Bruce Sacked at last (now official)

[ChicagoLion]

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

[sirlordbaltimore]

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

[paul_e]

So we should just play as we always have and ignore the fact that the game has moved on? That's almost exactly the problem people have with Bruce and we've just seen him fail whilst having the backing and squad to easily make the top 2.

Moved on where ? load of nonsense spouted by folks that should know better.

It's football, the same as it's ever been. People play different styles and with different tactics all around the world, there is no 'right way'

If 'pure football' was the answer how come Fulham finished third and Wolves and Cardiff in the top two ?

Case closed.

Case Closed, get over yourself.

The game is much quicker than it was even 20 years ago and the players are much fitter than they've ever been, even the most myopic of tactical dinosaurs can't deny that. Sit deep and defend and hope to sneak one on the counter can work, but far more sides know how to nullify it now than did 20-30 years ago, which is why we're stuck in a shithole league despite having one of the best squads it's ever seen.

If you think Bruce has been good enough then that's fine but suggesting people that disagree are 'daft' and pronouncing it 'case closed' when people disagree makes you like look a right tit.

[ChicagoLion]

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.

[sirlordbaltimore]

The game is much quicker than it was even 20 years ago and the players are much fitter than they've ever been, even the most myopic of tactical dinosaurs can't deny that. Sit deep and defend and hope to sneak one on the counter can work, but far more sides know how to nullify it now than did 20-30 years ago, which is why we're stuck in a shithole league despite having one of the best squads it's ever seen.

If you think Bruce has been good enough then that's fine but suggesting people that disagree are 'daft' and pronouncing it 'case closed' when people disagree makes you like look a right tit.

Charming, i think what you've shown there by calling this league 'shithole' is that you clearly think we're above it and are determined not to enjoy it whatever happens. On the other hand there are plenty like me that have found the whole thing a refreshing change from the PL. Each to their own

As for looking a tit ...

[footyskillz]

It's the style of football and approach to matches.

It's the lack of consistency in villas play.

It's then those performances where we don't own a match for whole 90 mins or just get going in one half of football or just certain periods of play.

The caution with the players villa had and squad in this season and what's been built was a team and squad that really should have taken automatic promotion.

Look at Fulham dare I say look at wolves and that's the football appreciated.

I appreciated Bruce his efforts the team however too many times over his tenure chances were lost.

It pains me hearing him sounding clueless. Examples- how he can't think of why we didn't start well or why we didn't turn up. His hindsight in perhaps not playing mile Jedinak after too many games or lack of changing players and believing in squad. Freshening things up I think he calls it.

Far too old school and not progressive.

It's not mass hysteria Steve its 'we re Aston villa' like you love to say.

 its a great job and I'm not alone in not appreciating the lack of tactical nous and style of play that isn't a joy to watch.

And like others say if he stays and is failing and then booted before Xmas it's then an even more tricky situation.

Why we didn't just take lampard annoys me as attempt at breath of fresh air modern coach. Feel villa being left behind with outdated coach and seeing our great club decline.

He steadied ship but rather have something progressive rather than Brucey

[paul_e]

The game is much quicker than it was even 20 years ago and the players are much fitter than they've ever been, even the most myopic of tactical dinosaurs can't deny that. Sit deep and defend and hope to sneak one on the counter can work, but far more sides know how to nullify it now than did 20-30 years ago, which is why we're stuck in a shithole league despite having one of the best squads it's ever seen.

If you think Bruce has been good enough then that's fine but suggesting people that disagree are 'daft' and pronouncing it 'case closed' when people disagree makes you like look a right tit.

Charming, i think what you've shown there by calling this league 'shithole' is that you clearly think we're above it and are determined not to enjoy it whatever happens. On the other hand there are plenty like me that have found the whole thing a refreshing change from the PL. Each to their own

As for looking a tit ...

You don't think we're above playing in the 2nd tier for a 3rd season in a row?

What's refreshing about having poorer players and playing against poorer opposition?  I accept it but I'll never be happy seeing us down here.

[footyskillz]

I really enjoyed last season personally. 23 wins and 72 goals wasn't boring.

Context. I agree winning and goals aren't so boring

However the challenge here is to be vaguely entertaining, having a style of play and not just basically having the better players than most in division.

Wolves was highlight. Needed more matches like this who ever opposition.

I don't know if felt villa could just turn up and beat teams sometimes.

[paul_e]

I really enjoyed last season personally. 23 wins and 72 goals wasn't boring.

Context. I agree winning and goals aren't so boring

However the challenge here is to be vaguely entertaining, having a style of play and not just basically having the better players than most in division.

Wolves was highlight. Needed more matches like this who ever opposition.

I don't know if felt villa could just turn up and beat teams sometimes.

The problem with the 23 wins is that we needed 25-26, understanding that doesn't make those individual wins any less, there just weren't enough of them to meet out targets and there weren't enough of them because too often we went out looking like a non-league team who've drawn a big away game in the cup and just don't want to be embarrassed.

[curiousorange]

The Championship is great if you're competitive, as we have been. If you're not, it'll be as much of a grind as the last half dozen seasons we were in the Premier League.

[footyskillz]

I think whilst we've got the old boys network of Round, Wyness etc in charge we are going to see bread & butter British managers here - the last thing they need is some young thruster coming in with new ideas that possibly threaten the 'Villa Engine'

Sadly this sounds true. While Xia is left somewhat to talk about belief and trust these outdated half wits.

[footyskillz]

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

There's speaks the truth. Chicago painful as it is. That's the case. And it's brucey fault

[sirlordbaltimore]

You don't think we're above playing in the 2nd tier for a 3rd season in a row?

What's refreshing about having poorer players and playing against poorer opposition?  I accept it but I'll never be happy seeing us down here.

Absolutely not. Why should we be above it ? you earn your place in the top league it's not a god given right for any club. I thought it'd realistically take 2-3 seasons to get back up. I'd now change that to 4-5

It's refreshing because we're winning more than we have for many many years, the team clearly had a strong unity and the fans seemed to be (in the main) together with the club as one again

Give me that over scrapping the bottom of the PL every season just to stay in it and get another big cheque once a year

[curiousorange]

I think whilst we've got the old boys network of Round, Wyness etc in charge we are going to see bread & butter British managers here - the last thing they need is some young thruster coming in with new ideas that possibly threaten the 'Villa Engine'

Sadly this sounds true. While Xia is left somewhat to talk about belief and trust these outdated half wits.

I've no problem with a club philosophy, however you want to label it. But my big issue with the "Villa Engine" was what happens if it's being built by people who only have a vague idea of what an engine is.

[paul_e]

You don't think we're above playing in the 2nd tier for a 3rd season in a row?

What's refreshing about having poorer players and playing against poorer opposition?  I accept it but I'll never be happy seeing us down here.

Absolutely not. Why should we be above it ? you earn your place in the top league it's not a god given right for any club. I thought it'd realistically take 2-3 seasons to get back up. I'd now change that to 4-5

It's refreshing because we're winning more than we have for many many years, the team clearly had a strong unity and the fans seemed to be (in the main) together with the club as one again

Give me that over scrapping the bottom of the PL every season just to stay in it and get another big cheque once a year

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