Bazmonkey

If we are going have crossing as our only attacking threat this season then we really need to work on it Shocking

When they play 5 and we play 3 its bound to happen

Totally agree with all this......I also mentioned similar points during the season...the midfield dropping to the edge of the box caused no end of problems as stated by you. In terms of 'packing the midfield' i mean an extra bod, too many times there massive gaps between the defence and attack...especially if we had wingers who tended to be just wingers......almost a 5 5 formation at times...another bod in the middle might have given us an option of linking the two better rather than going long or out to wings which inevitably didn't always work...making a 20 yard pass rather than a 50 yard long ball. Definitely need a plan B, hopefully with better players we can play in one or two formations depending on the game...but then we also need Smith to recognise this early on if its not working.

Midfield was definitely a problem last season both defensively and attacking. Yes the injury didn't help with Mcginn….Douglas settling in...the main issue was only playing three in a league where most teams play 5. As much as the quality wasn't there......it was mainly down to bad management not packing the midfield. If going on rumours: Martinez Cash Konsa Mings New LB Douglas McGinn ???? Grealish Rashica Watkins That just leave someone on the right and new LB, I'd say that's not a bad team on paper, support in defence....support in attack

I admire your optimism...but the recruitment or lack of has been a shambles. Ive read things on here....so and so havent brought anyone....so and so have only brought youth players. I'm sorry but the so and so's are not aston villa who only survived by the skin of their teeth and a faulty watch. I work for a league 2 team I can tell you even in this league we have people...scouts looking at signings for next summer...players to keep an eye out for so to say its a short window...teams are not sure who...what player... is a load of rubbish. Villa at lockdown would have had a list of players for 1...staying up....2....staying down....conversations happen all season...not just the transfer window. Business should have started the moment the final whistle blew at West ham. Now....either we don't know who we want....which is a concern....2...we don't have the money to buy who we want....again...a concern....or 3....players we do want dont want to come...which is....a concern. Until villa start showing the footballing fraternity it wants to compete then its going to be another long season. Players know players...players talk to players....from the outside villa look.like a team wanting to buy lower league players and hope they become good....its a bad business model...especially for some of the prices quoted. Until villa shop at 'waitrose' and buy the type of player to move forward but importantly show other players...hang on...they look like a team going places then its just not going to happen. The team last year was relegation foder no matter which you look at it...to have only got in a RB which is slight improvement on what we have in 4 or 5 weeks since the end is a massive concern....and we have no chance of getting better than 17th next season. I hope it changes quickly but I can't see it

Thing is...does it bother me about Wilson turning us down....no not really. But when you hear its because he favour a move to Newcastle then you start to ask questions why. Ambition....money.....players looking at. If honest....and I know most if not all ITK rubbish....but finishing 17th and looking at championship players isn't exactly appealing is it.

There is a difference of playing in the prem and being prem quality. As someone has said this team stayed up by the skin of their teeth and most of the good stuff came from grealish so without him...we would be in the championship. Could the Gilbert's konsa's samatta' be prem quality...possibly but they are not now....luiz struggled for 30 odd games so he is another possible one. Targett is a sqaud player at best...poor defensively...alot of danger came from him being out of position so I would replace them But like i say...these players need better players to learn from...otherwise we will be in the same position next season.

I'm all for getting good talent from the championship and Scottish leagues. However it is not a strong business model to use if you want a team that can mix it in the prem. Last season was all about staying up...job done...right...time to move on. Deep down...apart from Grealish Mcginn and Mings the rest a championship at best...now you buy championship you get championship. Yes...many players from the championship have come up and made the grade but look why...they have all gone in to a team with prem or top league experience...they learn from these players. Let's look at cash for example...do you think Gilbert or elmo are going to teach him anything....Watkins....from trez or el ghazi...no...they will have to learn as they go and thats a dangerous game...like last year. Yes...throwing big money might not work but throwing big money on championship players hoping they can be premier players is a higher risk. Would I take benrahma wakins cash...yes I would but not for those prices and as starters...maybe benrahma but i guess the rest is only slightly better than what we have...again that's risky and not really showing ambition. If the board are really wanting to be near the top then at some point they need to show it...a big player will show the intent....build it and they will come....maybe a big name isn't coming because they know who we are looking at? Players are out there, I hope the window turns good but at the moment I'm sitting on the fence based on who we have been linked with. UTV

Matt cash notts going to Southampton for 12m...good right back

I the problems with our recruitment have been discussed before....buy cheap...get lower standard of player. We definitely need to change that now we stayed up. I think the problem we have with the players we have is they are too ridged in their skills and positions. Lets use Hourihane and el ghazi as prime examples...one is an winger who cant play more centrally and the other is a midfielder who struggles if forced wide. The good players in the premiership can all play in any area of the pitch...not position...but area of pitch and have a skill and tactical awareness that's shows that. IMO we need almost at least 8 first team players to do better than this season and get rid of those that are just not good enough. The priority is definitely a Striker, box to box midfielder with a bit of weight, Centre Half, Left Back and winger. That's five players min.....100 mil plus. That's of course if we keep Grealish, McGinn, Mings and Heaton

In an ideal world...we keep grealish, Heaton and luiz get in Benrahma Abraham Cantwell...for legs LB CB Maybe a lallana...looking for team But importantly we need a strong team...no 8 mil players....20.30 mil

I said it a while back...hes got three years left. If the club sell him where they want to go...who they are getting in...i think he will give it one more season.

Watching the Everton game...all over bournemouth but lacking quality in final third...but bournemouthooking to counter attack...definitely another goal in this game

Players buy in to the ethos of the club and where it wants to go. Grealish will know who the board are looking at if we stay up and if we go down. All players want assurances of if, when, what, happens throughout the season, plus players all talk to each these days. I do believe he is already gone...where....Utd or City....but part of me believes that if we do stay up....and invest in the 'right players'...gets sold the plans by the board and importantly the manager.....he may stay for one more season...then leave next year....bit like Barry did.

Targett will just get off the pitch.....offering nothing

Target allowing the winger the freedom of Witton Lane...ffs

Add we defend to deep...yet somehow get walked through. 10 players in the box.....no one on the edge Cant pass No movement I could go on....just shit all round

Due to recent times i would rather see the board go big on a manager with proven qualities over an overpriced championship player who 'might' be good...sometimes you have to spend big to get big. That in its self is worth a couple of points as a proven manager would not have made the basic mistakes Smith has. Like others...as a person...great...getting up...great...and he will part of that success...but sometimes you got to know where you are at and where you want to go and unfortunately Smith wont take us there.

Agreed...I would ask what Targett was doing sitting next to Mings when the cross came in.....having said that he has done it all season.....poor positional sense and awareness.

Did his usual thing....stand within inches of Mings....never know anyone with such poor defensive positioning

Why don't sheff utd have better players. I keep hearing we have better players than Sheffield utd...watford...bournemouth What are we basing this on?

like Wesley and the hammering he gets. Do we create loads of chances for him...no Does he get protection and support from midefield….no Does he have to deal with long balls and 100 mph balls played in to him....yes Is he always surrounded by 2..maybe 3 defenders.....yes. I'd say the issue with the team around him. If we were creating sitters for him every game and he misses them...then fine...he is poor....but lets look at how we play first before we say he's poor

I was in the Holte when this happened....been watching villa for 35 years...these three years were some of the good times...the place was buzzing.....Young...Barry.....Carew....Melberg...i could go on...... Who would know it would end so badly at the start of the following season and 10 years on>

Mings will go...despite being a risk at times he is left footed and teams will look at that over the mistakes he has made this season

Durham as much as he can be a right tool at times is bang on...we never press...always retreat...allow the opposition to sroll through the middle of the pitch....centre halfs always on 6 yard line...there were 9 villa players in the box when liverpool scored...you look at most of our goals conceeded....this happens most...if not all of the time. Bang on....smith has not addressed this all season