Fulham 1-0 Aston Villa Play Off Final Post Match Thread

[Ads]

That first half will haunt us.

Melting into my shoes.

[wittonwarrior]

Too easy to blame Bruce entirely but his set up in the first half was mystifying.  Interesting summer ahead   Greatly disappointed like everyone

[JUAN PABLO]

get Marcelo Gallardo in and Juan Pablo Angel as assistant

we need a big change down VP now , younger and dynamic

[itbrvilla]

Too easy to blame Bruce entirely but his set up in the first half was mystifying.  Interesting summer ahead   Greatly disappointed like everyone

It took him to the red to make a change. Almost 40 mins.

[PeterWithesShin]

get Marcelo Gallardo in and Juan Pablo Angel as assistant

we need a big change down VP now , younger and dynamic

No, you are not getting the job!

[mr underhill]

well we certainly need change and undoubtedly we'll get it because of our financials Act decisively Dr T and quickly. The clock's already ticking.

[Dave]

First half terrible. Second half decent. The red card seemed to help them more than us. The better team won and went up.

[Toronto Villa]

I’m devastated about this.

[villadelph]

get Marcelo Gallardo in and Juan Pablo Angel as assistant

we need a big change down VP now , younger and dynamic

I don't mind SB but in these times you need a football coach who can facilitate a game plan. Bruce is a master of disciple and shape.. unfortunately with how potent attacking football has become we might have to consider turning the corner with a more modern manager who has an attacking/possession oriented philosophy. Fulham did it with a squad on the cheap. We can too.

I think next year will be rough.

[PeterWithesShin]

I don't think the handball was a pen in a million years, trying to remove Albert's shorts was though which they aren't mentioning.

[QuintonVilla]

Those tactics cost us first half, far too negative and paid them far too much respect. We didn't turn up.

The football team won. They play football, we dont.

Bottlers. Gutted.

[SoccerHQ]

Too easy to blame Bruce entirely but his set up in the first half was mystifying.  Interesting summer ahead   Greatly disappointed like everyone

Way we played first half is how we've played against better teams all through the season, occasioningly something comes off but equally we've been very poor in away games against our rivals.

I wasn't surprised he picked that team, he's just not a manager who will shake up a team for a one off game where a specific plan is required. Very naive or lazy to think what worked v Boro would work the same today as they played completely differently.

As the first half showed we need much more energy in central midfield today.

[ktvillan]

What Fulham, and earlier Wolves, have shown is that you don't need a dinosaur manager who "knows the league" to get grind out results to get you promoted.  You can actually coach your team, play some decent football, bring through some young players,  and still get promoted.  The whole Bruce thing was misconceived in my view.  We needed a full top to bottom, grass roots rebuilding job with a long term strategy to develop a house style based on good technique and tactical nouse, bringing through young players playing the Villa way.  With the first team as the flagship.  Bruce is not that kind of manager and never will be. Anyone who thinks he deserves another shot is incredibly blinkered in my view, and far too ready to happy to accept mediocrity.     I'll be glad to see the back of him.

[Flamingo Lane]

On a lighter note, it was nice to see Mortimer, Morley, Withe, Cowans, Bremner and Mcnaught all sat together in the ground.





 

[brontebilly]

The very predictable line-up cost us getting promoted. I could have picked who would've started today at the final whistle vs Boro. Bruce picking players on sentiment rather than form or the surprise element is the reason why we'll be in the Championship for a third season.

Started who else though really?

Kodjia and Hogan havent scored a goals in years.

Onomoah the only one to count himself a bit unlucky, though he had about 3-4 months when he didnt try a leg

The quality in our squad was exposed a bit the longer the season went on

None of our midfielders would get their game with Fulham for example