AvonVillain

Can I just confirm, having not listened to or watched the match, that Nyland saved a penalty toward the end!? There's often a big reaction to events on here without further (or any) explanation. Of course no other media source outside the midlands are remotely interested in the details either... 5Live didn't mention a thing about it. *EDIT* - just read StewieK2's post made as I was writing this.

Best possible response! No manager can legislate for a defender passing to the opposition at the worst possible moment like Elmo did at VP against the strongest team in the league. That 2nd spot is definitely up for grabs.

We have to absolutely go for it now. Nothing to lose. Big 10 minutes.

You could argue that Whelan would be extra motivated to play well against his old club though.

Definitely take a draw here. West Brom looks odds on to challenge the top two all season long. A win would be the finest result we've had in some time.

Goal saving block by Hutton.

Entertaining first half. Are there really two stronger teams than this in the league?

Fantastic atmosphere.

Bloody hell 30 more minutes!!

I think we've been quite lucky here. Obvious corner to Blues not given, go up the other end and Tammy looks to have fooled the ref somewhat for a pen. He also did his best to miss the thing.

Naturally this game isn't on national radio anyhwere. So frustrating. Can't wait to be back in the prem.

Having just read an article on Henry's brief reign so far at Monaco, I'm so very pleased to think we perhaps finally have owners post-Ellis astute enough to see substance over hype and reward someone who had worked themselves into a position of strength. There's a kind of parallel too with the owners ditching the previous ideas of dumb recommendations or current football media darlings. For me, a managerial appointment hasn't felt so right as this since Lambert, who came here with more swagger and a far stronger CV before being de-motivated into the husk of a manager he currently is. In the appointment of Dean Smith, I can't help but feel that lessons have finally been learned. I've still got the childish thrill of actually looking forward to the season unfold.

Winning away at one of our major competitors would be/is a BIG statement. Incredible what Smith has done in such short space of time.

BBC: Derby are growing into this one after almost falling behind early on. Jonathan Kodjia headed Albert Adomah's cross over for Villa when he should at least have hit the target. But Tom Lawrence is threatening for Frank Lampard's side and the quality level is high between the two teams. So good to read this kind of thing again...

Unfortunate loss. Even with this current crop, shaking off the previous 'no instruction' regime, we're way better than most in this league. Really looking forward to the youth getting game time and the older heads getting to grips with actual passing and a game-plan. Happy to have all the flaws and deadwood given the time to be moved aside in order to see something more vibrant and forward thinking restored to a new normality, where the kind of run that will destroy this league will inevitably come to fruition. Have to say I'm as surprised as I am bored by the endless carping negativity on this site. Such is modern media and life. It took Alex Ferguson 3 years to implement the kind of winning mentality that became synonymous with Man U. Dean Smith has had 3 games. After the umpteen reactionary appointments made by clueless chairman and advisors not worthy of the name (including Alex Ferguson), my feeling is we are building a set up that will finally deliver us to a time most of us can't recall we ever really had. Really excited by this season.

Upwards.

Tuanzebe is a proper centre back. It's barely believable that Steve Bruce, an ex-centre back, simply couldn't recognise this.

We'll get there. Really enjoying the transformation so far. We look a team again.

We actually look hungry, determined, and with a plan. Fantastic.

Playing really well. Grealish looks immense.

Strange to watch my my team again and actually react to each nudge, cross, tackle, shot, pass, save, run, grimace, slip, header in a mad desperation for us to do well in each and every situation instead of watching with a numb passivity and cynicism.

Come on ref blow it up!

Gutted I can't watch this!

Personally, I am thrilled to see Dean Smith appointed! It is exactly the kind of appointment we should've made as soon as we were relegated, to finally make good on the promise to build an identity and incorporate the youth. But, we decided instead to continue our policy of being the 'bad decision making machine' Mervyn King so rightly described us as. I don't personally buy this idea that you have to have a mega personality like a Henry or Rui Faria to be able to handle the pressures of a big club, and I can't help but feel that if any club could balls up the formative managerial career of a former great player before it even got started, like Henry, Gerrard and Lampard undoubtedly are, it would be the Villa job that proved calamitous. How big a personality did Ron Saunders have, incidentally? Chuck John Terry into the mix, and the small but serendipitous fact (like Chris Wilder at Sheffield United) that DS is a Villa fan (how can this be so eagerly dismissed?) then I think we may finally have the makings of something genuinely exciting, long-term and worth caring about again.

What I mean is, my dad took me and my brother down to VP to have our picture taken with the European cup... and I feel I've been ranting about the Villa ever since. So probably should start posting on a forum again.