Bruce Sacked at last (now official)

[rob_bridge]

I think I would get rid. I’d like to know which players we can keep hold of first though, and then get a manager to fit with that.

Er well we won't be keeping Johnstone, Terry, Chester, Grealish, Snodgrass, Josh for starters. God knows who else

[ktvillan]

There always going to be different perspectives. 

You may not see a tailspin Kt, but others may say that before Bruce joined we had only won one game under RDM (against the mighty Rotherham).  Prior to that our previous win was 6-Feb-16 against Norwich and our last away win 8-Aug-15 .  We had won only 4 league games in total in an entire calendar year.

Bruce joined 12-Oct-16.  By Christmas we had won 7 games (including our first away win in over 15 months), drawn 2 lost 2.

Whatever then followed that season, and yes there were several negatives, to suggest he didn't turn round a downward spiral is bordering on ridiculous.

What is bordering on ridiculous is what I would describe as drama queens and panic merchants saying we were in a downward spiral after 11 games, with a whole load of new players still bedding in,  when we'd only lost 3 games, and played some great football.  I'm not sure you can invoke PL debacle as part of the bigger picture, we were out of our depth there, pure shite. In the Championship we looked very far from abject in most games.  It looked like we just needed a little time for things to click.  I never for a second thought we were in any danger of actually dropping again.  As far as I'm concerned any downward spiral for Bruce to turn around was purely in the minds of those given to half empty cups.  He really really hasn't achieved anything fantastic , given the basis, resources, time and patience he's been indulged with.

[Monty]

Unfortunately today was won and lost on his limitations, I think. There's talent in that team, but compared to Fulham we looked like we had no direction or strategy or plan going forward. Steve can organise a defence of experienced players etc etc, but we looked very 2006 today.

[hilts_coolerking]

Bruce is too old and conservative to change his methods and next season he'll probably have a weaker squad too so, at the moment, it's difficult to see us improving much under him.  There must be someone out there who can get more out of what we have.

[Richard E]

The promotion specialist has failed to deliver promotion. He has to be toast.

[ktvillan]

Indeed Paul, I don't think anyone is arguing RDM was the messiah.  As for only one win in 11, very true, but another way of looking at is unbeaten in 8 out of 11 which again hardly indicates uncontrollable nosedive territory, even it was something of an underachievement.  I'd agree that the change wasn't out of fear of further relegation but of getting a little too far adrift of the top 6. A different proposition altogether.  And despite Bruce's good start, and being allowed to bring in some of his own players in January, we still ended up nowhere bloody near.  Bruce may have done better with RDM's players but little point in that when he then went backwards after adding his own players and shipping a few of RDM's out.   

Stuart I still believe there was no cause for panic over relegation and that RDMs record indicated he was more likely to take us up the table than down a league, despite the short term indifferent form.  11 games trying to turn around a basket case isn't much to go on is it?

No cause for panic when we got relegated we won 3 games in 38 that is a ratio of 1 win for every 12 games played, so yes 1 win in 11 is cause for panic as it was nearly the same ratio as when we got relegated.

What you are constantly saying is speculation that has no proof to back it up, it's all I believe this I think that.  I'm struggling to see how having the same win ratio of a season where we finished bottom and was the worst in our history points in any way shape or form that we were more likely going to climb the table.

It's a run of 11 games taken in isolation.  Bruce has had some bad runs that compare with it.  Why don't you apply the same ratios to some of Bruce's bad runs.  Then you'll see why the Terry Fuckwit faced twat has failed to get us promoted.

[phantom limb]

I think I would get rid. I’d like to know which players we can keep hold of first though, and then get a manager to fit with that.

Er well we won't be keeping Johnstone, Terry, Chester, Grealish, Snodgrass, Josh for starters. God knows who else

Yeah that’s what I’m concerned about. Grealish is meant to be giving us another season but I’d expect everybody else to go.

[ktvillan]

Dinosaur falls victim to evolution.  Time for a proper manager who does tactics and decent football, a bit like Jokanovic maybe.

[SoccerHQ]

Unfortunately today was won and lost on his limitations, I think. There's talent in that team, but compared to Fulham we looked like we had no direction or strategy or plan going forward. Steve can organise a defence of experienced players etc etc, but we looked very 2006 today.

We play a bit of a scattergun game. Moments of individual balance here and there but very rarely over 90 minutes do we put in a composed and controlled 90 minutes unless it's against a bottom half team.

When you look at us under SB we've really struggled to impose ourselves against other top 6 teams away from Villa Park.

Look at how we played at Cardiff. Look at how we played at Wolves. Look at how we played at the Cottage. Look at how we played today.

4 games over 9 months against the other three good teams at this level and we struggled to create chances in any of them and showed little technical quality.

He's a safety first manager but in some games you need more than that, spark and invention but if it's not coached enough at Recon centre then don't be surprised if those qualities don't appear on matchday.

[SheffieldVillain]

I think I would get rid. I’d like to know which players we can keep hold of first though, and then get a manager to fit with that.

Er well we won't be keeping Johnstone, Terry, Chester, Grealish, Snodgrass, Josh for starters. God knows who else

Yeah that’s what I’m concerned about. Grealish is meant to be giving us another season but I’d expect everybody else to go.

On the positive side, it definitely means Gabby going, who knows perhaps some mug will take Richards and McCormack off our hands. With Terry probably off too, that's a fair old whack of wages freed up for a start.

I'd be prioritising keeping Chester and Grealish if I were the club.

Doubt we can keep Johnstone but I'm sure there's another semi-decent keeper out there in the world, don't care about Onomah or Axel, would like Snodgrass and Grabban at the right price.

[Risso]

1 goal in three play off games.

[PeterWithesShin]

Today was the same as so many games under Bruce, we look less than the sum of our parts and also look as though the main plan is keep it tight and hope someone does something.

[IFWaters]

1 goal in three play off games.

Exactly. I think a number of the attacking players had gone off the boil, Grabban looked lost, disinterested, Snodgrass out of breath. Jack and Albert did their bit but too much of it was too far away from danger areas.
In defence it was at times shambolic, Jedi kept us in it.

[rob_bridge]

Today was the same as so many games under Bruce, we look less than the sum of our parts and also look as though the main plan is keep it tight and hope someone does something.

Spot on PWS.

[Ad@m]

1 goal in three play off games.

That's the thing for me. He's just tried to bore his way up.

I'm appreciative for him sorting out the mess we were when we came down but with Wyness and Round at the club we don't need him any more.

I'd be surprised if more than 4 or 5 of that team are still here next year so we need someone who's capable of building a team that's more than the sum of its parts.