villanmac

There's obviously a technical debate but his cardio is astounding. In the wolves game in particular he was going full sprints charging keepers and defenders down in the 90th minute without seemingly losing much puff afterwards. I know some have observed that he seems to carry a bit of timber and I think he's like one of those boxers who always carry a bit of fat and don't look amazing physically but can go hammer and tong for 12 rounds no problem because of the extra energy stores it gives them.

He's doing a great job considering his style of play is severely hamstrung by the limitations of our center forward. I'm convinced that was more of a Suso signing than his, but he sanctioned it so he has to live and die by that i guess. I just hope we can stay above the relegation zone until January (particularly pick up points in those big games around xmas), get a top striker in and then i'm convinced we'll really see what a Dean Smith team is capable of. I honestly think he will become one of the very best managers in this league and turn us into a top 6 club in the process.

Did someone in the doug give So Ghazi a bit of stick? Looked miserable there.

I'd back Smith's judgement over mine too, and pretty much any coach out there which is why for the life of me I can't understand this signing. He's the antithesis of a Dean Smith player in every possible way. It's bizarre.

Hes absolutely shit, you can see the rest of the players know it as well. Reminds me of Andre Green last season who isnt football league level yet fans were always deluding themselves he would come good and were basically making up attributes that werent there.

Maupay was fantastic yesterday. Did you miss the two chances he put on a plate with through balls through our back line?

Telling the Norwich fans behind the goal to **** off when they were booing him getting treatment was a particular highlight for me. Good lad.

I think those talking about 2 in 6, and him being a new signing who will get better etc. are missing the point of those who think he needs dropping. You can't afford to keep picking a player who isn't even showing the fundamentals of being able to win a header, attack cross, or seemingly get himself in front of his defender to receive the ball. It's damaging to the other 10 players on the pitch and severely restricts the other 10 players ability to retain the ball when pressed by the opposition and for the team to create chances when the opposition sit back. I think a lot of problems we've had would be remedied if we had a forward to relieve pressure and move us up the field 10-20 yards from time to time. I totally understand that fans are saying he will get better with time, which is fair enough, but if you want to keep Wesley in the team to give him time to find his feet then I think you have to take that into account when critiquing some of team performances so far, particularly in the 2nd half of games.

We play short corners against the bigger (taller) sides. Did it last season too. Smith and the coaching staff will have all the stats to back it up. I really don't think it's an issue.

The performances of Wesley are actually the one that gives me hope for the rest of the season. If we can be 'in' games with him upfront as a human mannequin doing **** all then we might actually be a decent prem team.

Totally agree with those saying that Sunday was his best game. He's metronomic for us, and you see that each game is getting more in sync with the pace of the league. For a player who's all about releasing the ball at exactly the right time and taking that extra touch to get a yard on his man there was going to be a period of recalibration to the pace of the league. Now 6 games in you can see more of that off the cuff style which makes him so talismanic for the team. I think he's gonna be crucial to the fortunes of the front 3 as they struggle to get themselves into game at times. With Jack getting the ball to their feet in space and playing the one-twos off them (which I think is probably crucial with Wesley) hopefully he can get them firing too.

The thing about Wesley is bar the Everton game not once does he force himself in front of a defender to get a pass that maybe he wasn’t favourite to get, but he does get it...holds it/wins a foul/a corner or whatever. Hard to describe it, but I think we all know the kind of centre forward play I’m on about and it releases pressure on the team/stunts the flow of the opposition. I get the point about the shit service but a centre forward for a relegation battling team has to do that imo. He just doesn’t seem versed in those dark arts at all.

Needs to understand that McGinn and Grealish aren’t subbable. Top managers aren’t afraid to take off their best players for the good of the team. I’m convinced the reason Lansbury or Conor didn’t come on is because he’s too fond of them to hook one of them off.

Absolute bottlers

Hoping that side can step up physically today. Bar the centre halves we’ve been outmuscled and bullied in both our away games so far this season.

I never said it did.

Stewards winding up villa fans up after the goal according to my mate who was in the thick of it.

That's where Smith has shown the most naivety imo when putting this squad together. They can't compete physically at all. Spurs, Everton (Wesley aside in that one) and now Palace have bullied us in that aspect.

**** off Gilbert

I actually feel the ref has been fine too. We are losing the 50/50s and then commiting niggly fouls.

We can't match their pace and physicality and look scared to play as a result.

That first touch though, a little flick to create the angle for the strike. Perfection.

This is what i worry about because only Mcginn and Trezeguet are players who i think have 7-8 goals in them in the premier-league, and the latter's finishing can be very poor according to people who've seen him before Villa. Can anyone really hang their hat on Jota, El Ghazi and Grealish getting that amount of goals at this level?

Men against boys, weedy little boys at that.

We are so physically inferior it's scary.