It's crunch time for Dean

[Duncan Shaw]

I think he/we will be just fine!

[Dr Butler]

Two plastic Manure fans I met at a charity game on Sunday reckon that the Villa will surprise a few, they said that they like Dean Smith and it was great business getting rid of Joe for £100 million, signing Leon Bailey was a masterstroke as some of the "big clubs" were looking to sign him. They both also rated E.Buendia and also wondered why other clubs did not try to get D.Ings.

They both reckon on the Villa finishing either 6/7/8th...

personally I am hopeful for this season and if we can get off to a good start who knows how far we could go.

UTV
The Doc

 

[London Villan]

Until we sort our midfield we’ll struggle in games.

[Chico Hamilton III]

I’d love to be proved wrong, but I’m a bit more pessimistic than most. I love our new signings, but we came 11th last year and lost a world class player. Our net spend is -£10m I think.  We’ve also had a disrupted pre-season and don’t seem to have a settled formation.

Pretty much how I’m feeling, to be honest. Im usually totally wrong with my pre-season predictions though

[brian green]

You can't beat a Brummie for being doom laden.

[Monty]

'Clown', goodness me, there's no middle criticism these days is there?

[eamonn]

He seems to like clowsn though, so it may not be as bad as it first reads.

[chrisw1]

I think we may start slowly as Bailey is not ready and Buendia & Watkins potenially injured.  We may be starting largely with last years 'non Jack' team but without Luiz and Traore not really fit.

The big question will be if we do start slowly can we get out of it?  Smith has always been a streaky manager and my worry for him would be starting with a poor streakof 5-10 games.

Hopefully we'll smash Watford and this will prove to be bollocks.

UTV

[Lastfootstamper]

A clown? A bit harsh, no? Tactical changes are required, yes, but it helps if you have some quality in reserve to achieve them.

With effective options appropriate to the level he was playing at, he managed to outwit and befuddle us often enough with his substitutions and changes when in the Championship. I don't think that at any point last season did we have players to come on that'd make us either different or better. Like for like, pretty much it.

And I'm not expecting much different this season. Our regular starting xi will be better on the whole, but there's been no end of opinion expressed on here that the likes of El Ghazi and Nakamba aren't good enough, yet they're likely to be first off the bench. Either that or chuck some kids on for a bit of a go.

There might be something, but there won't be much. Expect Ashley Young to do a lot of heavy lifting, as the kids say.

[brontebilly]

Top 8 for me is a realistic target. Going to take a while to bed in a new style of play without Grealish. Maybe a bit of patience required early on. Have my doubts on how Watkins and Ings will get on together.

[Legion]

If Smith is a clown, what are Lambert, McLeish, Garde, DiMatteo etc etc?

[Scott Nielsen]

I’d love to be proved wrong, but I’m a bit more pessimistic than most. I love our new signings, but we came 11th last year and lost a world class player. Our net spend is -£10m I think.  We’ve also had a disrupted pre-season and don’t seem to have a settled formation.

Pretty much how I’m feeling, to be honest. Im usually totally wrong with my pre-season predictions though

As it stands right now, it seems pretty realistic to me. One or two real quality midfield additions before the end of the window would have me much more upbeat.

[ROBBO]

It all comes down to the midfield for me, one classy defensive midfielder and we will be okay but trying to get by with the same midfield of last season will find us out.

[mrfuse]

I think we may start slowly as Bailey is not ready and Buendia & Watkins potenially injured.  We may be starting largely with last years 'non Jack' team but without Luiz and Traore not really fit.

The big question will be if we do start slowly can we get out of it?  Smith has always been a streaky manager and my worry for him would be starting with a poor streakof 5-10 games.


Hopefully we'll smash Watford and this will prove to be bollocks.

UTV

I agree about the slow start, but I'm pinning my hopes on a lot of teams having a slow start due to Covid, fitness and the Euro's.

Its unfortunate that we are playing 2 promoted teams early on as they seem to have that momentum and excitement of being promoted before the bubble bursts.

I still have faith In Dean Smith and it will be interesting to see if his substitutions and Formations change more frequently and quickly when needed with a lot more options to hand. I'm not sure he trusted what we had on the Bench previously.

[ozzjim]

It all comes down to the midfield for me, one classy defensive midfielder and we will be okay but trying to get by with the same midfield of last season will find us out.

Agreed.

Huge season for Dean. I fear for him if we don't strengthen a bit more.