Bazmonkey

Yes your are right it doesnt work... That's where a good coach should recognise it's not working and change it according to the game...players...opposition. Wilders style is not down to them being promoted...its knowing what his team are capable of doing....

We are where we simply because we dont have players and the stubbornness of Smith to stick with a three man midfield for too long when all but two teams....liverpool and city, to some extent have got any success from it. Most teams.play 5 in the middle...its that simple...you match it. 28 games in and still reading comments like the it's a whole new team...they are strangers I'm sorry...its 28 games not 28 mins...these guys have been with each other nearly 7 months now day in day out...not having it. I will stick up for smith when some blame is aimed at him for picking wesley...the if we had scored more goals in certain games we would be higher...yes wesley missed a couple but wasn't as if he was getting quality service in those games. You could turn it round and say what if in those games the opposition scored more with 20 or so chances we give teams most weeks...we should have lost 6...7...nil every week.

To be honest...I dont think he is good enough for the mo. Having said that... his mindset is probably not with it at the mo...hasnt had the best of seasons but to see a player in drinkwater who has done sweet f.a in two years....come in and not only jump ahead of him but in to the starting 11 as well. I know I'd struggle a bit to

Great post Been saying the same all year.. theres no midfield just defenders and attackers...only difference early in the season was we had mcginn so it was a 6 - 0 - 4 formation

Midfield is non existent because it's full of defensive players...you asking target and Guilbert to be attack minded when all they want to do is defend and do the occasional bomb on. This causes issue as you effectively now playing 5 at the back and are inviting the other team to attack...been happening all season...why would anyone expect anything else

Glad drinkwater isnt playing. Though...I make it seven defensive minded players. Struggle to see where the balance is.

I'm sorry but people need to take the claret and blue glasses off and see the bigger picture. Apart from a few players...This is a poor team ran by a poor manager. Although we lost yesterday it's not an over reaction by people to raise their concerns...its been the same all season. Most shots on goal...most goals conceded....least possession in most games...giving points away points from winning positions....the lack of movement....the lack of quality...the lack of basic football skills. Without Jack and Heaton...or whoever's is goal this team would be bottom. I read constantly that we defended well...we dont dont defend well...we retreat and hope.for the best. Leicester watford Brighton same inept performances but somehow we came away with 3 points and a trip to Wembley. The constant formation changing...rotating players it's just not good enough. To say we will be ok if we went down is crazy. Smith got lucky last season with Jack.. tammy...mcginn and mings playing well. We would lose all three and to think some think smith would be ok....not a chance. El gazi...poor at championship poor here...hourihane the same...we would be relying on these to get us back up. The last transfer window..a player in drinkwater who hasnt played in years is going to save us...a random player from Swansea with one goal is going to save us..samatta...possible based on the two games will had something and pep...actually look ok. I wasnt expecting us to be challenging for the top but what I did expected is for us to at least show on our day we can compete and maybe have a bit of faith every Saturday that actually we might be alright today. To stay in this league this season is more important than ever...to keep our better players and bot be stuck in the championship for years. Smith need to.wake up and stop blaming players and look at himself. Pick a team that can play...pick team on more than one occasion. The fact it's taken 25 games and he still doesnt know is a major concern regardless of what league we are in. I have seen us play well in parts and I've sat their and thought...we look good but something happens and it a goes to rat. There are 13 games left and everyone is a cup final...to stay in the league...to keep our better players....to build on next year not have to rebuild Can we do it...I think we can...will we...no I dont

Leicester were the better team...just didnt score...we still played the same

Seven villa players in box and still cant defend a crap cross....this is why we are where we are...very poor

Hopefully we can do this. Though with seven defensive players on the pitch I fear will we lack the attacking threat. But you never know

Regardless of whether it was a priority or not, yet again it was another inept performance by a team that is only going one way. I want to believe that smith is the right man for the job but having just watched MOTD and today's performance I do fear that we will go down. Yes we played the 'reserves' but deep down would it have been any better with grealish...mings...Heaton in the side I dont think so...the other players are just not good enough nor is management. It's happened in all games this season he just doesnt know what to do...knockheart cutting in today....taylor giving him space all game....having 9 players in front of Arter before he shot...that's 9 players on the 18 yard line....simply not good enough regardless of the shot. We defend like this in every game...10 v 5 in the box...still conceed...no options going forward because we sit and invite teams on to us.....what's Terry doing in training??? When you hear comments like fulham were more energetic...had drive...looked to play...looked more the premiership team...spraying balls across the pitch then it's simply not good enough....and on top of that 433...again. I want to see us have a set up...a formation...a plan A...then a plan B...I want us to be the premiership team...pressing...playing....being proactive. Another game with less than 40% possession...there will be those that say stats dont mean anything but if you have the ball at least the opposition cant score. With the window open I hope we get 'good' players in...not just numbers...but I cant see it.

I think after 10 games if someone said would you take 15th having played liverpool man city and arsenal...most if not all would take it. Smith has to credit for putting together a team that works hard and gives 100% for each other. I like what he is doing and hopefully come the end of the season we have done well and still in the league. I believe there are 3 worse teams than us. However, I also believe he sort some minor errors but a fundamental if we want to gain more points. I've watched a lot a lot of games this year and see the same things week in week out. 8-9 of our players in the box...only 4-5 opposition..yet still score...today a perfect example 9 inc goalie 4 liverpool with 2 on the edge. This is a perfect example why we struggle to keep the ball. Who is going to win it or keep it if it comes out. We invite teams on with ease and if honest even one up we all knew what would happen. Now someone said we didnt hoof ball today..yet stats show 26% possession...now yes I expect liverpool to have more of the ball they are European champions but when you look at 52% pass completion now that is no where near good enough. Yes we tried and battled but we need to work smarter not harder if we want to do well. Hopefully smith can see this we wont see goals been given away like today

I agree with this..the space between the lines is either too big or to tight especially when we defend. Last night there were lots of examples of the back four and nakamba being close then no one near..this forces it wide and west ham put the pressure on jota and el gazi. I'd like to see Gilbert engles mings taylor (for now) Luiz nakamba Grealish hourihane mcginn Wes or davies. The three of grealish mcginn and hourihane rotating round. We also need to press more. We gave too much respect last night. We seem to retreat to the 18 yard box and let them have acres of space and bring the ball forward with ease. Had Anderson been better he would have had a field day last night

Why do we give teams too much respect...seem to drop.to edge of the box all the time. Anderson just walks up to the box with no one challenging Strange

I think tactically we need to close the gaps between each part of the pitch...mainly midfield and defence. In the first half we looked like we were playing a 5 5 formation...grealish and mcginn were too high leaving Luiz when we had the ball no options apart from going sideways to the fullback who would then hit it long down the line releying on wingers to bring it down and bring others in, which didnt work This improved in the second half when they dropped back a bit more and we used the middle of the pitch more. I am surprised we haven't seen target or Guilbert...elmo and Taylor are just to cautious and offer nothing going forward...its been said on here they have had a good game..but when you dont do much its hard not to have a bad game as you just go through the motions. Watching all the games this weekend most if not every team play in a kind of bank of defence 20 yards forward a bank of midfielders then another 20 years the forwards and this moves up and down the pitch playing inbetween the opposition. I would like to see a more balanced team across the pitch with a 4 2 3...technically a 5 in midfield and one up top. This would give us more options other than long balls down the wing. With mcginn and grealish in the midfield both like to push high. We need someone near to luiz to be an outlet and get the team playing 20 yard passes. Playing three in the middle just leaves us open...maybe we should only play one winger. Heston Guilbert Angeles mings....target Another luiz Trez grealish mcginn Wesley True..we are being punished for mistakes...the pen definitely at mistake...the second came from a mistake but without the deflection Wheaton would have saved it. Some definite positives but in order to compete we need to be more proactive than reactive. Everton will be a strong test and we need to be at it 100%

As much as we were playing spurs who have different aims this year and are in different league when it comes to players. I was surprised by the team selection. You could argue putting all of them in at the same time is bad but we were never going to get anything against a good spurs side. We could have played target guilbert luiz and just said go out there and see what you what you can do...its 90 mins and good prep for Bournemouth next week. We cant judge against spurs it's the Bournemouth's Norwich's palace etc...these are games we need to focus on. I thought we sat back too much and gave them too much respect...1st goal there were 9 villa players to 4 spurs in the box and the 2nd where grealish lost it there were 7 players behind him and he couldn't pass. Sitting to deep just invited spurs to come on to us and anything that came out of the box just went straight to them and they came back over and over again. With effectively two wingers we had three midfielders against spurs' 5 I thought there was some good play at times with trez mcginn grealish and some good passing moves. Its Bournemouth next week and as mcginn said on MOTD we should have been more bolder today...next week we need to be.

Young...energetic...skill...simple things well...pace...ability to beat someone..manage a game well...can pass...can shoot. Most teams...not just brentford...villa cant do any of that

As much as elmo **** up. It started from a throw in far corner. Another lead thrown away

The commentator got it right...two goal lead is not comfortable for villa. We've invited leeds to run at us all game...backing off...it was always gling to happen...leeds are too good...they move as a unit...we move in ones and twos. But the main problem is we dont look after the ball

100% this...i think the same. It's like we are playing with 9 men. I mentioned it esrlier. I think the problem is our players are to regimented in their positions. I am a winger in staying on the wing...when really he could do with coming in a bit now and then. Norwich last night always had two three options..short passes...for some reason...wherever we get the ball the nearest player is either hutton or Taylor then hoof or on the other side of the pitch. Moment in the middle is a big issue for us...the lack of it really does stifle the play. It's a shame woods is at stoke...when he was at Brentford he ran the show everytime we played them. Someone like him could really get our attacking options playing alot better

Don't buy in to the pass completion rate. How many of these passes were forward...how many were defence splitting. Yes he gets in a block and an interception now and then....great. Too slow and can't move...need to move on...slows the play down too much...spends most of the game pointing at players because he can't get there...his first movement is always backwards with or without the ball

Some good points in the post above. I think the playing style Smith wants to play is beyond the level of some of the players we have...especially in midfield. The defence and attack are actually not that bad...the midfield is a concern. We have midfielders who are to ridgid in their positions...adomah will always sit on the touch line...whealan will always sit in the middle. Norwich's midfield were more mobile last night...always having two three options 10 or 15 yards away..we for most of the game have one...long or the hoof ball. This often leads the play down dead ends. If the fitness is a problem then this will come in time...though..as sky pointed out we have to many seniors..theres only so much you can get out of them regarding how fit they are. .younger more mobile players are needed...this would help the midfield be more mobile and improve our play...i looked at most of the Norwich team last night and it was the little things that made them look good...one touch football...beating a player...playing in triangles...moving with the ball rather than ball just moving. Only mistake I thought Smith mad was Hogan on instead of kodjia...hogan is not a one man up front

What sums him up is late on a simple ball over the top from Bristol and he messes it up. Any player with a bit of composure would have taken a touch then played for safety further up the pitch...what did he do...try and volley it out on the bounce...hits his shin and goes out for throw near the corner. Poor in any position...these are the sort of players that will not make us progress

Just throwing it out there....a mate said he saw Chris Wilder at the Radisson in town last night....sheff utd don't have a fixture round here this week??????

Give him the service..he will score. Something which I worry about...too much hoof ball.