Ezri Konsa

[Dogtanian]

We may look back on Dean Smith in a similar way to how many think of Vick Crowe.
A very decent man, when at a very low ebb for the Villa  set the foundations that enabled the club to go on to achieve greatness.
Heroes.

Without a doubt.

I remember when we binned off Bruce. He was doing well with Brentford, a well run club that looked like they were going places. He could have stayed there and got them up, instead he took the risk and came to us. Took us up, kept us up, got us to a cup final, signed players would take us into europe... he took us as far as he probably could, which is all you can ask of any manager.

[Mister E]

We may look back on Dean Smith in a similar way to how many think of Vick Crowe.
A very decent man, when at a very low ebb for the Villa  set the foundations that enabled the club to go on to achieve greatness.
Heroes.

I like the comparison - let's hope with the same outcomes in a year or two.

[Risso]

We may look back on Dean Smith in a similar way to how many think of Vick Crowe.
A very decent man, when at a very low ebb for the Villa  set the foundations that enabled the club to go on to achieve greatness.
Heroes.

Without a doubt.

I remember when we binned off Bruce. He was doing well with Brentford, a well run club that looked like they were going places. He could have stayed there and got them up, instead he took the risk and came to us. Took us up, kept us up, got us to a cup final, signed players would take us into europe... he took us as far as he probably could, which is all you can ask of any manager.

I'm not sure he'd have got them up, 9th/10th seemed to be about their level under Dean, and I'm pretty certain leaving Brentford for Villa wouldn't be considered a risk by most managers. It took the signing of Toney who got 31 goals one season to get them up.

[dcdavecollett]

The replacement for Ollie Watkins!

[KevinGage]

We may look back on Dean Smith in a similar way to how many think of Vick Crowe.
A very decent man, when at a very low ebb for the Villa  set the foundations that enabled the club to go on to achieve greatness.
Heroes.

Without a doubt.

I remember when we binned off Bruce. He was doing well with Brentford, a well run club that looked like they were going places. He could have stayed there and got them up, instead he took the risk and came to us. Took us up, kept us up, got us to a cup final, signed players would take us into europe... he took us as far as he probably could, which is all you can ask of any manager.

I look back fondly on Stephen Bruce and Dean Smith.

Both played key roles in where we are today.

Nevermind Super John McGinn (enough for freedom of the city on its own), the much maligned ex Blose manager gave us a team that could win at home - regularly - for the first time in eons.

[dcdavecollett]

I thought Bruce helped with the 'healing' process after a dismal relegation.

The celebrations with the fans at the end of the game at Bramall Lane in Jan 2018 were a turning point.

[OCD]

There's been pre-match interviews with Emery where he's been introduced to Dean Smith and Martin O'Neill (separately). The way Emery was in both was telling. He was a lot warmer to Deano, basically thanking him for the job he did and the foundations he had laid for him.

[Dave]

Not sure that last night will have done his hopes for the summer much good with Southgate there.

Thought Gomez looked quite a bit better at the centre-back-filling-in-at-full-back squad position.

[LeeB]

Not sure that last night will have done his hopes for the summer much good with Southgate there.

Thought Gomez looked quite a bit better at the centre-back-filling-in-at-full-back squad position.

That was probably the worst he's played this season, so with Southgate thinking that's probably cemented his place in the Euros.

[PaulWinch again]

Think he’s been on a real downward trend lately.

[Risso]

Ezri is usually a very good [central] defender, but he struggles against pace, and he's not great at getting forward. I know that Unai likes an unbalanced set up, with usually the left back being more attacking and the right back being more circumspect, but Ezri was poor last night, and has been quite often recently. Of course he can do the occasional job there eg Arsenal, but I'd really prefer it if he wasn't.

I hope he does go to theEuros, because he's had a great season overall, and deserves it.

It was funny last night when the Villa cameras inside the stadium flashed up a picture of Southgate for what must have been about 1/1000th of a second. However long it was, it was enough for a resounding set of boos!

[Brend'Watkins]

Think he’s been on a real downward trend lately.

I just think he's exhausted.  He needs a few weeks rest.  Last night he was up against one of the paciest tricky players in the league and did mostly okay.

[Drummond]

He was brilliant last night in the part I watched. RB, LB and CB. He just makes it look so effortless.

Wona penalty, put a cross in, with his left foot, that Kane couldn't convert.

He needs a song to show him how loved he is.

[Brazilian Villain]

He was brilliant last night in the part I watched. RB, LB and CB. He just makes it look so effortless.

Wona penalty, put a cross in, with his left foot, that Kane couldn't convert.

He needs a song to show him how loved he is.

K.O.N.S.A to the Ottawan tune? Just need a wordsmith to come up with suitable adjectives for each of the letters.

[Drummond]

Yeah I'm stuck at K