So I ve now seen him play in two cameo roles at Rochdale and yesterday. So far, all I can say is that he has not put a foot wrong. He seems a bit of a loner (I hesitate to say outcast on the grounds of possible nepotism) in the training warm-ups, but can anyone fault his displays? Dare I say he seems less prone the Chester-esque errors that have besotted Chester's game to now. On a slightly negative note, the more I see him, the more I find myself uttering the words: "able replacement for James Chester...", and wondering if the presence of Alex Bruce is a sure sign that our prized asset is really on his way to the bounty of a Murdoch League move (for all concerned except Villa or whoever pays the tab that is). Any comments?
Chesters game is bessotted with errors ? Do you mean in this pre season,because iv'e not seen any of it. You must do because he's the very last player i would descibe as error prone !
Yes he was as was McShane, who dare i say looked just a bit better then Bruce but neither were better then Chester or Faye
Good opening paragraph mussy. But had to get Murdoch into the last one!!ha Yes it struck me they are similar kind of players. Thats not he's as good as Charlie, wind your neck in mate. I wouldnt want to see them lined up together all season, and i dont think they would either. SB has signed an able squad player, not a hoof baller but a good footballer. Kempton FFS mate Chezz made two errors that were catastrophic in Mussy's Murdoch league. Tried to bring a ball down right on half time and it went 5 yards away from him straight to them. Straight into the second half he came off second best with their forward in a 50/50 shoulder barge as he was too casual, won it back and then gave it straight back to the forward. You dont get away with that in the premiership.
Steve Bruce sound like a man with a sales pitch when discussing James Chester in his post match interview. Just saying like.
Alex Bruce is a decent Championship defender Ab Faye is a good championship defender Hobbs is a very good championship defender Chester is an excellent championship defender JC is quick and an amazing reader of the game watch him and he never stops concentrating, not for a second! But he is human and he will make mistakes,
Sorry Chazz, did'nt i say i wasn't there ? Just going on last season where Chezz was impeccable. Also on the other thread,everyone has him in their top three in yesterdays game.
easily MOM testerday. 99.9% of his play is 'almost' Murdoch League quality, however, he makes the odd schoolboy errors when you least want them. I say 'almost' as I feel he is not Murdoch quality YET. You can see from what I have seen to date that Bruce could ably deputise if required, which worries me in terms of potential bids for Chester from Murdoch funded speculators such as Wigan, etc.
Chester had a good game as well as a couple others but i thought Stewart was easily man of the match against Rotherham
No worries mate. Can i ask why though? I honestly expected 10 thousand there yesterday. Mussy just summed it up for me, prone to school boy errors. His recovery speed is so good but he wont get away with it against top players.
Alex Bruce did a perfectly decent job yesterday. But we were playing a League Two team. He's not in the same league as Chester, not even close.
besotted adj 1 (especially besotted by or with someone or something) foolishly infatuated. 2 confused, especially through having drunk too much alcohol. besottedly adverb. ETYMOLOGY: 16c: from old verb besot to make foolish or sottish.
Bruce and McShane were solid yesterday and didn't do themselves too much harm but I still wouldn't want them starting a Championship match any-time soon
Saying he is a 'loner' because of the pre-match training is on a par with Jimmy Hills statement in 1990 that Man United were 'beaten' in the warm-up in their third round game v Forest, which they won. He won't know anybody because he is a new signing no other reason. If Chester goes and we have to use him we will suffer for it. Nice lad but horrible signing, league One player.
The early rounds of the lc are really nothing more than friendlies,which i never go to either,as they give such a poor idea of how teams and players will perform when real business begins.
Agreed. He was involved in everything we did well yesterday. I actually though Chester had a poor game by his standards, making a few errors but one of his typical Chester tackles in the second half was amazing. I thought McShane looked as crap as ever. He didn't get punished but he still gets beaten with ridiculous ease by diving in all the time and just never seems in control. On the topic of defenders I was happy to see over the last two games that Faye seems comfortable on the ball just like Chester is.
