Match Thread: Aston Villa v West Bromwich Albion, Sat 16th Feb, 3pm | Page 16 | Vital Football

Match Thread: Aston Villa v West Bromwich Albion, Sat 16th Feb, 3pm

Now the following morning and still no better.

The positives - Mings and Hause looked like they at least cared. Mings is just what we need, and I think Hause will be fine.

Green got 60 odd mins and although not brilliant, he caused the enough issues that they had to revert to just chopping him down, and McGinn's work can never be questioned, although he is admirably trying to do it on his own, and thus, spreading himself too thin so his quality is suffering.

The negatives are too many to mention, but most of them , if not all, will not be at the club by July.

I honestly dont think Smith is the right guy, but whether he is or isnt, we have no choice but to give him this season to bodge this lot up into a mid table team, give him the summer to get what he thinks (with no money) and then see where we are both on paper and on the pitch around December.

If all the good players are sold, and replaced by Solihull Moors squad players, then expectations will have to be lowered.

This is utter crap, but we need to hold our nerve and see this for what it is - a bunch of ovepaid under performing journeymen that none of us want but cant get rid of and replace for 4 months

MotM - Hause
 
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Sadly all those draws have started to turn into defeats. Same old midfield same results. Here are my player ratings for the match against the Baggies.

Kalinic: 5 Must have been concussed when the baggies scored is all I can think. Was doing ok before he got kicked in the head.

Hutton: 5 Tried to drive us forward but he just hasn't got it anymore.

Elphick:6 Solid enough for me, couldn't fault him.

Mings: 8 Bournemouth must be blessed with CB's if this lad can't get a game there. Just what we need as a captain?

Hause: 7 Thought he did well but looks like a CB playing at left back. He is one big unit.

Elmo:6 Latest players to be put wide right, he's a wingback, not a winger and despite his effort, it showed.

Whelan: 6 Puts in a shift and that's all we can ask of him

McGinn: 6 Things are not going for SJM and his booking will cost us, dear. Must be fed up of playing on his own.

Hourihane:4 The goals and assists have dried up and there is little else to his game but he got an assist for Albion's second.

Green:6 Started as probably the only Villa player who can beat a man, kicked to bits in the first half as Albion realised he was the main danger.

Tammy:5 Isolated, missed another sitter, which could have changed the game never got a look in to be fair.

Subs;

Steer:6 Never had a thing to do as Albion shut up shop second half.

Koj:6 Couldn't conjure up that piece of magic that he used to do a couple of years ago.

Ramsey: 6 Looked lively and wanted the ball, which is a refreshing change. Let's be honest none of us have seen him play before except maybe on AVTV for the youth team. Not easy coming into a big game like that but didn't look phased at all.

Coach Smith:5 Deano swapping wide players isn't the answer, as you've noticed it has little effect.
 
What I would say, there is nothing flukey about their goals. We had several, in fact, probably about 20 opportunities to do the same. Instead, we chose to either pass the ball sideways or took a poor first touch.
 
They had a keeper we know doesn't like crosses and we never put him under pressure even at corners.
Amazingly thinking about it the bloke who scored two goals against them at the Whorethorns was sat on our bench much to the relief of big Dave I would imagine
 
As a manager I think Terry could bring a lot to the party.

The current crop certainly haven’t responded to Smith apart from his honeymoon games.

Surely Smith is to blame for our awful defence, he picks em and sets em up.
In finding anything and everything to blame Smith for our current problems we surely need at least a semblance of balance in the debate. No denying that over the course of the season defensively we've been shocking. This stems from the negligence of Steve Bruce last summer. It was a problem Smith and co were never going to sort overnight and the issue was massively compounded when Axel was injured. There was no natural centre half to replace him because Bruce had inexplicably let Elphick out on loan. In turn this put more pressure on Chester who was struggling with his knee. Missing out on Bryan in the summer also meant the left back issue was another concern. We also had a goalkeeper who seemed to give everyone around him the jitters. So all in all he inherited a complete shambles. Four months on and are we better defensively, most definitely yes. Think Kalinic will be a much better keeper than Nyland, Mings has really impressed me, comfortable on the ball, reads the game well and has leadership qualities so sadly lacking this season. Bringing back Elphick was a no brainer. He's done ok for me, at fault on Weds for Brentford's goal but he's been a positive addition to a threadbare defence. Pity the right back couldn't have stayed but we probably wouldn't have been able to sign him in the summer and he looks as though he could well be another good addition. The defensive flaws in Hutton's game are always there for all to see. Hause is improving and may be an improvement on Taylor. So saying 'Surely Smith is to blame for our awful defence' seems to be another throw away comment with no substance other to throw yet more dirt at him. For me, the defence is actually looking much better than when he arrived and yes you can argue that we're still shipping goals but as we all know, defending isn't all about the keeper and back four. How many will be with us next season, none of us know but bottom line at this point in the season for me, and I see them home and away, we're better defensively than we were in October. Whether those in front of the defence are competing as they should be is another debate completely.
 
Thought the defence was ok yesterday, the midfield and the holdup play from Tammy was weak shall we say. Defending starts at the moment you lose the ball . Mings Elphick and Hause were fine by me,
 
In finding anything and everything to blame Smith for our current problems we surely need at least a semblance of balance in the debate. No denying that over the course of the season defensively we've been shocking. This stems from the negligence of Steve Bruce last summer. It was a problem Smith and co were never going to sort overnight and the issue was massively compounded when Axel was injured. There was no natural centre half to replace him because Bruce had inexplicably let Elphick out on loan. In turn this put more pressure on Chester who was struggling with his knee. Missing out on Bryan in the summer also meant the left back issue was another concern. We also had a goalkeeper who seemed to give everyone around him the jitters. So all in all he inherited a complete shambles. Four months on and are we better defensively, most definitely yes. Think Kalinic will be a much better keeper than Nyland, Mings has really impressed me, comfortable on the ball, reads the game well and has leadership qualities so sadly lacking this season. Bringing back Elphick was a no brainer. He's done ok for me, at fault on Weds for Brentford's goal but he's been a positive addition to a threadbare defence. Pity the right back couldn't have stayed but we probably wouldn't have been able to sign him in the summer and he looks as though he could well be another good addition. The defensive flaws in Hutton's game are always there for all to see. Hause is improving and may be an improvement on Taylor. So saying 'Surely Smith is to blame for our awful defence' seems to be another throw away comment with no substance other to throw yet more dirt at him. For me, the defence is actually looking much better than when he arrived and yes you can argue that we're still shipping goals but as we all know, defending isn't all about the keeper and back four. How many will be with us next season, none of us know but bottom line at this point in the season for me, and I see them home and away, we're better defensively than we were in October. Whether those in front of the defence are competing as they should be is another debate completely.

Yes Bruce has a lot to answer for.

But this continued Smith isn’t to blame and making out the team currently perform better as a group under him is becoming tiresome.

Looks like it’s going to get to the point where we start mixing it with the bottom 6 teams.

Still it’s all going to be fantastic next season as he turned Brentford into Brazil and he can buy lots of new shiny players. Oh he has a fantastic football philosophy.

Here and now it’s looking like keeping Bruce would have been a better option, purely as he ground some results out.

Still patience is the mantra, in Smith we trust.
 
I didn’t feel any sense of shock- horror at the match yesterday as I thought we played better than I’d expected with that line up. Now any remote possibility of catching the leaders has gone I’m a little more relaxed.

Some observations on the game itself;

1) Whelan was a lot more effective after Hourihane had gone. So play Whelan, drop Hourihane for anybody. Let’s get 11 on the pitch and not start with 10 all the time.
2) Mings is getting better each game as he sees someone has to take some responsibility which is largely non-existent elsewhere.
3) Hause the same, Growing in confidence and physically strong and good in the air.

If you take the improvements in 2 and 3 as building blocks then I guess we see the type of player Dean aims to mould Villa.
 
In finding anything and everything to blame Smith for our current problems we surely need at least a semblance of balance in the debate. No denying that over the course of the season defensively we've been shocking. This stems from the negligence of Steve Bruce last summer. It was a problem Smith and co were never going to sort overnight and the issue was massively compounded when Axel was injured. There was no natural centre half to replace him because Bruce had inexplicably let Elphick out on loan. In turn this put more pressure on Chester who was struggling with his knee. Missing out on Bryan in the summer also meant the left back issue was another concern. We also had a goalkeeper who seemed to give everyone around him the jitters. So all in all he inherited a complete shambles. Four months on and are we better defensively, most definitely yes. Think Kalinic will be a much better keeper than Nyland, Mings has really impressed me, comfortable on the ball, reads the game well and has leadership qualities so sadly lacking this season. Bringing back Elphick was a no brainer. He's done ok for me, at fault on Weds for Brentford's goal but he's been a positive addition to a threadbare defence. Pity the right back couldn't have stayed but we probably wouldn't have been able to sign him in the summer and he looks as though he could well be another good addition. The defensive flaws in Hutton's game are always there for all to see. Hause is improving and may be an improvement on Taylor. So saying 'Surely Smith is to blame for our awful defence' seems to be another throw away comment with no substance other to throw yet more dirt at him. For me, the defence is actually looking much better than when he arrived and yes you can argue that we're still shipping goals but as we all know, defending isn't all about the keeper and back four. How many will be with us next season, none of us know but bottom line at this point in the season for me, and I see them home and away, we're better defensively than we were in October. Whether those in front of the defence are competing as they should be is another debate completely.
Well said Langoe. So far Dean has recruited 3 players. Kalinic, Mings and Hause. Can anybody dispute that each of them has been a big improvement on what we had before? Just give him time to sort out another 6 or 7 players
 
Well said Langoe. So far Dean has recruited 3 players. Kalinic, Mings and Hause. Can anybody dispute that each of them has been a big improvement on what we had before? Just give him time to sort out another 6 or 7 players

I will dispute the term big improvement. And with Hause/Kalinic I’d say they have started shaky and that’s being kind.
 
Just home, I thought we were better than them for the
Miserable experience yet again. Looks like Hourihane is the latest in a long line of scape goats. I wouldn't mind but the boo boys always pick the wrong player to slaughter. It's been going on since the Gregory days it seems to be part and parcel of the club now. Not my cup of tea.

Agreed. A couple of months ago we only needed to get Elmo and Nyland out the team and we would steamroll this division. Now it’s a different couple of players being made the scapegoats.
Booing Hourihane is ridiculous whether you dislike him or not. You could see by the look on his face coming off the pitch that it’s only going to destroy his confidence even more. He looked devastated.
 
It’s not scapegoating, it’s the players’ fault, proven once and for all. Without the quality of Jack and Axel we were left with a mid-table bunch at best. Going to take any manager a good while to change this. The players are what did for Bruce as well, though he was hoisted with his own petard.