Ratings & Reactions: Watford v Villa

[MikeAVFC]

That was a truly desperate performance. Much more of that and we'll have to be sounding out managers (if we aren't already). I expected a struggle, but when there's no fight then the manager's days are numbered, regardless of the contract situation. This is a poor side make no mistake, but surely they are better than this. Something drastically wrong with the coaching. What do we do in training? Off the ball we are clueless. What the **** do O'kelly and Terry do? Not a fat lot by the looks of it. Serious questions need to be asked of the whole coaching setup

[AntrimBlack]

I am still hoping that we can turn this around if we get a couple of useful additions in the January window.

We have played well on numerous occasions with largely this team.Mostly we have been the architects of our own downfall, and have certainly had more bad luck than good.

Today a perfect example. All 3 goals were avoidable. This window is make or break.

[turvontour]

Dont need to watch any more than the highlights.

Wesley manages to head a free header into the ground from 7 yards out, and allow it to be saved. Not smash or direct a header into an area of the goal that open. Ffs. Thats lower league heading standards. What a ball too. Absolute waste of time. As everyone has said for the last month we are missing out on goals through playing him.

Second goal, it cuts to Watford having the ball and Villa having a player down and Villa crying about it. Oh and Douglas then fouls him in the area. Not even vaguely surprised.

[Robbie09]

We’ve gone from having a manager who talked about setting traps and overloads to one who now blames VAR - he can moan about decisions but VAR doesn’t dictate his formation or decide to play his best player out wide.

[TRO]

4 hours ago, stewiek2 said:

A team lacking leadership. Lacking fight. Lacking a spine. Lacking quality in wide positions. Lacking any sort of decent leadership. Strip Jack of the armband, bring Chester back into a back three. Jack's petulance in the Norwich and this game shows he isn't ready or mature enough for the armband. Trezeguet, Wesley and El Ghazi aren't prem quality. Smith isn't savvy enough at the moment. We need some brutes in the side. We need to go 3-5-2. Brian Little came in, saw we weren't strong enough to go 4 at the back so went with wingbacks and it worked. This squad is too week for the system Smith is playing. It is lacking leadership, captaincy, movement, a spine, and above all fight and a set of balls.

spot on....but that is a lot of work.

He has to do something radical to shake us out of comotose state of yielding to to every team we play......you could just imagine Deeney saying to his team mates. come on they are only a team of pussies.

 

Edited December 29, 2019 by TRO

[Five Ken McNaughts]

Targett sitting on his bottom while Watford waltzed through us pretty much summed up that sorry capitulation. For pity's sake, man. If you can't walk, limp. If you can't limp, hop. All I ask is that every time you put on a Villa top, you bloody FIGHT to the end.

[Paul33]

8 hours ago, Robbie09 said:

We’ve gone from having a manager who talked about setting traps and overloads to one who now blames VAR - he can moan about decisions but VAR doesn’t dictate his formation or decide to play his best player out wide.

Must admit, I'm starting to worry about Smith's constant excuses. Sometimes it is actually better to admit we lost because we didn't work hard enough and didn't play hard enough. It isn't like he was in any way correct ..... it WAS a penalty and Jack was NOT fouled for goal #3 and if that's how he sees it then he is delusional !

[Nigel]

Did we win?

[AntrimBlack]

3 hours ago, Paul33 said:

Must admit, I'm starting to worry about Smith's constant excuses. Sometimes it is actually better to admit we lost because we didn't work hard enough and didn't play hard enough. It isn't like he was in any way correct ..... it WAS a penalty and Jack was NOT fouled for goal #3 and if that's how he sees it then he is delusional !

All 3 goals were of our own making. And Grealish complaining about them not putting the ball out - he played on and did not put it out, in fact passed it forward. All a bit embarrassing.

[Jimzk5]

4 hours ago, Nigel said:

Did we win?

Wesley had a shot on target for the first time in 5 games so I'm counting it as a win 

[zab6359]

I'm re-watching the game right now that loss was on the manager a suspect team selection followed by a suspect team set up, followed by a stupid foul by DL, followed by heads dropping Watford totally deserved that win. Why was Conor played so deep? That's not his game Henri should have been next to DL and Conor more forward. I thought Hause had a decent game but was at fault for the third goal just didn't go with his man. The handbags every 5 minutes after the third goal was just embarrassing Jack needs to get a grip!

We need to really reinforce that front line in January, a pacy winger who likes the ball at his feet and a goal scoring striker are the very least we need. If DS doesn't get funds in Jan I fear the board have lost some faith in him (I haven't)

And Kodjia should start the next game probably be his last though so DS won't risk and injury before he ships out!

Edited December 29, 2019 by zab6359

[villabromsgrove]

The reason Conor was played so deep yesterday is that it was an away game. Smith always sets us up to play deep away from home and he hasn't yet accepted that it doesn't work, as the paucity of points won clearly demonstrates.  Watching Jota, Hourihane, Grealish and Luiz playing deep behind Lansbury and Wesley who were still only on or around the half way line was hugely frustrating. Smith picked a slightly more ball playing midfield yesterday, but why bother if you don't plan to play in the opposition's third of the pitch? Yet again our inability to play against ten men was blindingly obvious. It also highlighted our lack of guts as there was a clear gulf of desire and passion between a committed Pearson team who stepped up a gear with ten men, and Smith's bunch of petulant softies who just rolled over. 

Dean's inability to learn is a real problem, and his 'Mr Nice Guy' persona is in danger of relegating us because it's rubbing off on the team.

Edited December 29, 2019 by villabromsgrove

[TRO]

45 minutes ago, villabromsgrove said:

The reason Conor was played so deep yesterday is that it was an away game. Smith always sets us up to play deep away from home and he hasn't yet accepted that it doesn't work, as the paucity of points won clearly demonstrates.  Watching Jota, Hourihane, Grealish and Luiz playing deep behind Lansbury and Wesley who were still only on or around the half way line was hugely frustrating. Smith picked a slightly more ball playing midfield yesterday, but why bother if you don't plan to play in the opposition's third of the pitch? Yet again our inability to play against ten men was blindingly obvious. It also highlighted our lack of guts as there was a clear gulf of desire and passion between a committed Pearson team who stepped up a gear with ten men, and Smith's bunch of petulant softies who just rolled over. 

Dean's inability to learn is a real problem, and his 'Mr Nice Guy' persona is in danger of relegating us because it's rubbing off on the team.

sadly..correct.

[Brumstopdogs]

 

 

[gwi1890]

16 hours ago, turvontour said:

Dont need to watch any more than the highlights.

Wesley manages to head a free header into the ground from 7 yards out, and allow it to be saved. Not smash or direct a header into an area of the goal that open. Ffs. Thats lower league heading standards. What a ball too. Absolute waste of time. As everyone has said for the last month we are missing out on goals through playing him.

Second goal, it cuts to Watford having the ball and Villa having a player down and Villa crying about it. Oh and Douglas then fouls him in the area. Not even vaguely surprised.

Quality ball to be fair,  if that header would have gone in diffrent result you recon?

[bielesibub]

32 minutes ago, gwi1890 said:

Quality ball to be fair,  if that header would have gone in diffrent result you recon?

I reckon, 3-1 instead. 

[Stockport_Villain]

It doesn’t feel any less painful today.

[turvontour]

4 hours ago, gwi1890 said:

Quality ball to be fair,  if that header would have gone in diffrent result you recon?

No idea. We deserved nothing from the Norwich game and got 3 points.

[flashingqwerty]

On 28/12/2019 at 18:26, skell said:

What makes you think he squandered the money!  I suspect Smith bought Konsa. Mings. El Ghazi and Suso definitely initiated wesley, marvelous, Luiz and Engels. 

Smith also wanted maupay and benrahema. If all the above is true why blame Smith?

Wrong - Smith was tracking Engels at Brentford.  Said so himself.

He is also on record as having said he is involved on all transfers, so to say players were brought in he didnt want simply isnt true.

[TRO]

On 28/12/2019 at 18:06, macandally said:

I like Dean Smith, however the thing that worries me most is the fact that we are still making the same mistakes as we did in week 1 of the season.  In a nutshell, we cannot defend and that is what will get us relegated.  We do not have the legs for a high press, we do not have the discipline or strength for two banks and on the transition we are woeful.  I don’t know who if anyone is doing the “defending when disorganised” drills but teams cut through us like we are not there.

At the very least, we need to work on our defensive solidity.  What’s the saying,?  “attackers win you games, defenders win you championships”.  We will go down unless we find a way to defend.

For me, the club is bigger than any individual, throw the chequebook/budget at Poch or Rafa.  We simply cannot gamble with the clubs future, we need an established coach with proven “big pressure” pedigree

I have read that post several times and I think its one of the best on our current plight....for its brevity and straight to the heart of the point.

folk would do well to read and digest it.

Edited December 30, 2019 by TRO