Press-ipices

[dave.woodhall]

You may gauge my mood from this.

http://thebirminghampress.com/2017/02/the-historymen/

[West Derby Villan]

Thanks Dave, you have managed to put into words my feelings without all those f@@@@@££??& expletives

[ciggiesnbeer]

Good read. I think you are being too kind though.

[ChicagoLion]

What you describe has to be down to the manager.

[ROBBO]

Players are not busting a gut not pressing the opposition and are not prepared to fight for a result. All that is down to the manager that's what he gets paid for to motivate.
We have bought an expensive striker who scores from playing off through balls but with Kodja in the side this is unlikely to happen, I don't think we can play them both. How many of our new players are regretting their decision already.
Finally I got to watch Weimann for ten minutes playing for Wolves against the Geordies, on the left wing,  presented well and will like so many of our cast offs will perform for their new club.

[garyfouroaks]

A fair summary.

But Bruce must be given time.

[Rudy Can't Fail]

Nailed it, Dave. When Bruce arrived everybody could see the massive shift in energy and urgency the team suddenly found. It was because of that fight we picked up points, scored goals in the dying minutes to turn draws into wins, held firm to defend our leads where previously we'd collapse in the final minutes. It's what ever Villa fan expects to see but it had been missing for far too long.

Since then we've reverted back to our old ways and like we held Bruce accountable for the initial great improvement, today he should also be held responsible for the under performing team that has been so expensively assembled. I'd like him to see out the season but gone in the summer when we'll have a bigger pool of managers to choice from. There will be managers out there that fancy the challenge, not to mention the salary, that must be at home now wondering what the hell is wrong with Villa as they have a cracking squad and fancy their chances and ability to fix it.

I like Steve Bruce as a bloke, he seems really a really decent sort and his record is impressive but like so many of our previous managers, his time has passed. If we're going to replace him for next season, please, please, please can we have somebody that is more in touch with modern football. For the last eleven years we're held ourselves back and suffered the consequences of employing managers that will never get us to where we want to be.

[ChicagoLion]

That's it, employ the right manager!

[clash city rocker]

We have lacked any sense of urgency for what seems years now and that surely can only be put down to the management teams we have employed.

[oldham_villa]

Mr Twain summed it up as brilliantly as ever:

"It's not the size of the dog in the fight, it's the size of the fight in the dog"

[Clampy]

I'm glad you mentioned the ref, he was fucking awful. Some of the fouls he was giving were just ridiculous.

[brian green]

Our enemy now is the same one we faced when MON flounced out.  Our enemy is Time.  Time is the only thing with which we have been more profligate than money.  Players need time, managers need time, coaches need time we are told over and over again ad absurdam.  While we are standing about wondering what to do about our problems, football is moving on at an ever increasing pace.  Time is a luxury no football club can afford.  Stand still and you die.  Like we are doing.

You don't act recklessly, you don't panic but what you do do is the word deleted from our badge - you are Prepared.  You don't sign a fat, bar fly with domestic issues and give him three months to waddle around the pitch.  You don't sign a player with a serious personality disorder symptom and allow him pitch time to address his demons.  You don't wait until you are losing 3-1 before making substitutions and then only after wasting five minutes standing on the touchline.

If you want to jump on the bus while it is moving, you run alongside it.  You don't try to grab the rail as it goes past.  It will pull your arm off.  We are having our arms pulled off by teams that are up and running while our players can't get out of the gate.

It is all about urgency and planning.

[Steve kirk]

Sad summary but very true Dave, were a shambles, a comedy club, League 1 a distinct possibility.

[Boz]

A fair summary.

But Bruce must be given time.

I was in favour of giving him to the end of the season, but on last night's showing by then, we'll be relegation fodder

[Tayls_7]

Our enemy now is the same one we faced when MON flounced out.  Our enemy is Time.  Time is the only thing with which we have been more profligate than money.  Players need time, managers need time, coaches need time we are told over and over again ad absurdam.  While we are standing about wondering what to do about our problems, football is moving on at an ever increasing pace.  Time is a luxury no football club can afford.  Stand still and you die.  Like we are doing.

You don't act recklessly, you don't panic but what you do do is the word deleted from our badge - you are Prepared.  You don't sign a fat, bar fly with domestic issues and give him three months to waddle around the pitch.  You don't sign a player with a serious personality disorder symptom and allow him pitch time to address his demons.  You don't wait until you are losing 3-1 before making substitutions and then only after wasting five minutes standing on the touchline.

If you want to jump on the bus while it is moving, you run alongside it.  You don't try to grab the rail as it goes past.  It will pull your arm off.  We are having our arms pulled off by teams that are up and running while our players can't get out of the gate.

It is all about urgency and planning.

Quite a confusing post Brian. It seems to start with a plea for patience but then you highlight some of the very mistakes that are being used to call for a change of manager already? Planning and patience need to exist in tandem or this is what we will see.