Stevo985 Posted August 7, 2018 VT Supporter Share Posted August 7, 2018 (edited) 22 minutes ago, eholm said: I think any younger signings will be due to his instructions from above as he has alluded to regarding the block on attempts to resign Terry and Snodgrass. That's a cop out to fit your argument, to be brutally honest. What about Tuanzebe (last season), Bree, Johnstone, Hogan, Hourihane or Onomah? They're all young signings made under Bruce. Do they count? Even Lansbury was only 25 ( I think) when we signed him. About half of Bruce's signings have been "young" players. Edited August 7, 2018 by Stevo985 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Popular Post bannedfromHandV Posted August 7, 2018 Popular Post Share Posted August 7, 2018 8 minutes ago, eholm said: I think any younger signings will be due to his instructions from above as he has alluded to regarding the block on attempts to resign Terry and Snodgrass. We will see if this season he gets on board with a philosophy that is not a natural fit for him. Time will tell, I guess... Ah, it's the old anything that turns out well is luck or someone else's work and anything that turns out shit is Bruce's fault game 5 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Folski Posted August 7, 2018 Share Posted August 7, 2018 I thought last nights performance was brutal to be honest, Hull unlucky not to score 3. We never looked like creating something of means bar sloppy mistakes from Hull. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mole86 Posted August 7, 2018 Share Posted August 7, 2018 He signed Bowen for Hull when he was 18, Andrew Robertson was only 20 when he signed him and Harry Maguire was 21. Obviously Hull gave him different instructions from above Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bannedfromHandV Posted August 7, 2018 Share Posted August 7, 2018 2 minutes ago, mole86 said: He signed Bowen for Hull when he was 18, Andrew Robertson was only 20 when he signed him and Harry Maguire was 21. Obviously Hull gave him different instructions from above No no no it's all lies, FAKE NEWS! Maguire was in fact 43 when SB signed him, Robertson and Bowen were 32, the fact that they're all younger now is one of lifes true mysteries. Cos y'know, Bruce only signs geriatrics so that he can play Sudoko with them in the canteen at lunch. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Popular Post lapal_fan Posted August 7, 2018 Popular Post Share Posted August 7, 2018 Said last season when we played Hull first home game last season that we should go for Bowen, he's a good player and I think he has a few levels up in him. I'm not going to moan about winning 3-1 away from home against a "tricky" team. His subs were spot on, 65th minute I think? Plenty of time to do something in the game and I think RHM looked very dangerous when he came on - He ran the channels, got the ball down and looked to run at them. I'm gonna give Kodjia another chance, but he struggled last night - although he was a bit isolated, even when he had support he failed to use them. Tunnel vision is a shitty thing to have when you're playing football. I thought Whelan had a good game, broke up attacked and at one point ran from CM to almost LB in order to push Taylor up the pitch (he was pointing and talking to Taylor about it). Could we have played better throughout the game? Probably, but we scored 3 away from home in the first game of the season. Plenty more positives to take away then negatives, although reading some of the posts on here, you wouldn't think so. Green looked good when he came on. Adomoah looked like he did at the end of last season, out of ideas. Gotta give him a few games, but if that form continues, he's gotta be benched. A few new players to spruce the place up and we're looking good I reckon. 7 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
briny_ear Posted August 7, 2018 Share Posted August 7, 2018 (edited) 1 hour ago, Folski said: I thought last nights performance was brutal to be honest, Hull unlucky not to score 3. We never looked like creating something of means bar sloppy mistakes from Hull. Yes, the “bad luck” of not being able to get the ball in the net two more times must have been really galling for them. Edited August 7, 2018 by briny_ear Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
briny_ear Posted August 7, 2018 Share Posted August 7, 2018 3 hours ago, eholm said: Bruce commnet after the game "“I just went for a bit of experience and know-how in the first game of the season". Rinse and repeat! He will say he wants to make the team a lot younger but it's in his DNA to default back to 'experience'......leopard and spots... Mmmm... mixing youth and experience. I agree that’s a crazy strategy that will never catch on in the rest of the footballing world. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
eholm Posted August 7, 2018 Share Posted August 7, 2018 1 hour ago, Stevo985 said: That's a cop out to fit your argument, to be brutally honest. What about Tuanzebe (last season), Bree, Johnstone, Hogan, Hourihane or Onomah? They're all young signings made under Bruce. Do they count? Even Lansbury was only 25 ( I think) when we signed him. About half of Bruce's signings have been "young" players. Fair points. However, there is no denying that Bruce has an inbuilt propensity to play the older, more experienced option in the majority of cases. I guess we will have to agree to disagree on this. Bruce did allude to this recently when he said that his team last season was 'too old' and he would need to 'freshen it up with younger players' (his words not mine). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
eholm Posted August 7, 2018 Share Posted August 7, 2018 3 minutes ago, briny_ear said: Mmmm... mixing youth and experience. I agree that’s a crazy strategy that will never catch on in the rest of the footballing world. Apart from Steer where was the 'mix' in the starting XI last night? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
briny_ear Posted August 7, 2018 Share Posted August 7, 2018 9 minutes ago, eholm said: Apart from Steer where was the 'mix' in the starting XI last night? Grealish aged 22? The one Bruce was “planning to build the team round” last season? And he brought Green and RHM on and gave them a good run. Got a feeling you’ll be seeing more of them, and Tuanzebe who we’ve just re-hired. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NIVillan Posted August 7, 2018 Share Posted August 7, 2018 Last night we had a few players who were fringe players who didnt play much last year and they did look rusty and a little out of sync and trying too hard at times. Team looked disjointed at times, and partially due to the players who have left leaving big shoes personality/leadership wise as well as playing skills. Steer looked like Johnston when he first joined, not commanding his defense but not total disaster as I was fearing after pre-season. Might be a bit bumpy to begin with, but hell first half of last season we wasnt great either and came close to pormotion. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AntrimBlack Posted August 7, 2018 Share Posted August 7, 2018 3 hours ago, Stevo985 said: I'm not sure it's a totally justified criticism to be perfectly honest. But regardless I think we'll see them get more game time. RHM has a real chance to stake a claim with Kodjia underperforming. And I think the intention is Green to be first choice. Bruce played him plenty before his injury so I think he's the long term plan. If he truly wants younger and faster, he must surely start RHM over Kodjia. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stevo985 Posted August 7, 2018 VT Supporter Share Posted August 7, 2018 1 hour ago, AntrimBlack said: If he truly wants younger and faster, he must surely start RHM over Kodjia. Yep I can see that happening soon. If Kodjia is at his best you can't really leave him out, so I can see why he's being given the chance at the moment. But he looks far from his best, and RHM looks hungry. If it carries on this way can certainly see RHM getting the nod. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stevo985 Posted August 7, 2018 VT Supporter Share Posted August 7, 2018 1 hour ago, eholm said: Fair points. However, there is no denying that Bruce has an inbuilt propensity to play the older, more experienced option in the majority of cases. I guess we will have to agree to disagree on this. Bruce did allude to this recently when he said that his team last season was 'too old' and he would need to 'freshen it up with younger players' (his words not mine). Yep, as I said he does lean towards experience, no argument there. My point was that the point is vastly exaggerated by many. Bruce DOES sign young players, and he DOES play young players. Maybe not as much as some people would like, but for example your statement that signing young players must be an instruction from above because Bruce wouldn't do that is just hyperbole. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Villarocker Posted August 7, 2018 Share Posted August 7, 2018 Bruce has said post-match that we cannot continue to play that way because we lacked intensity. I watched players playing passes last night that lacked confidence, almost like they were scared to do something wrong. Taylor just hoofs it down the line, it's his go-to pass when confronted by an opposing player. He clearly isn't good enough for where we want to be which leads to the question; why have him in the first place? Elphick had passes out wide to either Hutton or Elmo on many occasion and just turned back and played it square to Chester - that's not good enough. It's like he lacks bravery on the ball and again, that's not good enough. Whelan played a lot of square balls last night although, to be fair to him, he did play a few good passes forward too. He is another who lacks the intensity of play we need in midfield and should be moved out of that starting line-up. I have no problem with us playing a holding midfielder but we just need one who is more dynamic and with a bit more muscle maybe, to better screen the back four. Bruce has the chance to do something about this now and let's hope that the board find a way of backing him to make the changes happen - hopefully without having to sacrifice our best player. 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
eholm Posted August 7, 2018 Share Posted August 7, 2018 Not hyperbole, just my opinion. We are not going to agree on this and it would be boring if we all agreed on everything Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sne Posted August 7, 2018 Share Posted August 7, 2018 Thought it was pretty funny that ex Villa product Eric Lichaj played more like a Villa defender than any of ours did. Shaky under pressure, hoofing the ball aimlessly at first chance headless chicken and poor positioniong. Very much the Villa school of defending and build up play Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stevo985 Posted August 7, 2018 VT Supporter Share Posted August 7, 2018 13 minutes ago, eholm said: Not hyperbole, just my opinion. We are not going to agree on this and it would be boring if we all agreed on everything Well I mean it's demonstrably untrue, which makes it hyperbole in my book. But yes we're not going to agree so let's leave it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
imavillan Posted August 7, 2018 Share Posted August 7, 2018 26 minutes ago, villarocker said: Bruce has said post-match that we cannot continue to play that way because we lacked intensity. I watched players playing passes last night that lacked confidence, almost like they were scared to do something wrong. Bruce has the chance to do something about this now and let's hope that the board find a way of backing him to make the changes happen - hopefully without having to sacrifice our best player. Hold on to what he said and see if we are playing with more intensity/pace/purpose/high tempo come the end of Sept/Oct/Nov. It would be nice to see but I have my doubts given his previous history. It will be very interesting. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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