I was reluctant to post before the Wigan game, because I thought we were going to lose.
Maybe I shouldn’t really post this, but I really don’t feel any different for this game. In fact I feel even less optimistic.
If we can’t beat a side that has struggled for weeks, where’s the incentive to bet on us beating a side that’s won six on the trot?
I wouldn’t mind, if we were the sort who can turn things around and reverse the opposition’s runs.
Ooh, correction.
We do. Wigan, after being practically the worst side in the league proved that after whupping us easily.
You might gather that last week royally p*ssed me off.
But it was so poor that I don’t hold a prayer that we’ll win tomorrow.
I’ve thought about this a lot over the last week and d’you know what?
I suspect that it’s exactly as I thought and the players just can’t hack the increased intensity and pace that has been asked of them.
Yet I’ve seen an article today that suggests that the old hands should come straight back in, to shore things up.
You have to laugh.
Squad news, and the OS is useless for this info, as per.
Why does the OS feel like I’m wading through mud? Sackings needed, imo, but I’ve been saying it for ages and the club obviously thinks things are fine, which says a lot to me.
Whatever, the Beeb tell me that Kodjia is fit.
Green is also available.
I don’t give a toss about Hull, but Fraizer Campbell is in contention. I’ve never rated him previously, but he’d probably slice through our awful defence these days.
What to think then?
Well, I have no confidence whatsoever in us winning this one, unless Smith massively changes it up.
Green goes straight in, on the left.
We go two up top, with Kodjia and Abraham.
And we definitely don’t go with Whelan or Jedinak.
Or Taylor or Hause or Bree (unless he’s at CB).
We need pace to play Smith’s game and reverting to the old timers is not the solution.
Which might seem contradictory, seeing as I don’t believe that our kids are our solution in the short term.
But I feel we massively lack pace and something needs to change, given that if we maintain the status quo, we’re going to be on a hiding to nothing and Hull will beat us easily.
Will Smith do it?
No chance.
He’s going to go with “tried and trusted”. Exactly the same as Bruce would have done.
And it’ll see exactly the same result I expect.
Hull to win 2-1, although I’m minded to call it 3-1.
We’ll lack pace and they’ll catch us out all to easily at the back, as we chase the game after going down to an early goal, because we’re quite simply too slow with our defensive game.
I hope I’m wrong.
I’ve no belief in us winning this game whatsoever 🙁
I’m with you Badger and have already posted a forecast of 1-3 Hull to win.
On the Mail poll 46% go for a Hull win and when you add in the draw a massive 63% say Villa will not win tomorrow.
The feel good factor has evaporated as quickly as it appeared.
We have won one in eight, lost the last two and we haven’t won at home in 5 games.
It doesn’t really matter what team Smith picks tomorrow, we’ve failed to show we have the players or the mentality to mount a serious challenge.
I like Smith.
He’s Villa.
But it isn’t enough.
Smith has to at least try something different, if he’s not going to be seen as a slightly different version of Bruce.
I don’t believe he’s got it in him, I’m afraid.
Where are the signings that we so obviously need?
I never expected miracles, but I at least anticipated something happening.
And a totally awful LB replacement, in Hause, doesn’t cut it.
We could have got equivalent quality from the kids.
If Smith doesn’t have money to spend, the club should say so and we should look to sell some players, even at a massive loss, to get things moving.
I really expected two or three players in, in the first week, but we end up with Hause, who’s as up to the pace as I am?
As I suggested previously , I don’t think Smith has a pot to p*ss in.
I’m concerned that Smith’s obvious love for the Villa will cloud judgements – both ways.
He’s nothing like Bruce but it’s inevitable if he picks ‘Bruce’s players’ that are not fan favourites then he’ll be tarred with the comparison. Given that, he’s in a difficult position with a weight of unreasonable(?) fan expectation on his shoulders.
Two billionaires saved the club which was arguably in a worse position than our demise under Lerner. Why do we expect miracles under such circumstances? We are not going to solve the problems left by near bankruptcy overnight – if Bruce deserved and got patience from the fans then Smith deserves nothing less.
I still think we will lose tomorrow and promotion is beyond us and we may well have to work with little money. In the meantime I don’t believe throwing kids in is the solution – he will have to work with what he has no matter how limited that might be and deal in the market as best he can – unfortunately January is the worst time to do that.
Hitch, Smith cannot play the same players if he wants to be seen as different.
Taylor, as much as I’m loathe to say it, is horrendously poor, simple.
He has contributed nothing; ever.
And Hause is shocking.
Even if you’ve been out the game for a while, you should be able to aim a ball. He simply couldn’t and that’s inexcusable, regardless of what level you’re playing at.
Bree is not a RB, simple and to suggest he is, is a joke, imo.
We have two decent defenders in Chester and Elphick, but they’re having to cover the shit around them and it’s never going to work if they don’t have pace to help them out.
It’s why we miss Tuanzebe.
The point is, while we’re playing the absolute shit that we are suggesting is our best, we ain’t going anywhere soon.
Too many rubbish players, simple.
I agree with the principle of your argument Badger but from where I’m sitting, and considering the injuries we have (which includes Lansbury), how many real options does he have in defence and mid field that will make a difference?
Yes, he can throw some kids in; maybe he should but if they’re not up to it or ready, it’s self defeating. You’vd already dissed Hause as an option although perhaps he should play him at left back as an experiment – can he be worse than Taylor? Bree, I suspect, may prove to be a better CB than RB!
Even though fans are starting to give up on promotion, we are still only 5 points off the play offs – if we continue to lose ground then I think we might see more experimentation – otherwise expect Smith to go with the strongest team selection (on paper st least)
Opinions, opinions.
I feel just like you Badger, how can we as supporters expect us to win with a team that won’t fight for the club, tomorrow will be the same, don’t matter what the manager’s say we know the players are not up to it. 2-1 Hull.
I agree with everything you said in your post Badger. I too think that the likes of Taylor and Whelan will play. We might as well play 9 men rather than these pub players. Maybe we will be surprised and Smith will see that the formation doesn’t work without Grealish. Why not go 2 up top with Abraham alongside Hogan or Kodja. The talk from within is that players want to put right last weeks nightmare show. This annoys me in that they turn up when they want to. They seem to be in their own little bubble with their part of the pride bullshit! Hull will want revenge and will be up for it simply because they are playing Villa. We really need to get real and realise that maybe the players we have aren’t anything special, except for Grealish, Abraham and McGinn, I think the rest are average Championship players. Time for the club to shut up with the talk and show up for once.
Hear hear Holte, had enough of excuse after excuse, bad player’s cannot hide from true fans.
Aston Villa have made an offer for French right-back Frédéric Guilbert, sources close to the player have claimed.
Head coach Dean Smith is keen to strengthen his defence this month and Villa have already signed goalkeeper Lovre Kalinic from Gent and centre-back Kortney Hause from Wolverhampton Wanderers.
The club are also interested in adding full-backs, although left-back is believed to be a bigger concern for Smith than right-back.
Guilbert has made 18 appearances for Caen in Ligue 1 this season and helped his team to four clean sheets in addition to grabbing two assists.
Is it true I wonder.
We need a LB.
This rumour is total bollocks, imo.
I think there’s something in it – and likely to see Hutton leave. Elmo and Bree not cutting it at RB, and feel that both flanks are equally as problematic at the moment.
back to depressing football. i heard its snowed in Birmingham last night so the game might be called off if bad, could we have a update ?
i see a few are questioning bree and the new guy from wolves. both are young and that is the route we are going and that doesn’t happen over night. Hause first he isn’t a natural full from what i heard hes aleft sided centre back who can play left back. yes he did a shaky debut. but in his defence he has only trained with his new team mates less than a week. he came on as sub which is always hard, especially when the game is against your team. but i saw a guy demanding the ball and wanting it even thou he missed placed a pass minutes before. smith plays out and we need ball playing defenders,he has watched Hause and he has identified him as his type of player. he needs time guys, he also looked much more mobile than we have with exception of axel.
bree i seen before he was at villa and he can play full back and much better than he has for villa, but for some reason or another its not worked at villa. but again hes young and he just needs to have a run at right back with the same players to build up relationships.
if the game goes ahead iam hoping we get a reaction this time. last game was a write off. so much to say which we did wrong and not enough life to say it in. but in short all season not just without grealish, we are too easy to play against. that needs to be addressed. add to that if we then start giving the ball away cheaply, as we started to do. that a recipe for defeats.
i am going for 3 nil to either side bill seriously i am hoping we regain the same belief we got when smith joined. we are not only lost games recently we have not kept the ball and that is down to belief and hard work, i think the squad as enough ability to perform and some reason last two games we have dropped our standards alarmingly yes win for villa 3 nil or 1 or 2 who cares as aslong as we have a home win
p/s having villa let me down on coupon again and again i decided to drop them. maybe that will be the omen for a villa win. i might have cursed them putting them on my lines
Nath, no snow here 20 miles from Birmingham so it looks like game will go on. Nath I don’t see how you can say we haven’t lost games, we have lost games and massive points over the season so far, its enough for any fan to lose faith in player’s, we as Badger pointed out have weak player’s at Villa, I cannot believe we will go up this season and we don’t seem to let the fans know what road we are taking over the young players we have. When I see positive buying selling and loans I will have a different views.
i never said we never lost games. ????
I opoligise Nath, brain slipped into thinking you was thinking that. nevertheless we are loosing points at a rate we cannot afford. If Birmingham had won last night it would have put them 1 point off play off, terrible thought that.
Just read that we have the 15th best – or worst dependant on your point of view – home record in the Championship. Hardly promotion form.
Under Smith we have won one more home game than under Bruce – but Smith has overseen one more home game anyway. Under Smith we’ve conceded 14 goals in 7 home games – the joint worst in the Championship.
No wonder confidence in today’s result is low.
https://www.expressandstar.com/sport/football/aston-villa/2019/01/19/comment-coming-months-will-determine-the-speed-and-shape-of-change-at-aston-villa/
Bill, you might find this piece interesting. Thoughtful for the Express and Star?
Yes Hitch interesting that, Hitch why play players if that’s the case knowing they won’t be at Villa come summer? i.e. Whelan and co, so basically it’s next year we’re looking at, and a younger team.
I bet we do. 2-1 Villa.
smith has been hired before the window and therefore has been using another managers players. smith style of play is totally different to the former regime. we have some quality players at villa and smith has managed to use what we have. but end of the day, they are not his players and some departments of our team namely defence can not operate his style and system.
midfield has also gone in recent games. smith has a system we all admired it when he was at Brentford and Walsall. he had time to bring his his types of players. just take the wide boys. Bolasie and El Ghazi first one has all the skill in the world. but is he what smith wants or can he play smiths system. and Ghazi he has been really poor, both are much better when we have the ball than when the opposition have it,
its not the end of the world. if we can regain belief to where smith came in. we was playing much better with the ball, but without the ball we have been poor all season. that has to do with the players we have at the club. attitudes commitment and desire all must be questioned.
some pie eaters described villa as the easiest team they played all season. no fight and no desire to win a challenge easy win. thats what i saw and it has been two games swans and wigan, before that we were playing ok with the ball and poor without it. hull have been playing shit all season except for the current run they are on. they are in touching distance to playoffs and above us,
we win today and form has upturn, you bill will be first to say we will be going places. last two games have been unacceptable and smith knows this, hopefully he will get a reaction and shut ppl up namely our own fans and then the rest
p/s i usually pull my teddies arms off after games not before um
Hitch from the Express and Star article – “Villa, essentially, approach the final months of the season still very working on Plan A, yet with Plan B already drawn up. The club, according to Purslow, has not budgeted for promotion. We are not talking about a case of go up or go bust. Not this time around.”
Now that is good news. Common sense at last from the Villa board.
I’m not worried about another season in the Championship if we’re seriously rebuilding and investing in young players. With this approach when we do get back to the Prem we’ll stand a much better chance of staying there.
Being ever the optimist I’m going for a 3-2 win for the Villa today.
personally i would rip the squad apart now and sack the season off. but i don’t have owners to please or fans demanding this and that. smith has to do all this which is generally done behind closed doors. during pre seasons. its always going to be a big ask to come in mid season and change the way the team plays trains and still get the results to gain promotion.
smith will only really get his team together next season. but how would fans like him to come in this season and say that. forget this season boys i need time to achieve the goal. how many fans would accept that =. without lying not many.fans want it today and yesterday not tomorrow
also the plan of bringing youth in like hause or axel shows you his way, but the youth has to be good enough to start with. then smith will blood them much more than bruce even did.
lastly his style of passing our from the back, even if we had a back line of brazilians. playing out comes with risks. humans make mistakes and fans needs to relax and enjoy the entertainment smiths teams will bring, we wanted to play football on the ground and thats what he will bring,
i wanted to go up this season or next doesn’t really matter to me. but when we go up i want for us to be a force again and not just be making up the numbers.
How can you write Bree off so quickly. This is classic Villa, writing players off who go on to be great, name hundreds but Marc Albrighton will have to do
Also, have people not been watching football for years. This is the team who looked great against Borough, Derby, WBA etc only a few weeks ago so the idea they can’t play well and writing them off is rubbish. It’s perfectly possible we’ll suddenly loll good again and start winning games as Wigan have just done! The apathy and expectation that we will be rubbish for ever more after a couple of losses is strange
For some reason (blind hope?) I think we will win today. I can’t really come up with a convincing reason why it will happen.
In the longer term we clearly need some major surgery, and whether we can do enough in January to shape our season positively must be in doubt. At this stage, a decent DM and the return of Grealish would do for me, with the rest of the issues dealt with in the summer.
It’s very flat at the moment but let’s not forget how good we were at times during that run of tough games.
its trying to snow down here fingers crossed it doesn’t come down in Birmingham,
mon appointment at forest looks a good, one but cant help thinking that Karanka was sacked too soon, watching footy focus they mentioning leeds spy gate. which i think is b/s leeds are top because they are the best team and their manager has done his own work. all teams spy i bet without really admitting to that. they all send scouts to watch them or they should. the training spying has always happened its just unspoken
championship is up and down and at minute we are struggling. things can change and hopefully thats today. i just hope we see more energy without the ball. that will give us a chance to win.
the wigan game was a write off, but before they scored any goals. we missed a really easy chance. who knows if tammy put that ball in we might have upped our game. but this is a excuse,wigan scored and they never looked back. today we need to score first and then manage the game better.
i don’t think smith will change his formation. so the two up front wont happen. i do think we need to be more cautious and try to hit teams on the break, but that would mean giving the opposition the green light to attack us and our defence might not be up to that. but we have enough speed and ability to attack fast on the break. i just see smith changing faces but not his style or tactics or formations
no major surprises in the team. hutton backs bjarnason sits in front of defence. tammy upfront with bolasie and adomah which might be the best we have in wide areas. at least adomah works back too
Yeah – for me Adomah is good at reducing the Taylor liability factor!
and that is a major problem. tbf the same problem is happening on the other side, smith has them swapping during games.
i hope smith tinkers with midfield slightly. like having two holding mids and having mcginn the up and down guy. alittle more cover in front of the back 4. if bolasie takes a leaf out of adomah book. it might be harder to get at our weaknesses
if we turn up today, we will win and if the team that played swans and wigan turn up we are bang in trouble
No Whelan or Hogan on the bench. Could they be on their way out. With Whelan I certainly wouldn’t be upset. If Hogan is off I would have mixed emotions. I reckon he still has it in him to get plenty of goals with the right set up.
davis is not a bad player outside the box. works unselfishly hard for the team. where he needs to improve is inside the box. hogan i think its a case of he is much harder to supply than davis or tammy and he isnt as good maybe for the team also
Oh well then . Lets all go home!!
No i hope we stuff Hull today.
If we can bringnour Derby away form into this game we can beat anybody!
I predict 2-0 Villa!
4 mins and already we are much improved than last two games