The first game for Aston Villa of 2017 and well, it was all a bit 2016ish wasn’t it. A one nil loss at the Cardiff City Stadium and a performance that left Steve Bruce, like many, shaking their heads.
Speaking to the Official Site in his post game press conference Bruce certainly wasn’t going to use the fixture list at this time of year as an excuse as these players should be better and such a poor first half showing we’ve seen plenty of times before, so tiredness is not an excuse.
‘The start was that slow…we stopped. It was disappointing. The first half in particular unfortunately we have it in our locker. That is twice, three times away from home in six or seven games that you don`t really do the basics well enough. Cardiff are going to ask you every sort of question, particularly defensively, and we just have not done enough.’
There were positives from an improved second half showing and despite the loss overall we had the lion’s share of possession but that wasn’t translated into enough efforts – not least shots on target as we only managed three.
‘The second half was much, much more like it. The disappointing thing for me is ‘why did we start the first half like that’? If we run out of juice in the second half because we have played three games in six days then fair enough. The first half performance was nowhere near the level required. There is only one thing you can put it down to and that is mentality. If we don`t find it then we can`t achieve what we want to do.’
Adding.
‘The second half was much more like it. Yes, we made mistakes and yes we could have done a bit better in certain situations, but at least we looked as if we were putting up a fight. The first half our performance was nowhere near good enough. Mentality is the big thing.’
With Gabby Agbonlahor coming on at the half time break as part of a double substitution to try and give us some life, Bruce was again pleased with his showing on the day.
It’s fair to say others weren’t even if there was some effort compared to efforts in the first 45 minutes.
‘Gabby was excellent. Maybe I should have played him from the start. All along in my thoughts – ever since I brought him back from the cold – was that we were going to lose two forwards in January. Gabby has done everything he can to turn it around and we need more of it. He did more in five minutes than what they all did in the first half so fair play to him. He`s had his critics and all the rest of it. At least he showed me something that he cared. That`s important to me.’
Adding.
‘He was so unfortunate. The ball hits the boy on the top and rolls over the crossbar. Whether it`s lucky or a good save I don`t know. At least he had an effort on goal and created chances. In the first half I can`t remember their goalkeeper doing anything.’
There were also questions about Jack Grealish and it seems Bruce was again less than impressed with rent a mouth’s tactics when it came to kicking him all over the pitch. But as well as criticism for the referee and his lack of balls, Bruce also wants Jack to end the over acting when he’s clattered.
‘First and foremost we`ve got to protect him. The referees have got to have the courage and the balls to protect him, that`s one thing. But he`s got to learn not to react like he does. The arms rolling around and the rest of it – we`re English and we don`t accept it. All good players get kicked and he has to accept that will happen. We don`t want to see the reaction that gets everyone else going. Everyone can see he`s a good player so just let his football do it for him. Then again, he`s young and we need some protection for him. He`s been kicked from pillar to post in both games.’
Talk of course turned to the January window being open and plans he had for incoming signings, but he wasn’t going to be drawn because whatever is being worked on isn’t done and dusted yet.
‘I would love to tell you…but it is not done. There is one deal we hope is imminent but that is as far as we are aware. Unless we find the right ones, I am not just going to bring people to the club unless we can improve. I will do everything I possibly can to find the right ones who go and make sure we challenge in this division. We have had nine come in this summer, thirteen the summer before that. I am here to bring stability and I will try my utmost to get that but people know managers do not get time.’
Bruce went on to say it’s also very much about the character of new signings – they have to fit Aston Villa completely.
‘I will do the thing I have always done which is to try and make sure we get the ones who fit what Aston Villa means. We are a big scalp, we are arguably the biggest club in the division. With that comes a big mentality and you need a big mentality to play here. When you throw in what happened in the first half then, of course, I have the right to question because it (mentality) wasn`t there. I could say that about Norwich because that is twice in six weeks when we have not done enough.’
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