Woody1000

It seems that Dean Smith is here to stay. Championship here we come. We give the ball away too often, we concede too many chances, and we lack aggression. Those are the 3 fundamental reasons we find ourselves where we are. The team is not good enough, that’s obvious to see but we are not even competitive, and it’s been getting worse game by game.

He’s a big Villa fan. Can’t argue about the sexism though

I think it’s the big issue of Liverpool being so far clear at the top and ending a 30 year wait for a title that is preventing the season from being thrown out. Personally, I think the season should be postponed until it can be safe for BOTH players and fans, however long it takes to get to that stage. Selfishly as a villa supporter I don’t want our crucial games to be played behind closed doors, those are the sorts of games that the fans help win, but I also wouldn’t feel right with us getting a complete reprieve.

While he is a MASSIVE p****, Dwight Yorke was absolutely fantastic. A complete pleasure to watch. Almost exactly what we see Super Jack do on a regular basis now, but with more goals.

Seriously, anyone who thinks that we will be a better ‘team’ without Grealish is an idiot. Simple as that.

We need a change of formation ASAP. The problem is that the 3 at the back becomes a 5, and then the 2 man midfield just constantly gets overrun. It results in us conceding close to 20 chances every single game, and that ladies and gentlemen is why we don’t win enough games, and find ourselves 17th in the league. Also factor in that we are too easy for teams to work out due to the fact we set up the same for pretty much every match. We were 4-3-3 at the start of the season and it’s been 3-4-3 since Burnley away on NYD (5-2-3). I feel DS needs to mix it up a bit, or it’s starting to look bleak.

It’s all perspective. Take the Watford game for example, I was angry at DS for starting Drinkwater over Luiz and felt by him coming on and helping us come back to win the game that I was ‘right’. Others applauded DS for making the substitution that helped change the game, while I felt he got himself out of the s***. Part of the problem with the game today is that facts and stats can be spun to suit whatever arguments you want to make - while it is factually correct that Drinkwater started those 2 games which we collected 4 points from, as you rightly pointed out he was substituted from both matches with us in losing positions.

And you’re saying that the blame is on JT? As far as I can see he gets on well with the team and there’s never any attention seeking on his part to undermine DS. How anyone can be targeting our Assistant, I’ll never know.

I’m sure Pep is absolutely terrified at the prospect of McGinn coming off the bench in the Carabao Cup final.........

I thought that when I saw the deal was practically done.

Has he? Better not tell Norway about that

The winning streak last season was great, getting promoted last season (ahead of schedule) was great, one game away from a cup final is great. I agree on all those things. My concern is our league form this season. Currently above the target position for the season? How? What is our target? I’ve never heard anyone from the club come out and say that 17th is the target. I was stating that I have concerns, I don’t think what I said is ridiculous at all. I honestly cannot count 5 good performances from this season, I’m not talking results, I’m talking performance with a style and quality. What is our footballing identity this season? All IMO of course. Maybe I should just stick to coming on here and read other people’s opinions, it seems wrong to voice your own if the majority don’t agree.

Still not convinced about Smith. I like the guy, probably more than every manager we have had in my time as a supporter (I’m 38), but I worry that he is out of his depth. I just feel that he is abandoning his principles as a coach, and starting with the same team last night that produced the awful first 45 mins against Brighton. I worry that the job is possibly too big for him. Perhaps I’m being too hard on him when he’s having to deal with injuries and a squad that on the whole is clearly not up to task, I’m more worried and concerned rather than angry with him. I really hope I am wrong, and that this is a period that we will look back on as a time that the hierarchy did the right thing by holding their nerve.

It’s time to go.

Looked good mate, we have an extra player when we attack with him in the side

Must win tomorrow, not an easy game by any means but a side we need to be defeating in our home games to have a good chance of staying up.

Assuming Benrahma is pretty much a done thing, I would only be open to any more signings as long as they are significantly adding to what we have already. I know we’ve all been sick of the ‘Fulham’ comparison, but just buying squad players now for the sake of it just seems daft to me.

Pleased with the result, but felt we looked a bit off the pace for long spells. Trying to be optimistic, I’ll put it down to players bedding in etc. Heaton will win us at least 10 points on his own this season, that save from the header was outstanding.

Is he locked in Delphinho123’s basement ala Julie B until the morning?

I know the way that Delph left the club left a bitter taste, but let’s not try and re-write history and try and make out that Delph was some clogger - he was quality for 2 seasons at least! There’s a reason that Man City came in for him, and in our side we had then it wasn’t to weaken us!! As for Jack, he just continues to exceed and exceed mine and I think everyone’s expectations. I honestly believe he could play for ANY club, he’s that good. I really think we need to enjoy this season with him because unfortunately I think it could be his last in a Villa shirt as this lad is good enough to be winning the big trophies.

Collar on the home? Well that’s saved me £60 Don’t know why, but I hate collars on football shirts

Is it just where I cannot get my head around modern transfer fees, or can we seriously not buy a better DM from the continent for £30m?

This is it, it’s nearly here...... I believe, without a shadow of a doubt, that this is the game that sends the message out that we are ready to take our place back in the Premier League. DS will set us up to play positive, but sensible football and I can see us winning comfortably tomorrow night. I believe he will start with Hourihane with Whelan to come on and see out the last 15 minutes.

I might be getting carried away, but I’m convinced that he’s taking us up THIS year. We are far from perfect, and I know the defence is leaky to say the least, but we’ve got so many goal threats all over the pitch and on the bench, and he seems to have found the way to tap into that very early doors. I’m so pleased for him, he deserves this!

I’m really excited about what Dean and ROK can bring to the team. If I’m really honest, I’m not that worried about promotion this season as I feel reassured that for once we seem to actually have a plan, and seem to be getting the right people in place from top to bottom. I have a feeling that a lot of under-utilised players like Lansbury, and Bree are going to flourish under DS, as well as boys like Hepburn-Murphy and O’Hare, which gives us some real options. There is the obvious history with Scott Hogan too, if he can get him firing then a trio of Abraham, Kodjia and Hogan all firing is the strongest in the division for me. People talk of our defensive woes, but for me a back 4 of Hutton, Chester, Tuanzebe and Taylor should be enough to get us through to January where we can reassess our options, I hope we don’t continue trying to put square pegs into round holes playing players out of position, especially at the back. The defence doesn’t overly concern me, especially if we start approaching more games on the front foot under Smith, which I’m assuming it is hoped he would bring. I think given time Nyland will be a capable GK, he’s still settling in to life in England, and has come in at a difficult time. I just have a really positive feeling about everything that we’ve done in the last couple of months, the last month especially! Finally, things are looking up!!