Bruce Sacked at last (now official)

[SoccerHQ]

Fulham failed last year but they kept pretty much all of their squad together and then added an excellent striker in Mitrovic which gave them the cutting edge they needed.

Wolves appointed terrible managers last year but still had some good players and of course they added premier league standard ones like Neves and Jota.

When you look at last few years clubs have gone up the year after they fell in play offs. Boro, Brighton and Fulham have done it in each of the last three seasons. They all kept their squads and management teams together. We're just not going to have that luxury of continuity.

I'm not saying btw we have no chance of top 6. I'm saying if we do make them it's more likely we'd scrape in late than finish in them having had a good crack at finishing top 2 as happened this season.

[sickbeggar]

Agree. think smith is a decent manager but he'll get eaten alive if he took over now.. Whatever the financial realities, its going to take a lot for people to face it. We finished 4th so people will expect that again. Maybe they will  keep Bruce for now so they when he inevitably can't do it again, then they can bring in someone like Smith at a low point. Probably crediting them with more intelligence than they've got admitedly

Anyone who expects us to waltz into 4th with 85 points next season is going to need a reality check I think so again think this statement is partly due to that.

Dosen't mean we can't make play offs but think it would be more us biding our team in 8th/9th and then coming strong in final third of the season.

Guess it's all up in the air until mid of August when we know the squad we will have but I just can't see how it would be as strong as the one we assembled from September 2017 given the restrictions we face.

I don't know. I mean when it was obvious to most of us that lerner was cutting back, people still didn't suss why the team minus barry, milner young etc., was finishing lower than the previous seasons. Poor management aside, a lot of it was due to shitter players being bought. I just think if smith took over now they would use his relatively low profile to hammer him.  Its like people showing his win record on here compared to Bruce - we all know it's because he's managing tiny teams with no money compared to Bruce, but the facts don't lie dammit! He win's less games than Bruce

But i agree,  next season its going to be expect the worse, hope to be surprised.

[OzVilla]

I still think whatever happens we'll be a top half club, and Cardiff certainly didn't expect to be in an automatic spot all season but were so anything can happen with the right blend.  We have it in us.  It's just that the whole club, fans everyone are so uncertain and on such downer, the mental part of how we pick ourselves up is going to be just as important over the next 3-6 months.

[brontebilly]

Agree. think smith is a decent manager but he'll get eaten alive if he took over now.. Whatever the financial realities, its going to take a lot for people to face it. We finished 4th so people will expect that again. Maybe they will  keep Bruce for now so they when he inevitably can't do it again, then they can bring in someone like Smith at a low point. Probably crediting them with more intelligence than they've got admitedly

Anyone who expects us to waltz into 4th with 85 points next season is going to need a reality check I think so again think this statement is partly due to that.

Dosen't mean we can't make play offs but think it would be more us biding our team in 8th/9th and then coming strong in final third of the season.

Guess it's all up in the air until mid of August when we know the squad we will have but I just can't see how it would be as strong as the one we assembled from September 2017 given the restrictions we face.

Who says a weaker squad on paper couldn’t achieve more. After all Wolves, Cardiff and Fulham did and they had weaker squads than us ‘on paper’

Fulham and Wolves had much superior sides to us on paper and on the pitch. I don't think any of us predicted how strong they would be but none of our midfielders for example would come close to making their sides. I don't think there is any shame in finishing behind two sides who were far superior to the promoted sides from the year before.

Cardiff are the anomaly. Brilliantly managed by Warnock but individual quality is not something they possess.

[Ads]

Grealish would walk into anymore in this league and likely most sides up to the top six of the Premier League.

[mr underhill]

I don't think he would but he'd certainly be in most top six side's match day squads.

[Matt Collins]

Leicester is about the right size I reckon. He'd play regularly and they're mid table.

[wittonwarrior]

Don't think we need  to worry too much  re Steve Bruce.  The more the reality of the situation becomes appareent, e.g. players leaving - then at some point I fully expect him to walk out and would you blame him.

[mr underhill]

it's high time we recruited someone who doesn't rely on a huge budget  and I know it's a 'if my aunt had bollocks' type statement and no, I don't have a clue who that manager might be. But I live in hope that they exist.

[Chris Smith]

I think the key in this league is to consistently win games against the lesser teams. Do that and you are almost guaranteed top 6.

[Ozzjim]

I think the key in this league is to consistently win games against the lesser teams. Do that and you are almost guaranteed top 6.

Agreed. It was the results against Norwich, Qpr and Bolton that killed our chances during the run in, added to an awful start against sides we should have been getting results against. If Kodjia is fully fit and we can get the likes of Green supporting him even without Jack we will still have a better side than most. Getting consistency will be the key. Be it under Bruce or anyone else.

[Dante Lavelli]

Get Arteta in, with a boat load of Man City youngsters on loan.

[AsTallAsLions]

Leicester is about the right size I reckon. He'd play regularly and they're mid table.

Yeah I was saying to a friend recently that Leicester or Everton would be good for him. Would hate to see him go but seems inevitable now so I'd like him to go to someone not completely detestable.

[chrisw1]

Leicester is about the right size I reckon. He'd play regularly and they're mid table.

Yeah I was saying to a friend recently that Leicester or Everton would be good for him. Would hate to see him go but seems inevitable now so I'd like him to go to someone not completely detestable.

Selling our best player to Leicester would hurt me a lot more than selling him to Chelsea or City.

[Brend'Watkins]

Leicester is about the right size I reckon. He'd play regularly and they're mid table.

Yeah I was saying to a friend recently that Leicester or Everton would be good for him. Would hate to see him go but seems inevitable now so I'd like him to go to someone not completely detestable.

Selling our best player to Leicester would hurt me a lot more than selling him to Chelsea or City.

Me too.  Doubt very much he'd even consider it. 

Arsenal would be a good fit for him.  He's a zillion times better than Wiltshire.