Burton Albion vs Aston Villa post match thread

[old man villa fan]

Brighton, for me, are the best team in this division. They also play very attractive attacking football. I know a lot of people are saying that we should get automatic promotion next season but, I'm one of those that fear that playing the tactics currently employed by SB, will see us huff and puff but, won't even get in the play offs. The trouble being that if your only tactic is to go 1-0 up and then defend for the rest of the game, we will come unstuck just as often as we win. Really hope I'm wrong

Playing consistently like we have been recently should see us finish in a play-off position but then it all rests on cup-tie football.  We have to be going for one of the two automatic promotion places.

[paul_e]

Brighton, for me, are the best team in this division. They also play very attractive attacking football. I know a lot of people are saying that we should get automatic promotion next season but, I'm one of those that fear that playing the tactics currently employed by SB, will see us huff and puff but, won't even get in the play offs. The trouble being that if your only tactic is to go 1-0 up and then defend for the rest of the game, we will come unstuck just as often as we win. Really hope I'm wrong

Playing consistently like we have been recently should see us finish in a play-off position but then it all rests on cup-tie football.  We have to be going for one of the two automatic promotion places.

This is thing for me, playing as we are feels risky if your aim is the automatic spots because sometimes we're going to concede the first goal and right now if that happens we lose because we have no plan on how to take control of the game and work our way back into it.  Through the bad run it the tactic in those circumstances was, wait for the last 15-20 minutes and then throw a couple of extra attackers on.

[avfcpg]

Brighton, for me, are the best team in this division. They also play very attractive attacking football. I know a lot of people are saying that we should get automatic promotion next season but, I'm one of those that fear that playing the tactics currently employed by SB, will see us huff and puff but, won't even get in the play offs. The trouble being that if your only tactic is to go 1-0 up and then defend for the rest of the game, we will come unstuck just as often as we win. Really hope I'm wrong

Saw a stat today that based on points per games average under Bruce then we would have been 3rd had Bruce started the season. Like you, I'm not convinced that this style of football is going to walk any league.
And for all Bruce's promotion expertise...haven't all 3 promotions he's achieved been via the play offs? So he's hardly been romping the league with his promotions.
 

Playing consistently like we have been recently should see us finish in a play-off position but then it all rests on cup-tie football.  We have to be going for one of the two automatic promotion places.

[PeterWithesShin]

That stat is incorrect by my reckoning. Bruce has had 30 games and we've won 48 points in those games, 1.6 points per game. So after 41 games we'd be on 65.6 points, 8th.

[Meanwood Villa]

Is the only way for us to get out of this division next season is to play a turgid style of football??? because if it is going to be that way, then it is going to be a long season.

I don't seem to remember Bournemouth playing like that when they got promoted, and Brighton for me whenever I have watched them play good football

It's Bruce's style, he's too stuck in that way now to change it, like Pulis. The only way he'll get us promoted is by grinding out 1-0 or 2-0 wins, we're not going to go up with swashbuckling football scoring 90 odd goals. We've got some of the best players in this division yet we went 1-0 up at mighty Burton after three minutes and then invited them on to us, baffling and very boring to watch. QPR was the same midweek, turgid stuff. Under Bruce we've scored more than 2 goals once, 3-1 against Cardiff in November. With our firepower up front and the midfielders we've signed that is dreadful. I hope we throw the shackles off now our season is over and we see some exciting football, but it won't happen. We'll go 1-0 up against Reading and then sit back, despite them having just lost 7-1 against a piss poor Norwich side.

I seem to remember his Hull City team scored a lot of goals as it got promoted.

Your memory is playing tricks on you I'm afraid. They scored 61 goals, the lowest total in the entire top half that season.

Did they get promoted scoring those 61 goals?

They did indeed so it was a successful season and one I'd rip your arm off for now. However, I'm merely pointing out that although they did go up it wasn't  through scoring a lot of goals as Ashton suggested. This pretty much bears out what many, myself included, think which is that Bruce will make you solid but not spectacular. This can work  and has worked for him in the past but  it has its limitations.

[avfcpg]

That stat is incorrect by my reckoning. Bruce has had 30 games and we've won 48 points in those games, 1.6 points per game. So after 41 games we'd be on 65.6 points, 8th.

I didn't check to be honest as stats count for little...so it's actually worse than I thought...yikes.

[paul_e]

That stat is incorrect by my reckoning. Bruce has had 30 games and we've won 48 points in those games, 1.6 points per game. So after 41 games we'd be on 65.6 points, 8th.

I didn't check to be honest as stats count for little...so it's actually worse than I thought...yikes.

The other thing is Bruce often has spells where he struggles to get a run of results, even in the promotion season last year there was a 14 points from 12 and another 10 points from 8 spell. That's the thing, it does work but a dip in confidence is really dangerous when you're cutting it so fine.

[SoccerHQ]

Brighton, for me, are the best team in this division. They also play very attractive attacking football. I know a lot of people are saying that we should get automatic promotion next season but, I'm one of those that fear that playing the tactics currently employed by SB, will see us huff and puff but, won't even get in the play offs. The trouble being that if your only tactic is to go 1-0 up and then defend for the rest of the game, we will come unstuck just as often as we win. Really hope I'm wrong

I'm a big fan of Chris Hughton but will be interesting if he reverts to type in the prem. Norwich team he managed was very negative in the prem.

[Marlon From Bearwood]

That stat is incorrect by my reckoning. Bruce has had 30 games and we've won 48 points in those games, 1.6 points per game. So after 41 games we'd be on 65.6 points, 8th.

The stat in question was in a Mail article. Enough said.

[kippaxvilla2]

That stat is incorrect by my reckoning. Bruce has had 30 games and we've won 48 points in those games, 1.6 points per game. So after 41 games we'd be on 65.6 points, 8th.

They're adding the number of points we had already won under Di Matteo as well as averaging out 1.6 points per game over a season.  In other words double counting.

[paul richard]

After the gloom, fog, confusion and turbulence of mid season, the playing style that has emerged in the clear spring light is certainly effective for the time being - results bear that out - but is limited and scrappy and risky, and surely can't be considered as the way forward if we are to mount a serious challenge for promotion next season.  My impression is that most of the supporters fully expect us to be among the front runners from the start next season, but my fear is that playing a style of football that has us constantly on the back foot in open play, conceding possession and relying on the strength of the defence and the finishing abilities of one player, will see us come unstuck sooner rather than later, and could usher in yet more turbulence within the club as results fail to match expectations.  The back 6, (including Jedinak as the holding player in midfield) plus Kodjia look settled and sorted.  The remaining four places in the team do not.  Bruce has to find a way for the wide players and the advanced/creative midfield players to play in unison and harmony and on the front foot, retaining the ball and playing further up the pitch.  This means that players such as Gardner and Bacuna who seem barely able to pass to a team mate, should not start.  It means that Lansbury and Hourihane need to step up and take more responsibility.  And it means that a way has to be found to integrate Grealish and Hogan more successfully than has been the case to date.  For me Adomah and Green flatter to deceive, so I'd be looking at better quality in wide positions in the summer.  It also means that the mentality of the team needs to change too.  Can Bruce achieve these things?  He seems able to spot the shortcomings when interviewed after a game, but nothing seems to change in the next.  So that's the big question for me.   

[AV82EC]

After the gloom, fog, confusion and turbulence of mid season, the playing style that has emerged in the clear spring light is certainly effective for the time being - results bear that out - but is limited and scrappy and risky, and surely can't be considered as the way forward if we are to mount a serious challenge for promotion next season.  My impression is that most of the supporters fully expect us to be among the front runners from the start next season, but my fear is that playing a style of football that has us constantly on the back foot in open play, conceding possession and relying on the strength of the defence and the finishing abilities of one player, will see us come unstuck sooner rather than later, and could usher in yet more turbulence within the club as results fail to match expectations.  The back 6, (including Jedinak as the holding player in midfield) plus Kodjia look settled and sorted.  The remaining four places in the team do not.  Bruce has to find a way for the wide players and the advanced/creative midfield players to play in unison and harmony and on the front foot, retaining the ball and playing further up the pitch.  This means that players such as Gardner and Bacuna who seem barely able to pass to a team mate, should not start.  It means that Lansbury and Hourihane need to step up and take more responsibility.  And it means that a way has to be found to integrate Grealish and Hogan more successfully than has been the case to date.  For me Adomah and Green flatter to deceive, so I'd be looking at better quality in wide positions in the summer.  It also means that the mentality of the team needs to change too.  Can Bruce achieve these things?  He seems able to spot the shortcomings when interviewed after a game, but nothing seems to change in the next.  So that's the big question for me.   

Spot on. The lack of consistency and sheer profligacy of the front 5 barring Kodjia has been woeful. I'm afraid what we have seen is you're better having 3 or 4 solid 7/10 performers in this league than the likes of Adomah, Amavi, Bacuna, Ayew and Grealish.

[chrisw1]

That stat is incorrect by my reckoning. Bruce has had 30 games and we've won 48 points in those games, 1.6 points per game. So after 41 games we'd be on 65.6 points, 8th.

I didn't check to be honest as stats count for little...so it's actually worse than I thought...yikes.

Why yikes?  Taking a team in a terminal slide 1 point above the relegation places to a team with form for 8th place, whilst dealing with a player crisis during pretty much the whole of January seems like a reasonable performance to me (looking at statistics alone).

[stuart445]

After the gloom, fog, confusion and turbulence of mid season, the playing style that has emerged in the clear spring light is certainly effective for the time being - results bear that out - but is limited and scrappy and risky, and surely can't be considered as the way forward if we are to mount a serious challenge for promotion next season.  My impression is that most of the supporters fully expect us to be among the front runners from the start next season, but my fear is that playing a style of football that has us constantly on the back foot in open play, conceding possession and relying on the strength of the defence and the finishing abilities of one player, will see us come unstuck sooner rather than later, and could usher in yet more turbulence within the club as results fail to match expectations.  The back 6, (including Jedinak as the holding player in midfield) plus Kodjia look settled and sorted.  The remaining four places in the team do not.  Bruce has to find a way for the wide players and the advanced/creative midfield players to play in unison and harmony and on the front foot, retaining the ball and playing further up the pitch.  This means that players such as Gardner and Bacuna who seem barely able to pass to a team mate, should not start.  It means that Lansbury and Hourihane need to step up and take more responsibility.  And it means that a way has to be found to integrate Grealish and Hogan more successfully than has been the case to date.  For me Adomah and Green flatter to deceive, so I'd be looking at better quality in wide positions in the summer.  It also means that the mentality of the team needs to change too.  Can Bruce achieve these things?  He seems able to spot the shortcomings when interviewed after a game, but nothing seems to change in the next.  So that's the big question for me.   

Adomah flatters to decieve? You mean the Adomah with 10 assists and a 3 goals , but yet you say Grealish who has been utterly useless needs to play. Green looks a lot more useful then Grealish who imo needs to be sold and filed under the modern Lee Hendrie

[dave.woodhall]

After the gloom, fog, confusion and turbulence of mid season, the playing style that has emerged in the clear spring light is certainly effective for the time being - results bear that out - but is limited and scrappy and risky, and surely can't be considered as the way forward if we are to mount a serious challenge for promotion next season.  My impression is that most of the supporters fully expect us to be among the front runners from the start next season, but my fear is that playing a style of football that has us constantly on the back foot in open play, conceding possession and relying on the strength of the defence and the finishing abilities of one player, will see us come unstuck sooner rather than later, and could usher in yet more turbulence within the club as results fail to match expectations.  The back 6, (including Jedinak as the holding player in midfield) plus Kodjia look settled and sorted.  The remaining four places in the team do not.  Bruce has to find a way for the wide players and the advanced/creative midfield players to play in unison and harmony and on the front foot, retaining the ball and playing further up the pitch.  This means that players such as Gardner and Bacuna who seem barely able to pass to a team mate, should not start.  It means that Lansbury and Hourihane need to step up and take more responsibility.  And it means that a way has to be found to integrate Grealish and Hogan more successfully than has been the case to date.  For me Adomah and Green flatter to deceive, so I'd be looking at better quality in wide positions in the summer.  It also means that the mentality of the team needs to change too.  Can Bruce achieve these things?  He seems able to spot the shortcomings when interviewed after a game, but nothing seems to change in the next.  So that's the big question for me.   

Adomah flatters to decieve? You mean the Adomah with 10 assists and a 3 goals , but yet you say Grealish who has been utterly useless needs to play. Green looks a lot more useful then Grealish who imo needs to be sold and filed under the modern Lee Hendrie

You mean the Lee Hendrie who played over 250 Premier League games and got picked for England?