Steve Bruce - officially confirmed (as Sheffield Wednesday boss)

[damon loves JT]

£77 million and we are mid table.  Beggars belief.

Not really, i think there's a common oversight that more often than not a well drilled side of lesser players who have played together in a a familiar system, and know their roles in that system, will beat a side of better (more expensive) players that have hardly played together before etc.

You might just be able to put 11 players on a pitch and call it a team, but it takes time to actually build a proper well functioning team, time to train, train some more, and then time to actually try and implement that against another team that is trying to do the same back to you: and there's some good solid teams in the championship. For that you need consistency.

We've already had 2 managers this season, with a big turn around of staff in the summer with RDM and his player choices, and again this January, but now with Bruce's choices. That's a hell of a lot of inconsistency in a short period of time, and so we are essentially where we are because of that. If we'd had a good spine of a team when we were relegated then we might have been able to do a Newcastle, but we didn't, we've had a broken or virtually non existent spine for a long time, and the 'midfield problem' was never really addressed by RDM, and so we've suffered even though we've brought some good players in. Last night against Brentford just adumbrated that, especially with a whole new midfield just thrown into the mix.

I think this is pretty much it now though, we've cleared a lot of the deadwood, with more lined up to depart in the summer, and brought in a lot of good players, and now Bruce needs to get them to gel and show hat he and they can do. I think the structure of the club is sound now, that's been shown over the summer and January with some financial support, some good dealings and good communication. I think Bruce has the remit to try and get us up this year, but will be given until next year, but only if we start to significantly improve in the 2nd half of this season. We really need to start putting a good run together now and probably at least get to the play offs.

Shout out for the first recorded use of the word 'adumbrated' on H&V

[oldhill_avfc]

I think it is much more like going to the doctor and telling him/her you don't feel well.  The competent doctor pursues a diagnosis.  Where is the pain? What sort of pain? Does it come and go?  In that way the root cause of your lack of wellness is identified and addressed.  Us and the manager and the coaches watching a gelled team is no more than the sprinkles on the doughnut of hard work.

Your recent posts seem to indicate an extraordinary degree of frustration at a couple of very understandable problems.

The doctor (SB) has made his diagnosis; the full backs and goalkeepers are poor, the midfield was non existent and the forwards don't score enough goals.   He couldn't do much about it until the transfer window, so he tried to the best he could with a curate's egg of a squad which on the whole was not fit for purpose.

OK some tactical decisions seem strange, eg floaty corners, but I'm not sure you can coach incompetents to compete at this level on a regular basis.  If it could be done, then I'd be playing the play maker role in central midfield.

He's now brought together his new players and put them onto the field for the first time and they failed to 'gel'. 
Why do you have an issue the word gel?  Isn't it merely short hand for understanding how you fit in with your team mates, under standing the positions they take up and how you form effective partnerships with them?

I'm not sure that can accelerated to any great degree by coaching or training ground sessions - I would imagine it takes match time.

[cdbearsfan]

Lansbury started well then got a smack and was not in it. I actually thought he looked to get booked so misses going back to forest

He avoided the match against Newcastle due to injury/wanting away/cowardice, he's no doubt saving the booking to avoid our match up there where he's sure of a warm reception.

Can someone who has his number tell Chris that Danlanza has hacked his account, please?

[cdward]

QPR Boss Ian Holloway speaking after his side came from behind twice, to earn a 2-2 draw at Newcastle

"I've brought a whole load of new people in. That group has done us all proud."

[achilles]

QPR Boss Ian Holloway speaking after his side came from behind twice, to earn a 2-2 draw at Newcastle

"I've brought a whole load of new people in. That group has done us all proud."

Impossible to do, you need time to gel!

[BOB MANSFIELD]

Afternoon.
some new players just seem to fit in imperceptibly and " get on with it "........but I guess that's A) if they're playing the same role they've been used to ...and B) if its not the Villa. [ with all the added hype, pressure, attention, or call it what you will]
I reckon it is a case that SB now has the pegs in appropriate shaped holes and just has to make them repeat their work like their times-tables ad nauseam.

I also reckon that Hourihane will develop into the natural on-pitch leader, maybe even captain and start a revolution that will eventually lead us to promotion.

[Salsa Party Animal]

Think we should make a move for Frank Lampard Jr and get him to do coaching Just a thought.

[Ian.]

£77 million and we are mid table.  Beggars belief.

Not really, i think there's a common oversight that more often than not a well drilled side of lesser players who have played together in a a familiar system, and know their roles in that system, will beat a side of better (more expensive) players that have hardly played together before etc.

You might just be able to put 11 players on a pitch and call it a team, but it takes time to actually build a proper well functioning team, time to train, train some more, and then time to actually try and implement that against another team that is trying to do the same back to you: and there's some good solid teams in the championship. For that you need consistency.

We've already had 2 managers this season, with a big turn around of staff in the summer with RDM and his player choices, and again this January, but now with Bruce's choices. That's a hell of a lot of inconsistency in a short period of time, and so we are essentially where we are because of that. If we'd had a good spine of a team when we were relegated then we might have been able to do a Newcastle, but we didn't, we've had a broken or virtually non existent spine for a long time, and the 'midfield problem' was never really addressed by RDM, and so we've suffered even though we've brought some good players in. Last night against Brentford just adumbrated that, especially with a whole new midfield just thrown into the mix.

I think this is pretty much it now though, we've cleared a lot of the deadwood, with more lined up to depart in the summer, and brought in a lot of good players, and now Bruce needs to get them to gel and show hat he and they can do. I think the structure of the club is sound now, that's been shown over the summer and January with some financial support, some good dealings and good communication. I think Bruce has the remit to try and get us up this year, but will be given until next year, but only if we start to significantly improve in the 2nd half of this season. We really need to start putting a good run together now and probably at least get to the play offs.

That's very we'll put Dribbler and my thoughts on it all too.

[VILLA MOLE]

£77 million and we are mid table.  Beggars belief.

Not really, i think there's a common oversight that more often than not a well drilled side of lesser players who have played together in a a familiar system, and know their roles in that system, will beat a side of better (more expensive) players that have hardly played together before etc.

You might just be able to put 11 players on a pitch and call it a team, but it takes time to actually build a proper well functioning team, time to train, train some more, and then time to actually try and implement that against another team that is trying to do the same back to you: and there's some good solid teams in the championship. For that you need consistency.

We've already had 2 managers this season, with a big turn around of staff in the summer with RDM and his player choices, and again this January, but now with Bruce's choices. That's a hell of a lot of inconsistency in a short period of time, and so we are essentially where we are because of that. If we'd had a good spine of a team when we were relegated then we might have been able to do a Newcastle, but we didn't, we've had a broken or virtually non existent spine for a long time, and the 'midfield problem' was never really addressed by RDM, and so we've suffered even though we've brought some good players in. Last night against Brentford just adumbrated that, especially with a whole new midfield just thrown into the mix.

I think this is pretty much it now though, we've cleared a lot of the deadwood, with more lined up to depart in the summer, and brought in a lot of good players, and now Bruce needs to get them to gel and show hat he and they can do. I think the structure of the club is sound now, that's been shown over the summer and January with some financial support, some good dealings and good communication. I think Bruce has the remit to try and get us up this year, but will be given until next year, but only if we start to significantly improve in the 2nd half of this season. We really need to start putting a good run together now and probably at least get to the play offs.

That's very we'll put Dribbler and my thoughts on it all too.

very well put but had to look up the word adumbrated though

[Dribbler]

Shout out for the first recorded use of the word 'adumbrated' on H&V

I'm going to try and get 'discombobulated' into the next post match thread... 

[Toronto Villa]

Shout out for the first recorded use of the word 'adumbrated' on H&V

I'm going to try and get 'discombobulated' into the next post match thread... 

You could have used that on many occasions over the past 6-7 years.

[ciggiesnbeer]

Cool. I had never heard of 'adumbrate' before. Thanks for adding to my vocab!

[Rudy Can't Fail]

Shout out for the first recorded use of the word 'adumbrated' on H&V

I'm going to try and get 'discombobulated' into the next post match thread... 

I was more impressed with your 'Show hat'.

[LeeB]

Cool. I had never heard of 'adumbrate' before. Thanks for adding to my vocab!

What does it mean? Is it a Trump tweet regarding a policy enacted by Obama?

[SoccerHQ]

QPR Boss Ian Holloway speaking after his side came from behind twice, to earn a 2-2 draw at Newcastle

"I've brought a whole load of new people in. That group has done us all proud."

Impossible to do, you need time to gel!

QPR lost to Burton at home last match before Newcastle which is pretty hard to do.