You know that old saying, “it’s always darkest before the Dawn”?
Well, it occurred to me just after we conceded the third goal.
I’m saying that because I want to sort of prove that I am trying to stay positive.
But I’m finding it incredibly difficult and I’m now mentally wrestling with myself, with part of me trying to make excuses and part of me thinking we are utter rubbish.
A decent excuse might be that Watford are actually a fairly decent side who are in a false position, for example.
But to counter that, I find myself thinking that they aren’t where they are in the table, for no reason.
Let’s get one thing straight. My blood is currently approaching boiling point, I’m that annoyed.
I actually thought we were okay in the first half and while Watford probably deserved their first half lead, I also thought we were slightly unlucky. I’d asked for quicker, more accurate passing and I think we mostly got it.
Even when we stupidly gave the ball away for their first goal, I was thinking that we actually looked quite competitive, as the half time whistle blew.
But all of that changed in the second half.
The shove by Luiz on Deeney was definitely a penalty, so I can’t complain.
But we seemed to just totally lose it after that and heads went, with Grealish possibly being the worst example. Just after I’ve praised him for now having all the tools in his locker, so he seemed to niggle and bitch at every opportunity.
I can understand frustration, but doubt he’ll have done his case much good in Southgate’s eyes, today.
The question is, why do I think we lost today?
Well, the first part is that the big difference is in the attack.
Watford looked like scoring, whereas we rarely did.
If Wesley had put that header in the net, it might have been a different game.
And the second, probably more important part is that I just don’t think we have the mental toughness to cope with the Premier league.
Yes, if things are going well, we’re fine.
But if we’re up against it, we lack battlers and experienced types who can dig in, without losing their heads.
And we’re going to be up against it more as the season goes on, in my opinion.
The next question that automatically follows is do I believe Dean Smith can do something about it?
I’m reminding myself about how poor we were before we went on our (12 game?) winning run last year here.
Can we do that again?
Well, Grealish came back in then and it was no co-incidence that we improved.
But who are we going to get in to make that sort of difference this time?
I don’t believe anyone can, unless it’s Ronaldo or Messi.
So do I think Smith has to go?
I’m debating that amongst myself and feel that as much as the knives might come out and they probably are already, it won’t be happening just yet.
Renewing his contract at frankly a very strange time, is probably proof that even if we go through rough times, the hierarchy think that the manager is doing a good job for the club as a whole.
And that’s how they look at things. Is the manager instilling good things throughout the club, from top to bottom?
Of course, contracts mean very little these days, so it’s always possible that the owners might change their minds.
But I suspect any calls for Dean Smith’s sacking will fall on deaf ears for now.
If we keep losing, there will only be so much clamour that the owners can withstand before they succumb.
And the biggest risk to Smith is that Pochettino is available.
But I think for now, it’s academic what I, or us fans think.
Which I suspect is probably a good thing.
Except I’m not sure.
Such is my indecision.
There’s no doubting one thing.
Results have to get better or we’re going down.
Comments
72 responses to “Watford 3-0 Villa; Capitulation, but trying to stay positive”
I keep replaying Smith’s post match verdict that we lost the game in the first half! I’m sorry but 1-0 down with an opportunity to sort things out with a half time team talk, a chance to change system / players plus the bonus of them reduced to 10 men early in the second half! Actually we lost the second half with a more inept performance than the first.
Don’t blame officials either. Accept the blame and criticise the players for being outfought tactically, physically and mentally. Apologise to the fans who travelled for wasting their time and money. That way you will gain more respect.
For the next game make sure whoever you select that they are fired up for the battle. If you don’t win that, then the game will be lost before kick off.
Nath, you are right, we have only a few players who could get into other premier league teams. I would add McGinn (when fit) and Mings. Apart from that we have Championship quality players. January can’t be about signing players with potential. We urgently need experience although to get these, I can only see loans with a view to buy if we stay up.
i do not wish to be right. i just want us to be realistic, i forgot mcginn and he would definitely be on the list off certain starters. but he was not available yesterday. that is my point our first team has good potential. our squad depth has not. when the players like mcggin and mings are out through injury, we are losing our two best effective and two most experience is also missing.
players like hause and konsa just need time to adjust, but we do not have the time for them to adjust. our team are full of these types at minute, when we need more mcginn and mings especially now, when the results dry up and pressures intensifies on the team.
The day has gone for excuses from Smith for me, Smith is lost in his own little idea’s that didn’t produce, I can see Grealish going to Man utd and his heart will be hurt doing it, We are and I mean all of us are Villa, we want the same thing , Success , its no use us shutting our eyes and THINK it will get better, it won’t. If our owners don’t move in this week we can kiss the premier league good bye, and be the laughing stock of football clubs. Villa is my club for near 80 years I had to fight my way into the ground in the 40s. I’m not letting any glory hunting owners, managers, or players, make it a place to ridicule the club without a fight. Something has to be done and Quick. I’ll say it again Smith has had his chance, we need to move on him now.
Bill, I think the owners will stick with Smith to save face after recently extending his contract. I know contracts mean squat these days but the timing would be embarrassing for them.
If Smith stays we have to invest in experience. Last season the younger players had Whelan, Jedinak and Hutton who would have helped as role models. We didn’t replace them and now it’s costing us. I hate loan deals but if it means coaxing a good premier proven leader type player with a view to buy if we stay up, then I would go down this route.
None of our ‘star’ players will leave on January – we are under no pressure to sell.
Summer might be a different matter but until then…
also what? was the average age of the team yesterday. take out the goalie i bet the average age was close to a under 23’s team. also yesterday team only goalie elmo grealish and targett had premiership experience before this season. it was a calculated gamble to purchase these players and retain our premiership place. maybe we had no choice to buy bigger and better players. maybe the fair play b/s was hindering the owners from opening their wallets to cover the loses, which was needed to buy the quality we needed.
I don’t think the financial argument stacks up.
We spent c £120m I believe on transfers and subsequently the owners have put around £200m into the club to provide a stable financial base. Money of itself is not the issue and I’ll say it again FFP is not an issue this season.
Arguably Villa overreacted to the ageing no on sale value (of players) inherited by the new owners and decided to buy young players with potential – a model that worked well for Smith at Brentford in the Championship – but this is the Prem!
With the benefit of hindsight we should have balanced the buys between players with potential and players with EPL experience – easy to say of course!
We have a chance to address that to a degree in this window and I believe will Smith be given the Opportunity to do so.
We do though need a little more luck – we’ve lost through injury for various periods our three best, most influential players. The loss of Mings in particular has hurt us badly – he’s a leader on the field and organises the defence. I submit that would hurt any team.
Kalinic, Lansbury, Kodjia these are amongst the higher earners of the squad so if they are no longer required, that will free up wage budget if we can find buyers, i doubt anybody would buy kodjia being he is free in a few months, kalinic we would have to take a hit on if he was too move. lansbury not sure he would move too
davis if he wasn’t injured is not premiership quality. off course he could do a job there but upgrade to wesley imo i don’t think so. we are now in a difficult position, nobody will want to come to villa knowing next season you are in the championship. so we are gonna need to give higher wages etc. i think we need more experienced players, if we can get one or two more of players that are more leaders than we got now, that can only help the novice players, take that responsibility form grealish who doesn’t need the hassle
Or get in short term loans which is a distinct possibility.
it is the only way i can see us getting in the players which might make a difference. it might work too , we have got some decent prospects,when they are full of confidence but the trouble started when they didn’t get the results and mings got injured, now mcginns also in the treatment room we are struggling big time.
My first signing if at all possible would be Mitrovic from Fulham. I don’t think we would get him but he will do what Wesley can’t as a target man. We need a slightly younger Whelan or Jedinak type player too. It’s a shame we can’t get rid of El Ghazi, Trezeguet and Jota and call it a bad experience but we are stuck with them, so bringing in upgrades for these is probably unlikely. I think that is probably half the problem. Off loading players who are poor for us won’t be tempting for another club. I’m hoping that our scouting team have already identified players and we can get them in as quick as possible. No doubt we will be held to ransom because of the predicament we are in. Will our owners take the risk of overpaying to save our premier league status? After all, we have reportedly spent £133m in the summer which seems mostly like money down the drain.
Smith is to improve the players bought by others to add value. We are repeating the mistake of the lerner / lambert young and hungry. Some of those players have gone on to better things now they have the experience. Eg Ayew.
Villas big gamble was not signing an experienced striker at this level. Also injuries to mcginn and mings (2 of our best 3) have made matters worse.
If we are to have a chance to stay up we need a premier league goalscorer and defensive midfielder and to play grealish behind the striker.
Think we also need another CB with prem experience as well.
It seems you’re suggesting Ayew was a loan?
He wasn’t; we bought him.
I agree, we made a big mistake in not getting a proven striker in, but suspect that as much as Smith might have wanted one, it didn’t fit the strategy.
I strongly think everyone involved in the recruitment process is learning a big lesson here and that includes the owners.
Definitely agree with a decent mid too.
Then you might have something resembling a spine to the team.
danny drinkwater just seen we might be interested in, personally i think this is the kind of player we are lacking, he is currently on loan and might be recalled and sent back out on loan. would bring lots of experience, much more than all our players except heaton has in the premiership.
i would like to see a winger or two and a striker with similar know how. can not afford more players who are learning on the job,we need more leaders especially in the premiership, where you can lose any game and many on the bounce.,
There’s seem to be some truth in that Nath, this came into Birmingham live 2 hour’s ago.
Aston Villa linked with January swoop for Chelsea’s Danny Drinkwater
Aston Villa are reportedly showing an interest in signing midfielder Danny Drinkwater on loan during the January transfer window.
According to Sky Sports , Villa are keen to bring in an experienced midfielder to act as cover for the injured John McGinn, with the Scotland international expected to be out until March with a fractured ankle.
Drinkwater is currently spending the first half of the season on loan at Burnley from Chelsea, with his spell due to end on January 6.
The report adds that Burnley have the option to extend Drinkwater’s loan at Turf Moor, but are unlikely to do so given his lack of playing time during his stint with the Clarets.
It is also being claimed that Villa assistant manager John Terry still has a close friendship with Chelsea manager Frank Lampard, so his influence could be key in helping a deal over the line
I’m not a fan of ‘Lawro’ but his latest comments (re Villa) are spot on – ‘too easy to score against (and) stop complaining and worrying about things going against you and grow a back bone’
‘nuff said.
I’m not sure about us signing Drinkwater. He has only played 13 games in the last 3 years and only one appearance for Burnley on loan! He can’t even dislodge Westwood!
Yes, we do need experience but preferably players who have had more game time.
Desperate times; desperate measures!
Tbf Drinkwater was highly rated a couple of seasons ago but has suffered. Number of injury setbacks. Are we at risk of signing another sick note – something for which Targett is starting to grow a reputation?
Some interesting facts from Opta on the first half of the season.
Basically on expected goals we are 19th so pretty much in line with league table but it gets more interesting when you look at the attacking and defensive graphics. By the by – Newcastle have the worst expected goals ratio but look where they are in the table.
Summing up we are pretty good going forward in attacking creativity (in top half) but we are poor at finishing our opportunities and, surprisingly, we are not the worst defensively by any means but are rated poor plus ruthless opponents (which suggests we have been heavily punished for defensive lapses).
That pretty much reflects the views and comments posted on here but also suggest priority should be in defence and Smith playing a less ‘gung ho’ type of approach. Maybe not attractive but it’s points we need not pretty performances.
Oh, and for OLL, Heaton is the fourth worst rated keeper in the Prem. Shame Steer got injured but perhaps it’s time to give Nyland a go?
Even though it was xmas we was all GUNG and no HO
🙂 🙂