Dean Smith - Confirmed

[PaulWinch again]

Great to see Dean change our tactical approach to counter Leeds. Great work.

[ChicagoLion]

Spot on tonight. Back to being hard to beat. Organisation was excellent.

[TonyD]

Great to see Dean change our tactical approach to counter Leeds. Great work.

Absolutely.

Very satisfying and above all - an important big next step to us eventually winning something

[N'ZMAV]

Nice to see Deano execute a different plan today - something many of us had wondered if he was capable of. Great stuff.

[Mellin]

Yep, pleased about the changes in centre mid. Big increase in energy and an improved performance off the back of it.

[Ian.]

I was so pleased with his team decisions before KO. It can put to bed we have to play, or he’s too scared to rest Barkley. It was the right thing to do and Ramsey deserves a chance.

I wouldn’t of minded Dougie playing but it was probably right choice to play Nakamba in this game. The balance today was spot on and they all played well.

[Steve67]

Well drilled, disciplined, rang the changes and made sensible subs at the right time.  Brilliant Dean.

[Matt C]

Tactically spot on, outwitted the opponent with ease and all achieved without the need to sit on a bucket and dress like a tramp.

Bravo, Dean.

[Des Little]

Full marks to Deano for that today, ticked every box, apart from giving it the full Great Barr and having Richard O’Kelly translate for him during the post match interview.

[eamonn]

Huh?

[Drummond]

Hats off to Smith and co for the improvement we've seen in systems but also individuals this season. I'm so glad that Purslow et al didn't give up on Smith last season because the improvement after the shut down a year ago has been really good to see. The 1:1s he had with players really worked well, which shows to me he's got man-management right but also tactically knows his stuff.

We'll still be inconsistent at times obviously, but as the youngest team in the League surely we can only get better and keep improving. I'm chuffed for him personally too, as a Villa fan himself I'd think that every defeat or poor performance must hurt even more (and the wins so much sweeter).

[Risso]

I'm really glad he dropped Barkley for the Leeds match, not because I don't like Barkley, but because I think he was in danger of starting to look a bit in awe of "big name" players. Dropping Barkley and Luiz shows he's the boss, and outthinking Bielsa from start to finish was really good to see as well.

[Smithy]

Nice to see Deano execute a different plan today - something many of us had wondered if he was capable of. Great stuff.

Not just that, but two plans within the same game - unheard of! I'll hold my hands up, during the second half I was moaning that we needed fresh legs as our press had completely run out of steam - little did I know it was deliberate, which would explain why he waited so long to make changes - they weren't knackered, they were playing to instruction.

[Lastfootstamper]

Nice to see Deano execute a different plan today - something many of us had wondered if he was capable of. Great stuff.

Not just that, but two plans within the same game - unheard of! I'll hold my hands up, during the second half I was moaning that we needed fresh legs as our press had completely run out of steam - little did I know it was deliberate, which would explain why he waited so long to make changes - they weren't knackered, they were playing to instruction.

It would never have occurred to me to alter how we were playing because of the pitch. One of their local papers wasn't too happy that despite that not being the first time someone's done similar to them this season, there doesn't seem to be any kind of 'plan b' to try to winkle the opposition out and open the pitch up.

[ChicagoLion]

He got it right against Leeds, he got it wrong tonight.
His ability to follow a good result with a poor result is worrying.