This one isn’t quite the six pointer that the Norwich game was, but it’s still massively important as although Watford won’t catch us, we’ll lose more ground to the clubs above us.
It’s a case of trying to not let those above us get too far away until we can get reinforcements in, I reckon.
There isn’t much squad news, with Abdoulaye Doucoure being in contention for Watford, but neither Mings or Davis will be available for us, although they are both training.
Which is maybe all academic as surely both sides will both want to change things up just to rest players, won’t they?
The problem is, I’m not sure how we can change it up really.
You could start Hourihane, I suppose and perhaps Smith will, although I don’t see him as anywhere near a 90 minute player. Yes, he has a “wand of a left foot” and all that, but I’ve often said he isn’t the type for a battle.
And this will surely be one, as Watford are undergoing the new manager bounce and will give their all for Nigel Pearson.
Targett was poor on Saturday, so you could maybe rest him and play Taylor.
Guilbert could come back instead of Elmohamady.
The point is we do have options, but I think it all depends what Dean Smith thinks, as he’ll have done his homework on Watford, as opposed to me having very little knowledge apart from thinking that Troy Deeney is a decent, bustling striker.
It appears the Watford fans are not overly worried about facing us and I can partly see why.
We’ve been quite poor in our last few games and our heads drop if we go a goal down, which makes me think Watford will come out all guns blazing.
I’m hoping the win over Norwich will have greatly improved our confidence, but the performance wasn’t at all convincing.
We need to be better; quicker in the build up, with more accurate, faster passing and more clinical.
In other words, basically a better Premier league team.
But I think this will boil down to who wants it more.
And that’s a tough call on my part.
My heart says we can win this, but my head says we’ll lose.
I’m going to go inbetween and say we’ll draw 1-1, which while not ideal, would do as long as we perform decently.
A loss, combined with a poor performance will just have me worryimg all the more.
Everton looking good. I wonder why…Ancelotti is a serial winner; his CV is incredible. ‘Well-jel’, as the youth of today would say.
Soon be 2 nil…Pen
2-0 and game over
2-0 and game over! Against 10 men…different day but same old shit.
That Luis cost us twice, he gave the ball away with the first, now he gives a pen, sorry but not any of Villas payers are worth the money that they get. I’m ashamed of knowing they play for Aston villa. A laughably team and manager we have.
Im sorry but luiz is terrible absolute liability offers us nothing. You cant run in to people like that.
If we stick with DS we will go down we have learned nothing from our previous mistakes
If we have any hope of stopping up he has to go now.
Very sad but true. The choice is clear:
Relegation with Smith and rebuild with Smith, hoping he gets us back up, OR
change now, with the remit of staying up and kicking on…
3-0
They’re falling apart. Mentally, the damage this scoreline will do to these players is untold. I wonder how many of our fans would be happy to have Nigel Pearson in the Villa dugout, though?
Ah well – there you go.
Absolute cr*p.
And that’s 3 🙁
Pochettino is available. Just saying. It gives me no pleasure at all to hammer Smith every week. What he did last season was magnificent and will go down in Villa history. But, for me, the writing is in the wall.
Would Pochettino want the job?
Allow him to walk away if he can’t save us, so he can’t lose. But if he can, he’ll have a nice ‘project’ to work on for a few years, with a club as big as Spurs.
Constantly giving the ball away again.
This is shocking.
I wish Grealish all the best at his next club but my advice is don’t let us spoil a players chances by stopping at the club.
So sad.
The owners need to ask hard questions. Where did that £100+ million go? Should we have extended Smith’s contract? Is it worth further investment with FFP and relegation looming? Should we sell up? Who do we sell Grealish to?
Anyone with half a brain knows you don’t extend a contract after a third of a season.
As our financial year end is 31st May, none of our key players need to be sold in January (to deal with FFP) but if we get relegated expect some high profile sales early in the summer to avoid FFP.
And don’t expect a quick return either – just look at teams like Stoke and Sunderland.
Another depressing Christmas period supporting the Villa.
We’ve just lost to two of the three teams below us and scraped a win against the other
How long before Smith loses the fans and the toxic atmosphere returns to VP?
The owners will have to act one way or another. The problem is the squad isn’t good enough. Who made the decisions on recruitment?
I suspect Smith may be looking down the barrel here.
Another false dawn I’m afraid.
So sad.
He’s lost me Hitch.
Why is it that I say it…you all say it…the commentators say it…even the Ex England ladies full back is saying it….GET GREALISH OFF THE WING…..but our management DONT SAY IT…..GOODBYE PREM.
So sad.
Will it be goodbye Smith before goodbye Prem?
And on persevering with Wesley as a lone striker which clearly isn’t working, that means DS’s position has to be under consideration.
Everyone agrees with you except Smith.
I just think he has to go before we waste more money in January.
Would a top manager cone to VP – well the moneys there but it’s become a poisoned chalice over the last few years.
Oh for a modern day Sir Ron.
Sadly, Smith has been the architect of his own downfall. I hope he departs in a way that recognises last season’s achievements and that the ‘Smith out’ banners don’t come out before he’s dispatched. That would be a real shame.
This season has so many similarities to the 2015/16 season.
A manager out of his depth.
Players without proven premier league experience.
Young and hungry (read cheap) all over again???
Fat Sam was right.
Buy cheap, buy, twice, three, four, five, six…
Will we have a new bomb squad in the championship next season?
I have pencilled in: Jota, Lansbury and Wesley and I am not expecting to be mugged by Villa fans with erasers. If I add Heaton to that list – a certainty if he is still wearing the Jersey at the drop – there may be more protests.
Smith – by fielding Jota and Lansbury in Premiership matches – is now a possibility.
I’m gutted that Smith hasn’t done well but unfortunately he isn’t up to the job. A good championship manager although Brentford are 3rd this season, so maybe it wasn’t all about Smith’s management. Grealish switched to attacking CM for Norwich and had a blinder, so what genius to switch him back to wide left next game.
Other than JG, Heaton, McGinn and Mings, I don’t think any of our squad are premier league quality.
Brentford 3rd suggests Smith was holding them back.
Leicester playing a clear B team against West Ham. So what’s the prediction here?
Thought that was against the rules. If WH win expect a lot of protests.