Fulham 3-1 Aston "where do we go from here?" Villa

[pauliewalnuts]

We have no shape, no pace, no rhythm, hardly any skill, no discernible way of playing, and no heart.

We are not getting out of this division for a long time, I'm afraid. A division packed with utterly shit teams and we're lumbered here for the foreseeable - I struggle to think of many performances where we've been the better side.

It's not good enough.

[pauliewalnuts]

Elphick
Amavi
Richards
Bacuna
Gabby
Kozak
Bjarnason (remember him?)
Johnstone
Gardner

All not good enough, all on our books, leeching money.

[QuintonVilla]

Must say Fulham were massively improved compared to our home game against them. They were one of the best teams we've played and I'd fancy them in the play offs if they get in there. They're full of energy and pace, the opposite to us basically. They've won their last 3 games 3-1, we haven't scored more than 2 goals in a game since we beat Cardiff 3-1 in November.

[Rigadon]

The last 2 games haven't been good enough in terms of results or style.  2 mega shite periods in the season have killed us.   2017/18 here we come.   

[frank]

What did we expect Hogan today?

How many balls into the channel did we play? None. How many cross did we out in? A handful. How close did the useless Gardner and Grealish get to him? Maybe once for the goal.

It was a chronic display and Hogan must be thinking why he bothered moving as we don't try and play to his strengths in the slightest.

Seemed on tv that Hogan's movement was non existent. Any ball that was played to his feet he lost it immediately. With ten men we badly needed an outball, he was neither a threat in behind nor an option to hold the ball up. Maybe not his game but he really didn't seem bothered today either.

At this stage Hogan doesn't seem a natural partner for Kodjia and certainly not a lone centre forward either. Brentford play a wildly different brand of football than Bruceball, it seems another poorly scouted signing to be honest.

I met some Brentford fans on  the tube, on their way back from Barnsley. I said how disappointing Hogan has been, including today, and they said, quite reasonably, that if we isolate him he'll have no impact at all. "Why doesn't your Mr Bruce play to his strengths?"

[garyshawsknee]

That recent winning run of ours shows how poor this league is and yet we still can't manage the top ten..ye gods.

[Skerra]

I know that in our heart of hearts we all love our Club otherwise we wouldn't spend a small fortune watching us play or spending so much time on here but, I think that, in reality, not many were fooled by our latest winning run and, knew that with our style of play it wouldn't be long until we started losing again. Add to that some of the really weird team selections.
If we were playing good football, looked like certs for promotion, I'd take that anyday than just hoping we will give the Blose a good pasting.

[kippaxvilla2]

We have no shape, no pace, no rhythm, hardly any skill, no discernible way of playing, and no heart.

We are not getting out of this division for a long time, I'm afraid. A division packed with utterly shit teams and we're lumbered here for the foreseeable - I struggle to think of many performances where we've been the better side.

It's not good enough.

I like Bruce but he's looking increasingly like he's a bit long in the tooth and just serving out a last big pay day.  There are too many stupid selection decisions to assume anything else.

 Bacuna, Amavi,Gardner, Elphick, saying everything Gabby did last year was in the past, giving Richards time on the field let alone the bench, continuing to leave youngsters out.  It's all very baffling.

We will not go up next season.

[wittonwarrior]

We have no shape, no pace, no rhythm, hardly any skill, no discernible way of playing, and no heart.

We are not getting out of this division for a long time, I'm afraid. A division packed with utterly shit teams and we're lumbered here for the foreseeable - I struggle to think of many performances where we've been the better side.

It's not good enough.

I like Bruce but he's looking increasingly like he's a bit long in the tooth and just serving out a last big pay day.  There are too many stupid selection decisions to assume anything else.

 Bacuna, Amavi,Gardner, Elphick, saying everything Gabby did last year was in the past, giving Richards time on the field let alone the bench, continuing to leave youngsters out.  It's all very baffling.

We will not go up next season.

With Bruce as manger I fear your spot on.  It's always two steps forward, two steps  back- his selections of the squad players are frankly astonishing.

[wittonwarrior]

The movement of the Fulham front 3 and the willingness of their fullbacks to get forward killed us.

The red was a bit harsh, they should have either both gone or both warned.

Grealish, great goal aside, was annonimous, as was Amavi.

Grealish either needs to be sold or given game time.  Amavi was far from anonymous - he was just awful again (2 games in three days and he is pants).

Lets face it both Reading and Fulham moved the ball at a far greater pace and we have struggled.  On saturday I put it down to being on the beach, after today simply not up to it against the better teams in the division.  I have been kidding  myself as to now I thought we had been under achieving with the players at hand. 

[ROBBO]

We have talented players on paper probably the most talented in the division but they look like a team that is lacking direction, Bruce has not gelled this outfit we have players who are being played out of position and there appears to be little cohesion.
I think back to when Jack got his first games in the premiership, he was the one bright light in a dark space,  always looking to create something, I see him now a shadow of that player  the talent is undoubtedly there you only have to watch the goal to see that but he shows no energy or desire for much of the game. That's what I want from a Villa manager a team that is energised and prepared to fight to the death, I don't see Bruce as that manager I don't see him inspiring players to give their all. He is far to conservative in his approach typical of most of his predecessors there is no excitement only dour grinding football where even a win seems like a loss.

[Villatillidie1982]

I do think playing 2 games in 3 days is difficult when most of the 2nd game is played, probably unjustly, with a man disadvantage. Two of the goals were unfortunate own goals. Having said that, from what I saw, which was only the channel 5 highlights, it all looked very sloppy and Bruce needs to address the "on the beach" attitude.

At least previously the team were battling and fighting for the cause and getting results although not showing much class in doing it. Other teams have done well at this level with few decent players. There is no reason why Villa can't do the same. Passion and desire can move mountains.

[OzVilla]

A derby against our local 'rivals' should be the perfect antidote to any 'On the beach' mentality.

Should.

[Duncan Shaw]

Amavi was terrible defensively but had a really good ten minutes at the start of the 2nd half attacking, but doesn't seem to back himself to burn past his man.  Linked up well with Jack for the goal.  We couldn;t really see the sending off that well from our end but looked harsh.  The ref was awful, didn't book one of their players all game and there were some bad challenges.  My 16 yr old pointed out after the first sub that we were now playing with no-one down the LHS and "how can we do that" sure enough their clincher came from a man being completely free out there. 

The worst thing about the whole day was that I said to my Fulham supporting boss in the pub it would be 3-1 to them and i didn't put a fiver on it!

I think they'll go up in the play-offs, their movement is terrific.

[dicedlam]

What I fear most is that come the pre-season all things remain the same.  There is still no coherent plan on how to get us out of this shite league, the leeches are still with us and Kodjia is on his bike.

Fuck me it's a depressing thought.