Bruce himself admits to having failed, folk keep praising his honesty, but, although that might sugar the pill for some, it does not for me. I have said I like the guy, he's a good lad, a football man. I know others who I can say exactly the same about, they don't manage in the top tiers, nor are they payed a small fortune, but, in their own right, at their current level, they are enjoying what they do and might easily be thought of as achieving more. This is it for me, Bruce seems devoid of ideas and at the start of a season, with a squad he assembled, that is a real concern . Performances bear the lie to our position, formations do not describe the players he has at his disposal; he has gathered together a strange collection of round pegs and that confuses him when he gets to square hole selection. But this isn't a recent thing, is it? Sunderland supporters complained of exactly the same managerial traits; yes, some boo-boys did get on his back and yes, it was premature, but he fulfilled their prophecy and he was sacked. Bruce knows he is lucky to be in a job, as even the Gods conspire against him; he is the kiss of death for any bright young player - Chester might qualify as the exception to that rather broad rule. Bruce looks crestfallen, he looks beaten, his selections and formations have a consistency of confusion about them, it is hard to understand what his plan is before the game even begins and then it ends and no-one seems any the wiser, especially him. No, I certainly do not attack the man, he isn't the strange character that was Brown, but his professional skills have found a level and he is taking us back down to that level. Humble Pie keeps well and would be a very welcome dessert to a Cup starter or a promotion main course, but somehow I don't see it, not under this management team.
I found Brighton hard to bear (especially after the Charlton performance), but at least he changed things tonight, and that Abel goal looked class. So fickle me has changed my vote.
When Elmo came on tonight, didn't he do just that? I wasn't there so just relying on Radio Wales and may have got it wrong.
According to the match thread they were saying Elmo was a Uruguayan International, so maybe, but I wouldn't take too much in it!
Can't agree with changing votes based on that, when there's 18 months of contrary evidence. Give it another month or so. I think most are saying give it till Christmas, and I wouldn't change from that.
HDM too (though probably just as reliable): "Bruce attempted to alter the balance of play when introducing Elmohamady for the final quarter, moving Odubajo over to the left flank in place of Robertson"
If it's true then it might mean we could have a player who can play multiple positions which is a huge positive. I was originally referring to someone who suggested we should start with one on the left, for me we should have enough players who can play LB without putting a player who's not used to playing there. If however they can play there then that's something SB has kept up his sleeve. Only time will tell!
Yes that was me. But I did also suggest bringing Alex B back, and reverting to 3-5-2, so not a bad bit of advice for Bruce senior.
It's a fair thing, we've been ****e for ages and one win isn't going to change my opinion. I watched the beam back at the KC and for long periods of that game we just sat back and let Cardiff attack us. I didn't see the Brighton game but if that's our approach to games then it's no wonder we're playing so badly.
My opinion hasn't changed either. Our performances are the main issue for me, not the results. Unless Steve Bruce gets the team playing positive attacking football I still think we need a new manager.
If you play 3 at the back, then you can't also go pressing high up the pitch. Most of Cardiff's goals this season have come from free kicks or corners and with 3 strong headers of the ball at the back we nullified that threat. Yes Cardiff had plenty of possession, but that's meaningless unless you do anything with it, Listening to Burns and Swan, Mcgregor had nothing to do 2nd half. Bruce in!
It's natural to go away from home and to have spells where you aren't the dominant team, but the time between the two goals we spent pretty much in our own half and that's a dangerous game to play, one that we've been trying to play for a while now. They threw everything at us and were it not for a combination of awesome defending and ****e finishing (on their part), they'd have battered us. We need to carry more of a threat instead of scoring and hoping for a clean sheet.
I don't think the excuse "Oh but they're the home team, of course they're going to attack" cuts it when the attacking play was as one-sided as it was for that 50-60 minute spell.
