Dean Smith - Confirmed

[Rudy Can't Fail]

Villa are a big club and that brings expectations and demands, I fully get that, but I wonder if we need to think about the fan culture at Villa. I wonder if there had been crowds at games if some would have been booing by now. We've been hammered by mediocrity for about two decades, so I think all some of us know is to sack the manager.

Our downfall has being too sentimental, patient and allowing our expectations to be constantly lowered. Giving the manager 'one more window' soon turns into 'who better could we get' and before you know it you end up with Steve Bruce, dodgy owners and without a pot to piss in.

Let me put it another way; there's a big pile of shit in the room, some can smell it before entering the room. Others need to both see it and smell it. Some need to even touch it to support their sense of smell and sight. A few strange ones want to taste it before they will admit what it is and there's a very small group that claim to like the taste and see no problem with it.

[Clampy]

Villa are a big club and that brings expectations and demands, I fully get that, but I wonder if we need to think about the fan culture at Villa. I wonder if there had been crowds at games if some would have been booing by now. We've been hammered by mediocrity for about two decades, so I think all some of us know is to sack the manager.

Our downfall has being too sentimental, patient and allowing our expectations to be constantly lowered. Giving the manager 'one more window' soon turns into 'who better could we get' and before you know it you end up with Steve Bruce, dodgy owners and without a pot to piss in.

Let me put it another way; there's a big pile of shit in the room, some can smell it before entering the room. Others need to both see it and smell it. Some need to even touch it to support their sense of smell and sight. A few strange ones want to taste it before they will admit what it is and there's a very small group that claim to like the taste and see no problem with it.

If being 11th in the table is a big pile of shit, then I'm glad I don't sit next to you at matches. Good god, that second paragraph was just way over the top utter nonsense. Being angry at being 11th really does make me.wonder why some fans bother. They can't get much enjoyment out of it.

[Toronto Villa]

We’ve improved each season under Smith. How many times have we been able to say that in recent years? If he keeps that up then he’ll deservedly keep his job.

That's why there is literally no chance of him being fired.

It's why I'm willing to cut him some slack, almost everyone on here (90%) polled for us to finish mid-table or bottom half in a thread called 'realistic expectations' and even the worst case outcome from here will see us around the middle of that range. I get that the very good early season form had people hoping for more but none of us seriously thought that was realistic in the summer.

Next season we need to be top half and challenging for Europe so the pressure will be on for spells like this to be much shorter and handled better but this year we all expected inconsistency, just not so clearly dividing the season into 2 halves.

Agree with this. But do also think another shoddy showing against the baggies and a defeat, really isn’t helping his cause. Pressure will be on as well, as after last nights result, it does feel win or bust for them.

No, it's been really poor for a good while now. While there has been improvement year over year which has bought him well deserved time the drop off from our levels up to Christmas has been dreadful. And that included when Jack was playing.

[Rudy Can't Fail]

Villa are a big club and that brings expectations and demands, I fully get that, but I wonder if we need to think about the fan culture at Villa. I wonder if there had been crowds at games if some would have been booing by now. We've been hammered by mediocrity for about two decades, so I think all some of us know is to sack the manager.

Our downfall has being too sentimental, patient and allowing our expectations to be constantly lowered. Giving the manager 'one more window' soon turns into 'who better could we get' and before you know it you end up with Steve Bruce, dodgy owners and without a pot to piss in.

Let me put it another way; there's a big pile of shit in the room, some can smell it before entering the room. Others need to both see it and smell it. Some need to even touch it to support their sense of smell and sight. A few strange ones want to taste it before they will admit what it is and there's a very small group that claim to like the taste and see no problem with it.

If being 11th in the table is a big pile of shit, then I'm glad I don't sit next to you at matches. Good god, that second paragraph was just way over the top utter nonsense. Being angry at being 11th really does make me.wonder why some fans bother. They can't get much enjoyment out of it.

What are you talking about? Where have I said 11th is shit and I'm certainly not angry. Reading posts before responding would be my recommendation.

[Risso]

What are you talking about? Where have I said 11th is shit and I'm certainly not angry. Reading posts before responding would be my recommendation.

And deprive him of the chance to be a better fan than everybody else for the millionth time?

[paul_e]

Why do we have so many players short of form?
Who is responsible for getting the most out of the squad?

Or are we saying that without Grealish we have a relegation level team and none of this is the fault of the manager?

Interchange form with confidence and it's pretty obvious, results have dropped and seen us fall away from a potential challenge for the top 4/6 and as a result the confidence and form has dipped across the squad. I just think we need to find a bit of confidence going forward (and I think in reflection McGinns goal might help with that).

From his press conference today Smith was asked about the impact of the covid break and potential long-covid and his reply was that there's no evidence of fitness troubles from it but the forced break did hurt our momentum. He also said that the form of players like Bert, AEG and Ross all dropping off at the same time that Jack got injured is why we're struggling going forward. He did say though that almost any team would obviously miss a player of the level Jack is.

What was also interesting is that the journalists that mentioned Man City seemed to be talking about a good performance but a poor result and Smith mentioned that other than the 2 avoidable goals Martinez didn't have much to do and they didn't create many shots but that we need to be more competitive in attack.

I can't disagree with any of that, when I was talking about the covid break a few days ago I never once said it was a fitness thing or used the virus as an excuse i was just pointing out that something in the team changed during that break and we've not been able to turn it around.

so you are unable to answer the questions.

No, I'm unable to give you an answer you'll accept, not the same thing at all.

[Clampy]

What are you talking about? Where have I said 11th is shit and I'm certainly not angry. Reading posts before responding would be my recommendation.

And deprive him of the chance to be a better fan than everybody else for the millionth time?

Well, you were second to bite. Can't say I'm surprised.

[pauliewalnuts]

I don't get some of the anger to be honest. Disappointment, yes because it could have gone better but I think overall this season has been a positive one.

In the same way that the usage of the word 'shocking' a few pages back was over the top, so is 'anger' in this context.

People are disappointed and want us to do better. That's understandable, we all like nice football and points on the board.

'Anger' though? Really?

[Clampy]

I don't get some of the anger to be honest. Disappointment, yes because it could have gone better but I think overall this season has been a positive one.

In the same way that the usage of the word 'shocking' a few pages back was over the top, so is 'anger' in this context.

People are disappointed and want us to do better. That's understandable, we all like nice football and points on the board.

'Anger' though? Really?

I think in some people there is, especially when it's on a daily basis several times a day and in some cases, way over the top.

[Ad@m]

Why do we have so many players short of form?
Who is responsible for getting the most out of the squad?

Or are we saying that without Grealish we have a relegation level team and none of this is the fault of the manager?

I don't think we do have a relegation level team without Jack.  We're all bemoaning the results since he's been out, but despite this, and the fact the rest of the midfield has gone off the boil, we'd be 16th.  So flirting with relegation, but better than 4 other teams.

So flirting with relegation is not a relegation level team?

Well, no.  On the basis no one's been relegated for finishing 16th as far as I can remember.

[ChicagoLion]

Why do we have so many players short of form?
Who is responsible for getting the most out of the squad?

Or are we saying that without Grealish we have a relegation level team and none of this is the fault of the manager?

Interchange form with confidence and it's pretty obvious, results have dropped and seen us fall away from a potential challenge for the top 4/6 and as a result the confidence and form has dipped across the squad. I just think we need to find a bit of confidence going forward (and I think in reflection McGinns goal might help with that).

From his press conference today Smith was asked about the impact of the covid break and potential long-covid and his reply was that there's no evidence of fitness troubles from it but the forced break did hurt our momentum. He also said that the form of players like Bert, AEG and Ross all dropping off at the same time that Jack got injured is why we're struggling going forward. He did say though that almost any team would obviously miss a player of the level Jack is.

What was also interesting is that the journalists that mentioned Man City seemed to be talking about a good performance but a poor result and Smith mentioned that other than the 2 avoidable goals Martinez didn't have much to do and they didn't create many shots but that we need to be more competitive in attack.

I can't disagree with any of that, when I was talking about the covid break a few days ago I never once said it was a fitness thing or used the virus as an excuse i was just pointing out that something in the team changed during that break and we've not been able to turn it around.

so you are unable to answer the questions.

No, I'm unable to give you an answer you'll accept, not the same thing at all.

No you just waffled on for a few paragraphs not addressing the question.
You know, the thing that  politicians do which infuriates the rest of us.

[ChicagoLion]

Why do we have so many players short of form?
Who is responsible for getting the most out of the squad?

Or are we saying that without Grealish we have a relegation level team and none of this is the fault of the manager?

I don't think we do have a relegation level team without Jack.  We're all bemoaning the results since he's been out, but despite this, and the fact the rest of the midfield has gone off the boil, we'd be 16th.  So flirting with relegation, but better than 4 other teams.

So flirting with relegation is not a relegation level team?

Well, no.  On the basis no one's been relegated for finishing 16th as far as I can remember.

oh dear,

[paul_e]

No you just waffled on for a few paragraphs not addressing the question.
You know, the thing that  politicians do which infuriates the rest of us.

Interchange form with confidence and it's pretty obvious, results have dropped and seen us fall away from a potential challenge for the top 4/6 and as a result the confidence and form has dipped across the squad. I just think we need to find a bit of confidence going forward (and I think in reflection McGinns goal might help with that).

For people with the atttention span of a goldfish:

poor confidence = poor form
loss of momentum + poor results = loss of confidence
losing best player for months = loss of confidence

There's your answer but you won't accept it because it doesn't give you a chance to bitch and moan like a toddler.

[Steve67]

Well, this is a happy place!

[Meanwood Villa]

It should be recognised that Leicester's win over West Brom yesterday means we mathematically can't be relegated. A sign of real progress surely.

Without looking, guess how many Premier League games we've played in the last ten years where you could say that?

11

Nowhere near.

5