roonst83

Yeah agree. If Wolves was a permanent deal then I think he was gone. My guess would be the idea of another loan into a great team where he wasn't guaranteed to start and which could, consequently, affect his sale at the season's end was a key factor. I always felt that he isn't in a sitation at villa where he could lose. If he keeps scoring people will always want him as as long as his name is out there for banging in goals then he's always in a shop window for Prem teams.

Need to win this or else it starts to get ugly. I expect Tammy will he gone. My biggest concern is how lacklustre we’ve looked since losing Jack against Baggies. I didn’t expect we were so reliant on one player but that seems to be the case. But what’s amazed me is that our whole approach has stumbled since the Baggies game; no pressing, no high energy and tempo and we’re now creating a lot less chances and don’t look a threat. We’re now playing the same way that got Bruce the boot and we need to improve and fast. Lansbury sounds like he earns himself a start. I doubt Smith will start OHare and will likely play Kodjia in place of Tammy but keep the shape. We need more from Hourihane and McGinn as a pair and need to press and press the opposition when they have the ball and go on the attack. Mots important we try hover around 6th place until we get jack back and some new signings in to try make a surge for playoffs in the closing months of the season. To do so, we need to get points imat places like Wigan. We need a win.

This approach also works for non skyQ customers (Sky plus). You just need to ensure you’re on the right channel as sometimes the Championship game is on the main event channel. If so you need to change to Channel 403, as the person above has said. I havent been able to work out how to record on the red button via the SkyGo phone app though.

Struggle to see us winning without him. No one else has the composure or footballing brain going forwards that he has and he can carry the ball and glide through the opposition at ease. We miss him so so much.

Almost certainly not. Smith said as much in his post Stoke interview. He’s been very careful with his words about Grealish but the rumours doing the rounds on Twitter were that Jack is out for a couple of months. Smith has said before Stoke he was unlikely to make the game but he immediately quashed to notion of him being back for Leeds when asked by the interviewer. His injury seems to be a result of being kicked to sh*t by every team and the worry seems to be playing him and making it even worse where he could be out for a very lengthy period. Whilst I do think we underperformed without him than what we’re capable of on saturday, we have no player who can come close to representing what he does for us and that can only hurt us. We need him back as soon as poss but Smith isn’t giving much away atall about a likely return date and I expect him to rule him out each and very week without giving an indication of when he’ll be back.

Potentially our toughest test at home this season. Leeds will absolutely come to win this. I am hugely worried, after watching us yesterday, with how we can cope without Grealish’s creativity and inventiveness. Although the conditions were atrocious against Stoke, we still seemed to lack any cohesion going forwards. Jack picking the ball up and driving forwards whilst gliding past players was hugely missed so it’ll be a huge test against Leeds without him. There’s goals in this villa team so we have to try fashion plenty of chances for Tammy. Smith said the conditions weren’t ideal for El Ghazi so I expect him to be given the go ahead over Kodjia, which Jimmy D can feel hard done by as he was great for us yesterday. Need the whole crowd behind the team with a near full house expected. Massive test but at least with Smith we know we’ll go for the win.

I’d just cry every day until he’s back.

Think it was Sidwell when he was a guest on The Debate.

Am a big fan of this guy. Best pundit for the EFL and speaks so articulate, balanced and fair. Seems to pay close attention to the goings on at all teams in the league and offers clear insight at all times. Can see him having a great successful career with Sky.

Third game in six days will be a tough one up at Boro. We need to play to our strengths and try get back to the composure we showed at Derby. Hopefully McGinn will be a bit fresher. No Hutton so Elmo will come in (which I’m happy with as I think he’s our strongest RB). Boro have some big boys so I expect a tough game for our defence. We looked very vulnerable against Forest and need to ensure our defence has adequate protection from the midfield. That was the case at Derby and mean we stifled the opposition’s attacks and could counter well. Can’t see DS changing the team so I expect the start starting XI from midweek (with Elmo for Hutton). Let’s go at them and play to our strengths.

He looked very lively last night. My biggest criticism of him has been trying way too hard to impress with too many twists and turns instead of using any intelligence. He needs to play for the team and have more awareness but that can come with coaching, I hope. Looked good last night and scored a great goal. Adds another attacking option out wide for us which should keep the likes of Bolasie. Kodjia and Adomah on their toes.

Yeah Smith said he’s assessing him today and will make a call. Guess he hasn’t trained atall. I’d be very surprised if McGinn is in the squad for tomorrow let alone starting.

Yeah I agree. I just think with their big lads Monk will, naturally, get them to try disrupt Nyland on corners and free kicks into the box.

To be fair I'd be saying the exact same thing if i was facing Nyland. He has shown this season how much of a calamity he can be at times. He's been a weakness for us and you could see our defence feeling unsure of him. He's a decent enough shot stopper at times, but, again, has also shown he's prone to throwing them in the net. For me, the biggest part of his game that needs improving is his commanding of the area. That would breed confidence into our back four and I hope Cutler can address this with him. Im nervous about him on Sunday. It would be the worst opponent to drop a clanger against. That said, I don't think their keeper is setting the world alight with his performances, either.

Any update on the extent of McGinn’s injury? Would be absolutely gutting to lose him for the next couple/few games.

As many have said in here, this was without doubt the best performance for years and best away performance for a great deal of time. There was something special about this game, both in the stands from the fans as well as on the pitch. There was an overriding sense of togetherness and belief. Our fans were absolutely class and so so loud, loudest I’ve heard us in a long time and there was non stop support from the first whistle. Today we saw precisely what Smith has been wanting from us and, hopefully, what’s to come; positive, progressive play which is great and entertaining to watch but which, importantly, has great purpose to it. Even when pressured at the back we kept calm and stuck to the game plan of keeping the ball and building up play by passing and moving. McGinn was outstanding. I mean absolutely outstanding. He ran the show and drove us forward so well. Tammy missed a hatful by didn’t stop trying and was always involved. Aside one or two shakey moments at the end of the first half we completely dominated. Tuanzebe gets better each game and is really starting to settle into a great CB for us. Grealish, despite being unusually quiet, kept us ticking over on the attacks and worked really well with McGinn. Bolasie changed the game for us when he came on. The big difference between him and Kodjia is his purpose. Kodjia out wide still tries to score himself at every opportunity, but due to his lack of football intelligence, greediness and lack of composure, subsequently has zero impact for our team. Bolasie instantly provides an opportunity on a plate for McGinn and we got a goal. That’s how we should be using players in that position. Adomah on the other side is continually poor for me. Tracks back well enough but can’t beat a man, is too weak and struggles to deliver crosses or create any openings for himself. I absolutely hope Smith saw how our best RB/LB pairing are Elmo and Hutton. They provide the best balance and showed all last season how it’s their best position. Elmo needs to start at RB as he offers great crosses and assists and linksnup well with Adomah and has an understanding. Hutton is just better (and less risk) on our left. Massive mention to our fans who were amazing all game. The noise at the end when cheering our players who came over was unreal. The place was absolutely bouncing and you could see thenplayers feeding off it. Smith saluting is all I. The away end form he dugout was a lovely moment. Lots of work to be done but we’ve got belief now. We finally have an identity, a style of play, a plan and a system and we showed against a very good, and in form, Derby team just how good we can be. This felt like the start under Smith. Got to push on now. Was a fantastic performance and hope we see many more of those under Smith.

Hearing Jack’s one yellow card away from a suspension? If so, I hope he stays disciplined on Saturday as we really need him for Blues.

Great to win. We simply needed those three points. Fully deserved. Chester stepped up and did great. That clearance was nothing short of incredible. We’re still shakey at the back but that’s not something new and something we need to work on. But we defended well second half. Tuanzebe is getting better all the time and looks more settled. McGinn was fantastic throughout. Absolutely love him. Grealish was great too. Can’t stand Kodjia, he can have a moment of brilliance but most of the time he’s absolutely woeful and doesn’t have a brain. Taylor and Hutton not good enough atall really. Keeper is an utter liability. Haven’t trusted him from the start. I think Smith recognises this and will make a change in January. We still perpetually allow the opposition decent chances and I feel better opposition would have punished us for sure. Needed the win. Especially with tough games ahead. We’re far from comfortable defensively but we’re playing in much more of a positive and entertaining way, the way I hoped (and expected) under our manager. Next few games will be an almighty test and it’s a great shame Smith wasn’t afforded the “luxury” of the previous fixtures we’ve had to date as I’m absolutely certain we would’ve taken full points from the likes of Reading, Ipswich and Preston. But the past is in the past and we’re growing in confidence, have a shape about us now along with a plan and style of play that suits our players’ capabilities. Big test over the next couple of months but we’re all backing Smith, we’re all behind the boys and feeling united as a fan base. That will help us I’m sure. If we can stay in and around the hunt for playoffs through the remainder of the year then hopefully we can be a well oiled ship ready to make an assent and a big push from there.

After this disappointment of losing the last couple of games it’d be good to see how we perform on Friday after Smith has a full week’s training under his belt. We absolutely need to win here to stay on the periphery of the chasing pack for play offs. I’ve seen an improvement in how we play in the last three games in six days but clearly there’s a lot more work that needs to be done. If we play with as much possession as we did last night but can fashion more opportunities then I’m confident we can score. Issue is our defence (and keeper) is so fragile that we’re constantly at risk of conceding. No excuses. Let’s go get the win and get our season under way. 31 games left. Lots to play for.

I absolutely agree with all of this.

Has to be Thor for me. He’s the most comfortable on the ball and isn’t a natural DM. We always look better with him there.

He stated in the Evening Standard on Friday that he isn’t leaving Brentford.

He’s shit. And the defence have no confidence in him

WM Police have reported that there's planned strike action for trains from Preston to Blackburn on Saturday 15th September. Trains from Birmingham to Preston are fine. I have booked myself and my friend a return taxi from Preston rail station to Blackburn. There's space for two more Vtalkers if you're keen. It'll be £10 return each (Bets quote was £40 return). DM me if you're interested to arrange. More information about he strike can be found here. (p.s. apologies mods if I've broken any site rules for this topic/post)

Absolutely dreading it.