Steve Bruce - officially confirmed (as Sheffield Wednesday boss)

[mr underhill]

He is rightly going to be very pissed off. I would try and get either Warburton or Rowett in on a shot term  basis until may

[Dante Lavelli]

Yes Chelsea play 3-5-2/5-3-2 but they spent pre season drilling the players as to what it entails. We threw it together in a panicky few days. After our usual money up the wall trick.

The answer to this problem is all on the training field. We won't solve this

That's not right actually, they changed a few games into the season because of a couple of losses. It worked for them, it hasn't for us.

Chris that is correct, Chelsea didn't start the season in a 3/5/2 or 5/3/2 at all. Due to injuries and suspensions they had to change it and got results so they stuck with it.

From what I've read, Conte's preferred system at Juve/Italy was always 352 but he allowed the players to dictate otherwise.  Results were not great so he changed everything to his preferred system and hey presto...

[VinnieChase84]

He is done for now. Especially if Newcastle and Derby go the way most are expecting. It's his players now. If he can't find a system then he shouldn't have wanted people who couldn't play his way. Plus the football is horrible. Absolutely no style of play or tempo (except slow). If we were clearly trying to play an entertaining way and these results were the same then he'd be given the good grace of bedding it all in.
We have none of that! As things stand, there's a good possibility that come Bristol city at home, we could be bottom 3. He cannot survive all the above, 6 loses in a row.....
We're unfortunately in a perpetual cycle of turmoil and transition.

[Monty]

It's really not a fantastic run of results is it? The question for Tony is: is this just a product of Bruce not having his players, or them switching off because r season's over, or what have you; or, are we underperforming because Bruce is a manager whose time is now past? For me, that's a question that still can't be answered.

[ChicagoLion]

It's really not a fantastic run of results is it? The question for Tony is: is this just a product of Bruce not having his players, or them switching off because r season's over, or what have you; or, are we underperforming because Bruce is a manager whose time is now past? For me, that's a question that still can't be answered.

None of the above.

[SoccerHQ]

I still don't believe all the answers lie in what formation we play

Got to start somewhere.  We need the right formation to get the right players on the pitch and unfortunately at the moment I don't think Elphick is one of them.  For me that means whatever we do has to start with 4 at the back.

I agree with John....formations are reasonably important but mentality in the 11 is more vital and we just don't have that in our mindset.

Barnsley and many other clubs at this level do and we are seeing it every week on the grass as we fail to win yet another game.

How many times have Reading and Huddersfield to name two teams been losing in games and turned it round with injury time winners? Both turned 1-2s with 20 minutes left into 3-2 wins.

We can't even get draws in games when we concede first.

[Ian.]

 It's been so long since we've had a Winning mentality as a club.

[ChicagoLion]

I still don't believe all the answers lie in what formation we play

Got to start somewhere.  We need the right formation to get the right players on the pitch and unfortunately at the moment I don't think Elphick is one of them.  For me that means whatever we do has to start with 4 at the back.

I agree with John....formations are reasonably important but mentality in the 11 is more vital and we just don't have that in our mindset.

Barnsley and many other clubs at this level do and we are seeing it every week on the grass as we fail to win yet another game.

How many times have Reading and Huddersfield to name two teams been losing in games and turned it round with injury time winners? Both turned 1-2s with 20 minutes left into 3-2 wins.

We can't even get draws in games when we concede first.

Changing the formation and players then playing out of position sends a signal to the players.
Just adds to the mentality problem.

[kippaxvilla2]

This will go down welll with the players.

Steve Bruce explains what his big money players must do now

The manager was speaking after the defeat to Barnsley tonight

23:08, 14 FEB 2017Updated23:09, 14 FEB 2017
Steve Bruce has told his multi-million pound players to show some fight and start earning their money.

Villa suffered a crushing 3-1 defeat at Barnsley, three days after losing to Ipswich at Villa Park.

It’s now eight games without a win and Villa’s season is imploding as the under-performing players struggle to cut out costly individual errors.

A frustrated Bruce said: “The reason why we’ve got one of the biggest wage bills in the division is to deal with the mentality and expectation at this club.

“That’s why the players get paid more than anyone else in this division to handle the expectation.

“The crowd have been nothing short of magnificent in the last two games when it has been difficult for them, too.


Jack Grealish
“Some of the stuff has been difficult for them to watch as we have been making mistake after mistake.

“We haven’t been good enough for the last five weeks and it’s difficult for me to face it.

“But I’m determined to get it right and now is where we must show some balls.”

[FrankyH]

Start earning yours Steve.

[Gareth]

To formations and mentality I would add desire....I chose not to go tonight because frankly I was totally bored on Saturday so all I have seen is the goals as they were shown on SSN.  The 2nd goal Amavi just ambled towards the attacker, time & again our full backs do not show enough desire to close down players wanting to cross the ball...too much ball gets into the box, asking for trouble.

[brontebilly]

It's already over isn't it for Bruce. I remember Gordon Strachan at Boro leaving without taking a penny, would have a lot of respect for Bruce if he did likewise.

I respected the pragmatic choice of Bruce. I thought he would have the experience and backbone to make hard decisions to get us results. Initially results were in his favour but the performances I felt were as bad as ever. The late home wins v Wigan and Burton only glossing over the cracks. I'm not sure why he felt it necessary to completely change the squad in the last weeks of Jan. I'd give him a pass on McCormack while giving Flabby and Richards another go was inevitable.

But after spending all that money on basically a new team, to go to 3 at the back v Forest and Ipswich only confirmed he was already into the drunken gambler state. No tactics, no defined style of play, no clear instructions given to players, just another busted flush British manager needing just another three players.

There is more wrong with the club than just RDM and Bruce. They have taken tin pot clubs with a fraction of the budget up previously. It's before my time but I'm assuming the club needs a visionary like GT1 coming in. I honestly think the club would destroy the likes of Howe, Rowett etc

I'd start in the summer with gutting the coaching staff at every level and scaling back the budget available to first team coaches The club needs to develop a football philosophy like Southampton and effectively go again. Ive suggested numerous times that we should consider the likes of Nicola Cortese, ex Southampton chairman in to run the club asap.

[kippaxvilla2]

You do wonder whether the McCormack episode has had an effect on the other players.

[PeterWithesShin]

I said the other day we need a minimum of 4 points from Ipswich and Barnsley, we got 0 and 1 goal. I genuinely don't know what the problem is any more. Even with a totally shit manager we should be winning games at this level with the players we have.

[TonyD]

I said 6 games.  But after tonight and then the Newcastle hammering. Then he Will be sacked