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Author Topic: Bruce Sacked at last (now official)  (Read 2115074 times)

Offline Rudy Can't Fail

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Re: Bruce out?
« Reply #6990 on: September 28, 2017, 11:43:04 AM »
Importantly if we approach this game in the first half as we have the last two we will be just fine. There is a lot of confidence now and the fact that the midfield is really pitching in with goals is incredibly encouraging. Kodjia will find the net soon so lots of positives to look forward to if Bruce plans to play the same way we have in the last couple. Remember it's only been a few games since we drew pathetically vs Brentford and had a marginally better game vs Boro, but I hope we have completely moved on from that.

Agreed. Don't fuck up, Bruce.

Offline tomd2103

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Re: Bruce out?
« Reply #6991 on: September 28, 2017, 11:54:41 AM »
Importantly if we approach this game in the first half as we have the last two we will be just fine. There is a lot of confidence now and the fact that the midfield is really pitching in with goals is incredibly encouraging. Kodjia will find the net soon so lots of positives to look forward to if Bruce plans to play the same way we have in the last couple. Remember it's only been a few games since we drew pathetically vs Brentford and had a marginally better game vs Boro, but I hope we have completely moved on from that.

One of my major concerns is when we come up against a side with a good midfield three.  I still think Whelan and Hourihane could get overrun in that scenario and the team struggle as a result.  Kodjia and Davis aren't really that suited to helping out defensively so we could get a bit overwhelmed.   

Online Clampy

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Re: Bruce out?
« Reply #6992 on: September 28, 2017, 11:57:18 AM »
Importantly if we approach this game in the first half as we have the last two we will be just fine. There is a lot of confidence now and the fact that the midfield is really pitching in with goals is incredibly encouraging. Kodjia will find the net soon so lots of positives to look forward to if Bruce plans to play the same way we have in the last couple. Remember it's only been a few games since we drew pathetically vs Brentford and had a marginally better game vs Boro, but I hope we have completely moved on from that.

One of my major concerns is when we come up against a side with a good midfield three.  I still think Whelan and Hourihane could get overrun in that scenario and the team struggle as a result.  Kodjia and Davis aren't really that suited to helping out defensively so we could get a bit overwhelmed.   

Maybe what he could then if he wanted to keep the same line up is possibly play Snodgrass just behind Davis and play Kodjia and Adomah out wide.

Offline Villa75

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Re: Bruce out?
« Reply #6993 on: September 28, 2017, 12:56:58 PM »
Bolton are absolute dog shit!

I said we would beat a poor Burton easily, and got pulled up by some claiming that Burton were "a decent side at home". They weren't.

Bolton are even worse than Burton. And we are at home.

Come on guys. Not getting a home win against these guys is unacceptable. They've got 2 points ffs. They haven't scored in 7 games!!

A must win here or, quite rightly, harsh questions will be asked of Bruce.

Offline Drummond

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Re: Bruce out?
« Reply #6994 on: September 28, 2017, 01:33:44 PM »
What if we lose but have 90% possession?

What if we lose having hit the woodwork 5 times, missed a penalty and had a man mistakenly sent off?

Fuck it, sack him.

Even if we go on a run, there is always the likelihood of being beaten at some point; and given that we are now 7 unbeaten in the league and have scored 9 goals in 3 consecutive wins, reacting to a defeat with a sacking would be lunacy.

What if we lose 10-0 and Steve Bruce takes off his top to reveal a Paul Tait t-shirt? What then?!

Then he's a strong character, a brave man and someone we need to keep for sure for his thick skin, obviously.

Or string him up from the Trinity and let the Good Dr give him the thumbs down Emperor Nero stylee.

Offline ASHTONVILLA

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Re: Bruce out?
« Reply #6995 on: September 28, 2017, 03:26:55 PM »
Much more happy at the moment - amazing what difference a week makes.

However before I admit to being fickle, I will remain of the opinion he should have been fired a few weeks ago until we are snapping at the heels of the top two. The minimum acceptable place for Villa to be heading into christmas is comfortably in the top 6. Despite the recent upturn we are still not there and I am not going to start counting chickens until we continue our better form against teams that are better than Barnsley, Burton and Bolton.

I am not surprised the better form has coincided with him stopping chopping and changing systems and rotating the squad too much. I would like to see him stick with this line up and formation, only switching players when they are tired or injured and not more than 1-2 changes each week.

Biggest positive for me is that Terry and Chester seem to have clicked, and that does seem to have coincided with the midfield getting further upfield and looking more threatening. That and the inclusion of Davis and the return of Kodjia.

Offline andyh

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Re: Bruce out?
« Reply #6996 on: September 28, 2017, 03:37:05 PM »
I think we are all pretty happy at the moment.
But let’s remember that this is no less than we expected from a relatively easy set of fixtures in September.

The real test comes after the Bolton game and whether we can take some REAL confidence into the the next batch of games and continue to put a long string of good results together.

We know that the Villa are pretty fragile, and one set back can quickly lead to another and before we know it we are in a shit run again.

This time has GOT to be different. It just has to be.

Offline tomd2103

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Re: Bruce out?
« Reply #6997 on: September 28, 2017, 03:53:43 PM »
Importantly if we approach this game in the first half as we have the last two we will be just fine. There is a lot of confidence now and the fact that the midfield is really pitching in with goals is incredibly encouraging. Kodjia will find the net soon so lots of positives to look forward to if Bruce plans to play the same way we have in the last couple. Remember it's only been a few games since we drew pathetically vs Brentford and had a marginally better game vs Boro, but I hope we have completely moved on from that.

One of my major concerns is when we come up against a side with a good midfield three.  I still think Whelan and Hourihane could get overrun in that scenario and the team struggle as a result.  Kodjia and Davis aren't really that suited to helping out defensively so we could get a bit overwhelmed.   

Maybe what he could then if he wanted to keep the same line up is possibly play Snodgrass just behind Davis and play Kodjia and Adomah out wide.

Yep, but that would require him seeing the problem and having the flexibility to change things mid game.  That will be the real test for him and is one that he has not exactly passed with flying colours in the past.

Offline Rudy Can't Fail

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Re: Bruce out?
« Reply #6998 on: September 28, 2017, 03:58:47 PM »
Biggest positive for me is that Terry and Chester seem to have clicked, and that does seem to have coincided with the midfield getting further upfield and looking more threatening. That and the inclusion of Davis and the return of Kodjia.

Agreed. There was one moment on Tuesday night where Chester took down a ball with such elegant control and immediately brought the ball forward, I thought it could only have been Terry but it seems they are inspiring each other. I also think Snodgrass has made a huge difference, maybe not so much by his performances but the urgency he brings to the team. We've lacked somebody to drag us forward with attacking intent. He could turn out to be a very important signing.

Offline frank black

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Re: Bruce out?
« Reply #6999 on: September 29, 2017, 06:11:28 PM »
Apparently he called Harry before the Barnsley game and told him he thought he was gonna get sacked if we didn’t beat Barnsley.

To be fair he probably was a game or two away from the sack, even though Rednapp is full of sh,;te.

Let’s hope it’s his Ferguson  Forest game scenario. I’d take a bit of the success Man U had after that game.

Offline Clark W Griswold

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Re: Bruce out?
« Reply #7000 on: September 29, 2017, 06:20:50 PM »
That game did feel like it would be the final straw though for most, it was almost 'common sense' so Bruce would have surely felt that too. At the moment though it's turning around, hopefully we'll keep going on this upward tangent.

Offline old man villa fan

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Re: Bruce out?
« Reply #7001 on: September 30, 2017, 12:20:00 PM »
You can only keep looking ahead with the path to promotion being the barometer for the decision to sack Bruce. Of course judgement is influenced by recently games but it also has to be over his entire period here so that you can see any reoccuring negative patterns developing.

We still have a lot to do to achieve automatic promotion and cannot afford many slip ups. I still feel that just finishing in a playoff position is not good enough. We have seen recently what this team is capable of with a more positive attitude. This has to continue.

Offline ktvillan

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Re: Bruce out?
« Reply #7002 on: September 30, 2017, 12:43:53 PM »
Like him or not (and I don't) Bruce has done enough in the last 3-6 games to be given time to see if this is just a blip in the feast of mediocrity he's been serving up or if he's genuinely turned things around.  Let's not forget we had a good run of results last season for a while but it meant nothing as we had two equally poor runs to more than offset it.  So far this season one poor run and one good one.  Bruce's future depends on what the next run of 5-10 games brings, and the one after that, not on the Bolton result.

Online ChicagoLion

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Re: Bruce out?
« Reply #7003 on: September 30, 2017, 12:53:05 PM »
I am sticking by my prediction September will be good enough to keep him in a job, because we are playing poor teams.
Watch the weeks come off in October.

Offline Chris Jameson

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Re: Bruce out?
« Reply #7004 on: September 30, 2017, 02:25:53 PM »
Haven't seen the Redknapp interview but was it an attempt to deflect any criticism heading his way by betraying a fellow manager's confidential phone call?

 


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