Well, it wasn’t the drubbing many of us expected score-wise, but it certainly was in terms of performance.
It all started poorly when Nathan Baker suffered a hamstring problem during the warm up, which amazes me in itself.
Surely the players should be well versed in this? Or is it just that the legs have been over-exercised?
Anyway it concerned me, as he’s been a consistently decent performer this season. It turned out to be a valid concern, as Elphick looked intermittent in sometimes being very good and at others decidedly iffy.
Not that I’m singling out Elphick as our worst player.
We had plenty of those.
Let’s go through the team.
Johnstone, who I thought was great last week, parried the ball when I thought he could have done better and it cost us the goal. That apart, I don’t recall him having much else to do.
Hutton. Yesterday evening I thought he was man of the match.
I still think that, because of his running and effort in at least trying to do something.
I’ve generally been supportive of him in his time at the club, but as much as he tried to take us forward, so I’ve had to realise that he simply isn’t good enough. He gets into the right sort of positions, but his delivery is mostly horrendous.
Amavi. I thought he was awful, as simple as that. But then, I don’t think he was being helped much as Wolves concentrated on our left side. One great run and cross apart, it was another night to forget.
Chester. He’s one of the only ones who come out with any credit. He’s assured and I feel at least slightly confident when he gets involved.
Bacuna. Another poor game where he was pretty well invisible. It seemed to me that he was under specific instruction to punt the ball forward, but it was pointless as he was hardly ever accurate.
Tsibola. Not one of his better games, but probably the best in the middle last night. He’s athletic and definitely better than Westwood and Gardner. Why he was hooked, I don’t quite understand.
Jedinak. I don’t think he’s fit at all. He’s a clever enough player, but he seems laboured and his distribution leaves a bit to be desired.
Adomah. Just a poor game again and didn’t get involved enough.
Gabby is simply a busted flush. His ball control is horrendous. I’m talking 10-year-old kid level here and it’s shocking that Bruce sees something in him. Him starting simply has to stop, as it’s obvious it’s going to achieve nothing. I don’t see any of the options being any better in a struggling side, but I now think we might as well try them, as at least they’ll be learning. Gabby will never learn anything, that much is certain.
McCormack. The return we’ve had off him for a player that cost £12 million is a joke. Ok, he was leaning back when he headed that chance, but it was a brilliant cross from Amavi and he simply should have buried it.
He has a history of getting better in the second half of the season, but I’m not seeing much sign of it coming.
But then, even as it’s very easy to just blame the strikers, we just don’t create anything, meaning they just don’t get enough service.
And this is what’s puzzling me.
If I was asked to name a side for that game, it’s probably not far from that which started. I’d possibly have put Green in for Gabby, but apart from that I think it’s simply our best overall side.
Okay, we can argue about the odd player, but mostly, it’s our best side, as I’m sure the majority would agree.
But on that performance and that of quite a few games now, it frankly isn’t good enough, as Bruce said himself.
It’s shocking that when we spent £50 million in the summer we still can’t do simple things such as passing or controlling the ball. We have no desire or running and the times a Villa player had the ball, only to have no-one else near him, well I just can’t understand it. Why are our set pieces generally awful and rarely find a Villa player?
Pretty much all of the signings in the summer were lauded as decent players. So why do they seem so poor?
And where do we go from here?
Tony Xia must be thinking “I paid how much for that rubbish?” and I wouldn’t blame him in the slightest.
We should remember that this is the Championship and not the Premier league.
It can hardly inspire our owner to stick his hands in his pockets again, as he must be thinking he’s been robbed.
But that’s what he’s going to have to do and quick. I really struggle to see where any points are going to come from while Kodjia is away and we simply cannot expect anything with the team as it stands.
We’ve mostly been talking 3-4 players, but it’s becoming even more obvious that a total clearout, a small few apart is what’s required.
Having said that, it seems to me that there’s still something very wrong at club.
We sign decent enough players, but when they come to the Villa, they just don’t perform. Gueye is the classic example of this and how often has it been said that if x player were in a better side, they’d look a lot better?
We seem to have a knack of making decent players look poor and it’s concerning.
Where will we be left if Bruce, not everyone’s cup of tea, but definitely experienced and proven splashes the cash and we still don’t improve?
if Bruce can’t get it right, I really fear for us in the future.
Comments
284 responses to “Wolves 1 – 0 Villa: What to do?”
If you scroll down you’ll find a great photo of Taylor with two great signings at the same time – God and Neilsen –
http://www.birminghammail.co.uk/sport/football/transfer-news/aston-villa-transfer-news-rumours-12470040
Remember not too long after this photo was taken I was in New York and had a Villa baseball jacket on. I was just leaving the UN building (at a time of lots of security scares) when a 6 feet 6 inch blond UN guard with a gun in his holster put his hand on my shoulder and looked down at me. I nearly s*** myself. ‘God but I love Kent Nielsen’ he said.
He was Danish and knew Neilsen well as a player at Brondby if I remember right. Anyway we spent the next half hour chatting about football.
TBH wish we could have all 3 in the photo back at Villa just as they were at the time it was taken. (Big sigh)
Good story Pat.
Bruce’s latest comment re RM;
“Unfortunately we haven’t seen the best of him here for one reason or another, which sometimes happens.
It’s football and these things happen – you don’t settle into an area, you’ve moved this or that or your environment changes.
Everything has been changed for him and it hasn’t quite worked for him just yet, so let’s hope that now for the second half of the season he can come good.
Hopefully he can be the one that takes us where we want to get to.”
Bit of a mixed message there, but it sounds to me that RM isn’t happy at all.
http://www.birminghammail.co.uk/sport/football/transfer-news/ross-mccormack-struggling-aston-villa-12473788
Can you blame the bloke, he’s known for scoring goals that’s his trade. He comes to us the goals dry up possibly because he gets fuckall reception. He’s become that desperate he’s started to take free kicks which certainly ain’t his fortee
Yep, fair comment Giddy.
ross never played in a team formation 6 defenders no one allowed past halfway line,no point signing strikers unless its benteke who can make and score goals,2/3 midfielder needed plus get the team to start defending from edge centre circle not penalty spot would help too, and be able to pass the ball
I’m with you on this JVillan. This is why, ultimately, Bruce will fail. The squad we have is by no means perfect, but it is the mentality/coaching/tactics that are failing us. We are not playing Man City/Chelsea etc. We are playing teams made up of names most of us haven’t heard of. A properly coached, motivated team that approached games with an attacking, positive mentality is what is needed.
Bruce is cautious. It’s his nature. He values qualities that us fans dismiss. I have told this story before. I got to see England v France at Portugal Euro 2004 (courtesy of a mate who won tickets). England dominated that game and led 1-0 until the closing minutes. Heskey was brought on and clumsily conceded the free kick that Zidane scored from. On the way out of the game all the fans were slagging Heskey off, and up popped Steve Bruce praising him. He then signed him for Blues. Now he thinks Gabby is the answer to our problems.
Bruce is the wrong answer to our situation. I’m not normally this impatient, but I can see it clearly. I don’t have faith in Bruce to create a team that I want to watch, and have expectations of. I watched the Wolves game and told my wife (who has no interest in football) that we would be cr@p and get nothing out of the game. It is just that predictable.
Xia will stick with him this season but he will be gone at the end of it. We will be in mid table. I’m hoping for better next season.
I think it’s poor business on our part by not incorporating Rhodes in the gestede deal if he was already on our wish list
Whilst I understand the marmite debate over Rhodes, I’m surprised there appears to be little or no comment on the stories about our interest in midfielders Donker and Houlihane – both of whom are reported to be interested in moving to Villa. The latter is being reported as saying he wants a move now but if Barnsley block it will move in the summer.
This comes back to Dr.T’s comments about clubs adopting ‘spoiling tactics’ at very little cost.
Isn’t donker one for the future???
At 19, yes.
Not worth mentioning in the first team sense, I’d say.
And Houlihane?
What I’ve noticed is that we are all slipping back to seeing nothing but negatives but we expect the players to be positive.
I wonder how deep we cast the net, when trawling for signings? Washed up rovers like Keane get mentioned because they were good once and played in the EPL, but do we scout the lower leagues? I have never seen any evidence of it for some years. I guess scouts say players at that level will never make it higher up, the old ones maybe, but some youngsters will.
Jamie Vardy was discovered playing in the Conference – is there anyone like him now? Yes there is – Ricky Miller who plays for Dover. Someone will snap him up for less than a million – miles better goalscorer than Gabby. I have been watching conference football recently [I have my excuses. Villa keep fielding teams containing members of my bomb squad and I’m not coming back untill they’re gone, also I used to play for Sutton Utd, who are having a memorable season]. Sutton have a teenage midfielder on loan from Portsmouth – if Pompey have two better midfielders than him they would have to be better than Westwood. Six figures buys you anybody.
We have tried the lower levels, OLL, but they’ve never been any good.
It’s why I asked if we’ve completed the scouting overhaul, just recently.
When Badger? Was this some twilight zone I slept through?
Or was it the six months young and hungry episode?
Or the following out of contract over the hill and shite era?
Or the money ball bullshit that followed that?
Mate what we need is a consistent scouting network to find your Delli Alli’s, Vardy’s and the likes.
Any Muppet can sign the Kieran Richardson’s of this world and you end up where we are.
We were reported to be in for Delli Alli. I was quite excited at the time but clearly Spurs, who we were largely comparable with a few seasons ago, were ahead of us there. I don’t mind buying the best talent for the future. You will probably end up on top when you weigh success v failure from future worth, as well as having that talent while it’s there.
Richardson is a brilliant example of a manager prepared to accept mediocre utility over true talent.
I repeat, not Bruce. I don’t want to be right, but I am. JVillan is right and got there quicker. Other than past success in the Championship back in times when it was much less competitive, what has Bruce got that we couldn’t better?
I am not generally in favour of sacking managers willy nilly. I defended Lambert, and even Macleish based on the hand they had been dealt. Not here. It is the Championship, and any team that gets promoted will probably struggle near the bottom of the Premiership. Realistically, we are probably worse than last season if you compare team for team the top 10 of the Championship with the bottom 10 of the Premiership.
*McLeish. Or Voldemort as an alternative spelling.
DS how about this for a shocker -we have apparently the twentieth highest wage Bill in Europe, Jesus wept.
dsvila
i hate chopping changing of managers, each one adding to the already crap here,and for me bruce is same as ones mentioned,this season gone we are too far adrift to make playoffs ,so go back to the list before bruce was appointed he wasnt 1st choice,get a manager of the modern way some one that can spot a player not go for failed man u rejects etc, was it here yesterday someone put up list of eddie howe buys, and for anyone go on transfer league to see dyce or howes buys compared to bruce or lambert criminal
BWS and JVillan I’m with you. I would take Eddie Howe in a heartbeat and we would be a different team (with the same team!) with him in charge. Why settle for less than Bournemouth? Beggars belief really.
BWS, we tried it with the likes of Westwood and that mug striker from Chesterfield or whatever.
If you think lower, lower league players are going to be the answer, I’m sorry, but you’re deluded.
They might come off 1 in 50, but we can’t afford that.
And we’re supposed to have kids coming through who are better than that level.
Aren’t we?
You might be able to add them into a successful side, but one in our position?
Don’t make me laugh.
One bad game and we’d be calling for Bruce’s head.
I understand your point Badger, but on your basis you are saying that 70 or so teams in the league couldn’t play youngsters because they aren’t successful. I don’t buy that. We aren’t good enough at scouting, developing and playing young talent. you say we aren’t successful enough to do that. I say, we aren’t successful playing without them so what have we got to lose?
I suppose I am calling for Bruce’s head. I give it a month or two and you will be as well.
badger apart from first 5 games which we won 3 drew 2 lucky in some of them,bruce football is terrible 6 defenders park bus no shots on goal plus gabby, your report gave out about bruce but you still have faith in him,
Deluded mate?
Pissed off more I’d say.
We have fallen behind the likes of Spurs and Evertons then further still behind the Watford’s and Burnley’s of this world now I hear on Talksport we have the twentieth highest wage Bill in Europe, I really fear for the future of our beloved Villa.
What we need is a Sean Dyce, an Eddie Howe, a football man with vision. A someone that builds a club can work within a pay structure and still deliver good football and success not some journey man manager let to run riot with a cheque book spending tens of millions on not good enough for the Premiership strikers.
Why I think the lower leagues can throw up nuggets amongst the dross, and fancy acadamies have such a low conversion rate is the different experiences of the players and expectations.
If you are playing in the national league or League 2, you reckon you have made it when the pay is enough to raise a family, so long as your wife works, and you may still be looking at a summertime job. You are always hopeful, but know it is remote, that some big club sees enough in you to offer you just one year in the big time, if that offer come along then like Vardy, Crouch, Aldridge, Defoe you are going to grab it with both hands and work hard all season.
If you have come through the acadamy and make it to the first team, then immediately you are after a better contract and are tempted to mix with the gold-digging broads, the laughing-gas-heads and buy a flash motor to get you to the night club.
Though the number of nuggets may be small, it does not cost you much to find out how good they are, and you know they’ll try.
This conversation was had yesterday on talksport how academy players released by premiership clubs generally had a piss poor attitude and as you say players from lower and non leagues have more desire and non of the big time Charlie.
I’m probably miles away with this but I’ve noticed since calderwoods arrival our forms took a big dip. Our final match without his presence if I’m correct was Brighton away possibly our best all round performance so far this season. Like I said I’m probably miles off the mark thought I’d throw it in there
Interesting point Giddy. Another defender. Maybe that’s why that’s the only bit of our team that works
I think we need to slow down here.
Some of us are slating Bruce before he’s even signed a player for us (Johnstone apart).
Give the bloke a chance.
My criticism is how slowly we’re going about things and NOT who we’ve signed.
Get them in, NOW! is my point.
No. I’m not criticising him for lack of signings. I’m criticising him for his inability to make the most of the existing squad. Lambert has done slightly better at Wolves. Not his squad. Bruce is slightly worse than Lambert on that small window. Were you a fan of Lambert/? Would you want his squad?
You’re making excuses. Understandable as you want to be optimistic about the possibility of a change in fortune. Not going to happen but I will take my hat off to you if it does!
The squad is crap mate.
I thought it was better, especially Gardner, but others too.
I’ve hinted at it before, but I think there are deep,deep problems at the club.
My opinion is that Bruce is man enough to sort them out.
And as long as we survive and are seen to be doing ok, he will get a new contract.
And frankly, Lambert was utter shite. I really don’t care how he does.
If he understood the problems, he should have resigned in protest at the way the club was being run.
Or just come out with a piss-taking article about how we gave him another contract, even though he was an abject failure.
nearly a first badger agree fully on lambert, i resigned twice and then i signed a nice juicy contract to do lerner dirty work and you know what if he had walked at end 2nd season i would gave a tiny bit of credit but then bruce lost to wolves on saturday with lambert type villa performance
DSVilla,
Don’t get me wrong, I agree, I don’t think our scouting network is good enough.
But Bruce nailed it when he mentioned expectation.
Leicester might be able to get away with it, but the Villa simply can’t.
BWS said it, we had the 20th highest wages.
How on earth can we be looking at the real lowest levels, when our (highest rated, if you believe the KPI bullshit) academy is churning out much better prospects?
We won’t seriously be looking at that level until we’re in div 2.
And no, I won’t be calling for Bruce’s head this season, as long as we stay up, I think.
Unless, of course, every signing he makes proves to be shite.
Bruce can pick good players, as well as bad ones.
Hope you’re right Badger. I long to be wrong here but my head tells me that Bruce is the wrong choice. Selling Gestede was a mistake. Better to get a decent crosser of the ball. Gollini isn’t worse than the new keeper on what I’ve seen.
His negative approach will be his downfall. If he buys some talent this window and we improve by a degree I will be impressed. I’m not holding my breath though.
Gollini wasn’t up to it, as I believe he’s too young and more importantly, I think, homesick, if you’ve read between the lines.
And you’ve judged Johnstone on two games?
Bruce is at least a stabiliser and somone who knows how to get a club up.
Please advise me as to who you think is a better bet.
he sure knows how to take them down too lol
i told you. Eddie Howe. I haven’t judged Johnstone on 2 games. What I feel is that Gollini wasn’t a bad keeper, but he has been cast aside for someone with no more experience, who has already made a bad mistake costing us a game. Even if Johnstone turns out to be a good keeper he is not our keeper. If Gollini goes on to be a good keeper tough on us.
By the way, De Gea wasn’t up to it on his early form. Now he is one of the top keepers around. Who knows if Gollini would have turned out the same?
Bruce will not take us up this season. I don’t think he would next season either, but it’s irrelevant. He will lose his job when we don’t get promoted. You can tell me I’m wrong but the only bit that might change is him keeping his job at the end of the season.
I get where you’re coming from, and ultimately this is all just swapping opinions. You’re wrong though 😉
Ah, DS,
It’s looking bleak isn’t it?
We can look at any player and say we made a mistake with 20-20 hindsight.
I’ve suggested Gollini was homesick.
What are you supposed to do?
Keep him, as much as he hates it?
I’ve already commented though, that I don’t see why we got another inexperienced goalie in.
And yes, it’s swapping opinions.
But I still don’t see a better bet than Bruce.
Of course, that might change,
It’s the way it is.
Badger without meaning to be overly pessimistic do you recon the Doc is the real deal?
(See what I did there?)
It’s grim Badger. The lack of spend in this window is troubling too. Of course that may change, but I don’t hold any faith that the right decisions will be made even if money is made available. History suggests that is what will happen (poor choices). we can still hope for a different outcome though!
Keep the faith!!
bruce can pick good players as well as bad ones
i would say more of the 2nd on big wages
how can he justify playing gabby, selling rudi without a replacement,18 days in no midfielders ,this is bruce level so he should in all reality should had players lined up,
Jvillan,
I agree and have said all that myself!
But you don’t seem capable of looking at any plus side.
Hence, until you post a more balanced view, I’m going to ignore anything you say.
Sorry mate, but I don’t think you’re looking at things fairly.
Keep posting though, as we need to hear both sides of the argument 🙂
where is the plus sides ,but its ok there is more than me think the same ,you can keep your site for the happy clappers
Hah!
If you think this is a happy clappers site, you’re wrong, simple.
Trust me, you’re making yourself look a mug in saying that and we’re well known as being one of the most pessimistic (although I prefer realistic) sites.
As I said, keep posting your views, We genuinely do appreciate them mate.
Even though I don’t think you’re being fair 🙂
Badger Where’s that dislike button gone?
Lol
bws
the wages seen it yesteday, and bruce wants to fork out 4.5m for lansbury who wants 42 thousand a week[he is out of contract in summer so he can ask] over 4 and half years not be much change out of 15m for a run of the mill championship player who will be close to 30when contract is up
Mate I have no idea what the going rate is but that appears a touch excessive and should we by some stretch of the imagination get promoted would he cut it in the Premiership?
Probably not and then how do you offload him at 42k a week?
No forward thinking.
If Lansbury helps get us into the Prem it will be as cheap as chips
You are correct Pat but in reality that ain’t gonna happen is mate?
I really don’t know how you and JV can say that.
It won’t happen this season but quite a few of us said this before the season started. We were such a basket case that we were all worried we’d be in Div 1 before we knew it.
So if it takes two seasons I’d guess that you can only judge SB next year when he’s had a full summer window to make the necessary changes.
Such negativity now is premature unless the real object of some of these posts is just to wind people up.
42k per week? According to the Birmingham Mail a significant increase on what he’s on at Forrest
That says one thing to me… Mercenary!
Mercenary, maybe. But I would consider Bruce and Xia morons for even considering that. We have the 20th highest wage bill already. So lets overpay more mediocre English players. That should solve everything. Not too mention the quadrupling of Hourihane’s wages supposedly.
Lumbered with more overpaid dead wood is more likely outcome.
It’s all Huttons fault!!!!
Well for those of you who don’t want Rhodes Pat Murphy of the BBC has it on Twitter that ‘he won’t be coming’ to VP.
He’s usually right. Wish he’d tell us who the bloody hell IS coming!
Can’t see anyone coming
Off topic I see Diego Costa (greedy bastard) wants £300,000 per week double his present salary since interest from China.i think we’re going to get a lot of this from top players holding clubs to ransom due to now the Chinese. I thought money was already ruining the game could it get worse
Yesterday the big debate on here regarded players coming in (or the lack off) and a perception that Villa’s scouting network might not be all it could be then hey presto this appears on the B’ham Mail site –
http://www.birminghammail.co.uk/sport/football/transfer-news/aston-villa-transfers-introducing-men-12462573
Just coincidence?
Probably not BWS.
It makes sense that they might read (or even post?) on here and every other Villa site.
Finger on the pulse and all that.
Well Badger it seems that our posts have some influence?
So, I believe it would be in the best interests of the AVFC to sign the following – Manuel Neuer, Eden Hazard, Gareth Bale, Luis Suarez, Ivan Rakitc, James Rodríguez, Leonardo Bonucci, Jerome Boateng and Diego Costa (this list is not exhaustive!).
Soft bog roll in the loos
You’re pushing it there mate 🙂
😂
🙂
It’s also a pretty good subject as, tbh, I’m not seeing much evidence of the network being any good.
The Beeb are reporting that Lansbury will be in by Friday end.
More likely dinnertime, so he can play, I’d say.
About bloody time!
Maybe the club have noticed the natives getting very restless? 🙂
I hope we do get him, as at least it’ll give us something to be positive about.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/38678348
See what I mean? Ask for that lot and they sign Lansbury within minutes as an act of appeasement.
Oh the power we have at our finger tips.
lol 🙂
Badger – I raised the question of Houlihane and Donker – you dismissed Donker and there have been no comments on Houlihane who would only cost £1m.
According to reports Donker would be coming on loan with a view to playing so not ‘one for the future’.
As, I think the only point on which all are in agreement on here, is that we need to strengthen the mid field would the acquisition of these two as well as Lansbury be sufficient for this season?
I’m not convinced Donker is the sort we need at this level Hitch.
Beeb are now reporting we’re close to Jacob Bedou at Bury.
Perhaps the scouts have read here as well and have actually got their fingers out? 🙂
Seems to be a flurry of action, doesn’t there?
http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/38680972
Beat me to it Badger over Bedeau. I don’t know anything about the Bundesliga but he appears to be well thought of and German players are usually strong and technically good.
And got those saying we need to look at lower leagues we are also reported to be close to signing Jacob Bedeau from Bury – 17 year old defender who is attracting interest from Prem clubs.
Can we afford to drop young kids in though?
I don’t know.
These rumours seem to suggest that we aren’t going to be spending the £25-30 mill Xia talked about.
Should appease those who say we shouldn’t buy our way up, to which I’d say let’s see.
I’m beginning to think that SB has made an assessment and decided that top 6 this season isn’t going to be a given.So perhaps planning for another season in the Championship while hoping we might scrape top 6.
If that is the case then getting in younger players might make some sense as it will be next season that they’ll contribute more and SB will have some time with them to get them playing the way he wants.
Anyway both Lansbury and Bedeau reported to be on their way by the BBC so perhaps somethings happening at last.
I hope it’s one of those windows that we’ll look back on and think was a pretty good one but I must admit that the waiting’s hard on the nerves.
Apparently Ulloa of Leicester is seeking a move. I know he’s technically a Prem player but he’s not played many 90 minute matches has he?
Leicester weren’t Leicester when he joined them (if you know what I mean) so perhaps he might consider it. Anyway I’m wondering if SB might think it’s worth putting a cheeky bid in.
He’s 30 now so he might go for a club where he’ll get more playing time. He’s technically good and a great header of the ball. Anyway much prefer him to Rhodes.
As CF he’d be a presence in the middle and someone that I think Kodjia could play off.
Anyway just a thought.
Good call Pat.
Massive wages though I’d guess, seeing as it’s his last payday.
Badger you’re probably right but I’m wondering if Leicester might let him go for less than they might get. He scored some really vital goals in the PL winning season and he’s always tried in every game he’s played.
If we could get him at a reasonable transfer fee then this might offset his wages. Also means he wouldn’t have to move as we’re local.
Anyway just daydreaming I suppose
Pat Murphy on Twitter announcing that Lansbury deal is done pending medical and personal terms.
At last!
Movement at last
That’s good 🙂
I hope he makes a difference.