Watford v Aston Villa post match thread

[CT]

There clearly was truth in the rumours that the players were having meetings from which Smith was excluded.  As somebody said they played today as though they wanted him sacked.

This is very worrying.

Exactly. The sort of thing the 2015/16 players would have done. If it's true, we're down, they clearly don't care.

On the plus side today, the kit man can have a day off because there won't be a drop of sweat on those shirts.

Spineless.

[Taylor]

There clearly was truth in the rumours that the players were having meetings from which Smith was excluded.  As somebody said they played today as though they wanted him sacked.

This is very worrying.

Exactly. The sort of thing the 2015/16 players would have done. If it's true, we're down, they clearly don't care.

On the plus side today, the kit man can have a day off because there won't be a drop of sweat on those shirts.

Spineless.

Hang on. If these “rumours” are true then surely they do care. Or am I missing something?

[cdbearsfan]

Thank goodness Watford only had one player sent off. Might have been embarrassing otherwise...

[Davkaus]

There clearly was truth in the rumours that the players were having meetings from which Smith was excluded.  As somebody said they played today as though they wanted him sacked.

If there's any truth in this, I'd happily sell those players and give Smith more time.

they clearly weren't trying. you don't need an elite manager to tell you to chase your man instead of casually stroll about the pitch. If the players aren't going to work their arses off, they can fuck off.

[CT]

There clearly was truth in the rumours that the players were having meetings from which Smith was excluded.  As somebody said they played today as though they wanted him sacked.

This is very worrying.

Exactly. The sort of thing the 2015/16 players would have done. If it's true, we're down, they clearly don't care.

On the plus side today, the kit man can have a day off because there won't be a drop of sweat on those shirts.

Spineless.

Hang on. If these “rumours” are true then surely they do care. Or am I missing something?

Yeah, because they really cared today didn't they? They've just led down and let the team at the bottom of the league, with ten men, trample all over them.

[Footy-Vill]

Seemed to lose all spirit in that game.
As game wore on villa wore out
Pretty lacking all round.
Grealish lost his emotional control and too many were not up to the grade.
Smith was rampant in touchline never seen him so wild
Those 2 in particular are feeling strain .
Very disappointed in Jota and Hourihane as well as Elmo they didn't see up to speed
Targett isn't doing his recovery right with his Hamstring going and Lansbury just hasn't the legs.
Konsa and Hause try but the squad and players are lacking at the moment and confidence seems shot.
Hopefully something can be done to boost the players
Can only look onto Burnley next.

Hope can be there having seen a Southampton side lose 9-0 at home and turns things around so it's not lost .
I don't think Smith should be going he can just get the results going then be ok.
Will see what happens v Burnley as that game is one that can be won if Villa get going

[ChicagoLion]

For some reason or other something seems to have happened between Smith and the players. We are no longer a unit. No idea how we have come to this.

I think its the cumulative effect he has had on the team.
Players are not automatons, they see close up what we are seeing. Eventually they get affected by poor management.

[robbo1874]

The ball retention was terrible. Discipline poor- Grealish in particular, which gives me no pleasure to say. If it wasn’t for Heaton it could’ve been  5 or 6 nil. Not a fucking clue any of them. We’re in the shit now and probably going down. It looks like he’s lost the players.

[curiousorange]

I had really, really hoped that I'd never have to experience the utter corrosive nothingness of a meek, factional relegation again. Going down will always suck, but having to clean up a toxic culture again without one of the best players we'll ever produce really fucking sucks.

[adrenachrome]

This must be the only team whose supporters' hearts sink when the opposition have a player sent off. Being less effective against 10 men does not bode well as it shows we can't adapt.

The form rate in the Sports Argus would have been the very rarely used "dismal".

[ktvillan]

These three games against the bottom three were going to define our season.  Well they have certainly done that, and not in a good way.  Only 3 rather fortunate points from 9 is nowhere near good enough, and that’s before you take into account the sheer ineptitude of at least two of the performances.  And conceding two goals to the bottom side after they have gone down to 10 men?  It doesn’t get much more damning than that.

Either we’ve pissed £130m down the drain on a load of carthorses or else they aren’t being coached properly.  I think it’s a bit of both. 

I’d say there is potential in some of this lot to come good, like Ayew, Amavi, Veretout, Guye, and Traore did when they experienced some decent coaching and development, after looking mostly shite or mediocre for us.  But others look like complete duds.  Pitarch must take some of the blame I suppose, but Smith also seems to have lost them, along with the plot and his coaching manual.  Lack of effort, energy, urgency, organisation and confidence are very obvious. 
When one of his “answers” is to move our best and most effective player out of position to accommodate Henri Lansbury I think it’s time for a change.  That’s the only way we’re getting out of this now, and even then it’s a big ask.  Sorry Deano, you had your chance and you’ve blown it.

[David_Nab]

The starting line up was a concern to start with ,Watford are full of big ,pacy players ..picking Jota to play wide was a mistake.Houriane again starts and is woeful ,unable to dictate play,no strong or fast enough to impose himself.

Goals wise all mistakes from us really.Firsr should be cleared but Konsa no outball just tries to wack it away ,gets blocked and they end up scoring .2nd Targett on floor they see the gap play Deeney through who waits for Luiz to run into him and goes to ground ..Traore got away with the same move for Wolves last night so not much consitancy but Luiz has to be smarter.3rd Jack pressured gives away the ball and someone how with less men they counter and score with a free man coming in on back post.

We created nothing all game really apart from one Wes chance in FH
When we had the extra man we did nothing ,not for the first time this season either.

Players perhaps not up to it ,physically certainly but the constant playing of the same formation is killing us.

I'm leaning towards Smith needing to go for us to stay in league ,I don't think just adding players will be enough now

[four fornicholl]

We gave up.

[David_Nab]

The starting line up was a concern to start with ,Watford are full of big ,pacy players ..picking Jota to play wide was a mistake.Houriane again starts and is woeful ,unable to dictate play,no strong or fast enough to impose himself.

Goals wise all mistakes from us really.Firsr should be cleared but Konsa no outball just tries to wack it away ,gets blocked and they end up scoring .2nd Targett on floor they see the gap play Deeney through who waits for Luiz to run into him and goes to ground ..Traore got away with the same move for Wolves last night so not much consitancy but Luiz has to be smarter.3rd Jack pressured gives away the ball and someone how with less men they counter and score with a free man coming in on back post.

We created nothing all game really apart from one Wes chance in FH
When we had the extra man we did nothing ,not for the first time this season either.

Players perhaps not up to it ,physically certainly but the constant playing of the same formation is killing us.

I'm leaning towards Smith needing to go for us to stay in league ,I don't think just adding players will be enough now

[Legion]

Well that started badly, went downhill quickly and the less said about the end the better.