It was just so typical Villa, wasn’t it?
Almost one step forward and two steps back.
How can you whup Wolves the way we did and then get beat by a mid-table team, with nothing to play for shortly afterwards?
I commented in the previous thread replies that I was disgusted, but that wasn’t true. It was pure frustration and disappointment that made me say it. And I regret it.
What I don’t regret thinking though, is that Steve Bruce and his tactics were to blame.
We kept banging in highish crosses in front of a big defence and it was obvious it wasn’t working. It never looked to me like it was going to either; check my comments.
Grealish played well and ran our game, but he was pretty ineffective because he was played too deep.
I think he should have been pushed further forward, but what do I know?
And so, after doing so well against Wolves, we shot ourselves in the foot during the most important race we’ve had in donkey’s years.
But while this particular result seems particularly bleak, so, as daft as it sounds, I don’t think it’s all bad, on reflection.
We had to end our excellent winning run sometime, although I totally accept that it would have been way better to do it against a “better” team. But just as we’ve lost one, so I’m fairly confident Cardiff will lose one too. Likewise Fulham.
And if Cardiff don’t, it wouldn’t have mattered anyway, would it?
Looking for the positive, maybe that will prove to be the kick up the backside that keeps us on our toes.
What’s encouraged me is that Bruce has come out and blamed himself, hence deflecting it from the players.
I think it’s good management in that sense.
But he also cites the reason that we should have changed it up, for 3 or four pairs of fresher legs.
We all know that’s rubbish, as it’s never been what Bruce does or has done at the Villa, at least.
I still go back to the tactics and not the personnel deployed and the very valid point has been made that how would winning, dropped players feel if we’d still have lost?
Aren’t some of us thinking Bjarnasson is feeling hard done by?
So the only solution is to immediately bounce back and beat Bolton soundly on Saturday.
After all, It should be pretty straightforward shouldn’t it?
For the want of saying something different, we go again.
As for tactics from the 4 managers of Villa, Wolves, Cardiff and Fulham during the season we will end up in 4th place.Bruce has made so many mistakes its untrue……at what stage did he realise his men were 3 or 4 pairs of legs short because he could and should have changed it all after the 2nd goal or at the latest half time……
We can all get het up about one game but the reality us that we’re still playing catch up from our poor start and a bad December but then again so are Fulham. On the other hand Cardiff could afford to go on a very poor run (in December) without it materially affecting their position.
Bruce is right – if you look at previous years in the Championship it’s the next nine games that really matter and, if an automatic spot isn’t won, its which team goes into the play offs in top form. So many times it’s a team that makes a late run that earns the third promotion spot.
I thought we lost 3-1, never mind we lost, let’s dont kid ourselves unless a miracle happens its play offs, I’ve not been this upset since dropping into this league, and if WBA, Stoke, Sunderland , join us I see us back to the drawing board fighting again.we should never have lost that game, Yes I do blame Bruce its one of many mistakes he’s made, so that makes me think is he good enough at the end of our season. We will have to,wait and see.
Do you mean Southampton Bill? – hope you’re not prophesying two more years in the Championship?
Sorry Hitch, this tablet was on charge till now, slip of the finger Hitch, doing a Badger moment . What’s happened to Oohah? as he joined the her majesty services, ?
According to Badger, Oohah is having trouble posting, something I recently encountered. I can’t post using Windows10 and my iPad recently decided to block me out for a short period as well. Have chatted to Badger about it but he’s not sure what the issue is.
I have Windows 10. Their a upgrade a large download on it 1 hour to do, mine is faster now, at first I was having problems with crashing, dont go for Chromium its hell of a problem getting my browser, I’m all sorted now.
Thanks Bill – I’ve always avoided chromium. Which browser do you use?
I wonder whether it’s my anti virus software causing the problem?
Could be Hitch, they don’t like you using that’s not been recommend from them, what anti virus are you using? I have bt infinity and coverage is by them, their simble like a McAfee, that’s on my tablet, my desktop is by a free anti virus.
I use StopZilla which is excellent on my desktop (W10) but I use AVG subscription including VPN on my ancient laptop (W7)
Spot on the post about the start being what is ultimately what costs us automatics. One off poor results like QPR can be brushed out if you are consistent over the course of a season, but we put ourselves in a position where we couldn’t afford any bad result because we started the season like a train wreck, with only 1 win out of our opening 7 league games.
It’s gutting, but that run and the pre xmas disastrous results (such as the gutless losses at Derby & Brentford and blowing a 2 goal lead against sheffield united have come back to haunt us).
The positive that Bruce has a good play off record, but this could be the hardest play offs ever with an on fire Boro side and Fulham who are the best side in the league right now.
I wonder if Bruce will freshen up the team for Saturday. One definite for me should be Bjarnasson instead of Jedinak. I would like Hepburn Murphy to feature maybe as a substitute. Defensively we don’t have any options so hope Terry can play again without issues.
The funny thing is if he has changed the team and we still lost he would have been torn apart by changing a winning team, he didn’t and he blames himself for not freshening it up and trying a different side … devil you do, devil you don’t
The others (like Wolves against us) will slip up when least expected, we however cannot anymorre.
Andre Green has sign professional to Villa till 2020. Good news that.
Excellent news; I like the way they have quietly secured the really exciting youngsters to sensible longer term deals.
Mitchell Clark extended till 2019.
When you look at age of team that played both games it was average of 29.2 with eight of them 29 or over. Realistically we would be asking a lot for same team to play again at Bolton. People could argue that professional footballers should be able to cope with a couple of games a week, although as you get older you pick up niggles that take longer to get over. At the end of this season Bruce somehow has to integrate younger players although he favours experience. We will have to take a hit with McCormack to offload his wage plus he is another 30 plus. Getting rid of Gabby and compromising on Richards with a pay off to get him off the books. Terry and Hutton are another two who will probably be gone. There might be others I haven’t mentioned who could go to make space for younger players. Good to see Green sign an extension. He needs a big season next year to make up for this season.
I started to say that about bringing young blood in, then I thought the very same thing as Richard said , its sods law if we lose with them in, Bruce was playing safe in picking the same team but should have known who can last in efforts and who don’t, it took a long time to get Jack into the side whose head was not 100% at that time, Bruce should give them youngsters a chance after all its their future and understand a win is a must. Three games in 9 days was a big ask to the older players. Then I’m not the manager, I can only think things.