Well, dear readers, you’ll notice that I’ve not done a match review for the last couple of games. Perhaps you’ve missed them, perhaps you didn’t notice. Either way, as I mentioned before, it’s become very much the same week-in, week-out, and with the glut of fixtures everyone’s talking it through quite nicely anyway.
As you’ll all know without my brilliant insights, following the Boxing Day defeat to Brentford, Bruce is under pressure again. Over the last 10 games, Villa have collected 13 of a possible 30 points, or 1.3 per match. During this period, we’ve gone 3-4-3. And we all know that too many draws are hurting us. Don’t disagree with old adage that if you’re not going to win, don’t lose. But if you’re not a Steve Bruce fan, you’d say “let’s try not setting up and playing not to lose.”
In the first five of those last 10, Villa had beaten Preston North End 2-0, Sunderland 2-1, and Ipswich 2-0. We drew with small health 0-0, and lost to Sheffield Wednesday 1-2. That was 10 points of 15, or 2.0 per game, and we were looking relatively comfortable. Prior to that we’d lost to Wolves 0-2, and beat Fulham 2-1.
Then came ‘the blip’ Mark 2. First up was Leeds, which we saw as a test against a team with similar ambitions, and we came away with a 1-1 draw courtesy of Henri Lansbury’s 71st-minute equalizer. A 0-0 draw with Millwall was followed by a 0-2 defeat to Derby, the 2-2 draw with Sheffield United, and the 1-2 lost to Brentford. That’s 0.6 per game. Cue the vultures.
Now we sight ninth, level on points with today’s hosts, Middlesbrough, and one down on goal differential. PNE are also at 38 points. Out of the top 12 teams, only PNE have scored fewer goals (27 vs. 32). Boro also have 32 to the plus side. Interestingly, Cardiff have scored just three more, but have a differential of 13, and have gone 14-6-5. Apart from Middlesbrough, all the teams above us have won at least three more games.
On the flip side, sixth is still just three points and a lopsided win away as things stand.
As Bruce would say, it’s all still to play for.
Do I think we’ll make the playoffs? Recent form says no. However, we haven’t yet been cut adrift. A couple of big wins would help us keep pace, if nothing else. But it is looking a bit tenuous at the moment.
If we do have promotion on our minds, and winning through in the playoffs, then games against the eighth- and third-placed squads is a bit of a dress rehearsal, and in that context, consecutive wins wouldn’t seem like to much to hope for. Or at least a win and a draw. But four out of six would likely see us lose ground.
Anyway, that’s where we sit. Boro will now have Tony Pulis in the dugout following Gary Monk’s dismissal, and we’ll have Bruce.
Should be an interesting day.
Over to you.
The Author
John Clark
John is co-owner of AVL, and has followed the Villa since the '70s. A journalist by trade, he is, by most accounts, a very nice person. You can follow me on Twitter @JClarkKohoutek. It's an astonishing experience. Or a complete waste of time.Comments 114
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This was more the piece from Steve Bruce, that I was referring to as same old, same old,
Steve Bruce:
“Middlesbrough, Bristol City – they’re both going to be tough over the next three days.
“That’s what the Championship is. Let’s see what we’ve got on Saturday.
“You can look at the run however you want. We have only lost twice in eight games but, of course, we haven’t won in five.
“I’m aware of the run we are on. We have a big game against Middlesbrough now and we have to bounce back.
“That is our only focus. It’s as simple as that.”
Nice summary JC,
but do not see Bruce picking up a point before we play Posh in the cup, and in which case, we could see some changes…..
On the other hand, maybe Bruce will surprise us all and play a competitive team, capable of winning, and have a bench of potential winners.
Nick Powell from Wigan to join Bruce’s ex Hull squad..???
Onomah, who was on a yellow, replaced by JG. Hourihane has also been booked.
Elphick booked too. Pretty boring football.
get in 🙂
Yay!
Solid solid defending from the looks of it.
well much improved second half and more legs in midfield and Elphick doing a job, stay of execution for Bruce, Jedinak definitely a better anchor than wheelan for us.
Whew…needed that. Good to see Snodgrass convert.
That makes me feel better. A young bench for this game. Quite a few of the fixtures went Villa’s way too.
It’s funny, we give some stick to Snodgrass and then he does right by the team. Even BCFC did us a favour today.
To PP and all the other doubters.
“Can’t see Villa getting anything at Boro” says PP! We get a win and not only that but Leeds and Sheffield both get defeated!
Wonderful thing football … always full of surprises!
Ian,
You can be sure that if I give a player a hard time he’ll come out and do something. For those of you betting at home, take note.
John, the cats out of the bag now—won’t work
Wheelan and Davis both ill you can only wonder what the team and bench would of looked like if fit? that old forced change is becoming one of Bruces best tactics 🙂
Great result!
Can’t wait to see the extended highlights.
Murphy seemed a livewire.
The way is up again on Monday teatime
JL, I have to hold my hands up, I thought we would get done by 2 or 3 today…can I have chips and mushy peas with the humble pie….
Big win today, pleased for the lads and the Villa fans who made the long journey to the North East.
Still in it!
The journey continues, Archie
a win is good but we won a few in oct/nov all scrappy and what happened we cannot afford a 3 rd bad run this season
Good to win. I thought Villa would lose too tbh.
Like everyone else I thought we’d lose today so well done Bruce and the team for confounding us all. This league is so fickle that even if we’d lost I reckoned we were still in with a decent chance of making top 6.
Look at Bristol City now. If Lee Johnson had been our manager there’s no way he’d have survived the 8 losses in a row that he delivered up last season.
r0bb0: “Like everyone else I thought we’d lose today “
Nope … I didn’t, though I expected a draw.
I also expect a draw against City.
You were slightly less wrong than the rest of us then John
After 15 games Sheffield United were looking good in second place and 8 points ahead of Derby.
Roll forward to the 25 game mark and Derby are 7 points clear of Sheffield United.
That alone shows how quickly things can change in this league.
I hope that some people’s prejudices against Bruce are proven wrong and that we can have a run similar to Derby’s and secure a play off place.
As I’ve said before, this season, I really don’t give a monkey’s how we get there. . . . it’s the end result that matters.
r0bb0,
With you, don’t care how it happens as long as it happens.
r0bb0: “You were slightly less wrong than the rest of us then John”
Perhaps, but I also was open to the possibility of a win. It seems to me that everything goes round in cycles and when a cycle of a poor run takes place, good management will cause a renewal or injection of energy to get things back on track. I thought that was due to happen today, particularly after management had taken action this week to cause the squad to look at their navels.
We do have decent management, therefore. Not perfect, but decent.
I agree with you there John
jl
you are giving bruce too much credit for today,he said after match jedi was supposed to play centre half with whelan defensive midfield that along with starting ooamh ahead of grealish,a broken clock is right twice a day
JG. I just can’t go along with every loss being Bruce’s fault and every win being down to luck.
Life and sport don’t work that way.
Robbo and John ,
I respect both of your life-long commitments to villa but guys your defence of bruce is becoming quixotic to put it kindly. You are now ‘hoping’ that villa make the top six ? If villa go to the premiership with that man in charge , it will be a shite -side worse than the season we were relegated ! You’re both football men , surely you can see how fearful that villa side is ? There are some good players at villa but they’re organised to limit damage rather than to pursue something greater .
Bruce is living in the 90’s , the game has moved on . Villa deserve better than fear football.
everyone entitled to their opinion ,but no way did bruce mastermind a win today his hope for any match is a draw ,he was lucky met pullis another dinosaur today, two managers hoping fora draw
long time no hear prox
Yeah , I’m genuinely sorry that i have nothing more positive to say .It’s nearly as depressing as watching the ROI side and their fear of losing .
You’re a Nordy lad , aint ye ? At least your boys have a go !
JL,
I am only too glad to admit that I was wrong, and that I am over the moon at a Villa win. How it was obtained is not important for the moment, and the fact that Snodgrass scored the winner is a great bonus for Bruce and his boys. Let us hope that it is not just a blip, and that we now beat Bristol City, but I feel gutted for their fans after Wolves beat them from a free kick, which should never have been.
Will comment more when I have seen the extended highlights.
Prox, nice to hear from you again, but if you’ve seen all my comments over the months you’ll have seen that I’m no great fan of Bruce and that I think it’s unlikely that he’d bring us success in the premiership. I do however think that he ‘can’
get us promoted.
I understand the criticism of him and agree with much of the general thrust of it but it is often hyperbolic and over emotional.
Garry Rowett doesn’t espouse the exciting, passing style of football that some on here crave but he is currently successful. Warnock is no great tactician but until recently he seemed likely to bring success at Cardiff.
Yes, there will be an available manager out there who could bring us instant success but I think the odds of us finding him this season are smaller than the odds of Bruce getting us to the play offs.
I think that’s a pragmatic view not a quixotic one.
Hi Robbo ,
I do appreciate you’re not a fan of Bruce but lets play out the scenario you’ve suggested . Villa stumble through the rest of the season in the same way they’ve done so far , and did last season . I’m guessing that you agree that they are not suddenly going to gel and become a championship juggernaut. They eventually stumble over the line at the end , with some drama in the play-offs and now they are premiership new boys . Do you think that Bruce will then be jettisoned for a new style of manager with a new football philosophy , who will be given a pre-season to buy a few players and completely change the the villa way of playing ?
Is it not more likely that Bruce will be given a chance in the premiership until he has done irreparable damage before we change manager again and begin the existential scramble we all know only too well?
Wolves will have momentum and will scare a few teams up top next season . Villa , my friend,will not !
I may be wrong mate , as i often am , but thats how i see it .
I say , start again while we still have time to create momentum . What manager ? I dunno , they are people infinitely better qualified and informed to make that decision than me .
prox
no donegal not north
sat in aviva howling at whelan backpasses with all the rest
Oops , sorry pal .
I actually met Glen Whelan a few months back in Bodymoor heath with my three kids. Really nice fella , but the standout moment of that afternoon was Albert Adomah who stopped his car and got out to chat with us and sign the kids autograph books . They absolutely idolise him now as does my Mrs who
is lukewarm about football . John Terry was sound as well .
prox
have nothing against whelan bruce etc just wish they wherent at my club ,just not good enough
Prox – I agree with your thoughts on the likelihood of a shambles of a Villa side in the Premier. You just have to look at the form of Newcastle last season and how they are playing now.
Yes Wolves will take forward a side that has momentum, assuming they keep it up!
JL – I don’t think you were alone in hoping for a win; it’s just that the majority were anticipating something else!
One swallow doesn’t make a summer and we have to see what Bristol brings. I’m just hoping Terry doesn’t return for the Cup match and then get injured again.
Happy 2018 to all on AVL – I’ll get there 7 hours before you and Iana and Trinity before me.
Prox,
I agree with much of your post and yes, I think that Bruce would be given a chance in the premiership and I also think he’d probably struggle.
I reckon Xia would be watching very closely and would very quickly remove him (as he did Di Matteo) if things started badly.
Let’s not forget that we have tried to ‘build from the base with young players’ a couple of times with Garde and Sherwood (albeit without much cash support) and we know how that ended. Its particularly tough to succeed with that approach in a large club with high (unrealistic) expectations and whoever is put in the role has to have considerable emotional reserves. It was painful watching Di Matteo dehydrate before our eyes under the heat of fan and owner expectations.
Even someone with the experience of Bruce has clearly found it tough at times but I remain hopeful that he sticks with it and gives us a real shot at promotion this year . . . . . ‘Then’ we can start worrying about next year.
Prox: ” your defence of bruce is becoming quixotic to put it kindly”
Like r0bb0, I’m not by any means Bruce’s greatest fan! And when I referred to “management” I was talking about the whole management structure at Villa, not simply Bruce.
Bruce’s main contribution is the value of his experience, and that he’s an honest worker. In terms of other skills then I agree he has limitations.
And I don’t think he’s really there for the long term. But clearly there’s an interim phase we have to get through.
It was a skinny win yesterday but I’ll take it. It was also a timely win for SB’s employment status. Thought the game itself was poor but Grealish played better. In my book Snoddy still owes us a few goals or assists. The bench was the best I’ve seen in recent memory but sadly due to illness rather than design.
In his header JC says prior to the Boro game Villa had taken 13 points out of a possible 30. I make it 15 but let’s not split hairs, it is still bang average. After the game SB said “we can’t be going along nicely and then be in crisis a week later. We have to be left to get on with the job”. Here is the rub. The previous 10 games represent almost a quarter of a season. The points return can only be considered as going along nicely if we are trying to avoid relegation. It’s rubbish if we have hopes of promotion.
I’m with Prox on what happens in the unlikely event of promotion. This team will come straight back down. Bristol City next. Tough game that we really need to win. But I can’t see us doing it.
Clive: “I don’t think you were alone in hoping for a win; it’s just that the majority were anticipating something else!”
I’m sure that’s right, but I meant that I thought it likely to be a draw with a good chance of a win. Not just “hoping”. Not based on the performances of the previous few matches but that management had taken action to wake ’em up, injury/sickness issues or not.
JL- Wish management had taken action sooner to wake em up then as we wouldn’t be talking about Bruce leaving. Bruces words before the match
“I down not want to make excuses, but we are down to the bare bones.”
Bare bones? did that side look like a bare bones side? I thought it was an improvement in that at least players were in the right positions, Elphick the poor bloke ended up MOM but was due to miss out for jedinak who played really well in his own position, Onamah got put in at 10 when he he is anything but while Hogan was just isolated all game. Grealish had a hamstring niggle so didn’t start so why not play OHare who is a no10?? Bruce seems incapable of making sound choices and gets very blinkered in what he see’s in the players at his disposal, I think a Dean smith or a Rowett would be rubbing their hands with this lot yet Bruce continually insults his players about their quality.
http://www.birminghammail.co.uk/sport/football/football-news/aston-villa-steve-bruce-absence-14095345
Happy New Year, AVL. It is 2018 here.
I don’t know what all this nonsense is of being “down to the bare bones: is. Bruce still has a lot of good players at his disposal. I guess his excuses stem from a natural desire to save his job.
I think Villa will draw or lose at Bristol. We’ll see.
On a second point Bruces comment post match, he came out and attacked the fans again. Baring in mind he couldn’t put out the side he wanted to but scraped a win, and the chairman calling December a terrible month or some such. Bruce really doesn’t like criticism and is in danger of pushing himself out of Villa, or is that his aim? who knows.
http://www.birminghammail.co.uk/sport/football/football-news/steve-bruce-full-transcript-aston-14097182
Happy new year trinity all the best
There is a storm brewing on the net, this article explains it better than I ever could but heres what Bruce said, Reminded me of Keegan losing it 🙂
‘We had a bad forty-five against Brentford, and all of a sudden, we’re in a crisis. It was only a game and a half ago that we were two up against Sheffield United. We’ve got to stop this mass hysteria otherwise we aren’t going to get anywhere.
I know we disappointed against Brentford, but you’ve just got to look at the Championship results to see how difficult a league it is and I know we are Aston Villa and there’s a big expectation, but you know – all of a sudden there’s a crisis again.
The result? I’m delighted. I’m delighted we went up to Middlesbrough and won… Because it’s shut a few people up hasn’t it? It’s become very, very annoying that we are a week away from a crisis, because we’ve gotta’ stop and get on with the job at hand, and that’s taking this club forward’
https://7500toholte.sbnation.com/2017/12/30/16833870/steve-bruces-selective-targeting-of-the-aston-villa-fanbase-is-going-to-end-badly
“I think that Bruce would be given a chance in the premiership and I also think he’d probably struggle.”
He’s struggling right now Robbo , and he is in the championship with resources superior to any other club there . ‘Experienced & hardworking ‘ is just not enough . Villa have no defined pattern to their play , no cohesion or consistency and no real sense of purpose . Bruce is I’m sure a very honest guy but he is not the man for Villa today , he’s a busted flush and the players know it !
John ,
I take your points on the general management and also getting through this interim phase , but where you and I part company is on timing . Automatic promotion is gone for us now , and I dont see the point in stumbling through to the end of the season and perhaps getting promotion . Even if we do get to the playoffs , we have a terrible record against our peer clubs at the moment so why do we think we would suddenly improve in the playoffs .
A manager with ambition would be seeing the second half of this season as a ‘ramp’ to the requisite quality of the premiership , doggedly confident of that destination , rather than the perpetual anxiety that AVFC are currently plying their trade under Steve Bruce.
Rip off the band aid mate and lets start again before this season is gone !
Heres the interview in video
http://www.astonvilla.vitalfootball.co.uk/article.asp?a=7523998
my old man put up good post on bruce tantrum yesterday
Mark, have to agree with you about Bruce’s implicit criticism of the players. It smacks of insecurity and defensiveness which is never a good managerial trait.
His criticism of fans is similarly unwise (however justified it may be!)
I do think we underestimate the difficulty of managing Villa though.
Turning round a failed/ failing business is not easy and requires a suspension of ego. . . . . easier said than done, but right now Bruce is failing that test.
Happy New Year everyone!
Need a win against Bristol City, otherwise it will get to be hard going.
If it isn’t already, that is.
Brucey, schmoosey, I can feel the dyslexia coming on, as well as a draw for Bristol
Prox- I whole heartedly agree mate no problem with Bruce the man but we really haven’t improved enough under him.
Robbo- Bruce had a terrible run last Jan, another in august and we are just coming out of 1 win in 6
he’s still here so why wouldn’t we get behind a new manager if we saw some progress? the games just seem to lurch along from one to another, even a win is hard to enjoy.
Robbo- yes mate its a tough gig but one he aspires to and maybe points to why he has never got that call from Man utd? not only is he demoralising his own players he is also potentially having a dig at the hierarchy at Villa who made statements this week.
Bruce lies too much for me, & since when has the need to lie been part of the job?
People usually lie when it’s not going well, but he seems to not be able to help himself.
I don’t know Bruce, but the image he puts out put me off wanting to, as well as putting me off wanting him as manager.
Mark, prox – mostly agree but no need to soften the blow.
robbo
then why is it all teams above us and around us managers have managers appointed around same time as bruce,the wolves manager took over from lambert
IanG- yes mate I get the feeling he’s either lying or can’t help himself his pressers are just rubbish on the whole, he seems a bit delusional. Thinking a crisis is losing away to Brentford while all the other games lately have been what ? tickety boo? Thats the championship? no thats football for Villa at the moment under Bruce, wolves Derby Bristol Cardiff don’t seem to be finding it that hard.
Ok, so (nearly) everyone on here wants Bruce out now?
What type of manager do we bring in?
Let’s not forget that FPP is a real concern and we’ve already thrown the investment dice and it’s a one off throw.
Last year Wolves threw it and happened on an excellent manager who is making the most of the investment.
I use the words ‘happened on’ advisedly because ‘nobody’ can guarantee that a manager will work at any particular club.
If we’d picked Bristol city’s Lee Johnson he’d have been sacked last season so please don’t suggest an untested young manager for the Villa manager cauldron.
If we make it to the premiership then we should have funds again and be able to attract a quality manager.
I’d let this season play out while Bruce still has a chance of bringing success (and I genuinely believe he does) but be planning for two alternative scenarios:
1) if we fall short of promotion we will need someone who can develop our youth players as we’ll have bugger all funds available for buying in talent next year due to FPP
2) if we get promoted we should be able to attract a quality manager who has some funds available and wants a chance to manage a big club in the biggest division.
These two scenarios call for very different managers but Xia and his team should be identifying targets for both of them. . . . . once it’s clear which way we will need to jump.
Hi Mark ,
Its a bit remiss of you not to shoehorn an RDM reference into this conversation .
IanG , Mark and I probably have just not reached your end of the spectrum yet ,
James ,
I’d completely forgotten about Lambert ! Thanks for the memories!
Robbo- fine mate you think Bruce is irreplaceable at this point in time, I don’t and its not up to me to find a manager, worryingly its down to the same person who decided Bruce was a fit. Sometimes you just have to be brave as many other clubs seem to have been in finding Wagner, Silva and many more managers that seem to be magically appearing today, I like Dean smith, Rowetts probably off the table but I wouldn’t stick with Bruce because I fear whats next.
Prox- RDM? why mention him he had a poor start to the season and ruined Bruces time at Villa
MK,
You wish us a happy New Year (thank you!) yet continue to write stuff that makes us all depressed! 😀
Thank goodness not everyone sees things the way you do!
We’ve just had the first sticky patch since the opening 3 games of the season and suddenly everything’s gone wrong. Well, yes, it has … injuries galore plus sickness. A manager is hardly at fault for all that, yet you say he is.
Anyway, I’m going back into slumber mode in a happier place! ‘Night all – and a sincere Happy New Year too.
Mark,
You say that we haven’t improved under Bruce but that really is not true.
I have been going to games at villa park for many years and in recent years, both performances and results have been desperate. It simply is ‘not’ that bad under Bruce. It may not be what we all want, but it is improved . . . just not enough.
Mark. I do not think that Bruce is irreplaceable at this time . . . and that is why I didn’t say that he is.
I do think that he still has a decent chance of getting us to the top 6 at the end of the season and in one off play off games I wouldn’t bet against him winning through.
I also think that there’s a good chance of us making the wrong short or long term decision if we bring in a new manager now so I would opt to stick with Bruce for now.
If we drop right out of contention for top 6 I would then bring in someone who can rebuild with youth (as he won’t have money available to buy our way out of this league.
prox
My ‘end of spectrum’
Well it’s probably been pensioned off…
Sorry Robbie/Jl I really don’t see how being able to beat the also rans is what’s required. I said this period would test us and it has even more than I thought it would. Home form poor and all the best teams to come there, can’t see us winning games the way we did yesterday until May and certainly not at home. I want Bruce to succeed as what comes next could be a hell of a lot worse I just think he hobbles the team with his tactics and attitudes. Bruce doesn’t play this way because it’s the only way to win promotion that’s clear ,it’s his style and all he knows.
Johnson could be off to WBA for £4m Man Utd have excepted a bid.
Accepted even
Mark. You believe that we need to beat the top teams to gain promotion.
I accept that I’m probably in the minority in not caring where the points come from as long as we achieve the required number by the end of the season.
The average number of points needed over the past 10 years to get into the playoffs is 73, so we’d need another 32 points or 11 wins. There are currently 17 teams below us so if we win against the ‘also rans’ we’d gain more than enough points.
Man Utd have only beaten 2 of the top 8 this year but could still win the ‘best of the rest’ premiership title.
Disappointing news about Johnson. . . . for us AND him!
Robbo- We have won two games against the teams from ten upwards and none of the top 6, Bruces hull beat all of the top ten teams last promotion season bar Derby giving them a pretty good chance in the play offs on results against their peers, Huddersfield last season same, Norwich season before that same.
I just think it makes sense as teams at the bottom will be harder to beat as the season goes on and all teams have a Jan window, Teams at the top will be going for wins too, we seem to play for Draws to often.
We are going to have to have one hell of a second half to the season and I hope we do. Yes we can make the play offs beating lower teams but I’d like to see some proof we can win them before that please.
Can’t see Johnson wanting to go there but can’t see us affording him now.
I suppose they could counter offer with the expectation of selling in January.
The Bruce quandary is pretty much how I see it. He is a short term manager. He won’t be here regardless of which league Villa are in next season. I would only give him 2 more games to push into the mix. If not, a new guy with a revamp now heading into next years season.
Mark,
You’re right that the odds are not in our favour, but let’s see what happens when Terry and couple of others are back and we have a slightly easier run of games.
If we are still just drawing and losing then watch me change my tune.
Ian
I’m not THAT far apart from you but I’d say 6 to 10 games. If we’ve dropped out of contention by then I would hope we have a new championship/ low budget, manager lined up to prepare us for a tricky 2018/19
Robbo- theres a couple of easier two game patches thats it, forest A Barnsely H and QPR H Sunderland A our season last ten games is a shocker full of play off hopefuls relegation scraps and tough away games, Millwall away last game, If we do it by Christ we will have to earn it.
Happy new year all off for a beer 🙂
Mark, you point out that there are only two patches of 4 easy games in total to show how tough the second half of the season will be.
We’ve just gone through half of the season and if we’d scored just 1 more goal we’d now be in the top six. . . . . we’ve played ‘every’ other team in that period.
I don’t actually enjoy appearing to defend Bruce or our performances under him but you only have to key ‘championship table’ into Google to see that the situation is not as gloomy as most on here seem determined to suggest it is.
I also wonder what gives people the confidence to think that the next manager will be better than Bruce.
Casting my mind back to days of sitting in the stand watching us play under McCleish and Lambert I can feel again the total apathy and emptiness, where the highlight of excitement was wondering whether the balti pie would actually be served before the second half started.
Of course a lot of that is down to us being a division lower and actually winning some games (you have to go back 14 managers to find anyone with a higher win percentage . . . . despite all those draws!)
Go back through the list of recent (and some not so recent managers) and how confident are you that we will find someone better this time?
If I was told that we had to change right now, I’d bring Tim Sherwood back (even though he pissed me off with his excuses something chronic) because at least in the short term he motivated players to go out and win games to keep us in the premiership. . . . . maybe he’d have a better chance of gaining us promotion?
if we sack Bruce, I imagine that many observers outside the Villa bubble will liken us to Birmingham when they sacked Rowett.
Would any of you bet good money against Bruce’s next team finishing the following season above us in the table?
Don’t forget how little money we will have to spend. Our big spending days are over. If you need proof of that you only have to look at this season where (at a quick glance) only Norwich and Sunderland had a lower net spend than us.
HAPPY NEW YEAR EVERYONE!!
r0bb0
Happy New Year, mate.
Hoping for a win later. UTV.
Iana . . . . all so much less painful when you give up the hope!
http://www.astonvilla.vitalfootball.co.uk/article.asp?a=7524002
You won’t be surprised to hear that I agree with a lot of this
robbo
have no fear about bruce next team,it aint going to happen wyness and round are at villa every other club wont touch him,like why was he free agent when rdm was sacked
in last calender year what clubs have outspent bruce on fees plus wages terrry snodgrass
r0bb0
I am very sorry to say this, but without your voice of reason this would be a very unbalanced blog. It would be tipping in an unreasonable direction.
And I agree totally with the article you’ve linked to on Vital. As well as the comments to the article.
In fact I think that by now we’d have been in 4th or 5th place and closing down fast on 3rd place and possibly 2nd, especially as Cardiff have slipped, if it hadn’t been for the injuries and who they’ve affected, as well as the bug.
So there’s very little to moan about other than that we’ve not had a first-choice team available all season due to injuries.
James Gill
You’re right that wages are a real part of the problem. We have too many ‘hangers on’ who we can’t shift because they won’t earn as much elsewhere.
Don’t agree about Bruce though. There are plenty of clubs that would love to have him and I’d happily bet real money that if he wants another job he’ll pick one up very quickly.
Morning 2018
Hi Robbo- The table only shows you half the story, the table doesn’t tell you we haven’t beat any of the likely top 6 or looked capable of doing so which is worse. Thats why I find being optimistic about our chances and position difficult, I have eyes. I have no confidence in Bruces ability to select a team or tactically use one as other managers appear to be able, a large reason why we are not top 2-4. I can point to the countless times injury and fortune has picked him a winning formula rather than any genius on his part.
On a new manager? you say yourself bring back Tim he might get us promoted because he will motivate and have a go, Bingo!! you’ve got it. A new manager may be able to get more from our expensive and better balanced squad than Bruce is, he may be more tactically aware and a better judge of a player. This team at present does not suit Bruces style enough to win enough games that way IMO, it does have the potential to get on the front foot more and go at teams but it will take a different approach than Bruce is willing to try. Why do I think another manager could do something? because its all around us in this league, better managed sides cause us problems and we have at this point a better squad for the league we are in since Mon buggered off. We wouldn’t be handing a more astute manager a turd sandwich despite Mr Bruces wailings.
On the games to come? every season some team come out the traps and just keep going like Wolves, some have big rebuilds and take more time to settle like Brentford, and the clubs at the bottom begin to find their feet and fight for survival. Well the majority of our wins have come from beating those bottom half teams in the first half of the season, those teams like Millwall and Bolton have now started to improve so if we can’t beat a fair smattering of the top sides to add to our win totals I don’t think going to Millwall or Bolton is instant three points as it was in the first half of the season.
I would have more faith if we hadn’t bumbled our way to 7th, our performances bar a couple are very samey with the outcome evenly balanced, we don’t really dominate teams and their profligacy in front of goal and Johnson have saved us in many games as much as our inability to score has hurt us, Wolves, Bristol, Derby might have the odd game like that but to us its bread and butter.
The order of games in this half of the season are very much in the order of this December so no run of easier games to build momentum as we did heading to Dec, thats why I don’t think top 6 is nailed on by us beating teams below us unless we vastly improve.
Yes I read that post Robbo and thought it was quite defeatist just as I think deciding that a new manager has already failed before we even know who it could be is. Fine we are a championship side thats a fact but I think there is more to lose than other clubs have for us, we could be without a team by the summer and skint to boot.
Still heres hoping for a blip by Bristol and Bruce calling us all C@nts in the aftermatch presser 🙂
robbo
then why was bruce unemployed before us,he has run out of clubs,chairmen talk to one another and he has not got a good reputation
john l
what half team of injuries,i mean who would think that 37 year old JT would be fit for full season,or his replacement samba who haddent played regular for years would be back up,kodja is only one who has missed most of season and in 7 matches he played 1 goal a pen v bolton
every club has injuries suspenions ,but not many have a squad of over 30 professionals
JL- I think we should be top 4 despite injuries, Kodjia was disappointing when he came back and looked out of place in the new team, terry? yes a miss for leadership but we have enough old heads surely? and didn’t stop us losing to the top sides and some not so top. Cardiff have suffered more than us and still have loads of serious injuries there top striker being one yet they have kept up the pace until now.
James,
Do you forget that Grealish was out for the first 18 games or so? That Kodjia came back early from injury and is back out again – last season’s match-winner? And Green and Lansbury.
That JT and Samba are *both* out at the same time is a freak situation, but it may be that Elphick is at last getting into gear.
Mark
I’ve said several times that it doesn’t matter this season who we beat or how we beat them. . . it’s the number of points that matter and the fact is that we’re there or thereabouts after having played every other team in this division.
Creating a whole series of scenarios that support your view that we’re doomed is fine but I could invent a whole series of different ones and that seems pretty futile.
Comments about playing style are fine and I’ll agree to an extent, results will speak for themselves.
James Gill
Steve Bruce was enticed out of retirement from a planned year long sabbatical to manage us.
Your scenario of nobody wanting him is totally made up.
JL- I think we are all forgetting that the aim in pre-season was a senior squad of 19 senior players plus 5-6 youth team players to be integrated. Bruce wanted a smaller squad and he barely uses what we have now and complains about injuries with a squad of 27 senior players and the youth contingent thats 30+ players. Elphick, de laet, Hogan, Bree, bjarnson all barely featured as have the youth apart from Davis.
Mark, I said if I ‘had’ to choose someone (who is available and would probably come) I would go for Sherwood.
Let’s not forget that he was sacked for a reason though.
Mark
Your comment about not using players he’s bought feels a fair one on the face of it, but as soon as you look at other teams you’ll see that everyone has hits and misses. Not every player settles into a new club, not every player comes up to expectations.
I’td be interesting to see how different Bruce’s hit rate is to other managers.
Robbo- Creating? so its fine you just saying I think we will get top 6 with nothing more than your say so and the fact we are quite fortuitously in 7th and Bruce has history? I gave you my reasoned opinion on questions you raised, don’t ask then insult the answers I give please they are both scenarios that haven’t happened.
Robbo- on the players he doesn’t use? to me that was our last drop of money and he has waisted it and seems incapable of using them, thats a pretty big miss rate baring in mind he has now employed players he knows and mega experienced ones at that.
Robbo- on Tim the point is you are choosing someone with a completely different mind set to Bruce, why?
To add robbo the amount of money out on loan is scandalous too, all unusable apparently.
robbo
easy excuse taking time out ,pullis said he wanted xmas off when he was sacked from wba,
jl
more crap from bruce saying he was going to build team around grealish,he was on bench for 4/5 matches then dropped on saturday yet match turned when he came on,what about other 29 or so players
Wasn’t it supposed to be we were getting those players in January so they could gel for this season? Smells like bullshine now doesn’t it?
Not worried at all about going up…. Have you seen the state of the prem bar the top 6. Most of em have only won 5 or 6 games. Crepe… And dont forget our masterplan of creating another team if up!!
Footy can change quickly….im against bruce now but he could get us up….we are capable of going on 10-15 game unbeaten run.
Not long ago swansea and saints were the clubs leading the way on how a club should be run but ther both looking poor on and off the field now.
Lets hope we can have a moment when it seems we are doing things right! Us fans dserve some time in the sun!
Jack was gong to be our nmber 10 at start of season no question at all. Pre season was all around him but plan went tits up when injured….back now but as a team in a strugglng moment.
My gripe is adomah. Bruce binned him completly. Him and kodger dadly for us and it kills me writing kodjers name. What a miss he is
Mark, your scenarios for the second half of the season were some teams rebuilding, other teams settling in, others starting a good run which means that we’ll fall behind all of them.
I could invent a scenario where all our injured players come back, Adomah re-finds his scoring boots etc.
That’s what I was referring to. . . . you create lots of negative scenarios and I create positive ones . . . Seemed a bit futile.
And
I have NOT said that we’ll get top 6 and I certainly wouldn’t suggest anyone took my word for it if I had.
I remember JL complaining about you making things up and putting words in his mouth and thinking he was being overly sensitive. . . I see where he was coming from now.
r0bb0 – glad you’ve seen the light at last lol …………. like so many others who no longer post have seen it. No matter what you say, there will be a twisting of words and some made up scenario of a negative type in answer.
It became very boring to keep having to say to MK that I didnt say something etc etc …… so no longer really posting as others had decided long before I did …….
oldvilla
Well what a big game this is now….. Other rsults going well for us as it stands.
Come on villa.
Win today would be right back in it
Robbo- so what are you saying then? you might think I am twisting your words but thats not my intention at all. I tried to show you why I see it the way I do as you seemed to be struggling to see it.
I think you have said you think we will make top 6 on a few occasions and bruce is the best chance of that, is that not correct? we have every chance I don’t dispute that I just think we could be doing it better with less overly defensive play but that Bruce is unlikely to deliver that.
Have a look at results lately as the likes of Millwall, Burton, Bolton are picking up wins, so call it what you will but the opposition lower down is getting stiffer and we haven’t beaten the top ones hence why I have said picking up wins could and probably will be harder than the first half of the season. Hell they might even beat some of the top teams for us and if we can as well then 2nd could be a reality.
I also have not said we cannot get better or improve I have actually said we must improve above what we have seen which has been fairly average stuff bar the defence all season, so if I felt inclined I could say you are putting words in my mouth?
when did this Blog get so bloody precious about things? totally losing its community feel
Interesting that no-one in the top-6 bar the top team and Bristol has won today.
All it needs is Villa to win! … C’mon Villa!!!!
John
Damn right
Win today we go 5th and 5 ponts off second which is nothing!!!
Come on villa
Results could’nt have gone better for Villa today. This is the perfect clinical test for this villa side and management . A win will lift them to 5th place and within three points of 3rd & 4th . How will they set up ? Will they go for the win and the push for promotion or will they tuck their balls in and plan to avoid defeat. The presence and positioning of certain players will tell us all we need to know and probably resolve a few arguments on here.
Either way … come on the villa , now is the hour !
Grealish, hourihan start…… That should supply hogan.
God i want him to score tonight.
I think theres a player in there.
Andrew – It would change a whole lot if Hogan were to start scoring today, & I think he’s another player that has not been helped by Bruce not playing him to his strengths
Mark
I’ve never said that I think we will make 6th. . . . Iv’e said that at the start of the season I predicted 6-8th and that it’s still possible . . . . if we happened to win today I might even start believing it myself!
Late from me today…but a fresh sheet is up now for the game.