Birkir Bjarnason - Released

[tomd2103]

He hadn't been playing regularly recently and has never played in this country before, it can definately effect your performance in a big way. Add to that the general confusion in the midfield with three new players and it was always going to be difficult. Hourahane who has far less excuse was only 5% better and Lansbury who has less excuse only maybe 10% better. We've had some good midfielders in the past take some time to show their best, Petrov springing to mind as one of the more recent. I'm sure they're all good players but my worry is that the formation doesn't work, and is not likely to, and his signings are pretty much geared up to it. There are never enough bodies forward and everyone in the opposition half seem to be isolated, whereas in our own half we seem to be almost getting in each other's way and confusing each other.

It not the formation it's the gaps.  We look like a team that is a defensive unit, a midfield unit and a striker and those 3 are all entirely separate and have never trained together.  We looked like it with Jedi, Westwood and Gardner, people said it wasn't down to Bruce but the fact that those 3 were shit.  We signed 3 new midfielders, 2 who've been playing well for other clubs in this league and the exact same problem is still there.

Couldn't agree more.  Time and time again, Brentford players found space between our midfield and defence last night.  Baker and Chester were being drawn out, leaving huge holes in our defence.  Conversely, Kodjia became more and more isolated last night and again looked lost playing up front on his own.

The one ounce of comfort I can draw is that is pretty much a new side and is going to take some time to settle in.  First ten minutes aside, it was particularly poor though.

[Chris Jameson]

That was up there with Ugo's debut as worst ever.

[Risso]

That was up there with Ugo's debut as worst ever.

Ugo (although not strictly his debut) Djemba twins, Curtis Davies, Stephen Ireland, and now this guy.

[olaftab]

Villabear you are absolutely right, but maybe SB thought he had to show the fans that these new men could do it from the off.
Unfortunately, they couldn't. innit ?

They did for 10 minutes!

[usav]

That was up there with Ugo's debut as worst ever.

The infamous Norwich game?

[Phil from the upper holte]

That was up there with Ugo's debut as worst ever.

The infamous Norwich game?

Please don't bring it up

[class-of-82]

ugo"s debut ?? you should of seen ken mcnaughts first 5 games for us 

[PaulWinch again]

Very obviously short of match fitness and in retrospect shouldn't have started. In the first 10 minutes he showed a couple of good runs and a good technique with his shot.

[Bottom Right 89]

Probably been a tough week for this lad what with moving to a foreign country probably having to sort loads of crap out back in basle and then right in at the deep end starting a match in a new league. Very clear he was knackered after half an hour, let's see how he improves with a few more training sessions. I remember Jedinak moved as slow as a pensioner in his first few games and he is used to the pace of the English game.

[achilles]

That was the worst debut I have ever witnessed, he just seemed to be in a dream, absolutely no comprehension of what the hell was going on.
Give him a few games in the reserves to get used to English football before committing him again to the first team otherwise the fans will have their new 'Westwood'.

[Nastylee]

Aside from ten minutes from lansbury, I don't think BB was any worse than the others. CH was invisible for most of the game. Anyway,  I'm willing to give him a chance before writing him off in a poor team performance.

[Clark W Griswold]

Absolutely, he's got the attributes to do well and needs time and patience.

[PeterWithesShin]

That was up there with Ugo's debut as worst ever.

The infamous Norwich game?

Which was long after he made his debut for us but for some reason is still thought of by some as his debut.

[PaulWinch again]

Aside from ten minutes from lansbury, I done think BB was any worse than the others. CH was invisible for most of the game. Anoway,  I'm willing to give him a chance before writing him off in a poor team performance.

Yep agreed. He look decent in that first 10 mins and hopefully as his match fitness develops that'll be more indicative of his level.

[peter w]

I think Bruce knows that BB needs time to get up to speed and I also think he's aware that its unlikely that we'll go up this season. So what we need is a settled unit having a fresh go at it next season. Obviously he didn't go out to lose the game bit he probably thought Brentford away would be a good baptism for him, and the other two playing together, to let them know what to expect and what Bruce expects from them. They need a lot more time together, to get used to how Bruce wants to play, to get used to how their teammates play, to get used to being at Aston Villa. If in 5 games or so time it's still not showing any signs of improvement then fair enough. But one night in Brentford? Even makes a tough guy tumble.