Keener window-cleaner

They are making it hard for us with their press, I would want us to keep the ball more, but they wont let us and we revert to kicking long more than the last game. I think we have been the slightly better team, created more clear cut chances, but can go anyway. We feel unusually solid and calm at the back though!

I missed th build up to the game, where is Bolasie?

Yeah I know my bad, just couldn't resist ?

Same here, found another channel, still worrying!

Same here!!!!

Meanwhile in Monaco

I fully agree with all you have said in your post and I must say I'm very glad that you are back with your thoughtfull and sensible reflections. I'd like to highlight this part as it was something I was slightly worried about how he would handle, or what would be made of it by the press. The way he has gone on about it just confirms to me what a genuine and professional football man he is. As you say it could have been easy for him to win some easy points with this, but I noticed when he first was presented how he played it down and said something about his family perhaps being more emotional about it than he was. I first thought he played down his own emotions a little bit too much, almost as if I was disappointed that he didn't proclaim what a supporter of the club he is. When reflecting upon it, it's an act of class towards his old club as well. It is also very clever as he shows that he is here because he has earned it, not partly because he is a supporter. And it's reassuring to know that he first and foremost will make rational football coach decisions, and not emotional supporter decisions. He shows that he is here because he is the best man for the job, and I just love it. More so knowing that within he is a supporter who cares as much as we do, but who won't let that come in the way of his decisions.

It's good they dont have Maddison and the Murphy brothers anymore, they were all real threats. Really looking forward to this one!!

"Most of the work we've done this week has been without the ball" "We'll also work on possession in the coming weeks because we were a little bit loose on the ball. We can't be like that at this level"

Clearly a 4-3-3 to me, Grealish-BB-McGinn in the middle, Albert left wide forward, Elmo right and Abraham in the middle.

His performance levels dropped the last games, so it was wonderful to see him back with the same spark that he had the first games. So important for us, the complete midfielder. I remember one of the gentle Hibs supporters who came on tho the forum said he had the "strongest bum" he had seen, or something like that. I thought it soundes funny at the time but now I understrand what he meant! He makes these kind of Ice Hockey bum-tackles all the time, and has an impressive ability to protect the ball, also with his arse!

That's how I saw it, trying to save the corner.

Haha! It would require us to put together four passes in a row right, hence the lack of stats over the last years ? Today we did that several times though!

One example, somewhere in the middle of the first half he made a sublime pass with the outside of his right foot that slicked the left side line and set Adomah free, which then led to a clear cut scoring opportunity for us. There are often no stats for that, but it's such passes only he can make. The opponents know that so it means they double or tripple up on him (no stats for that either), which opens up space for the other players. Even if he doesn't score or assist, he is so valuable for the team. Playing in a mid three he will take more part in the build up play which I think suits him best. It will also mean he will get less chances to score, but will on the whole will be more valuable to the team. The mid three unit of Grealish, BB and McGinn put in, at least for 45-60 mins, the best combined midfield performance I've seen in a long while. Grealish played a direct part in our goal, and I don't know in how many of our chances he played a part in the build up. Moreover he put in a real shift working hard defensively as well together with BB and McGinn, which meant not only that we kept a clean sheet but also that our front three could play higher up the pitch. To criticize him or be disappointed after that performance is not fair imo. He played a big part in one of our best performances (at least for the 45-60 mins) in a long while. We took a first win under Smith in front of a full Villa park, it's happy times and he, one of our own, played a big part in that. UTV!

There are not many better things than seeing one of our players coming back from a bad spell, being questioned (rightly so), and then go out and make a motm-performance and winning us the game. Keep it up Nyland!!

Hands up, he played really well as a wide forward, we looked very good when he was on.

Didn't he say in an interview before that his prefered position was to the left in a mid three? I think Deano has got it spot on there. He gets more involved in the build up play, where we need his wonderful passing ability. With him and McGinn on either side of the central mf, it gives them space and freedom. It was some good play between them. It does however put quite much responsability on them to work defensively as well, but still suits us very well. Thought he was excellent!

The front 3 unit we had in the first became disjointed when Bolasie and Kodjia came on, but I guess it's partly because they haven't had as much time on the training ground. We looked a little bit nervous towards the end, but on the whole what a fantastically promising performance! Think I'm gonna write it 100 times in different threads but the 4-3-3 suits Grealish and McGinn o so well! And suddenly it just looked like we had a settled team, passing the ball! Even our defence looked solid!! What was that!?!

Close call between McGinn and Nyland for mom, but I give it to Nyland as he made a couple of match winning saves and deserves credit to come back strong after his recent performances.

He is still off the pace, clearly has quality but needs to be drilled. Too many times he neither pressed nor followed his man but stood still doing neither, giving them both time and space on the right. We looked much more solid when Elmo played there (I must admit having complained about Elmo playing wide forward!)

I love his manners on the side line, calmly supervises that his team carries out his game plan. No need to shout and bark when you are well prepared and the players know what to do. Dean Smith's claret and blue army! UTV!

Abraham needs to cut out the complaining though, encourage your team mates instead!

I think Nyand has been good, a great save on what should have been a goal for them, he passes it short and contributes to the build up play. He has had a couple of misskicks, but at least one was under preassure. Good stuff so far and nothing to complain about at all imo. Luckily there havent been many crosses, I think thats where he has looked most shaky before.

Well organised, mid 3 and front 3 working as units, we are creating a lot, and are pressing well defensively. This formation will leave us a bit open when Grealish and McGinn goes forward so a lot of responsability on BB. But my god do I prefer this and that we let a goal in than the turgid sit back and defend and kick it long/in the channels!

I think it's a great first half! Very very promising!