TRO Posted January 12, 2019 Share Posted January 12, 2019 I wouldn't be surprised if the hierarchy have a change of heart in this window. not saying they should, but I have my suspicions. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Eastie Posted January 12, 2019 Share Posted January 12, 2019 5 minutes ago, TRO said: If that is the case, then we have the wrong characters at the club. Clearout. The wages most of them are on there will be few takers sadly . Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mark Albrighton Posted January 12, 2019 VT Supporter Share Posted January 12, 2019 (edited) 2 minutes ago, TRO said: I wouldn't be surprised if the hierarchy have a change of heart in this window. not saying they should, but I have my suspicions. In regards to Smith? Do you really think so? Edited January 12, 2019 by Shropshire Lad Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
praisedmambo Posted January 12, 2019 Share Posted January 12, 2019 1 minute ago, TRO said: I wouldn't be surprised if the hierarchy have a change of heart in this window. not saying they should, but I have my suspicions. Man City lose one player and they start losing. I hope our owners are not so stupid and reactionary. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hippo Posted January 12, 2019 Share Posted January 12, 2019 Just now, Stevo985 said: Why would the players have been bollocked at half time vs Leeds when they were 2-0 up? Thats what the players thought. Smith actually said post match though - they he didn't think we had played well in that first half v leeds then again he said on todays game it was pretty even first half I disagree with his assesment of both halfs TBH. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TRO Posted January 12, 2019 Share Posted January 12, 2019 I think the worry for me is not getting beat or drawing.....but the dramatic shift in performance levels....its the magnitude of the change in such a small space of time. I get that we don't win a game with key players out or draw, when we should win......but getting pummeled and losing all the basics is concerning. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TRO Posted January 12, 2019 Share Posted January 12, 2019 1 minute ago, Shropshire Lad said: In regards to Smith? Do you really think so? No....I meant spending money, sorry, I didn't explain myself properly. 1 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
praisedmambo Posted January 12, 2019 Share Posted January 12, 2019 Just now, TRO said: I think the worry for me is not getting beat or drawing.....but the dramatic shift in performance levels....its the magnitude of the change in such a small space of time. I get that we don't win a game with key players out or draw, when we should win......but getting pummeled and losing all the basics is concerning. There is no conspiracy. It's maths. We lost our best player (and Tuanzebe afterwards). From that moment on we have looked nothing as good. It is literally maths. We cannot replace a £25 million player with Glen Whealan or BB. 1 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mark Albrighton Posted January 12, 2019 VT Supporter Share Posted January 12, 2019 Just now, TRO said: No....I meant spending money, sorry, I didn't explain myself properly. Oh, yeah possibly. But my gut feeling was that we wouldn’t be making many more multi million pound signings anyway. The keeper was the big signing, I didn’t see much more being spent anyway. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
screwdriver Posted January 12, 2019 Share Posted January 12, 2019 If any player thinks they're gonna come in after throwing away a 2-0 lead and get a "never mind boys unlucky" and not get a bollocking they're in dream world. However it doesn't suprise me. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TRO Posted January 12, 2019 Share Posted January 12, 2019 3 minutes ago, hippo said: Thats what the players thought. Smith actually said post match though - they he didn't think we had played well in that first half v leeds then again he said on todays game it was pretty even first half I disagree with his assesment of both halfs TBH. I think Dean Smith was spot on in the Leeds game....I said to a fellow fan, if we don't get a grip of this game we will lose......so many admitted we needed another goal to be safe....what an indictment at home in front of a near full house. Dean Smith was right to rollock their play....just a couple of offensive moments of good play got us 2-0. no disrespect some folk need to watch the game and see whats happening in the middle of the pitch and not keep looking at the score board for solace....then games like today will not come as so much of a surprise. 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TRO Posted January 12, 2019 Share Posted January 12, 2019 4 minutes ago, Shropshire Lad said: Oh, yeah possibly. But my gut feeling was that we wouldn’t be making many more multi million pound signings anyway. The keeper was the big signing, I didn’t see much more being spent anyway. where's that rope? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TRO Posted January 12, 2019 Share Posted January 12, 2019 He needs a clear out.....whether he will be allowed is another thing. but then he needs to bring in the right characters. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hanky Posted January 12, 2019 Share Posted January 12, 2019 14 minutes ago, Stevo985 said: Why would the players have been bollocked at half time vs Leeds when they were 2-0 up? We weren’t great that half, wouldn’t have overly surprised me. Although I’m in agreement with TRO, if they can’t take it then they shouldn’t be here. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mark Albrighton Posted January 12, 2019 VT Supporter Share Posted January 12, 2019 (edited) 13 minutes ago, TRO said: I think the worry for me is not getting beat or drawing.....but the dramatic shift in performance levels....its the magnitude of the change in such a small space of time. I get that we don't win a game with key players out or draw, when we should win......but getting pummeled and losing all the basics is concerning. If you look at the situation we had in the first three months under Bruce, there are some similarities. Improved performances, results, improved away form, new sense of hope all around. Then Christmas/January comes around it takes a decidedly downward trajectory. I think that run was the first time a fair few people questioned Bruce, in the same way questions are being asked now of Smith. Are you seeing the same issues that we faced then, the stark contrast between results? Do you think we’re repeating similar mistakes here and that in 18 months time we’ll be asking why we persevered with Smith? I’m basically just curious how much of a parallel you’re seeing with the Villa from two years ago and whether you’re worried that we’re on the same path again. Edited January 12, 2019 by Shropshire Lad 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TRO Posted January 12, 2019 Share Posted January 12, 2019 (edited) 27 minutes ago, Eastie said: The wages most of them are on there will be few takers sadly . Then the recruitment strategy needs to be looked at carefully. we need a few strong characters to instill a fighting spirit in to these losers....or being kind, hold it all together when they have form dips. Edited January 12, 2019 by TRO Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TRO Posted January 12, 2019 Share Posted January 12, 2019 2 minutes ago, Shropshire Lad said: If you look at the situation we had in the first three months under Bruce, there are some similarities. Improved performances, results, improved away form, new sense of hope all around. Then Christmas/January comes around it takes a decidedly downward trajectory. I think that run was the first time a fair few people questioned Bruce, in the same way questions are being asked now of Smith. Are you seeing the same issues that we faced then, the stark contrast between results? Do you think we’re repeating similar mistakes here and that in 18 months time we’ll be asking why we persevered with Smith? I’m basically just curious how much of a parallel you’re seeing with the Villa from two years ago and whether you’re worried that we’re on the same path again. Its very early days to say that.....but yes I see similar traits, even if the football Dean alludes to is more entertaining, normally. The traits I refer to is not tactics, but Individual traits of their play....lack of basics in some. If, if what a previous poster wrote, that Dean give them a bollocking at Half time against Leeds then I am 110 % behind Dean Smith and I think we have hope... because if they thought their play was ok, we do have a problem....thankfully Dean seen different. The fact that we went on to lose 2-3 ( after the bollocking)shows what a shallow bunch of no hopers we have or snakes, depending how you want to interpret it. 1 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wilko154 Posted January 12, 2019 Share Posted January 12, 2019 Smith has now been hit hard by the instant change in fortunes when he took over. We went from playing desperately abject football under Bruce to bossing games with energetic, high pressing, possession based football. It's now becoming clear that it was a new manager bounce as well as the overhaul in tactics that helped produce those perfomance's. Tuanzebe and Grealish obviously helped immensely. We've now fallen back into the performances we were being subjected to under Bruce and suddenly people are getting on Smith's back. We have to remember this is still Bruce's squad, a depleted squad from last season. We have some very good players, but they are mixed in with some past it players, some individually good players, and some very average/poor players. Unfortunately we have more of the latter than the former. We have to get behind Smith and give him the chance to implement his style of football and bring in the players to help him do this. It's not going to happen overnight and it most likely won't happen this season. Promotion was an outside chance this season, and whilst it's disappointing that we will lose players like Grealish and Abraham, the long term goal of Aston Villa rebuilt and playing football to be proud of is the overall goal. 1 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nnock1984 Posted January 12, 2019 Share Posted January 12, 2019 Sorry if this has already been mentioned, but who the hell brings on a centre back and Glenn whelan when we’re one nil down. Surely the move was Kienan Davis on for BB? 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Thug Posted January 12, 2019 Share Posted January 12, 2019 I heaped praise when he deserved it, and it's only fair that the reverse works true too. Utterly bizarre substitutions today. They were never likely to do anything for use other than make us worse. We were getting nowhere, and what was needed was fresh ideas, not worse-for-like changes. He took off the better of the two centre backs, and replaced him with someone who is clearly not match fit - and had a debut that made Lescott and Richards look like quality signings. He left on a left back who repeatedly failed to control, pass, or cross the ball, and was being beaten every time he came up against his opponent. He needed to make a change to the system, not just put on worse players for the same positions. Utterly bizarre, and I will never understand it. Lost a lot of respect from me today. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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