Bruce Sacked at last (now official)

[Rudy Can't Fail]

I think its self-evident how it works. More games, more injuries, less rest-time between games. It's no coincidence that teams not in Europe tend to do better in the premier. I don't think chelsea would have won the league if they'd been in the CL last season. Likewise Leicester

The Champions League is very different to the FA Cup.  The winner will have played 13 games compared to 6 in the FA Cup. For teams like us, it should be a valuable chance for some fringe players to get some proper match experience.

It's not like we don't need the money either.

[paul_e]

I think 3-4 other people have summed it up perfectly, the logic is, as said, less games means less injuries and higher levels of performance, but there's very little evidence in the real world that there is any positive impact from doing it.  Even Leicester, which you've used as an example of the benefits, actually also work as an example of the benefit of sticking with a team because one of the main positives in their league win was that they had the same team for most of the season and the team spirit that created carried them through.  The big issue with picking a 'b' team is in the mental effect it has bcuase you're changing how you plan/train to accommodate a different setup and the team you pick can see themselves as being 'expendable'

[brian green]

Correct

[Toronto Villa]

There was too many changes made yesterday to have any semblance of chemistry. Heck if I know that from playing Football Manager, Steve Bruce should have known that.

[Risso]

I think it’s also further proof that Bruce hasn’t got a defined style of play or a long term strategy. The reserves should largely be a continuation of the first team, but they were a disorganised rabble.

[garyshawsknee]

Maybe i'm over thinking this, but a lack of identity doesn't help when you make whole sale changes, you end up looking like we did, a team of strangers. We don't keep possession, press high up or counter attack with any great speed, we usually sleep walk through games. A lot of teams have an identity, not just the top teams, if I think of Leicester, Huddersfield, Brighton, Bournemouth I get an idea what they are about, we simply don't have that.

[garyshawsknee]

Great minds think alike Risso !!

[Toronto Villa]

I think it’s also further proof that Bruce hasn’t got a defined style of play or a long term strategy. The reserves should largely be a continuation of the first team, but they were a disorganised rabble.

Well that for me was proven by him starting with a target man alone up front. You knew immediately what the tactic would be. So why then have technically good players in the side like Hourihane and O'Hare if you're just going to lump it. Had he started with RHM also, then you could mixed things up in terms of approach.

[Rigadon]

He was brought in to get us promoted.  As things stand, we have as good a chance as any other side in the top 6.  I know people love the cup, but that's not what Steve Bruce is here to deliver. 

There are some folks on here that won't ever take to Bruce, and I understand why - I've certainly had managers who I've not liked pretty much from the off.  I don't like the football under Bruce and I don't really want to see him here past this season, either way.  Bat (as the man himself might say), if he backs this result up with a coupe of league wins, he is doing what the club are paying him for.

As for having a deeply ingrained defined style etc, this takes years of development.  Bruce won't be here long enough to implement such a thing (and you could argue he doesn't have anything in mind anyway!).  That said, if he played a similar way with the younger / fringe players - well, that's his defined style like it or (massively, in some cases) not.

Bruce may still get the club back to the premier league.  If he does this it's job done regardless of this crap cup result.   

[brian green]

So our chance is as good as Wolves?

[Ads]

We cannot compete with Wolves when they're beating Premier League sides 0-0.

[Rigadon]

So our chance is as good as Wolves?

Wolves look certs to finish top.  But we may well finish second, which will be good enough.  And if we don't we still have a chance in the playoffs.

Like I said, I get why people don't love Bruce's Villa.  Sometimes it's hard to like!  It's often unconvincing and sometimes uninspired.  But, but!  If we go up it will have 'worked'.   

[Rigadon]

We cannot compete with Wolves when they're beating Premier League sides 0-0.

Chuckle...

[andyh]

I think it’s also further proof that Bruce hasn’t got a defined style of play or a long term strategy. The reserves should largely be a continuation of the first team, but they were a disorganised rabble.

Forgive me if I have this wrong but isn’t that what Round was brought in for?
Wasn’t part of his remit to bring a consistent approach to how we play, across all levels of the club?

[nick harper]

I think it’s also further proof that Bruce hasn’t got a defined style of play or a long term strategy. The reserves should largely be a continuation of the first team, but they were a disorganised rabble.

Well that for me was proven by him starting with a target man alone up front. You knew immediately what the tactic would be. So why then have technically good players in the side like Hourihane and O'Hare if you're just going to lump it. Had he started with RHM also, then you could mixed things up in terms of approach.

I was there and they didn’t just lump it. We  played a lot of good football when we had the ball, most to Davis’s feet through Hourihane, O’Hare, De Laet amongst others. The issue was when we didn’t have the ball and the lack of pressing as a team, rather than individuals. Bruce called it out after the game. Now you can blame him for not ensuring that happened, which is fair enough, but I expect those players will now find themselves further away from the first 11 as a result.