Re: Wigum v Villa - match thread

[Villa_Dan]

I'll take that!!

[deadbuzzardalive]

Eleven points off the play-offs if only we'd have managed two or three more wins,

[VTID85]

Bruce is clearly a terrible decision maker what with only achieving 15 points from the last 6 games and conceding a single goal...

Really happy with another win under our belt, fingers crossed for more. UTV!




Edit: http://www.twtd.co.uk/league-tables/competition:championship/form/matches:6/type:home-and-away

[4BetLite]

Win? of course we did you ignoramus

[deadbuzzardalive]

The manner of our wins isn't sustainable, we got lucky that we played several teams in a row who were on terrible runs, then we beat a ten man Wednesday and today it sounds like Wigan were the better team. Whilst six wins out of seven is excellent in the here and now, I'm still not convinced that Bruce is the right man to take us into next season (I know it's almost certain that he will do).

We really need to start learning how to dominate games, it's alright saying it doesn't matter how you win', but that isn't true if you actually want winning to become a regular occurence over a full season, you don't challenge at the top of the league with flukey wins alone.

For us to be eleven points off the play-offs at this stage is frankly not good enough.

[deadbuzzardalive]

[deadbuzzardalive]

One thing Bruce deserves praise for (amongst others) is that at least he's honest, this is a quote from today...

“It’s good to see a little bit of resilience, but if we’re being honest, we’ve got to be better than that.”

It's a good sign that he knows we need to improve.

[VTID85]

Over the last 6 games, we have amassed more points and conceded less goals than Chelsea and Manchester City (and others).

Only Stevenage, from lowly league 2, would pip us to having the best form in the country over those 6 games, based on goal difference.

Now granted, 6 games does not a season make. But let me remind everyone who hasn't quite comprehended this yet - we were the worst team in the top flight by far, less than 12months ago. We've got a new owner, we're in the throes of overhauling the club and we've gone from being almost the last team in England to chalk up a win this calendar year to being the form team of the top 3 divisions. And yet "ugly wins" aren't good enough? It's hard to admit that our beloved club has sunk, sure I get that. But let's fucking party on the fact that we're getting points on the board, it was always going to take time.

Edit: Over the last 7 games, we are second for form in the Championship.

[smetro]

The manner of our wins isn't sustainable, we got lucky that we played several teams in a row who were on terrible runs, then we beat a ten man Wednesday and today it sounds like Wigan were the better team. Whilst six wins out of seven is excellent in the here and now, I'm still not convinced that Bruce is the right man to take us into next season (I know it's almost certain that he will do).

We really need to start learning how to dominate games, it's alright saying it doesn't matter how you win', but that isn't true if you actually want winning to become a regular occurence over a full season, you don't challenge at the top of the league with flukey wins alone.

For us to be eleven points off the play-offs at this stage is frankly not good enough.

IMO - you don't have good or bad luck over several games.

What I am seeing is a mean defence and guys up front who can put the ball in the net. - To be honest I think that will get you a long way in this division. Sure we aren't great - but at last there seems a sense of order and the manager knows which players to call upon. If Im being honest I expected more from Bruce - I thought we would zipp into the play off's - we haven't. The choice now is do we let him carry on - or do we bring another manager because the football isn't sexy enough ?

I don't even think its worth debating.

[Saunders82]

At this stage of our squads development ANY type of win is OK by me especially as according to his comments Brucie is well aware we should be doing better, we have 2 weeks now to get some of our players back/fitter then we go again. I don't know about any of you on here but I don't have a crystal ball so I have no idea what will happen before the end of the season but lets hope we keep grinding them out and see what happens.

[De Kuip]

I think it's testament to our improved situation that we are rueing the lost opportunity to get into the playoffs. It isn't that long ago that I thought we were rock bottom and I had never felt so hacked off a being a Villa fan. Now I'm pissed that we squandered points so often, but I always feared an immediate return to the Prem as I don't believe we're mended enough. Bollocks to yo-yo-ing back and forth, I want to see us return to the Prem on the back of a fantastic season, going up as champions and kicking ass when we get there.
The last thing I want is for us to go back up this year, unless we'd done it by hammering all who came before us. Nope, cautiously happy of late. Let's hope we can increase the joy by relegating the snotnoses in a few weeks.

[smetro]

At this stage of our squads development ANY type of win is OK by me especially as according to his comments Brucie is well aware we should be doing better, we have 2 weeks now to get some of our players back/fitter then we go again. I don't know about any of you on here but I don't have a crystal ball so I have no idea what will happen before the end of the season but lets hope we keep grinding them out and see what happens.  

I like Bruce - I like his straight talking - which is a breath of fresh air compared these bullshiters who talk about 'changing the ethos' and an 'identity' - all bollox of course.
It wouldn't totally surprise me though if we we were riding high in the championship playing how we played today. You want sexy football - I don't think Bruce is you're man.

That said whoever our manager - I don't think any clubs goes from August to may - blowing everyone out of the water - sure you will hit the high sports at certain times of the season - the challenge is can you pick up points when things aren''t firing on all cylinders ?

[Dions_Bald_Head]

Thanks for the highlights @deadbuzzardalive Good to see Johnston hopefully getting some confidence-boosting saves in.

[smetro]

I think it's testament to our improved situation that we are rueing the lost opportunity to get into the playoffs. It isn't that long ago that I thought we were rock bottom and I had never felt so hacked off a being a Villa fan. Now I'm pissed that we squandered points so often, but I always feared an immediate return to the Prem as I don't believe we're mended enough. Bollocks to yo-yo-ing back and forth, I want to see us return to the Prem on the back of a fantastic season, going up as champions and kicking ass when we get there.
The last thing I want is for us to go back up this year, unless we'd done it by hammering all who came before us. Nope, cautiously happy of late. Let's hope we can increase the joy by relegating the snotnoses in a few weeks.

I don't think you get a sustained upward trajectory though DK - We started shite - picked up under SB - went backwards in Jan\Feb - and now are picking up points - overall we look better now than we did in August - so its progress IMO.
I would also expect our first season back in the prem to be a bit fraught....

[deadbuzzardalive]

An ugly win is always good enough in and of itself. Trouble is you won't get anywhere over a season if all you're capable of is winning ugly, because as I said above and as we've proven already, it's not sustainable.

Bruce has basically come out and agreed with the above on several occasions when he says we need to improve on the ball. Doesn't have to be 'sexy football', but there needs to be some sort of methodology and system that the players adhere to, so we're not relying on scrappy wins every game.

'Winning ugly' is a subjective phrase anyway, Pulis teams win ugly but there's more of a gameplan and a definite style to what he and others do.

[Trotters]

Delighted with the win but Wigan should have been out of site by half time if the highlights are anything to go by (thanks for those, btw).

With the squad we have, regardless of injuries, we should be beating Wigan by 5 or 6. But ill bet even when we get over our injury crisis we won't give anyone that kind of shoeing.

The top headline on soccernet today is about Chelsea grinding out a result against Stoke. All good sides have to do that occasionally but grinding seems to be our new club ethos. It was on twitter yesterday that one of the players said that Bruce has spent the last couple of months developing a certain "way". Really? Fuuuuck!

I can see where Smetro and VTID are coming from - and it's hard to dismiss the form guide - but I can't help but think it's like we've adopted a nerdy Chinese kid who wears glasses, studies an extra 5 hours after school before violin lessons yet is still struggling to be average in his class. It's just....weird!

Hopefully I'll look a right tit when we have a full squad to chose from and go around destroying teams each week with flair and panache. But I've a suspicion that Bruce is a grinder kind of guy.

[VTID85]

With the squad we have, regardless of injuries,  we should be beating Wigan by 5 or 6. But ill bet even when we get over our injury crisis we won't give anyone that kind of shoeing.

Neither have league leaders Newcastle though? Their most common result this season is 2-0 which they have achieved 6 times.

They only beat Wigan 2-0 like us and current runners-up Brighton only won 1-0. So who are we comparing with?

[Trotters]

I'm comparing with the teams who seem to find it easy to put 5 past Rotherham. Or an up and down Norwich side who can score 5.

Bristol, Sheffield Wednesday, Brentford, QPR, Cardiff, Preston, Newcastle, Leeds, Barnsley, Fulham, Forest, Blackburn Ipswich and even Blues FFS have all managed to put 4 or 5 past the opposition (most of them more than once!) yet we never seem to be able to give anyone in this league of massive inconsistency a proper proper beating.

And with the resources we have, that's pretty poor

#grindr.

[Villa_Dan]

Don't care about scorelines, just results. Worked for George Graham and Mourinho. Win first, look good doing it a distant 2nd

[deadbuzzardalive]

There's a world of difference between what Mourinho does with his teams and what Bruce is dong with us, the two aren't comparable, the same with George Graham and Arsenal.

[Villa Ranger]

Wow.

After the humiliating results against Cardiff, Wolves, Brentford, Forest, Ipswich and Barnsley; plus the predictable result against Newcastle, if anyone had told me we would win 5 of the next 6 games, conceding only 1 goal in the process, I'd have asked if they were fucking high.

With hindsight though, it's just the result of a decent manager finally getting his new signings to gel with the existing team he inherited from the previous one.

To suggest that it's a 'fluke' is ridiculous. You can't 'fluke' five wins from six in a league format. You certainly can't do it in the Championship. Points are just too hard to come by. If you're not on your game you get turned over.

The fact that we've achieved this, in spite of a genuine injury crisis, is even more impressive.

[DelboyVilla]

Funny isn't it? We loose a bunch Bruce is shit and has to go!!!

We win a bunch, the style of play is shit Bruce has to go!!!

Villa fans are consistent that's for sure???

We are winning so let's see how close to the top 6 we can actually get!!

[De Kuip]

Yeah that's a fair point Smetro I was over egging the level of invincibility I would want, but you get my general meaning hopefully. Let's get properly fixed so we give ourselves max hope of success in the Prem. At least - ugly or not - it feels like we're starting to get consistency and that is very welcome.
I tell you something odd as well, I don't miss the Prem,  not one bit, in fact it feels good not to be subjected to it's over-hyped hysterical marketing bullshit, where 14 teams are considered cannon fodder for the top six, by our foul media. It might not have been the season we wanted, but it feels like there's an honesty to the championship that I for one welcome. I know we need the big league but it's a proper soul-selling experience isn't it?

[Guest]

I didn't get to see it, but I guess we didn't dominate? I looked at the highlights and we seemed to be a bit lucky.

I really hope our passing play improves by a lot very soon cause I'm not sure this is good enough.

I love how a bit of continuity gives you points though. Who would've thought

[Trotters]

Bruce has said himself that the performance wasn't anything to write home about. That doesn't negate the 5 wins in 6 - which is superb - but it does show we've still got a way to go before we can call.call ourselves a good side.

Great that Bruce has recognised this though and isn't hyping himself up. Respect.

Agree with Villa Ranger and his "high" comment though.

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