I don’t understand.
Ipswich went down to 10 men after around half an hour and we still couldn’t punish them.
I look at the side and it looks fine on paper.
But we so lack incisiveness, it’s almost embarrassing.
I think we had two shots on target all game, which says it all.
Against an Ipswich side that are close to favourites to be relegated and playing with ten men.
You could possibly even say that Ipswich had the clearer cut chances too, which makes it worse.
The worrying thing is, you can’t say Bruce played with a negative approach, as we probably ended up with the most attacking eleven we can muster.
And still didn’t look like getting a goal.
Contrast that to the Albion getting 7 today.
Did Kodjia have a poor game today?
I’m not convinced.
He got one and worked really hard. Indeed I’d probably be praising him now if it was the winner.
He still looks off it to me and his head seems to go down too easily, but I don’t think you can say he wasn’t trying.
There were plus points, in that McGinn looks like the midfield engine that we all thought Hourihane was.
And Grealish played with his usual vision while being hacked to bits all through the game.
I agree with Bruce, in that the refs have to start protecting him a bit more.
I had to laugh, as the Ipswich fans booed his every touch, almost as though he was persistently cheating.
It was exactly the same with Ashley Young.
Small players get bundled off the ball easier: it’s a fact of life.
It doesn’t mean you should get away with taking them out though.
But those two apart, I thought the side looked really, really average.
As for Nyland, well, I’m not going to go there.
Yes, it’s a point away from home.
But we can’t afford to drop what should be easy points, especially against a team that hasn’t beaten us on their turf for years.
I have a sneaky feeling we’ll really rue today’s result.
And perhaps even more of a concern is that I’m not seeing any improvement in our performances.
Make no mistake, most of the teams we’re expecting to be at the top of the league would have beaten Ipswich convincingly today, in my opinion.
Poor, I thought.
Again.
Did anybody really think we would make it 3 out of 3 in the league?
This had a draw or defeat all over it, we always buckle, it’s ingrained.
The only plus point i can muster is that we didn’t lose and it’s our best start to the league in a while, even still, would have been nice to be second tonight and ahead of West Brom and Leeds.
The thing is we should have done, Guest.
It’s so frustrating 🙁
Of course we should have done, but look how many times we have said that over the years, and yet it’s always the same old story.
I should have known not to get excited today as i genuinely thought we’d do it, and then we buckle, and you remind yourself that this always happens.
It’s so much more than frustrating on so many levels, and you are right, on paper we had the right team, there should be no excuses.
How many times do we NOT have players in the opposition box. We have the players but not the coaches.
It will be interesting against brentford where they can play football.
Think this is where having amother striker like hogan or davis would be useful but at the end of the day its a draw not the end of the world..we can put that right wednesday at home to Brentford and we can say 3 wins and a draw we all would have taken that before the season started. Lets not get on anyones backs. Just one of those days, all teams have throughout the season.
Adam, I’m not convinced that’s how we should be looking at it, at all.
If we want to be promoted, you’re allowed very few games in which to give away points.
Yes, I’d take 3 wins and a draw, IF we beat Brentford, but i’d rather have 4 wins, simple.
And let’s not forget, as Steve says, Brentford are a playing side.
So I’m not at all convinced a victory is a shoe-in.
What would you say about 2 wins, and maybe 2 draws (or worse) in what’s supposed to be a really easy start to the season?
Brentford isnt a shoe-in but even 2 wins 2 draws or 2 wins a draw and a defeat isnt bad for a team that has been a shambles for 3 months and hasnt hit any real form yet. Still lots to work on though and we will deff improve. A few loans could sort us right out lets hope they materialise.
Watching the West Brom highlights and their attacking guile is miles ahead of us, as is Leeds, i put this down to the coaching and management, god knows what they are doing in training all week.
Yes it is two points lost, but we are still undefeated. Steve Bruce I’m my opinion needs to do the following:
a) Three loan deals – left back, centre back, and an attacking player.
b) Play players in their right position.
c) Positive team set up – always set up to win. Let the opposition worry about us. Do not set Villa up not to lose.
I believe Bruce will deliver on the first point, struggle with the second point and fail on the third one. It will be this last point that will cost him his job.
Brentford is a must win match. We cannot afford to let Middlesbrough or Leeds start to I open up a large gap.
Spot on Sid. Point 3 is the one that has grated on me since day 1 with Bruce. But its something i think Villa have done for many years. We go in to most games thinking..right lets defend 1st when really specially now we should be going right how many can we score forget defending to an extent lets go and leave 2 upfront all times and get the midfield pushing forward fast on counter attacks. ‘Players in the box’ as Steve says.
Actually Sid, I’d suggest today was more of a must win game, than Brentford.
The latter are a much better side.
I think you miss my point somewhat.
We set up with the right team against a poor side and still couldn’t win.
We have to beat the “poorer” sides.
I do agree with you though.
Bruce will resort to going too defensive sometime and it will cost him.
I dont think we setup with the right team fwiw. Why leave Green and Hourihane out when they are the most effective midfielders and Hourihane on form with assists and goal in midweek. We didnt need Elmo on the right wing and Adomah is useless now to be honest.
Maybe we didn’t start with the right team. but I’d say we certainly ended up with it and it made not the slightest bit of difference, imo.
Hourihane looked ok, but I can’t say it was Green’s best game.
I agree about Adomah. He seems to tire easily, although I wonder if that’s because I don’t watch him so much.
Did Elmo do much wrong?
No, imo.
But he didn’t do much at all, same as most of the team.
I genuinely forgot Tuanzebe was playing when he got subbed.
Too many average, non performers for my liking.
I don’t know, i don’t expect a team of world-beaters, but we don’t look close to winning the league at the moment.
Still, keeping my positive hat on, scratching points when you’re not playing particularly well is a good thing, I suppose.
I’m trying not to get too disheartened that we couldn’t beat a poor championship team reduced to 10 men. I tell myself that it’s early days and we remain unbeaten but I find myself getting more disillusioned with Bruce. I look at the players in our squad and they should be more than a match against most teams in this league. However I can’t help but see little cutting edge to our side. Grealish and now McGinn are quality players but where are the others. The only way we look like scoring is from a cross. Against Brentford we will have our work cut out. Dean Smith has them overachieving and playing quality football. We need a couple of loan signings quickly. Particularly a striker and a LB.
Amen Holte.
My views in a single post.
I want Bruce to succeed Badger, and I think we have paid in the past with constant changes. Stability has improved us, but will the current regime take us to the next level? I think if we played to our players strengths more than focusing on opponents strengths, we will have more chance of success. Trouble is with Bruce is he is set in his ways, and I think this could be what eventually costs him his job. I really hope he proves me wrong and stuffs Brentford on Wednesday.
Again, this is exactly how I see things.
It’s why i don’t think Bruce has very much time left, as much as I like him.
Bruce Out, that’s all I can think of to say.
Doh! A bit previous perhaps? After all we haven’t actually lost a game yet
True, Pat.
But do you see that continuiing against better sides?
We may scrape a win but Dean Smiths side will show Bruce how to play football this week.
Correct me if I’m wrong but I don’t think we’ve managed to beat Brentford in 4 games and in three of those they played us off the park.
It wouldn’t surprise me if we lost on Wednesday – that’s why Badger is right we have to beat the weaker teams. WBA showed us how against QPR – a side strongly tipped for L1 next season.
The thing is Pat you can say 6 draws we’ve not lost but its twelve points amiss, no stream today so I’ve not seen any of the game, but looking around on other blogs it seems we’re no further forwards and going backwards. Bruce must know by now his weak spots, we cannot keep making excuse after excuse, Bruce was angry in the week ,how angry is he today? It’s not good enough we have to win easy games.
Brentford will give us a rough ride for sure. Bruce said that last season he got it wrong by sticking with an ageing side too often. If he has learned a lesson then he will go more youthful by dropping players like Adomah and Elmo to name just two. We need more movement within our play, so why not stick RHM up with Kodja and play Green. At least this would offer us more pace.
I stopped listening to what Bruce said about 18 months ago. Its just cliches and nonsense from a man who the game has left behind.
Agreed. If Bruce hasn’t learnt that before last season then he just admitted that he doesn’t learn.
We had a bit of luck first couple of games. Ipswich brought us back to earth. So, first Bruce season (2/3 of a season) it was not Bruce’s team, last season was unlucky/so near/ref robbed us/players at fault/team too old/stars not aligned. This season, Bruce has got his excuses out early – have to rebuild the team again.
This season will be the same as last. Not good enough for top 2, in the play off lottery. I got abuse for predicting that for last season. A decent manager makes all the difference. Bruce is an average manager. If he was any good he would have been a shoe in for the Man Utd job, but they could see he didn’t have what it takes.
I still think he will be gone after 10 games.
I don’t dislike him and I don’t dismiss the positives that he has brought us. Unfortunately it’s not good enough.
We have not played well in any of our games so far this season but are still unbeaten which has to be a positive, just as long as the better performances are still to come.
Some things are glaringly obvious already though. Firstly, we are quite clearly lacking depth as a squad and it is inevitable that we will need to add loan signings in specific areas, possibly all areas. I might include a goalkeeper in that assessment as I have absolutely no confidence in Nyland whatsoever. I was amazed when Bruce said that Nyland’s performance improved. against Wigan, after his gift of a goal to them. What game was Bruce watching I ask ? For the rest of that game, Nyland’s kicking was abysmal and when he ‘flapped’ at one in the second half, he didn’t even get under it. Nothing more to say about the major ‘faux-pas’ against Ipswich.Gollini all over again I think.
Finally, definitely need strengthening up front, if only to have someone to take the ball of that greedy git Kodjia before he beats a player, stops to try and beat the same player again, only to run down a blind alley and fall over where he then flings his arms in protest to the referee, seeking a free kick when he quite clearly hasn’t been fouled, just lost possession.
Nothing will ever change with Bruce in charge. Its just the same old debates and same old failings over and over and over again.
Waste of time and money thinking its going to be anything different. Bruce is stuck 20 years in the past and the move time moves on, the more he’ll get left behind with his negative, cautious outlook and inflexible tactics.
We’ve been absolute garbage in every game so far and the points are paving over the cracks. Wait til we face a decent footballing side in Brentford and a well run club with a good coach and the shortcomings will be evident again.
As I’ve said all along it makes zero sense keeping Grealish and then keeping Bruce as its the worst type manager for him – a dinosaur who is scared of his teams crossing the half way line.
I hope for the clubs sake Sawiris and Edens are looking beyond the fortunate results at the non existant style and are lining up replacements already.
One thing for sure. The owners will not allow the club to be also rans. They won’t even need to sharpen the knife. They will have one ready at all times.
We don’t always agree DS but I think that assessment is bang on.
I do question the 10 games and he will be gone view though and it comes down to the owners medium term strategy; do they expect (rather than hope for) promotion this season. With the problems in the summer, needing to sort out the FFP issue and rebase the club financially and given their own comments, they may not (expect promotion). In that case keeping Bruce makes a lot of sense and, if he fails to live up to (their) expectations, start looking to replace him in the last third of the season.
Personally, I don’t expect us to do better than challenging for a play off place this season – is that down to us having the ‘wrong manager – I’m not convinced as we do have real weaknesses in the squad. The next couple of weeks in the loan market are going to be decisive.
True Hitch. There again we have lots of right backs at the club, a problem at left back and probably need another centre half. Bruce exacerbates the problem by ignoring our pool of right backs, playing Tuanzebe (most observers see him as CB) there instead, a slow DM as CB and a right back as LB in place of one that he bought. We have weaknesses in the squad but Bruce just makes it worse.
Just my take on it
Absolutely spot on DS.
Hitch, i would argue that we still have one of the best teams in the league and should still be challenging for the top 2 spots, there should be no re-building excuses from Bruce, especially as we kept Grealish and Chester.
OK that’s perfectly fine. My ten games prediction was before the start of the season. We won the first two but I still stick with that.
Guest / DS – we are probably closer in our views than appears obvious.
The areas of debate around the quality of the squad (rather than our ‘best’ 11) and Bruce as manager represent relatively fine lines of debate.
I accept Guests view but still think the squad lacks depth and we are very light on strikers. On Bruce we agree he’s under scrutiny but again just about degree on how long he has to show he can change the team mentality (if that’s the correct way to describe it).
I find it interesting that the owners (apparently) want to see more focus on young players with potential – pretty obvious really – cheaper to run and with a potential value upside. (I’m yet to be convinced about this approach benefiting Villa on the pitch). So then we find Bruce suddenly buying into this vision and being self critical about the use of older players last season!
Or maybe I’m just being cynical?!
Hitch,
I’d still argue that our squad is still one of the strongest in the league too.
There are no more excuses.
Fair enough
The keeper thing is strange..i thought steer looked decent against Hull he made a few saves and didnt look out of place..then he is straight away shipped off and we bring Nyland in who has looked awful so far and Moriera who didnt look great against Yeovil but deff looked to be more promising with a good penalty save just lacking experience maybe..i just dont get why we got rid of Steer when he should be given a chance. He knows the team well so communication etc should be fine and he looks better than what we have brought in 🙈.
Read the Secret Footballer book. Enlightening. Most managers are crap. The good ones are quite rare. Bruce is a journeyman one. He has peaked at a certain level – which is why he is here.
Ok lets look at some positives…Still unbeaten. Kodjia finally scored. Sit in 4th place with a game in hand.. Mcginn looks a superb signing. We havent even hit good form yet let alone top form.. Still potential to bring in a few players on loan..any more?
i was ill all saturady after a dodgy pint or few, hd spent most of the day on and off the bog so missed most of the game.
what game i saw, was well below the standards we should be playing, ipswich looked more comfortable when they went down to 10. i agree with adam and dvilla
in my opinion my know it all opinions. both new goalies are not ready to play championship football. first off goalies need to be settled and trust the defenders in front of them. and vice versa defenders trust the goalie. communication is key. the goal we conceded was down to lack of communication and poor judgement by new goalie. he was never going to beat the attackers or defenders to that ball, the other new keeper, made a similar mistake, he went walkabouts to his corner of 18 yard box, he never got close to getting the ball.
jedi has no speed and playing cb its like last season again. only a poorer version of terry. ipswich were targeting our lack of speed, they brought on a speedy guy to turn villa around and they targeted jedi. so we had bjarnson sitting in front of the attacker jedi behind him.
steer or bunn would have been the safer choice. steer is not a bad keeper in the actual keeping part, it was his distribution which was his downfall. bunn is not the answer long term, but i think he is the answer for the immediate future. need to build a relationships fast at the heart of our defence.
p/s if we had a settle defence and brought in a new goalie it would have taken some time to bed in the keeper. but new defence as well as new keeper. is a recipe for lots of mistakes, bad judgement by the manager who should have known better,
Same as last year I’m afraid… dropping points when we clearly should have killed of sides….
PS Nyland is absolute trash, he is a calamity waiting to happen and will cost us at least 15 points this season
It’s got to a stage if you say any thing about Bruce it gets backs up, no one can defend yesterday game it was dire, Bruce again being interviewed came up with that same old excuse, we need to step up, we’ve have played better with 11 players, they was hard to Break down, To come here its hard with a new manager and 10 new players, what planet his he on , don’t he know its his picking wrong players, putting players in wrong positions I felt sorry for all his anguish over them few months but yesterday was the last straw for me, we need to find a better all round manager, he’s out of his depth at Villa, has no vision in the game.
Bill – you have hit the nail on the head “vision” We need a manger that is forward thinking but above all else, has vision !!
Bill, I’m beginning to feel the same as you. The need for stability and Bruce’s experience at getting teams out of the championship overriding all his deficiencies, now seems less important. We have turned things round which is credit to Bruce, but he keeps making the same mistakes. He constantly plays players out of position. He stated his squad was too old for the long run, but continues to pick his most senior players. The kids will never get an opportunity with Bruce in charge. He would rather develop other teams youngsters before shipping them back. We rarely see a good performance, we have scraped more points than we have deserved. We are pretty much a one man team going forward, although McGinn could prove to be a good acquisition. Loan signings are all very good if we get promotion, but if we don’t we have to rebuild every season, hence Bruce’s early season excuses that we are several players down on last season. In all honesty I’m on the fence to whether we should stick or twist. My feeling is that if we are anywhere below 6th by end of November, I would try to get Dean Smith in before another club snaps him up.
Sid,Holte, I’m so depressed about how he portrays the games as if we don’t have problems, we do and he side steps with ridiculous excuse. He’s getting to me now, your right we was lucky in all our games this year so far.
Bill
The loan deals will be the telling factor for Bruce. Left back, centre back and attacker. If all three are acquired and achieve, we will be promoted and Bruce would keep his job until the end of the season.
If he dies not acquire these players or they fail, Bruce will be dismissed sooner rather than later.
My preferred option is promotion and let Bruce go. However, I have now come to the conclusion we need a Director of Football. The days of managers being given years to develop teams is over. Conversely, we can’t have a new manager coming in and wanting to replace virtually all the team, as is often their want.
Bring in a Director of Football and create a clear strategic recruitment policy. The club manager becomes the Coach and is charged with getting the best out of the players at disposal. I would make one of the coach’s targets establishment of U23 player in the first team each year. This approach would give the team an identity that could buck the mercanary players. Look at Ayew who came to Villa, left joined another club, relegated and went on strike to secure next move.
Sid – we don’t even have a CEO! That has to be a priority before a debate about a DOF.
I’m not a fan of DOFs and tbh, don’t know exactly what the role entails.
If it’s purely as a go-between between the manager and the board, that’s fair enough.
You’re right, in that it seems managers being allowed to develop sides is probably over. Clubs and fans are far too short-termist for that.
But if you have a DOF, who’s deciding the longer term strategy, who’s really running the show? And what if he turns out to be a poor DOF?
It’s exactly the same as having a poor manager.
Only it might take years to actually find out that the strategy wasn’t right at all.
In the meantime, anyone who likes to keep their eye on the Evening Mail, but can’t stand how the site nearly breaks your device, might want to consider downloading “Brave” browser;
https://brave.com/
Because it’s fairly new, it’s a little glitchy, especially if you want to tweak stuff, but it does the basics very well.