Jonathan Kodjia - SOLD

[Chris Smith]

I thought Albert played OK on Tuesday and better as the game went on. I think we'd miss him tackling back and creating space by getting chalk on his boots.

I agree, we would miss his work rate. Their right back, whose name I cannot remember, is a real threat going forward and we need to try to counter that. Albert will track him but also give something to worry about going forward.

[Richard]

Fredericks - plays like a winger a lot of the time

[JJ-AV]

I thought Albert played OK on Tuesday and better as the game went on. I think we'd miss him tackling back and creating space by getting chalk on his boots.

I agree, we would miss his work rate. Their right back, whose name I cannot remember, is a real threat going forward and we need to try to counter that. Albert will track him but also give something to worry about going forward.

Agree with this too. The balance of our attack isn't right but I wouldn't start Kodj on the left, Adomah gets through a lot of work going back the other way.

I think we lack pace in the final third so Kodj may be of use off the bench, especially if it's level going in to the last half hour.

[Matt Collins]

Yep

[paul_e]

I guess it depends if we want to be more worried about them than they are about us. If their right back is playing almost on the wing then he's leaving a gap. If we played Grabban and Kodjia with one of thme out on the left (Grabban for me) we could let our central midfield drift over to cover him but give him something to worry about if he loses the ball. It's the same thing I suggested if Boro had started with Fabio instead of Shotton (I forgot Shotton was the throw-in specialist though).  We need to give them something tactical to worry about rather than just trying to plug holes all over the pitch or the inevitable consequence will be us defending deep and hoping for a bit of magic. When people talk about Bruce being defensive this is exactly what they're talking about, he will do exactly what is described and play Adomah so he can run back and cover Fredericks because that's how his teams play.

I have no issue with his ability to set up a defence but he'd never gamble by leaving a gap in the hopes of it drawing them out and creating gaps for us in turn, it's just not how he sees the game.

[Tayls_7]

I guess it depends if we want to be more worried about them than they are about us. If their right back is playing almost on the wing then he's leaving a gap. If we played Grabban and Kodjia with one of thme out on the left (Grabban for me) we could let our central midfield drift over to cover him but give him something to worry about if he loses the ball. It's the same thing I suggested if Boro had started with Fabio instead of Shotton (I forgot Shotton was the throw-in specialist though).  We need to give them something tactical to worry about rather than just trying to plug holes all over the pitch or the inevitable consequence will be us defending deep and hoping for a bit of magic. When people talk about Bruce being defensive this is exactly what they're talking about, he will do exactly what is described and play Adomah so he can run back and cover Fredericks because that's how his teams play.

I have no issue with his ability to set up a defence but he'd never gamble by leaving a gap in the hopes of it drawing them out and creating gaps for us in turn, it's just not how he sees the game.

Fulham have lost a number of games this season as we all have.  What style of play is most effective against them? I agree we can't be scared of them as they didn't even finish in the top 2 whereas Cardiff did and they're thundershite. However, we need to dot the i's and cross the ball a lot.

[footyskillz]

Sell or keep?

A profitable asset. £12m plus.

If it meant keeping grealish then yes. Sell.

I love Jimmy Danger a real match winner. Can do things all on his own but also at times too selfish. His tendency to get injured and not be physical enough must be to Bruces disliking.

If he's more sale able than Hogan then move him and work a Hogan Davies Partnership with RHM involved too.

[Nunkin1965]

Sell.
If this saves us from seeing Grealish leave.
Kodjia is a talented guy but he is just too hit and miss for me as well as being frustrating as hell to play alongside I’d imagine.

[Brassneck]

Sell or keep?

A profitable asset. £12m plus.

If it meant keeping grealish then yes. Sell.

I love Jimmy Danger a real match winner. Can do things all on his own but also at times too selfish. His tendency to get injured and not be physical enough must be to Bruces disliking.

If he's more sale able than Hogan then move him and work a Hogan Davies Partnership with RHM involved too.

Difficult one for me. I want to keep Grealish at all costs because he is as "Villa" as any of us. I love having  a real"one of our own" in the side - Especially one as gifted as Jack.

The problem I have is no Kodjia then who is going to score the goals?  I've given up on Hogan and Davis isn't a regular scorer.

Grabban back on loan then sell for me - Alternatively keep.

How about a 433 involving a front 3 out of Kodjia, Grabban, Green and Davis?  Grealish, BB & Hourihane behind them and a back 4 to include Chester, Elmo and Hutton?

I know we aren't going to get Grabban AND Hutton but it doesn't sound too bad does it? 3 times as much pace in the final third than we had this season.

[frank black]

Not convinced he’s that saleable, depends on the ankle he’s already broke down once from it. But I’d sell anyone other than Grealish.

[Pete3206]

Keep and get him fit.

[Ads]

I think keep him too.

Kodjia has 20 goals in him, a quarter of what we need. Hogan doesn't and while RHM might come in and be excellent, you're really taking a huge gamble.

[Clampy]

The other alternative (just throwing it out there) is selling Kodjia and bringing in Hernandez who Bruce has worked with before although I think Hernandez fucked us about when we tried to sign him a couple of season's before.

[paul_e]

Sell or keep?

A profitable asset. £12m plus.

If it meant keeping grealish then yes. Sell.

I love Jimmy Danger a real match winner. Can do things all on his own but also at times too selfish. His tendency to get injured and not be physical enough must be to Bruces disliking.

If he's more sale able than Hogan then move him and work a Hogan Davies Partnership with RHM involved too.

Difficult one for me. I want to keep Grealish at all costs because he is as "Villa" as any of us. I love having  a real"one of our own" in the side - Especially one as gifted as Jack.

The problem I have is no Kodjia then who is going to score the goals?  I've given up on Hogan and Davis isn't a regular scorer.

Grabban back on loan then sell for me - Alternatively keep.

How about a 433 involving a front 3 out of Kodjia, Grabban, Green and Davis?  Grealish, BB & Hourihane behind them and a back 4 to include Chester, Elmo and Hutton?

I know we aren't going to get Grabban AND Hutton but it doesn't sound too bad does it? 3 times as much pace in the final third than we had this season.

I'd probably switch us to a 433 to be fair. If we keep Bruce and carry on playing 3 centre mids then we just can't have wingers because we don't have enough people in the box for crosses to be successful and we let the wingers come too deep so the striker is isolated, this was why I wanted Kodjia and Grabban to start in the final as well.  I'd be tempted to put Grealish into the 3 though so he can stay high up the field where he can do more damage.  Grealish, Kodjia and RHM/Davis/Green with Bjarni, Jedi and Lyden/Doyle-Hayes/Clarke as the 3 in midfield.

[Brassneck]

Sell or keep?

A profitable asset. £12m plus.

If it meant keeping grealish then yes. Sell.

I love Jimmy Danger a real match winner. Can do things all on his own but also at times too selfish. His tendency to get injured and not be physical enough must be to Bruces disliking.

If he's more sale able than Hogan then move him and work a Hogan Davies Partnership with RHM involved too.

Difficult one for me. I want to keep Grealish at all costs because he is as "Villa" as any of us. I love having  a real"one of our own" in the side - Especially one as gifted as Jack.

The problem I have is no Kodjia then who is going to score the goals?  I've given up on Hogan and Davis isn't a regular scorer.

Grabban back on loan then sell for me - Alternatively keep.

How about a 433 involving a front 3 out of Kodjia, Grabban, Green and Davis?  Grealish, BB & Hourihane behind them and a back 4 to include Chester, Elmo and Hutton?

I know we aren't going to get Grabban AND Hutton but it doesn't sound too bad does it? 3 times as much pace in the final third than we had this season.

I'd probably switch us to a 433 to be fair. If we keep Bruce and carry on playing 3 centre mids then we just can't have wingers because we don't have enough people in the box for crosses to be successful and we let the wingers come too deep so the striker is isolated, this was why I wanted Kodjia and Grabban to start in the final as well.  I'd be tempted to put Grealish into the 3 though so he can stay high up the field where he can do more damage.  Grealish, Kodjia and RHM/Davis/Green with Bjarni, Jedi and Lyden/Doyle-Hayes/Clarke as the 3 in midfield.

As others have alluded to, Bruce has stumbled on a few things that have worked. 433 in his first season was one of them.  With Snodgrass here, the temptation was to go 442 but without him, our squad can fit perfectly into a 433.