Brentford v Aston Villa post match thread.

[ASHTONVILLA]

The team assembled by Dean Smith played the one he now manages off the park. It’s hardly stretching credulity to expect that when he has had time to implement his plans at Villa we will see similar performances.

We said similar about Lambert, but never got the type of football he had Norwich playing despite having a far larger budget than ever had there. Obviously I hope you are right, but I certainly don't think it is a given.

[vilan461]

Just before Xmas we had played WBA off there own park, and smashed Derby and Middlesbrough away, 2 months later we look like the worst group of footballers ever assembled. Madness

How very very true and they look like they have only just met and been cobbled together to throw out a team----why? -- surely it cant all be down to missing Jack and Axel

and why is it that every team we play seems to have more players on the pitch?

[Damo70]

I already said last night that Smith needs and deserves a full pre season of selling and buying and training and preparation. Sam Allardyce recently spoke in detail about the difficulties of taking over a team during a season. Firstly because there are obviously problems at the club in the first place that necessitated a change of manager and secondly how difficult it is to get the team to play how you want mid season.

[Ads]

I want him to have a full pre-season and to cull the squad and reshape it.

It's 3 years too late and while I'm unhappy with what's happening at the moment and feel he's being too rigid system wise and too loyal personell wise, if the slow death of this season is the price to pay, I can endure that.

[DB]

He charmed us with all his chat about ‘high press’, ‘setting traps’ ‘overlapping fullbacks’ etc etc.

I genuinely think that is what he wants but the players at his disposal are incapable of doing it.

same here Legion, we have to give Smith a pre-season and a summer transfer window.

getting fed up with quick fixes down the Villa

UTV
The Doc

We need to because we’re turning into Leeds United by changing managers every few months.
Smith needs time but he also needs results soon and he’ll know that.

This is a good point. Hopefully we don’t have a crazy bat-shit owners like Leeds.

[auntiesledd]

auntie - if Steve Bruce returns maybe but if not, then I don't think they would. And just for the record i want Dean to succeed, but I have always thought the job would eat him alive. He's already morphed into Bruce/Lambert

I do hope you're right about that clear out, Mr U. I'm pig-sick of our club being a haven for grossly overpaid & under-performing scrotes. Oh, and I'd be genuinely surprised to hear any Villa supporters calling for DS's head ATM. After the years of ineptitude on the park I'd like to think that everyone would want him to succeed in bringing about a footballing revolution, but I confess that the signs ain't adding up to a positive outcome. I'd love to hear what those in the positions of power at VP believe regarding any long term plan(s) they might have, but I fear events in the short term will prolong their silence & see 'em make yet another managerial change if things don't improve. Happy days. 

[aj2k77]

No more

Bunn
Hutton
Elmohamady
Elphick
Richards
Bree
Taylor
Bjarnasson
Whelan
Jedinak
Lansbury
Kodjia
Hogan
Hourihane
McCormack

A summer that see's all of the above leave will be a good one.

We were battered and despite Smiths delusions about how he saw the game, we were utterely dominated by a team that could pass and move around our labouring traffic cones that pretend to be players.

[auntiesledd]

I want him to have a full pre-season and to cull the squad and reshape it.

It's 3 years too late and while I'm unhappy with what's happening at the moment and feel he's being too rigid system wise and too loyal personel wise, if the slow death of this season is the price to pay, I can endure that.

I'm with you Ads, but I fear short-term results will do for DS before he gets a chance to carry out the necessary surgery.

[West Derby Villan]

I want him to have a full pre-season and to cull the squad and reshape it.

It's 3 years too late and while I'm unhappy with what's happening at the moment and feel he's being too rigid system wise and too loyal personell wise, if the slow death of this season is the price to pay, I can endure that.

Agree Ads, I'm sure that the owners have already bought into that synopsis

[PaulWinch again]

I get how Dean wants to play, but if the players aren’t up to it then shouldn’t he adapt that vision at least until he can replace some? He can’t just continue to play a system that isn’t working.

[Chris Smith]

I get how Dean wants to play, but if the players aren’t up to it then shouldn’t he adapt that vision at least until he can replace some? He can’t just continue to play a system that isn’t working.

I think we did adapt last night. We sat deeper than usual to hit them on the break and it could be argued that failure to take two good chances was the reason it failed.

Edit: that sounds more positive than I intended as they were much, much better than us but I thought we did set up a little differently.

[AlexAlexCropley]

I'm willing to put up with bad results. Not so the performances which are getting worse by the week. The general lethargy and zero teamwork is alarming.

[ironmaidenmania]

I didn't want Dean Smith but I don't want him sacked. He needs not just one window but both next season. He has a style of play that worked well at Brentford and they played us off the park last night. He needs to play a system that suits the players we have not the players he wants, that is the big issue. A clear out is needed, although I would argue that defensively they appear better and I think Elphick needs to stay. Signing Mings would be good business but the rest need to go. Can we afford a whole new midfield and attack plus some defenders? I think not, but Smith assembled that Brentford squad with little or no money so he and his team are good at spotting talent. He needs a whole season before we judge and swing the axe.

We might not like what we are watching but as others have said, if this is the way to route them out, I'm quote happy to say that happen. Dean can only be judged when it's his squad and this is not his.

[ROBBO]

You've only got to look at the three subs last night, all three have failed to perform throughout the season yet still have to be used, we are not getting promoted this season and certainly won't be relegated so why not give one or two of the kids some game time.

[UK Redsox]

You've only got to look at the three subs last night, all three have failed to perform throughout the season yet still have to be used, we are not getting promoted this season and certainly won't be relegated so why not give one or two of the kids some game time.

The best of the youngsters (eg RHM, COH, JDH) were sent out on loan in January, so the decision not to use them has already been taken