Middlesbrough v Aston Villa, Sat 1st Dec @ 5.30pm | Page 16 | Vital Football

Middlesbrough v Aston Villa, Sat 1st Dec @ 5.30pm

Really didn't know what to expect walking into the Riverside last night but not in the way I used to in every game under Bruce but more so because Boro really are a serious team in this league. So was it going a bit too tough so soon after Deano took over. Well them fears quickly evaporated because there was only one team in it. Fair enough the Riverside has been an happy hunting ground for us in recent times but they have always been hard fought tight affairs but this was a stroll in the park and a very impressive one. Have been trying to get too carried away with Dean Smiths appointment but boy it's looking promising.
 
A 100% better team performance. A far better balance to the team with Bolasie and ElGahzi working their socks off. McGinn my MOM never stopped working. Perhaps this Smith bloke is a manager ,not one of the usual 'chancers' we have entertained recently. Onwards and upwards.
Regards,
G.T.
 
Just goes to show how bad it was under Bruce. We would never have put in a performance like that and certainly wouldn’t have scored 15 goals in 4 games. We have quality players, especially in attack and thankfully we have a manager who will try to play to their strengths which means goals and victories. The only disappointment is that had we beaten Forest in that crazy game we’d now be 5th.
 
david-avfc said:
Just goes to show how bad it was under Bruce. We would never have put in a performance like that and certainly wouldn’t have scored 15 goals in 4 games. We have quality players, especially in attack and thankfully we have a manager who will try to play to their strengths which means goals and victories. The only disappointment is that had we beaten Forest in that crazy game we’d now be 5th.
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Absolutely Dean Smith really is unintentionally exposing all of Bruce's failings he really did lose the plot.
 
When I watched the standard 2 minute YouTube video of this continental Dutch guy with an Egyptian sounding name called El Ghazi, I thought he’d have a good touch but the physicality and speed of the league might be a bit tough for him this year.

Fitness wise he was up to it for the good 70 minutes he played but more importantly I was impressed with the way he used his body, he wasn’t bullied off the ball and even running with the ball he was intelligent with the way he puts his body in between himself and the ball.
 
Yes. I was a Bruce fan until the Sheffield Utd game this season , but what Smith has done in these 6 weeks or so , is fantastic reallly. Was worried after the Derby win in a way as I wondered if it was a one off , but is wasn't and yesterdays performance was even better .

We look a good side now.
 
danvilla2 said:
When I watched the standard 2 minute YouTube video of this continental Dutch guy with an Egyptian sounding name called El Ghazi, I thought he’d have a good touch but the physicality and speed of the league might be a bit tough for him this year.

Fitness wise he was up to it for the good 70 minutes he played but more importantly I was impressed with the way he used his body, he wasn’t bullied off the ball and even running with the ball he was intelligent with the way he puts his body in between himself and the ball.
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Yes he is quite a big unit and strong with it. He could rip up this league.
 
david-avfc said:
Just goes to show how bad it was under Bruce. We would never have put in a performance like that and certainly wouldn’t have scored 15 goals in 4 games. We have quality players, especially in attack and thankfully we have a manager who will try to play to their strengths which means goals and victories. The only disappointment is that had we beaten Forest in that crazy game we’d now be 5th.
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No real concern will soon be way above that position
 
danvilla2 said:
This also pissed me off with McLeish. I was in uproar when we signed him, not for the fact of who he managed but how he managed them and the level of ambition it showed. I’m pretty 99% of rational Villa fans didn’t want McLeish for the dross he played, the fact he took the scum down the season before IIRC made it a terrible move and the reason some were jumping on the gates. He could’ve managed West Ham who also went down that season and we would’ve still been up in arms about his appointment.

Also, QPR are playing some much better stuff with Maclaren than Holloway ever did. Fuck off Holloway
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McLeish even managed to achieve a 3rd place in the two horse race that is SPL
 
Bruce to be fair did have an eye for a good signing. But then he was incapable of making good use of them. No tactics, no game plan, what organisation there was was limited, no evidence of real coaching. Even the Championship is now way too good for his approach, let alone the PL.
 
david-avfc said:
Just goes to show how bad it was under Bruce. We would never have put in a performance like that and certainly wouldn’t have scored 15 goals in 4 games. We have quality players, especially in attack and thankfully we have a manager who will try to play to their strengths which means goals and victories. The only disappointment is that had we beaten Forest in that crazy game we’d now be 5th.
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???????
 
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