To be honest, I’m not surprised.
We lost to a better team, through a totally negative outlook from the manager in the first half.
We tried to contain Fulham and it was obvious that it wasn’t going to happen, as early as 15 minutes, for me.
For the coaching team to not see this is nearly unforgivable.
Our defence was being run ragged and the only option was to take it to them.
What the fuck were the coaching team/Bruce seeing?
We came out playing our own game in the second half and looked much better for it, but never really looked liked getting the goal after going behind.
Bruce, you got this one totally wrong, you fool.
The annoying part is, that to my mind, we could have easily won this one.
I’ve just got a text from my Derby mate and he’s agreed that if we’d have played to our best, we’d have won that.
I need to think about our defence later, but I wasn’t impressed.
MOTM?
Probably Jedinak, who looked like the only one anywhere near where I expected.
As I said before, fair play to Fulham and they should have been promoted anyway.
But man, this hurts.
Comments
40 responses to “Villa 0 – 1 Fulham; Bruce cost us that game.”
Well 2nd half was a lot better but that Stuart Gray said we were lucky not to be 4 or 5 down in 1st half……glad he told the viewers that as they didnt show these chances.
Bruce IN or OUT…..no idea….I cant influence any decision….but surely there will be an internal inquest saying it cant go on like last season.
I don’t want a change of manager this summer, although he has to get off to a good start which we didn’t manage this season. If by end of November we are not within touching distance of top 2 then maybe Bruce’s position needs to be reviewed. Dean Smith could be a good choice given the style of football he plays with little resources. The only argument against this would be if he is big enough to handle a club our size. Also looking at clubs Bruce has left shows that decline is more likely. Only time will tell whatever decisions are made whether they end up being the right choices.
This season was Bruce’s chance. If I were in Tony Zia’s shoes I would ask Steve how he is going to improve the team next year, and if the response is incredible, using that word literally, I would seek a new manager. I put up with a lot of football I didn’t like watching because it was the means to an end. SB came very very close to success, but my impression is that was the best he could do, and he would not do any better with Villa if given another season.
OLL I find that I agree. I’ve backed Bruce all season and he has definitely made the team better however he appears to have no plan B.
We also probably need a better mix of youth and experience and a manager with some new ideas might help with that. At least we’re in a position as a potential Prem side to get someone decent in.
As Villa fans we can only do what we’ve been doing for too long – hope.
It still bloody hurts though.
UTV
Just tried to go onto Villa web site and told ‘the server cannot be found’ – seems very careless to me – two losses in consecutive days! LOL
i see a few dean smiths votes. i also like him, seen his teams play for a few seasons now. they always play proper football the purist way. he has also been used to restraints, always having to sell to survive, but each year his clubs always betters their previous year. their are small doubt, like are villa too big for him. its one thing to manage smaller clubs with little expectations and another managing a big club with massive expectations
Yesterday is gone!
Now to the future.
Steve Bruce: Stick or twist: He has brought unity to the dressing room and this cannot be wasted. Remember outlast year in the Premiership. Players having no tantrums and rewarded with tiaras. That culture has stopped. Now SB has unity. Who else was impressed withe the way John Terry spoke about Jack Grealish and Jack’s response to John after the Boro victory. Would a change in manager jeopardise this unity?
Financial Fair Play: I posted yesterday that Dr Xia tried to buy his way out of the Championship last season and it backfired with his appointment of DeMateo. He the gave Steve Bruce significant funds and I do question his buys. Hogan, Lansbury, Bree and Taylor cost significant sums and have not yet come anywhere close to justifying their acquisitions. But, Steve Bruce has contacts and relationships that attract players to our club. Terry, Johnstone, Snodgrass and Grabban were good loans. Could a new manager do better?
One of our own: My dream is for the best 11 players for each position in our team to be the best in the country, all Villa fans, who came through our youth team and U23 set up. In the meantime, look at the commitment yesterday by Jack Grealish. If all 11 from here until the end of time showed that hunger and love for our club, we would have one special football team!
Strangely enough financial fair play and one of own may just be the marriage many of us have wanted to see. Steve Bruce will now have to intergrate a number of U23 players into the first team. Dr Cia and he have spoken about it, but we never saw it to the level some of us expected. Who of these players next year will be given the chance to nail down a place: André Green, Rushian Hepburn-Murphy, Jake Hayes-Doyle, Keinan Davies, Callum O’Hare, Easah Suliman, Jed Steer, Jacob Bedeau and James Bree (I appreciate some were bought in). Here are 9 players looking to make the grade and are not on astronomical wages. Moreover, with limited loyalty left in the game, we might just get the rub if the green in goodwill from those players who step up to the grade.
Us the fans: United we stand divided we fall. To my shame, I recall booing off our own players at half time against Wigan, in Martin O’Neils last season. Why, because I thought we were going to be a top 4 team and had become arrogant. We all have to hold the mirror up and look at our Villa reflection. We are a Championship team with a premier ground and facilities. But the critical ingredient are us fans. We needs to create a unified Villa fortress. Plus, our gate money will determine what the club can afford.
My hope for next year: Jack Grealish stays, Steve Bruce default position becomes attacking focused for all matches and we all unite to create an atmosphere at Villa Park and on social media to inspire our team.