M_Afro

We need to be totally ruthless here. If we can, we should sell AEG, Conor, Marvelous and Luiz. Hopefully that would raise somewhere between £40m and £50m. Buy 2 centre mids for about £60m. Maybe £15m for Cheick and £45m for another top midfield player from abroad. Also get Alvarez in as a bench option forward. Money in £40m to £50m. Money out £70m to £80m.

14 minutes ago, villalad21 said:

Strongly disagree.

Smith massively bottled it with the team selection.

El Ghazi out of position. Young out of position. Buendia out of position.

Was just a big mess and very odd.

Targett was awful because he was left totally exposed by a non existent midfield. That’s totally on the manager.

We need to play 4-3-3. Usual GK and back 4 (although you could make a strong case for Young at either full back). A front 3 of Bailey, Ollie and Buendia. A midfield three with two holders (still to be procured) and SJM playing as the link man. 
That leaves us a problem as Ings doesn’t get in but so be it. If we try and shoehorn people in we will continue to be rubbish.

That means we need to buy two centre mids. I would buy Cheick and a left sided version of him. We then have balance and a solid spine. It won’t happen and Smith will continue to show horn his favourite players in and it will ultimately lead to his demise.

23 minutes ago, May-Z said:

His hand was forced today with the starting line up so can't really grumble too much at what he selected.

However, there must be instructions for McGinn and Nakamba to go forward though...and for the high frequency of long balls forward. Those are things that we must absolutely sort out pronto because it meant we couldn't do anything to Watford today and will affect us badly in other games.

I don’t agree. If he had started a three with Bailey, Ings and Buendia and an extra man ((Ramsey I guess) in the middle of the park, we would have had a much better chance of getting a result. He messed up badly. He under estimated them and paid the price.

He did ok today off the bench. He also did well when he came on last weekend but if we are serious about progressing then he should be nowhere near the team this season. Whenever he starts he is poor. 

Every time I see his name on the team sheet, a part of me dies. Top bloke. Awful footballer.

6 minutes ago, macandally said:

First game of the season, just saying................

Shall we forget the whole of last season too?

28 minutes ago, Tom13 said:

I love him as a person, but I can't wait until he's not a regular in our midfield.

Totally agree with this. He is not good enough. 2 new £30m centre mids and we are top half. Without them it will be a bottom 6 battle all season.

We just got totally out played by the favourites for relegation. Therefore it is reasonable to start the thread in my view. We also looked really poor. It’s not like we were unlucky. The score flattered us to be fair.
I also have no faith in smith sorting out the midfield. He has not addressed it in any of his 3 years.

Finally stop starting AEG! He is nowhere near good enough.Any team with him in is in for a long hard season.

Nobody should expect anything else from him. He is ok when we are up against it but that’s it. 

Only bright spark today. Really good from him. Needs to start from now on.

I love Dean as a bloke and I really want him to be successful. I really do. Sadly I am certain he will get sacked by Christmas. He just keeps making the same mistakes time and again.

All of my non Villa supporting mates think he is a poor manager. They are not emotionally involved and they only see a poor level manager. I know this post will be unpopular but the facts are there for all to see. His record without Grealish is appalling. We lose loads and never create anything. Fact.

Just now, Denaldinho said:

It's the first game of the season - Seriously, people need to chill out today.  It's not like he is 30 but 24 years old and still learning how to deal with different types of players - This is a learning curve.

Has been poor since Christmas 

Should have started him ffs

He has gone back to being a championship defender. What’s happened to him ffs?

1 minute ago, the_eristic said:

Just go ahead and sign the outdated big dumb clogger of a DM that only kicks people. At least he'd stop us being walked through.

Nobody is suggesting that. Just someone who can read the game, win the ball back and carry it/pass it in a progressive manner. It’s been a weakness for years

He is doing nothing to suggest that he doesn’t know what he’s doing without Jack. We are in big trouble boys. 

His record without Jack is appalling. NSWE will not put up with it for long. 

Sort it out Dean. Great words earlier not backed up with any kind of performance. Been too common in our team without Girlish! 

Time for a bump! This needs sorting and very fast. Why can’t Dean see it?

9 minutes ago, lexicon said:

When he's on it, he's a real threat. With Buendia able to find players so easily in good positions, it might work out for him. 

I'd have much rather had JPB play, though.

Even when he scores his general play is not great. So many attacks break down with him losing possession. I don’t think he got any assists last season. I would also rather see JPB or maybe even Bailey 

It makes me sad that AEG is still starting games. Top bloke but a poor poor football player. Dean seems to have a real soft spot for him though.

Surely all of the smart money is on Ty. There are a lot of deserving candidates but he has always been our leader in my view. It’s great to have so many options though.

I wonder if he will be on the bench tomorrow?

2 minutes ago, roonst83 said:

I'd be very surprised. Wasn't training last week and didn't play on Sunday either. 

The fact that there has been silence gives hope. If he was definitely out I’m sure we would know by now. Fingers crossed