Dave-R

The more I look at it I think one thing Smith got sacked for is not being ruthless enough when required. Players seem to have took the piss with him and he had to kind a heart, no discipline. He's also right that Purslow himself could be on the line next if he doesn't get the next appointment right. Makes you wonder if Purslow is looking in every corner for every penny he can find to bring in a Journeyman. Imagine if Purslow brings someone who doesn't do anything with this squad then Purslow himself could face the firing squad. It's all starting to feel like we've not done evolving and there's plenty of changing to be done so we fit back in this league again.

One thing that killed Smith, that's matt Cash's @$$. I think he deserved more than to be rear ended like that. I am sure Smith will find work easy, he's done a fabulous job here and who knows maybe one day when he's learnt more he could return. His inexperience I believe was always going to give us some harsh times along the way and yes I do believe he was to easy on the players. Smith especially if the gaming rumour is true, he should of stamped that out till they proved themselves. Seems like the players were caring more about gaming than playing. I wish all the best to Smiith he could go far once hes learned some more, he just needs more of a ruthless hand I believe and I wonder if him not having one helped Purslow make his choice to Sack him.

He is right though, we do not know what goes on inside our club and we're either on one side of the fence or the other. Most of us do not do any digging up and often I myself am included in that. Same as reporters, they cater to clicks, Views and where the majority flog to see a story so at the same time it matters not if the news being reported is fake because the news is doing its job which is making money. Social media has made most of us worse and its certainly made reporters worse.

Yeah but I you listen to it properly he's not wrong.,

Spot on as always, he's certainly an enjoyable watch.

Think we will do better with a foreign coach than an English one, thi k it's obvious as well as to how English Manager fair to foreign Managers. Owners have to be sensible here, if they want to win things and get our lads playing next level football, they are going to spend big. If they are happy to be a statistic in this league then the Smith sacking makes no sense, but if they want to go somewhere and get Europe they are going to have to gamble...

These names get worse I do not want to see him in the role. Waiting for someone to say Southgate lol.

Nooooooooooooo and Triple Nooooooooooo.

Well everyone would be dead if candyman Gérard or Lampard arrive, you can throw Bruce to that list as well, noooooooo to any of them.

Well at least Smith can take the Sunday off today, put his feet up and relax and have a Sunday roast with the family.

Agreed. I just don't see Gerrard doing better than Smith, different league entirely over there, in fact I think Gerrard would be a step down from Smith Also believe your right they have the money tucked away and can splash the cash here and get someone big in, yes I do believe it can be done because money is money after all. We may indeed have to pay more than what a top of the league club would pay for a world class coach but if it takes us in the right direction then so be it.

If Bruce comes here honestly the cabbages will come out way to fast. Do not bring garbage patch kid here for the love of God.

As someone else put it I think we should be done with English managers. Is Poch not taken? Pay over the odds for Bielsa he likes money? lol. What about a German Coach??? We have to give English managers a rest for a while, we have a young team that can learn new methods from foreign Coaches and we should take the opportunity to give them this experience.

That is true, this is a business and a club who wants to win things and if need be we can't be holding any emotional feeling towards players or staff if they are not making the best happen with there time at Villa. If there's any truth to this insubordination and games playing then I expect the new guy to put a stop to it until they do show their worth.

Think Midfield can be sorted in January if the new guy is given a decent cheque and there should be a fair bit left as we didn't kill all our transfer window money. That's why I believe this happened to get someone in quickly give them time to sort out I any new additions are needed in January.

Now I do hope that our Owners bring in a proper world class Manager or Coach and money should be no object here. I do not want to see someone fresh to the area or someone who we go through this again with next season and the chopping and changing happens every season or two. Need someone knew who can carry on and do better in the work Smith started. Don't ask me who though. Did Poch get taken??

Gutted in a way he was a good bloke but I spose the club have ideas of bringing in someone who can get the job done. I wish you good luck Smith I am sure you won't have trouble finding more work. Under Smith we got alot done in the football World but I do think the timing is to give the new guy a bit of cash and a January window. Goodluck Smith I enjoyed how you helped shape our revival.

I'd expect a top level Coach to be brought in if Smith walks, they have to if we're to start going somewhere in this league. Simply put they will need to spend in that area to get something out of it our Owners will. There's no point bringing someone in who's going to get us abit of a bounce and maybe do exactly the same next season like what's happening to us right now. If money is to be spent then surely it has to be spent on Smiths replacement and we still have Summers transfer money don't we considering all we spent really was Grealish transfer money. I think Smith will have until end of this month to show signs of life, because I can or we can say he's not under threat of being fired all we like, but we don't know what the Owners are thinking. Bring someone in and give them some money for January maybe what our Owners will choose, who knows.

The one person who can replace Grealish has had one full game and a bunch of minutes as sub right? We go spend a bunch of money on talent and I am unsure still about Ings, still think Tammy would of been the better buy and he'd of done better here. Buendia is just not working yet, I say yet because at some point these players just can't go bust and they need to start showing there worth, showing signs of life. I think the way it's going were going to be seeing calls for youth to be played over our seniors and when that happens we seem to just find a stride strangly enough. Smith may have to drop his experimentation of systems and styles and concentrate on points. How does he do that when our players can't defend, can't hold, can't score and all they can do is run around at the moment up and down the field like headless chickens?? We are simply not doing the basics very well right now and I struggle to believe that Grealish leaving I the cause of this, not unless psychologically it has got inside players heads. Reminds me of our first season back up and the survival season where we struggled to gain the ball or when we did get it do anything with it. It's like we've returned to that season like everything in between has not set in stone and it's all been a dream. Would really like Smith to stay, but if it meant we did ace again and a new coach could levitate this club back up I spose the choice is simple. Smith will easily find a new job but this club won't be a prem outfit if Smith can't find the solution. I do think the media play on the fear alot but at some point the Owners are going to have to decide and fetch a world class Coach or manager in if they want the next level. Who are the names being floated around, does anyone know please??

Well he's no Bruce that's for sure, he doesn't go throwing his players under the bus and I doubt he would. I've always enjoyed Smiths talks even in defeat he's a very humble man and he will admit it when he know he got it wrong and shares the blame as a collective and that's how it should be. We can say its Smith or the players all we want but truth is when something goes wrong it's everyone and so to is it everyone's challenge to get it right and get past this.

I think your right he's not under pressure, it's the media making it sound and feel as bad as what us fans are I think. With all that has happened this season I think the Owners will continue to throw there weight behind Smith. I'm also sorry to put it has bluntly as this but do people really believe any other manager could do better given what's happened to us this season, I think not and alot of it has been out of Smiths hands. I think we need to use common sense here, let's not return to the days of being desperate because we're going through a bad run, let's not return to the days of chopping managers heads off. Get behind your man in charge something will click along the way and if it takes a season to sort out the issues so that next season will be better then so be it.

I maybe wrong here but I believe what your saying is, the majority who fall in line and copy those at the front in systems and playstyles will be nothing more than a bunch of managers who can't adapt nearly as good as the managers who try new stuff out. I mean let's face it Smith is trying new stuff all the time and you have to give it to him eventually he may be one of the latest to discover a new style. It takes real guts to do what he does and experiment and it may not be going right now but he's been here before. I fear us fans are being to harsh right now because if he leaves he could stumble of that exact system were so seeing from some of those managers at the top of the league. Fergie is the perfect example to use in how he didn't get stuff right straight away but he soon found a winning formula that made utd league winners for a long time. We have had so much go wrong from injury, officiating, players not giving it there all, covid, you name it and everything that can go wrong has been for us. I just think its wrong for us to call for Smiths head so soon I'm prepared to give him the season unless we end up fighting a relegation battle. give Smith January it maybe one or two extra players are needed to create that winning system for us. We should all know from westham and last season that even one player could change us for the better as they did brilliant once Lingard went there. I'm still confident in Smith even if others aren't.

I can't believe what I'm seeing in the media with these manager speculations as if Smiths already done for, its sad sight to see. Sure were loosing some games but there is much to consider even after Grealish has gone. Not sure who could even do a better job at the moment but I'd like Smith to find a winning formula. If someone was to come in they have to be better and with experience. I certainly do not want to see a return of Dino defensive football. Smith I think has some time to sort it out but it didn't look good yesterday when Buendia jumped the boards and marched off. These players of ours did pretty darn well returning to the formation we played last season and ten men down Smith and the lads should be damn proud of themselves despite the loss. Took some balls and heart to stick it to west ham like that and we were unfortunate. Point blank if Watkins header the possible second goal went in that game would of been very much different. Think the West ham game we were just plain out of luck all through, you only have to look at how accurate there first two goals were, they were wonderful strikes. The referee was the icing on the cake for how unlucky Villa were, so much wrong in the officiating. I mean how can konsa walk for a tackle like that but bowen doesn't walk for sending a villa player flying by pushing him, that's straight red for me instant without thinking on it as it's assault. If I did that to someone you'd be bet assured police would be on scene putting your hands on someone like that. The referees in this league cater to these certain clubs and the rest are fighting a loosing battle, theirs no fair play officiating involved. If bowen had of been sent off no way would they of scored more I believe and yes he should of walked. I don't blame Smith for West ham, I blame our lads playing out from the back like that when it were obvious they shouldn't off. Martinet made a mistake but he wasn't the only one at fault, numerous time we tried to play forward balls and it cost us. There's some work to do but our players can't let this defeat get them down, they came out fighting 10 man in second half to me it shows there's something there, perseverance is key in what we were doing last season. Don't play 3 at the back, let's just continue the mould of last season.

So it's not okay for konsa to tug a god damn shirt and it's all okay to knee nakamba with studs showing in the balls and okay for Bowen to come flying in and send a Villa player flying pushing him that's the message I'm getting here. This is plain bull crap.

So it's not okay for konsa to tug a god damn shirt and it's all okay to knee nakamba with studs showing in the balls and okay for Bowen to come flying in and send a Villa player flying pushing him that's the message I'm getting here. This is plain bull crap.