automatically blame Steve Bruce, which is what I fear will happen. As long as we improve and look a much better, winning side going into next season I will be happy with that.

"Believe we've made the best try" says to me "We've tried to get better but been left with the best we can get for where we're at". Welcome to Brucie if it's him. Let's give him our support and try to turn things around. We won't manage it divided!

That was the sicko that is Ian Watkins.

Was he pissed when he wrote that? He didn't even spell Wembley correctly! Blasphemous for a British pro, that.

So that he doesn't think we have been insulting him all these years, I think it is only fair that we sing "Potato head's claret and blue army" so to not define the use of "potato head" as being a term of insult against him

So Diame got more last season than Westwood probably had throughout his Villa career. As others have said, whoever we get in, until they can sort that midfield out (January?) we will never be any good.

Would be interesting to know how many goals Huddlestone, Livermore and Diame chipped in with. Would our three match that?

I agree but others might now.

I'm going for a gamble here. I reckon they're looking at Moyes. Had Round working alongside him at Everton. Wyness was above him at boardroom level and, didn't Phil Neville both play for him at Everton and work alongside him as a coach at Man Utd? I know that's a bit mental at this stage but Moyes might look at Sunderland going in only one direction and maybe he would think (if wanted and approached of course) that Villa will be a long term project that he can stuck into, with the knowledge of funding when back in the PL? All supposition but wouldn't be beyond the realms of the impossible when you look at who we have here with a connection already.

I'll say this about Steve Bruce, he got some good performances out of average players. I mean, N'Zogbia was a good player for him and so was Heskey iirc. He should also be able to make that defence look more solid too.