I’m stunned.
The first half sounded superb and Tony Morley suggested that the first half was the best we’d played for around two years. Indeed, it sounded like even Westwood, Gabby and Hutton were playing really well and Johnstone hardly touched the ball.
At one stage, it wouldn’t have been a surprise if we were 4-0 up; we were that impressive.
So what happened?
We went in two up at half time and things should have been very comfortable.
Nothing changed when the teams came back on and we retained the same 4-1-4-1 that seemed the best balanced we’ve been in a long time.
Yet we still managed to let them back into it and this surely has to be a mental thing?
Steve Bruce, who I don’t see got it wrong today, even though I feared for us from the off when I saw the line-up, must quite simply be pulling his hair out.
I predicted a 0-0 today and I’d have taken that.
But to have played so well in the first half and still end up drawing?
That’s a massive 2 points dropped, whichever way you look at it.
There are plus points in that we showed that we can do it.
But we have to show more resilience if we’re going to get to the play-offs.
Lansbury looked ok and that’s another plus.
Along with us retaining our home record.
Oh, we got two goals too.
But I’m still massively disappointed.
Comments
974 responses to “Villa 2 – 2 Preston; We threw that away”
If he’s got anything about him at all he should make a public apology to Dr. T, Bruce and the fans and commit to showing us all what a good player he is – I won’t hold my breath though. Perhaps we could get the Chinese Super league to buy him for £12m 🙂
I can see why McCormack could not vault a 4 feet 6 fence. If he put as much effort in to trying to leap over it as he did trying to jump for his free header open goal against Wolves then that would explain it.
I keep looking at why we gave two goals, first that was not a pen, a clean take by Magredy , secondly Abonglahor ran into the goal keeper, i welcome that they became goals, Grealish failed to make a tackle, blame on him, as for that other goal again no tackles made by defenders and our new man trying to catch up on him.we need to drop offenders to show them complacency is not to be tolerated. Let’s hope Bruce gets his men.
Bill, Grealish if the right offer came in would you be tempted??
In one word , yes.
I’ve always wondered why he (RM) never got a sniff with Scotland, they ain’t exactly blessed with an abundance of talent are they?
Ha, he’d get on well with Strachan, I don’t think. 🙂
Easy to blame Mccormack but Bruce has handled this very badly. If he is having a lot of personal problems this is better being dealt behind closed doors.
The striking situation couldn’t have been handled any worse, we’ve sold Gestede with no replacement, Hepburn-Murphy still hasnt got his contract sorted, and now the manager is lambasting Mccormack in public when you’ve got Gabby still in the team despite him taking the piss out the fans for the past 5 years.
I’m afraid to say for me Steve Bruce’s management of this situation has been appalling and very worrying for a man with supposed “experience”.
spot on
Sorry disagree. How much is this guy paid and you want him to be treated in some mollicoddled way whilst he rips off the club.
Get real – if you are a top footballer you are in the public eye or perhaps we should only hear good stories about these guys whilst we, the fans, lamblast the manager for not picking the ‘best team’.
Didn’t hear anybody being sympathetic about Grealish bring dragged through the press.
Beg to differ with you, from what I’ve heard Bruce was getting it from all angles from the media in regards to the omission of RM so instead of totally lieing through his teeth he told it as it is. I haven’t heard or read anywhere where his actions were unjustified bar yours think about it why should he cover up for someone with a shite attitude like that anyway fuck RM
We will have to agree to disagree on this one Giddy. i think the return of Gabby who gave no sort of service to McCormack or replaced him in the team was the start of it. A player of RM’s age would have show this character trait at previous clubs, but there seems no evidence of that.
Still, Napoleon was correct in preferring lucky generals to good ones, so RM should be on his bike as soon as the gates open He’s unlucky. If the gates had stuck when his Missus was walking out on him she couldn’t have, could she?
Whatever we the fans think about Gabby after last season (according to media reports) Bruce challenged him to get his act together and he responded. I find it hard to accept he is playing but then I’m not the manager. Players get picked on the way they perform in training and in games – not on how much they cost or past history. Can you really say that RM deserves to be in the side?
VILLAIN1…..are you having a laugh mate. Bad management by Bruce? You cant be serious. FFS RM is a 30 year old man (allegedly). Dont you think he should be managing himself better given that he earns mega bucks whilst most if the population struggle to pay mortgages/bills etc. He should try toiling for 40 or 50 hours of week for the minimum wage.There are many mornings when I ‘didnt feel like’ going to work but had little choice! RM is a decent player but his attitude stinks! Bruce knows that ‘the character’ is every bit as important as the ability of a player. I agree fully with your point about Gabby. He now seems to have changed his attitude (at long last), but believe me, as I have ‘ loose’ family links with Bruce, he wont get away with it again! RM HAS to manage ‘himself’ …..he is NOT a child FFS …..either grow up or f**k off, thats my message to him.
Sorry Langford, I don’t have a clue why you keep going into moderation, mate.
It just happens sometimes.
Nice to see you on mate
😀
Doesnt matter how much you earn, if someone is struggling with depression calling them out in public is a low move by any account. Unfortunately the taboo around mental illness still exists and this ‘man up’ stuff is nonsense spoken by people who have never been or known someone affected by it.
Clearly Mccormack has real problems, these issues should be dealt with behind the scenes.
You can’t single out one player for having a tough time on one hand and then constantly laud Gabby who treated the fans and club with contempt for years. That is what Bruce has done here and as I stated IMO its poor management
Ross McCormack is acting the bollox with Villa, In my opinion he is not fit and overweight do your job and you will be rewarded then again Gabby not doing his job.
The two of them need to go.
Interesting to see the polarised views on this.
Splitting up from your partner can be traumatic, as I found when I went through it myself.
I was lucky though and my old man gave me probably the best single piece of advice in telling me that whatever happened, I shouldn’t stop working, as the distraction is a good thing.
I didn’t and I actually got my head round it quicker than I expected.
Maybe RM hasn’t had that advice and with them not working many hours a day, he’s had more time to mope?
Regardless, I think it’s harsh to call Bruce out for his management here.
I mean, there’s no way Bruce would have been totally unsympathetic, as surely it’s best to be supportive at a time like this?
But as a player you have big responsibilties and have to be seen to be earning your massive wages. You can only be allowed so much slack.
Let’s not forget Bruce said himself this is the first time he’s called a player out in 20 years and I’ll bet not all of them have been angels!
I’d put money what he said was only the tip of the iceberg.
And McCormack has done this lots of times.
I certainly wouldn’t go round to someone’s house after 2-3 occasions.
There’s also a plus in the players will now know, Bruce isn’t messing about anymore.
Anyone not performing as they should, will be off.
I hope this crap ain’t going to affect the dressing room
Giddy, In My view it did, Gabby, and RM are mentally saying in my view im dogs bollocks , bad apples mate.
The express stating a transfer of RM to Fulham should be announced shortly by the club hmmm interesting loan or permanent????
Ps I’d link the article if I could hitch where are you mate???
http://www.express.co.uk/sport/football/757401/Aston-Villa-Ross-McCormack-Fulham-Return-Transfer-News-Rumours-Gossip
Here you go mate – cooking Sunday dinner for the missus!
You and me both Hitch, thinking of getting a husband.
LOL me to – All veggies from the allotment Bill
Same here, cauliflower runner bean, potato, with chicken. Ramsay couldn’t have done better,
Do you have chickens down the allotment aswell???
Pork hock with roast pots / parsnip, carrots, swede and leeks plus knock up a Jamie Oliver gravy all washed down with a nice Medoc – yum yum!
No Giddy, Nick them off the farmer, well I might buy him a pint now and again.
😁 who needs tesco?
Cheers hitch enjoy your meal 🍴 mate
Here you go Giddy;
http://www.express.co.uk/sport/football/757401/Aston-Villa-Ross-McCormack-Fulham-Return-Transfer-News-Rumours-Gossip
What will they pay us?
£5-6 mill?
Or more likely a loan, as we’re desperate to get rid?
Awful business and I thought we’d got away from this sort of stuff 🙁
I suppose it’s always going to be a risk (bad deals) – it just seems Villa are more proficient in finding them 🙂
Glad it’s not my money
Oops, that’ll teach me to check I’m on the latest page!
I really hope he’s got a replacement rubber stamped ashley Barnes or badgers favourite Rhodes. At least Rhodes turns up for training even though he knows that he’s right down the pecking order
I’ve read a post on another blog which was quire sympathetic to RM saying that employees should be supported through tough times without public shaming. I would have a lot of sympathy for RM if that was the exact case and SB and Dr. T could be seen as being a bit harsh to say the least.
However, as SB said, he’s never had to do this before and in all his years as a manager he must have had more than a few bad apples to deal with. So what’s going on?
SB has a mountain of negativity to climb at VP so why add to it by shaming RM publicly?
I can only think that SB is certain that RM is pulling a stunt and is trying to engineer a move back to Fulham by rocking the boat. If that is the case then the public slagging off is more than merited.
Anyway hope they’ve got the taxi to Fulham ordered as he won’t want to play for the cause now anyway and I personally don’t want him to.
Well Pat, if he couldn’t get over a 4’6″ fence he’s no Good to Villa, thinking about it Pat its like saying my alarm didn’t go off.
Actually Bill, I’ve used that one loads of times, legitimately.
But I work all over the place, which involves all sorts of different leaving times 🙂
How do you manage that Badger – my sodding alarm always went off and
Ike you I was working all over the place – UK, Europe ……
Long days and never knowing where I’m working one day to the next sometimes. Plus I’m quite forgetful, these days and I just set the wrong time or forget to activate the thing.
Then add on my eyes are failing and I mis-read the bloody clock on my phone.
All piss-poor excuses, I suppose.
In my defence, I always turn in though, even if the odd half hour late or whatever.
I have to be feeling near to death, to not to.
Pat, now it’s gone this far, I don’t see any way back for RM.
Whether engineered or not, he has to go.
One thing I would say is it explains why Gabby is starting.
He must be at least trying and doing what he’s told now.
As must the rest of the bomb squad.
Although I doubt that will appease OLL 🙂
@Badger Absolutely agree he has to go.
SB just doesn’t strike me as the type of manager who’d kick someone when they were genuinely down so for me RM can’t be gotten rid of soon enough.
On a positive note I think he’s also putting out a very strong message to all the other players at the club which might be no bad thing.
I will go along with the majority view here that RM has to go after his excuse was made public. I don’t think it should have been made public. If you single out one player for criticism that is the end of his time with the club, unless he is a kid who can be expected to mature.
However the story does not fit the time line. RM was starting or coming on a sub since he came when Gabby was on the gas and miles from the squad. RM was struggling to score anything like his Fulham performances because our midfield could not win the ball and could not pass it to him. Plus his main man style was put second, rightly, to Kodjia and the management could not devise a satisfactory pairing. Nevertheless a club of Villa’s size needs two strikers who are alternates, as well as strikers who are pairs. You need 4 for 2 slots.
When Bruce came I thought to myself. “He will be perfect because he does not have to buy any strikers.” Not exactly his forté. SB’s successful teams haven’t exactly scored goals for fun, the have defended their way to promotion.
When Benteke came I thought that would be the end of Gabby they often wanted to stand on the same blade of grass. Every striker we have bought since prompted the same pious hope – but **** me the zombie still walks amongst us – in a Villa shirt. So no Badger I am not happy!
I suppose the fact that we only have Gabby (with Kodjia away and RM in a mess) is not Gabby’s fault! Give him his due he’s buckled down and got on with it – not much more you can ask is there?
There saying if kodjias team don’t win there next match he’ll be home earlier than expected he’s drawn twice so far.
Actually just wondering, what with us in reality only having Gabby available and all the RM crap going on in the background, whether the draw on Saturday was such a bad result?
Anyway hopefully the air has now been cleared for Tuesday’s game at Brentford. However, if we’re still in the same position, I think I’d sooner see Keinan Davis start and put on Gabby as a sub.
The whole RM affair goes to show that as fans, we often think we know everything that’s going on at our club, but in reality we rarely do.
Pat, my total guess is that Bruce totally flipped re; RM and read the riot act to the players some time before the game.
It would certainly explain the great first half effort all round.
And the players just couldn’t keep it up for the second half?
Just surmising; but you’re right, we don’t have a clue what really goes on.
james bree looks to be coming 🙂 so you hutton fans won’t have anything thing to moan about
Bl**dy hell no – I’m completely gutted. Hutton’s my hero 🙂
Give him his dues he’s put in a good couple of performances recently credit where credits due
To my mind Hutton is a good professional and I’ve always felt he has been overly criticised. OK he’s never going to set the world on fire but I have a lot of respect for the way he handled the bomb squad scenario and he always puts in a shift.
Thinking about it Hitch, keep him as a right winger,ite where he’s played most of his matches,.
At least Hutton is ‘a real man’. Was ‘bomb squaded’, got his head down, never complained and gives 100% every single game. Never shirks a tackle, always applauds the fans and has impeccable backbone and character (how I would love a whole team with those characteristics. And yes, I know he’s not the best going forward…..but thats not his fault! Full backs should defend IMO and not have to get forward at every opportunity. If we had decent midfielders he wouldnt be caught out of position so often. I really dont understand the amount of stick he gets. Let him, primarily, be ‘a defender’ and the difference in his performances will be clear for all to see.
The old school report book had two marks per subject, for Attainment and Effort. Hutton I grant you merits a high mark for effort. Unfortunately he does not attain much. His typical cross to a forward travels at 45 degrees to the goal line. The forward needs to look through 135 degrees to sight the ball and the goal. The defender with him has only 45 degrees to scan for the ball and a colleague to receive the clearance. The goalie is looking along a straight line for the flight of the ball and the forward. Whereas if Hutton were to get near the goal line and cross the ball back toward the D, then all the angles work in the attackers’ favour.
His defending is only average for the championship, it won’t help us out of it.
Not sure what your point is. I have already said that he is no good going forward. Defensively, he is more than capable of playing in the Championship IMO.
Welcome to moderation….its my second home, or so it seems 🙂
And I’m still in moderation!
hands baseball and glove to lang ~ like in great escape
Yep, Langford has always been incredibly positive overall.
Our very own Steve McQueen; escape artist extrordinare (sp)
And usually right.
Along with Oohah, sadly.
cooler king 🙂
In a small space surrounded by young men playing with his ball and trying to squeeze himself into a tight tunnel.