I’m being facetious of course. I don’t think for one minute that this is going to be easy.
I took the trouble to listen to Dean Smith’s presser today.
I don’t normally bother, as for some reason I’ve always preferred the printed word. But whatever, I did find it interesting and very informative.
First, it is noticable that Smith has genuine respect for Brentford, it’s owner and it’s staff and especially Thomas Frank. Frank has done well in getting Brentford promoted and Smith sung his praises, saying he has a good exuberant character, as well as just being a good tactitian and a really good coach.
I’m certainly not going to take anything away from Frank, but I do wonder how much of their recent success is more down to the staff doing the hard work behind the scenes? After all, they barely seemed to miss Smith when he left and things carried on pretty much as normal.
You can’t be a poor manager/coach if your club gets promoted to the Premier league though, so I’ll just leave that there.
Smith saved me some work, in that he explained that Brentford haven’t changed in the way they play since being promoted. They’re defensively solid, well organised and carry plenty of threat with Ivan Toney in particular.
So they aren’t going to be a pushover and have started the season pretty well, having beaten Arsenal (which made me laugh) and got a very decent point at Palace.
I would however think things will balance out over the season and while I actually hope they don’t go down, I think they will struggle.
It’s early days though and we know we had a poor pre-season, so we’re basically still gaining fitness.
Smith said he expects us to improve, particularly with the players we have due to come back and he does have a point.
Which leads nicely to squad news, where Watkins was due to train today and if he was okay, he’d be available. He’ll only get minutes at best then, in my opinion.
Bailey and Traore won’t be available, but should be ok to be selected after the dreaded international break. It’s a bit of a double-edged sword this break, in that they’ll be able to gain fitness without missing games. I just hate international breaks.
Sanson is training, but he’s had no match time, so he’s apparently going to play a couple of games this week. But he won’t be anywhere near the first team, you’d have to assume. I actually wonder if Smith rates him and while the Frenchman has had a torrid time, I do remember an article that suggested he’s a troublemaker. So much so that two agents dropped him. We know the manager can seemingly take a strong dislike to certain players and my guess is that Sanson will be one of those. No doubt we’ll see.
Keinan Davis is having his brace off tomorrow, so he’s a month away from even starting training. I predict a January loan for him, given that Smith thinks we’re okay with Bailey and Traore being able to play up front, if needed.
Which leaves Wesley, who’s had a medical at Brugges. I’m not sure if there is a clause to buy there, but I suspect Smith will be hoping there is and the Belgians take the option.
Smith’s comments on the Barrow game were interesting too.
People have apparently been on the phone asking about Cameron Archer.
I saw an article last night, which suggested that Walsall should take the lad on loan. I think that’s a great idea, but having listened to a few of their games, they don’t sound a very good side and they might not be the right sort of place. Still, I’d be happy to help Walsall out, as would Smith, but he was very non-comittal and hinted that the striker would stay involved with the first team squad.
Smith spoke highly about El Ghazi’s goal contribution last year and while that seems to suggest he wants to keep the wingman, I wasn’t at all convinced that he wouldn’t let him go. If Roma are happy to cough up a rumoured £15 million, I’d snap their hands off, but I don’t believe that figure in the slightest, if they have any interest at all. If they’re only going to hand over say, £10 million, I’d rather keep him as a squad player.
Likewise with Weston McKennie. Smith sort of poured cold water on us having any interest in him, but he could easily have flat out denied that. He quite simply didn’t so I assume we do.
Prediction time then and I’m struggling to call it.
Part of me sees a few goals, because both sides know how to score. But then both sides are pretty good defensively too.
Brentford are pretty good at setpieces and that’s something we’ll have to be aware of. Austin Macphee, who I’m relieved to see has NOT left the club, as I wrongly stated previously, will be well aware of that though and hopefully have the lads well drilled. I’m already seriously appreciative of what he brings to the table.
I think we’ll have enough to beat Brentford on our own turf, with what should be another full house.
A 2-1 Villa win.
Up the Villa!
Comments
133 responses to “Villa – Brentford; This should be easy, right?”
I actually think the owners might be thinking it’s a good time to sit back and have a look at what we’ve got before deciding anything. See where we are at Chrimbo before we sack Smith or push on again.
If you consider the money we’ve spent the owners are well within their rights to expect something back, imo.
Any lack of progression will be frowned upon.
Badger, the words ‘sack’ and ‘Smith’ together are completely inappropriate. I just don’t understand where this comes from. We’re 3 games in and mid-table. Every team has dropped points already, except one. The Brentford game was screwed because the team Smith had prepared was broken last minute. The Watford defeat was inevitable, if not regrettable. We’ve played two promoted teams which is the worst time to play them at the start when their tails are up. At least half our first team is out. He’s just lost his best and only world class player. What do you want from the man?
If and when the following get a run of games, then judge:
Martinez, THE back 4, McGinn, Luiz, Buendia, Watkins, Ings, Bailey
I believe that’s Smith’s first 11. Bert and Anwar coming on to cause chaos plus the kids as solid back up. Judge that 11 when they’ve had a run. Bert and Bailey interchangeable depending on form.
WHEN that team hits form, the majority of the league will be shitting itself. IF it doesn’t, then we can ask questions.
UTV
Badger, have they really spent? I know that’s provocative. The first season back we had literally no players due to appalling management of the club. They had to spend that to buy a whole team. Last year, fair enough, we bought some quality, but we’re a huge club in the PL, so that’s standard. This season, net spend zero, which is not a criticism, but fact.
I’m extremely grateful to our wonderful owners, but the ‘spending’ point is an interesting one. You wouldn’t buy a classic car that’s clapped out, then not refurbish it, would you? Nor a rat-infested penthouse in Kensington and not spruce it up. All the spending is great and appreciated, but they’re looking after their investment, and rightly so; that’s what good business men do. And I really don’t think the spend in players has been excessive in any way; it’s been calculated and necessary just to compete at this level.
BFR, I’m agreeing. It’s harsh to judge us up to now.
I think I might be able to answer both your questions in one.
Talk of sacking Smith is daft, I agree.
But it’s also innteresting that the owners didn’t spend £100 mill on top of the you know who money, which I’m sure they could have done.
It’s as I’ve suggested, I think, in that the hierarchy (probably Purslow) thinks we need to sit back and re-assess.
Do not think for one minute that Smith will get any leeway if Purslow thinks it isn’t happening.
He’ll be gone quicker than..erm.. something that’s gone very quickly 🙂
Have they spent?
Well, I get what you’re saying and yes, they’ve had to invest.
Did they have to spend as much as they have though?
It’s debatable, but i think they have.
Importantly, I think they’ll continue to spend too.
We should not forget that on top of the money for players NSWE have pumped 10’s of £millions into the club just to deal with the cash flow requirements of the day to day running costs.
They’ve done this through issuing shares rather than lending the club money.
Unlike United and Liverpool we are debt free.
We, as fans, owe them a huge debt of gratitude for saving and then rebuilding our wonderful club.
UTV
I totally agree, Hitch. I was merely suggesting a different perspective, in that it is in the owners’ interests to invest in their, well, investment. And yes, if the project is to be realised in full, more investment will be needed.
No disagreement from me BFR
Me neither 🙂
I actually forgot the equity part of it.
It’s even more impressive when you add that in.
And no doubt we’re still acting like a drain.
It seems some of the Twitterati are apoplectic because we won’t be signing Curtis Jones, which was always a made up story anyway, imo.
https://www.footballtransfertavern.com/aston-villa-transfer-rumours/aston-villa-fans-react-to-curtis-jones-latest/
You have to laugh 🙂
I’m not despondent but I like to think overall I’m realistic – if a little pessimistic at times.
Losing ‘he who should not be named’ is going to have an impact on the playing style of the team and it will take time for the new players to gel and find the ‘fluidity’ that Smith says is missing.
We’ve also suffered, possibly more than some teams (Brighton for instance), with pre season disruptions and injuries, now further exasperated by the International Break for players like Luiz, Martinez and Buendia – albeit it should help with some of our injuries.
After the IB we have a run of hard fixtures, the results from which will, IMO be a significant pointer as to what we can expect this season.
Whilst I agree with Badger’s comment on the owners position and further acquisitions in this window, I remain concerned that we are still light in mid field. Despite Smith’s comments (which did leave some wriggle room) I suspect we still have feelers out. Should the right player become available (which may well depend on deals done by other clubs) then I believe we will move for him.
As to our ambitions for this season, I think anything lower than 8th will be seen as a disappointment (I’m avoiding the use of words like ‘failure’) and might well result in a new manager coming in. Ideally we should see 8th as a minimum in terms of improvement over last season with a challenge for European places a real possibility.
UTV
Willian has terminated his contract at Arsenal where he was on £240k per week (claimed) and had two years to run.
Would you take him at Villa? No transfer fee and even at that wage would only cost around £25m for a two year contract.
Decent player, but not worth that wage, imo.
What’s going on at Arsenal?
Why would you walk away from that wage?
They reckon Arteta has somehow bamboozled the board and everyone just obeys him blindly because of his undoubted knowledge.
Knowledge alone doesn’t necessarily make a good manager though.
Ah, he’s gone back to Corinthians, his boyhood club.
Admirable, I suppose, but he must be minted now.
All the knowledge in the world is useless unless you know how to apply it to good effect.
I love the passion on this forum, we’re all so desperate for OUR club to be back challenging for honours.
We’ve had a strange and, let’s be honest, disappointing start to the season. That said, with all the disruption we faced ahead of the Brentford game, I suggest it was a point gained rather than 2 lost. They are a bogey team after all!
I think part of the frustration comes from our keenness to see Ings, Buendia, Bailey and a fully fit Watkins all on the pitch together…but it looks like we will have to wait until the Everton game on 18th Sep before that can happen.
Good luck to Conor at SheffU, mind you he’s going to have his work cut out to improve them!
Does anyone know the extent of Konsa’s injury, it didn’t look good from where I was sitting in the North Stand upper?
I really hope Smith/Lange/Purslow have got an exciting midfielder lined up to bring a smile to our faces during tomorrow…but I’m not holding my breath.
8th would be a great season, we have to keep reminding ourselves of how far we’d fallen, after all it was only 4 years ago that we finished mid-table in the Championship. It takes a lot longer these days to climb your way back up, and we’ve still got to go some to overtake any of the “big 6” plus the likes of Leicester, West Ham and Everton, none of whom have spent 3 seasons in the Championship in recent times like we have.
Keep the faith and UTV.
I haven’t seen a sniff about Konsa. I agree, it didn’t look good and probably a ligament if I had to guess.
I can’t see him being ready for Chelsea, but you never know.
At least we do have good back up.
What’s not been mentioned is that Mings’ cracked rib could trouble him for a long while. I’ve previously “bruised” my ribs and had the pain for weeks.
I also had a friend who broke a rib and could hardly breathe, let along do anything physical.
Whilst we do have decent back up in Hause and Tuanzebe, it woukd be a concern if both Mings and Konsa were missing for an extended period.
Injuries can easily derail a team and I’m concerned that we seem to be picking up more than our fair share at present.
I dont want to come across as negative or downbeat but I just dont see us finishing 8th or higher this season. In fact I’d go so far as to say we may be flirting with the relegation zone for a large part of the season. We should have 9 points now from those opening 3 games and we could quite easily lose the next 5 games, 6 if you include the cup game against Chelsea. So I am seriously worried. I dont even think we will have a full squad of players to chose from across those 6 matches, given the fitness of the team, COVID and the injuries we seem to keep picking up, plus players deciding to play for their country meaning they will miss a match or 2. IF and a big if that did happen we would likely be in the bottom 3 if not bottom, which leads to negative, scared football and saps all the confidence out of the players. So we really need to be careful we are borderline a catastrophe imo. I also dont think we will sign anyone else this window so, we need to pray all the lads come back from international duty injury/COVID free. I’m seriously stressing about us this season, its just started in a right mess. Fingers crossed we win the next 6 and we are sitting top of the league instead!
I would normally have agreed with you, but is it fair to expect us to win any game with half the team missing?
Me, it’s not so much anger, but disappointment that we haven’t got 9 points.
I have concerns too, because it seems our setbacks will hinder us for months but the reality will probably not be so bad.
Depending how things go, I’d expect us to have a better second half to the season than last year because we’ll have more depth and a better squad that will hopefully have blended well.
I hadn’t realised Hourihane is out of contract next summer so his loan with Sheff Untd means he has effectively left the Villa.
Quite sad about that as I thought he was a decent player that has contributed to our improvement over the last four years and scored some cracking goals.
I wish him the best and hope he finds a new club next season.
I’m very happy with the business we have done. He who shall not be named feels like it’s done and history already now. But I can’t help but feel a little disappointed there is a last minute deal coming. I love that s**t!
Transfer deadline day when it comes to Villa is nearly always an anti climax. It’s arguable that we have done better in identifying the players early doors and got them in before other clubs began sniffing around.
I would have liked an enforcer style midfielder as most Villa fans would. McNeill at Burnley would have been an improvement on any player we currently have in his position LW.
Our squad has more depth than any time since we got back to the premier league but a few internationals and injuries and suddenly our squad doesn’t look particularly strong. That leads me to say credit to Nakamba for turning his back on international duty to get himself ready for the Chelsea game.
It’s like hoping for that extra exciting present at the end of Christmas Day and being disappointed even though you know you shouldn’t be 🙂
Doing the business early must be right; look at Wolves and Newcastle scrambling around trying to do last minute deals without success.
As an aside, I see that Guilbert has gone back to Strasbourg on another season long loan. It seems he has no future at VP. Given our general lack of success when it comes to French players, I wonder whether Sanson will prove to be another disappointment.
My money says 100% guaranteed, but I hope he comes good.
Fair play indeed, but while I don’t want to seem cynical here, I’d suggest there’s not quite the same competition for places at Zimbabwe as there is for the other lads.
If they were to knock chances back, they’re probably easily replaced with equivalent quality.
As for transfers, I’ve moaned previously if we’ve left it until the last minute.
You need to get them in as early as possible so they can bed in.
And we’ve done that, hence I’m not complaining.
I totally understand us wanting to sneak a surprise last minuter in though.
It’s part of the game isn’t it, surprises? And why we love it.
Smith made it pretty plain that he thought we were done though.
It would have to have been an offer we couldn’t refuse to change that,
Steve Cooper the ex Swansea City coach as a coach in at Villa and Dean Smith’s old mate David Kelly in as a striker coach.
You know this or is it just a suggestion?
I see Sanson played 45 minutes in the EFL Cup last night where the U23’s registered their first win (1-3 away to Wycombe) in six attempts.
I wondered where Sanson was going to get the game time Smith talked about in his last press conference.
Archer (Sanson assist) and Bidace (2) were the scorers.
Useful competition to be in.
Well, it could only be with the kids couldn’t it, really?
Seems he was very rusty, but he did put a ball through for a goal.
Meanwhile,
“Aston Villa is delighted to announce the appointment of Aaron Danks as First Team Coach.
Danks joins Dean Smith’s coaching team from Anderlecht in Belgium and has previously worked at West Bromwich Albion’s Academy as well as with England where he was Lead Offensive Specialist Coach, helping the Under-20s win the World Cup in 2017.”
From the OS.
Never heard of him but his CV looks quite impressive (apart maybe for the Baggies bit (:- )
On a more serious note, wonder whether he worked with Mark Harrison in the Academy at Baggies? I like the idea of a first team coach with Academy experience.
Given Harrison was there for 13 years(!) and Dank was there for 11 years, he would have, I’d say.
Linkedin is your friend;
https://uk.linkedin.com/in/aaron-danks-3b14bb27
Very, very impressive CV, as you say.
5 years with the Noses,11 years with the Baggies, 5 Years at the FA. and now he joins us. Finally taking the old advice “If all else fails – try the Villa.”
i was going to mention the nose thing, but thought I’d do better keeping it quiet.
He also worked at Solihull and underpriveliged areas, which makes me suspect he is a nose.
I don’t suppose it matters if he’s good at his job.
You make that sound like last resort advice OLL 🙂
I may have missed it Badger. How many trophies did Blues, Baggies and England win while Danks was working there – in round figures? My guess is a very round figure is the answer, so not expecting changes.
Very true, OLL.
You passed your O level 🙂
Oh, BFR, something that does back up your spending point somewhat;
We were the lowest net spenders in the Prem this summer.
£100m income sort of helps.
I would think we had a net income rather than a net spend if you add the sale of Engels and outgoing loan fees into the numbers. For instance, my Ipswich mate reckons they paid a loan fee for Barry and got him because they offered more than Sunderland – so not just for the senior pros like Guilbert.
I’m not convinced we’d get any loan fees for the pros Hitch.
With the wages we pay, it’s more likely we’re still paying a big chunk and are just glad to be offloading some of the burden.
I’d be happy to be proved wrong of course.
So now apparently the Argentina boss has said he plans to keep Martinez and Buendia for the 3 matches instead of the reported 2 matches Villa had agreed to let them go for. So they will miss Chelsea and now Everton. Great! Things keep getting better.
Greenish was right then. Moving to Man City and he’s starting for England tonight. Wouldn’t surprise me if Southgate encouraged him to move, if he wanted to play for England. No respect for Southgate now.
Yep, because he’s 100% improved after being at city for a couple of weeks.
It makes me puke.
Absolutely Badger. And to think Southgate was once privileged enough to wear the Villa shirt!
So Buendia wasn’t even in the match day squad for Argentina’s game against Venezuela which makes it even more annoying that he will miss at least one if not two matches. If Scolari is not going to even pick him for the squad then he should allow him to return to Villa.
Congratulations to Aston Villa Ladies for starting their WSL season with a 2-1 win over promoted Leicester City. Match reports about the men’s game are cliché-ridden to the point that they would appear odd without the familiar phrases, none more so than “Struck the woodwork” which has not happened for 50 years. The women’s game is an opportunity to move away from the cliché.
For example, this from BM’s report on yesterday’s match could have been worded better.
“The home side were much livelier in the second half but still needed Hampton to deny Jess Sigsworth, spreading herself well in a promising one-on-one situation.”
Don’t know what you mean OLL (-:
Thought Villa rode their luck a bit but great free kick to equalise though.
Bu**er forgotten how to do smiley faces 🙂
Interesting to see what is happening in Brazil.
Authorities march into pitch due to 4 Argentinians coming from UK not isolating for numerous days.
Could we now be looking at Buendia and Martinez being absent for a further 20 days!
If so, we should really make it explicit that we will not support the Argentinian football authorities again. It’s looking like we have been well shafted.
https://www.express.co.uk/sport/football/1486740/Brazil-vs-Argentina-stopped-police-invade-pitch-Premier-League-Tottenham-Aston-Villa
What a farce.
I can see clubs like ours and Spurs refusing to allow any players to go to red listed countries otherwise our season is going to be totally disrupted with potentially disastrous consequences.
It’s all quite strange. It would seem that the players were most likely told to basically lie on their entry forms. I doubt they would have done it themselves without asking one of the staff.
They’ve been kicked out, although they were travelling anyway and are en route to Croatia, where they’ll train before returning to the UK.
Badger – are you sure they’re flying to Croatia? I can’t find confirmation of that only that it was intended the Spurs players would return via Croatia.
Report I read says Scolari picked them because he thought they were eligible to play. Whatever the facts it’s one almighty cock up.
I hope you’re right because they’ll be back for the Chelsea game.
Postscript – this quarantine is a bit of a joke as well – apparently by flying back through Croatia they reduce the length of quarantine required – you have to laugh.
Just found an article confirming both Martinez and Buendia have been released from the Argentinian squad. In that regard common sense has prevailed.
However, it now seems FIFA may ban players (not released for International duty) for a period of five days from the end of the IB.
I don’t know where this is going – will FIFA prevail or will the financial muscle of the EPL eventually win out.
I can see all this giving even more argument in favour of a super league which could well break away from all the regulatory bodies rather like Packer’s break away cricket tours. OK, eventually it folded, but in the process gained enormous concessions from the ruling elite.
Aaron Ramsey has been called up for the U21s.
It’s interesting that Jacob, who’s played for the first team a few times hasn’t done that yet.
Did Smith select the wrong one?
Certainly some think so.
It seems many rate him more highly than his older brother.
He was captain of Villa’s Youth Team that won the Cup but missed a few games towards the end if the season coming on as a sub in the final.
Think you’ll see him in and around the first team squad this season along with Bidace and both of the Chukwuemeka brothers. Future looking very promising.
Also been nominated for Player of the Month for August In PL2
Wtf?
Martinez is saying that Villa didn’t understand the rules.
That may well be true, but doesn’t deflect from the fact that the players must have completed paperwork to get into Brazil????
Badger,I think that might refer to the period of isolation on return or maybe around the Bolivia game?
I can’t see what Villa and the quarantine rules in Brazil have in common – surely that’s a matter for Argentina.
Interesting comments from Purslow which sort of mirror my previous thoughts – although not going as far as suggesting it adds fuel to the financial fire of a super league.