Bristol City v Aston Villa post-match thread

[ktvillan]

I thought we did ok and deserved a draw, but not sure why Bruce changed a recently successful shape. 

Onomah is class, always seems to have a second or two on the ball.  Terry often looks more of a liabililty than a legend - needs to keep his arms down especially. I thought Davies did well to hold it up and lay it off a few times despite attempts by Beckenbaker and others to physically bully him by going through him a few times.  Green started well but faded badly, Hourihan was good in patches but anonymous in others.  Very happy not to see any sign of Hutton or Gabby.

I think there is something to build on but still have feelings that Bruce is more of a tinkerman than Ranieri, in an "if it aint broke I think I'll try and break it" kind of way.  Jury's still out but he needs to radically improve our away form and maintain our home form if he's going to get my support. 

[SoccerHQ]

Well Chris was saying how good they are at home, so I was pointing out they aren't.

And maybe we'll stop being a shit division 2 side if fans, manager and players stop thinking a draw away to crap sides like Bristol City is a good result. It's not a good point, it never has been and never will be.

Yep, SHA beat them there to stay up on the last day. They'll be mid table this season.

Mid table sides are the sort we need to be beating to make sure we get top 6 and also have a crack at automatic promotion. We're not getting 80 odd points just from home games.

On the performance a draw was fair but in the context of where we need to be this was two points dropped especially as we've started scoring goals and putting in convincing performances.

[pooligan]

As is the norm,Bruce sent us out in a away game with the intention of not losing .If he sent us out to try and actually win it ,we might actually win a few

[PaulWinch again]

As is the norm,Bruce sent us out in a away game with the intention of not losing .If he sent us out to try and actually win it ,we might actually win a few

Yep and basically this is the issue.

[SoccerHQ]

It's shocking how bad we are away really.

3 away wins under Steve Bruce and two of those were at teams no longer in this division due to being relegated (Rotherham and Wigan).

Other at Reading really was just a new manager bounce type result given we then didn't win any for another four months.

We really just can't impose any sort of game plan on the opposition. Just think back to those days under MON when we would be spoiled with 9-10 away wins a season. Conceding possession but so lethal on the counter attack.

Nowadays we just don't offer anything bar being content with a 0-0 and struggling to respond when the home team inevitably scores. It's not good enough if we want to go up I'm afraid.

[PaulWinch again]

It's because we don't try to impose ourselves away from home, we're unnecessarily negative.

[pauliewalnuts]

I have seen much, much worse under Bruce, but that's really not saying much.

The first 20-25 minutes were like some sort of bad acid trip. Why try to be so clever?

Just do the same fucking thing with the same fucking players as you did against Norwich. This is a fucking awful league. We've got a strong squad that, purely by applying the minimum of common sense should be challenging at the top. That is exactly how Benitez got Newcastle up - no insane cleverness, just apply the minimum of common sense and let your squad do the work and get you up.

He's an infuriating manager. 90 minutes of exciting football last week and he's straight back to cautious just-don't-lose nonsense.

He's his own worse enemy.

Unfortunately, our expectations are now so fucking low, we have to think of that as a good result.

[pauliewalnuts]

Genuinely, did anyone not on our coaching team think that Chester - Terry - Samba thing was going to work?

[Steve67]

Too many anonymous players. Good in bits and pieces but Onomah and Hourihane need to influence the game much more. Green too. Three games unbeaten, three games on the telly, also unbeaten. A point was about right.

[garyshawsknee]

It'll come to a point where we have to win these type of away games, just don't think he's the person to achieve this.

[SoccerHQ]

Onomah was good tonight, he has that extra touch of quality at this level. Looking forward to seeing him progress throughout the season.

[ChicagoLion]

That's 3 times now he has tried 3 centre halves and it hadn't worked.
I bet he try's it again with the same outcome, if this does not tell you how smart he is I don't what will.

[PaulWinch again]

I have seen much, much worse under Bruce, but that's really not saying much.

The first 20-25 minutes were like some sort of bad acid trip. Why try to be so clever?

Just do the same fucking thing with the same fucking players as you did against Norwich. This is a fucking awful league. We've got a strong squad that, purely by applying the minimum of common sense should be challenging at the top. That is exactly how Benitez got Newcastle up - no insane cleverness, just apply the minimum of common sense and let your squad do the work and get you up.

He's an infuriating manager. 90 minutes of exciting football last week and he's straight back to cautious just-don't-lose nonsense.

He's his own worse enemy.

Unfortunately, our expectations are now so fucking low, we have to think of that as a good result.

Agree completely. If we attack teams home and away we'll win the vast majority of our games.

[Steve67]

Onomah was good tonight, he has that extra touch of quality at this level. Looking forward to seeing him progress throughout the season.

I think he is a really good player in the making but he sometimes tries a fancy Dan thing, rather than simple. Needs to influence much more. Take away his goal and he didn't do as much as I want him to. He's capable but I want even more from him.

[Meanwood Villa]

We came from behind to get something which can't have happened much over the last five years. Nonetheless I saw nothing tonight that makes me think we won't wind up disappointed in mid table again this year.