Oh dear, oh dear, what to say?
I had the game on Radio WM, but the site’s SSL security certificate ran out which meant that you were probably seeing a warning about the site being unsafe. Let me reassure you, it isnt.
Anyway, I updated the certificate, only for the site to crash, which meant I was working on that and didn’t really concentrate on the commentary.
Hence any real assessment is vague at best, but the general tone of the commentary was easy to catch and when you hear “worrying”, “no shape” and “poor” etc, you have to be concerned.
I’ve said previously that our first few fixtures are tough and I hinted that I didn’t think we’d have many points racked up, which would probably lead to fans calling for Bruce’s head.
But from what I’ve seen on various other Villa sites, it seems the clamour has started already.
Now of course, it’s still very early days, but we’re already five points down on the league leaders and you have to wonder how much of a lead we might be able to pull back before it’s too late to challenge.
The most single worrying thing today was the comment that “Cardiff are a very average side, that will finish around tenth at best, yet they still beat us comfortably”.
So where does that leave us?
By the sounds of it, Warnock did his homework and targeted our right side, meaning Hutton had a shocker.
But more worryingly, it seems our defence was utter rubbish today, something I find strange given that we are supposed to have beefed it up. Words like “slow” maybe justify why some of us were concerned by Terry’s signing.
And just maybe my viewpoint about playing our “best” eleven so they get to know each other was also justified?
I don’t know.
As I said, it’s early days. Nothing is certain yet and Cardiff away is never going to be an easy game.
But we have another tough game coming up, away to Reading.
Are we confident that we’ll get anything there?
We need to start gaining points, even if they’re only single one’s because if we don’t, the season will be over before it’s really up and running.
I wonder what Tony Xia is thinking?
No reasonable owner is going to sack a manager this early, but you have to wonder how many poor performances he’ll tolerate.
I’m also intrigued as to how some of our more positive posters are going to react to this result.
I expect some very lively debate!
And whilst Bacuna is a subject of debate, it may have escaped many that we actually made a profit on his sale! Now how many players can we say that about?
He’s a champions league player you know 😄
Logan…did you understand the details I gave you earlier?
Oohah Not Logan lol
It seems we made money on Bacuna, wages apart, which can’t be bad business.
Just another far too average player during his time at Villa and I don’t see this as a loss even if he does score against us.
Oops, missed that comment Hitch.
But yes, it’s rare we make money.
badger
how is hull at home with complete new squad new manager,and cardif away under warnock who is in charge as long as bruce but with 3m profit hard fixtures and to only get 1 point is criminal ,you might say bruce has sold players ,none he bought spent 30m in january they are worth about 10m at minute
to many excuses for bruce now
We really don’t know how Hull will pan out yet.
It’s their first season and they could do a Newcastle or a Villa.
And Cardiff away is never going to be an easy game, with their physicality.
You might think it’s criminal, but I never expected 2 wins here.
Same as I don’t see many points in our next three games.
It’s just a bad set of fixtures to start with, which don’t leave much room to get momentum going.
The fixtures after, look kinder to me and that’s where we should begin to rack up points.
If Bruce gets the chance, that is.
I know. With our squad, no game should be overly difficult, but we have to be realistic and we always knew we weren’t going to go the season undefeated.
badger
4points should have been picked up,or at least 2 performances,villa have spent best part of 100m on players in this league added to massive wages,we should have been saying no fixture is hard ,remember this is bruces level for getting out of,
Testing
Some of Bruce’s latest comments being reported;
“They looked so fragile.
A team of mine shouldn’t be like that. They can get beat but it’s the manner in which they get beat.
Since I’ve been here, it’s happened too many times.
That’s why I got the experience in but even they couldn’t give us that determination that we need.”
Those to me, are the words of a man who knows his time is up, because he knows he cannot sort what is fundamentally wrong at the Villa.
I’m beginning to get seriously worried.
There’s something massively wrong at the club, as I’ve often said and if an old hand like Bruce can’t sort it, I’m wondering who can.
My god, I hope we can scrape some results quickly, because if we can’t I predict years in the wilderness.
Which is something I’ve refused to consider up til now.
Thoroughly depressed after reading that 🙁
The mentality at Villa is worrying. We’ve destroyed multiple average English coaches who were held in high regard, whether you thought they were good or not. Lambert, Sherwood, now Bruce. McLeish I know isn’t English, Lerner and Fox and the players destroyed Garde. I mean I’m aware Villa fans expect a lot, as we should. Most clubs fan’s should expect a lot, but these guys come in all happy and become incredibly miserable within months. Bruce actually looked decent before coming to Villa, now look at him. He looks… Dead. We’ve changed owners, we’ve changed managers, we’ve changed directors, I mean bar Gabby who I can’t really see having this huge of an affect on the mentality, it’s shocking how bad it’s turned out. I don’t rate a single manager we’ve had in the last 10-15 years or so, but you have to wonder just what can cause such a dismantling. We desperately at this point need something different, as I’ve harped on for years now. We’re literally the definition of Insanity. Doing the same thing over and over and expecting something to change. I’ve sadly read fans want Allardyce to come out of retirement to replace Bruce. God help us if he does.
Lerner set in motion a cycle of terminal decline which is constantly being refuelled through a combination of expectation, weight of being a ‘big club, financial pressure (FFP) and fear of being left behind – for a comparison think Leeds. for an antithesis think Huddersfield.
Unless the manager and players can free their minds then fear of defeat becomes the driver rather than the ability to consistently play and express their abilities. What is the expression – they ‘freeze’ on the pitch. This is a phsychological problem not an ability one.
Or we’re just cursed 🙂
Bruce summed it up in a very similar way to me only I wasn’t so polite!
that post by Andrew is about the best he has ever posted. it has truth running through it. whether you want a young foreign manager or English. the managers we have destroyed is unbelievable. you only need to look at their records before villa. I can’t understand why. big sam is another manager I have admired from afar. his teams, like bruce are always tough to play against, but like bruce they are not the prettiest to watch. but I want results first then style. we can’t manage one of them let alone both.
that young german at Norwich is struggling alittle I thought they would do well this year and sunderland would struggle as villa did first year down. but football isn’t easy to predict or we all would be rich of our winnings.
Badger, I’ve looked at bits of the game and to me its the reason why we lost, ever team is told go at Villa and they will buckle, we only have two players that tackle hard, Chester, Terry, the others they try to play football, that doesnt work in the Championship the have to show aggression and we don’t, on that showing I don’t see us going up, sorry but it looks that way to me. We will as fans make opinions it will drag on at another season over, they are weak players.
Yes, we’ve made desperately poor choices for a decade now… the underlying problem is the lack of philosophy or style. We were clearly trying to improve our style under Di Matteo (albeit he was very naive) and had finally banished the wasters like Gabby, then we appoint Bruce and throw the small bit of progress we made all away. However, we are no better now than 1 year ago.
Signing Terry for me is also a huge mistake. Besides the exposure against teams with pace, he’s made us a scalp and a team every youngster wants to up there game in. He’s no longer good enough to counteract this effect and for that reason we will be up against it in every away game.
I just want Dr Tony to act now, Wolves got it wrong twice last year with Zenga then Lambert, They didnt bang on about giving him a pre season or time otherwise theyd be in the same trouble we are in now, they got on with it and brought in a top coach in Nuno and several good technical players who look brilliant at this level. The consequence is they look well placed for a good season, we are in turmoil again. We have to act fast now to give a new man at least a week of the window.
villain 1
good post ,said a few times on terry about young up and coming looking for a name for themselves,you also hit the nail on the head about gabby ,should been doc first job to get shot of 2 matches 1 goal disappeared v hull after 20mins never appeared v cardiff usual story,hutton gets praise on here from some but he is god dam awful footballer,
But that’s just it.
If an old hand like Bruce can’t sort us, I don’t think a young technical foreign type manager has a hope in hell; not in a million years.
Haven’t we already bought some therapist or something in to look at the mentality?
I’m pretty sure we have.
So the board have that covered.
As much as I can understand those that want Bruce gone, so the thought of us trying to get a replacement is equally worrying.
We’re at very big risk of becoming a bargepole club, if we aren’t there already.
this post is what I have been saying……… you have hit the problem badger right on its head. I also understand other wanting a new attacking manager. but as you put very wisely. if a old hand like bruce cant sort us. what chance on a novice coach.
I don’t for one minute know the answer. but I am happy that this question ia now being asked. instead of the easy solution of get rid of another manager, their must be something wrong at villa. for so many managers to fall flat on their face
Something that really bugs me we bring in players with a previous good reputation at their club then wear the claret and blue & simply go stale before everyone jumps on Bruce this has happened with previous managers aswell is it now a villa thing??
I think it is a Villa thing Giddy.
The “something” none of us can put our fingers on.
It’s why I haven’t been so quick in calling for Bruce’s head just yet.
I’m beginning to think whichever manager comes in, is going to have exactly the same problem.
As has been said, look at what’s been tried before and it’s all failed.
All we need now is Xia to bail and we’re truly in it.
Hopefully it won’t come to that just yet.
Still, trying to stay positive and if we get a result at Reading, the mood changes drastically.
giddy makes another great point. players …..we buy good players, they score many goals and create many goals just before they sign. put them in villa colours they seem like different players. WHY are we really suggesting that bruce can make them play shit instantly. Whelan class player yet other day ppl saying hes slow and a weak link in our midfield. I didn’t see that game, but I have seen his many times at stoke and he his better than championship so was this game a one off. or is he going to be another player we bought another dud.
again like giddy says this happened before bruce, and rdm etc… what are we doing to the players. we have constantly adding to the dreaded deadwood yearly
I do believe this new formation he’s trying ain’t working I can see it being 4-4-2 tomorrow & everything crossed
I don’t knock Bruce he’s had enough disfigurement over his years in the game, its that we do have weakling in the team, one sees one not trying so he don’t, the whole team dont believe in them selves , they can play football but lack guts and determination. Look at how lower clubs have played against us an got a result, they are made to believe in each other. It’s making me think he’s not the man yet he’s proved he has, kick them players up the arse and sod this being abused lark out the door.
From what I’m reading Bruce is going to ring in the changes this evening so the team sheet should be interesting.
New set of players – old adage – put the kids in the side they can’t do any worse.
Now where have I heard that before 🙂
The recent succession of managers who have failed have a common thread IMHO. They have all succumbed to a negative mindset, through fear of losing. I expected it from McLeish, although he himself recognised that the fans demanded decent attacking football. Bruce is just another in a long line of cautious types who can’t get a team of talented players to perform with any conviction. We need a manager with the guts to play a more attacking system and who has confidence in his players abilities. Not Bruce then.
Fear of failure. That’s what it’s all about, especially with British Managers who are very aware that they are an endangered species, hence the guarded defensive approach. Add to the fact post MON, L****r consciously wound down the club and destroyed the reputation of everyone he hired and gave them absolutely zero chance, the complete ****.
Dr T has come in and done the right thing when using his heart but has little footballing experience and little luck so far. I just hope he’s more patient than the previous owner. We need a bit of luck that we get the right Manager but Bruce doesn’t seem like the one even though he did stop the freefall under RDM who was an awful choice.
Why does everyone who comes to Villa Park crumble? Haven’t got the foggiest idea but it’s not a gypsy curse or pressure from the fans. We expect little more than most other fans from England’s top 50 clubs supporters, although premature booing is spectacularly counterproductive behaviour. We need to encourage our players, not give them stage fright.
We’ve simply got to sit it out for now until we as a club get it right as one thing is for sure, this sense of frustration is at the heart of the infighting on this blog. We all want the same thing and aren’t daft enough to expect Dr T’s promise of CL football anytime soon, if ever!
To me it seems the futile nature of being anyone but a top 6 side has ruined football for us all. What’s the point in all honesty? Quite frankly I’ve given up and rarely pay attention to the game anymore which is truly a sad thing. I’ve loved AVFC for over 40 years and now that relationship has ended. I blame the money in the game 100% for that.
Sorry to put a downer on things, but most of my age group have given up as well so Sky, Murdoch, BT, The Premier League – you can stick the game up your arse because you’ve fecking ruined it.
It would seem that the bookies fancy us for Snodgrass at 4/9 with the next price being Sheffield Wednesday at 16/1. Does that suggest someone knows something?
Has brucey took him golfing yet????
No Giddy he’s giving him boxing lessons.
I saw that too Hitch.
Actually the second best price is for him to stay at West Ham, but I’m being pedantic 🙂
God knows why those odds have come about, as I just don’t see it happening.
Would the Golds/Brady loan him to us? I’m not convinced.
Would be a good signing though.
explain badger why snodgrass would be a good signing,where is he going to play ,what formation,silva shifted him from hull fairly quick,bilic only signed him in january wants rid why?,we have squad full of players maybe someone with a brain to manage them would be a better idea
Serious question JV. I don’t want this to sound offensive mate but are you like this in ‘everyday life’ or is it only on here? I’m curious mate, that’s all!
what has every day life got to do with on here,how many people do you know like hutton earning[robbing] 30/40 thousand a week,bruce has spent enough ,signed enough has beens,snodgrass fits that category sorry badger 45 games for hull 11 goals,15 games for hammers no goals seems injury prone too not many games last 3 years
and i am more than happy every day life just not the crap villa deliver,dont believe in bullshit which some are happy to read and like
7 goals and 3 assists in 20 appearances for Hull tells me he isn’t too bad.
But, yes, point taken.
it won’t happen anyway, imo and it’s only come about because of the Hull link, imo.
JV…thanks for your answer! 😃
i said we were signing Snodgrass lol he is a decent player too
I should perhaps have added that Dr. T has already knocked the Snodgrass rumour on the head and Bruce has also said that just signing more players isn’t the answer.
I will see if my man tweets any news!
Good article here, written by Matt Kendrick, that probably sums up what most of us think;
http://www.birminghammail.co.uk/sport/football/transfer-news/aston-villa-lost-swagger-steve-13475770
Lots of sense in that BM article IMO…..we shouldn’t fear losing with the squad we have. With regards to Snodgrass, you do realise that the bookies use this ‘ploy’ quite often to entice punters that should know better,,,,,and that’s not me saying that it won’t happen!
Ah – one lives and learns – didn’t know that Langford not that it really matters as I don’t bet. I can think of better causes to give my money to 🙂
Good article; thanks Badger.
The most telling line ‘he (Bruce) told me he lies awake at night during the season through fear of losing…’ If he’s transmitting those sort of negatives to the team it starts to explain the ‘fear’ which seems to hold them back.
They say the best form of defence is attack – just give it a right good go that’s what the fans want.
Snodgrass is a dent player, he is very creative and exactly what villa lack. Hogan needs somebody to pick him out when hes making his runs. but will Snodgrass end up like the other players we sign a poorer version a clone of their former selves
I wouldn’t say he’s made his mark at the hammers,if he came to us he’d probably be even worse with this villa curse
Ps we could do with that little fat woman in poltergeist, ‘this club has been cleansed’
Gabby is ‘a little fat woman’ perhaps he can help?…maybe not! 😃
fell off my seat lol cheers giddy….. sign her up