Blasterpocket68

Thats great - more keystone cop defending - Its not the players alone here that is the issue - all season we have seen examples of a team lacking basic football principles , last night another example . TBH it like watching a kids team at times!

2nd string Liverpool 11 will destroy us i think. we are simply not good enough!

They do we will finish 19th its what we are - Newcastle were there for the taking last night but we are simply not good enough.

Are we really surprised, this has been happening all season! WE will get individual errors that will cost us games and have suffered them , but whats so frustrating is basic set up and defending as a team. Shocking nothing has been taken on board all season!

I think you miss understand - In order to get back to be an established premier league side you have to build gradually you cant build a new team then attempt to play the brand of football DS has this season. That was suicide . Im afraid we are a long way from the club we all think we are, and the gap is growing. I have enjoyed some wembley day trips in the league cup and enjoyed the European cup runs in the 80s . This has gone (along with my hair) and we are a club trying to reestablish ourselves as a premier league team. Im afraid entertainment will have to wait if it takes scruffy football and 1-0 wins to build then so be it short term. If we cant re establish ourselves as a premier league team we will never attracts the better players and those days we both enjoyed in the past will be and even more distant dream.

The structure above the manager needs addressing first, then the coach .

Its very open down their with lots of games and points to play for, the unusual results sometimes happens this time of the season . Oh boy do we need a change of fortune . West H have a better run in than us. Heart says we could be ok my head says not a chance!

Its hard to see he didn't have any input in player recruitment during the summer - He was regularly on TV watching / scouting the genius Trezuget in Egypt and in Belgium watching the buys of the season Wesley and the midfield dynamo Marvelous. You cant really exclude him form the development of the squad. Its always going to be a risk what we did in the summer . He has to hold his hands up and take some of the responsibility. However recruitment aside his inability to change or recognise basic issues and game management is really his downfall . Dont think all Villa fans will agree on Smith because of the promotion year, but we have discussed and kicked this one around to deaf to be fair . My opinion is he has been totally out of his depth this year.

Yes 100% , think if we had not had the covid 19 break in the season he may have been on his way. I Do not want to see managers being sacked or a permanently revolving door of managers but its painfully obvious he has struggled since the start of the season with no improvement !

I think we are now in the must win territory , after Newcastle its Wolves Liverpool Man U CPalace Everton Arsenal Spam we have to get to something around 37 38 points so 11 points required min . Newcastle is must win! then 8 more points in Severn from that lot !

All we are doing is recognising Bielsa is a good manger doing a very good job in a tough league with limited funds . The football they play is terrific they have been very unlucky . If im a a member of the"little club" im just commenting on villa talk and sharing an opinion on the current managerial situation. This is what villa talk is about YES? Share opinions with villa fans some opinions we will like some we wont , that is football! I personally think Smith is out of his depth and that will not change.

stick with it my friend - the only way is up !!

To be fair Bielsa has a team playing consistently some very attractive football , no super stars just a group of players playing as a team. They have been unlucky last couple of seasons but will get promoted this season. Im sure they will also have a plan for the premier league. Crazy to mock such a successful coach they played us off the park at VP last year and then gave us that walk in goal at Leeds . he is a great coach very well respected with a good record. I certainly would love a coach of that ilk at Villa.

He has been quoted as saying were a "stepping stone" possibly back to a city article . I think he will be off in the summer

Reality - or some interpret as being fickle

Nick you have totally ignored my point and argument !

Brighton did a very good impression of a team battling to avoid the drop the weekend! Lots of fans are labelled fickle , and most fans would not have awarded a manager so much time. The project has failed we wont finish 17th unfortunately were simply not good enough the table dosnt lie and the stats are bleak. The task now is to rebuild (YES AGAIN) the whole structure inside the club from top to bottom.

I agree - but were accused of being fickle if we have an opinion. No other club would have accepted this standard this season . 8 games to go we average.08 points per game = 6 points 32 points not enough relegation . Stats dont lie we could do something really different in the last 8 games but why would this be so dramatically different to the previous 30 games I cant see the evidence that anything will change.

Smith scouted and was fully involved in the purchase of these players, the whole structure at Villa should be reviewed before we embark on another rebuild! Smith thou no matter what is out of his depth at this level

I think we are all a bit exited , but the facts are we do not look like getting anything ! Your right we are only 3 points from improving our position . We have 8 games left and are averaging less than a point a game, with some tough games to come. Things could change its football after all but the stats and evidence so far is were in big trouble. DS has stuck with a plan - philosophy we will all not agree on because of our position .

The key will be the management strategy of the club. MD manager /coach and the strategy who buys players - current set up is clearly not working and will continue to fail

what system ?

This is an unbelievable statement . As Villa fans I would like the club to remain in the premier league, its where we belong, its where the big businesses (Unfortunately) of football need to be. Loyalty style of play are nice to haves , we needed to just survive this season . We have not done that we had to invest in players . Investing in a completely new team and trying to play open expansive football was a recipe for disaster. We just had to survive . This was clear 10 games into the season nothing changed! Loyalty ? Style of play had nothing to do with the objectives this season! Finishing 17th was the GOAL and should of been the sole objective and strategy. of the management team!

Smith scouted Marvelous and TRz on several occasions, he is not blameless for the signings

Im not so sure , 8 games in a very condensed period for any manager to work with , i would give it to JT until the end of the season nothing to loose now!