Steve Bruce - officially confirmed (as Sheffield Wednesday boss)

[Clampy]

The only time we sat back and defended in numbers was when the two strikers went off and by then we were down to 10 men.

[TonyD]

He tried something different which didn't come off result wise but we played reasonably well I thought. I hope he tries it again away from home at some point.

Did you? I thought for the most part it looked like what it was, a bunch of strangers on completely different wavelengths to one another. Epitomised when Grealish dummied a ball during a promising counter attack only to see it roll out of play.

Bruce royally fucked yesterday up. His many errors included playing wing backs but dropping Amavi, playing a right footed central midfielder at left wing back, taking all our strikers off when we were drawing against a pretty shit Forest side, telling the team to sit back - again - and invite pressure on ourselves, etc, etc.

He's got no excuses now as he's spent a fortune. How hard can it be to get a manager in who looks like he's made more of the players at his disposal rather than looking like he creates a team which is less than the sum of its parts.

Correct.    The next 6 games should see Bruce find a formation or perhaps a new job.

[Ads]

If we're going to pick and choose an away game to dish one out, I'd love it to be the Horse Punchers.

I'd look forward to walking out and having the polyester tracksuit clad hordes babbling incoherently, shouting abuse and offering us out while they film it on their phones.

[ChicagoLion]

Judging by SB's comments as reported in the Brum Mail, he is going to persist with the 3-5-2 formation.

Steve Bruce will persevere with Aston Villa's new system despite failing to find a winning formula against Nottingham Forest.

Bruce introduced a 3-5-2 formation for the trip to the City Ground, which ultimately ended in an agonising 2-1 defeat.

After a flurry of transfer window signings, Bruce is determined to hit upon a style of play which brings out the best in his talented squad.

And the manager intends to work on the new shape in training at Bodymoor Heath again this week after admitting there was not much time to perfect it between the Brentford and Forest defeats.

"We’ve only tried it for two days so we’ll work at it and it will get better," said Bruce. "There’s things we have got to improve on.

"Up until they scored our goalkeeper hasn’t really had a save to make and once again we’ve been punished.

"Sometimes it’s cruel. When you’re in a run like this, everything seems to be going against you.

"We were in on Wednesday to work on it, we will get better. It’s a system I’ve used before and one I quite enjoy.

"I think with what we’ve got up front now it will work."

"We have to stay strong with it and dust ourselves down.

"There were big improvements today. I thought we looked a real threat on the counter.

"We’ve tried to devise a new system within two or three days so the longer we work on it we’ll get better. There were better signs today."

He has lost the plot, time to start thinking of a replacement.

[Holte132]

If we're going to pick and choose an away game to dish one out, I'd love it to be the Horse Punchers.

I'd look forward to walking out and having the polyester tracksuit clad hordes babbling incoherently, shouting abuse and offering us out while they film it on their phones.

Excuse my ignorance - who are the horse punchers?

[sickbeggar]

To me he's a busted flush. Never thought he was the right choice but was willing to put up with the duff abysmal football if the pay-off was he got us up. He's not going to, so he's now pointless. Another season on the off-chance he'll hoof us into the premiership? Nah, give the job to someone who can build something based on quality football.

[Stu]

If we're going to pick and choose an away game to dish one out, I'd love it to be the Horse Punchers.

I'd look forward to walking out and having the polyester tracksuit clad hordes babbling incoherently, shouting abuse and offering us out while they film it on their phones.

Excuse my ignorance - who are the horse punchers?

Newcastle. Remember one of their fans was arrested for punching a police horse?

[Can Gana Be Bettered!?!?]

I think he probably has had 352 in his mind for a while. He's played it everywhere he's been since Wigan and has just signed 2 wing backs in January.

If Thor is a wing-back, Donald Trump is the resurrection and the light and will bring peace, love and harmony to all mankind.

[chrisw1]

I think he probably has had 352 in his mind for a while. He's played it everywhere he's been since Wigan and has just signed 2 wing backs in January.

If Thor is a wing-back, Donald Trump is the resurrection and the light and will bring peace, love and harmony to all mankind.

He means Taylor

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Taylor can play as a third centre half too. He did with the Welsh didn't he?

Thor did well considering he was well out of position.

[Taylor]

Judging by SB's comments as reported in the Brum Mail, he is going to persist with the 3-5-2 formation.

Steve Bruce will persevere with Aston Villa's new system despite failing to find a winning formula against Nottingham Forest.

Bruce introduced a 3-5-2 formation for the trip to the City Ground, which ultimately ended in an agonising 2-1 defeat.

After a flurry of transfer window signings, Bruce is determined to hit upon a style of play which brings out the best in his talented squad.

And the manager intends to work on the new shape in training at Bodymoor Heath again this week after admitting there was not much time to perfect it between the Brentford and Forest defeats.

"We’ve only tried it for two days so we’ll work at it and it will get better," said Bruce. "There’s things we have got to improve on.

"Up until they scored our goalkeeper hasn’t really had a save to make and once again we’ve been punished.

"Sometimes it’s cruel. When you’re in a run like this, everything seems to be going against you.

"We were in on Wednesday to work on it, we will get better. It’s a system I’ve used before and one I quite enjoy.

"I think with what we’ve got up front now it will work."

"We have to stay strong with it and dust ourselves down.

"There were big improvements today. I thought we looked a real threat on the counter.

"We’ve tried to devise a new system within two or three days so the longer we work on it we’ll get better. There were better signs today."

He has lost the plot, time to start thinking of a replacement.

Is this a joke?

[The Edge]

If we're going to pick and choose an away game to dish one out, I'd love it to be the Horse Punchers.

I'd look forward to walking out and having the polyester tracksuit clad hordes babbling incoherently, shouting abuse and offering us out while they film it on their phones.

Who's the horse punchers?

[Des Little]

If we're going to pick and choose an away game to dish one out, I'd love it to be the Horse Punchers.

I'd look forward to walking out and having the polyester tracksuit clad hordes babbling incoherently, shouting abuse and offering us out while they film it on their phones.

Who's the horse punchers?

Newcastle pet

[aj2k77]

So after signing nearly another first 11, he's determined to hit on a formation that they might be able to play well in? Bonkers.

Here's an idea, before signing the players, maybe have an idea what formation you want them to play in and sign players who are used to and play well in that formation.

This has the markings of another cluster fuck.

[Ian.]

I like the system and agree it's really worth sticking too and giving it a go.

We need to have a bit of patience, it's a new side, new players right across the field and a new system. I really don't know what some expect, a miracle cure, a magic wand?