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

[Silhillvilla]

And I see Axel has turned into Franco Baresi since he's been sidelined.

 

[Wicked Messenger]

And I see Axel has turned into Franco Baresi since he's been sidelined.

Not since he’s been sidelined, while he was playing. Just more comfortable on the ball that’s all Silhill.

 

[Melon Donkey]

And I see Axel has turned into Franco Baresi since he's been sidelined.

Much like our youth and u23's are the answer.

 

[sirdennis]

Yes.

Yes

 

[JW1985]

Is McGinn suspended now? That was his 10th booking right? Seeing as we've been basically playing with a 1 man midfield God knows how we're going to do without the 1 man.

 

[sirdennis]

Is McGinn suspended now? That was his 10th booking right? Seeing as we've been basically playing with a 1 man midfield God knows how we're going to do without the 1 man.

2 match ban JW1985. He misses the Stoke and Derby games.

So next weeks midfield could be 3 from Whelan , Jedinak , Hourihane and Barney.

:eek!::eek!:

 

[Langoe66]

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.

Not half as tiring as the constant whining, complete negativity and harping on about changing the manager every four bloody months! Above, you recognise the incompetence of Bruce then wade in again with sarcasm and negative spin and in your efforts to throw yet more at Smith, suggest keeping Bruce would have been the best option, despite him having 'lots to answer for'. I supported Bruce for many months on here but he had to go for the good of the club and his health. You talk about Bruce 'grinding out results'.....anyone would think we'd lost 6,7,8 in a row....negative spin, all the time.

 

[holtelower]

I keep reading this "without Jack and Axel".

Can I remind people that with thoae two , we were 16th and the manager was sacked. The best we got to was 8th, and they both played in games like 5 5 , 4 2, and whatever other stupid scores we had in October and November.

What I am saying is, there are issues at the Villa, but those issues have been there all seadon, no matter who the personnel is *see above about Elmo now Hourihane*.
Whatever is wrong, its gonna take time and although I am sceptical about Smith, he has to be given a chance.

And we will need to be realistic as well. If we sign the likes of Sawyers, Maupay and Mings - of course he needs to be up there. But if we sell the liks of JG and JM and replace them with kids from Blackpool and Accrington, then expectations need to be lowered.

Only in September we will know how this is going, and until then, we are gonna have to ride it out and back them, or else, no player will want to come if they know two poor games, and they will be turned on.

Mings said it tbis morning "we must stick together" he is right

 

[Fulford]

So hit me with the 'options' he has Fulford......it's all very well saying , 'it's not working, sack him'....but tell me what other options he has in terms of personnel? Who would you have picked today that would have transformed our performance.....Bjarnason? Adomah? Jedinak? Taylor? Kodjia? El Ghazi? They've been picked, had their chances....it's all very well talking about changing the system, should be able to work with what he's got etc and questions should be asked but some of these players also need to take a long hard look at themselves. All to easy to hide behind the manager.

I would have put El Ghazi in the JG position, played 3 at the back and played Green inside with Tammy and if that didn’t work put Davis on in place of Green.

 

[sirdennis]

I keep reading this "without Jack and Axel".

Can I remind people that with thoae two , we were 16th and the manager was sacked. The best we got to was 8th, and they both played in games like 5 5 , 4 2, and whatever other stupid scores we had in October and November.

What I am saying is, there are issues at the Villa, but those issues have been there all seadon, no matter who the personnel is *see above about Elmo now Hourihane*.
Whatever is wrong, its gonna take time and although I am sceptical about Smith, he has to be given a chance.

And we will need to be realistic as well. If we sign the likes of Sawyers, Maupay and Mings - of course he needs to be up there. But if we sell the liks of JG and JM and replace them with kids from Blackpool and Accrington, then expectations need to be lowered.

Only in September we will know how this is going, and until then, we are gonna have to ride it out and back them, or else, no player will want to come if they know two poor games, and they will be turned on.

Mings said it tbis morning "we must stick together" he is right

At Brentford on Wednesday I looked at their side and barely recognised one of their players names. The point is they may not be "names" but they have been moulded into an effective team where their respective strengths compliment each other , so I won't mind us buying players from Accrington and Blackpool if they fit that profile.

Completely at odds with us buying everyone else's best players for exhorbitant prices and wages and throwing them together in the hope that they may gel. Hogan being a prime example.

 

[Fulford]

How about the fact that he went to Brentford, replaced 10 out of 11 of the players he inherited and turned them into an attacking quality side

But he didn’t replace them, his recruitment team did. I’m not sure our team will manage to do the same.

 

[JuanPabloAngel]

But he didn’t replace them, his recruitment team did. I’m not sure our team will manage to do the same.

And he had no input? No, I don't buy that. They are Brentford, not Real Madrid.

 

[Fulford]

And he had no input? No, I don't buy that. They are Brentford, not Real Madrid.

Smith used to tell them what type of player he wanted and the team went out and sourced them.

 

[sirdennis]

Smith used to tell them what type of player he wanted and the team went out and sourced them.

So Smith did have an input then.

I admire your in depth knowledge of the Brentford transfer policy though Fulford.

 

[Wicked Messenger]

Smith used to tell them what type of player he wanted and the team went out and sourced them.

That’s true but according to Smith it was a three way conversation on WhatsApp so at Villa he is involved all the way through and I would think that was the case at Brentford as well.

 

[pvb1968]

In the cold light of day with hutton, elmahamdy, hurry up and whelan in your team you are not getting promoted. Its all about getting through this season now and blooding some of the younger players in preparation for what will be a new villa side.

 

[holtelower]

TBH Sirden, their main bloke (sounded Scandinavian) was interviewed before Wednesdays match and said exactly how they do it, and although I dont agree with Fulford - he is correct in that Smith, or and manager only has limited input. He identifies a position and style, they identify and buy the player using mainly stats but also their contacts. The manager then coaches them.

Now......

A few flaws in this.

1. Do you trust our team to identify the correct players. After the purchase of Nyland I am worried, and Fans slagged off that set up before, even though individually, every one of their purchases went onto better things

2. Has it really worked at Brentford ?. Yes little old Brentford finish mid table in the Championship, whilst little old Bournemouth, Brighton Hull, Swansea, Wigan and umpteen others have got promoted and actually held their own in The Prem. And they are no littler than Bristol City

Can't deny they are pleasing on the eye, but so were we the night we drew 5 - 5 , but we didnt get 3 points.

I am suspicious of the whole thing TBH, I can see why they do it, continuity and all that, but I cant think of many good managers that would be happy to work in that system (not at a traditional big club anyway)

Time will tell I suppose

 

[sirdennis]

TBH Sirden, their main bloke (sounded Scandinavian) was interviewed before Wednesdays match and said exactly how they do it, and although I dont agree with Fulford - he is correct in that Smith, or and manager only has limited input. He identifies a position and style, they identify and buy the player using mainly stats but also their contacts. The manager then coaches them.

Now......

A few flaws in this.

1. Do you trust our team to identify the correct players. After the purchase of Nyland I am worried, and Fans slagged off that set up before, even though individually, every one of their purchases went onto better things

2. Has it really worked at Brentford ?. Yes little old Brentford finish mid table in the Championship, whilst little old Bournemouth, Brighton Hull, Swansea, Wigan and umpteen others have got promoted and actually held their own in The Prem. And they are no littler than Bristol City

Can't deny they are pleasing on the eye, but so were we the night we drew 5 - 5 , but we didnt get 3 points.

I am suspicious of the whole thing TBH, I can see why they do it, continuity and all that, but I cant think of many good managers that would be happy to work in that system (not at a traditional big club anyway)

Time will tell I suppose

Bruce signed Nyland .

The budget that Brentford have and what we have would be different. We would be able to sign a better quality of player.

 

[McParlandTheGreat]

TBH Sirden, their main bloke (sounded Scandinavian) was interviewed before Wednesdays match and said exactly how they do it, and although I dont agree with Fulford - he is correct in that Smith, or and manager only has limited input. He identifies a position and style, they identify and buy the player using mainly stats but also their contacts. The manager then coaches them.

Now......

A few flaws in this.

1. Do you trust our team to identify the correct players. After the purchase of Nyland I am worried, and Fans slagged off that set up before, even though individually, every one of their purchases went onto better things

2. Has it really worked at Brentford ?. Yes little old Brentford finish mid table in the Championship, whilst little old Bournemouth, Brighton Hull, Swansea, Wigan and umpteen others have got promoted and actually held their own in The Prem. And they are no littler than Bristol City

Can't deny they are pleasing on the eye, but so were we the night we drew 5 - 5 , but we didnt get 3 points.

I am suspicious of the whole thing TBH, I can see why they do it, continuity and all that, but I cant think of many good managers that would be happy to work in that system (not at a traditional big club anyway)

Time will tell I suppose

Good questions. In this first transfer opportunity with Smith it seems to have worked. Smith obviously made his mind up on a new keeper and stronger defence, and they bought Kalinic and loaned in Mings and Hause. Seems OK. Midfield didn't really come off but they tried. We'll see how they do in the summer, which could be massive.

I think you need to be flexible. The manager obviously has to have a leading role. Swansea to my mind went downhill because Jenkins insisted on doing it his way; Laudrup was sacked because he disagreed with that. But with everybody working together think it can be a good system.

 

[tarzansbrother]

Not half as tiring as the constant whining, complete negativity and harping on about changing the manager every four bloody months! Above, you recognise the incompetence of Bruce then wade in again with sarcasm and negative spin and in your efforts to throw yet more at Smith, suggest keeping Bruce would have been the best option, despite him having 'lots to answer for'. I supported Bruce for many months on here but he had to go for the good of the club and his health. You talk about Bruce 'grinding out results'.....anyone would think we'd lost 6,7,8 in a row....negative spin, all the time.

Negative spin or reality??

If you want to believe and peddle the Smith turned Brentford into Brazil then on you go.

Like I said looking at the current situation Bruce staying may mean we would be in a play off position now, although the football on show would have been awful.

After Smith honeymoon there are more questions than answers. His current record over the last 13 games is very poor to say the least, along with pretty dismal football

Haven’t Villa got a structure now where changing the manager might not be disastrous??