Heretic

1 minute ago, Rob182 said:

I can’t have watched the same game as you. In the first 20 minutes, they were all over us, and I genuinely started to think that maybe us sitting back, defending and trying to nick a goal was the only way we’d win.

 

Even in the second half when they made 2 changes and threw one of the centre backs upfront, they were still playing well and could have easily got back into it if they made it 2-1. 

 

This win was more down to our good play, than their bad, in my opinion.

We must have been watching different games. Do you think we sneaked a 5-0 win?

I thought they played alright here and there, but they just weren't consistent at it. Everything they did added up to nothing much. And nothing much = poor.

Do you think Sam Johnstone was worried tonight? I doubt it. He won't have had many easier games this season.

I agree our better play won it, but nobody comes off a pitch having lost 5-0 and says, 'you know, we played well there.'

Didn't just play well but played like the game was his to own. Great performance and great attitude. It's just too infrequent right now.

Just now, Fowlersrs said:

Dont play it down, this is a promotion rival. At worst there top half table team. We dismantled them today. Credit where its due...

They were poor, don't deny it. They looked tired, yet played their last game at roughly the same time as Villa.

They spent most of their time on the back foot and created very little.

It should be said that Bristol City were poor today. They offered barely anything. They were there for the taking early on.

I'm not going to praise SB for doing what should have been done before - push on more, take the game to some of these sides, especially at home.

Tonight showed what happened when some creativity was unleashed with a positive, go-forward attitude.

Oh, and we do look better with Whelan out of the team.

YESSSS!!! It's TWO!

2 hours ago, hippo said:

Can't believe the love for Dean Smith - who has the players brought for him at Brentford , and more part of a management team - they sit 4 points below us , and have conceded 32 goals - hell as poor as we were the other night we even scored one !  

We've spent more in the Championship than Brentford have in their history.

If we adjusted budgets to compare, we'd probably be a League Two side given how poor the decisions have been. We've bought our way out of major trouble.

That isn't to say Dean Smith isn't the right man, but too many on here compare the clubs and don't factor the budgets.

Given our financial muscle compared to others, the club's performance is frankly embarrassing. Other clubs' fans would skip for joy at the prospect of spending like we have. We're a giant club in this division and way behind Bristol City.

£5m to many clubs in this division is a massive sum. It's Burton's turnover. Look at the players we've got costing that (or would cost that if we hadn't got them close to contract expiry, e.g. Hourihane).

Again, maybe Dean Smith isn't the guy. But comparatively, he's doing a much better job than Steve Bruce - as are many managers in this division.

Just now, Brumstopdogs said:

Haha, knew that was coming...

And there he is, with the new manager's signing on fee.

10 minutes ago, Vive_La_Villa said:

See I fear the opposite. New man comes in and we are just as bad if not worse. It soon becomes clear the players are either past it or just not as good as the hype around them and the new manager has to complete change things. 

Fortune favours the brave, as Virgil once said.

1 minute ago, NurembergVillan said:

Time to see if he'd make a good manager?

Curiously, I just read an article online somewhere about Stevie G.

He was saying that the MK Dons job came up and he was happy he turned it down. He said there's much to being a manager that you don't understand as just a player and he's glad he can spend time coaching in Liverpool's youth. He stated he truly realises now that he wasn't ready.

He said Klopp told him to spend 2 years doing that to understand management and see if it was a career he wanted.

So in a word, no.

Just now, Fairy In Boots said:

Third time lucky? 

Seriously the lack of stand out candidates is why we’ve not acted sooner surely, this has been obvious since last feb when it quickly became apparent his attitude towards new players was “work it out yourselves lads” 

I wish (hope).

I'm not sure it's the lack of candidates. From the comments of Wyness and judging by the previous appointment, the board strongly favour candidates who've gained promotion before and to SB's credit, he has got massive experience in this division.

I think there's a lot of belief in him and they haven't been very interested in looking around.

When Bruce did his press conference this week with a child and introduced him as his assistant, turns out he wasn't joking.

1 shot on target to Millwall's 7.

This is awful.

1 minute ago, Demitri_C said:

Thanks for ruining my bday villA you hopeless clowns

Happy birthday, Dem!

(Well, if you can forget the game...)

Giving Leeds tactics back to them. Keeping the ball, pushing forward.

1 minute ago, Michelsen said:

Nah, I don’t see it. They are very beatable. 

They've been good tonight. They know Villa often have less possession and they've capitalised by pushing forward, pressing high and forcing us to put the ball out. We've conceded from a corner and frustration at their possession has led to two of our creative players being booked.

They understand how to play us.

Does SB know how to respond?

Leeds have been very good. Full of energy with ideas in the final third. Worth the lead.

Give Leeds credit. They've worked out the best way to play and it's paying off.

Albert has created or scored 27 in 52 Villa games.

Adama has created or scored 4/42 for Middlesbrough.

Wow.

The black gentleman was called 'Slick' when he worked in the WWF (wrestling).

Just now, lexicon said:

I'm 31 and I've no idea what this 'slick Villa play' you're on about is 

It's in the future. Believe.

We're nothing if not optimists. You need to be to support Villa.

I'll watch the slick Villa play when we're in the PL.

I don't care what type of football Villa play to get out of this division, as long as they get out of it.

Sorry if this has been posted elsewhere. I couldn't find it.  It's an article where Tom Fox talks about his time at Villa.

Quote

 

In August 2014, Arsenal’s chief commercial officer Tom Fox made the somewhat surprising decision to walk out of The Emirates for a job at Aston Villa. Taking up a role as the club’s chief executive, he immediately pledged to “restore the club to its rightful place in the Premier League”.

19-months later he had resigned from his £1.25m a year job, citing a change in his role after a board restructuring at Villa Park for his decision. Sources at the club however claimed his position had become “untenable”, following a disastrous £55m summer recruitment drive and open revolt from supporters, who unfurled banners on the Holte End demanding he quit.

For many, Fox was among the Villain’s chief villains. He appointed much-maligned recruitment pair Hendrik Almstadt and Paddy Riley. He presided over a summer spending spree of unsuited young European incomings, which caused Tim Sherwood to launch his toys from the pram. And he hired Remi Garde to replace Sherwood. The Frenchman won just two of 20 Premier League games.

 

More on link

Just now, Demitri_C said:

It's the way you type 'em, Dem...