It’s only a short one, as frankly I have better things to do than try to explain what I saw tonight.
Suffice to say, that while I suppose I should be thankful for a Villa win, it’s really not saying much.
If this is seen as a good performance today, well I can only see it as fake news.
The last I’d seen, we had 61% possession, with 10 shots off and 2 shots on target.
Which isn’t brilliant in itself against what I thought was a very poor Rotherham side.
It probably ended higher than that, not that it’s that important, as I was looking more at how we played.
And I remain totally convinced that how we set up is totally wrong.
It was all long balls, very many Cowans-like, across the pitch.
Some worked, some didn’t.
But when it’s backed up by next to no movement in the middle, it’s totally wasted.
I totally fail to see how by-passing the middle of the pitch will get you anywhere these days and keeping it constantly played wide offers very little threat, yet this seems to be Bruce’s only tactic.
Grealish is also totally wasted on the left, especially when he has to defend in our third.
It’s no surprise that Abraham and Bolasie scored, as they’re the only ones being allowed to get in there, it seems to me.
It’s almost like Bruce doesn’t trust the others.
But what sums it all up is that it’s boring to watch.
Make no mistake, lowly Rotherham caught us out at least three times and a better attack would have got goals.
Perhaps I’m being harsh in my assessment, but basically I think I’ve totally lost patience with Bruce now.
I just don’t see him being the future.
Comments
63 responses to “Villa 2-0 Rotherham; The absolute least we could expect.”
It’s important to note that the fans didn’t seem impressed.
Almost like they expect/want Bruce to fail.
And when he does, he’ll feel the real wrath, imo.
Bruce has already failed – if the ownership change hds been done 4-5 weeks earlier he wouldn’t be here now. Everyone including Bruce knows this and thats why he’s going on the defensive
Couldn’t agree more. Apart from the result, that was painful to watch. Perhaps I’m asking too much to want to be entertained but if that’s what passes for entertainment then VP wont be seeing any of my money in the future,
More paper over more cracks, we’ll scrape some wins but lose the games that count and miss out again this year.
The board should take action now and find a replacement, there is always somebody better out there, Wolves proved it, Leeds are proving it.
Spot on – paper over cracks it most certainly is. This happened last year as well. We’ll get a solid number points as the team clearly has the forward talent to win matches relatively regularly in this division. However, given the money spent that isn’t good enough. Finishing outside the top 2 last year was failure and so it will be this year.
The board should be looking at the last 2 years and that is evidence enough that Bruce is yesterdays man and needs replacing ASAP. If Sawiris and Edens are as ambitious about the club as we’re told there is not a chance there won’t be a change at some point (likely the next pathetic run of performances in a few weeks)
I only saw from 50 mins and by your report the rest was the same…..you summed it all up spot on…I said virtually the same on one of the forums and expected flak…but nothing came…..a big change there.
I dont know how Wolves or Leeds lined up – or even found – their managers/ regimes but we need to tap into it very soon.
Not the best, but I think we’re building. I’m not so negative as you chaps. We may not have the best set of tacticians in the league but we do have players that can link up. Both goals were really well taken. It’s not great that our goal scorers are loaners but we’re in a tight spot. It’s the path we’re on.
OK we won and I always like seeing the Villa win – rather have a workmanlike win than an outstanding performance and loss.
So it wasn’t inspiring but there were some positives – McGinn gets better each game – thought he was outstanding in breaking up play and used the ball pretty well. Abraham and Bolasie looked sharp and will be good additions.
We set up without an obvious DM and I thought Hourihane played OK – even the Jedi was better.
We lacked intensity and drive but that might stem from a lack of confidence following a run of disappointing results. I’m hoping for a continuing improvement on Saturday.
Bruce just can’t stop having a pop at the fans. The man is deluded beyond doubt. A win against a likely bottom 6 side at home and he’s crowing to the media. Over what – being 5 points off the top after a very easy run of opening fixtures.
Makes me sick listening to the media crowing over the has been dinosaur. I’ll be Bruce out every game win lose or draw. This club deserves better than a manager who mocks the fans even though he’s failed woefully.
It’s so obvious isn’t it? We don’t have a system and not together, he’s asking player’s to be in certain parts of the pitch when they should be attacking and not defending. How long is this going to be the way fans have to suffer. We have a win that not convincing to the fans, albeit Jedi played his part so did our two strikers, I’m not buying Bruce’s excuse anymore we was lucky against a lower side, they had chances and if luck was on their side could have beaten us. I was able to see most of that game and not satisfied we would get promotion. Bruce please go.
It’s seems our Jack might have a call up for England.
Both Grealish and Mount will continue to be monitored ahead of the friendly against USA in November.
Grealish has been tipped for an international call-up by his former teammate John Terry.
“Jack will be a big, big player,” Terry said in a recent interview with the Daily Mail.
“I hope Villa can come up and he gets his chance in the Premier League that way. But I can see why Spurs wanted him.
READ MORE
A partnership, positive signs and a new role for Jack Grealish – our findings from Aston Villa’s win over Rotherham
“Right now he’s in the right place. I think he will become a top Premier League star and an England international.
“He reminds me of Gazza, with his balance and his skill, the way he receives the ball and drives at defenders.
“He is looking after himself off the pitch as well. He’s a great lad.”
I posted that he reminds me of Gazza hope he gets that chance.
I paid the $6 to watch the game and have to agree on all fronts. We look totally devoid of any ideas on how to shape an attack. Tammy’s goal was down to individual skill and a flash of brilliance by him for a very well taken goal – and Bolasie’s goal was one of too few well worked attacks. Maybe that is down to team geling and learning to get on the same bandwidth – I think there’s definitely something there, but I 100% agree, despite that, Bruce needs to go.
But for me, his time is closing in less because of the boring football – because I actually believe in time the results under him WILL improve again – but I also don’t believe it’ll be enough to get us top 2. But what really shows me Bruce is finished is he’s started turning on the fans; regularly. At that point, he’s lost our support and it’s only a matter of time before the noise from the stands grows too loud – the manager will feel it – the players will feel it and eventually he’s gone.
Yep, I’ve been reading some of Bruce’s post match comments and I find them disgraceful.
Basically calling fans who have mostly strongly supported him, but are now asking questions, stupid can only lead to one thing.
Here’s a stat that I’ve also just read, that Bruce might do well to think about;
Up until last night’s game, since the Wolves game, we’ve won 8 in 22 games.
That’s shocking for a club expecting promotion.
Bruce needs to wind his neck in, imo.
did we win or not iam confuse, 3 points when your playing well short of your best aint bad. every tom dick and henry wanted 442 and unless i watch another game, they played that system yet we still not happy.
if i knew anything about football, i would say we played too slow and rotherham pressed us well. if we moved the ball quicker and switched it more,we would have opened them up more. but lacking confidence we soldiered on and won pretty comfortably.
i thought jedi was again solid at the back. centre midfielders was good. we lacked a player who took responsibility. grealish and el ghazi both never drove at their fullbacks, never attempted to reach the byline. when bolasie came on it took him seconds to pick up the ball and drive at the opposition.
the partnership up front has potential, if we can find the right formula to supply them. unless iam wrong the team has good potential, i think its a stronger squad than last season, off course its not happening right this minute. but when they gel and the season heats up. we will be up there. no guarantees but thats why football is exciting and unpredictable.
You said the same thing last season.
We scraped a win against Rotherham who on another day could easily have equalised at 1-0.
There are no positives I can see from last night.
last season we fooked it up. if a team like cardiff claimed second over the season,they deserved it. but villa messed up big tim, losing to bolton and QPR two games which were very winnable. came at the time both cardiff and wolves were hitting the wall.
last seasons squad was good enough but messed up, this squad i think is much stronger except maybe at the back, we have many more options in midfield and up front. last season when injuries hit us we couldnt cope.but this season i think we will be able cope better with those injuries, except if chester gets one
positives is we won a game playing well below our capabilities, players will be more confident next time out for the win. goalie has a clean sheet along with the defenders that will boost them. hourihane has regained his position thats a personal plus for him. two up front had some nice link ups and good understanding working in tandem for their first game together.
one massive negative for me is closing down was again in ones compare this to rotherham they closed us down in 3’s and 4’s which is how its done
Alright Nath, you seem to have all the answers as per, let’s all rejoice in another drab performance to relegation fodder opposition, let’s all do a happy dance that for the first time this season we’ve kept a clean sheet, even though we have the most negative and unadventurous manager in the league.
Let’s continue with sheer blind faith that Bruce will turn it around and it’s just a matter of time before the team gels.
It’s like f*cking Groundhog Day.
nobody is saying to be happy and dance. i was not happy watching the game. i wanted to watch pool and paris and was pissed off i missed a 5 goal game to suffered watching us, play too slow from one side to the other, only to pass it back the other way. over and over. but thats where we are at this present time. it will get better i am sure.
We are worse than we were last year, please tell me how it is going to get better?
When even the die hard Bruce supporters on here are saying he has to go, then you know it’s bad.
Nath, I pretty sure your knolage of football is far better than mine, what we don’t have is determination, aggression, and the balls to beat the other team, it also needs team work and a footballing brain. When we get that then we have a team. We don’t up till now, Mr nice guy to nice for a winning team.
His football knowledge is not better than yours.
At least you’ve got your sense of humour.
I bet his spelling is.( Knowledge.)
He wasn’t insulting you, read it properly.
Insults Nath, where?,believe me when I do you’d be the first to know.
Nath, it’s hard to pick fault with what you’re saying.
Your positives are pretty much correct, but I think you’re missing the point.
Do you think we look like a decent team?
It’s more than a lack of confidence to me.
How is it Albion are able to score goals for fun, yet we can’t?
My feeling is that moments of brilliance from the likes of Abraham, Bolasie and Kodjia will keep us up there, same as previous.
Which is where Bruce has excelled for us, in getting this sort of player in.
But it will never be through us having a good side, imo.
And my opinion says that’s what you need to be, if you want to get promoted.
It’s always been to dis-jointed under Bruce.
As for Jedi being comfortable at the back, I’d say Rotherham offered nothing, mostly.
But on the odd occasion they did, they nearly scored, every time.
And more incisive attacks would have done.
Let’s see how we get on against Wednesday, who will be a much tougher proposition.
Bolasie or snodgrass which player would you have in your team. ?????? badger
i was massively impressed with Bolasie at palace. if he can reach half of his level, he will be a success at villa iam 100 % certain of that. kodjia and abraham are really good strikers for this division.
instead of focussing on the manager, look at the squads we had last and this. saying we lost the pre season through no fault of our own. the owners has recruited really good in the little time we had.
the crowd should support the team and if results fall owners will change managers because they are winners and want promotion too. bruce has been more aggressive with supporters and local press because they are attacking the players and he is deflecting the criticize from them. one being the goalie and jedi
criticism spotted a mistake. i corrected for you
Little bit of a clean up there 😉
Let’s just keep to the debate, eh?
Nath, I was impressed with Bolasie’s few mins when he came on the other day.
He looks two or three classes better than anything else in the team, even though it is obvious he’s rusty.
You say look at the squad and that’s exactly what I’m doing.
We ought to be battering teams regularly on paper, but we rarely do.
And fans are beginning to ask why?
We cannot keep having one of the best squads in the league, yet still fail; it’s as simple as that.
For me it boils down to do you think Bruce will turn one of the best squads into one of the best teams all of a sudden?
And unless we go on a 27 game unbeaten run, or whatever, like Fulham did last season, the answer is simply no.
Oh, I don’t think fans are attacking players either, generally.
Nyland maybe, as he has looked ropey at times.
Jedinak, no.
It’s where he’s being played by the manager, that’s the problem, imo.
jedi has been covering the centre back role. he has done very well to be fair. what we all need to understand is we had little time to add players to the squad. they replaced the goalkeeper and failed in replacing terry.
axel will be the centre back, i understand bruce not rushing him because we have little cover. axel has played little mens football at centre back. i watched him towards the end of the blackburn game and he was shattered.
ironically cheering the new goalkeeper, when he catches a ball is poor and rest of other players will not like that. they stick together so when you boo a player you are booing them all. jedi hasn’t been booed but he has been slated loads on social media. unjustified as well because he has been really good in a defence whcih has been all over the place so far
no we are not anywhere close to being the best presently. its not a excuse to say we are behind other teams. its easy to see that. our team look disorganised without the ball. thats a good indication of this. but yesterday game was better in only a little.
bolasie once he is up to speed he will supply lots of goals. if bruce continues to play this system, both strikers will have lots of chances to score. then you will be seeing more goals and more wins and the style will come.
as pre usual we cant see the forest for the tree. players we have i will be very disappointed to not better 3rd from last year. bruce is right in the team will get better. but we cant afford to start slower than currently. hopefully the win yesterday will be the start of a decent run
Nath, I’ve got a few quid that says we will not get automatically promoted this season under Bruce.
Fancy 10 or 20 quid as a charity bet?
I lost the last one (I bet wolves wouldn’t finish above us), so your chances are good, lol.
Yes, I have no doubt the team will get better as it gels.
But I think you miss the fact that our defence is a massive timebomb waiting to go off if a single (supposed) CB gets injured. God forbid if it’s Chester.
Decent teams will murder us at the back.
And we’re not brilliant as it is now.
I think you can’t see the tree, for the forest mate.
goalkeeper and defence is a problem we should be fine if we are lucky with injuries. nyland just needs more clean sheets and with his confidence building the defence will be more confident in him. at present they don’t trust each other i think.
as for your bet i don’t think so, i rather bet with bookmakers better odds and only charity i know is my own. like i said we will get promoted with whoever is manager. just because of the quality players we have. also to come in from the bench.
everything is in place for villa to return to the premiership and stay there. we need to let go of the nagatives vibes. i trust the new owners. if they are ambitious they wont accept 3th or maybe 7th, and why should they. rotherham and blackburn we good teams but they lacked quality players. we are the opposite. we have the quality and lack the team. FOR NOW
iam off to Zzzz land up quack of spuggy
Nath,
“jedi has been covering the centre back role.”
Why is that, when we had a proper CB in Elphick?
This is why people are questioning Bruce.
Look, at the end of the day, I’ve been very supportive of Bruce, as you probably know.
But when decisions are beginning to look non-sensical, my opinion will change.
And it has done.
Bruce is not the future, regardless of if we get better or not.
elphick is not better than jedi and i think its down to wages, we had to lower the wages to meet ffp. i think bruce has been trying to offload him for a while, i think axel will be a belting centre back and hes shown already he complements chester. jedi will be a good fall back. then january maybe they will land another player.
i support villa not bruce. why we have to talk about the manager we can not change this ourselves. if you were the owners would you replace bruce?? why do you think they won’t ??? have to go being nagged at
Elphick is not better than Jedi?
You have to be kidding me, Nath.
But it’s all about opinions, I guess.
If i was an owner, yes, I’d be looking to replace Bruce.
I think I’m pretty reasoned, like an owner should be, but you have to make back-up plans.
The problem is who replaces him.
I don’t have an answer to that, but bet I could find one if I was paying or spent enough time looking.
New owners Nassef Sawiris and Wes Edens, and chief executive Christian Purslow, have started to put their own stamp on Aston Villa by letting go seven members of the technical team, reports the Daily Mail.
The new regime at Villa have ripped up their predecessors’ staff and let go Tommy Mooney, who had been acting as Villa’s loans manager, along with six members of the scouting team.
The highest profile departure is Ian Atkins, who is thought be among manager Steve Bruce’s closest allies at the club.
Atkins joined Villa as chief scout in 2016 and put names to Bruce and the hierarchy ahead of transfer windows.
Bill – you just beat me to it!
I see another seven staff primarily around scouting have been heaved out of the club and more might follow as the new owners and CEO look to put their stamp on the club (or just cut the wage bill?). Talk is of a new Sporting Director coming in – just what we need more disruption and upheaval and virtually no scouting system left.
The Telegraph reporting Steve Bruce’s position under review.
FWIW I thought Bruce’s post match comments more than suggested he is under immense pressure. Whatever you think of his abilities as a manager, this situation is not conducive to getting the best out of team; if the new owners are going to act they need to do so quickly and decisively.
I hope the new owners do know exactly what they are doing – having money is not a guaranteed solution as Blackburn Rovers have discovered!
That’s a big blow to the cub, who would advise owners that know nothing about the game ,its left us in a bit of a pickle. I wouldn’t Think its to do with ffp or is it.?
Bill – I reckon you pays your money and takes your choice. Partly I suspect it’s a new CEO wanting to show his authority – not necessarily a good thing in my experience.
We cannot keep changing everything every couple of years (or less than two years in some cases) – I don’t care what the business is, it’s a recipe for failure.
Watford?
I have no problem whatsoever with the scouting staff being axed.
With Bruce in charge, they’ve been a total waste of time, as he only looks to top players on loan.
Can you think of any prospects we’ve brought in lately, that have come good?
I can’t.
Our scouting has been rubbish for years, just the same as our supposed kids “coming though” from the academy.
They’re that good, Bruce can’t get rid quick enough.
The only decent scouted player I can recall lately was Benteke and that was under Lambert, of all people.
And even then, he was known.
The only defence I have of Bruce ATM is that we are introducing 4 players who will need time to gel whoever is in charge. My argument is that our dependence on loan players will only ever be resolved if promotion is achieved. If we fail again then we will be back to square one with ageing players at the end of their contracts and loan players going back to their parent clubs. Bruce and his coaching team are struggling to get a talented group of players to gel into a top team. Letting Elphick and Clark go out on loan whilst not replacing them could be Bruce’s biggest mistake. Like Badger said that if we are winning we can tolerate poor performances, but with the players we have, we should expect better displays than what we are seeing. I think new owners are evaluating Bruce’s position on a match by match basis so next few games will be vital for him. I personally would like Dean Smith but I’m not sure he would come anyway. At least McCormack has gone. I don’t think anyone is on the ‘fence’ about that being a good thing.
I think the most telling statistic about McCormack is the complete lack of interest in him in the EFL (or Scotland) even on a ‘no risk’ loan move. Anyway, he’ll be able to get Usain Bolt’s autograph – that’s if he can catch him LOL.
Now, if only we could ‘lose’ Micah Richards somewhere.
It’s clear that plenty has been going on behind the scenes at VP. On top of the purge of the scouting team, Xia has had his shares bought by the new owners, leaving him with either no financial interest in the club or very little. Certainly he no longer has any influence in the workings of the club.I think that is what is behind his critic tweet of a few weeks ago.
Bruce is on borrowed time, and he knows it. Unless he can get the team to gel quickly and start winning regularly with decent football he will walk the plank. i don’t believe for a minute that the owners aren’t working on finding a replacement.
I totally agree with Holte66 summary above.
*cryptic not critic
Think your right DS Villa, I have read that along the Many news feeds I get ,it seems them seven that’s gone Bruce is under scrutiny and he’s aware things have to change, and now Bruce is quoted saying he’s always wanted 2 upfront.
Don’t recall that as being quoted by him.
Our new owners are building the scaffold for Bruce’s reign.
Interesting point about him needing time whilst embedding new players into the team. But he’s always doing that. Maybe if he tried embedding some our younger players he might have more stability.
No, tbf Bill – Bruce has said on a number of occasions that you have to play two up front in the Championship but feels he has been continually thwarted through injury and McCormackgate!
Please do not read this as a defence of Bruce which saves you all sticking pins into your Hitchens60 doll!
West Ham defender.
Collins has been invited to train with Aston Villa’s squad by Bruce and could join the Championship club as a free agent.
The Wales international is available after leaving West Ham at the end of last season and was close to joining Ipswich earlier this month.
Bruce has made contact with the 35-year-old and is open to the idea of offering him a short-term deal with Villa.
It is understood that Collins is struggling with a muscle injury that has restricted his training, though he has held talks with Bruce this week.
Paul Hurst, the Ipswich manager, said: “I’ve been made aware he won’t be signing for Ipswich Town – I’m surprised we’ve not seen anything in the press in some shape or form. I had a message from James and that deal is dead and buried now.
“I made no secret of the fact we wanted to do something there but I stand by the fact he wasn’t fit at the time. That was what was best for the football club.
“But if what I’m led to believe is happening, is happening then I wish him well. He was here and genuinely did enjoy his time here.”
Collins played for Villa for three years, between 2009 and 2012, under managers Martin O’Neill, Gérard Houllier and Alex McLeis
Well he’ll be cheaper than Terry and two years younger!
This is madness.
Why sign an ageing back-up, that no one else wants, no doubt on serious money, that we’ll probably hardly ever use?
Samba last season, wasn’t it?
Meanwhile, Mitch Clark is getting good write-ups.
Or maybe we could just recall Elphick?
Maybe not, at a guess.