A warm New Year’s greeting to all prior to the first game of 2017, a year in which we hope to see Villa return to the top-flight! And there’s every chance we can reach the play-offs: I do not see it being that difficult to achieve that part. The biggest challenge in my view will be to beat the other teams in the play-offs. But let’s take it one step at a time.

Well, right now we have another War-nock game to face, and we probably remember the clattering that Jack got just a few weeks ago in the corresponding fixture at Villa Park, a 3-1 win for Villa. On their patch it will be more difficult despite Cardiff’s lowly league position: Cardiff have won 45%, drawn 20% and lost 35% of their last 20 home games, but in their last 20 home games against teams positioned in the top half of the table, it would seem that Cardiff have won 9, drawn 8 and lost 3 of these matches.

So this match is no pushover, especially as pretty well every team in the Championship other than Newcastle sees a match against Villa as their Cup Final opportunity, and Villa are not aided by the fact that Kodjia may not be available for this match. But as he will be away for the best part of a month anyway we might as well get used to the fact that we have to do without him for now. And he without us as he lies in wait to grab his tenth goal of the season for Villa.

While Kodjia and Ayew are away, and with Gestede apparently on his way out, I would hazard a guess that we’ll see McCormack and Gabby as being the main hopes as strikers with RHM on the bench, though we well know that Gabby’s ability to score has been pretty well absent this past couple of years. But Mac might at last come awake to put a few in the net, following his lively half-match display against Leeds. In these upcoming matches I would hope he will be better aided and abetted by Jack, who will have more responsibility placed on his shoulders to make up for the absentees. And in Adomah, Bacuna and Amavi dare I hope that our forwards might get some decent wing service? I really love Adomah’s play: he is not the world’s best, but he has offered a degree of trickiness and tenacity that has been long missing on Villa’s flanks, and has translated that good work into assists for his team-mates. And, going forward, Amavi often offers thrust as well. In fact, due to his defensive weaknesses, I feel he’d provide the drive we’ve lacked in midfield or (perhaps better) specifically the left-wing slot! The question is, who would you then put at left-back!

This is certainly not going to be an easy month, with the next league match being played at a slightly resurgent Wolves, but followed by home games against PNE and Bristol City, both of whom beat us on their pitch. If we can get 7 points from those 3 matches with the players we have currently available, I’d think we’ll be doing well.

But first things first as we now face matches in the Welsh and English capital cities. Firstly we have the match at Cardiff, followed by a chance to remind ourselves about Premier League life when we visit Spurs this coming week-end in the FA Cup. Well, it’s just a chance for a day out in London, isn’t it? We surely don’t expect to beat Spurs … do we?!

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John Lerwill
I'm a Villan of more than 60 years standing and an occasional writer on Villa history. For me there is only one football club worth supporting, but I am now wondering whether I will again see anything like the pageant that was paraded under Ron Saunders or even that by Big Ron and Brian Little. My glass, however, is always half-full! Click here for my Villa website.

Comments 522

  3. r0bb0

    I hope we have a strong referee for tomorrow’s game. Warnock’s cheating bully boys were allowed to get away with it for far too long at Villa park. I wouldn’t say the ref was biased, he was just weak. There seems to be a tendency to let games flow a bit more in the championship but a manager like Warnock seeks to exploit this by encouraging his players to kick and wrestle opponents and an inexperienced or weak referee risks losing control of a game and finally having to over-react.

  4. r0bb0

    Just read a comment from Warnock that he was ‘disappointed’ by Pwltier’s sending off in the last game.
    Says it all really.
    He should have been grateful that the dirty ******* hadn’t been sent off half an hour earlier.

  7. John Lerwill

    I’ve seen no news about Kodjia staying on for tomorrow, Andrew … quite the reverse in fact according to various media reports.

    But let’s hope you’re right…

  8. Trinity

    The Cardiff game will be an interesting one. Having won 3-1 against them already, Villa start with an edge in confidence. If Kodija isn’t playing, I look forward to seeing how McCormack does. I think he’s the type of bloke that can shoulder a bit of responsibility, so I expect him to do well in coming weeks. Gabby will feature more. I don’t expect too much from him to be honest, so if he were to do well, and let’s hope he does, it would be like an extra.
    I agree concerning Amavi, but as you say, who would play left-back?
    The Cardiff match will tell us a lot about Villa.

  9. John Lerwill

    Agreed with your comment, Iana.

    The problem over the next few weeks is if Mac or even Gabby gets injured then we (as things stand) will only have RHM available to stand in … which won’t be a bad thing. Problem would then be who sits on the bench in place of RHM! 🙁

    I hope SB has thought of that…

  14. James Gill

    mark k
    2017 looks like been worse footballing wise than 2016
    if we don t have a good week transfer wise we are going to be in fizzy pop league for long term

  19. James Gill

    3 on target in entire match
    this is not good enough from bruce
    hutton chester bacuna adoamh mccormak full internationals
    baker amavi gardner grealish all established under 21 internationals

  27. Mark King

    I’m listening to it john and cardiff had one cleard off the line and a save by bunn from very good chances, WM radio are saying Cardiff have dominated and should be 3-0 up

  30. Heroes-and-Villans

    Any surprises with gg and westy running the show though?

    No jedi no mid

    No kodgia no attack?

    Jack needs to get on and demand the ball and play through him. Come on villa.

    Positives we are only one down

  34. Mark King

    commentators have said Villa haven’t laid a glove on Cardiff if it was a fight etc…….doesn’t sound great.

    westwood and GG off, Tishbola and Gabby on

  41. rogermuffin

    afternoon all by the way, i have been following whats been going on, just too been busy to comment, all thanks to jl for keeping things going.

    God cadiff are a buch of dirtys mofo’s – at least one of them should get sent off!

  43. rogermuffin

    when westy starts we lose. hopefully, we can get a draw at least out if this. just hope we get some good midfielders in the window, dale stephens of brighton, houihane of barnsley, and henri lansbury forest all in the last few months of their contracts , would be nice

    damn streams now one down

  44. rogermuffin

    when westy starts we lose. hopefully, we can get a draw at least out if this. just hope we get some good midfielders in the window, dale stephens of brighton, houihane of barnsley, and henri lansbury forest all in the last few months of their contracts , would be nice

    damn streams now gone down

  52. John Lerwill

    Yes, Mark, but PNE’s draw with Wednesday was at home having previously lost heavily to Leeds.

    Not saying they’re finished, but they appear to be slipping a bit, even if they win today.

  57. rogermuffin

    andrew, westy is the issue. he is ok as a sub not starting , gards has had 1/1000th of the chances to prove himself that – some guy on tbar pulled up the stats on wetsy when playing under bruce and they are shocking

    Re: Goals and assists from midfield
    Post by Cha Ching on Fri Dec 30, 2016 8:21 am

    Here’s some stats regarding Westwood under Bruce.

    Games started

    Birmingham (A) = D
    Brighton (A) = D
    Cardiff (H) = W
    Leeds (A) = L
    Norwich )A) = L
    Leeds (H) = D

    DDWLLD

    Record P-W-D-L-Pts
    6-1-3-2-6

    Game Not Started

    Wolves (H) = D
    Reading (A) = W
    Fulham (H) = W
    Blackburn R (H) = W
    Wigan A (H) = W
    QPR (A) = W
    Burton (H) = W

    DWWWWWW

    Record P-W-D-L-Pts
    7-6-1-0-19

    theres the reason westy shouldn’t start again

  60. James Gill

    rogermuffin
    i detest westwood but didnt think stats where as bad ast hat
    why did the bruce let rudi go today surely in a scrap he would been good option instead of flabby

  65. Mark King

    JL- any excuse john, for what PNE have got they are doing very well and are still above us. Sheff weds beat wolves at wolves and we should of lost to them at VP.

  66. rogermuffin

    james, i don’t hate westy he’s useless at anything other than recycling the ball, (and inconsistently average at that), one of the 3 overall attributes a good midfielder should have. the other 2 being defending and attacking. those 3 combined, make a bad, average , good or great, midfielder , you need all 3 to be classed as a midfielder and apart from the end of his first season , hes only been bad or average.

    lets just hope bruce now start tish going forward. we di well in the 2nd half but we should have done better in the first as well.

    on the bright side, the geordies have still lost more games than us though!

  68. Heroes-and-Villans

    Imo opinion one if the most positive things happened today at villa.

    West and gg hooked at ht.

    Thats the signs of one pissed off manager to do that.

    Id pay big money for that hourihane chap from barnsley i think. Scored a belter today and has a wand of a left peg.

  69. John Lerwill

    The Match

    It was so cold that Villa forgot their anti-freeze and took 60 minutes to warm up by the looks of it.

    Not good enough … but I’m sure SB will be onto it.

    Problem is will we get such a spanking at Spurs that it puts us back 2 or 3 years!!

  70. rogermuffin

    Hope we get some old villa youth back. Selling Dan Johnson, among others, was an obvious mistake . Most of the youth European cup winning team were sold without a chance, or thought, and loads of shit was bought in instead.

  71. rogermuffin

    forgot spurs were next, i bet its on tv as the wanky media love us getting canned. That’ll be 3 or 4 -0 to the cockney shits.

    Hope any of hourihane, stephens, johnson, lansbury r in by then.

  72. Mark King

    JL- Xmas week you had a cheeky poke at me about ONE thats why 😉 and as for slipped they have W4 L2 D4 we are W5 L3 D2 hardly much differences we are slipping too then.

  74. James Gill

    rogermuffin
    its not personal with westwood he is just a shite footballer playing for my team for 4 and half years
    next match in league we have to dump
    bunn hutton westwood gardner bacuna they have failed even at this level 5 managers
    gabby no question at all
    bruce has a lot of work to convince me he is the man to lead us forward
    gollina
    new right back amavi
    chester baker
    adoamh plus 3 new midfielders
    ross plus partner

  75. rogermuffin

    Right off to play some video games, and back to fantasy land. That should take my mind off it. Although tbf , all the signs were pointing to a loss today.

  77. r0bb0

    Well . . . . that was disappointing. It’s he sort of game that we all know we should be winning, but then of course it’s inevitable that we will lose ‘some’ games that we should win . . . . every team does.
    I wasn’t able to see the game so I can only go on what I’ve heard, but (if it isn’t too soon to try and give a balanced view) it does at least seem as if we showed some resilience again today and fought back when previously we would have surrendered.
    I’m sure those who were all too keen to point out that Leeds were unlucky to hit the bar twice will be on here soon to bemoan our luck in hitting the bar and missing out on a penalty.
    Prior to today Bruce had the highest win ratio of any Villa manager ever. . . . . he’s going to need a few wins over the next month to keep that going and i wouldn’t bet against him getting them based just on today’s result.

  78. r0bb0

    Some interesting stats on Our results when Westwood has started.
    The interesting thing is seeing which games Bruce has chosen to start him in. He’s started him whenever we’ve played the better teams which suggests that he sees him as our best option in front of the back 4 when we have our backs to the wall.
    I’m not saying he’s right to do that, but it does seem to be a conscious choice.

  79. Mark King

    Robbo- they could of been out of sight first half from what I was listening to and the ref was terrible all game, many fouls on Grealish we rallied late on and it sounded like we could of scored but still not many shots on target. The keeper saved RMC’s shot pushed it onto the bar and Hutton was hauled down I think otherwise we left it far to late.

    what worries me is Bruce has said he does not know his best team yet is about to sell some and buy a few, hardly gives you much confidence when the football has improved so little even if the results have. You’d assume he’s charged with getting us up By xia so I don’t understand our lack of attacking intent most games and the continuing switching of players and tactics.

  80. James Gill

    not many games under bruce we don t seem to have our backs to the wall
    a supposedly experienced manager,fit to set up teams,especially full of experienced players yet the goal today was a shambles,same at leeds
    14 games in can anyone say what formation we set up ,for me this league basic 442.get in the box ,o but bruce released rudi before todays match ,a bit like decision to give gardner a new contract

  81. Paul Whiting

    Quotes from BBC Sport:

    “Steve Bruce’s side were woefully off the pace in a first half in which they were lucky not to concede more than once”

    “Bypassed in the first half, Villa’s anonymous midfield pairing of…”

    “…overrun and outfought by their combative opponents”

    Doing well aren’t they down at Bodymoor Heath?

  82. r0bb0

    What happened to Jedinack btw?
    I felt nervous as soon as I saw that we were without both Jedi and Kodjia. That robbed us of a lot of height and bite and against Cardiff both of those attributes are handy ones to have

  83. Mark King

    It was 4231 to start and that without Jedinak. Without Jedinak playing Baker and Chester don’t look so fantastic, and without Kodjia creating his own goals mostly we are pretty lame and that little bit of Bruce luck goes out the door

  85. r0bb0

    Mark, some fair observations there.
    I suppose whilst the results are ok I’m prepared to give Bruce a lot of the benefit of any doubts. Compared with where we’ve been results have actually been very good under him so I think he deserves that. I suppose I tend to look at decisions of his that seem odd and assume that there’s a logic there that maybe I’ve missed.
    He will be more aware than most managers just how physically and mentally demanding this division is sonitd be nice to think hat he’s trying to give a broad range of players some time on the pitch and this will then pay dividends later in the season.
    You say we have a lack of attacking intent in most games but what I see is a but different. We seem to go out strongly and try to get an early goal, but up to now the chances we’ve created haven’t been falling for us. . . The game against Leeds was a prime example of that.
    We then seem to settle back and try and contin things but he’s not been afraid of throwing the players forward later in the game and it’s made a really nice change to be sitting on the edge of the seat believeing that we can score and win (or save) games at the end rather than the other way round. . . both today and he game against Leeds were good examples of that.

  86. Paul Whiting

    But you will not be a successful football team if you’re signature method is to have a woeful first half and a desperate final 10 minutes…which is how Villa play.

  87. Mark King

    Robbo- Jedinak was ill, the ability to score seems to have been a constant for this team all season whichever manager although RDM certainly clocked up the shots and chances ratios if not the wins so we can do it.

    Paul- I agree it is not much of tactic and one Usually seen if your team is reactive.

  88. John Lerwill

    Mark: ” Xmas week you had a cheeky poke at me about ONE thats why and as for slipped they have W4 L2 D4 we are W5 L3 D2 hardly much differences we are slipping too then.”

    There was no “poke” at all… just an observation. And I’m not comparing us with them at all.

    We don’t know how it’s going to finish in fact and I’m not taking any serious view on the position of any team with more than 20 matches still to play for. It’s mostly a futile exercise as I’m sure you’ll agree. It’s not to be taken seriously.

  89. John Lerwill

    Apart from r0bb0, there appears to be the sound of some panic on the blog!

    SB has got a difficult squad to play with – particularly as he’s losing 3, 2 of them probably for good.

    He inherited a moderate midfield and yet SB gets castigated for what he picks out of what he inherited … the poor guy doesn’t have a chance! I support him on Tish, btw, if Tish was ott in training – there has to be discipline in the camp.

    Let’s see what happens with comings and goings this month. But I am a bit worried about what will happen at WHL – it might dent any confidence we’ve developed.

  90. Mark King

    JL- They have been put down to finish 20th by the super computer and us in the play offs, I like PNE because its nice to see Grayson do ok and at least a few ex villains playing well even if its not for us. Observations don’t have winks after them 😉

  95. Paul Whiting

    JL…did you read the BBC correspondent’s view of Villa’s display? That is how Villa play most matches. It’s why they are in the bottom half of the table.

    There are 20 games left but the pattern in the league is set. 25 games have gone and Villa have won 8. Why is it likely that they will win a significant amount more than that in the remaining 21?

  97. John Lerwill

    Mark,

    On the PNE thing please just take it as a bit of banter, not as a serious statement … as I said there’s nothing quite to be drawn from that result or what’s happened since … we won’t see the trend for awhile yet.

  99. John Lerwill

    Mark,

    On the Gabby thing, it is clearly a divisive issue. For what he is capable of as a player, I am happy for his inclusion. Obviously you’re not. C’est la vie.

  101. Mark King

    On the gabby thing,from a footballing point of view let alone his actions lat season may have led to he is not worth playing above a talented kid, end of for me

  103. r0bb0

    Hey Mark and JL. . . want to call a truce. As two of the more balanced posters on here it feels like watching your parents argue 😉 (friendly wink)

  104. r0bb0

    Paul whiting . . . . The reason we expect better in the second half of the season is that our results (for whatever reason) were so shite for the first dozen games under RDM and nearly all of those wins have come under Bruce.
    It’s (very) basic statistical probability.

  105. John Lerwill

    PW,

    I can see what you’re getting at but we’re just entering January and there’s clearly some comings and goings that will take place. We can’t draw any conclusions until the dust has settled, and with 21 games still to play there’s still time.

    BTW, don’t forget that 7 have been won only since SB took over some 14 games ago.

  106. Mark King

    Robbo/JL worth noting that we a have only beaten two teams in the top ten, our wins are all against the lower half teams on the whole, doesn’t fill you with confidence when the best teams have to come to VP and just get a draw

    Robbo- bags I’m Dad 🙂

  107. Paul Pears

    Well,

    Managed to enjoy Boxing Day, but did hope that we would have put Burton to the sword, but they played well enough to keep us at bay for most of the match, then enjoyed the atmosphere of the Leeds game, if not much of the football, although, once again the team eventually showed enough grit to get the draw, and possibly could have knicked it in the dying moments, which is good to see.

    Today however, we did not turn up in the first half, and Bunn makes a silly mistake, to give away a needless corner, which, evenually costs us the game.
    I see that Bruce felt that Gabby put in more effort in his first 5 minutes on the pitch, than the rest had put in the whole of the first half!

    A disappointing result, but now we have to pull up the old boot straps and make sure that we give a good account of ourselves against Spurs…maybe Spurs may not want this so much, and will be more concerned about beating Chelskie, and climbing the Premiership…..perhaps it will be a case of who wants it the least…

    Or 60 years on will we surprise the world…..!!!!!!!!!

    Especially if we capture some great new players….but should we also be looking at Sanchez to come back in place of an unwell Jedinak, and Veretout has to be ten times better than Gardner or Westwood…

  108. Mark King

    PP- did you see that Bruce also said Grealish is being kicked because he waves his arms about when he’s fouled, thanks for the backing boss 🙂

  109. James Gill

    it was only last ten mins v leeds we looked like scoring ,when we bypassed midfield,tisc was only sub today because bruce has been asked so many questions, and if he had played up was it worse than gabby richards and bacuna have done

  110. Paul Whiting

    r0bb0….the league table position and all independent correspondents who report on the game, believe Villa are a poor mid-table team.

    When was the last time they comprehensively won a game?

    The results are shite because the team is shite. My point is that one or two additions in January isn’t going to win 15+ of the remaining games…or suddenly make all of the teams start losing matches.

    People on this forum don’t seem to like anyone who tells the truth about the team. That really doesn’t matter because the ultimate truth is on the pitch.

    We have one less than 1 in 3 games so far, and more importantly, the performances are invariably poor.

  111. John Lerwill

    PW: “We have [won] less than 1 in 3 games so far, and more importantly, the performances are invariably poor.”

    Again, PW, on a factual point we have in the last 14 games won at the rate of 1 in 2, not 1 in 3 – since SB took over. If we were to maintain 1 in 2 or better then we will get to the play-offs. And I think we will.

    As to the nature of the performances, that is a lot to do with the nature of the squad SB inherited. I would hope he will introduce enough better players in keeper, defence and midfield (and another striker perhaps) that will improve our performances.

    First priority is to get better results, and SB has done that with what he has got available. The next step we should see come to better fruition after this month.

  112. Paul Whiting

    We’ll have to agree to disagree.

    Everyone keeps looking at the gap to 6th place but I’d also keep an eye on the gap to 22nd, which isn’t very large 🙂

  113. Paul Whiting

    John, I love your use of stats.

    You must have been one of those who used to calculate last season that there were enough points left to avoid relegation if we won a good amount of the remaining games…but then we just ran out of games.

  114. James Gill

    paul w
    i am in your camp
    and as a fan i am entitled to be one sided, problem is ,i just see bad players playing for my team,and cant forgive gabby for what he has done
    any way back to darts
    wonder did anyone explain rules to westwood you have to throw forward

  115. r0bb0

    Paul whiting
    I bet you enjoyed Donald Trump’s use of ‘facts’.
    You seem to work on a similar principle, that if you state nonsense vehemently enough then some people will believe you.
    In his case I think he was clever enough to be doing it deliberately. . . .
    If our results under Bruce can be replicated for the rest of the season we would reach a points total which would see us in the playoffs in most seasons. That’s not to say that ‘will’ happen, just that the probability is that we will.
    To put it another way, I’m saying that we ‘will’ make the playoffs, just that there is now a decent probability of it.
    As for relegation, again there is no guarantee that we’ll avoid it, but the probability is now exceptionally small.

  117. Heroes-and-Villans

    Dear god have you guys seen the stats of westy and gg!!!

    6 attempted passess and 0 tackles or interceptions between them!

    Imo bruce set of reslts with this rabble are great! Gong to take bruce 2 or 3 transfer windows to get the squad right.

    Results lke this empasis why they are the worst team ever in the prem. Too soon to go back up, this lot would get whipped every game in the prem.

  118. Heroes-and-Villans

    I still cant believe those stats on gg and westy! Jesus its a disgrace.

    Happy both hooked at ht and could sharpen the minds we need improvement big time. Johnson, jenkinson, hourihane, lansbury, brady, hogan would be a dream.

    And jesus have you guys seen the goal we conceded!!! Hahaha. Someone on teitter slagged it off and keith wyness liked it!!

  119. Heroes-and-Villans

    Its fine to question bruce tactics subs etc. Every fan of every club does the same, but theres no debating his points total since taking over. Even more impressive as the squad is shit.

    Apparently tisch and gabby done well when on….and yes you are alous to say gabby done ok.

    Even though he is a shithouse

  121. Paul Pears

    JG

    I have to agree with you these days….almost a first for a while….!!! , that the players we have are very average, and the only few that have shown themselves to be an asset are Baker, Chester, Amavi, Kodjia and possibly Adomah, whereas JG, Ayew have left a lot to be desired. and Hutton shows effort, but not many skills.

    In the meantime we have loaned out or sold our better players, which has not helped Bruce at all.

  122. James Gill

    pp
    it showed the players we had left in summer no one else wanted them and we are stuck with them thanks to foxs stupidity hutton westwood bacuna gabby , on long contracts
    and who ever was in charge of buying new ones
    elphik mccormak
    but madness carries on giving gardner long contract,some players we are linked with

  123. Trinity

    Only listened to it on the AVTV site. Sounds like Cardiff could have been up 3-0 at half-time. The refereeing against the hacking of Grealish et al was weak. Overall, there wasn’t anything positive to take away from this match. Villa lacks scoring prowess and cohesiveness.
    Villa will be out of the FA Cup soon, could be about a four goal thrashing at Spurs, unless Villa raise their game knowing they’re playing a far superior opponent.
    New blood is needed, now.

  124. Heroes-and-Villans

    James

    Not surprised re westy, hopefully the penny has dropped that him and gg aint up to it. Without a mid you really are snookered. No assists or help scoring goals and no protection.

    I swear i wont know what to do with myself the day i see a villa side control a game, keep the ball and dictate play!!!!

  125. Heroes-and-Villans

    This gk bunn has cost us big time last 2 games. Who would have thought a dcent gk is worth 10-15 ponts a season!! Pray this johnson lad is decent! Bit arrogant by all accounts, maybe bit of a nob but dont mind that in goalies. Bossy was a arrogant so and so loved him.

  126. Heroes-and-Villans

    To be fair elphick and mccormack not bad shouts. We seem to be cursed with signings! Come to villa and turn crepe!!

    Be surprised to see westy and gg play much again way bruce talking. Thank god. Bacuna tisch jedi and 2 more please

  127. James Gill

    andrew
    gollina was unlucky with his early seaon mistakes,every bit bad luck went rdm way,
    even attempted punch at leeds seen best do it
    no way we should be signing another young inexperienced keeper

  128. r0bb0

    JG that stat about us being only 8th best team in the championship since Bruce came on board is an interesting one. . . . but where did you get it from?
    As far as I can see, Derby, Newcastle and Brighton are the best (no surprise there but we’re equal 5th.
    I’ve only just taken a quick look so I’m happy to be corrected.
    If it was true though it still wouldn’t change the fact that if we continued with our points accumulation under Bruce so far then the probability is That we’d end up in the play offs.
    The big question is whether we can keep it going. We’ve not looked convincing in many games yet but somehow we’ve been grinding out results. The African cup will work against us but hopefully we’ll make a few key signings and the comparative depth of our squad and rotation will see us right for the second half of the season

  130. James Gill

    its true
    leeds have won 9 from 12 it was on some website last week showed it all and we have only picked 1 point since
    we are now 7 points from 6 in 12place
    we 8 points from 18th

  131. James Gill

    found it and its worse down to 10thnow behind
    brighton
    reading
    derby
    leeds
    fulham
    newcastle
    sheff wed
    barnsley
    huddersfield
    astonvilla
    found on football web pages

  132. r0bb0

    JG. Yes, Leeds were the other team that had scored more points than us and Reading had scored the same.
    Which were the other 3 teams that had scored more points. . . . . still

  137. Paul Pears

    Looks about right as we have lost to Leeds, Norwich, Cardiff and drawn with Leeds and won against Wigan, QPR and Burton albion, and scored only 5 goals, while conceding 6. Making the figures for the last 7 games not good enough, dropping 11 points out of a possible 21.

  138. r0bb0

    Yes Mark, as I said above Brighton, Newcastle and Derby are the top three, Leeds come next and then as far as I can see Villa are one of three teams who are equal 5th.
    Happy to be proved wrong but I’ll take another look tomorrow. . . . feels unlikely that 9 teams have scored more points than us since Bruce came on board though. . . . . just checked Barnsley and they have scored fewer points than us since Bruce took over. . . . not going to bother spending any more time on it

  139. r0bb0

    Grrr can’t get back to sleep. . . . so st least I have a chance to check JG’s claim that since Steve Bruce took over 9 teams have gained more points than us.
    His first game was against Wolves and since then we’ve picked up 25 points. JG, you listed the teams who’d gained more points so I’ve now ‘done my sums’ as you suggested and of the last two on your list, Barnsley have collected 22 points and Huddersfield 21.

  140. Heroes-and-Villans

    Morning all
    back to work today grrrrrrrrr

    Who cares what other teams have done compared to villa. All i know we was in relegation zone before bruce arrived and now we are up there with outside chance of playoffs!

    Like i said though dont think we will make it.

  141. John Lerwill

    Andrew,

    I find it astonishing that there’s an attempt to play with Villa’s total stats so far this season as being the indicator for the season when only what is relevant for the rest of the season – stats-wise – can only be based on Bruce’s part of the record. And the writer accuses others of having only 5 brain cells! 😉 Marvellous!! You have to laugh! 🙂

    Anyhow, I do agree with the general belief that there are shortcomings in the team, but Bruce has some opportunity to correct that anomaly now we’re in January.

    We already have a new keeper coming in, but I don’t think Bunn should be criticised so much … his defenders have made more sloppy errors than he I’m sure, but they (apart from Hutton) don’t get mentioned.

    Onwards and upwards! If Bruce can get 2 or 3 better defensive/midfield signings and play Tish rather than GG then I think we’ll be OK. Actually, so long as GG has a strong midfield partner then I think he’s OK, but the pairing of he and Westy was obviously not right.

  142. Mark King

    Robbo- to be fair to JG Huddersfield had a blip where they lost a few but now are back to winning/drawing in their last 7 and Barnsley only 3 points less than Bruce? wow.

    If we are quoting trends then there are an awful lot of teams on champs winning form at the moment so those play off places will be gold dust. I said a while back its no good targeting draws, we need to pick up every win we can and beat those above otherwise we c an not catch them, our trend though is not good against the top sides. We are still unbeaten at home but again thats useless is we don’t win those games as we haven’t against so many 6 draws at home leaves us needing those away wins.

  143. Mark King

    For me our single biggest flaw is we don’t play as a team, by that I mean we don’t move together effectively. That should be drilled into the side constantly instead we still see the hesitancy seen under RDM IMO.

  144. John Lerwill

    James,

    Villa probably look worse in your list as in the past 7 games we’ve won 3 and lost 3, dropping 11 points out of a possible 21.

    Now that’s not good enough and the three defeats we sustained were bad ones … the team did not play up until it was too late.

    If we are to make real headway, then we have to improve the points ratio and SB has said that we need to gain at least 2 points per match on average.

    If the new signings are good enough … then we’ll be OK i.m.o. If they’re not then we have to wait one more season. We’ll get there though (this season or next) … but it’s just a pity that we didn’t get the right manager to start this season.

  145. John Lerwill

    Mark: “For me our single biggest flaw is we don’t play as a team, by that I mean we don’t move together effectively. “

    Yes, I think that’s right. But that’s down to the imbalance in the kind of signings made in the summer, n’est ce pas? They clearly thought that if you put 4 strikers into a team then they’d score goals by themselves!

    Let’s see whether any signings Bruce now gets will help the machine to run better.

  146. Mark King

    JL- There is two ways of looking at the “if we had another manager in the summer” scenario. whomever came in had no prior knowledge of the madhouse at VP, half the senior players were considered disruptive and to blame for our demise the other half wanted out pronto. Any manager would of had their hands full to access that mess.

    That said someone who knew this league may not have gone for the players we did but the players were sourced by RDM,Clarke,Little,wyness, Riley and Round in the background. It was all done in a rush too and unfinished by deadline day. Would someone else faired better? In my opinion only if he’d cleared the decks and had a solid bunch of players with a style of play in mind already lined up in his head. Even then there is no Guarantee he would of got his men, we were hardly every players fave destination. Experience was sought out and that costs and may have meant RDM had to lose more than he wanted to fund the build(small squad)

    The other clear thing was we had no effective scouting network, would whomever came have complete say? I don’t think so at the time. Our Circumstances were pretty dire whomever came in.

  147. James Gill

    john l as per usual robbo is always right i stated we where 8th last week now we are 10th after picking up only 1 point from 6,the site i seen goes on last 10 matches so it moves with matches,plus i seen it debated on other blogs
    and our last 7 matches have been adisgrace 4 FOUR goals scored one a penalty [4 matches where v bottom 6 another v norwich who had lost 5 out of 6] bruce change of keeper has fairly backfired 2 errors in a row for bunn,westwood i don t care no more if he gets a shirt or not he is acomplete waste of time as is bacuna gardner in midfield,gabby bruce said he was super yesterday did he score or assist NO not since jan 2016

  148. James Gill

    johnl
    we are now 10 points behind leeds in 5th position,so that is only 6th place up for grabs and unless a miraclewe are not getting it
    under bruce we have beat reading that isit from above us,fixture list was very kind starting off and we still didn t make much headway 7points from 6 8 points from 6th bottom and as mark k mentions our summer signings where thrown together panic buys in some cases, lerner had left a mess, it was nearly unmanagable rdm had to deal with richards gabby traore lescott and try build squad

  149. Heroes-and-Villans

    Just reading the comments and it does hit home how much work has/needs to be done.

    Take a minute and step back and look where we were/ are now and look at the squad.

    We are talking major surjery here!
    Marks right about the summer window….got a feeling it was all rushed and not greatly planned. With Round and other staff in hopefully this window better planned!

    TBH signing goalini a 20 year old inexperienced lad from Italy as number 1 for the championship is bloody mental. GK is key position!!

    Here we are half way through the season needing a new number 1!

    And if RDM thought tisch 13 senior appearences, westy, gg and jedi were enough in mid then no wonder he is sacked!

  151. John Lerwill

    James: “we are now 10 points behind leeds in 5th position,so that is only 6th place up for grabs and unless a miraclewe are not getting it”

    As there are 21 games still to play and the January wi9ndow has only just started I think that’s a bit of a premature statement. Anything can change over the next few months.

  152. John Lerwill

    Andrew: “Marks right about the summer window….got a feeling it was all rushed and not greatly planned. “

    While that view may have elements of truth in it, the manager is the one that should be giving the final say, and if strikers are bought (at colossal sums given they are Championship players – McCormack and Kodjia), adding to the presence of Ayew and Gestede and even Gabby, and at the expense of the midfield, then there’s summat wrong in the manager’s ability to control events i.m.o.

    It seems to me that they thought Jack would be the bees-knees in the Championship, but in my view he is not, and SB has seen that I think. At the same time I shouldn’t castigate their view if they did think that about Jack as, indeed, he should have been setting the Championship alight. But he’s not.

  153. runtings

    Fingers crossed we will have 5 or so new additions to improve the team

    Without that i think the premier league is just a pipe dream as we are not good enough to win promotion

    Bunn Hutton GG and Westy will continue to hold the club back as long as they are played

    and a centre back coming in to leave baker as a spare is required — as for goals , we are desperate for more firepower

    i think while bruce has done a lot better than rdm he is also making some bad calls and must now surely realise that giving gards a contract was a mistake

  154. James Gill

    john l
    you honestly think we can make up 7 points to 6th on what bruce is doing ,2 out of3 points won t be good enough ,bruce has n t managed it on an relatively easy run of fixtures

  156. Heroes-and-Villans

    agree robbo

    its not rocket, gg, westy, hutton, bunn are not up to it. And when they all play together we could loose any given match…against anyone!

    Long way to go but ill take top 10 and finish above the blues! 2 crucial windows coming up.

  157. Heroes-and-Villans

    I can only think gg got his contract through being a local lad! TBF id take him as a squad player and could be better alongside a good midfield!

    At Forest he seemed to be doing well! The villa curse again!

    Lots of fans of where Johnsone been on loan…preston and Doncaster I think…saying he is very good.

  158. DarrenO

    My own reality check not designed to influence opinion but to state my opinion on where things stand in or around the half way point.

    Steve Bruce is not a master tactician and I’m loathe to give him any credit for the points we’ve accumulated under him, credit goes to Kodija for his goal getting and that is with being played on the wing in some form of player accommodation, formation experimentation makes it all the more reason for me not to credit SB.

    He inherited an imbalanced squad but was prepared to forgive the laziest player in the world for past indiscretions but punished Tsihbola for far too long when it was plainly obvious midfield held our biggest issues.

    We’ve managed to make Villa Park a fortress, ha, we’ve managed to make it impossible for teams to win by being so protective of the back four through Jedinak and Westwood playing the same role. We don’t control games, we can’t control games and win or draw or lose playing on the counter attack

    While there is a formation, there are no tactics and this is down to lack of quality within the team. We are after a keeper with no experience, make sense, yet someone like Hart could be pursued for a remainder of the season loan, not aware if Torino are that hugely wealthy alongside Juve when it comes to affording his contract but surely Dr.T could match it for 5 months and we’d have experience in goal.

    Chester and Baker work well together but where is the support should there be an injury. Shame about de Laet or I/We wouldn’t be mentioning Hutton at all.

    Goodbye Gestede, clearly not utilised to his strengths but then most Villa forwards are in the same boat with the lack of midfield.

    Things may change with the transfer window, will SB see the gaps we see, will the midfield be addressed, will we get a new RB and someone decent on the left wing, can we get rid of Westwood, Flabby, Ayew in this window. If we agree that the status quo will more or less continue for the season and let’s say Villa sneak a top 6 spot, do we believe given other teams in those spots could also strengthen in the window and continue their current vein of form be beatable by us right thru to a wembley final, I don’t think so.

    Pessimism is ruling my current opinion, the transfer window may change that especially given Round’s influence, Round is the light at the end of the tunnel for me and what he is establishing in the background gives me heart for Villa’s future.

  160. Heroes-and-Villans

    very good post Darren

    Apart from the joe hart bit. I have more chance snogging kath Jenkins than hart agreeing to come to us.

    Johnson has good experience in these leagues, been on loan lots. They all rate him. lets see with our own eyes. got to be better than bunn.

    the last 2 goals im blaming him.

  161. John Lerwill

    James: “2 out of3 points won t be good enough ,bruce has n t managed it on an relatively easy run of fixtures”

    But the point is, James, that we don’t yet know what change there might be with the influx of more players in January.

    If things were to stay as they are, I’d agree with you, but that’s unlikely to be the case. We can’t properly judge until we see what’s new at the end of the month.

  163. DarrenO

    Don’t see the point in helping another team develop their youth, goalkeeper position is funny as at 23 he’s loads to learn so unlikely to get near de Gea anytime soon but why not go for experience in this position as opposed to someone who can/could still make mistakes and who is definitely still learning their trade.

    Hart may not agree to join us but the advantages are a return home, competitive football under Southgate’s nose and for us an England international who is better than what we have, not my money but on paper a no brainer, so why not ask the question of Man City

  166. Mark King

    JL- Runting’s common sense opinion has as many negatives as positives and also backs up what other are saying , we need more players, bruce is making mistakes.

    Also there is no way gabby Ayew and Gestede were enough to guarantee us goals in this division, kodjia although good was our back up plan to Hernadez who was desperately needed as last season we have zero threat in front of goal. I suspect RDM had a choice to make financially and thought he was guaranteeing goals with the two strikers he bought, so far he was half right because without Kodjia we would be where exactly?

  168. John Lerwill

    Mark,

    Yes, I agree of course with what you’ve said, and I have already agreed “with others” that we need more players. That is a situation that I think everyone agrees with.

    But you then say that “there is no way gabby Ayew and Gestede were enough to guarantee us goals in this division” but it is strange, isn’t it, that Premier League clubs want to sign them. Apart from which Gestede had already proved himself as a good striker with Blackburn – in the Championship! The problem there appears to be the fact that we did not service him properly: he needed a decent wing service and we didn’t give him that.

    The one time I remember Gestede had some decent service was at Liverpool last season when he scored two goals – one following a penetrating pass from Hutton across the box (yes, Hutton!) and the other a lovely centre from Amavi from the left.

    But (sorry) that – plus other comments about Kodjia and Hernandez – are nothing to do with what I was saying, which was about the preponderance of strikers that we gunned for to supplement existing strikers when the midfield needed equal (or more) attention. That one is strange as RdiM was a midfielder himself.

  169. John Lerwill

    And, by the way, I see Bruce as doing more that’s right than making mistakes.

    In fact I don’t recall a Villa manager that’s not made some mistakes, so Bruce is not unusual in that regard.

    Bruce has clearly changed the attitude in the dressing room to a positive state, and that (after 5 years of aggregated rot) is a big achievement. James is right, though, that his next big test is to sign players of the right calibre … we just have to wait and see on that matter.

  170. John Lerwill

    Loanees ar back

    Aston Villa duo Kevin Toner and Easah Suliman have returned from their respective loan spells.

    So long as we retain Toner this time, that may be good enough cover for the defence I’d suggest.

  172. James Gill

    john l
    i made same comments on rdm lack of midfielders as he was one himself,rudi goal from huttons cross you should done the lotto that day john lol,but in realty 2 midfielders would change the whole outlook of team,offer protection to defence and add something to attack,and should be only thing bruce mind this week

  173. runtings

    Dean steamers favorate ref is the ref for the fa cup vs spurs – if we play jack and ask him to wind up Alli there could be a soft sending off on the go

  175. Mark King

    JL- with 2-3 loans and purchases not getting done on deadline day we can only guess at RDM’s intentions on the midfield but With 4 central midfielders and using 4231 he probably felt that was covered.

    Gestede scored all his goals in a 442 for Blackburn and Tim threw the ball at him from everywhere last season, Bruce clearly does not rate him either., he does not have the skill set to play as a lone striker, horses for courses.

    The fact RDM felt he needed those strikers pointed to the ones we did have being not fit for his purposes so yes they are very important in what we where talking about. If we had a couple more mid-fielders instead it would not guarantee goals from that trio IMO it did not last season did it?

    I like lansbury but Will be surprised if he comes here.

  176. Canadian Villan

    Well happy new year every one, been off work for a couple of weeks so not posted. I think to put a perspective on every thing so far i see it like this. First the Bruce Bubble has burst, there are defiantly improvements under his management, but lots of old habits are creeping back in the last few matches. Secondly it is obvious that we cant keep experimenting with tactics, Tim has been there and tried that, we have proved hard to beat at home and for the love of me i cant see why we don’t play the same way away from Villa Park. If play the same away we are good for a point before kick off and steal the odd win bonus. I do think Brucie knows what he’s doing, you can see it second half after he’s given them a bollocking at half time, so he needs to send ’em out with a flee in their ear before the game starts. Thirdly, i agree after Cardiff he’s about done with Westy and GG, but having said that along side the Aussie, GG hasn’t looked so bad. We are doing much better than under RDM so we have to be grateful for small mercies. Had SB been in position at the start of the season based on results since we would presently be in a play off spot not looking to make up lost ground. If we get a couple in to fill some dead spots we still may be able to nick a spot but i know have grave doubts. The goalie is the first position to sort, both have let in some howlers, Gollini flapping around at free kicks and Bunn has always been the pits for me. Give SB the remainder of this year and if by the end of it that is 2017 not the season, we should be in the top three, if not get rid before the next January window. One thing for certain, this year is not going to be boring.

  177. Mark King

    heres an interesting bit of info on FFP

    Aston Villa

    Newly relegated Villa will be captured under the new FFP rules and will be required to submit their figures to the Football League along with other Championship clubs. Unfortunately, we don’t have either the 2015/16 figures or those for the current season. It is therefore difficult to do too much with Villa’s figures.

    The last accounts that we have for Villa (2014/15) were dreadful. There is every reason to expect the 2015/16 accounts to be similarly awful (perhaps even worse). Villa have been saddled with an expensive wage bill and infrastructure that will be difficult to change. They also have struggled to make profits from player trading.

    For purposes of illustration, I have assumed the 2014/15 figures are repeated in 2015/16. I have made a guess for the current season’s losses – looking at other similarly bloated clubs, a loss of £30m for the current season looks conservative if anything.

    There are so many unknowns that the above is simply an illustration rather than any kind of projection. However it suggests that Villa could come close to FFP limits this season and it is not impossible that they will face some FFP sanction this season.

    However, the real issue for Villa will probably come next season if they don’t win promotion this season. Trying to work towards a £13m maximum loss figure would prove a real challenge for Villa next season. They did manage to terminate some contracts this season but there are still plenty of expensive players on the wage bill (and they were net spenders in the summer).

    Interestingly, they were recently reported to have turned down a £25m Chinese offer for Amavi (representing around £18m of book value profit). Of course, it is possible that the player didn’t want to go to China but it does suggest the club has the ability to comply with the FFP rules if the owner is willing to rein-in spending and trade out some of the playing squad in the summer.

    http://www.financialfairplay.co.uk

  178. Mark King

    Canada- well put, I agree but have my doubts over Bruce producing miracles if he’d been here in June, at Brum he rebuilt them when they dropped and nearly got sacked before they rallied at Xmas and ended up in second, so has no perfect record on rebuilds, Sunderland being a shocker, just my opinion but the time-scale was desperate. He would of most definitely kept the likes of Richards in the side which scares the crap out of me, who else would still be here? Lescott? scary 🙂

  179. runtings

    interesting fair play post mark

    I think whether we go up or not most of the current side will be sold in the summer

    and if we don’t go up i think a certain out of work villa fan may well be considered more equipped to take the club forward

  181. r0bb0

    Interesting article on ffp Mark. I’ve qondered just where we sit with that.
    Had thought that selling a player or two to China could sort it all out nicely for us!

    Good to see you and the Missus getting on again 😉

  184. r0bb0

    If Newcastle continue to pick up 9 points every 7 games and Sheffield Wednesday (in 6th place) carry on at the rate of their last 7 results then Wednesday will end up above Newcastle . . . and Newcastle would likely be outside the play offs.
    Anyone here think that’s likely?
    Just goes to show how much there is still to play for.

  185. Heroes-and-Villans

    There is absoulotly no point second guessing the championship. Its mental. Anything can happen.

    Blood on twitter is always spot on says very much xia and bruce plan has been quality over quantity.

    Could be 4 in as well as loans.

    Not sure about lansbury, cousin is a forest fan and he gets frustrated with him. Goes missing alot

  186. Heroes-and-Villans

    Thinking tisch should getva chance in mid now. Please son grab it with both hands!!

    Also last week from xia and bruce both said until rhm commits he wont be considered… Came on off bench sat! Must be signing??

  187. r0bb0

    Andrew rhm tweeted an egg timer yesterday. Very cryptic.
    Don’t know if it’s him or his agent playing silly buggers but tbh I think it’s time he stopped playing games and if he wants to stay with Villa, sign a contract or sod off somewhere else. He seems to be enjoying the limelight and speculation a bit too much and it’s time he got back to concentrating on playing football, either here or elsewhere.

  188. John Lerwill

    Mark: “with 2-3 loans and purchases not getting done on deadline day we can only guess at RDM’s intentions on the midfield but With 4 central midfielders and using 4231 he probably felt that was covered.”

    Mate, it’s not unreasonable to think that if he can spend so much in order to get strikers in then he could have used the same leverage to get midfielders. Having said that he did purchase Tish and (later) the Jedi (I think it was in that order). But I also don’t think that as a good midfielder himself he would have seen enough in Villa’s then current midfield to be able to rest contented, unless (as I said) he thought that Jack would come up with the goods. Maybe we’ve all expected too much from Jack.

  189. John Lerwill

    Mark: “Gestede scored all his goals in a 442 for Blackburn and Tim threw the ball at him from everywhere last season, Bruce clearly does not rate him either., he does not have the skill set to play as a lone striker, horses for courses.”

    My general impression about Gestede as a player is similar to yours, but the *fact* is that he did produce the goods for Blackburn in the Championship and since he’s been at Villa we have not played to his limited skill set, apart from the quoted match at Liverpool, when he showed how deadly he could be with the right supply. I think that it was very soon after that when Amavi got injured, and he was about the only one who seemed to know what Gestede needed.

  190. John Lerwill

    Mark: “The fact RDM felt he needed those strikers pointed to the ones we did have being not fit for his purposes “

    That can’t be. Ayew (like Jack) was another we expected great things from this season and (as I said) Gestede had proved himself in the Championship before. If RdiM didn’t want ’em he would have got rid of ’em.

  191. John Lerwill

    Steve Bruce

    I for the life of me can’t see why Bruce is getting stick, with people constantly referring to what he did at Brum, Hull and Sunderland.

    The way I look at it is that he’s now at Villa and he (from what he’s said) sees our club as being a different ball game from where he’s managed before. In which case let’s look forward to seeing how far he can go having already turned things round a few degrees and is clearly incensed himself at the attitude of certain players. In other words, he sees matters not very differently to us – he’s on the right wave-length i.m.o.

    So what if Villa have a had a dip in the past 7 matches. That’s compared to the previous 7 matches in which we were unbeaten. As has been said, the much vaunted Newcastle have also dipped. With the right signings we can go again …

    Lest’s go forward, not back…

  194. Mark King

    JL- “That can’t be. Ayew (like Jack) was another we expected great things from this season and (as I said) Gestede had proved himself in the Championship before. If RdiM didn’t want ’em he would have got rid of ’em.”

    well why did he buy them in your opinion? Gestede was linked several times in the summer and has now gone, RDM clearly wanted a mobile forward up top in hernadez but got Kodjia when he failed to signed him. The real answer is RDM wanted to play 4231 and gestede does not fit that ayew does as he tended to play right or left in the front three anyhow. Time did not allow for everything to get sorted that at least to me is pretty clear.

  195. Mark King

    And on Grealish, i actually think he is doing as well as the refs are allowing him,he is targeted every match he plays and the refs give him little protection, Monday was a joke with players kicking him off the ball let alone with it.

    This view is more aligned with how I see things, Bruce also said these kind of displays are not acceptable against Norwich, didn’t stop him sending a poor team out at Cardiff, not playing Tishbola and persisting with Gabby. He will get time to sort it but I won’t ignore what I’m seeing to keep the peace.

    http://www.avillafan.com/24748/many-problems-reach-play-offs/

  196. John Lerwill

    Mark: “well why did he buy them in your opinion? “

    I think the conversation is moving away from its base topic, Mark. The basic issue is simply that we were left with too many strikers and too few (quality) midfielders. In my view we needed a better midfielder on top of those we got to help the strikers get their goals.

  197. John Lerwill

    Mark: “[Bruce] will get time to sort it but I won’t ignore what I’m seeing to keep the peace.”

    It seems there was an issue with Tish, so that clearly held him back for awhile (discipline is vital). As far as the “team” is concerned, the players were those that had played before except that Jedi was ill, Kodjia away (arguably two of our best players). Playing GG and Westy together was a mistake, yes, but SB corrected that at h-t. It again demonstrated again that we do not have a good enough midfield, especially when one of the better ones is unavailable.

    As for Gabby, he played well, so in the absence of anyone better SB has no choice but to start him this Sunday as I see it.

    We’re carping at SB because of a squad that was not of his choice. When he has his own players then we have the right to have a go at him. It’s the same story with every new manager.

  198. John Lerwill

    Mark: ” i actually think he is doing as well as the refs are allowing him”

    That was certainly true in the two Cardiff matches, but there have been 22 other matches when that has not been so much the case and where I’ve not seen Jack do that much of a decisive nature. On top of that his passing has *sometimes* been awful for a player that some think so highly of.

  201. James Gill

    why would rhm sign a contract for bruce,bruce past record he has never used youth players,as for gabby doing well read 2reports on cardiff match and both said oppoiste to what bruce said about him,and on the matches on telly sorry gabby has been stuck in the middle behind the attack ,norwich match grealish got the ball twice early on our striker gabby hiding nowhere for grealish to pass to,ayew was horrible that night to ,he doesnt like gabby our ayew

  202. John Lerwill

    James,

    Well, in the 20 minutes I saw of the Cardiff match showed Gabby well into the match, so I’m going by what I saw.

    The fact remains, James, that it’s what Bruce achieves at VP that matters, and – given what he inherited – he’s not done a bad job. Let’s see what else he can do.

  203. James Gill

    john l
    did he do what says on tin,striker score a goal
    we all have different views and nobody is more right than anyone else
    if we all agreed there would be no need for blog

  205. Heroes-and-Villans

    James

    Simply not true bruce likes old players.
    Gave Henderson his chance at sunderland along with Houriahan who we are linked to now. along with a young Valencia at wigan, and a young Cattermole at sunderland. plus more!

  207. Heroes-and-Villans

    rumours of Rhodes spotted at bmh.

    Id sell ayew. My team for after jan…I hope and pray!

    Johnson
    Jenkinson/new rb chester baker amavi
    Jedi
    Lansbury Houihan
    Adomah Rhodes Kodjia

    bench
    McCormack
    elphick
    tisch
    grealish

  208. James Gill

    andrew
    i think if you check he sold henderson hourihanlee from suderland ,mon bought delph to villa
    as for cattermole he signed him for wigan and then sunderland bit like his son alec took him from club to club

  210. John Lerwill

    Andrew: “If you put jack into a decent team he would look amaaazin! We have no movement or real width.”

    Well I can relate to that thought, but at the same time Jack’s passing has been awful at times in straight-forward situations. And when Ross replaced him after h-t vs Leeds he made much more impact … although I’d agree with Mark’s view that we have too much individual play that we’re dependent on … we do need to see more teamwork.

  213. Mark King

    I do agree with Spink that basically if your not prepared to stand up and be counted why are you a professional footballer? Intimidation and imposing your will on the opposition is bread and butter stuff.

    JL- I don’t agree that Bruce inherited a mess, W1D7L3 is not that bad considering the majority of the matches we led in, we developed a mental tick is all. It suggests we needed minor tweaks to get wins but instead we have thrown the baby out with the bath water. we have gone from attacking play to defensive until we need to act, we waste a whole lot of time that we should be trying to score in waiting for the opposition to make a mistake instead of forcing them to. This works sometimes I’ll admit and we have had many last 15min cavalry charges that have gotten us pens etc and sometimes its left us with nothing.

    Maybe the addition of a couple of players will make all the difference but myself I think giving Lyden,Green (Both Team players)or Tishbola a go might have created that platform before now, something more solid than 4-5 players running all over the pitch, Ayew Adomah and Kodjia winning the ball in our area instead of harrying their defence/midfield.

  214. James Gill

    johnl
    now i never seen no highlights from cardiff bar goal,but seen as bruce learned from the master fergie should bruce press con not have started that we will need a strong ref,jack got kicked from pillar to post in home match with eventually cardiff had player red carded, yet no words and guess from my reports jack got kicked quite often with no protection from ref
    and what was bruce response blast jack in public for throwing his arms ,yes behind closed doors do it but should defended his player

    andrew yes maybe 5 percent young buys ,ince lasted one season with grand total of 7 appearances

  216. Mark King

    Andrew- maybe my memory has become selective but I cannot remember our passing being horrendous under RDM, just the finishing was unlucky with 8 shots hitting the woodwork, 5 saves by the keeper against forest etc, the final 5-10 mins is where it all went wrong other than killing teams off early. Don’t get me wrong there was some iffy moments and few like the keepers deflected shot and the odd giveaway but bad passing?

  217. Mark King

    As JG just posted Mr Bruce is starting to have a go at his players in public, can’t pass, no bottle, Jack waves his arms about to much. From the outside it looks a whole lot like “its not my Fault”

  218. runtings

    i think the football was better under rdm but he brought a shot centre back and would have stuck with him which would be a disaster
    he also didn’t work out that our midfield isn’t fit for purpose — for these and other reasons i don’t rate him

    i think if we had someone like rowett we possibly would be flying by now with the right balance

    we are linked with the type of players we need to improve that area so praying it happens as championship footy is dank

  219. Mark King

    Runtings- I agree but has Bruce done anything different in midfield? or has Jedinaks form improved? he has at times played 3 in there but has gone with 2 a lot. He has also had Adomah firing on all cylinders which RDM didn’t (he was injured) and he covers a lot defensively

  220. Mark King

    On monday with no Jedinak baker and chester were pulled all over the place, when elphick played his first game when baker was injured Bruce went with 2 in the middle again, no excuse as Elphic hasn’t been great, not mobile enough to cover hutton

  221. John Lerwill

    Mark: “I don’t agree that Bruce inherited a mess”

    You’re right – it wasn’t a mess exactly, but an imbalance. And seeing that the only win we obtained in that period was from the bottom club, the stats look less good.

    Also that the players didn’t have the character to fight back much when behind … and errors etc.

    Well we needed a different sort of manager to at least prevent another relegation!

  222. runtings

    mark brucey defiantly is not my choice but i think he is better than rdm – just

    the good things he has done is dropped elfick for baker and seems to be better motivation and fitness
    the down side for me is he played gabby which means we possibly won’t be able to ever sell him and he will milk a lot of cash for next to nothing in return

    I think Jedi has improved a lot but i am not sure if this is purely down to fitness , instruction or both

    he also gave gards a contract who is one of our own but not good enough for villa

    can’t forgive rdm for turning down 5mil for westy — shocker

    at least we can now get some half decent balance with a couple of capable centre mids
    if so we may just start to kick some ass as we should be doing down here

  224. Mark King

    runtings- I think Richards and Elphick getting injured in his 1st game at Villa park plus cissokos double pens made Bruces defensive choices a doddle otherwise who knows? He hasn’t tried Tishbola in the midfield when its been crap, doesn’t look like he likes risk hence Gabby.

    JL- Relegation with 11 games gone and 3 losses and a Jan window? no chance

  228. John Lerwill

    Mark:@ “Relegation with 11 games gone and 3 losses and a Jan window? no chance”

    You’re very fond of saying “we can only guess” and whether or not relegation could have been an issue under RdiM we’ll never know for sure.

    But the fact is we all saw how the mentality in the team was developing – it was just like last season. And last season we were (of course) relegated. The problem is that once that mentality takes hold then even a January window might well not have made any difference at all.

  230. John Lerwill

    Mark: “doesn’t look like [Bruce] likes risk hence Gabby.”

    I just can’t agree on that. RHM clearly has big ideas about himself and it would appear that Gabby has put in the effort and showed himself to be worthy enough to be given another chance. We can be dischuffed about it in view of how he came across in the last year or two, but in the situation that SB is in with Kodjia away, Ayew away but not performing properly anyway, and Ross still not hitting the high note, Gabby’s previous record is understandably what SB is looking at – in addition to his current effort.

    I’ll say what I’ve said before – the way Gabby was last year mirrored too much what was developing in other players (like Lescott and Bacuna), and that to me is what developed as a result of the awful top-down management that existed at VP before. If SB has now woken up Gabby’s ideas then good, as far as I am concerned.

  231. John Lerwill

    By the way, mentioning Bacuna just now reminded me that Bacuna’s stats for the Cardiff match look too average, and he didn’t figure too well against Leeds either. He must surely be in line for the chop as well. It’s a pity as he can play reasonably well – when he wants to.

  232. Heroes-and-Villans

    Dont worry about stats etc, ill tell you straight westy, gg, bacuna are all pretty rubbish!! Players who arent up to it, not good enough to play good footy or get us promoted are

    Hutton, bunn, westy, gg, gabby bacuna.

    Thats 6 players who are pretty much in our team. I dont care if your bruce or conte we aint good enough. The footy aint been great lately, am i surprised…no. Am i angry with bruce, no. This time next season if things arent 80% more positive ill be asking for bruces head but im fairly sure it wont be the case. Why?

    The dr
    Keith
    Round
    All the nee staff
    Bruce – 4 promotionss

  233. Heroes-and-Villans

    And ayew is very lucky not to be in the rubbish list. !!

    Lansbury deal very much on apparently. Next few days could be done

    Follow some reliable and sensible villans on twitter. A few have heard bruce taken back by the size of the job!

    Sulliman and the other chap back from loan had dire reviews from there loan club.

    Taken a 19 year old on trial from luxenburg, very highly rated from there reports. Jewell in there crown of football! Played for here int team allready

  235. Mark King

    JL- Hold up fella, last season 9 losses in 11 games 4 points vs 3 losses and 10 points in 11? do you honestly think we would not have at least repeated that 4 times and very likely have won more games over time? putting us in the high forties at least going on form. Bruce has 5 wins against the bottom 6 and RDM 1, there is nothing to suggest that given those matches RDM would not have come up with similar considering the manner of Bruces wins? against the top teams not so great are we? so whats to say we would not have a similar points tally considering the fixture list? not much IMO, A couple of wins works wonders and as I mentioned earlier certain players had come in late but are now the star performers.

    on Gabby: Gabby works hard and gets a reprieve, he was acting like he owned the club previously and caused a lot of problems. hasn’t scored or done his job properly in years ,result play him.

    On RHM: works hard scores endless goals, was given a run in the first at 16, seen as a great prospect for 3 years now but is accused of being a bit arrogant, result don’t play him at all.

    Sounds an awful lot like what has been wrong at Villa for years to me.

  236. Mark King

    Andrew- I admire your faith mate but it does make me laugh when I here that 4 promo line, he did relegate both of the teams he took up and built with prem money, so he had to get promoted with two sides he knew already and had built himself not quite Warnock territory 😉

    I do like the two mids we have been linked with the Lansbury one is touted as done, would love the lad from Barnsely he looks like a proper midfielder in the Cowans mode, creative but can get stuck in.

  237. James Gill

    mark k
    an awful lot of moaning coming from bruce.players can t run pass shoot wave their arms about,is his bruces bonus not coming to him, he has had 3 months and from what i ve seen its getting worse is that down to his coaching skills,long enough to have got them fit

  238. James Gill

    mark k
    lad from barnsley bruce sold him from sunderland, and all this promotion bull about bruce burnley spent less than quarter than what bruce did and look at burnley i would take 6/7from their squad not many from hull

  240. John Lerwill

    Mark: “Hold up fella, …”

    I suppose “fella” is me, right? 😉

    Anyhow, you can play with stats as much as you like but what I was alluding to was the mentality of team before SB took over. If the mentality is all wrong and results are going against you then the chances are you will spiral down.

    [Gabby] hasn’t scored or done his job properly in years ,result play him.

    The point is he *is* now doing his job “properly”, so of course play him! What other realistic options does SB have? And don’t tell me RHM!!!

  241. John Lerwill

    What I am seeing on this blog is an awful lot of moaning as we’ve lately lost 2 or 3 games. When SB was on an unbeaten streak all was quiet!! 🙂

    Goodness knows what you lot will do if Gabby scores a hat-trick over the next 2 or 3 weeks!! 🙂 🙂

    Just hold your horses and let’s see what happens. You’ll help your state of health too.

  242. James Gill

    be no fun then john l villa unbeaten
    how would we manage,we don tlove villa because they are any good they are like a woman always promising dinner and then getting beans

  243. Mark King

    Ok JL- here we go just prior to Bruce turning up (about a week or so before ) a sports physiologist was employed and was reportedly having a positive effect around BMH

    How is a non scoring striker doing his Job?? did he get us a point by not scoring? and please not the Blackburn reference because Jedinak did the hard part 😉

    As for moaning you can get two separate people to cook you a meal, one might make it taste nice the other leave a bad taste in the mouth, neither killed you and both achieved the same result, cooked food! thing is one is enjoyable the other like gargling glass.

  247. John Lerwill

    Mark,

    Sports physiologist or psychologist?

    It’s the head that has to be sorted not the body, I’d suggest, in this situation.

    As for the cooking analogy, you can also just have too many cooks (and all tripping up one another)! 🙂

  249. John Lerwill

    Mark: “How is a non scoring striker doing his Job??”

    If you saw what I did at Cardiff the other night you would see a feller who was doing as much as anyone (and perhaps more) in trying to score. I saw a player who is mobile and anxious to prove that he’s back.

    As I said, when he scores that hat-trick (or even scores one!) the tone will change on this blog.

  250. John Lerwill

    Mark,

    I wasn’t that happy with SB’s appointment either, but from what I’ve seen (and what Nigel Spink has confirmed) is that he’s got a good a handle as anyone could do on what’s happening there.

  251. Canadian Villan

    Using the food analogies, we’d all love to see a Steak Dinner or a nice Lobster Tail served up at Villa Park, I’m sure that’s one thing we can all agree on. How ever, I’ll take the beans on toast over the dogs dinner we’ve had forced down our throats for past few years. Upwards on onward chaps, what!
    I’d love to see who came out of that room alive James!!

  253. Mark King

    P.s. I would not hold your breath on gabby mate, both on here and scoring. it seems to me he’s ok for 15 mins of the game when he’s started its been the same old Gabby, he could be our not so super sub but then I’d rather let RMH have a go

  254. Heroes-and-Villans

    Mark

    Haha yeah, try and be as positive as i can when its villa….id tip over the edge else!

    Bruce also got his sunderland team there highest prem finish in history and wigans. And we know how well he done with the scum in the prem!

    That houlrhiane mid is my number 1 choice too. Imagine him and lansbury in mid!!

  259. Trinity

    Gabby needs to score soon. He is getting a lot of rope to hang himself if he doesn’t. SB is giving him his chances.
    Even though, Villa could be humiliated against Spurs, I’m hoping SB tries to take it to them. Win or lose, it’ll be a good opportunity to try a few things. I’d play RMH with RM up front and bring Gabby on later. Agree there’s no way Westy and GG can play together. I’d hope for Tshibola with Jedinak in the middle. Jack might respond to a big occasion playing at WHL behind RMH and RM.

    Bunn
    Chester
    Baker
    Amavi
    Hutton
    Jedi
    Tshibola
    Adomah
    Jack
    RMH
    McCormack

    Reserves:
    Gabby
    Westy
    Toner
    Gollini

  260. John Lerwill

    Mark: “I would not hold your breath on gabby mate, both on here and scoring.”

    You seem to continue to evade the point made, that Gabby is showing as much as anyone else on what kind of urgency is needed. Therefore he’s more than worth a chance.

    If he doesn’t score, then that would be a pity, but his play and attitude at the moment is good enough to keep the team moving and his approach alone can be worth goals – even if just as a sub.

    If we can get better players then good – I would not decry that. But until we’re at that stage there’s not much point in knocking someone who has turned around his attitude, i.m.o.

  261. John Lerwill

    Iana: “Even though, Villa could be humiliated against Spurs, I’m hoping SB tries to take it to them.”

    Yep … and SB has to do it with Gabby .. there’s hardly anyone else left! 🙂

  267. Canadian Villan

    Our greatest goalie of all time was a United schoolboy, i know he came to us via Arsenal but you cant get away from the fact he was a united find, and that was Jimmy Rimmer, Ist Division winners medal, and due to the Villa being so generous giving him the start in the European Cup Final, he got a winners medal for that too, as did the very young Nigel Spink.

  268. DarrenO

    JG, trying to be positive , we have one young keeper on our books learning his trade who has made mistakes that have cost us points but the added difficulty of English not being his native language.

    Every likelihood that this will see him leave for Italy hopefully on loan so we get the benefit later as opposed to watching him become the next de Gea and thinking what if.

    Now we have another young keeper who will also make mistakes that may cost us points and we are required to be patient with him as opposed to being patient with Gollini, it makes no sense to me and even if it is pie in the sky why not pursue the likes of Hart if all you want is a loan for the keeper position.

    thankfully newsnow is full of midfielder links

  269. James Gill

    john l
    ben foster did nt start at utd signed with stoke

    dor we have signed
    sarkic
    gollina
    and now johnson
    if we wanted a keeper it should been experienced keeper
    we should have had midfielders in for match at spurs in cup to bed in,but bruce talking up gabby and westwood scare me

  271. John Lerwill

    Canada: “Our greatest goalie of all time was a United schoolboy, i know he came to us via Arsenal but you cant get away from the fact he was a united find, and that was Jimmy Rimmer, Ist Division winners medal, and due to the Villa being so generous giving him the start in the European Cup Final, he got a winners medal for that too”

    I believe he also won a Euro medal in 1968 for being the understudy.

  273. John Lerwill

    The New Keeper

    Bruce says:

    ““I must thank Jose Mourinho for letting me bring him here. He’s the just the type I think can improve it and help us get where we want to get to.

    “Steve Round and Tony Coton have worked with him – and spoken very highly of him. ”

    Sounds good to me.

  275. Mark King

    Well folks we can only hope Gollini wasn’t tony cotons idea as well, I am amazed like Dor that we have not gone for a keeper with more experience, Our defence needs a leader behind them lets hope he has that in the locker gollini certainly didn’t .

    JL- Just because Gabby has got fit (he’s a professional footballer for gods sake) does not mean he is now a better player, as I said he’s looked lively coming on but totally ineffective when he started. If someone expresses regret for something fine forgive him, does not mean he should ever play for us again though. Bruce is talking like he was the dogs in the prem, that boat sailed 6 years ago IMO so no I won’t give him a chance and I don’t understand why you are hell bent on making me except him, especially when others are not. Bruce really is setting him up, his statements are all hedged in case he’s crepe

  276. Mark King

    Just listened to the presser and I cannot believe we are going to head through Jan with no strikers other than Gabby and RMC (presuming RHM has no chance of playing)

  277. John Lerwill

    Mark,

    No point in keeping on the Gabby theme … I find your arguments biased and unforgiving, but you have a right to them. Why he should not play for us again is a notion that I cannot relate to. We’ll leave it at that.

  278. runtings

    by all accounts from some good football staff and a top keeper in de gea we have just signed a very good young keeper — if what they think is to believed it won’t be long before he is in an England shirt

    also a palace mate is blowing up my phone celebrating that they about to get there Jedi back

  279. Mark King

    JL- I find yours over sentimental john but I wont hold that against you 😉 take it up with Tony Morley he said Gabby should never play for the club again live on radio WM broadcast on the clubs website.

  281. Mark King

    Manchester United goalkeeper Sam Johnstone has joined Championship play-off hopefuls Aston Villa on loan for the rest of the season.

    It is the 23-year-old’s eighth loan move away from Old Trafford.

    He has previously been at Scunthorpe United, Walsall, Yeovil, Doncaster Rovers (twice) and his home town club Preston (twice).

    Johnstone was part of Preston’s promotion-winning team to the Championship in 2014-15.

  284. Mark King

    JL- well I’m not biased and unforgiving mate I thought this site was about personal opinion about Villa and its players etc not the posters 😉

  285. John Lerwill

    Mark,

    The derogatory remarks made by many here and on other sites about Gabby are for me a big turn-off. In the same way that Doug Ellis got some awful abuse over 10 years ago and I was a lone voice then as well.

    What you put out comes around, so just as the issue of Doug rebounded via Lerner, so can this one about Gabby.

    Putting out -ve vibes is unproductive. Period.

  286. r0bb0

    JL you’re right that a lot of the comments about Gabby (and certain other players) are over the top and lacking in objectivity. I’m afraid we all exagerate from time to time although blogs are probably even more prone to it than ‘real world’ conversations.
    It’s a little more understandable in Gabby’s case because of his unprofessional behaviour last year which some people just won’t be able to forgive him for.
    As far as I’m concerned that is water under the bridge now and if (as most of the reports I read) are to be believed, he did OK last time out, I’d be prepared to give him another chance.
    On a practical level, unfortunately we don’t have many back up options. Clearly it was hoped that rhm would be available to play for us but he is showing a remarkable disloyalty for one so young and if anyone deserves criticism right now I’d say it’s him.
    Like a baggage handler before Christmas he is trying to exploit the club at its most vulnerable, when players are away for the African cup.
    Some criticism should go to the club for having too few alternatives available, but if McCormack was living up to expectations we wouldn’t be feeling as vulnerable as we do now.
    Bruce now has few options available and if Gabby can make a contribution, even if only as an impact sub, then I, for one, would welcome it.

  287. Heroes-and-Villans

    Re Gabby

    He is piss taking crepe footballer 🙂

    Id forgive gabby for smoking pipes and getting drunk and putting on weight much like I turned a blind eye to carew going strip joints and having a few beers and grealish going wild IF HE WAS HALF BLOODY DECENT. The reason I want gabby out is simply he is awful!

  288. Heroes-and-Villans

    Talking about piss takers, this rhm can do one. Get a new agent son and grow some brain cells. Have fun being the next luke moore somewhere. nob.

    Bruce spot on with his commitment comment. wont comit to him until he comits to us. We need players who want to fight for us.

    Imagine thinking scoring a few goals for the u23’s makes you billy big time. Offered record amount for a youth player and guaranteed 1st team action at 18 for a club size of villa. If you don’t think that’s a good deal your thick

  289. DarrenO

    JL, I understand where you are coming from re Gabby, not only being positive about your own world breeding positivity in the world around you but that every one has the right to redemption and I’m sure having read this far you can feel a but coming on. Also I should say, this is not an attempt to convince you I’m more right or that you couldn’t be more wrong. This is how I feel about Mr. Agbonlahor, that is all.

    Well back to the but I have with Gabby and that is for there to be any redemption, there has to be an act of contrition. I don’t see that in Gabby and therefore I have no sympathy with any suggestion that he deserves to be playing for AVFC again.

    We know in the summer that efforts by Dr.T to get Gabby another club were rebuffed by Gabby. But the statements coming from the club/Dr.T were not of a player looking to knuckle down, train hard and help Aston Villa, it was the opposite that he refused to go, to accept help and by correlation wanted to continue to accept his exhorbitant wages every week without earning them.

    How does a professional football player allow themselves to get so unfit unless there is no professionalism in how they approach what is their job. Gabby has always been a one trick pony, pace, and now that is gone and with little football intelligence, he offers nothing to the club. So why continue to persist with him. How does this reflect on the intelligence or not of SB that he should think he can restore Gabby to the player of his early twenties.

    Modern cynicism may prevent many from accepting apologies from Gabby as being nothing but hot air but not even that initial act is forthcoming.

    Cameo appearances against Cardiff does not make him an overnight necessity or redeemed, even at my age, I could manage 20 minutes against Cardiff, I may be crap but it wouldn’t be for the want of trying. I’ve not even mentioned that his contribution over the last 6 years is negligible at a time when we needed goals most or the player power he used to his own advantage as opposed to the club in getting Keane to walk away.

    The sooner Gabby is a footnote in the history of Villa the better. He’s robbed this club for too long, he’s taken the place in the first team squad by someone/anyone who could have contributed more.

    The RHM situation is probably symptomatic of what has happened with Gabby, a young lad doing himself no favours stalling on a deal is how many will perceive it. But why would you sign for Villa and not get your chance and watch someone do nothing for the last 6 years get a second chance. It’s a shame how this situation has been allowed develop but if RHM wants to get on, then get out, play for a team who you think really wants you in their first team or suck it up and sign the contract and compete with Gabby for his spot.

  290. runtings

    GABBY

    I would never call player names or look to insult them personally – other may do that but that’s there call and i am no judge to say they shouldn’t

    I purely look at what someone offers the club and whether a player or staff member is a positive for Villa

    unfortunately i am one of those that can find very little positive about gabs at villa at this stage

    We have seen some awful players = staff and owners at villa for way too long

    We have in my view a fantastic chairman and top backroom and the club is now in a position to pull itself out of a couple of decades of decline

    for me Bruce should not have played gabby due to being the most senior villan and in our hour of need letting us down so very badly

    Hutton has possibly less ability than gabby but the reason i have a lot of time for hutton is that you can’t fault his commitment to the shirt – same goes for westy

    fairplay to those who are more than willing to overlook what for me are major details but i am not in it with gabs

    RHM sounds like a similar type of character based on his current stance and if this is true i will be happy to see him go

  291. Paul Pears

    Just catching up once more with the latest news and views….interesting to see this talk that Jedinak may well be allowed to return to Palace in this window, and for me, it could be a good move, depending on who comes in to replace him.

    On the Gabby question, I am with Robbo and JL. The guy has accepted the chance he was given by Bruce, and met the 12 week fitness challenge, and has done his best when Bruce has played him. He has not been great to start with, but on the occasions that he has played, I certainly have seen his desire to succeed, as well as his frustration, when he has failed, mainly through lack of match sharrpness, but at Cardiff he showed that he is getting close to being a real asset again.

    Bruce, I am sure sees him as a new player, who could yet be a baregain buy, with still at least 2/4 years at the top level. The coming weeks will surely give the answers. He has served his time, and the fans should be behind him.

    I also hope that RHM will come to his senses over the coming days and sign a contract.

    Sad that Jed Steer appears to have a very serious injury, and will be out of the game for some time, and one of the main reasons for recruiting Johnstone.

    I do really hope that we are going to recruit some decent players during this window to strengthen the squad, or bringback some of our better players, rather than bring more over the hill players, which Villa has done so many times in the past.

  295. James Gill

    we have enough players in that look busy run about usually behind play hutton westwood gg doing nothing without adding gabby to list,gabby recoed for last 5 years is shocking more cards than goals, and in any matches or highlights i have seen he is about as much use as an ashtray on a motor bike,john l did say he had a shot at cardiff ,for me he doesnt deserve forgiveness for his treatment of club ,his non celebration of last goal last january v norwich,his video last xmas along with richards,keane walking out,telling remi i gabby am the man anything you want sorting ill do it,partying the night we were relegated,smoking hash pipe in mid seaonlast year,getting 4 stone overweight,all from a professional, and then we slate a young lad with world at his feet for not signing a new contract for a manager who doesn t use young players, or a club who reguarly let young players go after not playing them ,robinson johnson cahill albrighton

  296. Heroes-and-Villans

    Lansbury out of the forest match…not in right frame of mind!

    Usually means a move close?! ….Please!

    Reading up on Johnson….very very highly rated. will soon see how good he is! Will be number 1.

    Hutton & bunn allowed to find other clubs. praise the lord

  298. Mark King

    A couple of things stink for me about the game at Cardiff, One was the team first half with RMC as the lone striker, a position he’s not suited to. On the bench the incredible Gabby that Bruce is so sure will be massive for us he didn’t start him but will from now on? also kodjia is a bit of a one off creating his own chances, so hard to replace in this team unless you have a quick, mobile,skilful and accurate player on the bench raring to go like RHM? what could make him sign that contract? I don’t know? showing some faith in the lad and giving him his first team start? no instead its get him to sign on the strength of ten mins then loan him out or mothball him and now probably lose him.

  300. John Lerwill

    D’OR,

    A very intelligent post – as per usual from you. 🙂

    We just see it differently I think, and there’s also the practical situation that SB does not have any choice but to play Gabby anyway, so in my book we need to get behind him (Gabby).

  301. Heroes-and-Villans

    Mark

    Usually agree with pretty much all you say but not about rhm. We have gone out the way to shmooz his family, offer him a record deal for villa for a academy player and guarantee him a chance in the 1st team.

    Under bruce he has been injured a bit and had the will he wont he sign. He is being badly advised somewhere. All set to sign, get in squad, comes on then not going to sign. Its a shambles from his end.

  302. John Lerwill

    PP,

    I don’t think there’s anything in that Jedinak departure talk. It came from the Mirror apparently, and they probably hyped it when they heard that CP fans were asking for the Jedi to return to them after their last match (a home defeat to Swansea). Where on earth, then, is there a real basis for the idea of his going?

  303. Heroes-and-Villans

    Mark

    Re johnson, only thing different i see is johnson has more experience in these lower leagues being on loan a few times. Some quotes from cotton are head of transfers, he really rates him but says its a good chance for him to get into the shop window…..we here to bring on other teams players?!!! Strange thing to say. Unless we have option to buy dont see point. Just get a proper experienced gk in.

  306. Heroes-and-Villans

    John very good reports from his loan clubs, and sounds like its coton and our gk coach that pushed for him. Mentioned him being 6,4 and an imposing type.

    My shef wed mate always said loans are vital in this league. Maybe thats something we have to get used to?! I dont really like loans knowing they are not ‘our’ players.

    Loans didnt do watford ant harm getting out the league i guess!!

  309. John Lerwill

    Andrew,

    Interesting that Delph thing. I would have thought Barry should be a more likely option.

    On the matter of the Johnstone loan, there has been some hint that he could become permanent at the end of the season, but I suppose that would depend on us being promoted.

  313. Heroes-and-Villans

    Rember him being at utd and not getting work permit or summin? I loved bossy sooo much. Should of been a great of the game.

    Breaking news again…..villa deny delph interest !

    And looks lke we got lansbury, posted a pin on instagram saying hello villa!!!

  315. r0bb0

    Whether it’s his agent, his family or himself I’m afraid I have no time at all for the way rhm has behaved.
    He has been deliberately stalling until the club loses players to the African cup. He has been acting dishonestly in his dealings with the club. He has been making cryptic tweets as if it’s all a bit of fun.
    He’s taking the piss out of the club, the manager, the owner and the fans because of course, over £1m is nowhere near enough for an 18 year old to live on.
    Remember how Delfouneso was the best player we’d ever seen a few years ago?
    Rhm may be a star of the future, but it’s impossible to know at this age.
    I have every sympathy for the club on this one, and none whatsoever for Rushian Hepburn Murphy

  316. Heroes-and-Villans

    Same robbo.

    Its more than likely he willbe the next luke moore than owen. Otherclubs will see his behaviour too. Taking the piss. Quiet rightly villa are getting applauded in the media on our stance.

    See the villa legend petrov has said he should go rangers!!! Tit

  317. r0bb0

    Andrew. Absolutely. . . . It’s not good to get a reputation as a self centred money grabber who doesn’t give a damn about your club before you’ve proven yourself or even started your career.

  318. r0bb0

    I must admit there are times when the negativity on here gets to me but then I remind myself “a blog is there for fans to let off steam”.
    It’s not the debating floor of the Royal Society where facts hold sway and experimental proof is essential, it’s somewhere that passionate people anonymously say the first thing that comes into their heads.
    You’d think that having moved from ‘serious relegation contenders’ to ‘possible play off contenders’ in the space of a couple of months Villa fans would be relatively content, but that’s not how it works. We have short memories, and always want more. I guess it’s what drives progression.
    You’d think that Newcastle fans would be relatively satisfied with their position but restlessness is growing on their blogs too and it’s clearly starting to get under Benitez’s skin: http://www.chroniclelive.co.uk/sport/football/football-news/rafa-benitez-norwich-aston-villas-12418126
    Our recent results have been concerning and losing Kodjia for the next month or so doesn’t help, but I’m still hopeful that the club will manage to get two or three decent deals through which will strengthen our starting line up. Our squad depth should then give us a decent end to the season.
    At the start of the season very very few of us had serious expectations of promotion or even play offs but it’s not a bad thing that we’re now feeling disappointed that it’s feeling less likely.
    We have a squad that is still capable of making the play offs and it’s right that the fans expect the players to show the commitment to give the club the best chance of getting there this year.

  319. John Lerwill

    r0bb0: “‘a blog is there for fans to let off steam’. It’s not the debating floor of the Royal Society where facts hold sway and experimental proof is essential, it’s somewhere that passionate people anonymously say the first thing that comes into their heads.

    Though I’d agree it doesn’t have to be “the debating floor of the Royal Society”, a blog has *never* been identified (just) as a place to “let off steam”. That’s total news to me.

    You may be referring to the nature of *football* blogs (how they have developed), and the game generating emotion would therefore make a blog lend itself to letting off steam, but please don’t tell me that’s where it ends.

    For a blog to be simply that would make it akin to a place where people just come in and bang their heads against a wall! ;-)But even if it were just that, people would still see the game differently and a more reasoned debate would (hopefully) be generated.

    Unfortunately, r0bb0, following your stated piece of logic, there would be no room for people of a more calm disposition.

    For me a *football* blog can be all things to all football supporters, in its m.o. And please let it be that.

  320. John Lerwill

    r0bb0: “Our recent results have been concerning and losing Kodjia for the next month or so doesn’t help, but I’m still hopeful that the club will manage to get two or three decent deals through which will strengthen our starting line up. Our squad depth should then give us a decent end to the season.”

    There, in fact, is a reasoned piece that clearly has nothing to do with letting off steam!

  321. Mark King

    Andrew- that tit your being negative toward has explained what happened, basically someone asked him if RHM should go to rangers on loan? he said yes. 🙂

    Robbo- I think negativity is very often someone not suiting your world view and shuts down free speech. I have been Guilty of it myself and victim to it, I am generally a positive sort and while Bruce has got some results at last I cannot say they have been wholly deserved sometimes or convincing, if that being negative so be it. Firing off the negative or positive cannon on here has only ever achieved one thing less posts.

    Negativity may not be to some tastes as it fires off a reaction in those who deem themselves positive but with the strong undertones that language can convey that positive is best means the other person is somehow less, that also does not go down well.

    Also Some put it down better than other in writing, Dor basically said what I feel about Gabby and JL claimed it an intelligent post but he still had his own ideas on the matter, I got called negative more or less 😉

    We have lost far to many people on here but both positive or negative have failed to learn Tolerance IMO.

  322. John Lerwill

    Mark: “JL claimed it an intelligent post but he still had his own ideas on the matter, I got called negative more or less”

    Whoa ….. 😉

    I was merely saying that what DO’R wrote was put intelligently, but I’d also describe it as a negative p.o.v. against Gabby.

    I simply find it astonishing that here we have a player who *has* to be played as we’ve just lost 3 strikers (with 1 obviously having his head mangled by agent and parents), and yet we don’t appear to be giving him (Gabby) the backing he (and the team!) needs.

  324. Mark King

    JL- In the weeks leading up to to Jan has talked about not doing very much in jan squad wise, the need to use what we have, the need for stability yet the reality appears to be something else? while Bruce appears genuine at times he is definitely open to flim flam if it suits him.

    To all and sundry its blatantly obvious we need a fair few positions filling if we are to get to the play offs playing as we do.

  325. Mark King

    JL- Well it amazes me that Gabby is forgiven for far worse than RMH who is at a crucial step in his career and is deemed a monster. I find it hilarious too that Gabby is all we have so we have to use him yet RHM (who is probably not staying as he hasn’t been getting a look in until they want him to sign) wont be used because what? he wont sign? he has six months on his contract and as such should be used to gain results if possible( we do want to win dont we?) and not get him playing used as a bargaining chip, the logic does not stand up to scrutiny, we are cutting of our noses to suit are faces IMO.

  326. Mark King

    let me put it like this, RMH doesn’t sign we get what £500k now and have to bring in another striker maybe on loan for £1m or so or sign one for £10m , shocking really. He’s been at Villa park since he was 8 and we don’t know if he’s good enough? what kind of staff do we have accessing players would be my thoughts, the lad scores goals, got injured after RDM gave him a run against Newcastle very next U23 game and has not featured under RDM/Bruce until Cardiff, but has since came back and continued scoring, I’d leave if I was him

  328. r0bb0

    Mark, if RHM had decided to leave I’d have been very disappointed but I’d have accepted it.
    What I can’t accept is the cynical way that he is actively harming the club to try and squeeze even more money out for himself
    You can say it’s not him, it’s his family or agent but I don’t buy that. I might just have done if he’d stayed off Twitter and left it to those third parties.

  330. r0bb0

    John, I wasn’t trying to suggest that the ‘only’ reason for blogs is to provide a place to let off steam although I accept that what I wrote does feel a bit like that.
    I was trying to say that it’s inevitable that ‘some’ people will overstate their case and we (I) should try not to get too wound up by it.
    Having said that, one thing that does wind me up and I’ll still react to is when people (deliberately or otherwise) state things as facts when they clearly aren’t.

  332. John Lerwill

    Mark: “To all and sundry its blatantly obvious we need a fair few positions filling if we are to get to the play offs playing as we do.”

    Totally, yes. But specifically the here and now is about who do we play as strikers when we’ve only got 2 available!

    Don’t agree with you on RM, btw, I don’t believe that the club should give way to a form of bribery especially when it could cause a dressing room issue.

  333. John Lerwill

    Mark: “JL- yes I can see that, many on here that used to post may not “

    Well, people have dropped off for various reasons I suppose, though some may fit your interpretation of course.

    The issue of “tolerance” as you seem to define it is going a bit too far for me, or maybe I’m the only one. I am just stating my view just as much as you or someone else is stating theirs, and we generally agree to differ if there’s no match. So where’s the lack of tolerance?

  334. John Lerwill

    Spurs vs Villa

    People will probably think there’s only going to be one team in this contest, but they thought that, too, in 1971, when Villa were still in the old Third Division!

    Inevitably, I suppose, the thoughts of the older ones will drift back to that big occasion at Wembley in 1971 – 45 years ago – when Villa took on one of the very much better Spurs sides in the League Cup Final.

    For around three-quarters of the match it looked far more likely that Villa would carry the day, and if the score could have been worked out on chances missed Villa would have won about 2-0 at that point in the game. Then Freddie Turnbull, Villa’s local lad at centre-half, lost concentration and allowed the skilful Martin Chivers into the game. We were one down. A few minutes later a similar situation. 0-2.

    No matter said Villa’s magnificent fans as they had enjoyed a wonderful time seeing their favourites keep Spurs pegged back for so long, and when the final whistle went those fans cheered and cheered for many minutes. It made the neutrals wonder who had won.

    Well, if we lose tomorrow, let’s go down fighting as we did back then!

  335. Mark King

    JL- How is it bribery, he is a product to the club, he will either bring them success or be sold simple as, If he signs they have the right to not play him which is clearly the problem IMO, have you never fought your corner for a raise or better working conditions or position? it cannot be all slanted toward the club IMO.

    I hate to bring up the gabby thing but how was he not using his contract to get what the wanted?yet another chance under yet another manager in RDM? and now Bruce. Xia was vehemently against his inclusion but has given Bruce his head. Gabby dug his heels in and refused to do what was best for the club at the time, how is RHM’s crime worse?

    Also the tolerance thing is not aimed at you but us all mate, its a football blog at heart even though we have discussed many subjects when things are a little slow and I cannot recall any hint of negativity being mentioned around other subjects much 😉

  336. Mark King

    P.s. If being a football fan was about logic we would all choose the best team at the time to support and watch them instead of putting ourselves through purgatory 🙂

  337. James Gill

    johnl
    go down with a fight or their abouts tomorrow well if usual suspects play we wont lay a glove on them, they spurs could play the kids and still beat us,
    as for facup lambert finally won a 3rd match unless bruce gets players in next saturday will be more misery yes i am a glass half empty guy especially on the villa and nothing going on their shows me its getting better,rhm getting slaughtered for looking after himself yet gabby gets welcomed back as if nothing ever happened

  338. John Lerwill

    Mark,

    Anyway – as I’ve said – now is now and we have to rely on him (Gabby) and he needs backing to get the best out of him.

    “If being a football fan was about logic we would all choose the best team at the time to support and watch them instead of putting ourselves through purgatory” – True! 😉

  339. Mark King

    JL- Nothing would please me more than to bloody spurs nose and Bruce has said he will put out our best side, no holding back so we will see what he can do. The team is not under pressure in this so lets at least hope its a good contest.

    Having said that theres always a but and its this, if Bruce is not planning to play an understrength side what chance was there that RHM would of started? answers on a postcard please 😉

  347. Trinity

    I am not expecting much from Villa vs Spurs.
    4-0 would be an unsurprising score. Spurs might play a few reserves, but then they’ll try to play above themselves. I think Villa do have a slim chance if they can score first. That’ll open things up. Would expect an open FA Cup match anyway.

  348. r0bb0

    It’s fair to ask why someone would forgive Gabby and yet be pissed off with rhm.
    The key word is ‘forgive’.
    Gabby behaved disgracefully and unprofessionally last year but has got himself fit and is clearly trying hard for the team irrespective of whether you think he’s good enough or not.
    Rhm clearly indicated pretty strongly more than once that he was going to sign for us and the club made plans for January on that basis.
    Right into the transfer window and African cup and he’s STILL making it difficult for the club to plan and if he has any feelings or respect for his teammates and the club I think that’s disgraceful.
    If he signed tomorrow, would I forgive him. . . . probably; but right now he’s deliberately harming us.

  349. Trinity

    Mark
    Hear you regarding the logic thing. I realised a long time ago supporting Villa isn’t logical, unless you are a local, that is just loyalty to one’s community. I have also followed Villa since my school days when they could really play.
    I have learned a lot about the club and football in general from this site. I think real football fans stick with their club because there are bigger issues than winning or losing-cultural values.
    It’s a shame that Villa hadn’t realised its potential for so long. But the fans are worth sticking by…

  351. Mark King

    Robbo- Ever thought how selfish gabby has been? If he had left when asked we would maybe not have 6 strikers and no midfielders? he earns a hefty wage that could of been paid to two or three more players, was that fair to RDM and his aspirations for the team in a very stressful time? could he have seen the bigger picture for the club he loves and done the decent thing? no because he wants to be a Villa legend or he could not get the same wage elsewhere, either way its selfish.

    On RHM, has any one of us taken a life changing decision based on our work colleagues? maybe if you are a boss or in the army but generally you would make the best decision for yourself and even more for your family. Now that may be the wrong decision or the wrong one for the club in the end but its his decision and not an easy one.

    We are fans and have no right to decide their futures for them no matter how much we would like to at times.

  352. Trinity

    Mark
    Generally agree with your comments about Gabby. That said, he’s getting plenty of rope to hang himself with if he doesn’t start scoring goals and making assists very soon. The onus is all on him.. Agree with your RHM comments. He has a right to do what’s right by him. He’s watched Villa turf a lot of academy graduates in the past.

  353. r0bb0

    Mark, I was angry with Gabby for letting himself go last season and again when he refused to be sold or even go out on loan this season but the fact is that the club decided to give him a long term contract and he decided that he was going to hold the club to the contract that they ( rightly or wrongly) signed.
    I think that if you asked his family and friends, they’d have said that he loves the club and they’d have been as surprised as anyone how he behaved last season. They’d have been less surprised that he didn’t want to play anywhere else and wanted to hold the club to the contract they signed with him.
    I’m no psychologist, but I suspect he was to some extent, fearful of going somewhere else and uncomfortable with moving overseas to play.
    Fact is, from what I can see he is now trying to put his past mistakes behind him, putting in the effort and trying to use whatever skills he has to help the club.
    Yes it sticks in the throat, but ‘if’ you believe in forgiveness then you can make a case for forgiving Gabby. Even if you don’t, then if the club and manager think he can play a role for us on the pitch ( and right now I still think he can) then I’m going to support them in that.
    Rhm has had months to decide whether to stay with the club. He’s decided, quite consciously, to prevaricate until the point when he can do the club the most harm in order to satisfy his own ( or his family and agent’s) greed. It’s just the same as baggage handlers waiting to strike when they can ruin as many young families holidays as possible, or postal workers always waiting till they can harm as many families and businesses in the run up to Christmas.
    Yes they have the right to do that, but don’t ask me, when I’m sitting for 12 hours with young kids in an airport or having to lay off workers because postal workers have screwed my business to applaud them.
    In the case of rhm, it’s not just that he’s consciously trying to disrupt the club as much as he can, he’s made it worse by taunting fans and the club with tweets of egg timers. Sorry . . . . I don’t find that funny.

  354. r0bb0

    One last thought. Rhm is 18. Does he ‘need’ to screw an ‘extra’ quarter of a million a year out of the club right now?
    I don’t believe his current actions are even in HIS best interests.
    If he’s as good as everyone says he is, what he should be doing now is making every effort to get on the pitch and show the world how good he is. If he’d signed a contract and scored a wonder goal for Villa, on tv, against Spurs this afternoon, he’d have top English clubs after him and we all know that whatever contract we had with him, if he had offers in the summer he’d be off, and for a lot more than he’s being offered now.
    The only scenario in which he should hold out for as much as he can get now is if he’s actually another delfouneso or Luke Moore and he needs this contract to be as good, and long, as possible because it’s the last good one that he’ll get.
    If that happens we’re all going to be asking why the club was so stupid as to give such a good contract to an unproven 18 year old.
    Let’s face it, the promising 18 year olds who ‘actually’ come good are the exceptions rather than the rule.

  355. James Gill

    mark k
    wheter or not we should forgive gabby is pointless he gabby is a one trick ponywho lost his trick, as a centre forward you are judge 1st on goals even at his peak it was 1 in3/4 now its 1 in a season,assists used to half decent fast runner won free kicks now he is snail speed, more bookings over last 4/5 season than goals,so as a low scoring team with 4/5 non playing members we can t afford to add non scoring gabby to mix

  356. John Lerwill

    Mark: “[RHM] … We are fans and have no right to decide their futures for them no matter how much we would like to at times.”

    All that is fair comment, but only to a point. I feel that Villa supporters have always felt happiest with those players who show loyalty and commitment and are honourable towards their club. Anyone who behaves differently is seen to be some kind of pariah – which is what you and others have been saying about Gabby.

    I would have thought that most of us see the level of wages being paid out to players now as being way OTT, but Villa appear to have made a very generous offer to RHM and it behoves him (morally) to have made a commitment – one way or another – by now. I for one fail to see what he hopes to gain from his actions except plenty of game time as practice for when he leaves Villa at the end of his current contract. That attitude is not honourable in my view, and only adds to the impression of “me, me, me” that exists in football.

    Having said all that I made one or two wrong moves on the matter of honour when I was young and which I now regret, so we are all prone to that disease.

  357. John Lerwill

    James: “wheter or not we should forgive gabby is pointless he gabby is a one trick ponywho lost his trick”

    Whether that is true or not, I feel he’s showing as much fight and commitment as anyone in the team right now … if he can translate that into match-winning play now he seems to be fit again then I would have thought we’d welcome that.

  358. James Gill

    john l
    in bruce 14 games gabby has appeared 9 of them
    5 he misssed 3 wins 2 draws 11 points out of 15
    9 he played 4wins 2 draws 3 losses 14 points out of 27

  360. Mark King

    I find a lot of this backlash against players a bit self serving from fans, as in we all want the best for the club and want loyalty as we give it, while we carry on earning a wage elsewhere. The prem now attracts some top players and certainly the top managers to our shores and I’m afraid thats the price you pay. Players have a choice and if they are good enough can earn huge money, they never used to so maybe the costs of upping sticks to go to London or Manchester cost them to much in comparison to what they were earning? loyalty to an employer back then was the norm as was 50 years employment, that concept has long since gone.

    Robbo- Be fair if you want to make a point you choose your moment and how the hell do we know what is being said or discussed? We have Bruce flapping his gums about a player he has failed to even try out! how does he know if he can fill Kodjias shoes in Jan? Why is he making it public?

    lets face it the club are forcing the lads hand without giving him a go, he’s quite right to be sceptical to his chances,with strikers being sold and strikers mentioned and yet he is still yet to get a fair go, so far this season he has played about 20 mins tops in two matches trying to save the match with a totally lopsided forward centric set up. How the hell is he supposed to show his worth? here you go lad score a goal in 10 mins you can play sometime if you do?

    And the twitter comments? well when your owner has done plenty in that department that is a bit pot kettle black, the fans certainly do much worse such as one fan saying of Cissokos link to Greece “are they hungry” why should the players play nicely? players we don’t want or are deemed poor are battered relentlessly these days, booing is rife, where is the loyalty to players?

  362. Mark King

    One to ponder, when Lansbury turns up at Villa (if he does) or any of the players we are targeting on the last six months of their contract ( in Lansburys case we are told he is on strike more or less to force a move) are we going to boo them for their disloyalty to their former clubs or welcome them?

    I can see where people are coming from on Gabbys inclusion, the early games where the likes of GG looked different players has gone, Bruce has said Gabby brings something to the dressing room but are the players likely to speak up if its got up their noses?

  363. Clive Evans

    Nice one Mark; I always hated this idea of booing your former players when they turned up for the opposition. Likewise we should support players when they turn out for Villa. I remember when the adage was that 20,000 would turn out to watch the Villa shirts drying on the clothesline.

    As to present day wages, my former manager when I played for Kynoch’s in the B’ham Works Premier was ex-Blues and England player Frank Mitchell and he scrounged pints off us after training and drove a clapped out Cortina. The great Wolves winger Jimmy Mullen had a Sports Shop. I think the first top flight player to make anything from the game was Francis Lee who set up a road haulage company for his retirement (not sure if it still operates).

    Now we see young players wanting rewards before they have earned them.

    Good luck Villa at Spurs today

  364. John Lerwill

    Mark: “loyalty to an employer back then was the norm as was 50 years employment, that concept has long since gone.”

    Yes, I’m sure that’s understood, but in a sport that is team-orientated, what is best for the team is what should be the over-riding factor, not the individual. That can create upsets in the dressing room, and, further, if it’s not addressed with one young player then think of the affect on others who will obviously say “well if he can get away with it, so will I”.

    It’s not as though RHM has proved anything in the first team yet – his approach seems to be “I am already great – my parents and my agent tell me I am”. Do something for the club first and then claim your dues should be the angle. And self-centred players rarely achieve what they set out for anyway.

  365. John Lerwill

    Clive: “I think the first top flight player to make anything from the game was Francis Lee”

    Wasn’t it Johnny Haynes? Not long after when the maximum wage was scrapped in 1961 Haynes was given a super rise from £20 to £100 p.w. in one breath at a time when the average working wage was less than £20.

  366. John Lerwill

    … I heard of a comment sourced from Villa’s Ron Wylie to the effect that “wow, we were given a rise to £60 p.w. after not long before getting only £20, and we didn’t know what to do with it!”

  367. John Lerwill

    Mark: “in Lansburys case we are told he is on strike more or less to force a move) are we going to boo them for their disloyalty to their former clubs or welcome them?”

    That’s a fair question, but one that no-one has any control over in the situation where the player is matured and has a known market value.

    In RHM’s case, it’s as I said before: he’s trying to control events when he’s not done anything for the club yet, and when the club is trying to compromise. It’s a tit for tat situation.

  368. John Lerwill

    Mark: “Bruce has said Gabby brings something to the dressing room but are the players likely to speak up if its got up their noses?”

    It’s a bit unlikely that will have occurred since Gabby has been with Villa since Neolithic times and the player with the next greatest number of games is Ashley Westwood. Most of the team have only been at Villa since 2 or 3 years ago.

  369. Clive Evans

    John – take your point about Haynes; I was really thinking of players who managed to get a ‘life after football’ as most of the ex-professionals I knew in the 60s were sports shop owners or, as in the case of Frank Mitchell at Kynochs, groundsmen. Very few commanded massive wages neither did they get commissions from TV companies as pundits!

  370. John Lerwill

    James: “meant to add it seems the fight goes out of everyone else when gabby plays?”

    Funnily enough, I’ve only seen the reverse. If you’re talking of the Norwich match then everyone had a horrid match that day and Gabby was left unserviced up front.

  371. James Gill

    john l
    the stats say other wise, and i would say with a dressing room half full of foreigners it would be like a version of fawlty towers with gabby as basil not mentioning the war,
    ayew amavi bacuna cissko and rudi where all here last season for the tape,and codja seemed closest to rudi

  375. Mark King

    jl- I’m not so sure how the likes of Jedinak or elphick would take to gabby, they both seem mature adults who take their job seriously, we all know Gabby is a bit of a Joker and his inactivity at their arrival would of been duly noted I’m sure, Can’t remember if westwood was involved with the Xmas video incident was he?

  376. Heroes-and-Villans

    Mark

    Saw the proper quote about petrov the next day, apologise to petrov. No legend though!

    Christ that johnson lad can kick a ball.

    Like the mid of grealish and tisc. Tisch doing ok. Enough to keep westy and gg out!!!

  381. John Lerwill

    vs Spurs

    I had myself thinking at half-time, “I know whey Deli and Kane are not playing – if they play today they’ll be cup-tied and won’t be able to sign for Villa!” 🙂 🙂

    Seriously … apart from keeping shape for most of the match, they (individually) did not shape up, apart from the centre-backs (until Baker got hurt) and Johnstone (this keeper could be great).

    Players to highlight…

    Grealish – totally unhappy with. And where’s his pace now? … he had a bit of that but seems to have lost it.
    Amavi – not good enough for the Premier League as a defender i.m.o.

  382. Mark King

    Andrew- that was a game we probably did not want to win anyway yet we approached it with 6 at the back for most of it. When we go behind he put RMC and the kids on to do what? save us? nope just a token here you go for me.

    Why didn’t we play RMC and gabby if they are our attacking threat over the next few weeks? its a freebie against good opposition a chance to look at your options, Play Green instead of adomah from the off, Davis? he hasn’t even been mentioned this season and he played him yet RMH? oh no he’s a bad boy, still happens to be a Villa player that scores goals at this point in time so should be used.

  383. Trinity

    IMHO. Villa didn’t really go for it, “cagey” as one commentator described it. Pretty disappointing effort considering the occasion. This is a side that clearly lacks confidence. They must win their next league game to gain confidence and avoid a downward spiral.
    It’s not negativity for its own sake, either. They need to start winning.

  384. Paul Pears

    Well…..

    Johnston, as Andrew says, was very impressive….Grealish very poor…..no real desire…couple of good defensive covering…..Tishbola average, not enough desire….Bacuna just ok….Adomah, probably made the most effort out of the forwards…Gabby, just average..only outstanding, again was Baker and Chester….Hutton and Amavi reasonable performances….McCormack, again crap in a Villa shirt, Green ok for the time he was on, as was Davies…..but Bruce only a plan A… no plan B….and no desire to win the game….

    Nothing is going to change….

  386. Trinity

    RL/Mark
    Agree with comments. Why not give McCormack and Gabby a run together? Was that really our best team out there?
    I don’t think SB was too worried about that match. His mo is to get promotion. It showed in Villa’s lack of flair, penetration and cohesion.

  388. Paul Whiting

    At least now you all know, if you didn’t before, why Shitbola doesn’t start games…no pace, no composure, can’t keep the ball. Jedinak…another crab footballer who can’t pass to a Villa shirt when hoofing it forwards.

    Keeper and centre backs v good but will be unable to hold back the tide unless 3 new midfielders arrive

  389. John Lerwill

    Well, I think we’ve come to an agreement that we have what we see in the Championship table … a mid-table side that could do better … particularly if any new signings are up to it.

    We vastly over-spent in summer with Codger and Chester the only signings of any stature, though I like Odamah.

    The new keeper should give confidence to the defence.

  390. runtings

    please Dr X can we by a midfield now — it would be great to see forward passes from that area

    Gabby highlight for me – he tries to control a ball from over the top — his touch is heavy but he bust’s a gut preventing it from going out and the defender puts it out for a corner , which the ref doesn’t give
    had me on the edge of my seat

    tich did ok and our new keeper was excellent — the centro backs did very well too for me

  391. James Gill

    god i miss BENTEKE not only did he most of that shower look promising he made lambert and sherwood think they could manage

    johnl
    grealish agree has disappeared into his shinpads

  392. Mark King

    IMHO nobody is going to look up to much playing those tactics, we don’t break quick enough to sit back and we flat don’t even try to break. Really don’t know what Bruce was trying to achieve? a 1-0? 0-0 and another game? utter rubbish for me although I liked the keeper he can catch a ball its a miracle 🙂

  393. Mark King

    And is Grealishs play symptomatic of the way the teams ask to play? From what I have seen Ayew who was at least attacking under RDM early on is now rather pointless under Bruce going through the motions. Where’s the fitness that was said to be missing under RDM and highlighted by bruce when he came in gone to as well? i hope a few players can fix this but its a very odd decline for me.

  394. Heroes-and-Villans

    Well it was better than when we was last at the lane! And i thought we looked more organised than ive seen for a while.

    No doubt the tactics was to keep it tight, not get dicked and pinch one from a set piece.

    Amavi was poor for second goal. And grealish needs to get better quickly. I thought tish did ok tbf.

    Bruce confirms in taljs with 4 or 5. He knows.

    Still in a massive state of repair.

  395. Heroes-and-Villans

    Mark

    We look a lot fitter to me.

    In the champ we have turned conceding late to scoring goals late on ourselves. Sign of fitness levels better.

    Ayew has been massively dissapointing all season. Really thought he would dominate this league.

    Sell him and go for brady. Jacks playing through the middle more which supposedly his fav position.

    My opinion is we will see a better jack with a better mid. More options for the lad.

  396. Heroes-and-Villans

    That green lad looks big lad, scare a few defenders! Having that davis lad come on was just two fingers up to rhm i rckon.

    The keeper was very imprssive imo. Looked sound at everything he did. Kicking, catching. Looked text book. Maybe we have scouts who know things now?!!

    Need a few in for wolves game. They are on a high and lambert would love to do us over. Tough game

  397. r0bb0

    I hope that performance from Johnson is indicative of what he’ll be like for the rest of the season.
    Based on today I’m really excited about the difference he can make to us for the second half of the season.

  398. r0bb0

    Oh . . . and is it possible for any commentator to have a more boring delivery than Danny Murphy. How the hell does such an uncharismatic monotoned idiot get a job as a tv commentator of all things?

  399. r0bb0

    At least we kept playing till the end despite having had to chase the ball all game. Looks as if he fitness training is starting to pay off anyway. . . . now they just need to learn to use that extra energy a bit more incisively . . . hopefully with the injection of some more guile in midfield during this window.

  400. Paul Pears

    Can agree with most of what has been said……but how much nicer would it have been to see some inspiration and quality, like that shown by Preston v Arsenal, or Plymouth v Liverpool. Not only did they both play football, but they made the effort, and both could really have been in tomorrow’s draw.

    I just hope that Bruce is going to pull this team together, and with a couple of signings, make it into a title challenging outfit….or we will not even make the play offs..!!

  401. James Gill

    pp
    it would have nice if we had tried ,others teams competed we tried to park the bus,when all we had was a dinky bus,6 defenders plus jedi ,think its more than a couple signings ,we cant keep clean sheets we cant score and our midfield must be lost in bermuda triangle

  402. Mark King

    I’m sorry but Fitness? we managed to be still headlessly running about on 94 mins, where was the sharp tun of speed to attack spurs? might as well sent them a post card, Under lambert we moved forward quickly, we could not defend for toffee but in three four passes we were behind the oppositions defence, now we can’t pass water.

  403. r0bb0

    Mark, but fitness and incisiveness are two different things. In recent seasons we’ve just run out of steam and capitulated. I didn’t see that yesterday.
    We were outclassed in the second half by more skilful players but I didn’t see a fitness problem.
    Yesterday highlighted how far we still have to go but let’s not forget where we’ve come from. Six managers over 18 months . . . an average of a manager every 3 months ffs!
    This was a club in complete meltdown and in genuine danger of ‘doing a Leeds’ of a Bradford and slipping down the divisions.
    I feel some stability returning but it isn’t going to be overnight.
    Am I thrilled with what I’m seeing on the pitch? No of course not, but then neither is Steve Bruce, and he’s honest enough to say so.
    Do you honestly see no progress in the club from the end of last season?

  405. Mark King

    robbo- In its structure yes the club has progressed but these players were selected because they were winners or had scored bucket loads in this league, they had no prior problems with mindset,fitness or how to play the game, they are professionals and now I am expected to believe they are no good? all of them sub par? what are we doing or not doing to the players at Villa?

    Even under Garde I could see what we were trying to do even though we had no real fire-power and a genuinely poor defence he set them up in a recognisable way, yesterday the commentators kept having a giggle about 6 at the back FFS where is the progression in the coaching? we have won some games very late on and quite against the run of play in quite a few but we have not progressed from that IMO, we should be adding players now for the final push not rebuilding the entire squad.

  407. John Lerwill

    Mark: “now I am expected to believe they are no good? all of them sub par? what are we doing or not doing to the players at Villa?”

    Maybe that’s what you get from turning a non-winning side into a side that wins most of its matches?

  408. Paul Pears

    I am afraid that MK you are right, and that under REmi Garde, we had better potential, were playing the Premier league, and had he a year ago, been given the transfer funds that Bruce has been promised, we may have survived, and during the summerbuilta team capable of holding it’s own in the Premiership.
    Yesterday, we once again became a laughing stock as the most boring team of the weekend, making no attempt to win a game, that in the end we were always going to lose.
    We still have not had a convincing win, and have yet to beat a side in this division, apart from a Gary Gardner goal against Fulham, that is not fighting against relegation…..!!!

    Are we slipping back to the old “we go again” Villa, with no real plan, flexibility, or desire to pay to win….

    We have only one positive from yesterday, and that was Sam Johnston. I do really hope that Steve Bruce will give us more than this. The sale of Gestede does not make sense, unless there is a sensible replacement. The sale of McCormack, who has been a total misfit, makes more sense.

    I hope I am wrong, but at the moment we seem to be no better, than we were a year ago, except playing lower level opposition, and winning a few games. There is no real style, no real creativity on the pitch, and a vision that the fans can share.

    Let us hope that there is some clear recruitment of players that will bring something to the club, and a programme that will prepare our best young players to become part of the future.

  409. runtings

    i didn’t expect to beat spurs – but this park the bus tactic maybe something we can expect if Bruce wins promotion

    Awful display from us and as per the villa away support was the highlight of our day
    When you have nothing to lose surely that is the time to go for it –

  410. John Lerwill

    Paul,

    I think we’re becoming more reactionary if we follow Mark’s (and your) line.

    This cup-tie was something of a distraction and we all probably thought we’d go and lose anyway. And probably far worse if they’d played their full team.

    With a reduced squad this month, Bruce chose more caution rather than all out effort in order to conserve his players, I’m sure, for the real job which is winning games in the Championship.

    If we end up in the play-offs this matter will be forgotten very quickly.

  411. John Lerwill

    Paul: “I hope I am wrong, but at the moment we seem to be no better, than we were a year ago, except playing lower level opposition, and winning a few games. There is no real style, no real creativity on the pitch, and a vision that the fans can share.”

    This view completely ignores the fact that in only the past few months the club has been totally re-built, staff-wise. Nothing is going to happen overnight! And, surely, “winning a few games” is a damn sight better than what was happening before SB took over, and taking over a squad which was not fit for purpose. Since then he’s had to weed out those not making the best effort, and now he’s trying to sign players who will make the effort.

    Johnstone appears to have been a good start (signing). More will follow, but maybe we will not achieve promotion this time and have to wait for next season for it to come together properly. Back in 1987/88 we almost achieved promotion too quickly as the squad limped over the line, and that situation nearly produced relegation from the top tier the next season.

    Following the last (awful) 5 years I think we just need to be more patient.

  413. John Lerwill

    The Birmingham Mail says that reports are circling that Downing has been made available for loan by Boro boss Aitor Karanka. Bruce appears to be interested

    Food for more controversy! 😉

  414. Mark King

    JL- losing to spurs would be expected agreed but its the last 5-7 games that have gotten worse IMO not a mere blip. If two seasons were the aim then RDM might as well stayed as bad as the results were most were undeserved draws from winning positions, not the worst, They team lost confidence and is all, I do not remember anyone on hear slating the players wholesale it was RDM not closing games out and a bit of bad luck in front of goal and by the keeper leading to a psychological problem,surely a tweak or two rather than parking the bus against every team?

    Running after the opposition constantly is more tiring than attacking or keeping the ball any how so what was he conserving? I think he feared a hiding

  416. John Lerwill

    Mark,

    As I said, this Spurs match is a diversion and not to be taken that seriously. I disagree that there’s been a big problem developing in the last 7 league games … 2 or 3 very disappointing results and performances, yes, but nothing that can’t be put right.

  418. Mark King

    JL- can’t be put right? if we were previously doing so well whats changed? 3 defeats in 7 games and some very poor performances. Anything can be put right in time but I am not seeing anything that suggests anything but more of the same.

    Against spurs reserves it was a chance to try anything he wanted and he chose to bore the nation to death, damage limitations in a game that meant nothing 😉

  420. Paul Pears

    JL,

    I feel that you have missed the point about where we are compared to the same time last year, and the difference that could have been made, if Remi Garde had been backed, and given his opportunity to put the team back on to a sound footing.

    The fact is we are no further forward, and the only match we have won is against Fulham from the eleven teams in front of us…..

    I do hope that Bruce can put things right, but the tactics against Leeds, Cardiff and Norwich do not really show that. The Spurs game was a disgrace, where he could have given some of our young talent an opportunity to show what they can do……and Jack’s laid back attitude to the game, showed through. He is still young, but he needs to prove a lot more on the pitch with his feet, rather than chatting about his past with the pundits, and improving his friendship with Delle Ali, or is that his next destination..????

  421. runtings

    John – I hope you don’t take this the wrong way but in the absence of the steamers on here i thought i better represent an alternative view

    i have noticed over the years of avl you always back the manager – and didn’t lose faith in any of the previous guys right up until they were sacked

    I still think Bruce can scramble his way to the playoffs and then its a lottery but still see him as a negative manager who may just manage to spend his way to the prem

    One thing that is true is the had the worst squad in the pro leagues or close to it so they was a lot that needs changing – however we are Aston villa in the championship and we have spent 55mil and counting

    I don’t see any reason or excuses to be one of the best in this league if not the best

    I don’t like negative football and i can see that is what we will get under Bruce long term

    i don’t see him keeping his job if we stay down and we one day will have a manager that plays positive football that allows players to express themselves and believe collectively that they will get better overall results by going for it in games

    all that said we have the financial muscle to buy our way out this league and i am sure with some midfielders that are capable of a forward pass we can be good enough for this season

  422. Mark King

    JL- Well in that case I look forward to some incredible football in the far future and like you relinquish my wish to see our team look like a erm…….team presently or any time soon 😉

  423. John Lerwill

    Paul: “I feel that you have missed the point about where we are compared to the same time last year, … The fact is we are no further forward”

    No point missed at all, Paul,. I see entirely what you are saying but I am afraid I don’t see it as relevant. The issue really is that until last summer we had Lerner in charge and that was the basis of Villa’s problem … his presence unfortunately did not generate anything that could be construed as greatly constructive in his last 5 years.

    *Now*, we have a new owner and a new regime which has been set up on far more meaningful lines and will press on from the basis we are at.

    I think what I am saying is that in the context that we’re now in a completely new regime environment, my view is that comparison with anything before Dr. Tonix is not really relevant.

  424. John Lerwill

    Runtings: “i have noticed over the years of avl you always back the manager – and didn’t lose faith in any of the previous guys right up until they were sacked”

    Well, I’ve always backed the manager to a point, but at the same time I see the previous managers’ failings about being more to do with the Lerner regime and the limitations placed on managers at different times.

    With Dr. Tonix we are now in a different scenario, but I also had (and have!) doubts about Bruce, which I have stated on various occasions, but at the same time I empathise with what he’s had to pick up and that he has to be given time to get *his* players together and not rely on what’s been imposed on him.

    In short, I’d just like him to be given a fair chance – let him have the opportunity to get his players and act together and then let’s have a pop at him if it *then* doesn’t look right, is what I say.

    Uninspiring play or not, at least we’re in a position in the table where it’s still possible fo us to take off and finish in the play-offs. If that doesn’t transpire then in the summer Bruce will have a better chance to get his team together and there’ll be next season to have a crack. I think it’s after the summer that Bruce will be under closer scrutiny and when we’ll see much more how good (or how bad) he is.

    It’s all about giving a guy a chance in my book.

  425. Heroes-and-Villans

    you surly don’t judge bruce until this time next season? Got a proven man who does well in this league and as a club in a massive state of repair which imo needs stability.

    Agree on all points, defo want to see us play better/more attacking. Need more pace and movement up top. woefull in final 3rd.

    Thinks aren’t great but it is what it is….recovering from learners woefull reign

    Confid

  426. Mark King

    JL- well I’d agree if we had seen the same team playing the same way under two managers, that would suggest the players are to blame or cannot do whats asked of them. we haven’t in my opinion we have seen a team trying to win and failing to see leads out vs a team sitting back and hoping to grab something. That suggests a middle road might be possible if we can knit attack with defence.It has been proven we can do both independently , that differs from last season where we were toothless up front and hapless at the back.

    To me the examples are all around us in lesser teams, we don’t need internationals to do this just a manager who can tell the team what to do, it appears to me Bruce knows defence but cannot or is not helping the forwards with his tactics and decisions.

  427. Mark King

    For instance, Jack, Adomah and Ayew are all now better defenders than going forward under Bruce and we have Gabby who is basically defending from the front and RMC looking totally lost vs frustrated under RDM

  428. DarrenO

    Taken in isolation, there was only ever going to be one result having lost our key goalscorer to AFCON and this persistence with Gabby. I read a remark above saying he chased down a ball that should have been a corner for us as justification for his redemption and recall one other moment of determination on the byline but we’ve become a graveyard for strikers due to our lack of midfield and especially down to the formation used yesterday.

    Our bench is so light we don’t have any impact players and when Spurs can bring on Dele Alli, there was only going to be one result. SB did the right thing to bring on Green and Davis, love to see more of Green in the first team

    Taken in the context of our current form, we are so reliant on a great (not good) transfer window of quality not expense (although they go hand in hand, these days) that midfield has to be rebuilt, we need a left wing and centre mids who are efficient in distribution forward and support the forwards, I’d suggest that RB is something we’d need to address in summer, Hutton is adequate at this point.

  429. runtings

    fair comment JL and Andrew

    I am not saying Bruce can’t get us up just that i don’t see much of a future for him beyond that
    At least we tried for the Huddersfield manager first which suggests to me that our board/backroom know that a forward thinking new age manager is what the club want but were unable to get in time to replace RDM

    As for Bruce as a manager for me he falls into a old breed of football thinking and looking around the clubs over achieving or winning things most have managers with newer ideas for the game and are brave enough to instruct there sides to be brave in there efforts to win games

    not sure this safe style of management is the right course
    i think Chester cost much more than most teams have spent in the champs, which says a lot to me about how negative our general approach to games is

    Apparently gabby will be upfront while they guys are away – which worries me as to were we will be by the time they return as Gabs looks to me like he will only score if he gets a bit of luck

    I would hope a few deals will get over the line in the coming few days to give us all a lift

  432. Mark King

    Runtings- I’m still down from not getting Wagner can you tell 🙂 I think Round proclaiming Bruce as the no 1 target was a bit of bull. I saw a comment on there new loan player from Chelsea and how they were getting him up to speed with videos,coaching etc and how he will fit their style of play I could of cried.

    DOR- I never thought our January plan would be sell all our forwards and use gabby 🙂

  435. DarrenO

    Hey Runtings – sailed right over my head sorry, disgusted with myself as a fine afioncionado of sarcasm.

    Hey MK, I thought it would be recall the troops (all senior loanees back) and build again not scrap what we have. sure we were/are top heavy with strikers but they are under-performing due to service not due to inability (Gabby excepted, sorry JL) but if we want to balance the squad lets get more midfielders/defenders in and loan out the kids, promote the youngsters up to U23 with a few fringe players.

    Hi JL, I’d take Robbie Brady in a heartbeat but not at the expense of Brady providing assists for McCormack, seems stupid to address the supply issue and then to have only Gabby upfront albeit for a few weeks and then we’ll have Kodija upfront (but who replaces him for injury/rest, not more Gabby this season). I expect SB is planning for season 2 in this div.

    Oh and I need to give Johnstone the kudos for a fine display between the sticks, he has assuaged my fears of being a kid in goals and performed admirably, not at fault for the goals

  437. John Lerwill

    DO’R: “I’d take Robbie Brady in a heartbeat but not at the expense of Brady providing assists for McCormack, seems stupid to address the supply issue and then to have only Gabby upfront albeit for a few weeks and then we’ll have Kodija upfront”

    If that would be the case of course I’d agree, but Rhodes is till on the cards it is said … or some other striker.

  439. Heroes-and-Villans

    remember bruce did say he is sacrificing style for sudstance, he has been brought in to get instant results. time will tell.

    Cant see brady happening, too many prem clubs want him. same for jenkinson.

    Lansbury def wants to come but maybe free in summer.

    This seasons a right off 🙁

  440. John Lerwill

    Mark: “would be the same thing if RMC left and Rhodes came in for me, both play better with a partner”

    Not saying that’s not the case! … I’m just going with what’s happening not my preferences…

  441. Trinity

    No wonder English football can’t win anything these days when a club like Aston Villa can’t get up for one FA Cup match against Spurs for the sake of winning in the second tier league.
    Bruce said he was going to put out Villa’s best team. They were poor. How come clubs like PNE can rise to the occasion?

  443. Mark King

    lana- it always strikes me that when players leave Villa no matter how ordinary they looked here fit into someone’s team and plans and look pretty competent. Whats missing for me is the template, we continually use players in the wrong positions then call them rubbish. I think Green and Lyden and mason who’s on loan are very steady players capable of forming a platform for our better (flash ) players but don’t get a look in, other teams are less rich but more fortunate as they have to use what they can afford and not get sidetracked by shiny things.

    The Fa cup debacle was a step to far for me, a waisted journey for all involved

  444. James Gill

    mark k
    if as a neutral you turned on to watch that shambles last night ,what would their opinion be

    shocked that villa where actually only 1 league below spurs,shocked that bruce had come up with new team shape 6 defenders and not one actually marking for 2 goals,shocked that gabby once scored the winner at old trafford,played for england,shocked he put young lads on for show when match was lost,
    and this is a man fans want to let spend money on more dross

  445. John Lerwill

    Mark: “a waisted journey for all involved”

    Were they on a diet course or summat? 😉

    Seriously, the fans seemed to enjoy their day out. If the journey *was* wasted they didn’t seem to show it.

  446. Mark King

    JL- Its called showing face, when have football fans ever backed down in face of the opposition? we even sing songs that belittle ourselves before others do 😉

  447. OldVilla

    Blimey, just popped on here after dropping off because of all the, what I perceived to be, negative and repetitive comments and it’s like I haven’t been away. If anything it’s worse than before and only JL and one or two others being constructive in their comments and seeing both sides. Plus the bigger long term picture.
    And now there seems to be a ‘twisting’ of what people like JL say and a completely different meaning given to what is said.
    A reality check is required badly for a number of the posters on here, when you think of what a shambles the club was in from top to bottom, only a few months ago. It is not going to happen overnight and things will take time to get the jigsaw pieces in place. That is just plain sensible logic and anyone who thinks differently shouldn’t bother posting for a few months.
    And Bruce has been with us for ohhhhhhh a few months now so let’s get rid of him because he doesn’t have a clue what he is doing.
    Please, start being realistic and stop typing the same old stuff, occasionally changing names as players fall by the wayside so new names have to be found to insult.
    Happy new year to all ……..
    Oldvilla

  448. Paul Pears

    Seems as if we may get a little more debate, and instil more life here, with Runtings, JG and a few more of us filling for the Steamers, for the second half of the season….

    I prefer a little more bite, got fed up with saying nice and positive for a while….and JL,

    you still have not addressed the one win against Fulham …….The only team above us that we have beaten….with a rare Gary Gardner goal….!!

  450. John Lerwill

    Paul,

    GG’s scored against Fulham??? I missed that one … perhaps you mean the one he got at St. Andrews? 😉

    Also we beat Reading … on their ground. And drawn against Brighton away, who have only lost 2.

    Let’s see what is to come … please!!!

  451. Mark King

    oldvilla-
    Maybe we should all post our comments to your good self so you can edit them as you see fit? or maybe you could post your own opinions more regularly because the next time you come on to chastise us all for our opinions it might not be here if we don’t post

    happy new year to yourself 😉

  452. runtings

    OV IF you actually knew me you probably would find that i am a very positive person
    problem is i support villa who as you say have been a mess for a very long time

    I haven’t noticed anyone calling for Bruce to be sacked at this point ?

    some of us are happy with how things are at this stage while other believe the club is underachieving
    some think gabby is an asset some think he is far from that and so on

    i don’t think it is fair to knock anyone who’s thinking is one way or the other — AVL has a long standing tradition of people with vastly different views re Villa , football and life itself and long may we co exist together

    We have lost some long standing posters due to others not being able to handle an opposite opinion — lets respect everyone whether we agree with them or not

    cheers up villans and just thing Micah Richards should be back soon 🙂

  453. John Lerwill

    Mark,

    Well I am in complete sympathy with Oldvilla when he says:

    “…when you think of what a shambles the club was in from top to bottom, only a few months ago. It is not going to happen overnight and things will take time to get the jigsaw pieces in place. That is just plain sensible logic…”

    I can also agree with you that what we’re seeing is not our ideal, but Bruce did say that he was applying a pragmatic approach to get points, so by that we must assume he sees the current situation as much as we do.

    I simply wait (with Oldvilla) to see whether SB can turn iron into gold! 😉

  455. Mark King

    JL- I agree mate but dropping in to broadside the blog now and then doesn’t exactly raise the mood, Old villa is a straight talker so I’ll be the same, the last time he did something similar we lost a fair few of our long standing and valued posters and friends. People have a right to spout drivel if they want it just might be true and do you know what some times its just old fashioned humour and fun to be miserable sometimes its a brummie thing 😉

  456. Mark King

    U23’s playing the tesco bags tonight wish the club would put them online.

    JL- In part I am sick of being told to be patient when all I want to see along with many others is 11 players that try hard for each other can pass and shoot and tackle, basics that the Villa fan apparently can’t take for granted will happen in a game.

  457. OldVilla

    Mark – I don’t think anything I said in the past would make people leave the blog. The steamers had already said they were leaving from what I remember. The main issue I have is that it is the same things being said with very little to back up what is being said. Everyone is an expert and can see into the future. And how easy is it to pick on players from behind your keyboard? For instance – I was against gabby ever wearing the shirt again, but he DOES seem to be getting some enthusiasm and fitness back and trying his best …… and heaven knows we need all hands to the pumps at the moment. So even though I don’t particularly like it, I will accept it for the good of the team and the club. TODAY gabby is doing his bit, like it or not. Whereas our young world beating, non contract signing forward is doing everything against the team and club at the moment. So TODAY he is not doing his bit.
    What we need is just to step back and take a long hard look at what we had down VP over the last few years and what we are now just starting to put in place. With all the damage done to our club over the past years, this will not be a quick job. And please realize that Bruce has to use the players at his disposal, he can’t just get rid of 15 players and bring in a new 15. Or not all at once anyway!
    So yes, when I read the same old comments, which although they may be personal opinions, do not have a lot of facts behind them, i wonder whether it is worth bothering to comment.
    Maybe a few chill pills are needed for us to take whilst the club that we love is put back together again. Once this has happened and we have a proper playing setup again, we can all comment with justification. But whilst we are a work in progress then maybe we need to be a bit more patient. God knows we have had to be patient for many years, a few more won’t hurt eh?
    And just so you know, I have followed the villa for over 50 years traveling home and away and abroad. And getting smacked all over the place in the 70’s lol. Even here in switzerland I manage to watch quite a few games on various streams and my new wife knows that I shouldn’t be disturbed whilst I rant and rave at the PC.
    Oldvilla

  459. runtings

    you have made some fair points re Bruce the club ect – but if someone thinks he copped out in having a go in the FA cup for example – the proof is there in the game even though we didn’t expect to win

    I think Bruce has a chance of getting us up with the right buys but it doesn’t mean i have to like his style or to be the one to take us forward once promoted —- needs must

    I hope he doesn’t fail as its not nice down , but i have my doubts that he will retain his position if he misses out on going up and a more forward thinking manager becomes available

  460. Mark King

    Oldvilla- although correlation doesn’t prove causation Steamer hasn’t posted since the day you last blew the negative horn 😉

    I don’t disagree with what you are saying but as I said above is footballers that play football that much to expect? why us when we see the likes of PNE or Huddersfield with a £1.5m spend out play us? and to be quite honest while I accept Bruce has won a fair few games its been painful to watch or listen to. Have we became so used to rubbish that we just except it? I don’t think there is another set of fans that would of putt up with the tripe we get to watch. Maybe Dr Xia’s early season excitement set the tone for his own managers sacking too, in bigging up our players the mould was set. Any how I don’t demand Barca style footy just something I recognise as football

    all the best

  461. runtings

    and 40k gates – 55mil and counting is not to be sniffed at – we are not Fulham or the likes with all due respect so Bruce or any manager will be under pressure to produce under theses circumstances

  462. John Lerwill

    Mark: “Steamer hasn’t posted since the day you last blew the negative horn”

    Oh yes he did! 😉 He popped on here to say Happy Christmas or some good wishes to that effect.

  463. OldVilla

    runtings

    I certainly wasn’t trying to say that ” don’t have an opinion unless it’s the similar to yours otherwise it is baseless and lacks foundation ?”
    I’m saying that having an opinion and stating that for example, we never win a game when Hutton plays – which has been said before, just isnt true. If you have an opinion surely there should be something concrete behind what you are saying. Yep, opinions are good and that is what makes for a dialogue ……………
    And thanks for the comments on the 2nd reply ………………… although I think SB set us up to a) not to lose heavily and b) hopefully hold spurs and then get a goal from somewhere like a quick break, set piece. Remember that at halftime (I think) spurs hadnt had an attempt on goal whereas we had two attempts with one on target. So the plan up to that stage was working. Even if it was a dire bore lol ……..
    oldvilla

  464. John Lerwill

    Mark,

    While you and Runtings & co have some recognisable issues, I (like Oldvilla) just don’t think it’s fair to bring them up just now when Bruce himself seems to me to be wondering what he has to do to get a team that clicks.

    That’s why I say let’s see …give him a breather … it’s not his fault this club has been mismanaged from the top down these last 5 or 6 years.

  465. OldVilla

    JL –

    “Mark: “Steamer hasn’t posted since the day you last blew the negative horn”

    Oh yes he did! He popped on here to say Happy Christmas or some good wishes to that effect.”

    Correct John as did the other steamer.
    Mark – when I ‘blew the negative horn’, steamer said in a response that he was just about to leave this forum anyway so I shouldnt worry about him.
    And the negative horn was something that I felt needed blowing as it the comments were already turing me and others (as I know for fact) away from AVL.
    oldvilla

  466. Mark King

    Jl- steamer at xmas whoopee 😉

    was it fair to bring them up under RDM? well fans did and he got the boot, I’m afraid it comes with the territory

  467. Mark King

    OldVilla- well as I feel the way I do about the way we are going about things there is no point in me posting either as I can’t bring myself to be jolly about utter rubbish football. What I am saying is as accurate as anything, we play crap football. I have seen this blog when opposing views are stifled no matter how good willed the stifling is, like a ghost town.

  468. runtings

    JL i really don’t think Bruce gives a hoot what we think – this is a blog and by that i would expect agreement , argument, debate , disagreement and above all opinion

    OV i totally get what Bruce was doing – I didn’t like it myself and even my spurs mate at work said he was disappointed with villa — it was almost inevitable that they would break through the wall of 10

    i prefer the new school managers out there that have a more attacking mentality

    My hope is with better players in the mix some balance will allow the difference in quality to shine through —- i think our first team players would walk into most teams in this lge

  471. James Gill

    is this still matt site
    well if it is,he is only person that can come on and dictate what is posted
    we are still a shambles 7 months into doc reign,he might be worse than lerner ,no one can say for sure he won t,lerner had 4 years with 1st manager
    we have 6/7 players that are not the standard needed still here and most picked by bruce
    as for hutton playing and us not winning ,its wastewood, we cant win with, hutton usually good for giving a goal away ,his habit of marking space not man really smart,just because he runs round like a dog chasing his tail doesn t make him any good,spurs match near end got turned at ease he still was jogging back when the ball went out for throw
    bacuna scored 1 free kick that i can remember yet listening to commentators he great at it
    as for gabby still no goals still playing him and hutton have great fun chasing tails
    i miss steamer and his crew at least its real with them not dressed up

  472. James Gill

    john l
    agree with some your points disagree with some but at least no name calling when we don t agree
    it is a blog no primary school

    come back steamers

  473. Heroes-and-Villans

    James

    Haha i thought that re bacunas free kicks, that danny murphy is a cluless idiot.

    Hutton, there are no words left. Thankfully not too long to go and we wont see him again.

    Cissokho off too…apparently we gave him a 4 year deal last year?!!!

  474. Heroes-and-Villans

    James

    Exactly why i like the blog, no name calling etc.

    End of day we all support the villa and want them to do well.

    Its impossible for everyone to agree the same.

    Well its the 10th tomoz and fairly quiet on the transfer front. Wanted a few in defore sat, going to be tough at wolves. They battered us at vp.

  475. Paul Pears

    Just catching up again….JL,

    You spotted my deliberate mistakes, usually caused by the onset of Dimentia…or Villa madness…
    I had overlooked the away win at Reading, but a draw at Brighton, is still not a win…

    Like MK and runtings, I am not calling for the sacking of Bruce, but we do have a right to critise, and there are several points which are still being missed, and should be adressed.

    The failure yesterday to use our set pieces properly, and players arguing over who is taking a free kick. Surely this should be forgone on the training ground, and the team should know how to respond, in the same way that our opponents have! This is the Captain and the manager’s responsibility surely. It shows once more, a lack of preparation for games, which many are calling out for. The young manager’s mentality, of planning and preparing for each individual game, and studying opponents, and adapting your own styles and formations to suit the game.

    All nost of us are asking for is the commitment showed by PNE, who were outstanding against Arsenal, as were Plymouth against Liverpool, and many other teams. we all understand that Bruce had a plan which worked until half time, but then he should have upped the tempo, and probably introduced his subs separately, and earlier.

    The results over the past month of December have not been great, but we have held on to our home record…just.
    I wish I could attend every game, but mainly only manage home games, because I live in Wales, and the costs are beyond me in retirement, but I am a paying customer and have the right to comment.
    I am hoping that SB will be successful, because I want Villa to be successful, and there is still a very long way to go, and I do NOT want to see us slip back into the bad old days, taking on over the hill players, instead of building an exciting side based on experience and youth.

  477. Trinity

    Paul Pears
    Hope Brucie Goosie doesn’t let you/us down. I was a bit worried when I saw Colin Caulderwood coming into the coaching staff, thought he was a pretty average player-safe, but no flair. Of his era, Gary McAllister was a much better player, who captained Leeds and Scotland and coached Villa to 9th place under Houllier. McAllister didn’t please everybody, but he always gave his best, and when coaching Villa he was apparently fitter than many of our players in fitness tests.
    If he still has legs, I wouldn’t mind Downer coming back to Villa. He left inappropriately from the fans’ perspective given the time he had to heal, but he was just a professional footballer doing his thing, chasing money and glory. He was smart, the writing was on the wall.
    I miss the Steamers, had been reading their witty posts since 2010. Don’t forget to take your medicine! B62 is another.

  478. John Lerwill

    Paul … and everyone,

    I am not denigrating your views as such and would not want to … but without inferring we should be “yes men” I simply and honestly feel that we’re not being very fair with SB.

    I think we all know that what existed when Dr. X took over was pretty awful, so nothing could be sorted overnight.

    Let’s give SB until next week at least! 🙂

  479. DarrenO

    JL Next week, no way, he has until the Wolves game and if we don’t win then he has to leave, we could do with a new manager, SB has already been in the hotseat too long

  480. Trinity

    Mark
    Most important thing is “team cohesion”. It’s interesting that Steve Round says that because that, apart from goals, is exactly what Villa lacks at this time.

  481. Mark King

    Its a worry Iana that what round wants to teach may conflict with Bruces ideas for me, a more progressive manager would make that easier, we are now trying to change and awful lot rather than add a couple, as Nigel spink said we are desperate for a striker now. Still it is what it is .

  484. James Gill

    pp
    on set pieces any manager worth his his salt sorts that out we can neither defend them or atttck with them total shambles
    now spink saying gabby is done yet bruce is bigging him up,bruce no one are going to sign a 1 trick pony no matter how good you say he is
    today is one third way through transfer window still no full back midfielders winger striker to replace rudi come bruce though you were the master of this league

  485. DarrenO

    I hate the media (from Football Insider)

    Headline – ASTON VILLA YOUNGSTER RUSHIAN HEPBURN-MURPHY POSTS BOASTFUL TWITTER MESSAGE

    Twitter Message – Take a point away from a tough game! Another goal

    Nothing wrong with being proud of your work

  490. Paul Pears

    Starting to wonder about what REAL business we are going to do during this transfer window, or is it going to be a repeat of last years, where get linked with everyone going, but in the end sign virtually no-one, and is the good Dr Tony just a busy twitterer, with no substance.

    We have sold Gestede, we have loaned Sam Johnstone, we are loaning Cissoko to Olympiakos, and probably loaning out more of our youngsters to anyone who wants them, Mccormack looks as if he could be off to Brentford, Amarvi could still be sold, and then we may pay £10m for Roby Brady….

    The only strong possibility is, we may sign Lansbury for £3m in the next few days. Will we keep RHM, or will he end up with Rangers?

    The latest is we are interested in is James Bree from Barnsley, who looks a good prospect, but to date, not one single club has stated that they have received a firm bid for a player from Aston Villa.

    So is the real truth that the intial spend in the summer, is not really being added to, and we have to sell before we buy, and the wage bill has to be kept to a minimum, by loaning out most of our players….

    Hope I am proved wrong by Bruce and the good Dr, but for all the talk about doing our business early, it is just not happening, and there are other clubs willing to match our spending.

  491. Heroes-and-Villans

    tbf theres not a lot of activity with anyone. got the gk done early.

    Journo who is reliable reckons today talks closing on bree transfer. sounds hopefull. be a shrewd signing. be able to sell him for loads £££ in the future. just got to fend off man city and spurs!!

    Lansbury held up due to forest takeover, typical. they say its all but done though.

    need 2cms
    rb
    winger
    st

  492. Paul Pears

    Runtings,

    Harry McKirdy , born 29/3/1997 is a Villa scholar signed by us after he left Stoke City at 14yrs old.
    Won the the Golden boot for scoring 6 goals in last year’s Hong Kong 7’s, which we won.
    Has been at Stevenage with Henry Cowans, and made 13 appearances, scoring 2 goals. Henry has impressed, and is staying for the rest of the season, although we need mid-fielders.
    Andrew,
    Hope we do manage to get James Bree over the line, could be a great signing.

  498. Paul Pears

    After last night’s display with two shots on target at least, one assist and one goal, Mckirdy should at least be given a place on the bench for the next game as reward, and an incentive to other young players, but I am sure it wont happen.

    If Bruce was so concerned about the Spurs game not affecting the squad, he could have used the game more to try a couple of the young forwards, and rested Gabby and Adomah, or had them on the bench, and I am sure the fans would have appreciated that, and the viewing public…

  499. Heroes-and-Villans

    Good news pat murphy say villa def interested in houliahn and bree. Bad news both out of contract in summer and top clubs sniffing

    Getting a feeling we are going to be frustrated this window

  500. Heroes-and-Villans

    Bruce hates youth.

    The excellent mcguire and robrtson for hull both sign by bruce.

    Akpom for arsenal also loaned and played.

    We can put that to bed now! If the youth are ready, good enough they will play.

  502. Mark King

    Andrew- You may of noticed that managers often buy from elsewhere and play those players, Tishbola was considered excellent by clarke I assume. The point being is they were given a chance to play and proved themselves because they were persevered with because the manager bought them? The excellent Johnson and Robinson at PNE or Jonathan Hogg at Huddersfield for instance.

    JL- sorry, wont see score again 😉

    At this point I think we are seeing the problem that RDM was confronted with in the summer, players rarely have 1 choice only unless a Liverpool type team offer comes in. We are not no1 destination for wages and are a direct threat to the teams around us making the play-offs so teams will either not sell to us or fleece us. Quite likely why we ended up with players at the end of their careers like Jedinak and fringe players like Elphick and Chester.

    Before bashing RDM for his imbalanced squad we might like to realise what a difficult task attracting quality players to Villas become.

    Wagner accessed Huddersfield last season, helped them survived then bought 12 players for £1.5m net all those players were underwhelming under the radar types that fit his vision. we basically went for a who’s who of the champs winners and scorers. I think Bruce would of met the same resistance we are getting at the moment, lets hop some of the names mentioned actually turn up.

  504. Heroes-and-Villans

    Mark

    Yes that’s true, youth team players usually need to get out the club they have been at to get first team action! Odd! I wouldn’t say Hogg/robinson excellent…that Johnson I wouldn’t mind back!!

    It does seem like we must realise we are a mid tbale championship side…going to be hard to get the players we want!

    Really like the players we are linked to now…round and the other staffs influence? Bruce and round at utd v hull game last night.

    Bree
    Lansbury
    Heoulin (spelling)!
    Rhodes
    schlopp/brady

    would be superb

  505. John Lerwill

    Mark,

    Well I believe he’s looking for £40k+, and that level may well be beyond Watford.

    On RD in the summer, you may well be right, but I don’t hold that he should have gone so mad buying so many expensive strikers and also being aware that 2 players (it might have been 3) would be away in January. Mind you I suppose he thought that Ross would hit the high spots and make up for the January absentees. Anyway, that’s bye the bye … the past is the past…

    On ending up with players at the end of their careers, or fringe players, that’s been a tactic that Villa have used before to good effect to do the job needed – of using that expertise to get promotion, purely and simply. Remember the early 70s and the purchase of George Curtis, Andy Lochhead, Geoff Vowden, Malcolm Beard, Trevor Hockey and Ian Ross (and others)? It’s the situation that determines what you will get, as you intimate, but if they’re players that have capability, drive and desire there’s nowt wrong in that approach i.m.o.

    I remember one such player – Brian Godfrey becoming one of the most popular players that Villa have had and their wails of scorn when he was sold in exchange for Ray Graydon. But we got over it as Ray proved to be a big hit in his own right.

  506. Paul Pears

    Jl,

    There were times past that we bought in some good players, that made a difference, but we have also bought a lot of failures, or ones that have served their best years elswhere. The Fashanu’s, Woosnam, Ginola, and many more in more recent times.

    We need to building a team for the future, as well as for the now, and I am sure the fans would appreciate it more, especially if we had a forward thinking manager, who could develop them.

    Let’s hope that Dr Tony’s desire for instant success suddenly collapse if it does not meet the targets of his master plan. Still plenty of words being emitted, but not so much action.

  507. proxopera

    Just a thought on the RFB position , when Ireland played Georgia recently in Dublin , the Georgians had a real livewire at RFB called Otar Kakabadze whom I was very impressed with . Good tackler , quick and very ,very composed on the ball , he was more than a match for James McClean , whose ability I would rate as high championship standard but he does have a premiership engine.
    This guy was always looking to overlap in midfield and his passing always crisp .
    He currently plays in Denmark . I think he’s quite young also .

  508. Heroes-and-Villans

    prox

    Tweet the dr with the lads details! Someone pointed out huttons idea over dribbling past people or going forward is just running in a dead straight line and chasing the ball. so true, made me laugh.

    Ayew linked to china, can see him going, if we got top money for him take it.

  509. John Lerwill

    Paul: “We need to building a team for the future, as well as for the now, and I am sure the fans would appreciate it more, especially if we had a forward thinking manager, who could develop them.”

    I understand that and fully applaud the notion that “we should build for the future”.

    I’m not sure why you think I’m saying otherwise! All I’m referring to is the very – proven – fact that by buying wisely in terms of old heads (and also admixing younger players) then the desired effect can be achieved and that was done back in the 70s.

    Buying old heads of sound experience is a practical and needed approach when (as has been pointed out) trying to buy class players is usually a forlorn cause, because of their own immediate ambitions to play in the top level. And as to so-called “fringe” players, well Chester hasn’t turned out so badly I think.

    BTW, Woosnam in my view was an excellent purchase – after they went their separate ways, Hateley never again hit the high spots for long. And I loved Woosnam’s play – excellent stuff.

    The old heads we’ve bought in recent times were mostly no longer up to it in the PL, and they were acquired when we were not trying to gain promotion.

  510. proxopera

    Andrew,
    I only watched the first half on sunday but with credit to hutton , he was trying to create on the right wing and get forward despite his lack of skill in this area. I thought he showed courage tbh , most of the rest were frauds with the exception of adomah , chester and baker maybe.
    We had mostly athlete’s (not footballers) running around trying to stop the opposition in their attacks , its pretend football. Thing is … you don’t need to run around as much if you have ball control and play with your head up .
    I’d sell Grealish this week if we got an offer . Villa cant afford to wait any longer , ‘local lad’ or not.

  511. Heroes-and-Villans

    Prox thought tisch was ok considering lack of game time. And yeah hutton bless him puts a shift in.

    How you describe footy being played reminds me of the cruyff book im reading. Sadly we wont see any attempts to play on the ball whilst the current mid is in situ!

  512. proxopera

    Andrew ,
    I only saw the first half and while he had the ball a few times and tackled ok , I didn’t think tisch looked comfortable and he certainly didn’t offer any threat. Grealish tried to be pirlo , and jedinak was a traffic cone. As a central midfielder , you should , in most games be on the ball more than any other player on your team , but to go forward you need to either drive through or play it forward to wingers or forwards , most of the time.

    It takes balls to be a central midfielder because you have to rely on more than your instinct , you have to ‘make ‘ things happen rather than reacting to things happening around you.
    Ireland has a team of decent athletes , mediocre on natural skill but high on grit and determination . When you add a dimunitive natural ball player from Norwich who links the midfield and forwards , the team exceeds the sum of its parts and looks like they’ll give anyone a game . Win or lose , the fans f**k**g love it ! It creates an atmosphere and momentum amongst the fans which drives the team on .

  513. Mark King

    Prox- in defence of grealish and the midfield they were told to basically stop spurs, there only outlet gabby as The wingers were mostly in the full backs position.

    JL- I think the answer to the striker question is both Gabby and Kosak were surplus and up for sale and even more important is we did not get Hernadez. He was replaced late by kodjia who although good is not the same animal. Hernandez is much more direct, stronger and can lead the line, his forte is close range shots and headers, I think RDM planned to use him with RMC and he would not now be in Africa. as I said assembling an experienced squad was not easy considering how many 1st team starters we required and Hernadez’s loss may have been the cog to make it all work (if we had not lost Delaet also) RMC has mainly looked annoyed with Ayew and Kodjias lack of team play, hernadez would be a better fit with him IMO.

    https://youtu.be/ovp2nC6b584

  514. runtings

    I think we can say goodbye to the Lansbury deal with Rowett about to join and a big money takeover for forest.

    On Jack I think Prox is right we should sell him as i can’t see him progressing under bruce

    he needs to go to a team that are capable of better football to allow any chance of progression and him playing as a 2nd wing back in a 451 formation inst going to grow his confidence
    Spurs or the likes would be a good fit for Jack

  515. proxopera

    Sorry Mark , don’t buy that. In the opening stages maybe , but certainly for a spell in first half where villa had some momentum , there needed to be more from the midfield than lateral passing or passing back to the keeper . Villa had only one outlet , i.e. Hutton and Adomah. I saw Grealish steal one ball from the spurs CF and jog 20 yards with the ball before being dispossessed by the same CF who had recovered and ‘sprinted’ after him

  516. runtings

    prox your right re your last post about the game but hutton has been our main attacking outlet for ages
    I have haven’t seen that we will take anyone on since the first few years under MON it it only truly excited fully under big ron – a team – players and attitude that made villans proud win lose or draw

  517. runtings

    i do think this group is suffering massively due to lack of midfield quality
    we try to survive through the middle and offer no attacking treat — no one i the team capable of getting there head up and pinging the ball to wingers or attacker — so for our attacking players its a hard slog out there

  518. Heroes-and-Villans

    runtings.

    yeah we have known it for years. Midfield is terrible which prox rightly points out is such a important area.

    We cant control a game, protect defence, add attack without it.

    Keith has tweeted. trying best and understand frustration. lots of complex issues!

  520. James Gill

    why is it none of our recent managers can go to champion ship div 1/2 and pick up decent players,this buying ready made/fit players are not working. there must be a full back some where that can play there,same for midfield , when was last player picked from then lower leagues,LITTLE signing barry as a lad,taylor signing yorke platt big ron signing teale
    we need hungry players not ones going through motions

    prox
    christie from derby looked well v germany as did randolph the keeper

    the problem with bruce unless they are older,and experienced he doesn twant to know

  521. proxopera

    Runtings ,
    I watched my 13 year old play last week in a big strong team against a physically small but well organised team with 7 left footed players starting the game . That the big team were only one nil down at half time was a miracle given the superiority of the opposition . Our boys were doing the default kick and rush while their players absorbed the physical onslaught for 50 minutes with patience and skill before playing exhibition stuff with smiles on their faces .
    Our lads argued and attempted bullshit fifa 17 tricks while they seemed almost telepathic with their set pieces and basic passing . Even in defence , they never even considered playing the ball into touch , they were always looking to attack . They eventually won 5-1 and it was a breath of fresh air to watch .
    My point is , I don’t believe that all these good players miracously appeared in a small rural County Kilkenny football club . They were taught to play like this and their instinct took over.

    Maybe its our fault as fans , do we want bragging rights at all costs or do we want to see enjoyable fearless expressive football with no consideration of the consequences?

  522. runtings

    prox you clearly know about the game from how you post and i have seen a fair amount of academy football myself
    i think unless there is a progressive manager at any top clubs the physical and strength side of things still takes presidents over skill or smaller players in England at least

    its strange because 25yrs ago players in the UK with bags of technical ability were 10 a penny

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