Preston have 5 points from 10 games.
I don’t think I need to say anything more than that, apart from they’re either going through a torrid time or are totally rubbish.
So it has to be a Villa win, right?
Well, yes, of course it should be, but do you have any faith that we’ll get the victory?
I think we will win, but I no longer expect it, even against clubs that are going through a worser patch than us.
Straight to the squad and Tammy Abraham is a doubt after his being subbed off in that awful Bristol City game because of a calf problem.
Scott Hogan and Keinan Davis, the former supposedly close last week, are still out with groin problems.
The good news is Bolasie might start.
Whether he’ll start as a winger might well be debateable (ahem).
As for Preston, Josh Harrop is out for the rest of the season.
The good news for them is that Calum Woods and Michael Crowe are close and might feature.
It’s Bruce’s latest comments that I want to have a look at though.
My thoughts are in bold;
“We’ve been close. We’ve lost twice in 10 games. The three or four draws we’ve had could have been wins.”
Er, Should have, could have, would have. Quite simply, they weren’t, even after the easiest start we’ve had in years. Just to remind you, we’re 15th in the league and if you draw, you might as well have lost, if you’re supposedly challenging for promotion.
“We could quite easily have been four or five points better off – and yet we’re still only two points behind the play-offs.”
True. And six points behind the leaders. Is that where you’re aiming for, the play-offs again?
That’s not good enough.
“I know patience is a dying art in football, but I am convinced that we will be fine the longer the season goes. We’ll get there.”
Bloody right it’s a dying art watching the crap football you play. We had a monster crowd against Sheff Wednesday, yet you probably cost the club at least a couple of thousand fans who won’t turn up again while you’re in charge.
That said, I believe you’re correct in saying we’ll get better.
But we’ll always be playing catch-up, as we’re miles away from looking like a challenging team.
“The nucleus of this team is fine. We’ve just got to stay patient and let the new signings settle into their surroundings.”
I totally agree, it’s a great team on paper.
So why do they look like a total bunch of amateurs that don’t have a clue what to do?
It’s not just the new signings either. McGinn apart, I’m struggling to think of a single player who looks on top of his game.
I really doubt that’s much to do with new signings.
I’d like to see one of the interviewers ask Bruce about the 2 wins in 21, or whatever it is now, as that’s quite simply a shocking record.
I read an article today about RDM and it seems he was sacked for having a very similar record to Bruce, at this point.
I don’t believe it matters what Bruce says.
His head is on the chopping block if he doesn’t start winning consistently.
Another two or three weeks of not winning and we then go 10 or more points behind.
I’m going for a 2-1 win, purely because I don’t see us not conceding, even against poor sides.
The win is purely because we’re at home.
Regardless, I predict another rubbish game to watch.
Because that’s what you get under Bruce, as it stands.
