Newcastle Utd vs Aston Villa pre-match thread

[ChicagoLion]

Nothing will change for your club until the cockney wide boy pisses off.

Him's a yam-yam originally.

"Michael James Wallace Ashley is a British billionaire retail entrepreneur focused in the sporting goods market, and the chief executive of Frasers Group Plc. He entered the department store industry following the acquisition of House of Fraser post-administration in 2018. Wikipedia
Born: 9 September 1964 (age 56 years), Walsall"

my god, cowineck cheers

[ktvillan]

Not sure what Wednesday fans must think of their owners who managed to appoint Bruce and then Pulis in the space of a year or so.  Has Randy or Shit-shoes Tone secretly bought them? 

[garyellis]

Not sure what Wednesday fans must think of their owners who managed to appoint Bruce and then Pulis in the space of a year or so.  Has Randy or Shit-shoes Tone secretly bought them? 

Wendy's fans generally rated Bruce and were gutted when he dumped them

[ktvillan]

Not sure what Wednesday fans must think of their owners who managed to appoint Bruce and then Pulis in the space of a year or so.  Has Randy or Shit-shoes Tone secretly bought them? 

Wendy's fans generally rated Bruce and were gutted when he dumped them

Well I'm not sure they realise what a lucky scape they had - that said given the ineptitude of those who followed, maybe they should be disappointed he went.  Bottom half to middle of Champo is about his level.

[kippaxvilla2]

Grealish, Watkins, Traore, El Ghazi all missing from the latest training session.  Just saying’.

[Border villan]

Grealish, Watkins, Traore, El Ghazi all missing from the latest training session.  Just saying’.

Perhaps the rain is interfering with their electric gates?

[eric woolban woolban]

I thought I saw Watkins set-up a goal for Ramsey.

[Whiney MacWhineface]

Yeah, it's all just a little bit of history repeating.

Shirley!

[brontebilly]

Loaning out Elphick and Steer was insanity. Bruce seemed to throw the budget at the likes of Bolasie in a last minute dash post takeover when there were more fundamental issues in the squad that needed rectifying.

I think a number here are forgetting the complete shit show Bruce walked into at Villa Park. His best decision at the club was exiling our main striker, a pissed up joker, and finally enforcing some discipline at the club. He also did take the club to the playoff final, should take credit for getting Grealish back on track, signed McGinn etc...So it's not all bad and I don't really understand the level of vitriol on here towards him. In terms of track record, he has a number of promotions under his belt and kept Newcastle up comfortably last season with a limited budget.

His problem has always been when he has been given money, same problem at Sunderland, Villa and Newcastle last summer. He seems to sign players without a sense of how to fit them into a game plan. Newcastle seem to have loads of centre backs, we had loads of right backs....but he wouldn't be unique in that either.

Not sure I agree that he had a limited budget. We bought Joelinton (£40m), ASM (£16m), Krafth (£5m).

Bruce's issues last season have simply worsened this season. We still don't play with any identity. Are we a solid defensive unit? Are we a quick counter-attack side? Do we knock the ball around patiently? We ended up being comfortable last season, but as someone who endured the matches, it wasn't through the execution of a plan. It was individual brilliance on the part of Dubravka, or ASM. Or blind luck.

The man is a busted flush, and that would be fine, if he wasn't also a snidey little worm.

Was Joelinton pretty much signed before Bruce even arrived? Terrible player in any case (probably get a hat trick now!). ASM is a brilliant player and to be fair to Bruce losing him for lots of games was a huge blow for you guys.

But I think too much can be made of playing with an identity. Last season, it could be argued that we did but it took a bit of a miracle for us to stay up. If anything Brighton could be sleepwalking into something similar, play nice football, high on xG etc but not on the only stat that really matters, results. Mowbrays West Brom were big on an identity if I recall, I'm sure it comforted them in the championship!

A question for you on Shelvey, who is a player that really irritates me whenever I watch him. How is his lack of work rate without the ball tolerated? He reminds me of Barkley, clearly has ability but to my eye seems like he thinks grafting is for others.

[john2710]

No pictures of Jack in the latest round of Villa in training pics.

or Watkins.

It's OK, Wesley is back...

[ktvillan]

Regards playing with an identity I would think that equates to the team looking as if there is a plan behind what they are asked to do and looking as if they have been coached to deliver on that plan. 

With Bruce the only "plan" seems to be "keep it tight and hope that <insert skilful player name> comes up with a bit of magic to nick it". 

[PaulTheVillan]

Think this will be an easy one. Early goal then it'll be comfortable until the final whistle.

[The Edge]

Regards playing with an identity I would think that equates to the team looking as if there is a plan behind what they are asked to do and looking as if they have been coached to deliver on that plan. 

With Bruce the only "plan" seems to be "keep it tight and hope that <insert skilful player name> comes up with a bit of magic to nick it".

Agreed. And there is an identity to his tactics it's known as Bruceball. Who can forget his groundbreaking 4 right backs formation? Cutting edge stuff. And his post match conference after we had beaten mighty Rotherham where he bragged "according to some I apparently don't know what I'm doing" Seriously though I feel for the Geordies because he won't walk unless an unlikely lucrative offer comes his way. He'll hang in for yet another big pay off for failure which Mike Ashley who is equally stubborn won't want to do. So it's stalemate really. Like two rutting rhinos and Bruceosaurus is good at sticking his ground.

[Nev]

Grealish out tomorrow, been ill this week apparently.
Cash and El Ghazi back.

[London Villan]

Wonder which manager has been sacked by league clubs the most? Bruce and TSM2 must be both up there.