Wolves v Pups Post-Match Thread

[Sexual Ealing]

Why do we only have a small chance of promotion?

Because every season everything is set in stone by the second week in October. All our games are against shit teams if we win and if we lose it is nothing to do with who we played it is because we are shit.

I can't believe we've had the audacity to lose to a team 2nd in the table away from home. How far have we fallen?

They were second in the division in which we are supposed to be aiming to finish in the top two. They absolutely battered us. I think that's why people are a bit miffed. If Wolves are the standard of team that is likely to get promoted, we look nowhere near that level. That's fairly depressing.

No one could have predicted that as soon as Bruce comes up against a half decent team we look like we are playing a different sport.

Luckily there aren't too many half decent teams in this league. We've lost one in nine. I will start worrying if we look that shit against Fulham next week

We will. Fulham play football, which we don't deal with very well. Ever.

[ktvillan]

I don't get the criticism 'we only beat teams near the bottom of the table.' Who cares? That's who our fixture list dictated we played. I still think we'll get a decent amount of points from the next three games. Seven should be the target, nine great, anything less an opportunity missed. We should be up there at the end of the season and I think we will.

Wolves are fortunate to have such a luxury of talent who have integrated so well. Of course it would be good if we had something similar, but Bruce's pragmatism isn't nearly as bad as some suggest. It's not as easy on the eye but we'll get there.

The fixture list also gave us Bristol City Cardiff and Wolves, how many of those did we win?

The next excuse is that they were all away from home.

I don't know why it's got to be so inflammatory. It's not an 'excuse,'  it's just how different people see the game. I think it's clear that the likes of you and ChicagoLion are more pessimistic and the likes of Clampy and myself are more optimistic. Good. Fine. I think the more pessimistic folk have been a lot more correct in recent years - the club has been shit. However, I am allowed to think that winning four in a row and losing one in nine is not the worst form in the world and I am also allowed to think that being seventh is grounds for optimism. I could point out that even if those wins were against lower positioned teams in the league it may be a springboard for us and build confidence. It's like banging your head against a brick wall though if people just see wins as 'it was only against (insert shit team) so it doesn't count.' You probably think that when I say that we're not as bad as you think though!

I think your argument is over simplistic.  It's not just slagging off wins because they were against poor to middling teams, it's about the level of performance and quality,  whether we've won or lost.  The fact is we've ground out most of those wins playing some god-awful football despite the lack of quality in the opposition.   I can kind of see why some are happy to take the results on face value and enjoy them while they can, but I think others are able to see the  bigger picture and put those results into context.    In how many games have we actually looked like a quality team?  Hardly any.   It really should not be difficult to look decent and competent in this division, especially with the money we've spent.  Bruce is making us look way less than the sum of our parts. 

[Villa75]

Why do we only have a small chance of promotion?

Because every season everything is set in stone by the second week in October. All our games are against shit teams if we win and if we lose it is nothing to do with who we played it is because we are shit.

I can't believe we've had the audacity to lose to a team 2nd in the table away from home. How far have we fallen?

They were second in the division in which we are supposed to be aiming to finish in the top two. They absolutely battered us. I think that's why people are a bit miffed. If Wolves are the standard of team that is likely to get promoted, we look nowhere near that level. That's fairly depressing.

No one could have predicted that as soon as Bruce comes up against a half decent team we look like we are playing a different sport.

Luckily there aren't too many half decent teams in this league. We've lost one in nine. I will start worrying if we look that shit against Fulham next week

But we've looked shit against plenty of teams this season, and last. Why are you waiting for the Fulham game before you start worrying?

[Toronto Villa]

It’s also why he’s never made it in the PL. You can get away with it in the Championship simply because the overall quality is so poor. We won’t face many really good sides so he’ll grind out results against the majority and find a way to get teams into a promotion challenging spot. But you can’t do that in the PL and he gets found out every time.

The football right now is dreadful for the most part but he’s playing the odds that he’ll get enough decent results across 46 games to get us up. But it will be murder all the way and ultimately won’t last.

[Villa75]

It’s also why he’s never made it in the PL. You can get away with it in the Championship simply because the overall quality is so poor. We won’t face many really good sides so he’ll grind out results against the majority and find a way to get teams into a promotion challenging spot. But you can’t do that in the PL and he gets found out every time.

The football right now is dreadful for the most part but he’s playing the odds that he’ll get enough decent results across 46 games to get us up. But it will be murder all the way and ultimately won’t last.

He can't even get use in the top 6, once, after 46 games. What makes you think he'll do enough to get us up after another 34?

[VillaAlways]

It’s also why he’s never made it in the PL. You can get away with it in the Championship simply because the overall quality is so poor. We won’t face many really good sides so he’ll grind out results against the majority and find a way to get teams into a promotion challenging spot. But you can’t do that in the PL and he gets found out every time.

The football right now is dreadful for the most part but he’s playing the odds that he’ll get enough decent results across 46 games to get us up. But it will be murder all the way and ultimately won’t last.

He can't even get use in the top 6, once, after 46 games. What makes you think he'll do enough to get us up after another 34?

Err because we're 7th and one point off the top 6. With a home game coming up against a team below us

[SoccerHQ]

Well, quite. It was bad enough turning up to Man United and Chelsea knowing that we'd lost before a ball was kicked. Now defeats against shite like fucking Wolves are to be met with a resigned shrug of the shoulders?

That’s what fucks me off the most. Bruce played not to lose at Wolves. Fucking Wolves, not Man U or Man City. And even then I got pissed off when we did it against those sides. We’ve been on a good run so why not try to take the game to them. I’ve seen other teams come to Villa Park over the years and do it to us. He set up with a negative attitude and it always brings with it the inevitable. Wolves are confident and soon as they realized we weren’t up for it they took advantage. It’s been typical of Bruce since he arrived. Absolutely hate it.

His mentality is any point away is a good one regardless of opposition. He said as much in one of his early interviews.

Amazed he's got so many teams promoted treating away games like that.

[Stu]

It’s also why he’s never made it in the PL. You can get away with it in the Championship simply because the overall quality is so poor. We won’t face many really good sides so he’ll grind out results against the majority and find a way to get teams into a promotion challenging spot. But you can’t do that in the PL and he gets found out every time.

The football right now is dreadful for the most part but he’s playing the odds that he’ll get enough decent results across 46 games to get us up. But it will be murder all the way and ultimately won’t last.

He can't even get use in the top 6, once, after 46 games. What makes you think he'll do enough to get us up after another 34?

Absolutely nothing. He was such an uninspiring and unimaginative appointment and you just knew Villa would be behind the curve yet again in appointing him. Bournemouth showed that you don't have to hoof your way out of this league the season before we went down, clearly nobody at Villa Park was paying attention.

[Ads]

If we're in the top six next weekend what then?

Seeing as we're at home, very strong and favourites to win and given our form a win is most likely.

[VillaAlways]

If we're in the top six next weekend what then?

Seeing as we're at home, very strong and favourites to win and given our form a win is most likely.

It won't count because Fulham are below us

[Russ aka Big Nose]

Why do we only have a small chance of promotion?

Because every season everything is set in stone by the second week in October. All our games are against shit teams if we win and if we lose it is nothing to do with who we played it is because we are shit.

I can't believe we've had the audacity to lose to a team 2nd in the table away from home. How far have we fallen?

They were second in the division in which we are supposed to be aiming to finish in the top two. They absolutely battered us. I think that's why people are a bit miffed. If Wolves are the standard of team that is likely to get promoted, we look nowhere near that level. That's fairly depressing.

No one could have predicted that as soon as Bruce comes up against a half decent team we look like we are playing a different sport.

Luckily there aren't too many half decent teams in this league. We've lost one in nine. I will start worrying if we look that shit against Fulham next week

So even if we accept the (depressing) decision that the limit of our ambitions is not to lose against decent Championship sides, how easy do you imagine it is change the mindset, tactics and personnel from yesterday to next Saturday?

I don't think that is simple at all - and if that is the plan we will most likely look disjointed to begin with versus Fulham. Also, I don't think we have in Bruce a manager capable of getting the same group to play in two different ways - from what I see, he finds it difficult enough to get them to consistently play in one way.

Perhaps most of all I think that if we try to win whoever we play, both home and away with a consistent approach to games (both a plan A and a plan B) that we will assemble more points at the end of the season and enjoy what we see more often.

[oldham_villa]

It's simple, if you cannot keep possession, or work as a unit, you don't stand a chance.

We haven't shown any consistent sign of doing this, always allowing the opposition (even those going down...i'm thinking Wigan away last year), to have the ball.

Bruce is my least favourite manager since O'Leary. I have to switch over if i see him talking, it's that bad.

Anybody thinking we are going anywhere with that clown is mistaken (in my opinion of course).

I noticed God himself made a critical tweet about the lack of pressing by the team...It's clear as day!

Nick

[Tom_Mc9?]

I think your argument is over simplistic.  It's not just slagging off wins because they were against poor to middling teams, it's about the level of performance and quality,  whether we've won or lost.  The fact is we've ground out most of those wins playing some god-awful football despite the lack of quality in the opposition.   I can kind of see why some are happy to take the results on face value and enjoy them while they can, but I think others are able to see the  bigger picture and put those results into context.    In how many games have we actually looked like a quality team?  Hardly any.   It really should not be difficult to look decent and competent in this division, especially with the money we've spent.  Bruce is making us look way less than the sum of our parts. 

For what it's worth I agree that the style of football is not good enough for the players we have, but I think we lost all chance of us playing attractively when we appointed Bruce. With the fact that you can't teach an old dog new tricks and leopards don't change their spots (etc etc), Bruce will not change and thus we ultimately have to go on results. Results - currently - are improving and we should be looking to be comfortably in a play off spot by Christmas. I don't want Bruce long term, but he's what we've got so right now results, more so than performances, are the priority.

[Villa75]

If we're in the top six next weekend what then?

Seeing as we're at home, very strong and favourites to win and given our form a win is most likely.

It's possible. But other teams, above us, might be playing and winning, as well.

I'm hoping Ipswich don't win their game in hand and become yet another team to go above us.

[exiled on the wirral!]

The biggest think pissing me off is the accusation of how far we have fallen behind Wolves. Well were a division behind the likes of Palace, Bournemouth and Swansea. It is what it is, and how this club has been neglected by the previous regime. Blaming Bruce for our current standing in the football hierarchy is disingenuous.  Im no fan of Bruce and his football, but he has nowhere done enough to be sacked and therefore we should see how far he can get us without this pathetic outcry everytime we don't get a result.