Anyone starting to get worried?

[passport1]

This season as I have stated since the start of the season is purely about survival. A rookey manager in charge of a squad of players inexperienced at this level was always going to a hell of a high risk strategy.  I guess we are going to find out what our ownership structure is made of now.

[tomd2103]

The only grain of comfort I had leaving the ground is that we were in this kind of position and worse for a number of seasons before we actually went down. 

It’s not looking good at the moment and is getting worse, but I do think some good signings in January could change things for the better.

[Three Spires Villa]

At this moment I am very worried

[IFWaters]

Put Terry in charge or splosh big on Poch?

[villa `cross the mersey]

I have been worried all season, today is the day it's hit us all in the face. We are currently not good enough.

Same here.

The writing was on the wall in the first couple of home games .....performances like those against Everton,Norwich and Newcastle have been the exception and not the rule -  Smith is failing strategy wise whilst the players need to look at their levels of commitment - Do we have a fitness coach? If so he needs a kick up the arse

[AsTallAsLions]

Put Terry in charge or splosh big on Poch?

I like Terry but I'd put him nowhere near it except as a placeholder for a game or two.

[Ad@m]

Anyone who thinks Smith is getting the bullet two weeks after signing a four year contract needs to stop drinking!

[Steve67]

The owners will ask the question:  is this Head Coach getting, or capable of getting the best out of these players.  The fact is that we are getting worse, so the answer is no.  Is another Man more capable of getting more out of them?  If the answer is yes, then we know the likely outcome.

[brontebilly]

The only grain of comfort I had leaving the ground is that we were in this kind of position and worse for a number of seasons before we actually went down. 

It’s not looking good at the moment and is getting worse, but I do think some good signings in January could change things for the better.

In other seasons though, and Im thinking of Lamberts last game v Hull particularly, we had a few players who were comfortably good enough but just not performing. Benteke and Delph come to mind. I look at our midfield, today and all season, and you wonder are any of them capable of getting a grip of things in the middle. Wes from far from our worst today but is nowhere near good enough.

If we dont get results in the next two games we could be cut adrift. A young team and manager could well be sunk at that stage.

[villa `cross the mersey]

Anyone who thinks Smith is getting the bullet two weeks after signing a four year contract needs to stop drinking!

Giving him a contract extension was idiotic in the extreme and is the type of thing I didn't think the new owners would be doing - this club never seems to learn - Ellis was criticised for his corner shop mentality - expecting a coach adept at working with the likes of Walsall and Brentford to step up in the Premier League now seems ill thought and a bit naive - I accept others have made the transition but Smith doesn't appear to be as progressive and adaptable as Dyche / Howe for example .
Maybe Purslow had been on the Chiraz when he offered Smith the new contract
Time for Purslow to step up to the plate and  find a manager/coach who is up to the job and give him the experienced players on loan or otherwise to keep us in this league - Relegation is unthinkable - not just financially but for the standing of this once mighty football club - it would appear the comparison to Fulham weren't too wide of the mark

[VinnieChase84]

Anything less than 3 from the next 3 and I genuinely think the bullet may happen

[Toronto Villa]

We have no idea what was in the contract and what the get out clauses are. We don’t know if after year two for example it ramps up financially because we are a secure PL team. Nor do we know if the club struggles that the exit clauses kick in to allow both parties to get out with an agreed settlement. None of knows what it’s in it. What I can absolutely guarantee is that the club knows that whatever it will cost to get out if it pales in comparison the financial disaster that would be relegation. So the contact is nothing more than a number and a fraction of the alternative and far more dreadful consequence of inaction.

[hilts_coolerking]

I'd hate to think the owners might keep Smith on purely because he's just signed a new contract.  I'd be surprised if they did that.  If / when the time comes that they no longer believe he's the right man he should go then, new contract or not.

[hilts_coolerking]

Anything less than 3 from the next 3 and I genuinely think the bullet may happen

3 wins or 3 points?  If we only get 3 points from 9 he's in big trouble.

[VinnieChase84]

3 points