tommytenjobs

Dean Smith Excellent tactical adjustment to the personnel available. Without Jack's ability to hold possession and with Jedniak's lack of speed we played a very different defence set up. Much narrower and deeper, at times happy to sit and force Bristol into attacking arierally. This required discipline from El Ghazi (where he has improved as the season has gone on - despite his refusal to ever commit to any tackle with a physical element needed to win the ball) and Adomah but also a huge effort on their part to get forward and quickly when we broke up Bristol's attacks. We still looked vulnerable at times without Mings - but the set up and the willingness to play out a little less compared to recent weeks, meant that on the whole we kept them at arms length for significant periods. Well adjusted Dean! Players El Ghazi's best game once he realised at half time that he had their full back. He made full use of coming inside and looking to shoot or slip others in with reverse passes. Also, willing to cross earlier and earlier. Hourianne should have benefited with at least three goals. If he carries on in this vein, we will struggle to keep him unless we go up. SJM - everywhere - the legs of the team and the dynamism with and without the ball. As he develops his passing and poise, which at times can be lacking, what a player we will have! Of late he's starting to add the cross-field ball to either side with much greater accuracy and this then creates space for late runs into the box for balls in. A really added bonus to his dribbling and shifting possession quickly to Grealish. Tammy - hold up play and keeping possession can be poor - but he's a handful at all times, chases defenders and balls all day and is so often in the right place at the right time, you have to take his flaws with his huge positives. He's 21! Should have laid off to SJM in the first half though....striker's selfish streak?? Taylor, Jedinak, Whelen, Adomah, Tzansebe, Lansbury and Davis all performed roles well - no one underperformed with the exception of ...... Hourianne - and that's only because his finishing ended up making the whole game much too tense for my heart rate in the second half. He gets in so many good positions, drifting into the box late, that he should have had four yesterday. Referee Should have sent Johnson off - what a whining, disingenuous little man he is. ( look at the difference between his post match bitterness and Smith on the pitch shaking every Bristol players hand like they were his players. Class always tells!) Bring on the play offs and hopefully an away leg at the baggies first?? UTV

Renewed yesterday about 30mins before the deadline. The 230 mile trip has been so worth it in the last 2 years for very different reasons. I was stuck for a while in that I'm not that sure I will enjoy a season fighting like Cardiff for every point going, but I suppose thats a different kind of enjoyable.......we'll have to wait and see. The main reason for going for it for another year is Dean Smith. Honest, open, realistic, claret and blue, though and through - I hope he stays rain or shine. He's unified the group, but then Bruce managed that last year....but he's done it with a much more joyful and attacking vision. I like the way we play, I like the way we try and win, whatever the opposition or game position and if we lose, so be it. At least we tried our best to entertain and do things as they should be.

Really impressed with him last season and in the small amount of game time he has had this. The reason for his lack of goals in comparison to Abraham is about runs off the ball and movement when others are breaking in wide positions. If he's bright and perceptive he should have learnt an enormous amount being at the same club as Tammy for a year. Injured or not, he should have been watching what Tammy does to find space in the box. I remember a great header verses Barnsley last year that should signs he can do this. In terms of holdup play and playing others in behind the defence, he's actually already a superior player to Abraham. The ball doesn't bounce off him and he doesn't look all arms and legs. Abraham at times looks awkward and hasn't yet grown into his body. He's young and has huge potential but this part of his game has led to us facing more pressure towards the end of the game with narrow winning or drawing scores; as he's either very tired from pressing all match, or unable to keep the ball long enough for us to get out of our defence positions to support. In terms of Goals and movement, speed and pressing - Abraham wins. Holding the ball, passing to team mates and touch - Davis wins. Kodjia - not going to be given extension, because we no longer need his solo effects and dribbling as the team is set up to play around someone like the first two - as a team.

Have we had any confirmation if he is actually fit to be selected for Sat? If he's fit to play, he gives us some options across the back 4 which we haven't really had all season. I prob wouldn't bring him straight back in for Taylor, but I'd be tempted and not at all surprised if Smith does. Does anyone know if he is going to be in the Match day squad??

HI Villatalk, hoping to be able to post on here to discuss all things Villa. I'm a season ticket holder from Chelmsford, travelling up each game with my son who's 8. I was a season ticket holder in the 90s and just come back to it because of him last season. Thanks for moderating and administering the site. Do I need to else in order to register - I've read the terms and the guidance, but I'm not too sure how to proceed. Do i "register" once this post has been approved? thanks Tom