Dean Smith - Confirmed

[Brassneck]

Well we'll just have to agree to disagree on that one. I just thought it was a saft thing to do.

I agree.  I also think the triple substitution will have a bad effect on squad morale.  Elphick looked especially furious.  If it was always the plan to take him off and give Hause a run out, nobody had told Elphick.

Quite rightly as it could have affected his game.  Elphick said recently in his interview that he'd been told that he was coming back to play.  If Hause turns out OK (and he still looks to have some way to go), it will be Elphick who makes way.  Until that point, there is no need to have an unhappy player.

[Brassneck]

Well we'll just have to agree to disagree on that one. I just thought it was a saft thing to do.

I want to see our defence improve.  I don't think Elphick is the answer - Especially as more and more teams are adopting this high pressing game.  The only way Hause is going to get up to speed is by playing.  As I said previously, I wouldn't have made that change but there are merits behind it, as there are with any change.

[Clampy]

Like I said, we'll have to agree to disagree.

[Villatillidie25]

Well we'll just have to agree to disagree on that one. I just thought it was a saft thing to do.

I want to see our defence improve.  I don't think Elphick is the answer - Especially as more and more teams are adopting this high pressing game.  The only way Hause is going to get up to speed is by playing.  As I said previously, I wouldn't have made that change but there are merits behind it, as there are with any change.

Having said that, Elphick was significantly better than his partner yesterday. That corner Chester gave away in the first half when it bounced off both his feet was laughably bad.

[TopDeck113]

One thing I sincerely hope is that behind the scenes there is a Plan A, B and C being carefully considered, and detailed thought given to how we cope with the various eventualities of how this season ends.

Plan A is we somehow still make the playoffs and luck our way through to promotion.  Whilst it won't be the answer to our problems, at least the riches of the PL will enable us to both rebuild and keep our best players. I also currently think that this is the least likely outcome.

Plan B and Plan C involves another season in the Championship, B with Smith keeping the players he wants, C with the squad shorn of the likes of Grealish and McGinn.

Whichever it is, the players he wants need to be identified now and as soon as the window opens in the summer the deals done.  I'd be pretty sure that we'll still be in this division next year and we need to do what we have failed on every other season we've been down here: hit the ground running.  To have any hope of doing that we need a full pre-season implementing the Smith way.

Whilst not totally giving up on a run to the playoffs, I would also like to see Smith giving some of our home-grown kids a run.  I'm talking half-a-dozen to ten games against a variety of opponents to see if they can fit into the system he wants to play.  Some of them won't make the grade, that's the way it is with young players, but they honestly can't put in worse performances than some our current experiences wasters did yesterday.  However, one or two might have what it takes, which will not only save us money in the transfer market, and successful teams usually have a heart founded on players who have come up through the ranks.

[Brassneck]

Well we'll just have to agree to disagree on that one. I just thought it was a saft thing to do.

I want to see our defence improve.  I don't think Elphick is the answer - Especially as more and more teams are adopting this high pressing game.  The only way Hause is going to get up to speed is by playing.  As I said previously, I wouldn't have made that change but there are merits behind it, as there are with any change.

Having said that, Elphick was significantly better than his partner yesterday. That corner Chester gave away in the first half when it bounced off both his feet was laughably bad.

I don't like either of them and would ideally like to see both replaced.  I just think Chester will get a run on the right side before any decision is made.

[villa `cross the mersey]

As much as we are short in defence having a sub who is no where near match fit is totally bonkers in my opinion - Elphick has been brought back to help solve a problem and appeared up for the challenge when interviewed on his arrival back at B6
 I'd like to know why he was so upset ( if he was) when replaced by Hause

[Mister E]

I think 442 might be the way to go for the time being. We cannot win the midfield so what's the point trying?

Play Davis with Tammy off him.

Said that yesterday.

[Risso]

As much as we are short in defence having a sub who is no where near match fit is totally bonkers in my opinion - Elphick has been brought back to help solve a problem and appeared up for the challenge when interviewed on his arrival back at B6
 I'd like to know why he was so upset ( if he was) when replaced by Hause

He looked it.  Central defenders don't usually get subbed in a game, unless they're injured.  We were chasing the game, so he probably thought he was being made a scapegoat.

[Steve67]

It wouldn’t have been so bad if Tommy was taken off for a forward as we were only a goal behind at that time.

[Toronto Villa]

It’s like Dean took a swim in the ocean. He’d done it before while at Brentford and could see the shore. Confident of his ability at Aston Villa he’s braved going out a bit further where the water is deeper. Initially it was fine but as he got further out the water has become choppier and it just feels like he is starting to splash around a bit.

The recent games, the tactics, the subs, even his press interviews are all of a man who looks a lot less organized than the one who came to the club 3 months ago. Blaming the refs, putting on defenders and DM’s when losing. It’s not what he’s known for and he seems confused that the experience he has isn’t sufficient.

What he needs now is a boat called Grealish to come by, scoop him and take him back to calmer waters.

[villa `cross the mersey]

But Grealish is only a one -manned lifeboat - we need a larger boat with a better crew
(men not buoys   )

[Toronto Villa]

As much as it is his ability Grealish sets the tone for how Smith wants to play. That there is such a gap there when he’s absent is as much to do with the quality of the players in the squad as the types of players Bruce bought to suit his system. What we’ve seen in this league is teams don’t need players as good as Grealish to succeed. What they do have is players who are closer to each other in quality and all comfortable playing a certain way. You add a Grealish to that you are that much better.

We are a mish mash of parts and pieces. We all complained Bruce didn’t have an identifiable style of play because the players we have don’t fit any one system. That’s going to take time and money to fix to get them comfortable playing the way Dean wants them to.

[Risso]

As much as it is his ability Grealish sets the tone for how Smith wants to play. That there is such a gap there when he’s absent is as much to do with the quality of the players in the squad as the types of players Bruce bought to suit his system. What we’ve seen in this league is teams don’t need players as good as Grealish to succeed. What they do have is players who are closer to each other in quality and all comfortable playing a certain way. You add a Grealish to that you are that much better.

We are a mish mash of parts and pieces. We all complained Bruce didn’t have an identifiable style of play because the players we have don’t fit any one system. That’s going to take time and money to fix to get them comfortable playing the way Dean wants them to.

To be fair, all of our players looked of a very similar quality yesterday.

[pooligan]

I could not understand why if Smith wanted to get Hause on he did not  take off the worst player on the pitch i e Taylor and replace him with Hause who we are told can play at left back. Smith making some strange decisions of late