Brentford v Aston Villa post match thread.

[adrenachrome]

He didn't say we couldn't compete with them, just that we wouldn't outplay them. Two very different things, but still not the greatest thing to come out with.

I think what he meant was our plan was not to outplay them in the sense of keeping the ball. Given the defensive problems, he has gone with 2 holding midfield players and trying to hit teams in the break. It is not the way he likes to do things but he has gone for damage limitation. You could see this on Friday when we were trying to hit long diagonal balls from deep.

Why he thinks Hourihane can do this job is lost on me. He needs to be further forward and he is a liability anywhere near our box giving stupid fouls away and being generally gormless.

[Rudy65]

I have just seen the headlines "Pathetic" on the Mail website and logged in expecting to read our manager admitting we were bloody pathetic. I should have known better,he was moaning about the pen we never got and how it was pathetic .He is starting to sound like Lambert ,full of excuses.Brentford could have had a pen but he never mentioned that .

If he is referring to Abraham, it wasn’t a penalty imo

[cdward]

Interesting comment from DS about Brentford, " they played well, they have a lot of players who can pass and move.."" they have done for a few years"

Reading between the lines, that was the team I built, that is how I want my team to play, but I don't have the players at Villa.

[Des Little]

Haven’t read the whole thread so apologies if I’m repeating other posters, but it seems that whoever the manager/coach is, our ‘style’ of football is just bloody awful. Players look like they don’t want the ball, so if they get it they lose possession quickly through dreadful passing or a complete lack of awareness. Smith came her as some kind of practitioner of the beautiful game, so where is it?

[Sexual Ealing]

Interesting comment from DS about Brentford, " they played well, they have a lot of players who can pass and move.."" they have done for a few years"

Reading between the lines, that was the team I built, that is how I want my team to play, but I don't have the players at Villa.

That's exactly what he means. I'm a big fan of his but there's something I don't like about a manager in a post-match interview reminding the world of his past achievements to deflect from a defeat. It's all a bit, well, Bruce.

[tomd2103]

Haven’t read the whole thread so apologies if I’m repeating other posters, but it seems that whoever the manager/coach is, our ‘style’ of football is just bloody awful. Players look like they don’t want the ball, so if they get it they lose possession quickly through dreadful passing or a complete lack of awareness. Smith came her as some kind of practitioner of the beautiful game, so where is it?

Agree Des.  The performances over the last couple of months have been as if Bruce never left.  Exactly the same one dimensional rubbish, relying on getting the ball wide and hoping they can produce a 'bit of magic'. 

It was the same last season, without Grealish in the side we are a bog standard mid to lower table side in this division.  It speaks volumes that that is the case really. 

[pooligan]

So Smith did not drop Taylor he has been ill for a couple of days. If there was a trophy for players being injured ,unfit or ill we would walk it. Smith also said he can't start Green because he is not fit enough .As far as i can remember like RHM and Lansbury  he is always injured

[Des Little]

Missing. Something called a ‘high press’, last seen some time in November/December. If found, please return to Birmingham B6.

[rougegorge]

Missing. Something called a ‘high press’, last seen some time in November/December. If found, please return to Birmingham B6.

Exactly. Brentford pressed us and had energy. We let them pass out wide time and time again giving them loads of space. Yet we can't get our wide players involved, not that I would trust them anyway.

There seems to be no tactical change or different options week after week.

We nearly squeaked a draw against a team that will finish mid table. Yes, they play decently, but nothing more, and we always make look much better than they are.

The fans tonight were pretty quiet, but there is just nothing to shout about and everyone seemed stunned about the ineptitude and lack of application.

I am literally having to show blind faith in Smith until next season, because I just cannot see what his way of playing is supposed to be, or what he is trying to do.

Only plus tonight- Griffin Park - an old fashioned ground and some decent places to go near the river. Yes the facilities are sub standard, but give me an evening standing on a terrace rather than a sterile Frankie & Benny's stadium any day.

[dorsetvillian]

Just back home.  Another WTF was that display from Villa tonight. Just what can be done to arrest this decline in our great club?.  It looks like we will get to visit Brentfords new gound in 2 seasons time.

[aj2k77]

Smith talked a load of bollocks in his post match interview.

[Axl Rose]

Smith talked a load of bollocks in his post match interview.

Doesn't he always. Monotonous and gormless. Most managers do to be fair. Less talking, more coaching and dropping crap players, please.

He must have been watching a different game.

We were fucking useless tonight. Around 7 or 8 of the starting 11 would be nowhere near the squad, let alone the team, if I had my way.

[Axl Rose]

It's hard to watch Hutton, Whelan, Hourihane, Elphick and company ambling around week in week out. Don't they ever get fed up of being shit?

Anyway, as I thought they would be, Brentford were too good for us. Enough!  A day of work ahead and Villa have made me grumpy as fuck. Again.

Let's beat the Baggies on Saturday.

[LowerNorthStand]

Just back home. 

You deserve a medal

[ROBBO]

I feel a bit sorry for Smith he knows what he wants the players to do they are just incapable. Hause gives me no confidence and Horihane he passes and moves but doesn't find space. We are after all a one man team and until Grealish is back it's not going to get any better.