Re: Steve Bruce: Aston Villa Manager

by **Sandie** Wed May 17, 2017 6:53 pm

Budget constraints will probably have a big impact on our ability to attract a new manager. They would no doubt want to add their own players as I don't think we would find a manager so keen to work with all off the RDM and Bruce signings that have dug this hole for us.

by **villabromsgrove** Wed May 17, 2017 7:00 pm

Sandie wrote:Budget constraints will probably have a big impact on our ability to attract a new manager. They would no doubt want to add their own players as I don't think we would find a manager so keen to work with all off the RDM and Bruce signings that have dug this hole for us.

I know that you and I differ on this Sandie, but I believe that we bought some good players if we play to their strengths. I think if you've managed Fulham or Huddersfield etc, then you would jump at the chance of working at a "massive club" with our squad and perhaps just a couple of your own additions.

by **villabromsgrove** Fri May 19, 2017 12:21 pm

Wyness has made it clear with his recent comments that Bruce will be manager next season. He has also said that providing the cash for the three or four signings that Bruce wants is not a problem. Does that mean we are going to "go again" next season with a flawed and outdated football philosophy?

by **Sandie** Sat May 20, 2017 1:12 am

villabromsgrove wrote:
Sandie wrote:Budget constraints will probably have a big impact on our ability to attract a new manager. They would no doubt want to add their own players as I don't think we would find a manager so keen to work with all off the RDM and Bruce signings that have dug this hole for us.
I know that you and I differ on this Sandie, but I believe that we bought some good players if we play to their strengths. I think if you've managed Fulham or Huddersfield etc, then you would jump at the chance of working at a "massive club" with our squad and perhaps just a couple of your own additions.

I wonder where we would have been had we gone in that direction when we embarked on the ruinous Robbie Di Matteo chapter? I don't think it would have worked in mid season, but in summer with the strongest possiblity of creating a clean slate and stamping your own ethos on it a different manager might have found success.

by **villabromsgrove** Sat May 20, 2017 11:37 am

https://www.expressandstar.com/sport/football/aston-villa/2017/05/19/keith-wyness-aston-villa-boss-steve-bruce-best-man-manager-ive-known/

I think that relationships are important, and we appear to have a team of senior people at AVFC who clearly like each other. However, I think we may be overlooking the obvious here, the footballing end product. It's no good motivating players to the Nth degree (I didn't see much evidence of that on the pitch last season Keith!) if the template that we're training and playing to is flawed.

I have no issues with Bruce and Calderwood except for the footballing one .... and that may be a real negative next season .... again!

by **villabromsgrove** Fri Jul 28, 2017 5:31 pm

Is Bruce putting together a one season team? Is it a sh*t or bust effort to win promotion?

It's just occurred to me that SB has nothing to lose if we fail this season. Regardless of murmurs from behind the scenes about "it make take three seasons to get promoted", I'm pretty sure Steve will be fired if we do not get promoted next May.

SB may not need to buy for the future, but I would expect Wyness and Round to be aware of the fact that this team will be tottering past it's sell by date in a years time.

by **Sandie** Fri Jul 28, 2017 5:51 pm

Do we really have a long term plan or are we just putting everything behind the current manager?

I have a feeling that John Terry will have a caretaker player manager spell at some point of this season.

by **villabromsgrove** Fri Jul 28, 2017 5:55 pm

Sandie wrote:Do we really have a long term plan or are we just putting everything behind the current manager?

I have a feeling that John Terry will have a caretaker player manager spell at some point of this season.

You may well be right. The sooner Terry gets his badges the better.

by **villabromsgrove** Sat Jul 29, 2017 7:19 pm

Bruce said after the match that he liked the balance of the team, and that we're as ready as we can be for next week .... I disagree.

We still don't have a connection between our isolated striker and the rest of the team. Elmo has improved us but our striker is too easy to deal with when he's alone in the box.

Remember the heady days when we used to break quickly with a line of three players 'Gabby, Young and Carew'. We used to frighten teams to death.

We now have a mean defence, but have no support system for scoring goals at the other end of the pitch. That is not what I would call a balanced team.

Gabby attacked the box on his own today, but at least he had some service from Elmo. Hogan had next to nothing as he plowed a lone furrow with Elmo having been subbed.

by **villabromsgrove** Sat Jul 29, 2017 8:09 pm

Bruce has said that Hutton's going nowhere, and we've turned down a 1.5 million bid from Reading for Bacuna! Do we really need five right backs plus a below par utility cover man?

Someone please explain this football lark to me! scratch

by **Sandie** Sat Jul 29, 2017 8:29 pm

I don't know whether to be more shocked by the fact that someone offered actual cash money for Bacuna or that we turned it down and want to keep him.

by **villabromsgrove** Sat Jul 29, 2017 8:39 pm

If Bacuna was blessed with two good feet and a technical brain we would have sold him like a shot! Steve Bruce: Aston Villa Manager - Page 9 3640643743

by **Sandie** Sat Jul 29, 2017 8:54 pm

It is staggering that a player who is limited has made over one hundred appearances for us.

by **villabromsgrove** Sun Jul 30, 2017 12:13 am

Sandie wrote:It is staggering that a player who is limited has made over one hundred appearances for us.

I think you've just summed up the sad demise of Villa.

by **Sandie** Sun Jul 30, 2017 9:34 am

I'll be honest, I like Steve Bruce as a person and think he's a good manager. But unless something changes once we go into the season I suspect he will be gone by Christmas.

I think we've been wasteful already. There are players that he has signed who seem to be dropping out of the picture a bit in favour of either new signings or long serving failures. I'm thinking particularly of the likes of Hourihane, Bree and Hogan when I say that and in each case I think they can give us something more. Based on pre-season our business is looking sound with even the signings I was skeptical about like Elmo and Whelan looking like they will improve us. However, all of those signings are focused on keeping us tight rather than sorting out our attacking problems particularly the link between central midfield and the strikers. I see Hourihane being the answer to that problem but at least in pre-season he's not been consistently getting game time.

Taken together I expect a frustrating season, I'd not be fussed if we won every game 1-0 and kept it tight every game if it got us up but it's getting that one goal that might be our problem.

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