no. Bruce has slagged the fans off and the players so has crossed that line. I can’t wait to see the back of the clown
Agreed. I think we can say that Schar has played his last game for us. They won't renew his contract when he is injured.
Couldn't disagree. I don't know if its 13-14 years of being battered by this ****, but some of our fans are a bit of a joke at present. He gets slaughtered for anything bad, anything good is luck or someone elses work. I think Bruce is a bottom feeder. I think his record tells you how limited he is. He doesn't seem to have a plan. I accept the players love him, but I can't really understand that. However you've still got to be fair. We've looked much more likely to score, entertain, and win in the last 3.5 games. He's brought in help in the coaching (he was his choice), I can't see a problem.
They've even just declared the club Didcot behind his back and pushed that narrative as of they have evidence, but the only evidence we have is that bruce said he chose him. If Ashley didn't like Bruce he'd be gone, so imo he asked for another coach or it was offered and either way it's working out nicely.
I understand this train of thought that its all a bit harsh on Bruce but equally the upturn in form is not coincidental, the change of shape to Jones' preferred tactic since his Luton days is clear, the direction Jones is giving (while Bruce is moping around on the touchline) is telling, the alteration to the game plan in regards to the higher pressing/getting higher up the pitch was not there despite the gloves being off and Bruce doing it his way prior to Jones arrival, the consistency to the tactics has been there for all to see compared with previously. Basically Bruce made a rod for his own back. Jones has had a massive impact on what is going on on the pitch - I would love to watch a training session and see where the "power" lies. Someone mentioned the other day that it could be a bit of a hidden benefit to us that we have nicey nicey Brucey to get the players morale up and enjoying themselves and that Jones is there dealing with the tactical aspect of it all - read some interviews from players who'd played under him at Bournemouth, Swansea and Belgium - and it sounds like he is not afraid to put a rocket up anyone's arse if they are following instructions. Since Jones has come in results and performances have been majorly better and if it was Bruce's choice then fair play to him. Not sure I believe it but if we are winning who gives a flying Shelvey.
Bruce has confirmed he asked, and also confirmed Jones was his choice, his first choice at that. Just looks like Bruce deserves a lot of credit to me. Some will find that hard.
This is exactly the problem though. "Not sure if I believe it" sums up what he is up against. The failure to accept the manager is the one driving it is telling too. Bruce has confirmed he asked for extra support as he didn't have enough coaches and wanted a different set of eyes. He's confirmed that he was his first choice. Our fans? "Bullshit, he's come in and is doing your job for you". It confirms his best bet is not to engage with our fan base because they will never give him credit or cut him slack. I don't think any of the criticism of Bruce is harsh. Bollocks, he's well paid and he has done a terrible job this season. There is no excuse for the negative approach to games. However since half time at Leeds, we've switched formation, attacked teams, pressed and just generally had a go. We are higher up the pitch at last. Its been watchable and entertaining. The players look like they want to be on the pitch again. Its worth nothing that Jones wasn't there at Leeds, confirming the switch up is down to the manager - unless he simply had Steve on speed dial telling him what to do. He has simply brought in a coach he thinks will help that. Looking at the short time he's been there, Bruce is right. The tactics, the changes, and Jones is all Bruce. The fans should learn to be objective. It still doesn't make him the right man for the job, I still think he's a useless archaic clown. However I will give credit when its due as opposed to simply grinding a bitter axe like some of the fanbase. Its nothing new though.
I can't be assed googling I spent all last season defending this manager, but I'm sick to death of him and his pissy attitude. We are clearly proving that this current position is far below what we could have achieved and he's directly to blame.
He's ****e. We need a much better manager regardless what happens. Like you last season I felt you had to judge him fairly. He matched the previous manager, and probably played more entertaining football overall. Given so many fans were literally spunking over him, it was completely ridiculous the treatment Bruce received. This season though, no excuse. He deserves credit for changing the formation, the approach, asking and getting a new coach (who looks to have good pedigree). No problem at all. Lets not forget though he's also the man who has wasted half a season to work this out. He's a 2nd rate manager, and appointing Jones won't change that. He's brought a lot of the negativity around him on himself. He's the reason we are hovering. I have banged on all season we have the attacking talent with ASM and Almiron to play high energy, press, create. Amazing from Leeds half time, he has finally actually "taken the gloves off" after his previous promises. As soon as those shackles have been removed, I'm enjoying football and enjoying watching my team again. I honestly don't give a **** if we go down as long as keep trying to play football the right way. I'd rather pull out all my finger nails and toe nails than go back to defensive counter. I just find our fans amusing that they can't remain objective, so just make up their own narrative despite evidence to the contrary. As I say, its not our first rodeo in this regard is it. Howay man, we had fans slating the defence because of Bruce, but claiming all the tactics were Jones. Which is it lads
I think the truth is somewhere in the middle. Leeds formation was largely the daft 2 in the middle, which simply hasn't worked, and our better second half showing can be largely attributed to a bit of weird tinkering as ASM then Gayle came on, with then ASM, Almiron and Wlson all being the types to go for it more in a game. The formation itself - a clear shift to 3, even 4, in the middle - happened after Jones arrived. It's clear Bruce has the backing of Charnley - insofar as neither he nor Ashley have any intention of facilitating progressive change. Both seem to be caretakers in their respective roles, in there by default until proper change arrives. I think things were along the lines of "look, Steve, how do we get out of this mess? We both need the big pay-off, so how do we stay up? I've had a chat with Graham Carr and he reckons this Jones from Bournemouth would be interested and could help". Bruce agrees, therefore it's his "decision" his "first choice" (because walking away wasn't going to be Bruce's first choice). How much is Jones and how much is Bruce is, at this point, completely irrelevant. Are we better? Yes. Is Bruce involved in it? Yes. We'll never get anywhere near the real truth of it, although we're all well aware that Bruce is here, doing this, because Ashley doesn't see himself here much longer so realistically we just wait it out and hopefully enjoy some of the football. We've got to forget everything else.
You're still trying to look for angles mate - we have already been given the truth, some just won't accept its true. Bruce has already told us, he asked for a coach, and Jones was his first choice. Why people are struggling to accept this I get, Bruce has been ****. But even **** hawks make good decisions now and again. There is no dissenting voice or angle to the contrary of Bruce, so I think it just needs to be accepted instead of making up other possible conspiracies. It won't though I'm fully aware of that. This obsession with the formation is bizarre for me too. It plays so little a part in what is happening for us right now. Football has never really changed. Its a mentality as much as anything, and simply how you set yourself up rather than a formation. Its all about desire to close down the ball, squeeze the game. Its always happened. You got the likes of Arsenal back in the day who had a well oiled back line which allowed them to play a high line and squeeze the game. We have told the centre halfs to forget the previous few years, and to step up the pitch when we move the ball forward. That in turn squeezes the midfield forward and encourages you to play higher up the pitch i.e. more dangerous areas. It also stops this horrific approach of sit and wait. Hence possession will be better too, because we are trying to get the ball back now. For sure the defending first half when we opened was poor. These defenders will need time, they've become accustomed to having the most cover in the history of football defences for a few years now. You can close the ball regardless of formation, they just obviously feel this one which suits us because it gets ASM and Almiron on the pitch in decent areas. Which means chances and goals.
For me, there's something in a formation purely because when playing 5-4-1 with Shelvey/Hendrick/Hayden,we're starting with 7 at the back and so we were constantly getting bossed in midfield and isolating forwards. Adding a body, a DM, was vital and that's been the biggest change. When you then have a dedicated DM, you don't need 3 CB's, so the rest took care of itself. Playing narrow but using the two forwards to create width for midfield runners is considerably more progressive than anything Bruce is capable of, as has been proven.
Apparently not because he is currently employing those exact tactics and has even brought in a coach well versed in it to help him do it. I'll say it again, there is literally nothing to crib the man about here in terms of what he has done. I mean the time its taken to make the change, and get the coach to help with it is certainly a problem. I'm sure he will also make more mistakes and generally overall do a poor to average job. However in this instance he deserves full credit for the act of changing how we approach games and altering the coaching.
