I really don’t know what to think about this one.
I’ve spoken to a Villa fan at work and he strongly thinks we’ve got this.
Intruguingly, my Stokie mate, who’s also on the same job, thinks we’ll win too.
I really don’t know why, in all honesty.
Wolves are a way better team, who are challenging for European footy, with their Champions league class players that they miraculously managed to sign (ahem).
They aren’t going to be backing off at all.
Then again, neither are we.
We do have advantages.
We’re at home and there is the case where we spanked Wolves 4-1 at home, even though it was over two years ago.
Is that where the confidence comes from?
From what I’ve read today, Dean Smith has played down Villa going two up top from the off, because it means it’s difficult to start Grealish at the same time.
Hands up, I just think that is an utterly, utterly pathetic way of looking at it.
When you have a player who is so much better than the team he’s playing with, it seems to me you can start him anywhere, apart from goalie and he’ll still shine if you give him the ball.
My opinion now is that Smith has become way to pragmatic, in that he’s now playing too defensively.
Dean, in case you haven’t realised, we need WINS and draws are not going to be good enough.
If we let Wolves come at us, they will beat us easily, just the same as Chelsea should have.
They’re just too strong in attack, if you let them be.
Hence sometimes, the best form of defence is attack.
Put them on the back foot and keep them there, as long as you can.
We don’t have the pace in the side and my prediction is if we don’t start to take teams on and play them at their own game, we’re going down, simple.
Playing cagey has proven it for months and if we keep doing it, then I will begin to have serious doubts about the manager.
Let’s face it, we have some really difficult games coming up and while the likes of Liverpool might play a weaker team against us, I don’t think others will.
Pussyfooting about hasn’t worked, fact.
But then, Dean Smith thinks we’re in a comfortable position.
All I can say to that is he’s the manager, who’s getting paid a boatload of money to make sure we survive.
And I’m just a fan, who knows nothing.
Let’s hope Dean can justify the money.
Comments
55 responses to “Villa -Wolves; Can we win this?”
I just think Wolves will kill us with their pace and if we don’t attack them, we’ve lost.
Oh, while I’m on one, it isn’t a bloody 4-3-3 either.
Well, it is, but only when we’re attacking.
And that doesn’t happen anywhere near enough.
It’s been more like a 3-5-1——1 defensive, to my mind.
Or even a 3-6——1 if you like.
Love the new football set up you’ve created Badger. The gulf between defence and Davis (I hesitate to call it ‘attack’) is about as wide as the gulf between the overall quality of our players and Wolves squad.
Traore without the Scottish Cafu to police him will murder us – yet again an example of Villa’s woeful transfer dealings.
Can’t see us getting anything from this game 0-3
Sorry guys
I put my score line up without reading the other posts – seems like many of us are of the same mind!
i did too. we should slap a tenner on that scoreline. we used the force lol and its strong in us jedi’s
Definitely need to impose ourselves on them early doors. Attack being the best form of defence. Really hoping we play 2 up front and get our best crossers on the pitch, notably Elmo and Hourihane. Would even consider Nakamba over McGinn to give a bit more energy and protection in the middle. Let McGinn have 20 mins at the end where his hunger and drive can give us a boost.
Interestingly just seen the end of Brentford Baggies game. I wonder how close we were to getting Benhrama and pursuing Watkins, both look like they can make the step up to Prem.
Also playing Newcastle prior to this game could be a blessing as Saint-Maxim has the same explosive pace and power as Traore. Bit of a Litmus test before the big clash. Let’s hope the defence was paying attention.
VILLA -WOLVES; CAN WE WIN THIS?
simple answer Badger, NO
and your spot on about the formation it is 3-6——1 most of the time
but in the tiny fraction of times we have had a go at teams we look like we can compete, and even maybe get the couple of wins we need.
which is why i have lost total faith in the manager coaches and the rest at the club
Since the start of the season we have got worse week by week, no lessons have been learnt along the way we still keep making the same mistakes, and god knows what they do in training, because on the pitch they look like they have had no training.
and when you consider they have spent well over 100 million to build this team which i firmly believe would not beat last years team and would be in the bottom half of the championship, its a bloody disgrace.
So we the fans are left frustrated and total fed up and desperately watching the team in the hopes we can scrape enough points to stay up, whilst knowing we have got a prayer of doing so.
and i will finish with your line ……..
Dean, in case you haven’t realised, we need WINS and draws are not going to be good enough.
what happened to they score 2 we will score 3 ?
its gone out the window because DS is not a premier league manager.
Villa 0 Wolves 3
Alan, you see it as I see it, we will not be on the same playing field as Wolves. week after week excuses for Villa performance. I don’t want us to go down but I see no hope, it might be Brentford comes up and we go down, who had the best deal .?
i predicted pool will have won the title before our game and then will play a weaken side. i saw it in my tea leaves. still wont be a gimme but we have a far better chance now.
most games we have left on paper is hard but in reality they all are games where nothing is riding on them except our safety. which should mean, we are the ones who will win the games if we apply some combativeness to them. some physically. opposition teams do not want to pick up injuries in a end of season run about. i dont endorse fouling like crazy but be much more authority in our play. we have been too nice, nice with the chances we give
today game is the one game i looked at and thought damn. wolves are chasing down a top four. villa will not pose any dangers to that. cant see anything from this game. it will be similar to the chelsea. maybe they are not a good as chelsea at keeping the ball. but they are just as good as chelsea in every other department, breaking fast on teams is their speciality.
got to hope in this game. problem is the more villa attack wolves, more that wolves will get into our defense. they play like a Portuguese side, they will pick us off. sorry 0 3 wolves
Erm… Quite honestly I have nothing to add to this debate. I’m lost… a bit like our club.
i seen this mentioned on other sites too, that this current villa team would not beat last seasons. well i disagree i think we improved on last season. its a much tougher league we play in and up against us weekly are world class players. so making a direct comparison is hard to impossible.
i look at norwich who basically kept the same side. they were much better than us last season in the games and position. look at this season we beat um and are above them lol in fact they are the only side below us.
before ppl say look at sheff utd. i mentioned last season their game will be best suited of the three in the premiership. its how they play without the ball, which made them better suited than us and norwich. but next season i believe sheff utd will struggle. as the teams have finally worked them out.
why did we struggle this season. i think its the number of changes and quality of players we brought in. i believe the quality is better than last season, but still way down on what is needed. but before we lose our heads and rip the shit up and want fresh start again. this team could be built on and the current players will improve, i look at luiz he has struggled all season. but since the return he has been outstanding in all three games sofar. sometimes in life its not a simple or as quick as switching on a light. current season is not over we are still in with a good chance.
Nath, if you’re honest, would you say another Manager would get the squad performing better?
I like Smith but feel he lacks the killer instinct required for the Premier League.
personally i think we are were we are, because we change teams & managers too much. hard to gauge smith this term, cause he has a weaker hand than other managers in this league. i think he might have been better served changing the formations on certain games. but i understand him not doing as maybe our personnel is not as strong in depth.
playing two up front i would have liked, but again we have only two strikers and one of them is injury prone and not played many times in his career let alone loads in a short time without much rest period between games.
if we sack smith will this mean a new squad ? i would accept change if we build on what we currently have. some of these players are just in the premiership too early. feels like a sink or swim and most have drowned
another reason sheff utd coped better this season. other than other premiership clubs have not come across their system too many times. they have been moulded for at least 4 seasons. each player knows that system and each know what is required of them all individually. they are all comfortable know if they make a error a team mate will bail them out. you can not build this in 6months or 12 takes time. that is how i see why they have been able to step up with lesser players.
but sheff utd need to add quality next season cause teams will work them out and hard work and well drilled will get you only so far.
Nath, totally agree with your summary of Sheff United. Wilder has developed a team and a system for many years bringing them through L1 and the Championship so we shouldn’t be too surprised how well they have done – although it’s seems the break may have affected their momentum. I also agree that next season will be a bigger challenge but if they get through it they will probably be in the EPL for some time.
Smith, on the other hand, secures promotion after less than a season in charge and then has to completely rebuild the team. Too much too soon so is it any wonder we’re struggling.
In short no.
Traore will destroy a sluggish Targett but having said that they are superior to us in every single position on the pitch. We’ll do well to keep the score down against a team that sooner rather than later will be playing champions league football.
Prediction 0-3 Wolves
I have to agree with predictions and go 0-3. Beamo is right that Targett will be slaughtered by Traore. He is okay going forward but is a terrible defender. I actually think Taylor is better defensively. Targett couldn’t get in the Southampton team which says a lot.
Smith has said that playing 2 strikers means he compromises Grealish who has to then play centrally!!!!! Was it just me who thought Grealish improved when we went 2 up top against Newcastle. But like Badger said, we are just fans and he is the ‘expert’ manager who knows better.
The next 3 games will probably kill us off, particularly at a confidence level. Anyone thinking Liverpool is an easier game now they have won the league are kidding themselves. They won’t be playing the kids because there are no cup competitions to take into account. Man Utd are playing better than they have all season and we never get anything at VP against them anyway.
We are paying the price for assembling an inexperienced team with inexperienced management and no leadership (Mings apart) on the pitch. I feel sorry for Smith but maybe when we raided Brentford we picked the wrong people. 😔
Hooray!
Aston Villa: Nyland, Konsa, Hause, Mings, Targett, Nakamba, Hourihane, Luiz, Grealish, Samatta, Davis.
Subs: Reina, Taylor, Drinkwater, McGinn, Trezeguet, El Ghazi, Jota, Elmohamady, Vassilev
Has the penny finally dropped?
Think he’s had a look at our site Holte.
He will probably blame us if we lose Bill.
Apart from Elmo for Konsa, based on crossing ability, it’s the team I would have gone for 👍
Targets off ham string gone.. Taylor on ..
I would have preferred Elmo for Konsa to give better balance to our shape.
On the past team line ups who has picked this one please let them shine on VTID
Taylor on for Targett who’s done his hammy.
🙁
Nyland!
I really don’t trust him in goal.
Well that was boring.
You all know how critical I am, have to say a marked difference with Villa efforts today, the lost of targatt hadn’t made that much difference and you can see Wolves tactics on stepping up the efforts. Good first half from Villa.
formation has been good. it looks like a 433 still but you got samatta and davis with grealish joining them on occasions. midfield of luiz flanked by hourihane and nakamba. we havent hit the long ball to often but it is a option if we need it. midfield has been narrow but strong. defense well has been ok but we still got a mistake in us and that worries the life out of me.
looks like davis and samatta and grealish could do some damage to wolves if they had more ball deep in wolves. good half except for a mistake not mentioning
Not too bad a first half although Nyland nearly gifted them. How many goals have we gift wrapped this season? I’m sure Traore will come on soon and destroy us.
For all that we have looked OK. Its a matter of time before Wolves get a goal. We just don’t make enough chances, we can pass it around the middle and the defence all day but we can’t keep the ball anywhere near the Wolves box long enough to create something. Its usually just hopeless passes that go out of play. Our set pieces have been awful today too. Not looking forward to Traore introduction you see the game swing for them when he does.
0-1
🙁