Bruce Sacked at last (now official)

[Risso]

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.

I agree Chris.  Hogan is the most one dimensional striker we've had at Villa in years.  Grabban was a much better all round player, as is Kodjia, even allowing for the latter's potential to be a little bit greedy at times.  I'm hoping that Abraham has more to his all round game, but looking at clips of watching him play, I'm not sure that's going to be the case.

[olaftab]

Conclusion: Bruce is as thick as mince.

I am not sure I agree with that. When it comes to this sort of statement two short planks is supreme.

[Risso]

Conclusion: Bruce is as thick as mince.

I am not sure I agree with that. When it comes to this sort of statement two short planks is supreme.

Surely a whale omelette is the zenith of stupidity?

[Damo70]

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.

Bent was a great finisher and little else. The likes of Withe, Platt, Atkinson, Saunders and Yorke offered a lot more than just finishing as they created goals for themselves and others.

[RussellC]

I don't see the direct comparison to Bent.  Hogan is always looking to run into the channels, something I never saw Bent do. He's also capable of receiving the ball with his back to goal and getting a shot-off (his goal v Wigan last season) and at driving with the ball and bringing others into play (Onomah's goal at Burton last season). Add his headed goal to at Forest to those 2 (where quick, subtle movement created space for himself to glance past the keeper) and I'd say accusations of him being 'one-dimensional' are wholly unfair. He reminds me a lot of someone like Gary Lineker, stylistically.

Watching the tempo and attacking intent that Sheff Utd played with at the weekend, you could only imagine how many goals a fit Scott Hogan would score in that side...

[Rudy Can't Fail]

Watching the tempo and attacking intent that Sheff Utd played with at the weekend, you could only imagine how many goals a fit Scott Hogan would score in that side...

Good point supported by the fact Wilder tried to bring him in on loan this summer.

[ChicagoLion]

Comparing Hogan to Bent, firstly Bents goal scoring record at the top level is impressive and Bent was an athlete and quick.
Hogan is slow, short and lacks footballing ability.A bargain at £12 mil.
Something not quite right.

[RussellC]

Comparing Hogan to Bent, firstly Bents goal scoring record at the top level is impressive and Bent was an athlete and quick.
Hogan is slow, short and lacks footballing ability.A bargain at £12 mil.
Something not quite right.

You realise they’re the same height don’t you? I also wouldn’t describe Hogan as slow, or lacking footballing ability, but each to their own.

To me, the main difference between Hogan and Brentford and Hogan at Villa is the speed at which the teams execute their attacks. When you watch footage of his goals at Brentford, the ‘moves’ were very much quick, direct and he was the central, focal point of those attaches.

Last season at Villa, although it would be hard to argue that he wasn’t surrounded by better players, the system was drastically different. Our build-up play was neither quick or direct, even when it was effective. When you play with inverted wingers, the attacks from out wide largely involve the wingers engaging their full-backs whilst advancing forward at snail’s-pace trying to create room for a cross. This makes it very difficult for a striker like Hogan to escape his marker, or make any meaningful movement as he’s basically restricted to operating within the penalty area. I think it’s why Adomah had so much success arriving at the back-post last season.

Sadly, I don’t see this approach changing much this season, as by the time Bolasie has completed his 12th step-over it’s going to be difficult for any striker to steal a march on their marker.

[Rudy Can't Fail]

Hogan is 5'11''

I doubt Hogan is 5'11" even in Tony Xia's shoes.

[Chris Smith]

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.

It is how we play when Grealish isn’t in the team but I don’t think it is fair on Jack to say that we just lump crosses in.

[PeterWithe]

It might be worth giving Hogan a game or two with Jack behind him.

[stubbsyandy]

It might be worth giving Hogan a game or two with Jack behind him.

I thought they were developing a decent relationship when they played together

[Hookeysmith]

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.

The same went for midfield as both Hourihane and Lansbury were considered the best 2 CM's In the league at the time

[The Edge]

Comparing Hogan to Bent, firstly Bents goal scoring record at the top level is impressive and Bent was an athlete and quick.
Hogan is slow, short and lacks footballing ability.A bargain at £12 mil.
Something not quite right.

You just reminded me. Someone on here described Hogan as "watching him run is reminiscent of watching Tyrion Lanister running headlong into battle" That tickled me but unless your a fan of GOT you won't get it.

[tomd2103]

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.

The same went for midfield as both Hourihane and Lansbury were considered the best 2 CM's In the league at the time

I would say Bruce is just about in credit with the Hourihane signing, but Lansbury has been a a really poor signing and another who was seemingly bought with little idea of where or how to play him.