Dean Smith - Confirmed

[john e]

If we improve season on season (which we currently are since Dean came in) then although the margins for error get slimmer we will eventually get to the top. If we get too high too soon then the drop back is huge - incremental improvements through coaching youngsters and purchasing top quality players in key positions will do it.

I am as impatient as the next fan but this journey feels more secure than any other time with our Millionaire owners previously.

These people are the real deal 

Indeed, and I'm happy to sit back and enjoy the ride. Risso's up front though nagging the driver with "Are we there yet?", and john e is worried were not going to get there in time.

Yep that’s the best summary yet

[Hockley Lion]

Assuming he stays here for next season, I think as long we're challenging for things Jack will be happy. No more of this "10th place is better than 11th so we're still improving" way of thinking.

No more of? Who's intimated they are thinking that way? Or is it just nonsense to try and prove a point about 'Dismal Dean' and his supporters? 

I agree with you about what would keep Jack happy next season, but associating people who defended DS with settling for a 10th place next season is just wrong.

[eamonn]

If we could win the FA Cup with Jack as captain, I don't think any of us would begrudge whatever move he may make after. Doesn't sound too small-time, does it?

[ChicagoLion]

If we could win the FA Cup with Jack as captain, I don't think any of us would begrudge whatever move he may make after. Doesn't sound too small-time, does it?

sorry him turning up in a 'The Mighty Reds YNWA' or manure shirt would be fetch the bucket time.

[Whiney MacWhineface]

One thing I've liked this season is that we've gone into nearly every game thinking we can get something out of it. OK, we haven't obviously but being confident beforehand is a nice feeling and not something we're used to.

Exactly my feeling too.

One of my all time favourite Villa moments was (I think) before Christmas, and Jack and company were playing '76/77 football. Then the camera focussed on Jack's face - apart from his infectious smile his eyes were ablaze. This was Dean's Premier League team playing like kids in the park and just having a whale of a time.

[LeeB]

One thing I've liked this season is that we've gone into nearly every game thinking we can get something out of it. OK, we haven't obviously but being confident beforehand is a nice feeling and not something we're used to.

Exactly my feeling too.

One of my all time favourite Villa moments was (I think) before Christmas, and Jack and company were playing '76/77 football. Then the camera focussed on Jack's face - apart from his infectious smile his eyes were ablaze. This was Dean's Premier League team playing like kids in the park and just having a whale of a time.

This team have bought me more joy through the exuberance of play at times than any since Little's team.

[brontebilly]

I just don't see the correlation with getting Europe and Grealish staying. What's the agenda or assumption? Grealish will stay if we get into Europe? Win a cup? CL place? Win the league? MON got into Europe and got to a cup final. People like Barry still left. Unless the club are planning to throw City type levels of money at us, I really can't see us winning the league before Grealish is in his 30's. I presume he wants to win things so getting into Europe isn't really fulfilling that.

We didn't get to a cup final under O'Neill while Barry was still here. And MON hardly went all guns blazing at the uefa cup.

Point taken, but players still left whether that's Barry, Milner or Young. Whoever. It's like Kane saying he wants to "win things". Well CL finals and 2nd place finishes obviously isn't that to him. So i'm not sure progress like a 5th place finish is going to be enough to keep Grealish.

True, we could lose Grealish next month never mind next season

I think the main difference is money
I know we don’t like talking about it we want to do things in a steady and ethical way
but without it you can’t have the ambition these players want to see, like Spurs no money no chance

Arsenal can’t even afford to keep Gunnersaurous yet think they are in the hat for Grealish

First time in our lives our finances are better than anyone else in football apart from maybe one
And I agree with Nev in a previous post about not going about it in a Man City way but at some point or other You’re going to have to spend big to compete and we can which gives us a massive advantage

If Spurs lose Kane and we keep Grealish we should be overtaking them next season
Players leave to go to more ambitious clubs
We are that more ambitious club

Good point on Spurs, a Grealish inspired Villa should be finishing ahead of a Kane less Spurs. Spurs look in a right hole.

Despite the addition of a number of very good players, our fortunes seem intrinsically linked to the form and fitness of one player. Sure Grealish is brilliant but we shouldn't be falling to relegation threatened without him. The other players against Spurs just seemed transformed with him on the pitch. I'm struggling to think of another player who has that kind of influence on his team (Roy Keane at his peak for Ireland maybe).

[LeeB]

The impact on his teammates was evident right from the start, when Tactics Tim picked him he bought a sudden upturn in form out of Cleverley, Delph and Benteke.

[Drummond]

One thing I've liked this season is that we've gone into nearly every game thinking we can get something out of it. OK, we haven't obviously but being confident beforehand is a nice feeling and not something we're used to.

Exactly my feeling too.

One of my all time favourite Villa moments was (I think) before Christmas, and Jack and company were playing '76/77 football. Then the camera focussed on Jack's face - apart from his infectious smile his eyes were ablaze. This was Dean's Premier League team playing like kids in the park and just having a whale of a time.

This team have bought me more joy through the exuberance of play at times than any since Little's team.

We've beaten Arsenal, Spurs, Everton, Leeds, Leicester and of course destroyed Liverpool. It's the best season for many a year and the joy of some of those wins, like the other night but particularly Liverpool has made every single one of us want more. And we're not scared now.

Next step, the FA Cup. I'd honestly die happy if we did it as it's the only one we haven't won in my lifetime. Though the UEFA Cup would be nice.

[Hockley Lion]

As a matter of interest. Where do folks think we'd be now if Jack hadn't been injured? He obviously improves the players around him and frightens the cack out of the opposition. I don't think it's too optimistic to put us 7th or 8th.

[jwarry]

As a matter of interest. Where do folks think we'd be now if Jack hadn't been injured? He obviously improves the players around him and frightens the cack out of the opposition. I don't think it's too optimistic to put us 7th or 8th.

Equally where would Spurs be if they had achieved the rip off of all time?

[Hockley Lion]

As a matter of interest. Where do folks think we'd be now if Jack hadn't been injured? He obviously improves the players around him and frightens the cack out of the opposition. I don't think it's too optimistic to put us 7th or 8th.

Equally where would Spurs be if they had achieved the rip off of all time?

Too true. I've just looked again at the games and 7th or 8th looks comfortable.

[chrisw1]

As a matter of interest. Where do folks think we'd be now if Jack hadn't been injured? He obviously improves the players around him and frightens the cack out of the opposition. I don't think it's too optimistic to put us 7th or 8th.

Equally where would Spurs be if they had achieved the rip off of all time?

It still makes me laugh when I think about that.  In our hour of need Levy tried to fuck us over - probably the biggest mistake of his career.  We only wanted £25m and he had to try it on.  I hope the Spurs  fans remind him about it regulalrly.

[VILLA MOLE]

As a matter of interest. Where do folks think we'd be now if Jack hadn't been injured? He obviously improves the players around him and frightens the cack out of the opposition. I don't think it's too optimistic to put us 7th or 8th.

Equally where would Spurs be if they had achieved the rip off of all time?

It still makes me laugh when I think about that.  In our hour of need Levy tried to fuck us over - probably the biggest mistake of his career.  We only wanted £25m and he had to try it on.  I hope the Spurs  fans remind him about it regulalrly.

the master negotiator that he is !

[West Derby Villan]

One thing I've liked this season is that we've gone into nearly every game thinking we can get something out of it. OK, we haven't obviously but being confident beforehand is a nice feeling and not something we're used to.

Exactly my feeling too.

One of my all time favourite Villa moments was (I think) before Christmas, and Jack and company were playing '76/77 football. Then the camera focussed on Jack's face - apart from his infectious smile his eyes were ablaze. This was Dean's Premier League team playing like kids in the park and just having a whale of a time.

This team have bought me more joy through the exuberance of play at times than any since Little's team.

We've beaten Arsenal, Spurs, Everton, Leeds, Leicester and of course destroyed Liverpool. It's the best season for many a year and the joy of some of those wins, like the other night but particularly Liverpool has made every single one of us want more. And we're not scared now.

Next step, the FA Cup. I'd honestly die happy if we did it as it's the only one we haven't won in my lifetime. Though the UEFA Cup would be nice.

Drummond, I think a lot on here agree with the acquisition of the Holy Grail as being the “Last Request” before we happily pop our clogs