Heroes & Villains, the Aston Villa fanzine
Heroes & Villains => Match Threads & Player Ratings => Topic started by: Toronto Villa on April 08, 2017, 04:58:25 PM
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meh
Start strong, don't capitalize. Disappointing
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Come on Derby!
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Second half sounded awful. Barely created anything once Kodj went off.
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Just once this season, can we smash another team and look good doing it please?
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Well, no, we can't. That's our team and they way we are set up. let's just see this season out.
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Been on such a good run its disappointing to drop points - again we've not been convincing today but at least we've lost the losing mentality. Who scores if Kodjia doesn't is a worry too. Nice to see Grealish back today.
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I suspected a draw today. Not at all disheartened though, it was always a long shot and while it's attractive to be a surprise package and bob up via the play offs, the considered view is that pragmatism this season may bring rewards next term.
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Next season is going to be play ugly.
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How did Hogan look? As far as I could tell he was a bit something and nothing.
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Next season is going to be play ugly.
It depends on who he brings in. The one thing we are sorely lacking is genuine pace in midfield and up front. Kodjia's the quickest but we need a lot more.
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A draw at Burton....get rid of Bruce and Tony Xia😡
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One man team, once we miss Kodjia
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Next season is going to be play ugly.
It depends on who he brings in.
A Coach would be a start.
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we have an over dependency on Kodjia and Hogan still looks miles off the pace. Even if the former stays another striker is a pre requisite for next season together with more creativity in midfield. We've never looked capable of spanking anyone this season - we simply have to remedy that to make the play offs next time.
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We go again
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How did Hogan look? As far as I could tell he was a bit something and nothing.
What does that mean?
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Just that he didn't appear to do that much.
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I really want Hogan to work out but there's a nagging feeling that he's going to struggle with us -he looks like a player who is always carrying an injury/niggle
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Next season is going to be play ugly.
It depends on who he brings in.
A Coach would be a start.
'
well he might. It's possible he couldn't get everyone he wanted at the club because he took the job over after the season was underway. Hopefully he has identified a number of areas and as much as he doesn't want upheaval again, Villa Park will be a revolving door again. But the core group will be in place we just need to add specific pieces. We need lots more pace that's for sure.
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Wasn't there, but going by the radio commentary i'd say we did well to get a point. I can live with that
Talking of the radio, i'm sure Garry Thompson is a lovely bloke, but he's a terrible commentator/pundit
Onwards
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Wasn't there, but going by the radio commentary i'd say we did well to get a point. I can live with that
Talking of the radio, i'm sure Garry Thompson is a lovely bloke, but he's a terrible commentator/pundit
Onwards
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Ahh well it was a long shot anyway. Roll on next season and automatic promotion.
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How did Hogan look? As far as I could tell he was a bit something and nothing.
What does that mean?
Have you not heard that expression before? Perhaps it's a brummie thing?
It means he's there, but doing nothing.
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Wasn't there, but going by the radio commentary i'd say we did well to get a point. I can live with that
Talking of the radio, i'm sure Garry Thompson is a lovely bloke, but he's a terrible commentator/pundit
Onwards
To be fair, Tony Morley (my first Villa hero) and Andy Blair are far worse.
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After we scored we were just as inept as against Norwich and QPR, with the difference that this time we conceded as well. A toothless performance with no threat going forward and a complete inability to keep the ball in midfield.
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This game kind of illustrates our issue now. We've got the solid base, but we need to build on it and create more chances and dominate games.
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Just give us that one performance when it all clicks and we score 5 on 23rd April ...........
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Highlights (http://www.skysports.com/football/burton-alb-vs-a-villa/358593)
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This game kind of illustrates our issue now. We've got the solid base, but we need to build on it and create more chances and dominate games.
Absolutely this is the sort of game that I was worried about, we lost our only real goal threat and tried to hang to a lead for 87 minutes. Organising the defence to keep clean sheets will take you so far but sometimes the 2nd goal is needed and I just don't see us making much effort to get it right now.
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This game kind of illustrates our issue now. We've got the solid base, but we need to build on it and create more chances and dominate games.
Absolutely this is the sort of game that I was worried about, we lost our only real goal threat and tried to hang to a lead for 87 minutes. Organising the defence to keep clean sheets will take you so far but sometimes the 2nd goal is needed and I just don't see us making much effort to get it right now.
Nope and that's what's critical to build in.
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Just commented on Howe and Bournemouth, but same for Clough and Burton. He's done a nice job making them competitive relative to their limited resources.
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Just commented on Howe and Bournemouth, but same for Clough and Burton. He's done a nice job making them competitive relative to their limited resources.
I thought Burton were nailed on to finish bottom by some distance so he's done an excellent job.
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This game kind of illustrates our issue now. We've got the solid base, but we need to build on it and create more chances and dominate games.
Absolutely this is the sort of game that I was worried about, we lost our only real goal threat and tried to hang to a lead for 87 minutes. Organising the defence to keep clean sheets will take you so far but sometimes the 2nd goal is needed and I just don't see us making much effort to get it right now.
Nope and that's what's critical to build in.
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Second half sounded awful. Barely created anything
Sounds like most of our last 30 odd games
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Did everyone enjoy the terrace?
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Disapointed with the result bearing in mind we could have closed the gap but at the same time, not surprised. We do need to kill teams off, we were never going to get away with 1 goal leads forever. I'm still happy with the job he's doing though.
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A disappointing result.
Th atmosphere on the terrace was excellent, and we had few hundred in the North Terrace corner next to our end too. The Police and stewards handled it very well, with a line of stewards in there and no trouble whatsoever.
We started strongly, bossed the first half and went AWOL in the second with Burton not believing their luck, a draw was a fair result.
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Very poor today. An awful game all told.
I don't think I've ever seen such a concentration of away fans in the home end being so open about being away fans. There must have been a good 100-150 nearest the Villa to the right. Amusing.
The game wasn't.
Bruce routinely in his match comments points out exactly what is wrong, so it's good he sees it. The way we recycled possession today was farcical.
Burton are an incredibly limited side; big and organised and that's about it. The block headed approach from us though dumbfounded me.
Bacuna is awful and has been woeful in his last two games. He's nowhere near good enough. We cannot persist with Amavi in midfield either.
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A draw at Burton....get rid of Bruce and Tony Xia😡
No one Bit. Unlucky
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Why has Hourihane suddenly gone out of favour?
After a slow start I thought he was starting to improve and dictate things in the games lately. If anything Lansbury has gone off the boil.
SB saying players are tired and it was a game too far...he does know he didn't actually have to start Bacuna and Amavi again today.
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With the Prawn sandwich brigade today and I have to say we were awful. Burton were the better side but were limited with their final ball. Bruce may have got a few points on the board recently but this doesnt seem like progress to me. You cant play like we do for a whole season and expect to get promoted. Awful stuff. Last game I saw was Derby at home and that was no better
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Can't grumble as we're obviously on a good run but I still don't get this tactic of scoring one goal and then inviting pressure on and trying to see the game out. We were playing Burton for christ sake, we should have gone for them and tried to kill the game off.
Thought the atmosphere was poor considering it was a terrace aswell. That's a fair few times this season, including Blues and Wolves, where our away end has been poor. It seems to be when it sells out quickly the atmosphere is worse.
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We must be the most boring team to watch in all four divisions.
23 away games and the only ones I can think of where we had spells of looking anything like half decent were Brighton and Huddersfield.
Today was utter shite yet if we'd hung on and won again there'd have been people on here getting excited over the fucking play-offs. What on earth would be the point of going up?
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We must be the most boring team to watch in all four divisions.
23 away games and the only ones I can think of where we had spells of looking anything like half decent were Brighton and Huddersfield.
Today was utter shite yet if we'd hung on and won again there'd have been people on here getting excited over the fucking play-offs. What on earth would be the point of going up?
yes it would be utterly useless us getting promoted because everything would stay exactly the same. The money would be meaningless and we'd bore the world and get relegated for sure. Things are just so shit on the back of not losing for ages. I'd so tired of it.
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But the reality is another season of shite football in the same division.
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Prawn sandwich brigade today again. Burton no mugs, fighting for their lives. Decent point in scale of things.
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Being 11th in this league after the money that has been spent is frankly awful. But yet another poor appointment as manager was made last summer and ultimately that start we had had cost us. Bruce has got us going again. Turgid yes it is but I'll take 46 games of turgidness if it gets us promoted this time next year.
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The lack of posts into this thread speaks volumes.
It all very 'long sigh' isn't it?
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Good away day, apart from the match. Easy drive there, parked 300 yards from the stadium at 1.30, couple of pints in the sun at a decent pub (The Derby Inn), stroll to the ground, the novelty of standing, then straight out on the final whistle and back to Knowle for 5.45!
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Good away day, apart from the match. Easy drive there, parked 300 yards from the stadium at 1.30, couple of pints in the sun at a decent pub (The Derby Inn), stroll to the ground, the novelty of standing, then straight out on the final whistle and back to Knowle for 5.45!
It's heartening to hear your afternoon jolly wasn't spoilt by the turgid stuff served up at the match. Hopefully next year your efforts will be rewarded with a performance on the park that's worthy of the claret & blue. Just don't move in the meantime though eh, just in case...
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Is the only way for us to get out of this division next season is to play a turgid style of football??? because if it is going to be that way, then it is going to be a long season.
I don't seem to remember Bournemouth playing like that when they got promoted, and Brighton for me whenever I have watched them play good football
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It's been a great run of form lately, but I'm still far from convinced regarding Bruce. The football won't get much better under him and it could be a slog and not that easy to get up next season if he's playing to grind out results all season.
I just look at the players we have in Kodija, Hogan, Adomah, Green, Lansbury, Hourihane, Grealish, Bacuna, Amavi and wonder why he can't get them set up to play decent, attacking football on the front foot. I hope that making us hard to beat was just stage one of his project.
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It's been a great run of form lately, but I'm still far from convinced regarding Bruce. The football won't get much better under him and it could be a slog and not that easy to get up next season if he's playing to grind out results all season.
I just look at the players we have in Kodija, Hogan, Adomah, Green, Lansbury, Hourihane, Grealish, Bacuna, Amavi and wonder why he can't get them set up to play decent, attacking football on the front foot. I hope that making us hard to beat was just stage one of his project.
Unfortunately, I suspect Bruce is a single stage project manager and there's not a lot of change to be expected next season. I believe we will be in the mix for promotion, but don't see much change in the style of football under Bruce.
For me, he lacks the charisma to motivate players and he's never really managed a side that plays football on the front foot.
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Is the only way for us to get out of this division next season is to play a turgid style of football??? because if it is going to be that way, then it is going to be a long season.
I don't seem to remember Bournemouth playing like that when they got promoted, and Brighton for me whenever I have watched them play good football
It's Bruce's style, he's too stuck in that way now to change it, like Pulis. The only way he'll get us promoted is by grinding out 1-0 or 2-0 wins, we're not going to go up with swashbuckling football scoring 90 odd goals. We've got some of the best players in this division yet we went 1-0 up at mighty Burton after three minutes and then invited them on to us, baffling and very boring to watch. QPR was the same midweek, turgid stuff. Under Bruce we've scored more than 2 goals once, 3-1 against Cardiff in November. With our firepower up front and the midfielders we've signed that is dreadful. I hope we throw the shackles off now our season is over and we see some exciting football, but it won't happen. We'll go 1-0 up against Reading and then sit back, despite them having just lost 7-1 against a piss poor Norwich side.
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we are too dependent on Jimmy Danger and need to learn to play possession passing game properly and score 1 more goal every games about 15 times this season.
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Is the only way for us to get out of this division next season is to play a turgid style of football??? because if it is going to be that way, then it is going to be a long season.
I don't seem to remember Bournemouth playing like that when they got promoted, and Brighton for me whenever I have watched them play good football
It's Bruce's style, he's too stuck in that way now to change it, like Pulis. The only way he'll get us promoted is by grinding out 1-0 or 2-0 wins, we're not going to go up with swashbuckling football scoring 90 odd goals. We've got some of the best players in this division yet we went 1-0 up at mighty Burton after three minutes and then invited them on to us, baffling and very boring to watch. QPR was the same midweek, turgid stuff. Under Bruce we've scored more than 2 goals once, 3-1 against Cardiff in November. With our firepower up front and the midfielders we've signed that is dreadful. I hope we throw the shackles off now our season is over and we see some exciting football, but it won't happen. We'll go 1-0 up against Reading and then sit back, despite them having just lost 7-1 against a piss poor Norwich side.
I seem to remember his Hull City team scored a lot of goals as it got promoted.
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Is the only way for us to get out of this division next season is to play a turgid style of football??? because if it is going to be that way, then it is going to be a long season.
I don't seem to remember Bournemouth playing like that when they got promoted, and Brighton for me whenever I have watched them play good football
It's Bruce's style, he's too stuck in that way now to change it, like Pulis. The only way he'll get us promoted is by grinding out 1-0 or 2-0 wins, we're not going to go up with swashbuckling football scoring 90 odd goals. We've got some of the best players in this division yet we went 1-0 up at mighty Burton after three minutes and then invited them on to us, baffling and very boring to watch. QPR was the same midweek, turgid stuff. Under Bruce we've scored more than 2 goals once, 3-1 against Cardiff in November. With our firepower up front and the midfielders we've signed that is dreadful. I hope we throw the shackles off now our season is over and we see some exciting football, but it won't happen. We'll go 1-0 up against Reading and then sit back, despite them having just lost 7-1 against a piss poor Norwich side.
I seem to remember his Hull City team scored a lot of goals as it got promoted.
Your memory is playing tricks on you I'm afraid. They scored 61 goals, the lowest total in the entire top half that season.
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oh to score 61 goals...
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Is the only way for us to get out of this division next season is to play a turgid style of football??? because if it is going to be that way, then it is going to be a long season.
I don't seem to remember Bournemouth playing like that when they got promoted, and Brighton for me whenever I have watched them play good football
It's Bruce's style, he's too stuck in that way now to change it, like Pulis. The only way he'll get us promoted is by grinding out 1-0 or 2-0 wins, we're not going to go up with swashbuckling football scoring 90 odd goals. We've got some of the best players in this division yet we went 1-0 up at mighty Burton after three minutes and then invited them on to us, baffling and very boring to watch. QPR was the same midweek, turgid stuff. Under Bruce we've scored more than 2 goals once, 3-1 against Cardiff in November. With our firepower up front and the midfielders we've signed that is dreadful. I hope we throw the shackles off now our season is over and we see some exciting football, but it won't happen. We'll go 1-0 up against Reading and then sit back, despite them having just lost 7-1 against a piss poor Norwich side.
I seem to remember his Hull City team scored a lot of goals as it got promoted.
Your memory is playing tricks on you I'm afraid. They scored 61 goals, the lowest total in the entire top half that season.
Did they get promoted scoring those 61 goals?
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Brighton, for me, are the best team in this division. They also play very attractive attacking football. I know a lot of people are saying that we should get automatic promotion next season but, I'm one of those that fear that playing the tactics currently employed by SB, will see us huff and puff but, won't even get in the play offs. The trouble being that if your only tactic is to go 1-0 up and then defend for the rest of the game, we will come unstuck just as often as we win. Really hope I'm wrong
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Brighton, for me, are the best team in this division. They also play very attractive attacking football. I know a lot of people are saying that we should get automatic promotion next season but, I'm one of those that fear that playing the tactics currently employed by SB, will see us huff and puff but, won't even get in the play offs. The trouble being that if your only tactic is to go 1-0 up and then defend for the rest of the game, we will come unstuck just as often as we win. Really hope I'm wrong
Playing consistently like we have been recently should see us finish in a play-off position but then it all rests on cup-tie football. We have to be going for one of the two automatic promotion places.
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Brighton, for me, are the best team in this division. They also play very attractive attacking football. I know a lot of people are saying that we should get automatic promotion next season but, I'm one of those that fear that playing the tactics currently employed by SB, will see us huff and puff but, won't even get in the play offs. The trouble being that if your only tactic is to go 1-0 up and then defend for the rest of the game, we will come unstuck just as often as we win. Really hope I'm wrong
Playing consistently like we have been recently should see us finish in a play-off position but then it all rests on cup-tie football. We have to be going for one of the two automatic promotion places.
This is thing for me, playing as we are feels risky if your aim is the automatic spots because sometimes we're going to concede the first goal and right now if that happens we lose because we have no plan on how to take control of the game and work our way back into it. Through the bad run it the tactic in those circumstances was, wait for the last 15-20 minutes and then throw a couple of extra attackers on.
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Brighton, for me, are the best team in this division. They also play very attractive attacking football. I know a lot of people are saying that we should get automatic promotion next season but, I'm one of those that fear that playing the tactics currently employed by SB, will see us huff and puff but, won't even get in the play offs. The trouble being that if your only tactic is to go 1-0 up and then defend for the rest of the game, we will come unstuck just as often as we win. Really hope I'm wrong
Saw a stat today that based on points per games average under Bruce then we would have been 3rd had Bruce started the season. Like you, I'm not convinced that this style of football is going to walk any league.
And for all Bruce's promotion expertise...haven't all 3 promotions he's achieved been via the play offs? So he's hardly been romping the league with his promotions.
Playing consistently like we have been recently should see us finish in a play-off position but then it all rests on cup-tie football. We have to be going for one of the two automatic promotion places.
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That stat is incorrect by my reckoning. Bruce has had 30 games and we've won 48 points in those games, 1.6 points per game. So after 41 games we'd be on 65.6 points, 8th.
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Is the only way for us to get out of this division next season is to play a turgid style of football??? because if it is going to be that way, then it is going to be a long season.
I don't seem to remember Bournemouth playing like that when they got promoted, and Brighton for me whenever I have watched them play good football
It's Bruce's style, he's too stuck in that way now to change it, like Pulis. The only way he'll get us promoted is by grinding out 1-0 or 2-0 wins, we're not going to go up with swashbuckling football scoring 90 odd goals. We've got some of the best players in this division yet we went 1-0 up at mighty Burton after three minutes and then invited them on to us, baffling and very boring to watch. QPR was the same midweek, turgid stuff. Under Bruce we've scored more than 2 goals once, 3-1 against Cardiff in November. With our firepower up front and the midfielders we've signed that is dreadful. I hope we throw the shackles off now our season is over and we see some exciting football, but it won't happen. We'll go 1-0 up against Reading and then sit back, despite them having just lost 7-1 against a piss poor Norwich side.
I seem to remember his Hull City team scored a lot of goals as it got promoted.
Your memory is playing tricks on you I'm afraid. They scored 61 goals, the lowest total in the entire top half that season.
Did they get promoted scoring those 61 goals?
They did indeed so it was a successful season and one I'd rip your arm off for now. However, I'm merely pointing out that although they did go up it wasn't through scoring a lot of goals as Ashton suggested. This pretty much bears out what many, myself included, think which is that Bruce will make you solid but not spectacular. This can work and has worked for him in the past but it has its limitations.
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That stat is incorrect by my reckoning. Bruce has had 30 games and we've won 48 points in those games, 1.6 points per game. So after 41 games we'd be on 65.6 points, 8th.
I didn't check to be honest as stats count for little...so it's actually worse than I thought...yikes.
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That stat is incorrect by my reckoning. Bruce has had 30 games and we've won 48 points in those games, 1.6 points per game. So after 41 games we'd be on 65.6 points, 8th.
I didn't check to be honest as stats count for little...so it's actually worse than I thought...yikes.
The other thing is Bruce often has spells where he struggles to get a run of results, even in the promotion season last year there was a 14 points from 12 and another 10 points from 8 spell. That's the thing, it does work but a dip in confidence is really dangerous when you're cutting it so fine.
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Brighton, for me, are the best team in this division. They also play very attractive attacking football. I know a lot of people are saying that we should get automatic promotion next season but, I'm one of those that fear that playing the tactics currently employed by SB, will see us huff and puff but, won't even get in the play offs. The trouble being that if your only tactic is to go 1-0 up and then defend for the rest of the game, we will come unstuck just as often as we win. Really hope I'm wrong
I'm a big fan of Chris Hughton but will be interesting if he reverts to type in the prem. Norwich team he managed was very negative in the prem.
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That stat is incorrect by my reckoning. Bruce has had 30 games and we've won 48 points in those games, 1.6 points per game. So after 41 games we'd be on 65.6 points, 8th.
The stat in question was in a Mail article. Enough said.
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That stat is incorrect by my reckoning. Bruce has had 30 games and we've won 48 points in those games, 1.6 points per game. So after 41 games we'd be on 65.6 points, 8th.
They're adding the number of points we had already won under Di Matteo as well as averaging out 1.6 points per game over a season. In other words double counting.
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After the gloom, fog, confusion and turbulence of mid season, the playing style that has emerged in the clear spring light is certainly effective for the time being - results bear that out - but is limited and scrappy and risky, and surely can't be considered as the way forward if we are to mount a serious challenge for promotion next season. My impression is that most of the supporters fully expect us to be among the front runners from the start next season, but my fear is that playing a style of football that has us constantly on the back foot in open play, conceding possession and relying on the strength of the defence and the finishing abilities of one player, will see us come unstuck sooner rather than later, and could usher in yet more turbulence within the club as results fail to match expectations. The back 6, (including Jedinak as the holding player in midfield) plus Kodjia look settled and sorted. The remaining four places in the team do not. Bruce has to find a way for the wide players and the advanced/creative midfield players to play in unison and harmony and on the front foot, retaining the ball and playing further up the pitch. This means that players such as Gardner and Bacuna who seem barely able to pass to a team mate, should not start. It means that Lansbury and Hourihane need to step up and take more responsibility. And it means that a way has to be found to integrate Grealish and Hogan more successfully than has been the case to date. For me Adomah and Green flatter to deceive, so I'd be looking at better quality in wide positions in the summer. It also means that the mentality of the team needs to change too. Can Bruce achieve these things? He seems able to spot the shortcomings when interviewed after a game, but nothing seems to change in the next. So that's the big question for me.
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After the gloom, fog, confusion and turbulence of mid season, the playing style that has emerged in the clear spring light is certainly effective for the time being - results bear that out - but is limited and scrappy and risky, and surely can't be considered as the way forward if we are to mount a serious challenge for promotion next season. My impression is that most of the supporters fully expect us to be among the front runners from the start next season, but my fear is that playing a style of football that has us constantly on the back foot in open play, conceding possession and relying on the strength of the defence and the finishing abilities of one player, will see us come unstuck sooner rather than later, and could usher in yet more turbulence within the club as results fail to match expectations. The back 6, (including Jedinak as the holding player in midfield) plus Kodjia look settled and sorted. The remaining four places in the team do not. Bruce has to find a way for the wide players and the advanced/creative midfield players to play in unison and harmony and on the front foot, retaining the ball and playing further up the pitch. This means that players such as Gardner and Bacuna who seem barely able to pass to a team mate, should not start. It means that Lansbury and Hourihane need to step up and take more responsibility. And it means that a way has to be found to integrate Grealish and Hogan more successfully than has been the case to date. For me Adomah and Green flatter to deceive, so I'd be looking at better quality in wide positions in the summer. It also means that the mentality of the team needs to change too. Can Bruce achieve these things? He seems able to spot the shortcomings when interviewed after a game, but nothing seems to change in the next. So that's the big question for me.
Spot on. The lack of consistency and sheer profligacy of the front 5 barring Kodjia has been woeful. I'm afraid what we have seen is you're better having 3 or 4 solid 7/10 performers in this league than the likes of Adomah, Amavi, Bacuna, Ayew and Grealish.
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That stat is incorrect by my reckoning. Bruce has had 30 games and we've won 48 points in those games, 1.6 points per game. So after 41 games we'd be on 65.6 points, 8th.
I didn't check to be honest as stats count for little...so it's actually worse than I thought...yikes.
Why yikes? Taking a team in a terminal slide 1 point above the relegation places to a team with form for 8th place, whilst dealing with a player crisis during pretty much the whole of January seems like a reasonable performance to me (looking at statistics alone).
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After the gloom, fog, confusion and turbulence of mid season, the playing style that has emerged in the clear spring light is certainly effective for the time being - results bear that out - but is limited and scrappy and risky, and surely can't be considered as the way forward if we are to mount a serious challenge for promotion next season. My impression is that most of the supporters fully expect us to be among the front runners from the start next season, but my fear is that playing a style of football that has us constantly on the back foot in open play, conceding possession and relying on the strength of the defence and the finishing abilities of one player, will see us come unstuck sooner rather than later, and could usher in yet more turbulence within the club as results fail to match expectations. The back 6, (including Jedinak as the holding player in midfield) plus Kodjia look settled and sorted. The remaining four places in the team do not. Bruce has to find a way for the wide players and the advanced/creative midfield players to play in unison and harmony and on the front foot, retaining the ball and playing further up the pitch. This means that players such as Gardner and Bacuna who seem barely able to pass to a team mate, should not start. It means that Lansbury and Hourihane need to step up and take more responsibility. And it means that a way has to be found to integrate Grealish and Hogan more successfully than has been the case to date. For me Adomah and Green flatter to deceive, so I'd be looking at better quality in wide positions in the summer. It also means that the mentality of the team needs to change too. Can Bruce achieve these things? He seems able to spot the shortcomings when interviewed after a game, but nothing seems to change in the next. So that's the big question for me.
Adomah flatters to decieve? You mean the Adomah with 10 assists and a 3 goals , but yet you say Grealish who has been utterly useless needs to play. Green looks a lot more useful then Grealish who imo needs to be sold and filed under the modern Lee Hendrie
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After the gloom, fog, confusion and turbulence of mid season, the playing style that has emerged in the clear spring light is certainly effective for the time being - results bear that out - but is limited and scrappy and risky, and surely can't be considered as the way forward if we are to mount a serious challenge for promotion next season. My impression is that most of the supporters fully expect us to be among the front runners from the start next season, but my fear is that playing a style of football that has us constantly on the back foot in open play, conceding possession and relying on the strength of the defence and the finishing abilities of one player, will see us come unstuck sooner rather than later, and could usher in yet more turbulence within the club as results fail to match expectations. The back 6, (including Jedinak as the holding player in midfield) plus Kodjia look settled and sorted. The remaining four places in the team do not. Bruce has to find a way for the wide players and the advanced/creative midfield players to play in unison and harmony and on the front foot, retaining the ball and playing further up the pitch. This means that players such as Gardner and Bacuna who seem barely able to pass to a team mate, should not start. It means that Lansbury and Hourihane need to step up and take more responsibility. And it means that a way has to be found to integrate Grealish and Hogan more successfully than has been the case to date. For me Adomah and Green flatter to deceive, so I'd be looking at better quality in wide positions in the summer. It also means that the mentality of the team needs to change too. Can Bruce achieve these things? He seems able to spot the shortcomings when interviewed after a game, but nothing seems to change in the next. So that's the big question for me.
Adomah flatters to decieve? You mean the Adomah with 10 assists and a 3 goals , but yet you say Grealish who has been utterly useless needs to play. Green looks a lot more useful then Grealish who imo needs to be sold and filed under the modern Lee Hendrie
You mean the Lee Hendrie who played over 250 Premier League games and got picked for England?
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After the gloom, fog, confusion and turbulence of mid season, the playing style that has emerged in the clear spring light is certainly effective for the time being - results bear that out - but is limited and scrappy and risky, and surely can't be considered as the way forward if we are to mount a serious challenge for promotion next season. My impression is that most of the supporters fully expect us to be among the front runners from the start next season, but my fear is that playing a style of football that has us constantly on the back foot in open play, conceding possession and relying on the strength of the defence and the finishing abilities of one player, will see us come unstuck sooner rather than later, and could usher in yet more turbulence within the club as results fail to match expectations. The back 6, (including Jedinak as the holding player in midfield) plus Kodjia look settled and sorted. The remaining four places in the team do not. Bruce has to find a way for the wide players and the advanced/creative midfield players to play in unison and harmony and on the front foot, retaining the ball and playing further up the pitch. This means that players such as Gardner and Bacuna who seem barely able to pass to a team mate, should not start. It means that Lansbury and Hourihane need to step up and take more responsibility. And it means that a way has to be found to integrate Grealish and Hogan more successfully than has been the case to date. For me Adomah and Green flatter to deceive, so I'd be looking at better quality in wide positions in the summer. It also means that the mentality of the team needs to change too. Can Bruce achieve these things? He seems able to spot the shortcomings when interviewed after a game, but nothing seems to change in the next. So that's the big question for me.
Adomah flatters to decieve? You mean the Adomah with 10 assists and a 3 goals , but yet you say Grealish who has been utterly useless needs to play. Green looks a lot more useful then Grealish who imo needs to be sold and filed under the modern Lee Hendrie
You mean the Lee Hendrie who played over 250 Premier League games and got picked for England?
Played once for England so hardly an endorsement of how good he was. The true endorsement of Hendrie is that the main thing he is remembered for is shagging Bruce's daughter.
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After the gloom, fog, confusion and turbulence of mid season, the playing style that has emerged in the clear spring light is certainly effective for the time being - results bear that out - but is limited and scrappy and risky, and surely can't be considered as the way forward if we are to mount a serious challenge for promotion next season. My impression is that most of the supporters fully expect us to be among the front runners from the start next season, but my fear is that playing a style of football that has us constantly on the back foot in open play, conceding possession and relying on the strength of the defence and the finishing abilities of one player, will see us come unstuck sooner rather than later, and could usher in yet more turbulence within the club as results fail to match expectations. The back 6, (including Jedinak as the holding player in midfield) plus Kodjia look settled and sorted. The remaining four places in the team do not. Bruce has to find a way for the wide players and the advanced/creative midfield players to play in unison and harmony and on the front foot, retaining the ball and playing further up the pitch. This means that players such as Gardner and Bacuna who seem barely able to pass to a team mate, should not start. It means that Lansbury and Hourihane need to step up and take more responsibility. And it means that a way has to be found to integrate Grealish and Hogan more successfully than has been the case to date. For me Adomah and Green flatter to deceive, so I'd be looking at better quality in wide positions in the summer. It also means that the mentality of the team needs to change too. Can Bruce achieve these things? He seems able to spot the shortcomings when interviewed after a game, but nothing seems to change in the next. So that's the big question for me.
Adomah flatters to decieve? You mean the Adomah with 10 assists and a 3 goals , but yet you say Grealish who has been utterly useless needs to play. Green looks a lot more useful then Grealish who imo needs to be sold and filed under the modern Lee Hendrie
You mean the Lee Hendrie who played over 250 Premier League games and got picked for England?
Played once for England so hardly an endorsement of how good he was. The true endorsement of Hendrie is that the main thing he is remembered for is shagging Bruce's daughter.
It isn't, but don't let that put you off. You've not told us how 49 goals in 101 games makes a player a bad signing for a while.
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The bigger issue I have is what's the point in selling Grealish right now? We're not over run with attacking players in the squad, we're not paying him a fortune, we wouldn't get a huge amount in fees for him so what's the point in rushing to sell a 21 year old who has shown flashes of being capable of much more than we've seen. I just don't get the rush to pass judgement on anyone. Baker is a good example, this year he's been a key player for us but loads of us had written him off (me included). If we'd stuck with Robinson and Johnson for another year or 2 they'd both be valuable in this league as well.
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After the gloom, fog, confusion and turbulence of mid season, the playing style that has emerged in the clear spring light is certainly effective for the time being - results bear that out - but is limited and scrappy and risky, and surely can't be considered as the way forward if we are to mount a serious challenge for promotion next season. My impression is that most of the supporters fully expect us to be among the front runners from the start next season, but my fear is that playing a style of football that has us constantly on the back foot in open play, conceding possession and relying on the strength of the defence and the finishing abilities of one player, will see us come unstuck sooner rather than later, and could usher in yet more turbulence within the club as results fail to match expectations. The back 6, (including Jedinak as the holding player in midfield) plus Kodjia look settled and sorted. The remaining four places in the team do not. Bruce has to find a way for the wide players and the advanced/creative midfield players to play in unison and harmony and on the front foot, retaining the ball and playing further up the pitch. This means that players such as Gardner and Bacuna who seem barely able to pass to a team mate, should not start. It means that Lansbury and Hourihane need to step up and take more responsibility. And it means that a way has to be found to integrate Grealish and Hogan more successfully than has been the case to date. For me Adomah and Green flatter to deceive, so I'd be looking at better quality in wide positions in the summer. It also means that the mentality of the team needs to change too. Can Bruce achieve these things? He seems able to spot the shortcomings when interviewed after a game, but nothing seems to change in the next. So that's the big question for me.
Adomah flatters to decieve? You mean the Adomah with 10 assists and a 3 goals , but yet you say Grealish who has been utterly useless needs to play. Green looks a lot more useful then Grealish who imo needs to be sold and filed under the modern Lee Hendrie
You mean the Lee Hendrie who played over 250 Premier League games and got picked for England?
Played once for England so hardly an endorsement of how good he was. The true endorsement of Hendrie is that the main thing he is remembered for is shagging Bruce's daughter.
It isn't, but don't let that put you off. You've not told us how 49 goals in 101 games makes a player a bad signing for a while.
Who's this with 49 goals in 101 games?? As Hendrie had 27 in 251 and Grealish has 4 in 59.
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Played once for England so hardly an endorsement of how good he was.
Brian Little only played once for England.
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Who's this with 49 goals in 101 games?? As Hendrie had 27 in 251 and Grealish has 4 in 59.
And who was it scored 49 in 101 for us?
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Who's this with 49 goals in 101 games?? As Hendrie had 27 in 251 and Grealish has 4 in 59.
And who was it scored 49 in 101 for us?
So you're saying Hendrie was good because he played 251 games for villa.
Those 251 games were over 13 years, not great is it really when you consider Westwood played 147 in 5 years.
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Who's this with 49 goals in 101 games?? As Hendrie had 27 in 251 and Grealish has 4 in 59.
And who was it scored 49 in 101 for us?
So you're saying Hendrie was good because he played 251 games for villa.
Those 251 games were over 13 years, not great is it really when you consider Westwood played 147 in 5 years.
Given that you've included the time from when he signed with the Academy and when he was on loan then yes he was good, unless I've wandered into some parallel universe where playing so many games for a team who were in Europe more often than not during the years he was a regular and he was competing for a place in midfield with the likes of Paul Merson and Ian Taylor is considered to be a failure.
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Still think Weimann is a lot better than Benteke?
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League appearances by Hendrie and our league position that season, from his first proper season until his last (98/99-05/06). 32 (6th) 29 (6th) 32 (8th) 29 (8th) 27 (16th) 32 (6th) 29 (10th) 16 (16th). I wish more of our academy players had managed that.
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Hendrie was a very good player at Villa. I really wish we had a player of his quality playing central midfield for us now.
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Hendrie was a very good player at Villa. I really wish we had a player of his quality playing central midfield for us now.
Totally agree....in his pomp he was excellent.
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No chance, Hendrie was average, but he was ace at going out and getting pissed whilst asking anyone around him if they knew who he was.
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Sounds like you have a personal issue with Hendrie, Stuart. Did he spill your pint or something? What's his behaviour in a bar got to do with his footballing ability?
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No chance, Hendrie was average, but he was ace at going out and getting pissed whilst asking anyone around him if they knew who he was.
HOUSE!
I win at Cliches About Local Footballer Bingo.
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Sounds like you have a personal issue with Hendrie, Stuart. Did he spill your pint or something? What's his behaviour in a bar got to do with his footballing ability?
Like Grealish had Hendrie not been a local boy the treatment he gets would be completely different.
As I said Westwood 147 in 5 years Hendrie 251 in 13, and remember Hendrie played in a team that played European football whereas Westwood didn't. Westwood is the worst midfielder I've ever seen at villa but had he stayed he would have had more appearances then Hendrie, which means according to the rules set by the 1st reply to my Grealish comment makes Westwood better then Hendrie.
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Did you used to set the questions for 3-2-1?