It’s difficult to know what to say about this one, as the title just about sums it up for me.
We’re not going down and we’re not getting Europe, so it’s difficult to get too wound up for it.
Dean Smith isn’t going to throw the kids in, which is crazy.
Unless he has no faith in them whatsoever, which I think is the case.
If so, I know it won’t be a popular view, but it’s one I personally understand and agree with.
I’ve never been a romantic who dreams of being able to field a team of homegrown players, because the fact is that it’s never happened, even in the early days of the club.
Where did William McGregor come from, for example?
I was going to use John Devey and Harry Parkes as examples too, but they both came from Birmingham, which ruins my point (at least I’m honest!).
Whatever, I’m sure you get my point there. Most players are not homegrown, either via birth or being brought through since they were kids.
I don’t need to list players who have come through our system and gone on to be sucessful at top level, but we all know you can probably put them on one hand if you’re talking about the last 20-30 years. Even Gareth Barry didn’t arrive until he was 16.
It can happen and I know the club is striving for it, but I think it’s a while away yet and us fans are looking through rose tinted glasses, as to how good our kids really are.
Let’s face it, it’s something we’ve done for years. How many “next big thing” types have we had over the years, only for them to end up not even making the grade at a lower level?
Whatever, we won’t be seeing the kids, so we all know what the team will be.
Watkins comes back in for Davis and the only question is probably will Smith drop Barkley, who was subbed with 25 minutes to go against Everton?
My guess is no. Which is inexplicable, but that’s how it is. Smith doesn’t seem to like risking much, even though there’s practically nothing to lose, a possible top 10 place apart.
Thinking about it and in fairness, I’m forgetting that each Premier league place is worth £1.93 million and we could easily drop two places.
£4 million might seem like small beans in the scheme of things, but I wouldn’t like to miss out on it if I was an owner. It’s a top player’s wages for a season.
Will Jack get another run out? You’d expect so, but I don’t see him starting. There’s no need and Smith has said it’ll be a gentle re-introduction.
As for Palace, they’ve got little to gain except for prize money too, but the pressure is off and you can’t see them being too “up for it”.
They’ve lost the last 4 out of 5 games too, so generally aren’t very good really.
They also don’t score many goals and their goal difference is forth worst in the league.
I’ve no doubt they’ll put up a decent defence, but I’m fairly confident we’ll just have too much for them.
Villa to win, 2-0.
UTV!
Rubbish utter rubbsh
Awful yet again not even gonna get top half at this rate
Rubbish
Almost mathematically impossible to get top half now and with games against Chelsea and Spurs to follow can only see us slipping further down the table.
Not even sure I can be bothered to watch the last two games.
You’ve said it for me Brian, lets be honest i dont think we have the right manager in our club for anything better, Ok got us this far but thats his limitation. J Maginn worn himself into the ground where others stood back in the second half, sorry lads we was poor, and the thing is if we hadn’t had got the points in the first half of the season it would be good night Vienna. Terrible second half and poor managerial picking and changing a game of a footballing side.
A really poor second half performance. Clearly Hodgson gave a better half time talk than Smith. McGinn and Watkins put in a shift but those around them offered little support. Changing half our defence obviously caused us problems. They doubled up against Elmo and whether it was Traore or El Ghazi, neither of them are able to defend.
Spurs away and Chelsea at home means we won’t be getting any more points this season. We need 3 or 4 more top quality signings to push on nearer the top 6.
Rubbish appalling this result after a bright start. What’s wrong every time we take the lead they want to sit back and try to protect it. While on top they should push on not retreat into a shell
This was last chance of 3points this season.
I’m a fan of Smith but think he’s reached his ceiling and can’t go any higher. Time for change I think and I’m afraid the owners will think the same. Who do we get I don’t know what about Gerard???
Nuno’s been mentioned, Roy…
Food for thought:
Aston Villa have dropped 19 points from winning positions in 2021, the joint-most of any side in England’s top four tiers along with Walsall and Wigan Athletic. They hadn’t dropped a single point from a winning position this season before the turn of the year.
We’d be sitting pretty in third. Game management is a major issue, as is putting teams away when we’re on top. Is that down to quality of player or tactics? Or both? Someone needs to figure it out. We are so far, yet so near to something.
Badger, it would be interesting to have a poll to see who thinks Smith should stay or go.
Good shout Holte.
I’ve just written a post and now , just after a game, isn’t a good time, as I’d bloody sack him.
So I’m going to start it now and post it tomorrow.
Badger – can you include ‘unsure’ or something similar on the poll.
I reckon quite a lot of fans will be undecided at the moment, torn between loyalty for what he has achieved (and for being a Villa fan) and concerned over whether he is able to take us to the next stage.
The reality is that, although we’ve had a poor 2021 affected by injuries to key players and the Covid outbreak, he has, to date, achieved everything the owners have asked of him and has (in truth) probably exceeded the expectation of fans when he was appointed.
Having read what I just wrote, I’m probably pitching for him to stay.
No, Hitch 🙂
Not because I’m being awkward, but simply because I think that would be the winner, by a mile.
And that won’t really tell us anything.
From what I’ve seen, there is an underswell of those who don’t like Smith, but I don’t think it’s anywhere near a majority that want him gone yet.
If you’re unsure, just don’t vote and say so in the comments 🙂
Fwiw, I’m not sure either.
Fair enough – no fence to sit on then for the old mugwump bird 🙂
Oh, it’ll be up first thing.