Dean Smith - Confirmed

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Isn't Jack supposed to be back next game?

That's what was reported back in mid-January.

[Steve67]

When we tore Derby and Boro a new arse and we had a midfield three of Grealish, Hourihane and McGinn. Where was the physicality exactly?

Putting our chances away might help, new manager bounce, a more confident side. Who knows? But, that all seems to have stopped and many people were saying we needed upgrades on the likes of Whelan and Jedinak.  Whilst Carroll does not appear to be what we needed, Smith tried for Fer and sadly couldn’t complete the deal. Carroll May we be part of the longer term strategy.  Yes, we battered Derby and Boro but couldn’t sustain it. I would like to know why.

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Jack Grealish.

[SoccerHQ]

We are so slow getting the ball out wide nowadays. You go back to our golden run in November and December and Bolasie and El Ghazi were destroying full backs around that time.

Both gone off the boil spectacularly and you also have Albert in really poor form.

[Chris Smith]

When we tore Derby and Boro a new arse and we had a midfield three of Grealish, Hourihane and McGinn. Where was the physicality exactly?

Putting our chances away might help, new manager bounce, a more confident side. Who knows? But, that all seems to have stopped and many people were saying we needed upgrades on the likes of Whelan and Jedinak.  Whilst Carroll does not appear to be what we needed, Smith tried for Fer and sadly couldn’t complete the deal. Carroll May we be part of the longer term strategy.  Yes, we battered Derby and Boro but couldn’t sustain it. I would like to know why.

I think it was down to losing Grealish and Tuanzebe at the same time. Our best defender and our most creative midfielder, we have looked unbalanced ever since. Mings coming in and Grealish returning will hopefully change things. It’s a tight division and the margins are slim and a 5% improvement or deterioration can make a difference.

[sickbeggar]

When we tore Derby and Boro a new arse and we had a midfield three of Grealish, Hourihane and McGinn. Where was the physicality exactly?

Putting our chances away might help, new manager bounce, a more confident side. Who knows? But, that all seems to have stopped and many people were saying we needed upgrades on the likes of Whelan and Jedinak.  Whilst Carroll does not appear to be what we needed, Smith tried for Fer and sadly couldn’t complete the deal. Carroll May we be part of the longer term strategy.  Yes, we battered Derby and Boro but couldn’t sustain it. I would like to know why.

I think it was down to losing Grealish and Tuanzebe at the same time. Our best defender and our most creative midfielder, we have looked unbalanced ever since. Mings coming in and Grealish returning will hopefully change things. It’s a tight division and the margins are slim and a 5% improvement or deterioration can make a difference.

that's it for me. Even when we were winning we were still letting in a shitload of goals . Something had to give and it was squad strength.

[paul_e]

I’d be inclined to try El Ghazi behind a front two, in a team without wingers. Perhaps a midfield 3 of McGinn, Carroll and Jedi.

With the current players available I'd be tempted to push McGinn a bit deeper and play Kodjia and El Ghazi tucked in on either side behind Tammy. If El Gahzi still isn't having an impact we could swap davis in and have tammy and kodjia play off him.

It'd require the midfield 3 to help the full backs at times though and we'd really need to improve our possession, which is where Carroll becomes an asset.

[Toronto Villa]

what an indictment it is on our club that Smith can play exciting fast paced football on a shoestring at Brentford but not here, despite the tens of millions of pounds spent since relegated. Our shit's well and truly fucked up.

I’m pretty sure though he didn’t just turn up at Brentford and had them playing that way. He would have gone through much the same process as he is with us. Just that being at Villa the focus is a thousand times greater. Every detail is scrutinized and he can’t just do it under the radar. So the good, bad and as we are seeing now the ugly are being played out very publicly.

Also at Brentford he was likely under very different parameters define success. For him I have no doubt it is promotion to the PL by the end of next season. That’s a lot more to deal with.

[Mister E]

I’d be inclined to try El Ghazi behind a front two, in a team without wingers. Perhaps a midfield 3 of McGinn, Carroll and Jedi.

With the current players available I'd be tempted to push McGinn a bit deeper and play Kodjia and El Ghazi tucked in on either side behind Tammy. If El Gahzi still isn't having an impact we could swap davis in and have tammy and kodjia play off him.

It'd require the midfield 3 to help the full backs at times though and we'd really need to improve our possession, which is where Carroll becomes an asset.

Yes. I’d really like to see Abraham and Davis play as a front 2. El Ghazi (whilst JG is out) behind would provide a more flexible attacking approach. And you’re right that the MF 3 would need to be much more mobile than the current selections are.

[Allan C]

Bruce managed P9 W0 D2 L7 in his first season and he got barely a murmour of criticism

The 'Bruce Out' thread was started straight after the 8th of those games. He was getting plenty of stick at the time.

Mebbe, but I seem to remember it started as titled "Bruce out?" so not as definite as it looks now. Besides, you still have to look at Smith picking up 10 points in the last 8 games compared to Bruce's  2 points, so you'd have to say it was fair comment with Bruce especially as he got the job because he was going to get us up that season.

Additionally Bruce came to us with a reputation for outdated poor football which a percentage of fans were willing to accept because he was a “promotion expert” but many were never going accept because we didn’t want to us playing that way. Hence the Bruce Out thread. Smith has come with a reputation for the exact opposite of Bruce

[Villa75]

This is what I can't get my head around, Hourihane was the dominant player at his last club and ran the game for them, what happens to good players when they come to Villa? different managers different structure but they all seem to turn to shit.

Near enough every thread you go on, people are talking about getting rid of players like Hourihane and Adomah. Like we're going to get much better come in!

These are two good players at this level. They've both shown it. The manager's not getting the best out of them, for whatever reason, so blame him.

[john e]

Bruce managed P9 W0 D2 L7 in his first season and he got barely a murmour of criticism

The 'Bruce Out' thread was started straight after the 8th of those games. He was getting plenty of stick at the time.

Mebbe, but I seem to remember it started as titled "Bruce out?" so not as definite as it looks now. Besides, you still have to look at Smith picking up 10 points in the last 8 games compared to Bruce's  2 points, so you'd have to say it was fair comment with Bruce especially as he got the job because he was going to get us up that season.

Additionally Bruce came to us with a reputation for outdated poor football which a percentage of fans were willing to accept because he was a “promotion expert” but many were never going accept because we didn’t want to us playing that way. Hence the Bruce Out thread. Smith has come with a reputation for the exact opposite of Bruce

Spot on , I was in the second group
Smith now needs to start showing us who he is and what he can do

 just saying if he had better players he would get better results is pretty ridiculous
that would be the same for anyone

he needs to be true to the principles that got him here and not turn into every other British dinosaur manager

[brian green]

Well said.

[Toronto Villa]

He’s using the same tactic week after week. Albert has lost whatever magic he had last season. Kodjia isn’t a winger yet he plays him as one when he gets a game. Whelan is awful. Why not try Tammy and Kodjia up front with only El Ghazi as the wide option? Something other than the same system week after week.

I accept Smith doesn’t have “his” players yet and that will take time. I accept he’s had bad luck with injuries. But he’s being paid a lot to adapt and adjust and he’s not doing it. That’s entirely on him.

[Malandro]

It’s not really desirable but I’d be playing Elmo on the right wing at the moment, at least he can put a decent crosss in.
Albert and El Ghazi look like creating nothing.

I’m amazed at how poor Adomah has been.