Our performances so far this season have been poor, there’s no getting away from it.
Yes, we’ve mostly got the right results and I could happily live with that.
I haven’t looked at the table yet, but I think we’re 5th with a game in hand on at least a couple of the teams above us.
You quite simply can’t knock that.
But I think I’m in the majority when I say that it isn’t good enough.
Even though it’s very early in the season, I find it at least a little concerning that we can’t dominate what on paper ought to be inferior teams.
And I’ve seen nothing to convince me that we’ll be able to dominate teams more akin to our level either.
My big fear is that even if we were to get to a play-off final again this season (I really don’t believe we’re going to get automatic promotion as it stands) , we’d bottle it because of Bruce’s tactics, a la Fulham.
Which is where Brentford come in.
They play very good football and with our defence, I suspect they will be well capable of playing through us if they’re on their game.
There is the fact that we often tend to up our game against the better sides (and I’ve often wondered if a subdued atmosphere against lesser clubs mostly works against us) but Brentford are a bit of an exception and we have a very poor record against them.
There aren’t any major injury problems on either side, the usual apart.
So it mostly revolves around how Bruce is going to play this.
We all know that Bruce has criticised himself for not changing it up enough last season.
Yet it’s blindingly obvious that he also has massive favourites and he’s loathe to change them up.
I’d suggest Adomah is a good example.
Yes, he’s been great for us and you should stick with players who have done the business and give them every chance.
But there comes a time when a player needs taking out of the spotlight for a while.
Will Bruce do that with Adomah?
I very much doubt it.
So I don’t expect any changes really.
Which means I don’t see much change in how we approach the game either.
We’ll have a defence with players playing out of position in front of a dodgy goalie (when we let Steer go out on loan????).
With McGinn, we might well have the midfield sorted in the middle, with Grealish and Hourihane involved.
There’s still the nagging doubt about Kodjia, but scoring doesn’t seem the major issue.
It’s creating the chances in OPEN play, or rather, not, that concerns me.
I see Brentford definitely getting a goal.
Which puts us at a one goal disadvantage, because I worry that Bruce will try to contain Brentford and we might struggle to score.
Winning this would be a great result, even though it really shouldn’t be anything special, given that we’re at home.
And I’d go so far as to say that a draw will be a better result than that against Ipswich.
We really don’t want to see our home record go this early into the season.
I’m going for an optimistic 2-1, but more realistically predict a 1-1.
Which probably says a lot in itself.
The resources available to both clubs are incomparable, as much as we’ve been in trouble lately.
Game 4 of my predicted 10 or so.
We either keep scratching the results or Bruce changes his game.
Which only leaves him one option, I’d say.
Because I don’t see him changing anything much.
He doesn’t know any different.
I think you can get this one on AVTV, even if you’re in the UK.
if you believe the stories, it appears Bolasie spoke to Boro, then went back home.
Yet he’s apparently spoken to the Villa today and has stayed in Birmingham overnight.
If true, I’d say we’ve got him or he’s waiting for a counter offer from Boro.
I’d be tempted to say “piss off” if he won’t commit.
But that’s the nature of the game today, isn’t it?
It should be a no-brainer, imo.
Lifestyle alone, should swing it.
And come winter, Brum or smog land?
I think Brentford will win this one 2-1. I hope we can fire ourselves up like against Wolves, Blues and Cardiff last season, but without leaders like Terry and Snodgrass, it seems unlikely. I don’t think he will start with Hourihane because it would be too adventurous, probably will be Whelan or Bjarnasson alongside Grealish and McGinn. Not forgetting him playing most of our defence out of position. I will give keeper a chance while he settles into style of play in championship, although Steer got no chance to prove himself.
One nil to the Villa! Come on lads, where’s your spunk??? I still see a work in progress that’s only been positive for just over 12 months. Gonna take a while longer to repair that bastard Lerner’s damage.
Yes, fair comment Bum Bum.
I like your positivity 🙂
I’m not confident. We’ve failed to beat Brentford in the last two seasons – in fact the last time we beat them was 1953! Of those last four games, they played us of the park in three.
Our defence looks shaky in front of a gk who does not inspire confidence. Midfield is OK but we really lack a cutting edge up front. Best I can hope for is a draw but I think Brentford will nick this.
Hope i’m Just being pessimistic!
Today the day ,shit neally broke into Oasis song, will we win, no its a draw.1-1.
We have a keeper that will cost us a goal a game and a defence out of position, Brentford will tear us apart, I’m going for 1-3 Brentford
Id go for Fraser Forster from Southampton. Very steady GK and needs a move as not in current plans. As said Nyland whilst may come good may cost us too many points unfortunately.
Haven’t beaten Brentford since 1953, chance to win our first two home games since 2011, does anybody really think we’ll win tonight?
Draw at best, but to be honest i think we’ll lose.
Hate being negative all the time but Villa have truly worn me down.
I am not so pessimistic about Nyland yet. I have seen blunders but not incompetence and especially not a lack of anticipation, which was Guzan’s primary failing. Johnstone, you will recall, was equally dodgy at first.
What happened to Lansbury – is he injured or on loan? he does not feature in anyone’s idea of midfield now.
See we have signed El Ghazi – any French football followers who know anything about him?
Good news Hitch, I don’t know anything about him, Badger right about tonight this will be a test for Bruce and his team. Sticking with my score for tonight 1–1
Love a win. Just paid 7-99 to Now.
I’ve seen quite a number of supporters who saw him at Ajax and suitably impressed to note him at the time. Think he went off the boil a little at Lille – but EFL could be the place for him to tear it up.
Onto the team selection, Jedinak at CB again – it’s like banging your head against a wall waiting for Bruce to learn his lessons. I don’t understand it.
Was right about starting 11. Predictable and disappointing.
that new loan guy seems a decent player just been looking him up, scored some great goals sofar and will add more flare and finishing to our play,
looking forwards to playing brazil tonight i mean brentford. i am not sure about jedi at centre half, we have not hit form this season sofar, but that has to change sooner rather than ltrs with all the players we have in our midfield. 3 1 villa
also has bolasie failed a medical ??? somebody just mentioned on fb
Whelan in for Bjarnason.
i think we all know what Bruce is thinking.
Sigh.
Nyland, Tuanzebe, Chester, Jedinak. Hutton, Elmohamady, Whelan, McGinn, Adomah, Grealish, Kodjia. Subs: Moreira, Taylor, Elphick, Bjarnason, Hourihane, Green, Hepburn-Murphy.
“has bolasie failed a medical ???”
Well they’ve left it late to announce it, unless he’s going to be unveiled at the game.
Bolasie “still bits and bobs to sort out”.
Brentford youngest team in the league, yet with the highest shots on target.
Watching the analysis, I’m well jealous.
Blimey, it’s a lively start.
A lively start but need to score while on top.
Higher press, faster pace.
We’re creating!