Dean Smith - Confirmed

[OCD]

Chelsea away will obviously be hard and the Wolves game second hardest but they're not looking their best yet. The Leeds and Southampton's games show that we can't be complacent or play within ourselves and if we underestimate people, it could cost us.

I don't know the stats but I would imagine there are more away wins without crowds. Brighton are capable of playing a blinder and Palace are capable of a solid away performance.

[algy]

I think we're seeing what we wanted. Attractive football that gives us a chance of winning against anyone. There are risks in this style, and the defeats we've had prove that.

However, so far, I'll take this version of Villa over any we've had this century.

I'm totally in this camp. It's great to be excited about watching us again. However, the one that still hurts is the Leeds game. I'd have happily settled for a miserable performance and grinding out a result against that lot.

At the time, yes, I'd have taken a pragmatic point. It shows we can adapt, blah, blah, blah. But in hindsight, nah, bollocks to that. Leave compromise to politics and marriage.

Yep, me too.  You either want bombastic football - with the good (Villa 7-2 Liverpool; Arsenal 0-3 Villa) and the bad (Villa 0-3 Leeds) - or you don't.  I'd rather we go out every game and play like we're the best side on the planet, or at least try to.

Don't dream it, be it.

[Brend'Watkins]

Each game as it comes should be our approach.

[Daley’s dreads]

Yes definitely one game at a time.

As a side note, I said a few weeks ago we might find the Southamptons and Palaces the most difficult this season.
They are stronger than us physically and also quick with plenty of experience and savvy managers.
Think we’re better suited to the top teams and the bottom 5 or 6 personally.
Wouldn’t be surprised if Palace ground out a 1-0 against us.

[hipkiss92]

I think we're seeing what we wanted. Attractive football that gives us a chance of winning against anyone. There are risks in this style, and the defeats we've had prove that.

However, so far, I'll take this version of Villa over any we've had this century.

I'm totally in this camp. It's great to be excited about watching us again. However, the one that still hurts is the Leeds game. I'd have happily settled for a miserable performance and grinding out a result against that lot.

Leeds were very good that night, can’t take that away from them. I do wonder if we would have gone two up though with those missed chances (although probably undeserved) we’d have gone on to win comfortable.

The way Leeds set up to play will gain them a lot of points this season, but there will be plenty of games where, because individually their players aren't brilliant, the opposition will get on top of them and make them look fairly average.

Our game at home to them in the championship is a case in point. We went 2-0 up in the first half where they missed plenty of chances due to individual errors. Unfortunately we couldn't deal with them continuing to make those chances in the 2nd half of that game and we came unstuck.

[john e]

one of my biggest moans and disappointments over the last few years is that no matter how well we were playing we always found it very difficult to take points of the top 6 teams, give or take the odd one or two down the ages

i felt it was confidence, we didn't believe we could win so we didn't, lost before it started
how many times even last season did we throw away leads and turn into sponge puddings, Liverpool, Arsenal, Spurs, Man Utd etc
the worse things about those performances is that we struggled to retain the ball, giving it away far to easily and looking scared to compete

that's the best thing about this season so far for me, Liverpool, Leicester, Arsenal all put to the sword with great commanding performances
it's years since we had a team with the confidence to do that probably going back to MON's time, and even then it was more smash and grab

absolutely delighted to have hopefully put those times behind us

[Risso]

one of my biggest moans and disappointments over the last few years is that no matter how well we were playing we always found it very difficult to take points of the top 6 teams, give or take the odd one or two down the ages

i felt it was confidence, we didn't believe we could win so we didn't, lost before it started
how many times even last season did we throw away leads and turn into sponge puddings, Liverpool, Arsenal, Spurs, Man Utd etc
the worse things about those performances is that we struggled to retain the ball, giving it away far to easily and looking scared to compete

that's the best thing about this season so far for me, Liverpool, Leicester, Arsenal all put to the sword with great commanding performances
it's years since we had a team with the confidence to do that probably going back to MON's time, and even then it was more smash and grab

absolutely delighted to have hopefully put those times behind us

I totally agree John.  The other thing is, we rarely scored when we were well on top in games, so that we when had our very usual "bad half" we always ended up chucking points away.

[OCD]

I think the improvement in fitness is a big part of that. We would be leading sides and the opposition would get on top of the game and we would end up losing the lead. Compare Sunday's game to the Arsenal away game last year for instance.

[SoccerHQ]

As much as I've given him a bit of stick over last few weeks Barkley was superb on Sunday as I had a feeling he would be as felt like his sort of game where Arsenal set up would leave all sorts of gaps between  midfield and defence.

That sort of signing really lifts the menality of the whole 11 I think as he's that type of been it done it player we've been lacking for quite a while and Arsenal away is just another game for him whereas I think for lots of the squad last season it was a nice day out and didn't matter if we lost.

Signing 4-5 of those types in one go can disrupt the tight knit spirit and get the wage bill rocketing up but makes sense to get one of that type in per transfer window so really looking forward to seeing type of player we target in January given we're on the brink of a very exciting season.

I know some will say we should wait and keep our powder dry until next summer but we saw in the MON years sometimes tomorrow never comes and then key players start wanting to leave so I'd rather we go all in given the levelling out of the league this season due to all the off field factors.

[john e]

one of my biggest moans and disappointments over the last few years is that no matter how well we were playing we always found it very difficult to take points of the top 6 teams, give or take the odd one or two down the ages

i felt it was confidence, we didn't believe we could win so we didn't, lost before it started
how many times even last season did we throw away leads and turn into sponge puddings, Liverpool, Arsenal, Spurs, Man Utd etc
the worse things about those performances is that we struggled to retain the ball, giving it away far to easily and looking scared to compete

that's the best thing about this season so far for me, Liverpool, Leicester, Arsenal all put to the sword with great commanding performances
it's years since we had a team with the confidence to do that probably going back to MON's time, and even then it was more smash and grab

absolutely delighted to have hopefully put those times behind us

I totally agree John.  The other thing is, we rarely scored when we were well on top in games, so that we when had our very usual "bad half" we always ended up chucking points away.

I know mate
Worrying thing is we’re going going to be running out of things to moan about soon the pair of us

[olaftab]

one of my biggest moans and disappointments over the last few years is that no matter how well we were playing we always found it very difficult to take points of the top 6 teams, give or take the odd one or two down the ages

i felt it was confidence, we didn't believe we could win so we didn't, lost before it started
how many times even last season did we throw away leads and turn into sponge puddings, Liverpool, Arsenal, Spurs, Man Utd etc
the worse things about those performances is that we struggled to retain the ball, giving it away far to easily and looking scared to compete

that's the best thing about this season so far for me, Liverpool, Leicester, Arsenal all put to the sword with great commanding performances
it's years since we had a team with the confidence to do that probably going back to MON's time, and even then it was more smash and grab

absolutely delighted to have hopefully put those times behind us

I totally agree John.  The other thing is, we rarely scored when we were well on top in games, so that we when had our very usual "bad half" we always ended up chucking points away.

Whinge Brothers going out of business...happy days.

[RamboandBruno]

Each game as it comes should be our approach.

Spot on. The up coming games on paper look more winnable that Liverpool, Arsenal, Leicester and Southampton, but we all know football doesn’t always work like that. Just from watching MOTD this season Brighton play some great stuff but don’t seem to be able to finish teams off, they will string a few wins together at some point. West Ham are up and down, Palace are decent on their day and chelsea and wolves good teams. So we’ll see I guess, the difference we should go into each of these games thinking we can win...and put bloody Newcastle with Bruce and Callum Wilson to the sword with a good hammering

[Astnor]

Each game as it comes should be our approach.

Smith has said that his approach is "to try to win every game".

[Rudy Can't Fail]

I think the improvement in fitness is a big part of that. We would be leading sides and the opposition would get on top of the game and we would end up losing the lead. Compare Sunday's game to the Arsenal away game last year for instance.

Fitness, better players coming in during the summer but for me the two key factors are the mentality and additional backroom support.

For far, far too long, we had players that were just too comfortable being an Aston Villa player; the salary and lifestyle it brings, financially secure on long contracts but with no pressure to develop and get results. Their ambition had already been achieved by the above and the mentality was one of 'it's Aston Villa, a big club, too big to get relegated, not serious challengers, steady Eddies in the PL, they pay top wages, a very comfortable place to earn a living.

That mentality has now changed and largely thanks to the financial muscle of our owners, Dean has the power to bring in better players to the first team rather than adding to the squad. Players now know they can be replaced and an ambitious, winning mentality has developed. It's not just money though, look at Arsenal or the Plastics who have spent a fortune over the last few years and their players expect to win because of where they are but without the effort they're both struggling. Obviously it helps having players like Jack that are extremely ambitious around the place but also put in massive shifts every game. That kind of mentality has been a long time coming but we can see not only from results but performances it's a winning formula.

The other factor is how Dean has built up his backroom team. During the break earlier this year Dean was quoted as saying something about how he had spent the time to analyse why we had such a shit defence and were heading for relegation. My first thoughts were he's way out of his depth if he's only now looking to solve the problems, we need a manager not a bloody auditor.

Looking back, maybe the problem wasn't the job's too big for him but the Club is. There was so much that fell under his remit, lots of stuff that we sometimes forget is his responsibility, from the academy to recruitment, everything football wise has to pass his desk. Then he has a squad of 25+ players and 3 coaches to help him out, one of them being a goalkeeping coach. Not much time to work the details and improve the results or develop the players.

I'd say some of our most important signings in the summer were bringing in talented pros to allow Dean to delegate. Johan Lange looks to have taken a big weight off Dean's shoulders, not only on recruitment but right across the board. Craig Shakespeare was a superb addition to the coaching team, bringing tonnes of experience and know-how. Maybe now, as for the first time in years, Aston Villa look 'prepared' and Dean can finally focus on his real job.

Apologies, never meant for that to be so bloody long.

[Ian.]

Good post RCF, great points made about the back room staff and the mentality around the place.