Aston Villa v Southampton Post Match Thread

[Legion]

It reminds me very much of the season we got relegated, where I used to remove my glasses on purpose so I could not see in perfect clarity just how awful we were. I don't think we are at that stage. Yet.

[Toronto Villa]

We lost comfortably today at home to a team that lost to another in this division 9 fucking 0 at their ground.

[ROBBO]

Dean Smith seems a good guy and a fervent Villa fan if he goes now he will always be thought of as the manager that got us promotion, if he stays too long he will lose that kudos.

[Nunkin1965]

What a horror show that was! The very least you expect from professional footballers is appetite, desire, a willingness to put in a shift. That's a given but we were second to everything. Southampton wanted it more, they were quicker physically and mentally.

Confidence can go, sure, but hard work and application matters.

Jack kept going to the end and was on his back with his hands across his face in front of the Holte for several minutes after the game. He clearly is losing heart.

Jack cares as do a few others but as for most of them I don't know.

This was a very dispiriting afternoon. Norwich just in terms of application will tell us a lot.

Grealish's application was as bad as anyone else in the first half. Whinging to anyone and everyone aswell.

To be honest I don’t see him as Captain material and lying on the floor at the end didn’t impress me.

If he’s skipper you’re out among your own players and opposition regardless of result at the end.
I’m absolutely not doubting his effort and work rate which in my mind is beyond criticism but to me he isn’t a Skipper.

[AsTallAsLions]

Grealish is no captain fantastic, that's for sure. Drops his head as quickly as anyone else when we concede. Doesn't talk to his players on the pitch or offer encouragement when we're under pressure.

I appreciate he's the type of player who does his talking with his play, and James Chester was similar in that respect too, never the most vocal or lively of captains. It's why I said earlier this season we should have given Mings the armband as a de facto thing.

Wouldn't have helped us today, mind, but we've desperately short on proper leadership all season except when he's been speaking up.

Whatever happened to Smith's "rotating captain" plan anyway? Declared his intention to do so last season, not long after coming in, and then it got promptly dropped and forgotten about.

[Richard E]

The defending for each of their three goals was more appalling than for the one before. Absolutely abject today.

[Richard E]

We also seemed to have several players today who can trap a ball further than I can kick it.

[Bad English]

Just watched the game on RMC Sport at 9pm. Fucking diabolical. We were shit. Really shit. Thank fuck for Heaton or it would have been worse.

Fucking toothless, slow, disorganised and likely to be relegated.

[brontebilly]

We also seemed to have several players today who can trap a ball further than I can kick it.

It's confidence too, it's gone for a host of players. It's happened before, with the wrong manager.and poor dressing room, arguably with better players.

It's hard to believe that the likes of Veretout, Traore, Gueye, Amavi were part of the worst Villa side in 30 years, relegated in humiliating fashion a few years back. Westwood and Ayew have gone onto have solid EPL careers since. Grealish was there too as a very promising youngster. None of them are bad players as proven since but were part of a horrendous team. Most of the above, like the crew at the moment, hid on the pitch at times or couldn't even make the team. It's very hard shine in a team that is rudderless.

Hence why I'd give Smith one more game and make the change then as the current situation can't be allowed to drift.

[Legion]

I like Smith. A lot. I have the utmost respect for what he did for us last season. I hope he can sort it out. I really do. At the moment with his inflexibility and stubborn refusal to change things I am losing hope that he can.

[Small Rodent]

Isn’t there a button in this game we can click before the next match that says “Ask Assistant to Pick Team?”

[auntiesledd]

I like Smith. A lot. I have the utmost respect for what he did for us last season. I hope he can sort it out. I really do. At the moment with his inflexibility and stubborn refusal to change things I am losing hope that he can.

This.

[Demitri_C]

Mings absence ia giving us huge problems. We look like a shit championship team..

I think we are goung down if we stick with smith. He looks like he is feeling the pressure.

The recent form has been nothing shirt of diabolical

[steffo]

The plain and simple fact is that we have got FUCK ALL up front. We have one month to address the situation. The ball keeps coming back.

We have two danger players McGinn & Grealish, when McGinn went off they doubled up on Grealish.

This is a brutal league. No passengers i.e Houranne

[curiousorange]

I thought we'd turn this lot over today without much fuss. I thought we'd shown enough against sides of a better calibre to be capable of keeping out of trouble. But Aston Villa are going down as it stands. There will be a change, because there's far too much time left to put it right. Smith gets two games and then I think he's gone if he doesn't win them both. It's just too convenient a time to bring a new boss in - a complete transfer window and a cup semi final. I'd rather Dean got both of those, but I don't think he will.