Bruce Sacked at last (now official)

[rob_bridge]

I think you miss my central point Clampy.  Five points is catchable but to have any confidence of making the catch you have to put results together consistently.  Without consistency it is an even money bet that we will finish ten points off the pace as being level.

Between now and mid May there will be at least three games, six if we are to go up through the play offs that we must win and others must lose.  My own personal view based on what I see and have seen is that we are too erratic and mentally fragile to be confident that we will not still be in the second tier next season.

Nobody else apart from Wolves has been capable of that degree of consistency either though have they?

The fact that we're having this extended debate somewhat underlines Brian's point: we - as fans - have not see enough to reassure us that this manager can create a winning ethos and a run of games that would see off the competition. Or, that in a play-off situation we would have the mental fortitude to come through.

Indeed - there is nothing to suggest we are any more capable of several teams around us of gleaning enough points for automatic promotion. Quite the opposite.
There is little to suggest other than Bruce's prior record we would do better in the play offs to get promoted via that channel.

[Nastylee]

Brian,  since we have an important game tomorrow can you pop over to the match thread and pen something along the lines of the team having no goals in it? Worked a treat for Bristol.

[rob_bridge]

Brian,  since we have an important game tomorrow can you pop over to the match thread and pen something along the lines of the team having no goals in it? Worked a treat for Bristol.

Shouldn't he wait until the team is announced.

[Nastylee]

Fair point.

[brian green]

For what it is worth I got 7/2 for my bet on 0 - 0 against Bristol City.  I could have got 66/1 for a 5 - 0 Villa win before kick off.  It was probably 100/1 after 25 minutes.  Take the piss as much as you like but according a lot of observers a low score draw was the money bet.  I was wrong.  I have been many times before and I shall be again but not because I don't think carefully about my gambles.

[old man villa fan]

Although the gap is only 5 points, it is not just one team we have to catch. Also, we will have to out perform teams that are close behind.

[clash city rocker]

For what it is worth I got 7/2 for my bet on 0 - 0 against Bristol City.  I could have got 66/1 for a 5 - 0 Villa win before kick off.  It was probably 100/1 after 25 minutes.  Take the piss as much as you like but according a lot of observers a low score draw was the money bet.  I was wrong.  I have been many times before and I shall be again but not because I don't think carefully about my gambles.

Blimey Brian 7/2 seems a bit skinny for no goals. You are usually looking at 7/1 on bet fair for a goalless game.

[Brend'Watkins]

Seen a brief clip of him on SSN earlier.  He was saying how "ridiculous" management is these days when you are under pressure after 3 months in the job in such a way as this applied to himself in his current job. It was edited and he could have also said a lot more like how he'd had more at his disposal than most other managers in the division and that he was given ample time to make a consistant team and squad playing half decent football more often than not but it didn't show that if indeed he did say it.  He did also  say he would have 2nd thoughts about going into management if he had his time again.  I think he's feeling the pressure more than ever before.

[themossman]

Diddums. Wasn’t that long ago he was pretending to be the big man, taking hits for players rather than chucking them under the bus at every opportunity.

[Clampy]

Conte has said something smiliar today as well and they're both right. Look how long De Boer got at Palace. It can be a bit ridiculous at times.

[Ad@m]

Is this the same manager who criticises some of our most expensive signings for not being able to cope with the pressure of playing for Aston Villa?

[brontebilly]

I think you miss my central point Clampy.  Five points is catchable but to have any confidence of making the catch you have to put results together consistently.  Without consistency it is an even money bet that we will finish ten points off the pace as being level.

Between now and mid May there will be at least three games, six if we are to go up through the play offs that we must win and others must lose.  My own personal view based on what I see and have seen is that we are too erratic and mentally fragile to be confident that we will not still be in the second tier next season.

We are most certainly erratic.  But what we have in our favour is the return of injured players, in particular Grealish and Terry but also Jedi now back up to full fitness and hopefully Green will also contribute.  Non of our competitors will be adding that sort of quality to their squad.  It is still touch and go, but with the exception of Kodjia this is the first time all season we have had a pretty much full squad to rely on.  I think all teams bar Wolves will falter at some point and we are pretty well placed for the run in.

I'd agree with that, I don't think any other competing side has the quality of Grealish, Terry, Jedi and Green to integrate back into the first team, with maybe a reinvigorated Hogan aswell.

We can't rely on AA to carry us up front until the end of the season but Grealish, Hourihane and Snodgrass are all well placed to finish the season strongly.

[Sexual Ealing]

For what it is worth I got 7/2 for my bet on 0 - 0 against Bristol City.  I could have got 66/1 for a 5 - 0 Villa win before kick off.  It was probably 100/1 after 25 minutes.  Take the piss as much as you like but according a lot of observers a low score draw was the money bet.  I was wrong.  I have been many times before and I shall be again but not because I don't think carefully about my gambles.

Blimey Brian 7/2 seems a bit skinny for no goals. You are usually looking at 7/1 on bet fair for a goalless game.

I think that proves Brian’s point.

[john e]

didn't stop him jumping into the Villa job after the previous manager got bounced after 10 games

no good moaning about something that you took advantage of

[McGraths Dry Cleaning]

For what it is worth I got 7/2 for my bet on 0 - 0 against Bristol City.  I could have got 66/1 for a 5 - 0 Villa win before kick off.  It was probably 100/1 after 25 minutes.  Take the piss as much as you like but according a lot of observers a low score draw was the money bet.  I was wrong.  I have been many times before and I shall be again but not because I don't think carefully about my gambles.

Blimey Brian 7/2 seems a bit skinny for no goals. You are usually looking at 7/1 on bet fair for a goalless game.

Worth shopping around at the bookies - their odds vary wildly and are often very poor value on scores and goals markets. Coral has 0-0 for Saturday at 7/1, William Hill 8/1 and Betfair 9/1 (although you pay 5% commission on Betfair).