Aston Villa v Hull City Post Match Thread

[adrenachrome]

Hull weren’t all that. Couldn’t really see how they’ve won 6 on the bounce.

They were exactly what I expected. But we're calamitous at the back.

There's so many players have poor seasons or that are just poor defensively that no combination of them will resolve the problems.

This is what comes from Johnstone, Terry, Grealish, Snoddy and Grabban being your spine and you only owning one of them.

Nothing good ever happens once the spine is detached. We have to rebuild our backbone; we have the technology and the resources.

[tomd2103]

First 45 mins were a fucking disgrace.
If that was the ‘reaction’ to the Wigan humiliation then I think we have no chance.

Second half was better but we never really got up a head a steam that looked like we could win it, I don’t recall their keeper making a save and we could have lost it at the death.

Too many individual poor performances or bad choices at critical moments.
Bolasie is looking like his best days are well behind him.
Bjarnasen, as I have said before, offers great mobility but absolutely no quality.
And Hourihane was a powder puff, waste of fucking space, again.

And, thank heavens for McGinn, god knows where we’d be without him.

I couldn't quite believe what I was watching in the first half.  It was like watching an end of season game for a mid table side with nothing to play for and most of the players had been told they weren't being kept on. 

[ktvillan]

Something doesn't smell right.  In Smith's first few games the players looked like they had bought into his coaching and tactics, even though the defence was still iffy.  Even Hutton and Taylor looked half decent,  Bolasie and El Ghazi were making contributions, and Hourihane was at least getting goals.   

Recently there does appear to be a lack of effort and interest, players not putting a proper shift in - with the honourable exceptions of McGinn and Tammy.  Hourihane is making Ashely Westwood look like Roy Keane.  Has Smith done something something to piss them off?  Have they cottoned on to the plan to replace older players with younger players and given up?   There does seem to have been a paradigm shift that goes beyond simply losing Grealish and Tuanzebe to injury, though obviously that hasn't helped.

I agree with John E, good coaches should be able to put things right quickly, like Bielsa has, regardless of personnel.   He's managed to get youngsters established in the first team and playing well. Smith's galvanising effect has been short lived and he is now looking a bit lost. I think it's way too soon to be speculating on his future but he needs to sort it out quickly, at least in terms of the effort being applied. 

[wittonwarrior]

Dams has been dealt a poor hand by Bruce can only do so much with the likes of Chester, Taylor etc

[garyshawsknee]

Just seen the goals on Quest. That defending is straight from Billy Smarts circus.

[exigo]

First game I've seen live in a month, having been out of the country.

Flippin' heck, has our entire passing game been thrown out of the window just because Axel and Jack are out? We hoofed it at Wigan last week, and our plan A this week seemed to be chip it up the line to Barney – and why is he playing as our most-advanced midfielder in a squad littered with wingers?

The greatest positive I can take from this week is Purslow saying that our squad is riddled with players who don't have a long-term future at the club. Because, eff me, other than Jack, McGinn and Tammy, I'm not sure who else would make the cut.

[PeterWithe]

Chester was hamstrung by the complete lack of movement in front of him, he scored and made an incredible off the line clearance. If we can bring in a dominant partner he’ll be excellent again.

[Three Spires Villa]

Dams has been dealt a poor hand by Bruce can only do so much with the likes of Chester, Taylor etc

Ok, that’s fine, but did you see today? Or Preston away, or stoke or QPR home? Dean has to take some blame for those games

[PeterWithe]

We are own worst enemies, that hoof down the center kills us.

[walsall villain]

Today has reinforced my belief that we are going to be no where near promotion this year. The summer uncertainty and Bruce’s recruitment has left us with an unbalanced squad that aren’t technically up to playing the way Smith wants. I do feel he recognises this but perhaps he should just adjust his tactics and formation whilst we are in transition? I still want us to compete in every game but I can’t see this squad getting the results needed. If by a miracle we did go up it would be carnage next season. I hope we start the rebuild now. Let’s get more athletic players in who can pass and move and implement the tactics Smith wants. I’d ditch a few of our squad now if anyone is sniffing around, Kodjia and Hogan for example. It’s tough on us to except this reality but it’s going to be a long job. I also think the club hierarchy are set on this approach and if Smith can’t deliver he will be changed but the philosophy won’t.

[Three Spires Villa]

Today has reinforced my belief that we are going to be no where near promotion this year. The summer uncertainty and Bruce’s recruitment has left us with an unbalanced squad that aren’t technically up to playing the way Smith wants. I do feel he recognises this but perhaps he should just adjust his tactics and formation whilst we are in transition? I still want us to compete in every game but I can’t see this squad getting the results needed. If by a miracle we did go up it would be carnage next season. I hope we start the rebuild now. Let’s get more athletic players in who can pass and move and implement the tactics Smith wants. I’d ditch a few of our squad now if anyone is sniffing around, Kodjia and Hogan for example. It’s tough on us to except this reality but it’s going to be a long job. I also think the club hierarchy are set on this approach and if Smith can’t deliver he will be changed but the philosophy won’t.

Agree

[ktvillan]

Dams has been dealt a poor hand by Bruce can only do so much with the likes of Chester, Taylor etc

Ok, that’s fine, but did you see today? Or Preston away, or stoke or QPR home? Dean has to take some blame for those games

Yes we can't blame Bruce for an apparent lack of effort and not trying to play the passing game any more.   Smith has to own that and sort it out.

[Allan C]

Today we played at home against an in form team. No it wasn't Liverpool,Man city or Chelsea it was Hull city. Grateful that we got a point. We won't be in the prem next season and it's a good job we won't be as we would be completely out of our depth. I think it will take more than 2 transfer windows to put us in a strong position.

Correct  I’ve been saying 3 windows to put it right since Smith took over

[CT]

Something doesn't smell right.  In Smith's first few games the players looked like they had bought into his coaching and tactics, even though the defence was still iffy.  Even Hutton and Taylor looked half decent,  Bolasie and El Ghazi were making contributions, and Hourihane was at least getting goals.   

Recently there does appear to be a lack of effort and interest, players not putting a proper shift in - with the honourable exceptions of McGinn and Tammy.  Hourihane is making Ashely Westwood look like Roy Keane.  Has Smith done something something to piss them off?  Have they cottoned on to the plan to replace older players with younger players and given up?   There does seem to have been a paradigm shift that goes beyond simply losing Grealish and Tuanzebe to injury, though obviously that hasn't helped.

I agree with John E, good coaches should be able to put things right quickly, like Bielsa has, regardless of personnel.   He's managed to get youngsters established in the first team and playing well. Smith's galvanising effect has been short lived and he is now looking a bit lost. I think it's way too soon to be speculating on his future but he needs to sort it out quickly, at least in terms of the effort being applied. 

The body language at times is appalling. Looking around after the second goal, there was no leadership from anywhere. Just hands on hips, happy to wait for a few minutes while they celebrated.

Apart from John McGinn trying to run the entire midfield on his own, and Tammy, an on loan Chelsea player, there seems no emotion from anywhere.

Just some players going through the motions, giving the bare minimum and picking up a massive wage into the bargain. 

[Three Spires Villa]

Ok, don’t disagree with a lot off that, but how can we have played so well up to WBA and then fell into a hole? Yes it’s nots Deans players, but he is the manager who got us playing well, and he is the manager who has seen us play badly. It can’t all be down to Jack being injured. It’s odd, really odd