I’ve had a nightmare couple of days.
I arrived in Mexico for my latest holiday on Monday night, having totally forgot what the 31st signified window-wise when I booked.
So I’m in a supposed 5* hotel, yet the free wi-fi lasts 90 mins!
So being clever, I thought I’d buy a local sim and get the net that way. It doesn’t work like that.
So now, I’ve coughed up the £35 a week so I can post on here.
Bloody expensive or what?
Which leads me to Scott Hogan.
What the hell?
It seemed he was West Ham bound all through the window, yet we somehow gazumped them. I can only guess that this was a wages thing, where yet again we’re paying massively over the odds.
To be fair, I said the same about Kodjia, but quite simply, he’s performed, so I don’t begrudge it.
You have to feel Bruce (or maybe Xia?) has taken a big gamble here and if Hogan doesn’t perform, well, it’s yet another disaster signing.
It just smacks of desperation to me.
Still, I of course wish him all the best at the Villa.
Talking of disaster signings, I see McCormack’s gone to Forest on loan.
Good riddance. But I wonder how much of his wages we’re having to pay?
Forest are totally up in the air as a club and I can’t see who would sign off anything anywhere. Any bets against that he’s still costing us £30k a week?
In other good news, Westwood’s gone to Burnley for a stonking £5 million.
That’s brilliant business and shows Bruce does know a player and was just putting him in the window, in my opinion.
Yes, I know. Good servant and decent professional and all that.
But he epitomised all that is wrong down the Villa I think, in that he’s a nothing player and would never have helped to take us anywhere.
He can go on to win the league with Burnley. I simply don’t care. But good luck to him. Trust me, I won’t be able to find an equal to blame.
Brentford was an utter disaster too, by all accounts.
When the Birmingham Mail only has one player with over a 5 out of 10, you know they were poor.
It sounds like Bruce got it all wrong, in going one up front.
Not for the first time either.
But I can gloss over this.
Okay, since christmas, it’s been poor; there’s no denying it.
But now, Bruce has brought decent players in, particularly in midfield where the word “lacking” didn’t begin to describe it.
And yes, Hourihane, Lansbury and Bjarnasson might have looked poor, particularly the latter, who apparently looked shattered after 30 minutes.
But if Bruce didn’t put them straight in, what would we all have been saying?
It’s common knowledge that Bruce wants us to play two up front and that’s what we’ll get.
For me, Hogan is the flavour of the month, but still better than Rhodes, who I’m delighted that we didn’t sign.
What were his wage demands, I wonder?
Anyway, Hogan and Kodja up top is a pleasant thought.
All we need to do is knit the midfield to the attack and we’re laughing.
It’s easy, isn’t it?
Except it really isn’t and some of us expect it to all happen overnight.
Calling for Bruce’s head already is just a total joke to me.
Yes, I accept he’s old-fashioned and is definitely showing signs that he doesn’t react quick enough.
But in his defence, I’d say he hasn’t had the options.
It’s a different game now though and Bruce does indeed have options.
He’s bought an alternative LB, a RB, 3 or more mids and a striker.
And it’s frankly been a blindingly good window, better than most of us expected.
For me, the real game begins now.
I have to hold my hands up and finally concede that we aren’t going to make the play-offs.
But as long as we’re seeing some kind of progression (looking tougher to beat away will help) Bruce gets next season, let alone sacking him in this one.
What a pain, having no internet.
Are they contoversial thoughts?
I suspect so after last night’s performance 🙂
Enjoy your hols Badger – you have Saturdays game to look forward to 🙂
Not controversial for me Badger, agree 100%.
Always remember after 3 seasons the crowd roaring for the manager to be sacked – “Three years of excuses and it’s still crap … ta-ra Fergie.”
Yes the greatest manager of all time took 3 seasons to knit his team together. Bruce won’t get anywhere near that amount of time but we must give him at least the rest of this season and the start of next at an absolute minimum.
Personally anyone who calls for his head before then is just being plain silly….or a secret nose of course.
So Pat (Mr Ministerium für Staatssicherheit) with the @ – anyone with the audacity to disagree with you and your perspective on things and then form their own opinion is now a secret nose?
Oh please do grow up.
Hey BWS – bit strong mate. I read Pat’s last remark as being meant as ‘tounge in cheek’ but suppose that’s the problem with emails – it’s how one interprets the way in which the words are written
BADGER, I know it may offend Pat with @’s sensitivities but please, please, please reinstate the ‘DISLIKE’ button!
Not at all controversial, in fact you’re largely in the majority. You think it’s a joke calling for Bruce’s head with little to back up your claim on why you want him to stay. All he’s so far proven is he’s no better than RDM. If he can’t get the best out of the players we had, then he simply can’t be, can he? I mean RDM also spent a lot of money and failed miserably. The team we had certainly was and is better than where we are, and yet tactically Bruce has failed miserably. If it wasn’t for Kodjia we’d be sitting in the relegation zone right now.
Find it more of a joke that people can still back Bruce but yet not give an actual good reason for fans to do so. He’s proven not only is he quick enough to react, but he has NO IDEA how to even begin a game. We’ve been outplayed by just about every team since he’s come in. Unless all this spending and trimming of the squad (how anyone can blame Westwood for everything is a giant embarrassment in itself) doesn’t work, he’s gotta go in the summer. I’m not expecting us to go up, but we have to start actually taking it too teams, something Bruce said we’d do, and we haven’t. In fairness Bruce said we didn’t have the team for it, yet we can’t keep a clean sheet under him either, we have no style of play, no tactics. It’s back to the McLeish game, throw a team out there and hope they can get it to the striker to score. There’s no wonder even with the three “attacking options” in midfield we lumped it up to Kodjia from the defense, they don’t know what they’re supposed to do because they have no manager telling them what to do. And lets not be fooled, Bruce isn’t going to change this either, this is the way he plays. He plays not to lose, did it at Sunderland and did it at Hull, did it at Wigan and did it at Birmingham. He can claim he wants two up front and us to play to win, but he’s never shown that anywhere he’s been, And look at Hull under a young, foreign manager now. They look better than ever. Are they likely to stay up still? Probably not, but they’re actually playing football, scouting foreign talent and not getting overrated Championship at best players who aren’t likely to take us up. Villa fans have been pretending to themselves for decades now that British and Experience means everything. Fans can’t even go along with the times, can’t expect management will either.
Since MON left the consistent theme seems to be ‘sack the manager’ and look where that has got us. OK Learner was also a big part of the problem – perhaps we should go the whole hog and get a new owner – after all Dr. T isn’t really that wealthy is he?
We could have appointed McClaren – the fans didn’t want him or perhaps we should have appointed Pearson – he was a popular choice – done well hasn’t he?
It’s easy to cherry pick from those enjoying short term success and conveniently gloss over young managers who are not.
My point is that we need stability and experience at this time and Bruce has both in spades and deserves the support of the fans (whether their choice or not). To say he’s done no better than RDM with the same players is to ignore the results over the same period but why consider facts if they don’t support an arguement? To call for his head after one game with ‘his team’ is laughable no matter how poor the performance. On that basis there isn’t enough managers available.
Finally can just one of the anti Bruce group put forward a realistic alternative manager – please?
While claiming he’s as bad as RDM was harsh, he’s been fortunate Kodjia can score goals. However we still can’t defend, we still have the 3rd worst attack in the league. We still get outplayed every game.
And this is exactly what I was talking about. You can’t give a legit reason why he should stay, other than this BS that he’s experienced. You also apparently haven’t read my comments on here, I didn’t want him, and have been calling for his head since at least Christmas.
Never have I claimed we should get Pearson or McClaren. Seeing as I’ve been calling for a foreign manager with new ideas and the actual ability to enforce tactics, like Houllier.
Also another pointless point was claiming we need a new owner. Never have I put down Xia. Other than most of his tweets aren’t needed. He’s been very good to us, very, very good. Hasn’t picked a good manager yet, but we have a history of awful managers.
I’ve considered the facts in my post, my post is based around facts. Although I did embellish on the comparison of RDM and Bruce results comparison. We did get a few wins during his honeymoon period. And that’s over and we’re back to crap performances, no tactics, the put the team out and hope they can do something idea has to end, but it won’t. This is Steve Bruce after all. It’s all he does.
Andrew I have read your comments on here but to claim experience as a reason to be BS is BS.
For the record I’m as disappointed by our performances as any Villa fan but until Bruce has had a fair chance with a team of his making I’m withholding judgement. One thing is clear though (IMHO) – from a perspective of the balance between buying better players at sensible prices and offloading those not required (£5m for Westwood) his transfer dealings in this window are the best we’ve seen for many years.
By the way, I’m still waiting for the anti Bruce brigade to actually name one of these mythical young (foreign) managers that are going to come to Villa and with the wave of their magical wand put right years of terminal decline overnight.
Fans said the same thing over the summer. Oh we signed the best Championship player over the last few seasons in an unfit, overweight, lack of talent McCormack. Supposedly had these great free kicks when he somehow couldn’t ever actually aim them correctly. Elphick was going to be our big bad leader, not afraid of anything. Kinda fizzled out at 3-4 games, correct? Jedinak was going to be our leader in midfield, dominating players because he’s such a great tackler. Adomah was going to light things up on the wing and offer far more than Traore did. Kodjia and Chester were the only ones that have done anything from a supposed great summer so far.
So the January transfers, very much similar to the Summer window. A high scoring striker bought for a lot of money, Championship midfielders, a mediocre left back and a young up and coming right back and a below average (worse than Gollini) goal keeper. And then there’s Thor who could be hit or miss but his transfer fee and wages are likely to be low so who knows how he’ll make out.
No one’s talking about overnight changes. No one expects it. Not a single anti-bruce fan does. Ridiculous to even think fans believe anyone could do so. However someone who knows what they’re doing would be nice. Has a style of play he wants to play, actually trains the players into doing what he wants instead of berating them (much like McLeish did and everyone hated him for it but no one has a problem with ol’ clueless Bruce doing so) because they won’t play his style of football, which they are, but he’s always been all talk. Names have mentioned constantly of these young foreign managers every time we’ve sacked a manager, even when RDM was sacked.
HItchens, Andrew has some valid points, apart from Bruce being no better than RDM.
Bruce is tactically rubbish, Kodjia up front on his own is pointless, which is why we do not seem to look like scoring, having said that, Kodjia is a greedy sod and i can’t see him forming a partnership with anybody, so will be interesting to see the outcome of playing Hogan up there with him.
Bruce is way to similar to McCleish and like others have said, the game has changed somewhat over the years, i do not see why he doesn’t try 3 at the back a la Chelsea/Liverpool, we have the wing backs for it now.
As for a name in the hat, Rowett, all day long, although i agree, it’s way to early to sack Bruce.
Fair enough Guest. Andrew rubbishes experience then cites Houllier as an example of the foreign manager he’d like to see. I would have liked Benitez but (alledgedly) Lerner wouldn’t back him financially – why because he’s a winner and vastly experienced.
If you read that correctly, I cited Houllier as in the style I want to see. I rubbished experience as in we don’t need Premier League or Championship experience and most clubs have found that out. I remember posting about this on another article on here about how successful the foreign managers have been in the Championship this season. I don’t think 1 was out of the top half, maybe 1, I don’t quite remember.
Good assessment badger enjoy your hols mate 🕶️🍺
andrews statements no different to when lambert was here. sack sack sack. bruce has a far better record then andrew. better than most managers. he has probably one of the best championship record. theirs a lot of baggage at villa. stuff i don’t understand. things a club need to be successful are here at villa. so why are we still dog shit. its a mystery.
its my belief that sacking managers in the fashion we have. results in decline proof is here now open your eyes. the squad is much change and instantly we ask no demand better. i think we need to think longer term. we need to support as the name suggests. get behind the players and maybe together shake this monkey off our backs. the players at start of this season were well equipped to do very good in this league. now after window shut we have improved that squad, lots in forward area, midfield and full back.
i think playing one up front against brentford made no difference. the game was lost because they were better in midfield. we didnt just kick it long because that was the plan. brentford made us do this. they pushed up the defense. leaving a high line. high temp without the ball. they knew we wouldnt gel in days .
finally i think the idea is to play two up front. 3 5 2 formation. hogan and kodjia will be a lethal combo. this formation and 4 4 2 will be the way we go. 3 points on the box on saturday and we will be back
you’re right, he does. I’m not pretending I’m a manager, he is.
He may have a good record in the Championship. And yet here we are. Getting outplayed by Brentford who didn’t have their star striker. And I mean outplayed, not close, dominated, embarrassed. Why? Because he hasn’t a clue on what team to put out. He hasn’t a clue on what playing style we should play. He hasn’t a clue on tactics. He also completely screwed us on goal keepers as Johnson’s even worse than Gollini is. Gollini at least has potential.
Things at Villa that we have to be successful are there… Bar 1. Bruce. And a goal keeper of any quality. And brentford “made us” kick the ball from defense to Kodjia… Brentford outplayed Lansbury and Hourihane, the two midfielders most of our fans were so excited we signed. That’s scary, isn’t it? How these two brilliant midfielders (championship at best) were outplayed by Brentford? It has nothing to do with gelling, because we shouldn’t be playing 3 new midfielders at once. That is again, on Bruce being clueless.
we got outplayed by brentford because they played through us. they worked out that communication would be lacking with a new players in the villa team. they successfully compressed high, hurrying the villa players in possession we panicked and hit kodija with a punts. they either punted or they lost the ball surrounded by brentford players. they worked really hard against villa and this time it paid off. we will get better. lets allow the new players time to meet and greet and bed in before we slate them and tactics. only takes a few players to be off tune when you play football. you cant afford to be carrying a less fit player or players not familiar with the tactics or other familiar with players preferences what they like. brentford were playing one twos all game. villa players had to point there over there, brentford did this telepathically
You’re completely correct Nath. And that comes from far better training, tactiics and formation then any manager (bar Houllier) \we’ve had since O’neill. And he was only good because our players absolutely loved him. Well the 15 or so that ever got to play.
But that doesn’t answer the question as to why Bruce didn’t see this coming? He’s oh so experienced and the most successful Championship manager of all time, how could he not see three new midfielders, 1 who hasn’t played in a while and isn’t a center mid (just because one can play there doesn’t mean they should, ala Milner at Left Back). I realize Jedinak was out but shouldn’t Bruce have gone with a different formation, playing Elphick as a defensive midfielder could’ve worked far better, or Baker as he’s done it for us before. And when we started getting hammered after 20 minutes, nothing changed the entire game. The subs were late and poorly picked, we never even looked to shore up the midfield. He just continued on letting them pass it around a midfield who know nothing about each other, as you say. So why oh why can’t Bruce see these things? Being experienced, and a defender of all positions. He should really understand how the game works and be able to counter it, no?
andrew iam sure bruce would have loved playing jedinak against brentford, but he was injured 🙁 elphick might have been considered. lansbury played this position. while he did well first 10 minutes he was swamped the rest of game. bruce has changed the whole midfield which is what most fans demanded, it will take time for them to knit together as a unit. everybody knows this. players given a week or two with training with the rest of group will be much better. copy and paste your grievances and post um in a few weeks if results don’t pick up.
i on the other hand am delighted to have assembled a new midfield it has more ability than the last, with time now to bed in before next season. also like hitch says the board took this approach.because like the fans bruce would have stressed about the midfield deficiencies,they aren’t giving up on this season. but its likely they know replacing in summer these players recruited might have ended up going elsewhere. fullbacks had to be replaced and we have a young player also would have gone elsewhere in summer. i think they done so good business. i understand we are all piss off.
brentford i must say took fulll advantage off our teams lack of understanding and togetherness. they hurried us and thats football. very often games are decided with one teams tactics cancelling the others out. once our new players are settled they stand a better chance to re organize when this happnes during the game like it did against brentford.
i almost forgot hogan looking forward to seeing hogan looks a top professional, we have two top strikers, decent midfield how can most of this site feel upset too long.looking forward to forest game. one result in our favor changes everything
I haven’t seen many people saying sack the manager. I have, however, said I think he is not the manager for us. For all the people who say it’s the squad/team that stopped us being able to beat Brentford, Norwich, Cardiff, Wolves and Preston since mid December I don’t agree. Just look at where they are in the league.
We don’t score enough goals because we don’t get forward as a team in sufficient numbers. That will need to change if results are to change. It’s a tactics thing. Do we have the right manager and coaching staff to change that? We will know soon enough as we don’t have the excuse that he players aren’t good enough. The areas blamed for our failings have all been covered except maybe out and out skill/flair.
Hitchens is right that people calling for Bruce’s head should name a successor. I can’t, but they are out here and I suspect by the end of the season we may well be discussing that in more depth with more support for change.
I want Bruce to be successful, but he needs to start showing a more progressive style of attacking football. Can he do that? Does he actually want to? I guess we’ll find out.
Does it matter who we pick as Bruce’s successor? No, because we’re not in charge. You want names? Labbadia, Schubert, Marcelino, Schaaf, De Boer, Streppel, Avci, Kombouare. Is that enough or should I name a couple more?
Absolutely DS Villa – fair comment
This is what this site about, all on here have valid points, I’m as muggled as the next fan, but im not calling for his head, Bruce does have that CV to build a team and i feel sure he will do just that. Come on Villa fans stop being managers because people get paid to do just that, let him get on with it. Badger Mexico hey? hope its the hotel Excellence boy get hold of the waiter Salvador he thinks that all shorts should be in a pint glass. Enjoy mate.
I really couldn’t be arsed to comment but Pat with @’s comment has really wound me up so as the Chairman of the secret nose society I’ll say it…
This Journey man, ex nose,ex Man ure. plays shite football, never won f**kall, never done jack in the EPL, should never be allowed within the B6 area let alone given the keys to Villa Park!
Bruce Out!
Noticed that mate 😉 Please don’t shout at my earlier comment then BWS – I’m a really sensitive soul 🙂
I think you should get of the fence and say what you really think 😂
It don’t take Einstein to work sacking yet another manager is not the answer
(I probably wouldn’t have sacked Lambert)
It’s obvious to all that the clubs been in free-fall and mismanaged for for years and it’s gonna take years to repair the damage inflicted by our less than glorious former leader.
New owner, new board, new manager, new team yea I appreciate it all take time to bed in BUT I ain’t havin if you don’t tow the party line you’re a nose business, that’s total and utter b*****x.
OK – here’s a different perspective for you all to blow out of the water!
Dr. T made a statement ahead of the transfer window that Villa were not going to carry out ‘major surgery’ but they have. Most pundits see rebuilding a team mid season as either desperation or at best very risky. So why have Xia / Wyness / Bruce done exactly the opposite to general opinion.
FWIW, a reason could be that Bruce has convinced the Board that promotion was not a realistic call with ‘RDM’s squad’ so why wait to the summer to rebuild if we can get the core of the team now and use the rest of the season to build for a real promotion push next season it does make sense – and as a side bet – the gamble might just pay off.
At the end of last season the general view was we could end up with back to back relegations not promotion. A change of owner does not magically rectify the fundamental problems at Villa or any club for that matter.
Waiting with my tin hat on for the broadsides 🙂
makes sense to me but what do i know. i admit very little. i looked at the squad before the season. i was reasonably happy. not with the manager appointed i was disappointed. i think this changing of the midfield has come about, because we all know the midfield was weak as, sorting now will benefit the squad for next season. but writes of this season now. we need like 15 wins or more to stand a chance to gatecrash the top 6.
about bruce i wouldnt have picked him myself. but having been through one or two managers hes not the worst we have had or could end up with. we do need to settle with a manager who ever the current one is. backing the manager and team. hopefully we can break this curse on us.
Just been reading Paul Mcgraths tweet to Dr Tony he’s FULLY behind him & he’s FULLY behind Bruce so am I for now. God has spoken
Rushian Hepburn-Murphy seems he has a new agent. i think that is a wise thing as he seems to be missed represented. seems like a deal has been reached but he is yet to sign but sounds promising
He’s someone I’ve got reservations about, simply will he cut it in the first team???
everytime i av seen him he has impressed me, he seems to have pace to burn. but he can score all types of goals. not a gabby one trick pony. but your right this doesnt mean he will cut it in our first team. but i think he has a good chance if he is hungry enough
Villa now have (excepting the keeper) a full team of players who were ‘stand out’ performers with other clubs at this level. So once fit and on first-name terms they should be a stand out team. No excuses. Only one left playing of the born losers, Hutton, and he is now likely to be 2nd choice at LB.
If the gaffer has a midfield quartet who want to stand on the back-four’s toes as soon as we go behind it is up to him to stop it. Tell them if they drop back they will be in the reserves for playing and training.
See Dr. T has tweeted that Kozak, Sanchez and Veretout will be gone in the summer with offers from 3 clubs to ‘buy out (their) contracts’. No word on Gil – would like to see him back at Villa next season.
Shame about Veretout as i think he would have been a good player for us, given no time at all.
I see McCormack has come out and said he told the club he could make his way to the ground at 4pm.
Is he for real?
The mind boggles.
I see Brighton lost hughton out!!!
When you spend the money we have at this level, it comes with very high expectations. Therefore, there is no doubt in my mind that Bruce is under a lot of pressure over the coming months. Add in the fact we have seen about 2/3 good halves in the 3 and a half months he has been here makes the signs very worrying.
Nevertheless, i’m sure he will get the rest of this season and the start of the next season. However, anything other than challenging for the title next season will be failure. The teams coming down most probably (Sunderland & Hull) are a shambles and will not be a threat therefore the division will be weaker and given our resources and gross spend so far I would be disappointed with anything below 2nd place.
Zach Clough always looks good when I’ve seen him. I think Forest have a steal there. I hope he doesn’t perform against us. Huddersfield were good last night. Exciting to watch. Not surprisingly Wagner seems to favour the Klopp approach. If only we had a bit of that about us.
Even Klopp doesn’t get it right all the time. No wins in January -out of the cup to a lower league side – bit like the Villa really 🙂
And you would say no to him as manager? 😉
Why – has he enquired about the post having read the Bruce out posts? 🙂
The reality is that the managers we would like to have in charge of the club are unlikely to be attracted, so that means choosing from the usual suspects or taking a risk on unproven or foreign managers.
Exactly the same as for players I suppose. I liked the sound of Wagner (Ride of the Valkyries???) when he was mentioned, and I did enjoy watching Huddersfield take the game to Brighton yesterday evening. Easy for me to say though.
I can’t get past the feeling that Bruce is too predictable, and seems happy to set up not to lose the game rather than to go out for the win. He is the manager though, and deserves more time to prove himself. I just think it is going to be a season of mediocrity.
The signings this January should improve us though. Will he get the best out of them? That’s the real question I guess.
Again fair comment DSV – anyone can write a list of names but it doesn’t mean they are available or that they would even consider moving to Villa. Can we afford to appoint another untried manager – we’ve had enough already.
I agree with sentiments about Bruce appearing to be ‘set in his ways’ and predictable – there was a similar negative view of Pullis but he doesn’t seem to be doing too badly.
Love him or loathe him Bruce should be given time to try and make it work and he deserves the support of the fans for the time being. All talk if promotion this season was overdone – yes it should be a target but many on here weren’t convinced the club could be turned round in one season.
I’m expecting to see him play 4-4-2 at Forest ………
The bad news is Jedinak unlikely to be fit for tomorrow. Lansbury wasted as holding mid field in front of defence and no Westwood to do the role 🙂 Could Chester play in that role with Elphick coming into the back four or is that too negative – Gardner then?
Gardner for me.
Lansbury was found a bit wanting against Brentford (he wasn’t alone) and that’s not having a dig at him it’s just not what he does is it?
(Square peg in round holes).
Gardner for me too. Nowhere near as good as Jedinak though. Lansbury would be wasted as DM. Why buy him for his creativity/goalscoring from midfield and then play him there?
Off topic but word on the street is Zola’s a gonna, trillion trophy asia are looking to bring in their own man – Wyn Won Soon.