AvfcRigo82 Posted August 31, 2018 Share Posted August 31, 2018 I am convinced he is still on borrowed time. He's on the verge of losing half if not most of the away fans, half the changing room, he plays players in allsorts of unnatural positions like some experimentation project, the list just gets bigger and bigger and it is only a matter of time before he's gone. Discovering what we have about Adomah and now seeing he was trying to force him out, also loans our center back cover. He's already put the noose round his own neck and it won't be long until it's curtains for him. 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tomaszk Posted August 31, 2018 Share Posted August 31, 2018 3 minutes ago, villa89 said: Well there's enough talent in the squad to get promoted at canter but the fact that Chester is our only competent CB is bizarre. Almost as bizarre as thinking Jedinak could be converted into a centre back. It's going to be very interesting to see how we do this season. Every game could be 3-2. Talent is there to win the league absolutely, I agree. The whole Jed thing is a mess. I think the position switch in itself is understandable. He can't hardly play football, but is immense in the air. But it hasn't worked and he still hasn't even had a game where he's been above average in that position. So for Bruce to persist with it and leave us in this position is seriously remarkable for such an experienced manager with all the resources available. I don't rate Bruce at all but I'm still surprised he's let this happen. Maybe he wanted an excuse in his back pocket Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stevo985 Posted August 31, 2018 VT Supporter Share Posted August 31, 2018 23 minutes ago, vreitti said: So you wouldn't take Baker as squad depth as it stands? Don't get me wrong I don't think he's the next McGrath or anything, as he's barely better than Elphick, but he's well suited to a Bruce team imho, being a no nonsense defender and all. Thus I'd take him back in a heartbeat. I might take him now. But he was sold last summer to make way for Terry. Plus he’s not very good and was the worst hoofer in the team. Just because we’ve got no CBs now doesn’t mean it was a bad idea to sell him back then. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
macandally Posted August 31, 2018 Share Posted August 31, 2018 The whole Adomah fiasco just shows this is not about the team, or the dynamic, Bruce is looking after Bruce and sod the club and the fans. For the second season running Bruce has been gifted a team capable of promotion, pity he is incapable of finishing the job of getting us up. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vive_La_Villa Posted August 31, 2018 Share Posted August 31, 2018 14 minutes ago, NeilS said: Number one rule is to have a solid base, your defence. From the games we have seen so far, our base is shaky as anything I have ever seen at VP. Like you, I am hoping Bruce has an ace up his sleeve as I don’t think we can survive with Jedinak and Chester as our only experienced centre backs until January. Jedinak is not even a natural centre back, and not known for playing a large amount of games. This failure to bring in a CB could be the end of our promotion hopes, and therefore cost Bruce his job. No excuses for Bruce, he has had long enough to get a decent CB in. Which is the whole plan. Am I the only one they can see that he wants out? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Eastie Posted August 31, 2018 Share Posted August 31, 2018 Should Chester pick up a bad injury then we are really screwed at the back - maybe Bruce thinks he can try and get JT again now the window has closed and his argument is strengthened as we need another defender - either way it’s a risk that could lose him his job as I just cannot see jedinak being good enough at the back and elphicks departure leaves us down to the bare bones defensively. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pimlico_Villa Posted August 31, 2018 Share Posted August 31, 2018 Bruce said a couple of weeks ago that we are short in the wide positions, so he brings 2 wide men in. Great. But then why send 2 wide men out on loan (Green and Adomah). Net impact is 0. Completely and utterly clueless. If he had an ounce of self respect, which he hasn't, he'd walk. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NeilS Posted August 31, 2018 Share Posted August 31, 2018 2 minutes ago, Vive_La_Villa said: Which is the whole plan. Am I the only one they can see that he wants out? You maybe right. I guess he would get a nice payoff. But he has often moaned about not being given a chance at a big club, he won’t get a bigger job than this. If you are right, then he maybe has realised he is out of his depth, and maybe with the loss of his parents and the stresses of this last twelve months he can see a way out. He doesn’t strike me as being like that though. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vive_La_Villa Posted August 31, 2018 Share Posted August 31, 2018 3 minutes ago, NeilS said: You maybe right. I guess he would get a nice payoff. But he has often moaned about not being given a chance at a big club, he won’t get a bigger job than this. If you are right, then he maybe has realised he is out of his depth, and maybe with the loss of his parents and the stresses of this last twelve months he can see a way out. He doesn’t strike me as being like that though. In the modern game and the way the contracts are. It doesn’t make you a bad person to rather be sacked than to walk. We are talking millions at stake. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vive_La_Villa Posted August 31, 2018 Share Posted August 31, 2018 5 minutes ago, Pimlico_Villa said: Bruce said a couple of weeks ago that we are short in the wide positions, so he brings 2 wide men in. Great. But then why send 2 wide men out on loan (Green and Adomah). Net impact is 0. Completely and utterly clueless. If he had an ounce of self respect, which he hasn't, he'd walk. Yeah because I’m sure you’d walk and give up a million or two quid because you have so much self respect. I actually have more respect for Bruce sticking around for the sack than some of the self righteous drivel I read on here. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dave J Posted August 31, 2018 Share Posted August 31, 2018 1 hour ago, TRO said: I have not said football hasn't moved on.....but blimey Dave that is quite a profound statement.....of course its moved on....But somethings have been built upon idea's of the past. What I am saying is......many tactical formations have been used in yesteryear football....The magnificent Magyars showed us a style......Rinus Michels introduced " Total Football" how many years ago was that, before Johann Cryuff, gave us his version......Ron Greenwood was a visionary.....Bill Shankly introduced a style that blew Europe away.....Don Revie had his system at Leeds that was domestically awesome. Brian Clough won the coveted prize twice with his Forest Team, that was so intense it was untrue. and dare I say it, Ron Saunders, defeated the great Bayern side with his 4-3-3 and 110 % work rate mantra. They all had ways of playing and more importantly IMV players that could do it. And I would agree that bar one of those managers - they all tried to play the game the right way. note to Steve!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
imavillan Posted August 31, 2018 Share Posted August 31, 2018 18 minutes ago, Stevo985 said: I might take him now. But he was sold last summer to make way for Terry. Plus he’s not very good and was the worst hoofer in the team. Just because we’ve got no CBs now doesn’t mean it was a bad idea to sell him back then. stick my penny worth in to this particular one........Jedinak is on a par with Baker both decent in the air and both liable to screw up without the slightest bit of notice Bruce has said himself, judge him by the next 12 games, particularly now he has made the signings he has made. He has been given the blessing of the board who must have sanctioned the signings so he is not going anywhere too soon. After the 12 games if we are miles off the pace maybe, but certainly not in the next few. I am not his number one fan, far from it, but regardless of it all we have to get behind them and the new lads to give it all a chance. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
briny_ear Posted August 31, 2018 Share Posted August 31, 2018 19 minutes ago, Pimlico_Villa said: Bruce said a couple of weeks ago that we are short in the wide positions, so he brings 2 wide men in. Great. But then why send 2 wide men out on loan (Green and Ado ah). Net impact is 0. Completely and utterly clueless. If he had an ounce of self respect, which he hasn't, he'd walk. . Because they’ve both been shit in their performances this season? Just a hunch. 1 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dave J Posted August 31, 2018 Share Posted August 31, 2018 14 minutes ago, imavillan said: stick my penny worth in to this particular one........Jedinak is on a par with Baker both decent in the air and both liable to screw up without the slightest bit of notice Bruce has said himself, judge him by the next 12 games, particularly now he has made the signings he has made. He has been given the blessing of the board who must have sanctioned the signings so he is not going anywhere too soon. After the 12 games if we are miles off the pace maybe, but certainly not in the next few. I am not his number one fan, far from it, but regardless of it all we have to get behind them and the new lads to give it all a chance. The principle is correct and laudable - the only issue for me is that the next 12 games will be the same as the previous 12 - things won't change - Bruce is Bruce Mr Average Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
briny_ear Posted August 31, 2018 Share Posted August 31, 2018 Quite a bad day I think for those completely unconnected individuals who constantly are asking for Bruce to be sacked. He’s been backed in this window. 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
terrytini Posted August 31, 2018 Share Posted August 31, 2018 8 minutes ago, Dave J said: The principle is correct and laudable - the only issue for me is that the next 12 games will be the same as the previous 12 - things won't change - Bruce is Bruce Mr Average That’d put us on 29 Points from 17 games. That’ll put us right in the mix, as they say. 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
villa89 Posted August 31, 2018 Share Posted August 31, 2018 45 minutes ago, Pimlico_Villa said: Completely and utterly clueless. If he had an ounce of self respect, which he hasn't, he'd walk. Nobody walks away from a million+ pound contract, ever. Also you can be quite certain that Bruce believes he's the best man to get us promoted this season. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sne Posted August 31, 2018 Share Posted August 31, 2018 5 minutes ago, briny_ear said: Quite a bad day I think for those completely unconnected individuals who constantly are asking for Bruce to be sacked. He’s been backed in this window. The end games is for Villa to do well, so the better players we bring in the better our chances are. It's just a shame we didn't manage to fix the defense. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sheepyvillian Posted August 31, 2018 Share Posted August 31, 2018 19 hours ago, A'Villan said: Agreed, I think it's safe to assume longevity and the success he encountered as a player would be the underlying reasons for this. "an honest trier who made the absolute most of limited natural ability" - Ponting, Ivan (2000). Manchester United: The Red Army I think that quote on Bruce as a player is probably applicable to him as a manager as well. While I don't really like to think of him as a dinosaur, he himself does not put himself in the bracket of 'talented' managers saying that he hopes to see more young British managers given a crack at success and eventually obtain the top jobs On numerous occasions, in various interviews, I have read that he has wanted time off from the game and questioned whether he still had it in him. There's something very human about Steve Bruce. I mean he signed and debuted his son in the Premier League I'm pretty confident. The cheeky bugger probably did it out of love more than merit. But that's neither here nor there. The expectation at Sunderland was European football (regardless of likeliness) and Bruce was afforded certain transfers on the condition he obtain that objective. When things got restless he accused the fans of having an agenda against him because he was a Geordie. I liken that to him saying he was only aiming for us to avoid relegation in his first season with us, or bemoaning playing personnel and error for our shortcomings and inability to play a certain way. At Hull he said he liked that the owner never queried his methods or suggested alternate formations or tactics.. Scrutiny and feedback is everywhere in sport and I think Bruce can be a little sensitive or reactionary when he has no issues handing out the fault. "Who would want my job?" he says after Chester's error at Reading. I'll tell you who should first and foremost, Bruce, you! You're the bloody manager. Read an interview with Nuno and it's about vision. Vision of what you can achieve within your given environment. He said he approached the championship like it was the top division because while there may be nuances to the championship it is still professional football and he is committed to winning, something he learned at Valencia and Porto. Read an interview or article on Fulham and Jokanovic and it was all about drills, drills drills to prepare Fulham as best he could. They boasted the highest total passes, highest completion, highest average possession, most accurate short passes, second highest shots on target in the championship. They structured their training to hit quotas and develop skills to obtain these targets. They also were relentless in pressing. What does Bruce do well? Hull kept 18 clean sheets out of their 24 victories in one promotion campaign, and 18 of their 24 victories in their first promotion were by one goal, again showing a tight organised unit. I don't know much about his promotion with Blues other than he spent 20 million pounds back in '07 in the championship. I think convincing owners to let him splash the cash is a trait of his. He left Hull after frustration over transfers. Had Sunderland spend in return for European placing and we all know he hasn't been short on recruitment in his time here. To get back to actual qualities I think he learned to be a winner at Man Utd and that has stuck with him. We all witnessed the influence someone like Terry had at the club. I'd say Bruce while having a different demeanour might have a similar presence. After enduring another one of my long posts I'd like to thank you if you're still with me. I'm of the opinion that Bruce is not quite the dinosaur people label him as. That said, he's at a new club, with new challenges and expectations, so far having failed to deliver. If he wants to establish himself as Aston Villa manager, he needs to find the next few gears this season and challenge himself to play beyond the performances of yesteryear, highlighting our players strengths and exposing our opponents weaknesses. I think 4-4-1-1 is a good formation for the players we have: Elmo - Chester - Tuanzebe/loan - Hutton Bolasie - DM (Hourihane/Thor/Whelan) - McGinn - El Ghazi/Adomah Grealish Kodjia Bruce lost out to two promising managers last season in Nuno and Jokanovic and his rival for the best record in this division in Warnock. This season he is up against Leeds who are led by Bielsa and Hernandez who even at 33 contests Grealish for best AM. Pulis who is no mug with a very strong attack from what I gather. Stoke who have a very strong squad, despite a slow start. West Brom, also with the quality to contest promotion. And the rest is relatively unknown to me, except I expect Derby to be top half. Don't underestimate the Sheff Utd manager, he play's some nice stuff, and I expect them to be a handful this Weekend. I've this sense that all is not well amongst the playing staff, hopefully I'm wrong, but if I'm not, then things could start to go array, very quickly. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sheepyvillian Posted August 31, 2018 Share Posted August 31, 2018 46 minutes ago, Vive_La_Villa said: Yeah because I’m sure you’d walk and give up a million or two quid because you have so much self respect. I actually have more respect for Bruce sticking around for the sack than some of the self righteous drivel I read on here. Ouch ! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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