The doubts are still there after another poor performance by Villa on Saturday v Derby County.
Another decent post from our forum, (Match thread – Click Here), worthy of front paging.
I know some think a few losses and ‘everyone` is on the managers back, but actually the vast majority of the doubters aren`t rabid anti-Bruce fans, they just want to see a bit of decent football or at least some top results. I believe we have 2 points from the top five this season. That`s awful. Injuries are a problem but then, I saw a tweet earlier that puts pay a little to that.
Interesting point. https://t.co/p1bbrxOL06
Vital Villa (@VitalVilla) December 18, 2017
Including my self Villa fans must stop blaming injuries: Cardiff City Injury list Danny Ward, Morrison, Craig Bryson, Gunnarson, Zohore, Pilkington, Kareem Harris, Healey & Lee Camp all injured for Cardiff with a squad assembled on a lot less than ours. 2nd in the league. #avfc
Victor (@vicramsey85) December 17, 2017
McParlandTheGreat said:
Bottom line: playing as we are we don’t have a serious chance of going up. We might yet just scrape the playoffs, but we don’t look capable of beating ANY of the teams who might also be there. If by some fluke we did get promoted, we haven’t got the basis of a team which could survive the PL, and more signings won’t help. We need a step change in the way we play, not more players shoved into our current dire approach.
We have a pretty good defence, and that’s about it. We have some good individuals further forwards, but they aren’t set up to crack the opposition defences. The movement is far too slow, and because of it we end up holding on the ball for too long then giving it away. We don’t do plans; we don’t do what nearly every other manager does which is look at the opposition and work out the best way to crack it. We keep on playing the favoured players when they’re clearly not doing it, and ignoring the other talent which could add some zip to our performances.
I was hoping we’d be at least near the top of the playoffs come the new year. As it is, I’d be extremely surprised if we’re there at all.
This isn’t going to change. A few loan signings in the window won’t change things. Bruce has had long enough. We can’t afford to wait until next summer. Bruce can probably expect the remainder of this year to pull things around but if he hasn’t then I think he has to go. We need to be able to look forwards to the future, not sit back and accept our fate.
Read more: (Match thread – Click Here),
A user, DR on our VV facebook added:
Time for the negative one to take a walk. Appalling, negative football allied to baffling team selections – why play a hopelessly out of form midfield player as a lone striker? Because the manager would have been happy with a draw.
He does not have the mentality to be a successful Villa manager, a year of the most mind numbing performances I have witnessed in my 45 years of going to Villa games is enough.
We need to get out of this division this year however Bruce will repeat last years mid table position at best.
Hindsight doesn’t bring you points unfortunately. 2 strikers on the bench. You play one for 1/2 and if he tires after being out injured, you start 2nd half with the other. Not that difficult. But no, played on loan young out of form midfielder instead
Vital Villa (@VitalVilla) December 18, 2017
Chieftoast added in the forum:
If we have the tools at our disposal… (and spent millions getting them i.e. Hogan) surely it’s the workman that’s at fault for not using the tools successfully? I like Bruce but he’s making it hard to defend him by not playing a recognised striker but having 2 on the bench.
I don’t understand how we never have a plan B … every team is different to play against. Someone on the coaching staff needs to look at the teams we’re playing and find their weakness – if they struggle with big centre forwards, play Davis and a formation that suits. If they have big but slow centre backs, play Hogan and give him thru balls. Leeds realised we were a little dodgy on crosses after making mistakes coming up to their game so their corners were sent into 6yrd box putting Johnstone under pressure. Someone did their homework. What do our coaches do? We’re predictable to play against.
We have the tools- different types of footballers… but always the same tactics. Football isn’t rocket science, surely the professional athletes can cop of we play this formation, play this way…. play that formation play that way.
*****
Thoughts Villans? I still think we might plod our way to the play-offs and then once there, who knows? It`s a lottery. BUT I don`t like going up via play-offs, you need a proper momentum to stand a chance of going up and then staying up. I do not ever, ever, ever, want to see Villa become a yo-yo club.
