Match thread Aston Villa v Rotherham United

[deadbuzzardalive]

Will only paper over the cracks, and I won't be getting carried away, but I think we're going to get a big victory, maybe four or five... I'd play.... Nyland, Hutton, Chester, Tuanzebe, Taylor, McGinn, Hourihane, Grealish, Bolasie, El Ghazi and Abraham... If Bolasie isn't fit enough to start then I'd play kodjia as a wide forward, as he and Abraham look like they could work well together, and this should be the perfect game to try them out... No doubt Bruce will find a way of squeezing in Elmohamady and one of Jedjinak and Whelan though, at the expense of a couple of our more creative players.

[DelboyVilla]

Well I think if we do not have an easy win then there will be those hysterical types in VP calling for Potato Head to be booted out? Personally I think he will pick a negative side and we will go behind before grabbing a late equalizer! Potato Head maybe toast!

[De Kuip]

1-1 and further limbo.....

[achilles]

Will only paper over the cracks, and I won't be getting carried away, but I think we're going to get a big victory, maybe four or five... I'd play.... Nyland, Hutton, Chester, Tuanzebe, Taylor, McGinn, Hourihane, Grealish, Bolasie, El Ghazi and Abraham... If Bolasie isn't fit enough to start then I'd play kodjia as a wide forward, as he and Abraham look like they could work well together, and this should be the perfect game to try them out... No doubt Bruce will find a way of squeezing in Elmohamady and one of Jedjinak and Whelan though, at the expense of a couple of our more creative players.

Can''argue with that except perhaps the big victory, although we should if Bruce played that side as it is extremely impressive (on paper) but we all know he won't!

Looking forward to seeing the home debuts of Abraham and Bolasie. Think it will be a draw so I won't be a happy bunny!

[Saunders82]

Like all of us we feel it should be a BIG win but we all expect the same old same old, hopefully He/they will surprise us, we shall see. UTV

[deadbuzzardalive]

Nyland, Elmohamady, Chester, Jedinak, Hutton, Hourihane, Grealish, McGinn, El Ghazi, Abraham, Kodjia.

Subs: Bunn, Bree, Tuanzebe, Whelan, Bjarnason, Adomah, Bolasie.

Why on earth he's Jedinak back in defence I don't know, we need Tuanzebe to have a run of games there to develop an understanding with Chester, not for him to be dropped after a good performance. Other than that looks a good positive team.

[De Kuip]

Nyland, Elmohamady, Chester, Jedinak, Hutton, Hourihane, Grealish, McGinn, El Ghazi, Abraham, Kodjia.

Subs: Bunn, Bree, Tuanzebe, Whelan, Bjarnason, Adomah, Bolasie.

Why on earth he's Jedinak back in defence I don't know, we need Tuanzebe to have a run of games there to develop an understanding with Chester, not for him to be dropped after a good performance. Other than that looks a good positive team.

Yep, totally agree!

[Fpuppys]

Looks more and more like he wants a pay-off, must of spent the international break looking for a new holiday home...hope he fucking found one.

[big ming]

Jedinak has got to be giving Bruce a Happy Ending.....

[FoxyAV]

Are we playing a 4-3-3? Hourihane, McGinn and Grealish with El Ghazi, Abraham and Kodjia up front? Or a 4-5-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-1?

[Saunders82]

Well that was riveting

[Fpuppys]

Look on the bright side @saunders82 at least Kodjia got an assist and Tammy is off the mark, can't see it lasting long, Villa will get caught out sooner or later, players have no faith in Nyland or Jedinak and defending deep as usual.

[Saunders82]

Look on the bright side @saunders82 at least Kodjia got an assist and Tammy is off the mark, can't see it lasting long, Villa will get caught out sooner or later, players have no faith in Nyland or Jedinak and defending deep as usual.

As always our build up is so slow & laboured they are all set up on their 18 yard line, and as u say one slip and we've cocked it up again.

[FoxyAV]

Woohoo, we've won a football match!

[Saunders82]

Well lets see what people have made of that, personally I'm not impressed so negative.

[deadbuzzardalive]

Happy to get the three points, disappointed that that probably saves Bruces his job, for another two games at least, I hope he's humble in his post match interviews and doesn't try and make out that this result somehow proves his doubters wrong. Nice to see Abraham and Bolasie get off the mark as well.

[deadbuzzardalive]

I hope he's humble in his post match interviews and doesn't try and make out that this result somehow proves his doubters wrong.

WIshful thinking...

Last night’s 2-0 win over the Millers eased some of the pressure on the Villa, who had seen a section of the club’s support begin calling for his head during a five-game winless run.

Bruce remains convinced the majority of fans are still on his side and said: “I have got four promotions, last year I nearly had a fifth. Yet I don’t know what I am doing?

"Unfortunately it filters through the mad few.

“We are Villa and the expectation and belief is huge but common sense is needed.

“The vast majority of supporters are right behind what we are trying to do. You can feel it in the stadium. If they wanted me out, the stadium would have erupted with it before the start.

“The supporters can see we had a bloody awful performance at Sheffield. Now we are sitting in sixth. I hope it shuts a few up. But I doubt it.”

New boys Tammy Abraham and Yannick Bolasie bagged their first goals for the club as Villa recorded their first win since last month’s 3-2 home victory over Wigan.

They also claimed a first league clean sheet of the campaign thanks to a performance which was a significant improvement on recent weeks.

“I am delighted for them. They will be good players for us,” said Bruce. “The type which will get you off your seat. The first goal was great from three of them, a great ball from Jack Grealish, a great ball from Jonathan Kodjia and a great finish.

“I’m pleased for them. With all the nonsense which has been written the right response was to win.

“I think my record speaks for itself. They all need a chance to settle in but when they do I know we are going to be there or thereabouts again.

“The nonsense, I can’t stop. But I will do, given time.”

Villa will host Sheffield Wednesday on Saturday and Bruce hopes some of the “nonsense” regarding his position might now stop.

He continued: “I think we have been close, apart from two games - Sheffield United and the cup game, when I made nine changes.

“Apart from that I thought we looked a decent team against Ipswich, a very decent team against Brentford.

“Reading we conceded in the last few minutes. The most intelligent people will see all through the nonsense and see we have the makings of a decent team.”

Just hearing him come out with his usual bull takes away from the enjoyment of a win... Edit just seen his interview on the official twitter, and in that one he's saying that us being back in the top six proves that all the 'negativity' from the local press is 'nonsense'... That he sees us being in and around the top six as some sort of achievement, espeically after the fixtures we've had, is a big part of the problem... Also pretty sure the local press have been pretty positive towards him, not sure they will now after those comments.

[DelboyVilla]

Can't even be bother to read what that arrogant prick said post game. He still needs to go with his messing about with the defence! Chester is going to be knackered come Christmas with Potato Head in charge!

[FoxyAV]

He's so under the cosh he's lashing out. When your supporters turn on you at matches you know you're in deep trouble and Bruce is being a child. But then we knew that after every time he blamed his players for not doing what they were supposed to do. I remember hearing Slaven Bilic used to take responsibility when West Ham didn't do well, ultimately it was his responsibility to motivate, train, select and play his players. And it endeared him to his fans and I suspect players, well, until everything started falling apart. But then we all like people who put in all their effort even if they don't succeed. Bruce doesn't appear to motivate, train or play his players, he just selects a different starting 11 for each match and blames them when they don't do what he wants them to do. When they win he takes the credit.

[big ming]

Solid and workmanlike are just two of the unexciting terms to describe that performance.
False dawn is another. I await Sheffield Wednesday in the hope of further improvement. Absolutely no change in my opinion of the Dinosaur. We could have been miles ahead of where we are, with a progressive Coach.

[achilles]

That was a strange game, I agree with Bruce that we were in control of the game but at 1-0, the opposition can always nick a goal and so very nearly did! Well we won and there were some very good performances:

Nyland 5 – really doesn’t inspire confidencel
Elmo 6 - okay game defensively and good cross for the second goal
Chester 6 - solid enough
Jedinak 6 – won everything in the air but that is his strength which we probably needed against Rotherham, will again be found out against pacy strikers.
Hutton 6 – played well, prefer him on the left
El Ghazi 5 - started ok, then got booked and disappeared, still finding his feet.
Hourihane 8 – his delivery and passing was outstanding and it is the best I seen him play, seems full of confidence. Very close with a free kick in the first half that just whistled pass the post.
McGinn 9 – tireless worker and his breaks from midfield were brilliant, just needs a goal..
Grealish 7 – much better, but he is not a left winger in a million years as he just doesn’t get the ball enough in that position. Haven’t a clue what he was doing dummying the ball right in front of goal in the second half, has to shoot more!
Kodjia 5 – brilliant assist for first goal but bloody hell he is so frustrating, would hate playing with him as he is basically selfish and definitely doesn’t work hard enough.
Abraham 6 – took his goal well and will score goals but still not a centre forward in the true sense of the word. Although he will get better over the season.
Bolasie – 7 (substitute) he will be a hell of an acquisition when he gets match fit. Already looks like a PL player, only a PL player would have scored his goal, saw it early and reacted brilliantly. Look forward to seeing more of him.
Adamoah and Bree were okay, with no a lot to do.

Conclusions:
We won which was a priority.
McGinn will eventually go for big money, already PL level. Thinking about it perhaps with Grealish on the left it freed the space for McGinn to flourish.
Think we would have played better if Kodjia had gone left wing and Grealish had supported Abraham up front. Grealish not involved enough.
To put the game in perspective (for Bruce’s benefit) we had three players (Grealish, Bolasie and Abraham) on the pitch worth approx £65m, how the Rotherham manager must be dreaming!
Playing a decent side we will struggle, although with our attacking talent one of them could easily pull us out of the shit!
Still not a team but bloody hell we don’t half have some brilliant players.
Bruce proves yet again with his after match comments that he still hasn’t got a clue!

[FoxyAV]

I reckon McGinn was brought in as a Grealish replacement and they're both playing off the boil because they're trying to do the same job.

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