Bazmonkey

With my coaching hat of 20 years. Yes the defence does move across depending on where the ball is. Usually when the ball is on the right or left wings However Targett gets done for space when the ball is in the middle of the park, hence the put of the position and space the winger gets every game.

play him at centre half....spends most of his time there. Positional sense is shocking.....id love to play right wing against him. I was hoping when he signed he would do well but like most of the signings....rare moments of goodness.

Did I expect this season to be easy - No Did I expect us to be near the bottom of the table - Yes. However, what I didn't expect to see week in week out is the fundamental 'basic' football errors we spend 90 mins doing every game. The hit and hoof to nowhere, the long ball to Samatta, Wes, with three round him, the constant retreating, having 8 or 9 players in the box and still scoring, the basic formation....what is it, non of which have been addressed since game 1....its the players...its the management...both are simply not good enough for this level and most the championship. We can never string two passes together, we get the ball and the nearest player is in the car park, the opposition just walk to the edge of the box with ease, we have defenders behind the goal keeper when a cross comes in, we have midfielders on the 6 yard box, we press in one's, easy to play round, the lack of composure on the ball, playing 3 in the middle against 5 every week, the persistent selection of wingers who don't get on the ball and when they do are crap, village standard at best. Simply not good enough regardless or what other teams have and haven't done. We need to focus on ourselves and not use others as an excuse, we are where we are because other teams, players, managers are better.

I admire your optimism Steveo, but with my coaching hat on and claret glasses off, i cant see it, too many holes to fill both on and off the pitch.

Head is definitely else where. Before the lockdown he had a move and international place up for grabs. He's got one, the move, but obviously the England cant happen due to being moved but he will be looking at it, another year 'if' in the prem with this lot aint going to help him. As much has he is Villa through and through but once reality sets in, its hard to get out of it, he's carried the team too much and knows the writing is on the walls. Its a shame because we wont see another player like him for years and without him, we have no chance of coming straight back up.

The recruitment for years has been poor. Apart from a few loan signing the rest has been average at best and ultimately set the club back years. We have spent far too much money on far to many 'one for the future' players. I all for going down the leagues and finding a player which this applies for but you cannot do it for a whole team, especially in the premiership, its crazy. Who are these players to learn from, where is the experience. Then theres the 'experience players' the Elmo's...the Targett' of the world. Both of these players have come from teams that have been either lower premiership or fighting relegation for most of their careers. Its habitual, its muscle memory, how are these players all of sudden for years scrapping, booting the ball, defending poorly suddenly expected to move to us and change that philosophy, answer, it doesn't. Most of the squad is championship at best and not the top half. Its hard to comment of Wes and Samatta because lets face it the service and support from the rest of the team has been shocking, Harry Kane would struggle to get more than two goals in this team. The recruitment this summer was always going to hard but the board, manager, scouts have truly messed it up. we went down last time when a new tv deal kicked in a missed out, now that FFP is going to cancelled, ok, we didn't know that at the start but that's another one we will miss out on. The Jots, hause's did we we really need them, could we not have used that money on a Cahill, or an experience premiership player not playing as much, be stronger, i think we could have. It was a massive gamble with the players brought in to one play in the prem and two, stay in it. In addition, knowing that Grealish, our top asset was likely to go if we went down, they would have known that, and whey didn't factor that in. I keep reading we have a good side if we go down, sorry, we don't, we have a good manager, sorry, I like him, but as a manager, out of his depth, we didn't set the championship on fire last time round, yes we won 10 on the bounce, but did we dominate, run over teams, or was like yesterday a bit, only difference the quality wasn't their to finish us off in most games. When we go down i just cant see us coming back for two maybe three years min due to the recruitment process and those in charge, plus add to that Grealish and the better players Mings and McGinn may leave too if an offer comes in.

Connor showing good composure there. When someone gets the ball.

Before the lockdown, if we had played this game when it should have we would have all taken a point. So its better than a loss. However, yet again a missed opportunity to get the win, yes we rode our luck with the GK error but we didn’t capitalise on it. This is my problem with Smith, he’s lack of ability to see what's happening and make a change. I only watched the first and last 10 mins as I was out but from the radio and on here it looks like Davis was causing problems from the start. Like Nick76 says, maybe not with Samatta, because he was on the bench for most of game, but why did he not instruct others on the pitch to get closer to Davis, you cant have a hold up player do both holding up and being on the end of things at the same time, he needed help. Last 10 mins, he should have thrown the two of them on. As a coach myself, if I saw this this I’d get Grealish in off the left to get round him, and have Mcginn and El Ghazi just flanking them both, not as wingers, but on either side. If not him just someone who can receive it back. The persistence of playing wingers and wide men does just not work, we don’t have a gigs or beckham getting crosses in to the box all game so why play them. It’s a waste of a player, plus every winger we have is not good enough. As someone said early, we need to play a tighter midfield and move across the pitch. As Grealish is effective on the left but he is easily to crowd out outhere, where can he go, play him the middle, more space, more influential, he’s our best player, don’t alienate him, get him round Davis, let him bring in others round the box and final third. It’s the story of our season, we huff and puff and get nothing, how many times do we say if only we did this better, tried this, games are running out for us, yes we got a point but we need wins. Throw ins…don’t get me started

Had a few games like this now....ever since Feb we the paper talk was he has agreed to join Utd. Looks to me like his head is somewhere else...on top of playing out of the left...which we know he prefers the middle. Even Thomo on WM said he has it on good authority he is off regardless of what happens this season.

Im no Rachel riley....but their 5 to our 3 in midfield. Cant see us having much of the ball or time. 4-3-3. I suppose its got to work at some point this season

on the bench

starting 11 by the looks of it nyland Guilbert Engles Mings Targett luiz nakamba el ghazi grealish McGinn samatta By all account this is the starting 11...not sure on the shape

I agree, he needs to adapt the system and do it quickly. However, there's no point changing the system until he changes the fundamental mistakes we have been making all year....basics....we could have the right system, but until ball retention, movement, even passing a ball, basic defending have been addressed we will go down regardless of what system we play. Its concerning that non of these 'basics' have been addressed in the 28 games we have played to date. I've read all year about this 'open attacking football' we play, i wouldn't say we play attacking football......open yes...but not attacking....stats prove that,....goals...goals created...chances....possession....worse stats for any defensive part of the game.....not very attacking when you look in to it. Time for system changes, formations etc has passed to some extent.....we have 10 games left and its s$%T or bust.....we need to be defensively solid....a couple of wins and draws should see through...however...carry on like before and we might as well start planning for trips to the shower down the road.

Looking at the Hearts situation, they had played 30 games like most of the league so I can see how PPG fits in. The other two on 29 it didn't really effect them at they were midtable. We have a game in hand i think this will be a major issue for using PPG when deciding who get relegated if they go down this route...would a win keep us up on PPG????

Im the same. I used to be really in to my football, watching it all the time but then the money came in a slowly the interest went. It was when my lad got in to it I got back to watching it but then it still the same as when i kind of gave up on it. Bored of hearing about City...if not them...Utd...if not Utd...Liverpool....etc etc..the so called big 6...what is the big 6...what makes you qualify.....I cancelled Sky due to the w&%k fest over these teams.....Sky ports Retro...great..lets see some old games...no....Utd....arsenal...Liverpool....zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz..breaking news.....OGS seen buying a pint of milk....really. All this as shown is that money rules, like most of the governing bodies they all had a chance to store some faith back in to football...yes i get its all about money but there are more than 6 teams in this country and each association should try to remember that but they haven't....no care about safety of others...players....staff....potential lives at risk...the fact even 7 weeks after this started they still don't know their arse from their elbow. They should either null and void it or wait till it is safe to return to where it left i.e...fans...players...same grounds, as that's what every team signed up to...if it take months....fine...its the only fair way and then we will have to deal with next season.....maybe cancel meaning less international fixtures to squeeze in games...cup replays till later rounds. I've been a fan for over 30 years, my dad is, my grandad is and my lad is.....we all love Villa...love football...but hate the game it is today. UTV

Totally agree with this. Last summers window was all about getting bodies in due to the amount that left. We gambled on 5 mil...10 mil...and a couple of 20 mils and to date...we are still in with a chance of survival if the season starts up again soon. However I do think we didn't spend that wisely and could have done better...did we really need two wingers Trez and El ghazi...did we really need Hause...could we not have got Cahill in for that money...Konsa…..could we not have used some of the money spent on some of these players combining it to get a better quality of player....using a team of potential players is risky and explains why and where we are in the table and to some extent, the football we play. Again, like most summers, this will be another big one, if we stay up and grealish stays then the board have to change its transfer policy and gamble a bit more on more expensive players...they are out there.....I hate to say it....but Wolves managed to convince the Jota's...Neves..to join in the championship....this are type of players we need to look at...fringe players from bigger clubs. I've seen Lallana....Dier...mentioned...yes...not the best...but would they make us better..I think they would...Its off the pitch where they would add...a winning mentality.....training with better coach's....better players...international experience....this will help our 'potential' players because at the moment...who are learning from to get better...each other...which wont cut it in the prem. I think we are only 4 - 5 players off from being a good team who could easily finish midtable without any struggles......I think the back four and goalie are good enough...midfield is the key......we need to be tighter...more mobile and more diverse...we have too many im a winger so i play wing type of players.....up front...i like samatta...he looks lively and with good service who knows. Having said all that...the big concern is who is buying these players...and are we just another moneyball experiment...only time will tell

Went on a tour of Wembley last year. You go down a flight of stairs alshowing every fa cup winning team going through the years...00's 90's 80's as you go down...I said to my lad I bet 57 is not here.. 60...59...58....56...55....54....etc...typical

Definitely going. You can see in his body language. Ever since the winter break with all the press coverage day after day. Plus the utd tweet and the tweet above. Though it's not on his page so maybe he has taken it down. Theres no smoke without fire. I dont blame him. Keep him and we might be ok in the championship...without him...it will be years before we are back.

You buy championship players You employ a championship manager You deploy championship like tactics Guess...what you get.....

I agree. I thought the same. The times we took it to city we actually looked quite good and caused them problems. The same could be said all season. We just seem to.panic when we dont have the ball and retreat to the 18 yard line and hope. Causes us no end of problems...too many players not knowing who is doing what...no outlet when we do get the ball and constant pressure. This has been my main issue with smith all year...yes at times get men behind the ball but dont get all 10 sitting next to each other and giving the opposition a free ride for 80 yards of the pitch. Every game I hope it will change but cant see it...it will be the same tonight...10.players to their 4 in box...free headers...them picking up the second ball...back 4 on 6 yard line...midfield on penalty spot. With a coaching hat on...Mings is the main culprit...when a ball comes in to the box you watch him...rather going to attack it he treats back...Bournemouth away and city are just two examples.

Get the full backs to stop playing so tight almost as centre halves.... to stop the ball going wide with ease. Start to press more and stop sitting back.....retreating all the time. Stop giving them so much respect And.might just get something out of this.

10 villa players in the box 5 city players...still score Mark the players not the f@#king space

Too.many players marking space Players causes problems not space

Sitting too deep....I'm.all for it but some point you need to press...result...goal

As much as talksport talk shit...he has a point...if it looks shit plays shit and is shit... chances are it is shit...and that's us