Basically, I didn’t get to see the first half, but I gather it was really poor.
Certainly a 0-2 scoreline suggested such and I’m probably glad I missed it.
I saw the second half though and was incredibly disappointed at what I saw.
We looked disjointed, losing possession far too easy, making far too little movement and more importantly, looked far too slow, which meant our game had no edge to it.
Simply, our confidence looks shot.
Cue Jack Grealish with a nice strike and how things changed.
We looked more up for it, which just reaffirms what I think about it being a confidence thing now.
It’s no coincidence that we also looked more of a threat when Dean Smith swallowed things and went two up top, bringing Kodjia on for Hourihane.
I know some of you don’t like Kodjia, but I’m sorry, my view says he did more in his showing today than Wesley has done in the last five or six games. He just does what a striker is supposed to do, in harrying the defence and getting into threatening positions.
My money says that if Smith is going to persist with one up top, he should actually drop Wesley and put Kodjia in his place, as I know who I think is way more likely to score or even assist.
Ultimately, it’s about the points and we quite simply failed to get them, at home to a team that were below us in the league.
That’s worrying and now puts real pressure on us to win against Norwich and Watford.
I feel sorry for the just under 42,000 who turned out today, as they surely weren’t expecting that result.
Just read that McGinn has fractured his ankle – that could put him out for the rest of the season.
We really are in trouble.
It’s typical that Watford look like they’re coming good.
And McGinn’s fracture is also typical.
We seem to have really bad luck, don’t we?
Totally agree – it has seemed to me that Villa have been luckless for a long time but then don’t you make your own luck?
I follow cricket with Warwickshire and they had appalling bad luck with injuries last season, following promotion to the first division, but they fought like mad and survived – the kids making a massive contribution.
So too simple to blame it all on luck and shouldn’t we be believing more in some of our young talented players?
There’s a saying that luck is when preparation meets opportunity. We’re not prepared. So we bemoan our ‘luck’.
Watford are not the same Watford now. Pearson won’t take any powder-puff shit. There’s a real chance we’ll lose the next two, not least because teams know we have no plan B and Smith has tunnel-vision, so they’ll do their training and then play to exploit our weaknesses, like Saints did.
Oh, and Pochettino got to a CL final without a single player signed in the summer of that season. He’s not a big spending manager who likes ‘ready to eat’ players. He’s got a superb record of giving talented youngsters a chance and coaching them into class players. Isn’t that exactly what we’ve always wanted? With financial concerns, wouldn’t that be ideal?
Win some lose some.
I remember last time we got promoted it went to the wire. It’s likely to go the same way. But and this is the big but.
If we are relegated it’s not the end of the world. And this isn’t logic. When we gained promotion we were promoted with loanees and players coming to the end of their contracts who were too old. It meant a massive overhaul was required. 10 new players. Now look at Sheffield Utd, their team came up as a unit that required small additions. Our changes were just a bridge too far.
Therefore, do we a Burnley. If relegated stick with Smith. New managers want new players which means ripping it up all again, and FFP would stop that. It is likely with relegation Grealish and McGinn will be sold. That would sort any FFP out and allow in key additions for midfield replacements and a striker.
With the core of a team we would be likely to be promoted. That would allow us to buy 3 key players on a return to the Premiership.
But before I am slaughtered, I hope we can hang on in there, 17th was always the basic aim.
Sid, we spent 3 years in the Championship. Every year we worried that we’d turn into a Leeds, a Forest, or a Sheffield Wednesday. That league is almost impossible to get out of and we’d have no right to expect to go straight back up. Surely, you don’t achieve what was achieved last May only to throw it away? We should be building a winning team around Grealish and McGinn, not cashing them in when we dismally accept failure.
Yes, there are problems with the squad, but Smith’s stubbornness has loud echoes of Bruce. There are too many blatantly obvious errors being made but no reaction. That’s why we’re in the shit.
BFR I agree with your comments. I just feel that FFP will impact on the next transfer window. Agreed that we require a proven striker – don’t think we can buy one despite the wealth and commitment of our owners. Also, I feel that a midfield with Hourihane replacing McGinn for 3 months is too light weight. Plus Luiz is off for nearly a month with Brazil. I really hope I am wrong, but the odds are stacked against us.
Unless the owners take a calculated guess on fines for braking FFP and buy the players required. Trouble is how many January signings ever hit the ground running.
On this day in 1970 Villa, then in the third division, beat Manure 2-1 in the semi final of the League Cup at Villa Park in front of 62,000 – and I was there with my girl friend now my missus!
What a night Andy Lochhead and Pat McMahon and we were in the Final.
What a night – alongside the 5-1 beating of Liverpool – memories of great nights under the floodlights at VP.
Great memories, great times.
UTV
I thought a pretty honest appraisal by Smith in his press conference.
Most interesting comment for me – ‘we still need additions in January’.
That doesn’t sound like a manager without available funds?
One day we are being scrutinised about FFP. Next day we are about to bolster our squad in January. It is reported that the owners are going to back Dean Smith in the upcoming transfer window. Bowen and Benrahma are obvious names being mentioned. Both would be talented acquisitions although not proven at premier league. Bowen is a Villa fan so that would add to the fan membership if it were to happen. Spurs are keen on Benrahma too if any truth in reports, so more likely staying in London then!
Next two games are absolutely vital. We need to learn how to get a scruffy 1-0 rather than going gung-ho. Mings could be back for Watford game so at least some positives ahead.
Holte I didn’t ever believe that click bait article in the Mail. If we beat the FFP in the EFL then we’re OK in the Prem. It might be different if we fail to stay up.
We need strengthening in all areas (except perhaps GK 🙂 ).
In January, I would like to see a striker, creative midfielder and a central defender – the latter with Prem experience. I’ve already written to Santa Clause – I also asked for a couple of wins as well 🙂