Steve Bruce frustrated following Aston Villa stalemate
Frustrated boss Steve Bruce bemoaned Villa’s failure to take their chances after they were held to an opening day draw by Hull.
Gabriel Agbonlahor gave Bruce’s men the perfect start when he fired them in front inside seven minutes at Villa Park.
But despite dominating the opening period, the hosts were unable extend the advantage and paid the price when Jarrod Bowen levelled for the Tigers just past the hour mark.
Substitute Andre Green then missed a glorious chance to win it when he somehow missed the target from two yards out.
Bruce said: “There has been an achilles heel since I’ve been here. We’ve created enough chances, especially first half. We had two one-on-ones before we scored.
“We had a wonderful start but we didn't have the same intensity in the second half. Our achilles heel is not taking the chances and we’ve been punished.
“That little bit of quality from the boy (Kamil) Grosicki, he’s stood the cross up and with their main chance of the game they’ve stuck it away.
“Let’s not forget Hull were in the Premier League last year and we were close to blowing them away in the first half.”
Bowen’s goal was the first in senior football for a player who Bruce signed for just £50,000 from Hereford when he was boss at Hull.
And he quipped: “I should have left him at Hereford. A good player for £50,000 or whatever it was. I’ll have a word with him when I go out.
“He was playing at Hereford in the man’s league when he was a young boy. He’s a good player.
“When we brought him in he was a youngster playing at Hereford doing really well.”
