Bruce Sacked at last (now official)

[Ian.]

I think the Hogan thing is a myth. He had a decent short spell when he scored a few in successive game and looked suited enough to the way we played then. He didn’t sustain it though and we had to bring in Grabban.

Even if it’s a myth why has Bruce parted so much money on player that is either just crap or does not fit into our system, whatever that system is? Whatever it’s just another example of Bruce’s random transfer policy.

[JUAN PABLO]

72% on our FB Page.

easier for blose fans to get on there

[brian green]

Facebook is infested with trolls.

[SoccerHQ]

I think the Hogan thing is a myth. He had a decent short spell when he scored a few in successive game and looked suited enough to the way we played then. He didn’t sustain it though and we had to bring in Grabban.

Even if it’s a myth why has Bruce parted so much money on player that is either just crap or does not fit into our system, whatever that system is? Whatever it’s just another example of Bruce’s random transfer policy.

I agree. Given the way we play and the way Hogan played at  Brentford there's no way anyone can convince me SB's scouting of him was anything other than looking at the championship top scorers list, seeing Hogan's name near the top and thinking he'd do the same here (seemingly also the criteria we used for McCormack).

Aside from the odd game around New Year he's looked completely ill-suited to our gameplan since his debut and with Abraham coming in is well down the pecking order now.

Poor signing pretty much in preparation. Maybe he'd have looked better if Grealish had been in the team instead of injured but we dropped him when Jack was starting to influence play.

[tomd2103]

I think the Hogan thing is a myth. He had a decent short spell when he scored a few in successive game and looked suited enough to the way we played then. He didn’t sustain it though and we had to bring in Grabban.

Even if it’s a myth why has Bruce parted so much money on player that is either just crap or does not fit into our system, whatever that system is? Whatever it’s just another example of Bruce’s random transfer policy.

I agree. Given the way we play and the way Hogan played at  Brentford there's no way anyone can convince me SB's scouting of him was anything other than looking at the championship top scorers list, seeing Hogan's name near the top and thinking he'd do the same here (seemingly also the criteria we used for McCormack).

Aside from the odd game around New Year he's looked completely ill-suited to our gameplan since his debut and with Abraham coming in is well down the pecking order now.

Poor signing pretty much in preparation. Maybe he'd have looked better if Grealish had been in the team instead of injured but we dropped him when Jack was starting to influence play.

Agree and we were (probably still are ) in a position where if we are going to spend that kind of money it needs to go on players who are going to make a real difference at this level.  The money we have spent on McCormack and Hogan has been a criminal waste considering the situation we were in and reflects really badly on the recruitment policy at the club.

[Chris Smith]

No argument that he has been a disappointment and therefore a poor signing. That, as suggested, points to the club not doing their homework. It also reflects on the player that, for whatever reason, he has been unable to deliver on a consistent basis. Good players have to have more than one string to their bow.

[The Edge]

No argument that he has been a disappointment and therefore a poor signing. That, as suggested, points to the club not doing their homework. It also reflects on the player that, for whatever reason, he has been unable to deliver on a consistent basis. Good players have to have more than one string to their bow.

Also true. But good managers put a lot more thought into it than he scored 20 goals for them therefore he will score 20 goals for us before they spend 12 million quid of the clubs money.

[pauliewalnuts]

I don't think you'd really have to scout Hogan very much to see what his strengths and limitations were

He's a great example of why we got into such financial shit. 12m casually spunked away on him, similar on Fat Ross etc.

The amount of money we have wasted like that over the years is phenomenal.

[garyshawsknee]

It seemed like our way of scouting was looking at the top scorers chart, then worry later to see if they'd fit into our system after paying top dollar.

[Damo70]

For all the criticism MON gets, at least his expensive signings mostly increased in value in their time at the club.  Sadly he blotted his copybook with his parting gift to us of Stephen Ireland. Houllier spent a lot on Bent, whose goals pretty much kept us up. TSM spunked a lot of money on Given and N'Zogbia, which in reality we were never going to recoup.

[RussellC]

We only have to look at Bruce's recent use of Hepburn-Murphy in the League Cup games to show that he has absolutely no strategy for playing to a specific striker's strengths.

For me, Scott Hogan is a quality Championship striker. Both his movement and finishing are very good, and he’s also a decent header of the ball in the box. He’s unselfish for a striker too – something that no-one could level at Kodjia. He’s struggled with injuries, which in turn have prevented him from having many sustained runs in the team – so yes, it’s not all Bruce’s fault, but there’s no way that I would describe Bruce not getting enough out of him as a “myth”.

[RussellC]

Good players have to have more than one string to their bow.

Good strikers don't necessarily. They just need the orchestra behind them to be up top scratch.

[Chris Smith]

Good players have to have more than one string to their bow.

Good strikers don't necessarily. They just need the orchestra behind them to be up top scratch.

I know it is splitting hairs but If they are totally reliant on others then I would class them as a decent rather than good striker. When I think of those who have impressed for us down the years they were able to do more than finish when it is put on a plate by others.

[tomd2103]

We only have to look at Bruce's recent use of Hepburn-Murphy in the League Cup games to show that he has absolutely no strategy for playing to a specific striker's strengths.

For me, Scott Hogan is a quality Championship striker. Both his movement and finishing are very good, and he’s also a decent header of the ball in the box. He’s unselfish for a striker too – something that no-one could level at Kodjia. He’s struggled with injuries, which in turn have prevented him from having many sustained runs in the team – so yes, it’s not all Bruce’s fault, but there’s no way that I would describe Bruce not getting enough out of him as a “myth”.

Or that he seemingly doesn't know what type of striker would best suit our playing style. 

[SamTheMouse]

Bruce's game plan is incredibly basic and amounts to getting it into wide positions and humping crosses into the box for the lone striker to head.

If that lone striker is less than 6' and fairly wiry, the plan is fucked before you've even started, unless the person crossing the ball is capable of Beckham-esque consistency and quality.

Hogan is 5'11'', and most of our crosses come from Hutton and Elmo.

Conclusion: Bruce is as thick as mince.