Steve Bruce: Aston Villa must focus on basics
Steve Bruce admits Villa must start getting the basics right if they are to halt the slump which threatens to drag them into a relegation battle.
The boss concedes his team have made too many mistakes during a rotten run of seven defeats in eight games which has seen them slide to 16th in the Championship, just seven points above the bottom three.
Villa have let in 11 goals – almost a third of their total conceded all season in the league – over the last five games, while also struggling to convert chances of their own.
Bruce, who is expected to again make changes to his starting XI for Monday night's trip to leaders Newcastle, said: "I feel for the players at the minute. They are bright to start with but collectively and individually, when you are up against it, then you have to do the basics better than we are.
"We make too many mistakes, we get caught up in it. Then the mentality thing kicks in."
Back-to-back home defeats to Ipswich and Barnsley have left Bruce under the most scrutiny since he replaced Roberto Di Matteo in October.
Asked if he feared getting dragged into a relegation battle, he replied: "I think we have to be worried about how we are performing at the moment. We can't score a goal no matter what formation we play."
Bruce made large-scale changes to his squad during the January transfer window, bringing in eight new players while the same number departed. And while it has not yet had the desired impact, he remains convinced it will pay off.
"For the sake of the club, I thought it was the right thing to do," said Bruce. "I didn't envisage too much change but I know for the sake of the club things will get better."
