Steve Bruce - officially confirmed (as Sheffield Wednesday boss)

[john e]

he hasn't just started picking Gabby because we have no one else
he's been picking him since he arrived

he's had him starting while Ayew, Gestede and Mcormac, RHM etc have been sitting on the bench
Gabbs has played about a dozen games ffs he's not just someone he's thrown in as a last resort

when are you guys going to realise that he likes Gabby he rates Gabby, some deluded fools think he's just putting him in the shop window to try and sell him, he's not, Gabby is a Steve Bruce sort of player he thinks he can get the best out of him,
expect to see Micah Richards back in the team as soon as he is fit

[Chris Jameson]

And yet I've seen people on here suggesting we sign Hernandez, Snodgrass, Meyler(!) and Robertson, Brady, all 'Steve Bruce sorts of player'.

I'm baffled as to why Agbonlahor is anywhere near the first team but I don't see that he is a 'Bruce type of player'.

[Ads]

The quality of ball into Agbonlahor was dire. Chipped stuff up to him, instead of balls into the space behind the full backs.

Wolves must have the poorest centre halves and slowest, in the league. Adomah's chance, there was a 40 yard gap! Yet we consistently failed to play the right ball to him.

[aj2k77]

Hepburn Murphy should have been getting a place ahead of that fat, balding, piss taking free loader.

[Chris Smith]

he hasn't just started picking Gabby because we have no one else
he's been picking him since he arrived

he's had him starting while Ayew, Gestede and Mcormac, RHM etc have been sitting on the bench
Gabbs has played about a dozen games ffs he's not just someone he's thrown in as a last resort

when are you guys going to realise that he likes Gabby he rates Gabby, some deluded fools think he's just putting him in the shop window to try and sell him, he's not, Gabby is a Steve Bruce sort of player he thinks he can get the best out of him,
expect to see Micah Richards back in the team as soon as he is fit

He's been playing because he knew that we were losing players to the ACON and he needed to have somebody ready to fill in. To be fair to Gabby, he is working hard and making a nuisance of himself but he is working off scraps and is clearly not the long term answer. I am sure that he wants to bring in a better striker and I know it is stating the bleedin' obvious but that player needs to be available and be willing to join us.

[saunders_heroes]

The quality of ball into Agbonlahor was dire. Chipped stuff up to him, instead of balls into the space behind the full backs.

Wolves must have the poorest centre halves and slowest, in the league. Adomah's chance, there was a 40 yard gap! Yet we consistently failed to play the right ball to him.

Spot on. I get that he's way past his best but I actually thought he worked hard but the delivery into him was absolutely diabolical. What can any striker do when none of the midfield do anything of note in supporting the strikers? 90+ minutes and just one decent delivery. The midfield is what's killing us, it's just shockingly inept.

[john e]

And yet I've seen people on here suggesting we sign Hernandez, Snodgrass, Meyler(!) and Robertson, Brady, all 'Steve Bruce sorts of player'.

I'm baffled as to why Agbonlahor is anywhere near the first team but I don't see that he is a 'Bruce type of player'.

I'm only saying that because he's been playing him over all the others, what other conclusion can you come to,
if you have a choice of players and you keep choosing one the most then he is your type of player on the basis that you keep on playing him, its really a no brainer

it is baffling as you say so people come up with all sorts of conspiracy theories about how he's looking to sell him how he's just getting him ready for the ANC but ultimately he just likes him,
the truth as with all conspiracies is always the most simpler option

I know we have a massive difference of opinion on Steve Bruce, and I don't think to my knowledge we have ever had a fallout on here as you have always been a poster that I have enjoyed reading, and here we just have a contrasting view, no more

 and you probably think I'm using every stick to beat him, the truth is I don't really have to Steve Bruce is what he is,
he's not a Garde or a Sherwood where they were unknown quantities, we know exactly what we are getting with Bruce
he's in the same bracket of manager as Lambert,Warnock,Holloway,Mcliesh all have had promotions and succeses to there name especially Mcliesh and they have a formula that works for them in this league, ie Holloway has just won his 3rd match on the trot, it doesn't make him special it just means the tried and tested formula is working

where I have a problem with people is when they think Bruce is anything more than that, that he is somehow not in that bracket of manager,
 he was bought in as a 'promotion specialist' I accept that, I also accept that the way he does it is the way he's doing it, and will continue to do it by being hard to beat, and grinding out results on a regular basis, especially when he hardened the midfield up a bit

the football we play is garbage, most people agree with that, imo its not going to change even when he's got a few of his own in but the results will under Bruce, because that's what he does well,
 I really don't see why people have to make out Bruce is something he's not just to back him up, when people like me who never wanted him will also agree that he is very capable of getting us up but he will do it in his own style, that's what people were saying at the begining was the only reason we actually wanted him

I am disheartened with the manager i have been since his appointment exactly the same as I was with Mcliesh,
 but I still go, I still support the team, I still want us to win, I still want us to go up, but I'm not going to suddenly start thinking he's the right man for Villa when i don't think he is, far from it actually,
 i cant change that

 

[brian green]

As one of the deluded fools who thinks the ultimate game plan is to shift Gabby on,  here are my reasons for believing it to be the case.

Steve Bruce is not so stupid to believe Gabby is anything more than a temporary option.

Keith Wyness is not so stupid not to see an opportunity to unload a massive financial burden.  Gabby off the payroll pays the wages of two Hourihans.

If you are going to shift a player as over the top as Gabby it has to be in the January window when desperation rules.

If you are going to shift Gabby, you dare not do anything but praise him, whether you mean it or not.

When Steve Bruce came Gabby was doing a N'Zogbia.  He was a black hole (no racist connotation) swallowing Xia's money.  Now he has some value.  Not much but some.

Football is about money.  It is a business.  A successful club is one that manages it's finances most shrewdly.

We have been suckered with the purchases of McCormack and Elphick.  We have to play the same game.

[olaftab]

Brian I buy that about Gabby but Rome is burning......

[john e]

As one of the deluded fools who thinks the ultimate game plan is to shift Gabby on,  here are my reasons for believing it to be the case.

Steve Bruce is not so stupid to believe Gabby is anything more than a temporary option.

Keith Wyness is not so stupid not to see an opportunity to unload a massive financial burden.  Gabby off the payroll pays the wages of two Hourihans.

If you are going to shift a player as over the top as Gabby it has to be in the January window when desperation rules.

If you are going to shift Gabby, you dare not do anything but praise him, whether you mean it or not.

When Steve Bruce came Gabby was doing a N'Zogbia.  He was a black hole (no racist connotation) swallowing Xia's money.  Now he has some value.  Not much but some.

Football is about money.  It is a business.  A successful club is one that manages it's finances most shrewdly.

We have been suckered with the purchases of McCormack and Elphick.  We have to play the same game.

i can only say i hope you are correct Brian and that I'm the deluded one

[brian green]

Agree aftab but we need fire fighters and they cost money.

I see much the same mind set now that we saw in Remi Garde's brief tenure.  Invest in the mid term wisely not chuck money away on quick fixes.  Don't get me wrong, I don't like it.  I hate mornings like this, picking over the debris.  It is what I think is happening and I have to steel myself to endure it. Like we all have to.

[Chris Smith]

Using a phrase like conspiracy theory is nonsense. It is just pragmatic common sense which is the quality I most readily apply to Bruce. 

[clash city rocker]

Because of the way we play , the opposition always have time to organise themselves. They have all the time in the world to get men behind the ball and very rarely do they have a man caught out of position. How many times in the last couple of months have you seen opposition defences all at Sea when they play us. We are a bit like a spin bowlet who can't actually spin the ball giving the batsman all the time in the world to decide what shot to play.

[Risso]

As one of the deluded fools who thinks the ultimate game plan is to shift Gabby on,  here are my reasons for believing it to be the case.

Steve Bruce is not so stupid to believe Gabby is anything more than a temporary option.

Keith Wyness is not so stupid not to see an opportunity to unload a massive financial burden.  Gabby off the payroll pays the wages of two Hourihans.

If you are going to shift a player as over the top as Gabby it has to be in the January window when desperation rules.

If you are going to shift Gabby, you dare not do anything but praise him, whether you mean it or not.

When Steve Bruce came Gabby was doing a N'Zogbia.  He was a black hole (no racist connotation) swallowing Xia's money.  Now he has some value.  Not much but some.

Football is about money.  It is a business.  A successful club is one that manages it's finances most shrewdly.

We have been suckered with the purchases of McCormack and Elphick.  We have to play the same game.

I don't accept that playing Agbonlahor is a ruse to help sell him.  But even if I did believe it, who's going to buy him?  He was on a ridiculous contract, and even with a relegation clause, he'll still be on a lot more than most Championship players. Who exactly, is going to take a chance on a troublesome striker who has scored 1 league goal in two seasons, who is probably on something like £30K a week?  He's not going to score the goals you need for a promotion chasing team, or to stave off relegation.  He's an absolute busted flush.

[peter w]

You look at the team yesterday and to be fair to Bruce he was an a hiding to nothing.

Keeper - that's his

Hutton - Limited and attack after attack falters with the ball at his feet. Bfuce can do nothing with him.
amavi - Some top laity games some poor games. His quality going forward puts him ahead of people like Joe Bennett but his defending is behind him at times. Still time for him to develop though. But needs experience.
Chester - Good addition and the one player that we can build with.
Elphick - Not a good player and Bruce has little option. When Baker is in we have a chance at the back and look more solid. With Elphick we very rarely win. No other options of quality - even at this level - to come in. Richards clearly shot and Toner has come back from Walsall looking for all the world that he'll do well to have a career matching Darren Byfield's.
Bacuna - I like him but have always said this level is just about his. Good player to bring on with 10 minutes left to cover injuries.
Jedinak - Not sure about this one. It looks like Bruce has given him a job to do that he can do as long as it doesn't involve moving the ball quickly.
Tshibola - One good game when anonymous game. I think he has promise but I think it's clear why Bruce hasn't played him. He just doesn't look ready. One good game  and then nothing.
Adomah - Up and down.
Gabby - Gabby
McCormack - Not fitting in

we have an 11 that is picking itself. None of them bought by Bruce and lacking speed and proven ability. Bruce must be looking around him and just trying to do the best until the end of the season. He's not a miracle worker - its not just a case of becoming a manager and sorting everything out within weeks. Our threat is at the moment Kodjia and how Adomah plays with him. Throw in Jack's performances before the last couple and that is how we've been doing well. At the back its Chester and Baker. Baker being out and we lose.

Bruce's options are very limited and he can't just dump everyone and start again. Because that's what we need. We only have a few players that are worth keeping in the long run.

Keeper - no-one

Defence - Chester; Amavi on potential

Midfield - no-one; Adomah as back-up.

Forwards - Kodjia; Grealish

I'm not counting the youngsters - Green, RHM, Davis etc as they haven't had enough games yet to judge.

I wouldn't blame Bruce. We are still a mess that Di Matteo added to not tried to sort. He tried to just buy forwards to go up and left us woefully unbalanced, and lacking in quality. Bruce will do well to sort this mess out in 18 months never mind this season. He needs time and at least 3, maybe 4, transfer windows.