Ratings & Reactions: Villa v Hull

[briny_ear]

Glad we did better in the 2nd half - something to build on.

Overall, just a bit shite.

[Jareth]

3 minutes ago, jim said:

Smith isn’t the man to take this club forwards.

Severely premature IMHO

[VillanousOne]

confidence looks low, the second half looked the like the real us under Dean Smith.

Bolasie, Adomah and Thor were utterly terrible. Green looked positive.

[AVTuco]

Happy to get a point out of that, especially after the first half tripe. We ended the game on a high note, hopefully that carries over to the next game.

 

[jim]

1 minute ago, Jareth said:

Severely premature IMHO

Is it? He’s an average manager and has done nothing in his career to suggest he can take this club where it needs to be.

[Jareth]

Just now, jim said:

Is it? He’s an average manager and has done nothing in his career to suggest he can take this club where it needs to be.

I just think it's way too early. 

[M_Afro]

Just now, jim said:

Is it? He’s an average manager and has done nothing in his career to suggest he can take this club where it needs to be.

I agree. Never wanted him. He has done nothing to justify getting the job. He did well to start with and I really hoped he was going to prove me wrong but he had a Bruce like ability to just watch us go on long crappy runs of form with the only solution being to do nothing and hope our luck changes! That is not management I’m afraid.

[Paul33]

Said this last week but please god do not let Bjarnasson ever wear a Villa shirt again and you can ditch Hourihane as soon as we get a half decent midfielder because he ain't half decent on a good day !

We miss Jack but, in reality, we still lack a midfield every bit as much as we have in the last 4/5 seasons. Bjarnasson and Hourihane are chicken-shit cowards who will always make the simple cowardly pass back rather than attempt to move the ball forward. That puts pressure on our back four who end up being forced into becoming playmakers and it cuts off our forwards who rarely see the ball as a result.

Sort the midfield out and we'll start moving but don't ask me who we play ...... so long as its not Bjarnasson and Hourihane then it will be an improvement but we look to be lacking in options.

PS: Decent game from Elphick !

[AJ]

It took me nearly the first half to get AVTV up and running, and from the sounds of it that was a good thing.

I did manage to catch the second half, and even though we couldn't get the winner, I am glad we played better than last week.

[Demitri_C]

Honestly I feel Smith is a good coach but defesinvely one of the worst we have had. Awful defensive display get again.

[PieFacE]

Tale of two halves. First half was one of the worst villa performances I've ever seen live.

Second half was better but the damage was already done.

Very concerning run of form under Smith recently. We don't seem to be pressing anymore. Remember when we were "setting traps"? None of that exists now and it's all feeling very similar to Bruce. 

Why do we refuse to try and play through the middle? There were a few occasions where a simple ball through the middle would have put Abraham or BB through but we insist on going out wide.

Hourihane is way too one footed. Thor is just rubbish. Bolasie had a 'mare. 

Thought Elphick had a good game but I have an incredibly low opinion of him. 

Abraham and McGinn showing the others how it's done, again. The workrate from those two players is phenomenal. 

[Hanky]

So poor. Hourihane (free kick aside), Bolasie, Adomah and Bjarnsson absolutely awful. We seriously need some reinforcement but easier said than done. 

[Junxs]

Hard to understand how I feel about that, on hand hand I was expecting us to get battered because of the back to back 3-0 defeats, so I was not surprised at all when we were 2-0 down to a team that's won 7 on the bounce or something.

On the other hand we showed good fight to come back to get a draw and largely an outstanding performance in the 2nd half. If we can play like that 45 every week then we'll be just fine.

At the start of the match if offered a draw I would have taken it, but because of the form we are in we really could have done with a win - so I'm split.

 

[eholm]

Too many of the players simply do not have the energy, legs or physicality to play Smiths system. BB, CH, AH, NT, AA and YB. All of these players will never be suitable for us. We need younger players with the power and energy to dominate the opposition. Way to weak physically  in central midfield - we need that powerhouse in there. 

Ckearky, DS has discussed all if this with Purslow following his comments re our recruitment strategy going forward and the getting rid of the older players. 

[Junxs]

21 minutes ago, jim said:

Smith isn’t the man to take this club forwards.

Seriously? You've come to that decision in 3 months when the transfer window hasn't even really got going yet.. you think you can change the whole philosophy of a club in just 3 months with little no change in playing staff?

I despair 

[brummybloke]

 

Can't play his preferred formation but insists on doing it.

BB moved into the middle was the catalyst for our second half improvement.

Still wasn't great but compared to the first half of negative pass back football, it will have to do.

If Smith insists on his preferred formation with adomah, taylor and bolasie playing then we will lose every game.

 

[Paul33]

15 minutes ago, Demitri_C said:

Honestly I feel Smith is a good coach but defesinvely one of the worst we have had. Awful defensive display get again.

Errrr ...... that's why John Terry is involved. What exactly is Terry doing if he isn't adding value to defensive coaching ? 

[jim]

10 minutes ago, Junxs said:

Seriously? You've come to that decision in 3 months when the transfer window hasn't even really got going yet.. you think you can change the whole philosophy of a club in just 3 months with little no change in playing staff?

I despair 

Yes.

He has done nothing in his career to suggest he has the ability to take this club forwards. He is an average championship manager and  we will become an average team under his stewardship. 

[jim]

10 minutes ago, Paul33 said:

Errrr ...... that's why John Terry is involved. What exactly is Terry doing if he isn't adding value to defensive coaching ? 

We have no idea how much input JT has on this department. His title is assistant coach, not defensive coach.

[Demitri_C]

13 minutes ago, Paul33 said:

Errrr ...... that's why John Terry is involved. What exactly is Terry doing if he isn't adding value to defensive coaching ? 

Can you provide evidence this is what jts doing???