Performances have slightly improved from our accepted first team crop, our second group have been woeful. Why the difference?
Bruce will/won’t use youngsters – when he does few will give them time and they get hammered, but when they go out on loan they are international calibre – why?
Albert Adomah was nigh on a God last season for many, a penalty miss later and he’s not even League One quality and we should get rid overnight – why?
I could go on and list, for example, atmosphere and defensive performance have been largely improved under Bruce, but now some won’t even contemplate giving him time to work on the other end and some didn’t want to let Bruce have six months to turn defence around because the modern world apparently works like FIFA when it comes to confidence and form.
Jonathan Kodjia has been given little leeway from those who don’t understand psychology.
The above are not yes/no or black/white answers – if you don’t acknowledge the variables you’ve got no chance of stumbling across an answer.
Some will stop and think and accept it’s easy to say ‘out’ but where do you go from then? Others will probably flame me as that’s now the in thing for having the temerity to hold a different viewpoint from them and the keyboard warrior ilk.
I think Platt-itudes sums it up nicely.
“Steve Bruce has done a good job here since he came. And in years to come fans will acknowledge that he did come in at another turbulent time in our history and got things moving in the right direction again. Yes, the quality of football is not pretty overall, and a defensive strategy was the basis of our recovery from the habit of loss after loss in an awful period over the last 7-8 seasons prior. Bruce was chiefly responsible for the upturn and return to hope on matchdays.
Now us supporters are passionate and love a good debate on all things claret and blue, and these forums have a whole spectrum of opinions which is healthy, however terms such as Bruce lover, or Bruce hater are not warranted. We are Villa lovers, and want only good for our great club. Similar to anyone looking to single a player out as a scapegoat on presuming they are trouble when we don’t know anything about them as individuals. Some bemoan that typical Bruce will put a run together as the pressure is on him. Well I bloody hope so. That’s exactly what we need and I assume all supporters want us to.
As for Bruce’s future, well if we are not in the running for automatic promotion at the end of the year SB will be gone. He probably knows this better than most. If we are in the mix then let’s get right behind the whole team and the manager if you want him here or not. Until he goes and we roll the dice again hoping for a double 6, we should support him.
Finally, we have much to be positive about, the club is now owned by very wealthy people who will only move us upward. We have a squad of a quality that should push for promotion including a couple of real premier league class acts in Jack and Chester, we still have a great stadium, a great name and not least of all great supporters. Love you all and UTV.”
Bruce’s future will be decided by results but he remains the right man for now. Fans can’t demand loyalty then fail to show any themselves and his achievements so far in steading and turning us around have entitled him to a shot at better. I don’t say that as a Bruce lover, I say that as somebody acknowledging the hand he was dealt and where he’s got us so far.
Which is not where we want to be, but we’re a damn sight closer now than when he came in.
Would I put my house on him getting us up, no and I definitely wouldn’t put my house on him getting us up playing in the way I want to see us approach games either. But if we accept last season and our ‘almost’ success as the full corner being turned after a series of utter disappointments, then he warrants the opportunity to have a stab at success from that starting position where any flaws in his own game (we all see them) will be his to own.
But that doesn’t mean he carries the can for individual errors on the pitch like he’s sat in the dug-out with a controller.
Fans have to be more balanced and despite the summer we endured, I would say 2018/19 is the first proper season Bruce can be judged on as given the way we’ve started the campaign I don’t believe there are any excuses now when it comes to having a hangover.
This is fresh and he needs to step up and so do players who have failed so far. If they don’t, well I’m already expecting a massive clear out next summer anyway, but it would guarantee that at more level than just the playing staff.
