Bruce Sacked at last (now official)

[David_Nab]

The performances and results have guaranteed more second division football and probably losing the most gifted player we have produced in decades.

And what if we'd played the amazing football Brentford play and finished 9th with fourteen less points .. would that have been progress because we passed the ball about more ?

We're in this division again next season because there were three better teams than us all playing different styles of football better than we did.

It happens. No amount spent or not spent on players makes a difference there. Sometimes other teams are just better. If people can't accept that there really is nowhere left to go

Of course I accept they were better, the league table tells you that.
We started the season poorly, we relied on a defense first approach, we over played players out of form, we failed to recover in games we went a goal down.
If you are happy with that and more second division football great.

Pretty much sum's it up
We are are decent team when we take the lead and when teams then open up against us we did put some goals away , Bristol for example .But when we went a goal down we where generally hopeless and retrieving the situation and that is/was one of the biggest flaws with Bruce his inability to change something mid game when we are not performing

I'd love to see us play Fulham type football but at this point winning football is more important , Cardiff played some horribly simply stuff yet they are not promoted that said it would be nice to at least be able to hold onto the ball in midfield and not just send aimless punts upfield

[sirlordbaltimore]

Yes you earn your place, I agree, and we gave Bruce everything he needed to do that and he failed.

Well that's not true clearly. Bruce is actually in the black in terms of what he's spent. I'm sure he'd have much rather have spent some more £££ on players he wanted rather than a lot he inherited or had to loan

[paul_e]

Yes you earn your place, I agree, and we gave Bruce everything he needed to do that and he failed.

Well that's not true clearly. Bruce is actually in the black in terms of what he's spent. I'm sure he'd have much rather have spent some more £££ on players he wanted rather than a lot he inherited or had to loan

True, so long as you ignore pesky things like signing fees, agent fees and wages.  How many other clubs had a former England captain on £65k per week last season?

[footyskillz]

This is what's happening now some people are settling or content with championship.

I and many others though want progress and development if people are starting to be satisfied with championship life then that's both the lack of ambition villa as a club are demonstrating to fans as much as it is (and there prerogative) villa supporters view.

Stabilising in the premier league is one think but being mid table no bodies or at best this there or thereabouts isn't something prepared to limit this almighty club too.

Xia isn't and I hope it's a minority saying prefer championship rather than looking to compete in premier league.
I prefer Premier all day long and so we all should

Appreciate some see it as realism how it is some pessimistic some ambitious. The levels villa are at are below what traditionally and even in last 25 years have been

Xia questioned the last 10 years and has been painful at times.
There opportunities this coming season to breath new life.
That comes without bruce and his way of doing things. He's a championship manager and we're an elite club. I rather have someone who will develop themselves and villa.

Bruce is beyond that.

[john e]

in fairness there are those who enjoyed being in this division and even posted that they would be sad to see it go if we went up, because we won more games, we were a united team and apparently the players were more likeable, many of those players will/have left but it was good while it lasted

I personally hate this league (every second) I hate the football we and others play but just because I can’t get my own head around people loving it doesn’t make their points invalid

each to their own,
but one thing I have learned  on here since we have been in the championship is not everyone wants, sees and enjoys things the same way

and sometimes the gap between our opinions is so unbelievably vast to the point where we might as well lbe watching a different sport

therefore the old adage ‘Live and let Live’ is sometimes the best motto to post by

[old man villa fan]

And what if we'd played the amazing football Brentford play and finished 9th with fourteen less points .. would that have been progress because we passed the ball about more ?

We're in this division again next season because there were three better teams than us all playing different styles of football better than we did.

It happens. No amount spent or not spent on players makes a difference there. Sometimes other teams are just better. If people can't accept that there really is nowhere left to go

We are in this division next season because there were three teams that maximised the performances out the players they had. We failed to do that in the majority of games last season. There were a handful of games when we played to the ability of the players we have.

[robleflaneur]

The performances and results have guaranteed more second division football and probably losing the most gifted player we have produced in decades.

And what if we'd played the amazing football Brentford play and finished 9th with fourteen less points .. would that have been progress because we passed the ball about more ?

We're in this division again next season because there were three better teams than us all playing different styles of football better than we did.

It happens. No amount spent or not spent on players makes a difference there. Sometimes other teams are just better. If people can't accept that there really is nowhere left to go

To  deny in a previous post that football hasn't changed and accuse those of who suggest that of spouting nonsense is unbelievable.I agree with what Paul e and Footyskillz said in response.
You then go on to belittle Brentford .They obviously don't play amazing football because they don't have the quality of player to do that and the budget to afford or retain such players.They play an attractive brand of football which probably suits their players and gets more points than they otherwise expect to.
I accept it if a better team beats you and it can happen against weaker opposition but when the latter happens too often then you have to look at tactics and coaching..
You don't get  points for passing the ball around more but the opposition will find it difficult to score against us if they don't have the ball.Looking at our defensive record didn't match the qualities of our defenders.Could that be to do with the way we squandered possession ?
Clough once put a ball in the middle of the dressing room and said,"That's your friend.Look after it". That was his prematch team talk.Forest won.

[curiousorange]

Klopp's famed 'gegenpressing' is nothing but winning the ball back as quickly as possible after you lose it. It's not rocket science, and of course if you have better players you can do more with the ball when you have it, but it's still a game that relies on speed and fitness. I feel a lot of Villa's shortcomings (which were made dreadfully clear on Saturday) are based on our pedestrian tempo.

[sirlordbaltimore]

Klopp's famed 'gegenpressing' is nothing but winning the ball back as quickly as possible after you lose it. It's not rocket science, and of course if you have better players you can do more with the ball when you have it, but it's still a game that relies on speed and fitness. I feel a lot of Villa's shortcomings (which were made dreadfully clear on Saturday) are based on our pedestrian tempo.

And a lot of the players not being anywhere near as good as they're supposed to be according to those that claim they were the best in the division and under performing because of the manager

[mr underhill]

i wonder if Steve might go to Leeds?

[paul_e]

Klopp's famed 'gegenpressing' is nothing but winning the ball back as quickly as possible after you lose it. It's not rocket science, and of course if you have better players you can do more with the ball when you have it, but it's still a game that relies on speed and fitness. I feel a lot of Villa's shortcomings (which were made dreadfully clear on Saturday) are based on our pedestrian tempo.

And a lot of the players not being anywhere near as good as they're supposed to be according to those that claim they were the best in the division and under performing because of the manager

Go on then, which players aren't good enough?

[curiousorange]

Klopp's famed 'gegenpressing' is nothing but winning the ball back as quickly as possible after you lose it. It's not rocket science, and of course if you have better players you can do more with the ball when you have it, but it's still a game that relies on speed and fitness. I feel a lot of Villa's shortcomings (which were made dreadfully clear on Saturday) are based on our pedestrian tempo.

And a lot of the players not being anywhere near as good as they're supposed to be according to those that claim they were the best in the division and under performing because of the manager

By and large, everybody has underperformed. Every one of our players has had at least one outstanding game this season, but it hasn't happened enough. I'm no Bruce fan, but you win as a team and you lose as a team, and the stark fact is that inconsistency across the board cost us automatic promotion.

[robleflaneur]

I would link our pedestrian tempo also to the lack of movement,the lack of options when a player has the ball and the almost rigidity and predictability of the movement.Playing between the lines without Grealish would have been non existent.Watching the full backs getting closed down and then playing it back to central defence,then back to the keeper.Repeat with the wide players or they would beat their player but drift inside usually without any overlapping support which could quicken the tempo and turn the defence.
I don't think that was the players'fault but rather a lack of coaching,training drills.It would have been nice for instance to see Adomah and especially Snodgrass come off the flank to receive the ball in more of a central position and play with Hourihane and Grealish. Pires did that  lot at Arsenal.

[robleflaneur]

Klopp's famed 'gegenpressing' is nothing but winning the ball back as quickly as possible after you lose it. It's not rocket science, and of course if you have better players you can do more with the ball when you have it, but it's still a game that relies on speed and fitness. I feel a lot of Villa's shortcomings (which were made dreadfully clear on Saturday) are based on our pedestrian tempo.

And a lot of the players not being anywhere near as good as they're supposed to be according to those that claim they were the best in the division and under performing because of the manager

By and large, everybody has underperformed. Every one of our players has had at least one outstanding game this season, but it hasn't happened enough. I'm no Bruce fan, but you win as a team and you lose as a team, and the stark fact is that inconsistency across the board cost us automatic promotion.

As you say you win or lose as a team .The team should be set up to maximise the chances of winning.That has not been evident to me this year.Your suggestion of playing with a quick tempo is valid but never put into operation.

[LeeB]

in fairness there are those who enjoyed being in this division and even posted that they would be sad to see it go if we went up, because we won more games, we were a united team and apparently the players were more likeable, many of those players will/have left but it was good while it lasted

I personally hate this league (every second) I hate the football we and others play but just because I can’t get my own head around people loving it doesn’t make their points valid

each to their own,
but one thing I have learned  on here since we have been in the championship is not everyone wants, sees and enjoys things the same way

and sometimes the gap between our opinions is so unbelievably vast to the point where we might as well lbe watching a different sport

therefore the old adage ‘Live and let Live’ is sometimes the best motto to post by

We'll said mate.

Personally I've found it refreshing, but like a holiday. I don't want to live here.