The Mighty BRENTFORD 3-0 Aston Villa

[KRS]

Bruce played the embarrassment card again, which we've heard before...and this is his team - I refuse to accept that any mentality issues from last year exist when you've changed the entire coaching set up and two thirds of the squad.

There were only 3 players in the starting XI from last season...and 2 of those were out either injured or on loan. The only excuse that can be made is that we fielded 4 players in midfield and up front that were either making debuts or hardly played in the team before. The back 4 were again all over the place and disorganised, Kodjia looked lost/knackered playing up on his own (understandable given his only just got back) and Adomah has no excuse other than being shite.

Bruce needs to get them working as a team, and not just a random bunch of players thrown together expecting them to get results.

[aj2k77]

Spot on, a mental fragility? The whole squad is almost fucking new. Pull the other one spud head. You've spent incredible riches for this raggedy division, if there's no reward you'll get the tin tack, tonight was ridiculous.

[DeKuip]

Not long back, easy ground to get away from and home, and up until about 7.55 I was enjoying my first visit there.

Again we've come up against a good footballing side tonight, they were very bright and inventive - moving the ball around crisply and quickly. Week in week out we're being shown up by the way teams are playing in this league.The standard has been very good generally but we have been a total embarrassment to the division - playing like what we are. Dinosaurs.

[Louzie0]

Stuck in Oxfordshire waiting for an RAC man to come and tow me back to Birmingham as my tyre has eaten a piece of metal and has come off worse.

And I don't live in Birmingham. And I'm in work for half 8. Brilliant.

Hope you are on your way back by now.
And that Villa get better. Fast.

[Perthvillan]

Have been feeling like shit this week as my beloved dog died suddenly on the weekend and I was looking for anything to cheer me up.
I was optimistic about tonight with all the new signings.
I got up at 4am to watch the game and apart from the first ten minutes we got utterly thrashed by a mid table team who had only won one of their last eight at home.
We were completely dominated in midfield and our only tactic seemed to hoof the ball to Kodj.
Our defence was all at sea and a 6-0 score line wouldn't have flattered mighty Brentford.
As someone else said on here, the only good thing about Villa the last five years and more has been the fans.
My admiration goes out to all those who went to London last night only to be humiliated once more and soaked into the bargain.
You all deserve a medal.
Oh yeah and the pain goes on, thanks Villa.

[Skerra]

Note to Mr Bruce, please, please stop playing the lone striker, it doesn't work!! In the last few matches away from home, we have hardly managed a shot on target. Our best formation seems to be 4-4-2 so let's go with that and see where it leads. Our crossing is still woeful, surely this can be worked on in training. In addition, we need to press far higher up the pitch like other teams do to us. The reason other teams are able to do this is because we sit far too deep so make it easy for them. These things, like football in general, is not rocket science and, just the whole team putting in 100% effort throughout the duration of a match will reap rewards.

[dorsetvillian]

Just got in 1.15 AM. Shit journey up and back. Crap weather. The most embarrassing of performances from Villa against a very good Brentford. Just when will the nightmare end?

[BC54 VFC]

345 mile round trip in the pissing rain and fog to watch that shit.

Highlights were a nice pint of Doombar in the New Inn served by a pretty barmaid and a big mac meal at my favourite services (Beaconsfield).

No tactics this evening; dare I say we missed Gabby and Westwood! Better sort it for Saturday.

At least it was a new ground for me and I thought their stewards and fans were a friendly bunch. Credit to their team as well; they showed us how to play along the ground and always have team mates available for the pass.

[Brazilian Villain]

GUBU

[ROBBO]

The points being made about the lack of pressing opponents is made well, I remember when Bruce first took over even Westwood was closing down quickly, that lasted about two weeks then he reverted to business as usual.
The amount of times they passed to a teammate that was by himself at the edge of our box I lost count, get this team sorted Bruce and get them closing down opponents every game.

[OzVilla]

Have been feeling like shit this week as my beloved dog died suddenly on the weekend and I was looking for anything to cheer me up.

Sorry to hear about your dog PV.  It's a horrible time I know.

TBH, I'm numb to this bollocks now to the point where i'm not getting that bothered anymore.  I prefer the Villa memories/Off Topic threads these days as the rest is just getting depressing.

[pbavfckuwait]

Time to see what you are made of Brucey boy, this team now has your stamp on it, the money spent for this division by the club is nothing short of staggering, appreciate it will not happen overnight and the Villa being the Villa can extinguish that feel good factor of the transfers, so so quickly.
Dr X I would hope is looking for some form of pattern of play that does not allow the likes of Brentford  to walk all over us and the minimum required is effort and sweat.

[mr underhill]

We are now playing to stay in the division. Any more of this incompetence and relegation will be a real threat. I watched on sky and the debutants looked beyond awful. I really am losing faith and interest

[avfcpg]

He has to find a way to play two up top, or at the very least have someone playing behind Kodija and start pressing teams. The ball is never held up there and just comes back, inviting pressure time after time.
It's no good saying these players aren't good enough, they are. Hogan, Lansbury, Kodija, Hourihane, Bree have all done it for their clubs this season to great effect.
It's down to Bruce to get them playing and set them up right. Playing a holding midfielder and playing Hourihane on the left of centre would be a start....
After 15 minutes he got out thought and completely owned tonight..

[ROBBO]

That is the problem with Villa they are not awful players they are players their clubs wanted to keep but couldn't, I'm fast coming to the conclusion that there is a curse on Villa Park and its players it is the only explanation that I can come up with as to why so many managers and so many players have failed to give us a decent team. Did you see how much space we gave Brentford players that alone was disgraceful from the manager, mark your bloody man it's basic it's simple.