Let me say straight off, I’ve never seen first games as really meaning much.
They’re sort of in-between, as not really a friendly, but not really a proper game, where you can judge much at all.
You only have to look at some of the opening day results to see that.
But if I’m going to judge, I have to say that I thought Hull were awful and we weren’t much better.
Was I alone in thinking Jack was playing generally way to deep, to keep him out of any real trouble? Maybe.
I thought Steer had a pretty good game and I wouldn’t blame him for their goal. He did all you could ask in getting the ball away, only for our defenders to be half asleep.
But the MOTM for me was easily Hutton.
He’s the only one that I saw actually drive at the opposition and when you consider that’s not really his job, you have to wonder what’s going on?
Isn’t that exactly what Hourihane was bought to do?
Don’t get me wrong, he does get up there occasionally, but it’s nowhere near often enough.
And although I keep hearing he does the dirty work, I don’t see he does that enough either.
He’s far too anonymous for my liking, as much as the stats might say otherwise. Ok, he got a decent return, last season, but how good could that be if he was given his head?
Elmo produced the goods, but I wasn’t impressed overall.
Kodjia was greedy, yet again, but I’ve previously said I can live with that. But he looks out of sorts.
I seriously suspect he’s just not up to speed and it’ll come back.
And those players apart, I’m struggling to see anyone else as being anything more than total average.
Taylor? Oh dear.
Interestingly, Bruce is just saying that things are going to change, in that we need to go with a younger side.
Which is just as well, because I don’t see the new owners living with Bruce for long if things don’t change.
Hull, as poor as they were, made a couple of driving runs, straight down the middle, that had me thinking “why don’t we do that?”
And there lies Bruce’s problem for me.
His midfields are far too much designed to be an extension of the defence and they offer nothing in the middle.
Yes, Bruce brought on a couple of kids, but they need to be thrown in quicker, as much as I’m cautious.
It’s just that I see the current midfield going nowhere fast, especially against better sides.
Ok, we got three goals today, which is great.
But I just see us as frankly average and Bruce’s defensive attitude will not win him any favours from the owners.
Unless we’re top two, come October, Bruce will be gone.
It’s as simple as that for me.
As much as I think he’s been our best bet in giving us stability during some torrid times.
Comments
126 responses to “Hull 1 -3 Villa; Bruce needs to step it up”
Forest 1-0 up and deservedly so. Guedioura looks a really good player.
Baggies look well off the pace.
Without Grabbans goals we need a top scorer especially with Kodja looking like a one season wonder and Hogan injury prone. Hepburn Murphy is the same in that he will be injured a lot. Add to that Davis is injured but isn’t a great goal scorer, it’s looking grim in that area at the moment. If Bruce persists with one striker there is only Davis who is suited to this formation currently. None of the others can hold play up. Trouble is then our forward play is slow and predictable without a cutting edge. I think we all have come to the conclusion that Bruce rarely plays teams on the front foot. He is too scared of losing so sits his teams deep and looks to long balls or Grealish for inspiration. Come Saturday against lowly Wigan at home Bruce needs to show some courage and play a positive formation. Barring transfers i would go Steer Elmo Hutton Chester Elphick Green Bjarnasson Grealish Adomah Murphy and Kodja. Suggestions welcome.
Hence the Negredo link, Holte.
Do you think there is any substance in this link Badger. Surely Negredos wages will make this a non starter especially with FFP. He must have been on a fair amount when he left citeh.
Baggies nick a draw and could have even won it. While Forest played some nice stuff and made some chances they just couldn’t take them and personally I wouldn’t rate either defence.
If the Baggies fans thought that they were going straight back up I think these first two games might have made them think again.
I love it when 2 supposedly decent dreams draw.
It knackers both of them 🙂
Who do you think wants the move more
Grealish or his agent
Reportedly £3.7m per year and why Bekistas want to sell him as they are cutting wage bill. Sound familiar?
Negredo that is
on the grealish show, look at the performance against hull. i think it was reserved at best. he never attempted any real driving runs. he only got smashed 6 times to a normal game of 26 lol he didn’t have a normal grealish game for villa. because he is already mind elsewhere. you guys are mad to think he doesn’t want to go. which player would not want to play for poccettino (forgive me in rush) spuds have a great team for a player like grealish to judge his skills. to play in premiership and europe at the very top. to catch the eye of southgate and play for your country. it would take grealish a while to forgive a missed chance like that. the dream has been sold to him and he wants it make no mistakes about that
Celtic match Villa’s offer for McGinn – which club he chooses will show his true ambition. Carry on having a kick about in Scottish Prem or take a real step forward and join Villa!
Traore completed move to Wolves – that’s £3.5m for the Villa piggy bank and Joe Bryan set for medical
News is that Sawiris has told Spuds they can’t have Grealish ‘at any money’. If true that’s a significant statement of intent.
Just red that Hitch.
Tottenham been told if you don’t meet the valuation he’s not for sale, and Bryant just signed for us.
It’s in the Guardian too –
‘Aston Villa’s executive chairman Nassef Sawiris has told Tottenham and any other potential suitors “he is not interested in their money”.’
Wow! Have we finally got some decent owners at last? Here’s hoping.
I love it – but Friday morning still cannot come quick enough.
Got to love Sawiris. At last our club has shown some balls.
More good news, this about McGinn –
Lennon said: “He went down to Birmingham, I think he is having a medical there. A fee has been agreed. I think Celtic have matched the offer but I think Villa are in the driving position.”
Originally thought it would be McGinn in for Jack but it now looks as if we’ll have both. Here’s hoping.
It’s all kicking off with reports we are in for Success (what a great name) at Watford, Bran done deal, McGinn having medical, Maddison at Posh and
According to one report Grealish is not happy ……..
Duh Bryan
What a crazy summer! With Bryan and McGinn likely inbound today/tomorrow. I would be curious to know who might be leaving in midfield, because I honestly can’t see Gardner or Lansbury getting much game time this season.
Hitch, hope that about Jack not being happy isn’t true.
We’ve had more than our fair share of ‘unhappy’ players recently and, if he’s going to play up, I’d sooner he went now.
Let’s just hope it’s all paper talk.
We’ve had far too many players over the last few years who didn’t want to play for the club and I hope that, whatever happens, Jack doesn’t turn into one of them and end up poisoning the dressing room.
If he’s really ‘unhappy’ I’d sooner he went.
AARGH!!!! Thought it had rejected the first comment as I got an error message about a duplicate comment.
I think he would be ok once over the disappointment being a lifelong supporter. Probably get improved contract as well as promise if move if we fail to get promoted again.
Web site playing up a little Badger. Won’t accept replies and filling in details overwrites the wording in the boxes without deleting it which is weird!
Could someone explain why Grealish is not happy? I thought he was Villa through and through. If you look at it should he stay and we get through no doubt he would mark his name in history, be given the key of the city and remembered all his life. Pongo Warring didnt moan time is on his side, plus who kept faith in his abilities. One more year please Grealish.
Reported that – ‘No move for Robert Snodgrass in this window. Scotland international is staying at West Ham despite loan interest from Aston Villa’
Shame
Bill – this is what’s being said – draw your own conclusions.
Before Sawiris arrived Grealish was told he could leave and join Spuds (whether there were any conditions who knows) but clearly Xia was keen to raise cash. If Levy hadn’t been so ‘clever’ thinking he could knock the price down JG would now be a Spuds player.
Fast forward – Sawiris arrives and wants to make a major statement of intent – Jack boy you’re going nowhere.
JG wants to play for a top 4 Prem side and has been swayed by Pinocchio’s glowing praise for him so now he is disillusioned and disappointed having had his head swayed!
Deep down he wants to play in the Prem for Villa but at 22 we were all impatient weren’t we. Up to Steve Bruce to persuade him to stay and give Villa another season sweetened, no doubt, by a lucrative new contract.
My add on – don’t be surprised if SB enlists the aid of JT who had been hugely influential with JG and has already advised him to stay put.
I reckon JG will regret moving to Spuds now as he will be a squad player and bit part player satisfying the English allocation requirements for the Champions League.