skell

1 hour ago, Khizzy said:

Can't help but think that if Trez was on the end of that cross that El Ghazi missed, he would have probably scored it, given his record of nicking goals at the far post.

Samatta and El Ghazi are both atrocious top flight footballers - El Ghazi might do a job for us next season but Samatta can do one, he's awful. In fact, let's get rid of all the crap that we purchased from the Belgian league - Wesley is no Benteke and Nakamba is rubbish as well.

I think we've made it very hard for ourselves now to stay up.

Samatta. I actually think he could.do ok. He.needs to get up to speed and have decent wingers

1 hour ago, Lerner's Driver said:

The only thing more certain than that Everton equaliser is Donald Trump lying again tomorrow.

We need to go down to put an end to the illusion that these players are good enough to be in this league.

The midfield play was actually pretty decent, but we are weak at the back. Another pathetic result.

Smith out irrespective of if we stay up.

About 8 of the 11 could.survive easily.in this division. Unfortunately we dont have a winger or striker who is above championship level. That is absolutely not on Smith. We need to stick with Smith irrespective if we.go.down

1 hour ago, Davkaus said:

Load of **** dogshit. 

Luis was good again. 

People waxing lyrical about how well we did would do well to remember that we had 1 shot on target, against an absolutely dire Everton. 

We had plenty of opportunities.  We played well unfortunately we didnt buy a decent winger or striker. Something to take into the next game....think positive 

3 hours ago, Ouchmefoot said:

if we beat everton I guess we want a draw from them. Or a Watford win to set up a winner takes all against west ham on the last day? 

I'd rather play A West Ham team who are safe and dont  care about the result and have Watford who will be on 34 points  playing Arsenal, and us on 33 or 34 or 36 needing to equal or better their result. 

I was just thinking about this. Surely we want a West Ham win, Watford are likely to lose the other 2 games which means we play West Ham who are thinking about their holidays! 

Just now, rbcuk said:

Think we all know one sub will be el ghazi for trezeguet that’s every game that sub is or vice versa

Davis and Elghazi or Nakamba will be in because there are no other.options

17 minutes ago, Blasterpocket68 said:

Trez is the man Smith im not to blame tracked all over Europe scouting him !!

Despite his goal he is still not.good and Smith wanted Benrahma. Trez was a late.buy because there was noone else

15 minutes ago, sidcow said:

I really cannot fathom starting Trezeguet over Elghazi. 

Elghazi is an utterly rubbish footballer at this level, but at least he looks like a footballer instead of the Kit Man being allowed a game. 

If Trezeguet has EVER looked even remotely like he can play its been when comming off the bench. 

Personally I would drop both but if you are going to play one regardless it is surely Elghazi? 

I honestly dont think it matters.  You could argue trez works harder and is better for 60 minutes and el ghazi has more tricks up his sleeve so could have more quality when things open up!

19 minutes ago, DCJonah said:

What's random about a midfield three of luiz, mcginn and hourihane?

Nothing random at all. Given the options on the bench I'd say the line up was well chosen

19 minutes ago, DCJonah said:

What's random about a midfield three of luiz, mcginn and hourihane?

Nothing random at all. Given the options on the bench I'd say the line up was well chosen

18 minutes ago, MrBlack said:

I suggested that keeping one or two of the old guard from last season would have been sensible  for stability, experience and emergency backup but the argument against it was that we've tried it in the past and they just end up being a waste of money.  Most were against it as I recall.

This is one of those things that is probably clearer in hindsight,  but at the time it wasn't so clear and largely considered the right thing to do. Who's to say that we would be any better anyway. I'm beginning to think it was always mission impossible, thanks in a large part to FFP rules. At least with FFP rules we haven't gone bust doing what we did if we go down. Imagine going down and having spent another 100 mill. 

None of the old.guard were worth keeping. They would have been murdered in the premier league.

When did all this Smith out start? I am bemused by it. Surely people can see the limitations in the squad bought for him.

I also hear a lot of.people saying he shouldn't do that or play him without offering an alternative suggestion. His tactics are fine for me. The problem is the players.

2 hours ago, kurtsimonw said:

Dogshit performance overall. 

Smith getting it wrong far too regular IMO. 

Reina made the result flattering, could've easily been 7 or 8.

What exactly did he get wrong?

24 minutes ago, imavillan said:

I do, once again he's played the wrong team

What's your right team ?

Just now, Newry_Villan said:

Team selection spot on. 

How are they playing is it  5 32  with trez and el ghazi up top

I went to the game today.

Positives:

Mings back and did  excellent.

Hause was also excellent ,  its.important to recognise that we are poor at defending crosses but with hause and mings in we were much better.

Grealish is world class. Best player on the pitch by far.

Wesley did well

Trez did well. He needs to start as he offers a bit of pace and support to wes.

Burnley dont mix it up much and dean smith got it spot on with 3 centre halves

Hopefully fans will realise Kodja needs to go. Play anyone up front apart from him!

Negatives :

we just dont stop crosses coming in. Must do better

kodja

injuries

we need pace.iff the bench

52 minutes ago, MadridVilla said:

Well, an away win again at last, and 3 points is the best way to start a new year. 
I thought the 3 centre backs made a real difference to the way we played and suited playing against Burnley. Taylor and Guilbert had more room to get forwards and we were afforded more safety at the back.

First half Villa were as good as Burnley were poor, and it was very one-sided. 2 really well taken goals and one awful, inexcusable VAR decision. There is no way that is clear and obviously offside, and we’ve gained no advantage from it whatsoever especially as Wesley didn’t even score the goal. 

Second half Villa dropped off in intensity and Burnley were much improved. We are still conceding far too many shots and on another day Burnley would’ve taken their chances. 

Both injuries killed Villa’s momentum and I don’t think the players wanted to be on the pitch after seeing a serious injury to not one but two players. Credit to them for holding on and staying focused enough to see the game out in the end. 
 

Good performances today from Grealish especially, also Luiz, Mings and Hause were particularly strong in my eyes. Wesley worked incredibly hard and was looking confident after his goal. Not sure about Trez today, he seemed a little lost up front. 

It may be 3 points but I think those injuries leave us in a lot of trouble - we absolutely need another striker now that Wesley will likely be out for a while. Kodjia does not look like he wants to be there and we can’t rely on him and Davis alone. 
 

Final word goes to Dean Smith who got the tactics right today. He had his hands tied with subs but he got it right today under pressure. 

Absolutely spot on. 5 at the  back is not the answer against all teams. Never want to see.kodja in a villa shirt again

3 minutes ago, tinker said:

We not going to get premier League players like that in Jan, we need to look at the championship for players who offer those qualities . 

2 minutes ago, Made In Aston said:

The players are good enough for this league but not sure I can say the same about Smith. His lack of tactical flexibility, including a plan B and the over rotation of the defence (particularly at CB) has caused this slump. We were going toe to toe with the likes of  Liverpool and Arsenal earlier in the season, so I know we have it in us to perform. Need to freshen up the coaching staff with a change of direction and leadership. 

I just think we need to go back to basics. Wingers with jack in the middle as we did at the start of the season. Hopefully a couple of january additions . Although in response to your post haven't most CB changes been made because of injury and a need for a right and left foot combination

1 minute ago, tinker said:

We not going to get premier League players like that in Jan, we need to look at the championship for players who offer those qualities . 

Maybe , but now is also the time to replace wesley and offer an alternative to Trez and elghazi. Either way it wont be easy. I honestly think were a good winger and striker away from being a top half side. Fingers crossed

7 minutes ago, VillaFaninLondon said:

As much as I hate the way the PL has gone, I still think Villa should be a part of it and for that reason I no longer want Smith in charge. I don't believe he is a PL manager or ever will be, and if we want to not only survive but move forward in this league I know he is not going to be the man to achieve that.

 

Could another manager keep us up? I think yes. Our football would be drab possibly, we'd need to bring in some players in January (possibly loan to buys), but I think another manager could keep this squad of players up. I don't know for sure because it looks like the players are lost and have given up, but a new manager could give them the kick up the arse they need. We might actually have some kind of style of play with a new manager, at the moment I don't even know what our objective is. 

 

A few weeks ago after we beat Newcastle and drew with Man U we looked good enough for this league. Players were competing and showing fight, we still looked short of quality in areas and defensively we've been poor all season but at least going forward we were taking the game to teams. We've lost all that now and I can't see Smith getting it back - particularly when these were supposed to be the games we won. 

 

I just think a change of manager is our only hope, it might not work but virtually every other club in the league would have sacked Smith if they were playing like we are now.

Fair points raised. Either way let's hope we see improved results and new signings  soon.

13 minutes ago, tinker said:

In isolation they could be good players and will leave us and probable flourish, the Premier league and Europe is littered with ex villa rejects who have turned out to be not so bad after all. But when they were all stuck in at the deep end under the pressure a club of villa's stature brings it normally end In poor performances. 

Douglas, Wes and Trez have promise but the Premier League is no place for promise, its either hard work and a strong heart or pure talent. How many of our players have any experience of Premier league football? 2

Yes. Agree completely. The first thing we should have done was buy a strong athletic nononsense ball winning midfielder and a similar big cente half with premier league experience

13 minutes ago, VillaFaninLondon said:

I don't know who wanted who, I blame Suso too, but Smith was singing Suso's praises in pre-season. It's not just Smith, it's the whole coaching staff who are failing because our team doesn't look fit enough, strong enough defensively, technical etc. But Smith is organising the team on matchday and responsible for the tactics, which are quite frankly awful every game. So even if you excuse him for the signings, and we don't know who to blame for which ones, you still cannot defend him for the performances of the team on matchday.

 

 

I get the point you are making but delph instead of nakamba, Cahill for Engels, anyone for wesley and it would have been so so different. The point you make about not being strong enough or technical enough is down to the signings not the coaching.

I completely accept that performances haven't been good enough and Smith of course bears responsibility but the question is could another.manger do better.  For me I would stick with Smith this season and next regardless. 

16 minutes ago, TRO said:

who paid 14 mill for targett?

Targets not a bad player. Not great but not bad. Buying unproven players from foreign leagues seems to be the problem 

54 minutes ago, VillaFaninLondon said:

Smith failed to get results from so-called 'tougher' games but now it's clear as daylight he can't inspire wins against teams in and around us either. I've felt for weeks he's out of his depth, in fact even when we were above the relegation zone I wasn't confident he was good enough when we gave teams like Brighton and Norwich 20+ shots against us. He's not adaptable, players have gone backwards under him, he places misguided faith in his £22m striker who was clearly a waste of money, he doesn't seem to have any tactics based on opposition but plays the same system every game. We are stuck in a rut like we were last season when Grealish was out, only this time we're at the bottom in a tougher league and don't have time to turn things around. 

 

The fact Smith has squandered £140m on the squad to be this poor tells me he doesn't deserve any more money to throw around and we have to change the manager, as well as the coaching team who clearly aren't good enough. As one poster said, yes we're not packed with individual quality but we should be doing better than we are and certainly shouldn't be losing games like today, particularly against 10 men. It's time for Smith to go, he'll find another job at a Championship club as that is his level, we need to go for someone who can keep us up. It's between Rafa and Fat Sam for me, both wouldn't play a nice style and it won't be pretty but they'll toughen the side up and might do enough to keep us up. We'll need to back them in January as best we can too. It's our only hope now I think. 

What makes you think he squandered the money!  I suspect Smith bought Konsa. Mings. El Ghazi and Suso definitely initiated wesley, marvelous, Luiz and Engels. 

Smith also wanted maupay and benrahema. If all the above is true why blame Smith?

2 minutes ago, brummybloke said:

Players who have run out of excuses

Wesley. Gutless slow lazy weak and they are his strong points.

Louiz. See the above

Get rid of both. The 2 crappest so called Brazilian footballers I ever did see.

Elmo the shepherd, cant tackle just stands off back passes to the other team and no bottle.

2 of those 3 have been regular disgraced in our short this season, elmo well he never tackles or fights for a 50/50.

Make no mistake, if we carry these saps any longer we are down.

Heaton 5, spilled shots and doesnf look confident

Elmo 3, cause of half the defensive mistakes today and most games he plays. Refuses to go forwards and dlows us down

Konsa 6 tried but when given suicide passes by louiz and Elmo all game it's going to get to you

Hause 6 only one to tackle or head

Targett 5 overlaps never returned leaving him upfield time after time

Louiz 0 yet again, nothing but misplaced passes putting us in trouble, misplaced passes breaking down any attack, no heading ability just shoves and gives away fouls, including the most stupid penalty I've seen in a long time.

Lansbury,4 ineffective less wasteful than louiz but heaton probably had a better pas rate

CH 5 he plays and has to drop deep, his least effective position 

JG 6 cuts a frustrated figure when he cant rely on basics like his team mates challenging or passing

Wes 0 get that heap of rubbish off the bloody pitch, seriously he is as much use as a dead jellyfish 

Jota 2 did he even play? Mind you he was better than other so called Brazilian.

 

Smith either dump the dross to the bench or lose your job.

 

Look forward to the louiz is great posts and wes is a young player posts, the excuses will come from the same people.

 

2 players in the spine of the team, both gutless lazy and showing that you can get crap brasil players. Both repeatedly give the ball away and break down any decent moves.

No fight, no skill, no desire just lazy coward shoulder turning for headers and tackles.

Embarrassing.

 

As I mentioned in another thread, if you play elmo to tighten things up you must put fred infront of him to do the right midfield role so at least one person in the middle will tackle and head the ball and show a glint of desire.

Play Elmo and anyone else, prepare for more of the shit show we've been served.

Voted kodja man of the match yet again does more than that useless lump wes in 20 minutes , pulls out wide and gets involved, doesnt just stand there like the slow kid who was always picked last in the school playground as he hadnt a clue how to play football.

Agree with most of what you have said but not with Luiz. We need to start with Guilbert trez and el ghazi or a new winger to give Jack a chance in the middle and give him an outlet.  

Lansbury. Wesley. Elmo. Hourihane.jota  all deserve to be benched