Bruce Sacked at last (now official)

[OzVilla]

It's almost like he sees the same game but despite this his day to day coaching has zero effect. Then repeat I'll seasons end.

But previous promotions must mean he can coach and does know what he's doing. He's not a one season wonder chancer like RDM was.

I agree he's perplexing but I not see the overwhelming evidence for a change. Give him the summer and the first dozen next season.  After 6 managers in 30 months we need some stability.

[Villatillidie1982]

Here's how it will all pan out: We will stick with Bruce (quite right, too, in my opinion) and make the squad changes that he has mentioned in the media.  We will have a pretty indifferent pre-season and many Villa fans will be angry at some pretty dodgy results only for the team to start clicking in September.  We will then spend the rest of the season solidly around the top of the table and gain promotion in 2018.  Bruce will then be given until Christmas 2018 to see how he hacks it in the Premier League - inevitably there will be a parting of the ways and the Doctor will move on with phase two of his Villa rebuild with a new manager and signings to match.  As for Bruce? He will be in the running to replace Southgate...

You heard it here first.

I believe also that this may happen. Please don't let Southgate replace him.

[Bren'd]

If you buy decent players to do a job they are doing at their current club then why not set your team up to make those decent players do the same for us. It leaves me bemused watching how those players are now performing. You can understand a child trying to put a square peg in a round hole, that's Bruce with our players. a manager of some years who has admitted on more than one occasion that he can't understand why they have performed so bad?

Bruce has now got a very good squad and he hasn't a clue about a system to make it work. Does anyone think he'll magically get a new expansive formation together for the start of next season? Not a chance.

New guy in please and quickly.

[adrenachrome]

If you buy decent players to do a job they are doing at their current club then why not set your team up to make those decent players do the same for us. It leaves me bemused watching how those players are now performing. You can understand a child trying to put a square peg in a round hole, that's Bruce with our players. a manager of some years who has admitted on more than one occasion that he can't understand why they have performed so bad?

Bruce has now got a very good squad and he hasn't a clue about a system to make it work. Does anyone think he'll magically get a new expansive formation together for the start of next season? Not a chance.

New guy in please and quickly.

I agree.

I genuinely thought he was up to the task, but it seems that  I was wrong.

[itbrvilla]

If you buy decent players to do a job they are doing at their current club then why not set your team up to make those decent players do the same for us. It leaves me bemused watching how those players are now performing. You can understand a child trying to put a square peg in a round hole, that's Bruce with our players. a manager of some years who has admitted on more than one occasion that he can't understand why they have performed so bad?

Bruce has now got a very good squad and he hasn't a clue about a system to make it work. Does anyone think he'll magically get a new expansive formation together for the start of next season? Not a chance.

New guy in please and quickly.

Whilst he massively devalues our assets in the process

[TonyD]

Successful teams have a good manager.   END OFF.

[TonyD]

It's almost like he sees the same game but despite this his day to day coaching has zero effect. Then repeat I'll seasons end.

But previous promotions must mean he can coach and does know what he's doing. He's not a one season wonder chancer like RDM was.

I agree he's perplexing but I not see the overwhelming evidence for a change. Give him the summer and the first dozen next season.  After 6 managers in 30 months we need some stability.

Sorry but the evidence is so obvious. 

[Toronto Villa]

In my opinion, come the summer we do what is needed to get Eddie Howe. I love what he has done at Bournemouth. Might sound a little crazy here but I sense a bit of Sir Graham about him. Watched an interview with him a few weeks back and I just love his fire and energy and drive. His team plays super football and like Watford did all those years back, Bournemouth punch well above their weight. I believe he's ready for the challenge of bringing a massive club back to prominence. I want the Doc/Wyness to move mountains to bring him to Villa Park.

[pbavfckuwait]

Nice man, gets the club, see's the same game as the rest of us, blah blah blah.
The man is a footballing dinosaur, with one way of playing regardless of the resources given to him, spend good money on players that are proven at this level and then do your best to play them in their most ineffective position, none of the teams in and around the top of the table play the way we play, maybe just maybe football has moved on (very quickly) from when the messiah of getting clubs promoted decided to turn up at our door.
We are going nowhere near the prem with this guy, also more worrying, you get the feeling the players now are losing interest in wanting to play for him and we have seen that at Villa park quite alot over the last 6 or 7 years and we all know how it ends.

[brian green]

I think you have touched on an important point there Kuwait.  Bruce the Championship escape specialist has stood still (and grown older) while the management skills of the Championship managers has improved substantially.  Bruce is in effect going backwards and we are going with him.  He brings to mind the British generals, cavalry men, who believed in cavalry charges and regarded trenches and tanks as passing trends.

[wittonwarrior]

I think the purchase of hogan sums Steve Bruce to a tee - has absolutely no clue how to ultise our players

[TheTimVilla]

I believe that SB has now crossed The Rubicon. 

There was no pressure on us today, there will never be less, but he has used the occasion to persist with his relentless negative team selections, putting proven quality players out of position and persisting with robots like Gardner and Bacuna.

I really thought he might accomplish something, but then again I thought the same about SGT Mark 2.

He needs to be fucked off forthwith.

Exactly. Picking that side yesterday was an Eric Black move. No kids given a chance in a meaningless match.

[olaftab]

Here's how it will all pan out: We will stick with Bruce (quite right, too, in my opinion) and make the squad changes that he has mentioned in the media.  We will have a pretty indifferent pre-season and many Villa fans will be angry at some pretty dodgy results only for the team to start clicking in September.  We will then spend the rest of the season solidly around the top of the table and gain promotion in 2018.  Bruce will then be given until Christmas 2018 to see how he hacks it in the Premier League - inevitably there will be a parting of the ways and the Doctor will move on with phase two of his Villa rebuild with a new manager and signings to match.  As for Bruce? He will be in the running to replace Southgate...

You heard it here first.

Billy that would be nice however I have lost any faith that I had in this man and I must say there wasn't much to start with.

[ROBBO]

I forced myself to watch the match just so I could comment. First off I believe that across the park individually our players were far more skilful than Blackburns that's the positive and the only one. They played direct aggressive football chasing everything and worked their socks off we played little one twos across the half forward line going nowhere until one of ours didn't control the ball. If we had played well most of the season you could excuse this as a nothing to play for game the problem is that it has been the status quo all season. Players played out of position looking for the final whistle.

[Walmley_Villa]

It won't happen but Dean Smith for me. Sells Hogan and still finishes above us playing good attacking football. Brentford have scored 74 goals so far this season, us 46. Being a Villa fan he knows the club and expectations.