Middlesbrough vs Dean Smith's Claret and Blue Army Post-Match Thread

[martin o`who??]

Great to see us defending a one goal lead away from home and still ending up with three players inside their six-yard box for the second.

[brontebilly]

Pulls predictably whinging post game about needing to strengthen in Jan up top. Any forward would struggle in his tactical straight jacket. Good to hear Rosenior call that out in the analysis. Assombolonga, Hughill, Gestede, Braithwaite, Downing, Saville....lot of wages going on that lot.

[AV82EC]

I honestly can't remember the last time we lost up there.

Then, I think.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/football/eng_prem/4088011.stm

I think that was a week after the Blues home defeat

It was, there was only about 500-600 of us there and we played them off the park. It was the Matthieu Berson looks v v good game.

[Lastfootstamper]

And another thing. Who'd have thunk that we'd be this potent without it being all about Grealish? Threats left, right and centre. Honestly, it'd take a Dean Smith to come even close to working out how to stop us, and I ain't seeing another one out there.

[Rudy65]

Glen Whelan will be the book-end of ten years of purgatory... the last minute equaliser for Stoke and missing that penalty.

I can still see Whelan score that goal in 09. Seem to recall us being 8 points ahead of Arsenal or something similar although they had a couple of games in hand. Carew scored a beauty that day

[olaftab]

A mention for Neil Taylor as well. Not everybody's cup of tea which is understandable but he's done ok lately I think. 

yes he has been steady of late

Style of play helps as other teams are too busy trying to stop our wideman in front of him.

[Rudy Can't Fail]

Just watched the full game for the first time this afternoon (on the Boro site). The thing that really stands out is Dean Smith has got them playing as a team. As somebody mentioned earlier, it's no longer just give it to Jack to do something special. Every single one of them must play their part, attacking and defending as a team. A joy to watch.

[Sexual Ealing]

Glen Whelan will be the book-end of ten years of purgatory... the last minute equaliser for Stoke and missing that penalty.

I can still see Whelan score that goal in 09. Seem to recall us being 8 points ahead of Arsenal or something similar although they had a couple of games in hand. Carew scored a beauty that day

I think we would've gone 8 points clear if we'd held on to the lead.

[Dr Butler]

a BIG ask I grant ya, but if we keep a clean sheet we will win easily....3-0 Villa...if we keep a clean sheet that is

UTV
THe Doc


blimey I should of chucked a tenner on it

UTV
The Doc

[Drummond]

Great performance, all over the pitch. It goes to show that whoever was in charge of recruitment didn't do a bad job of picking the attacking players. The way we're playing at the moment just shows how far off the mark Smith's predecessor was. So concerned about failing that he didn't try and play. We may lose a few playing this way, but this is going to be one hell of a ride.

To think back in early June I half hoped we'd go under as I was sick to death of the shite we have had to put up with and I could go and find something else to do. Now it finally feels like we've got our Villa back and I'm enjoying thinking about football again; dreaming what might be.

[Toronto Villa]

It’s changed how all of us now feel going into every single game. Before, we knew we’d probably have around 40% tops and maybe 3-5 shots on goal. Now it’s 60-75% possession and 15-20 shots on goal. Crazy to think of the magnitude of change in such a short space of time.

[robbo1874]

There’ll be a few people, supporters of other teams, journos, fellow Villa supporters, shaking their heads after the last few weeks thinking: what the fuck is happening at Villa?

It’s just nice that it’s in a good way for a change, rather than us careering from a disaster to a nightmare.

[darren woolley]

An absoulte brilliant performance by our Villa boys so proud of them we are not just beating teams we are blowing them away
long may it continue.

[Oscar Arce]

What struck me was the incisive passing and crossing from wide positions, always on the floor to nulify their big lumps, and the switching of positions across the front three, clear tactics and coaching from a proper coaching team. A pleasure to watch us at the moment so long may it continue.

[Drummond]

Can't we leave these up until just before the next game? Feels a bit premature to shift it already.