DakotaVilla Posted December 29, 2018 Share Posted December 29, 2018 It’s our expectations that have to change. We have absolutely no right to “expect” 18+ points out of those fixtures with the imbalance and defensive weakness that exists in the squad coupled with the Long term injuries to Axel and Grealish. If we do get 18 points+ it will be due to getting our transfers in very early - which has never really happened before - and more miracles from Smith. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DaveAV1 Posted December 29, 2018 Share Posted December 29, 2018 1 hour ago, GENTLEMAN said: The difference between managing Brentford and Villa will become a stark contrast over this set of fixtures. There is massive weight of expectation which brings pressure and a big test of Smith's character and managerial nous. Take the next game for instance, 5,602 villa fans heading up the M6 to Preston with the expectation of nothing less than a dominant performance and win. I agree the expectations of managing a club of our stature is always a challenge and one that Steve Bruce a very experienced manager and as a player who had won it all at Man U, couldn’t live with. I think it’s more to do with an individual’s character than anything else as to how they cope with those expectations. At some point they have to make that step up and if they’re the right guy they will take it in their stride. Wenger came from the J League, I can’t even remember the team, to Arsenal, Fergie from Aberdeen. The right guy, in the right place at the right time, all the stars lined up and it just works. Hopefully Dean Smith is our Mr Right, early signs look good. I think he’s helped by the fact that as a fan and things like his Dad being a steward, he feels instantly at home in his environment, he gets the club. He can’t help the high expectations, in fact by many of his comments I think he encourages and embraces those expectations. Rather than being cowed by the pressure of the job, the manager of Aston Villa should be inspired by it. I think Dean Smith is. 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Junxs Posted December 29, 2018 Share Posted December 29, 2018 2 hours ago, DakotaVilla said: It’s our expectations that have to change. We have absolutely no right to “expect” 18+ points out of those fixtures with the imbalance and defensive weakness that exists in the squad coupled with the Long term injuries to Axel and Grealish. If we do get 18 points+ it will be due to getting our transfers in very early - which has never really happened before - and more miracles from Smith. After these 2 games in quick succession we have 12 day break until the following league game, with the sounds of things we are trying to get our transfers done early. Just recalling Elphick resolves half our injury problems, and there will be others. Regardless of whether you think we should be lowering expectations, everybody thinks we are good enough for the playoffs at least - we should be beating the sides we are up against in the next 8 games - they are all lower half and have their own various problems. The fact that we came through the toughest set of fixtures possible with only 1 defeat, and that was to the league leaders in injury time, should fill everyone with confidence. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JAMAICAN-VILLAN Posted December 29, 2018 Share Posted December 29, 2018 I don't even care if we limp to 1 - 0 in these next 2 games. Getting 6 points to start the new year off on 42 points would set us up nicely! 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest av1 Posted December 29, 2018 Share Posted December 29, 2018 3 hours ago, Junxs said: After these 2 games in quick succession we have 12 day break until the following league game, with the sounds of things we are trying to get our transfers done early. Just recalling Elphick resolves half our injury problems, and there will be others. Regardless of whether you think we should be lowering expectations, everybody thinks we are good enough for the playoffs at least - we should be beating the sides we are up against in the next 8 games - they are all lower half and have their own various problems. The fact that we came through the toughest set of fixtures possible with only 1 defeat, and that was to the league leaders in injury time, should fill everyone with confidence. Agreed. Our results under Smith have been fantastic given the tough set of fixtures, but that will count for very little should we start dropping points against the teams down the bottom. Confidence should be high and we should be looking to win every one of our next 8 games. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brumstopdogs Posted December 29, 2018 Share Posted December 29, 2018 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AntrimBlack Posted December 29, 2018 Share Posted December 29, 2018 4 hours ago, DaveAV1 said: I agree the expectations of managing a club of our stature is always a challenge and one that Steve Bruce a very experienced manager and as a player who had won it all at Man U, couldn’t live with. I think it’s more to do with an individual’s character than anything else as to how they cope with those expectations. At some point they have to make that step up and if they’re the right guy they will take it in their stride. Wenger came from the J League, I can’t even remember the team, to Arsenal, Fergie from Aberdeen. The right guy, in the right place at the right time, all the stars lined up and it just works. Hopefully Dean Smith is our Mr Right, early signs look good. I think he’s helped by the fact that as a fan and things like his Dad being a steward, he feels instantly at home in his environment, he gets the club. He can’t help the high expectations, in fact by many of his comments I think he encourages and embraces those expectations. Rather than being cowed by the pressure of the job, the manager of Aston Villa should be inspired by it. I think Dean Smith is. It is down to the man. Bruce must have known in his heart that his ideas were outdated, and that the Villa job was too much for him. Smith is a modern manager, confident in his abilities and not cowed by a big challenge. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stevo985 Posted December 29, 2018 VT Supporter Share Posted December 29, 2018 This graphic that someone else posted earlier (Bruce fixtures in red and smith fixtures in green) really does hammer home the good job that Smith has done, and perhaps I hadn’t given him enough credit. I said a few weeks ago that this period after Xmas and new year will really show us how much he has turned it around. If we can add to the squad and take advantage of this favourable run of results it will prove that it’s not just a new manager bounce that he’s achieved, it’s actual sustained improvement. I’m excited. Today is a huge game. We need to win to start us on the right foot going into this run. I’m feeling confident. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vive_La_Villa Posted December 29, 2018 Share Posted December 29, 2018 If in the next 7 games we are able to play on the front foot and at the same intensity as the majority of games with Smith in charge. Some teams could be in for a spanking. I know it’s never that simple though. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DakotaVilla Posted December 29, 2018 Share Posted December 29, 2018 If only grealish and axel were fit then maybe it would be that easy. In the mean time, my personal preference is to win every single game 1-0 with a last minute winner if possible. It’s the grit and desire to win that will eventually get us promoted. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
villalad21 Posted December 29, 2018 Share Posted December 29, 2018 (edited) We looked like scoring the last 10 minutes prob the reason for no subs after Birkir Edited December 29, 2018 by villalad21 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PaddytheVillan Posted December 29, 2018 Share Posted December 29, 2018 Still think Smith is the right man but we need to rotate, he is making a mistake as we looked knackered and subpar throughout. Elphick, Bjarnason, Adomah and Kodjia in for QPR. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Farlz Posted December 29, 2018 Share Posted December 29, 2018 Bad result. We've looked poor since the Stoke game now, he desperately needs to find a better replacement for Grealish while he's injured. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TrentVilla Posted December 29, 2018 Moderator Share Posted December 29, 2018 2 minutes ago, PaddytheVillan said: Still think Smith is the right man but we need to rotate, he is making a mistake as we looked knackered and subpar throughout. Elphick, Bjarnason, Adomah and Kodjia in for QPR. I’m not really sure who he should have rotated to date, we have too many shite players left behind by that **** oaf Bruce. We can and should make changes against QPR but I think the side has largely picked itself recently. 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dudevillaisnice Posted December 29, 2018 Share Posted December 29, 2018 Poor choices from him today. Drawing too many Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nigel Posted December 29, 2018 VT Supporter Share Posted December 29, 2018 Just now, TrentVilla said: I’m not really sure who he should have rotated to date, we have too many shite players left behind by that **** oaf Bruce. We can and should make changes against QPR but I think the side has largely picked itself recently. Kodjia and adomah should have started! 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kurtsimonw Posted December 29, 2018 Share Posted December 29, 2018 Poor result. His team runs through Grealish too much, we need to learn to play without him. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TrentVilla Posted December 29, 2018 Moderator Share Posted December 29, 2018 1 minute ago, Nigel said: Kodjia and adomah should have started! I wouldn’t have started them personally. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DCJonah Posted December 29, 2018 Share Posted December 29, 2018 With jack out is it worth trying 2 strikers upfront? It doesn't seem to be working trying to play the same system without Grealish. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AVTuco Posted December 29, 2018 VT Supporter Share Posted December 29, 2018 Just now, TrentVilla said: I wouldn’t have started them personally. I would not have started Bolasie and/or El Ghazi. They both have been poor in the last couple. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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