Tomaszk

Wes works really hard. He's just really crap.

One of the great joys in football is sneaking a 1-0 win away from home you probably don't deserve. I'd have no problem setting up like a Sheff U or a Burnley; kicking off with a defined plan, grinding out a result. I have no interest in playing Steve Bruce percentage football where the team goes out to sit in their own box and the game happens around them. Compare Burnley and Newcastle at Villa park. Our performance didn't differ too much, the ambition of the opponents made those two matches very different. I wouldn't complain if Smith tried, on occasion, a more reserved approach. It could yield results against better teams. If he went out playing Steve Bruce football, I'd be disappointed and wonder if he'd hit his head getting out of bed. We were right in the Chelsea game up to the end, they knew they were in a match even if they should have won by more.

I assure you we'll be playing 433 and largely playing a possession based attacking game. I've said we need to show some flexibility with our formation for ages now, it's a weakness for me. The intention though I don't have an issue with. It's the reason every game is a sellout these days. We're a pleasure to watch most of the time, gives me great hope for the future. Even if we're to suffer midtable mediocrity or even a relegation over the next few years I enjoy watching us. It's been probably 10 years since I could say that.

I think Chelsea was a pretty good performance v a very good side to be honest. It was better than Brighton which we won. A good level to aim at. I think hunger to win the ball back was there as well to be honest. Only moment we didn't was when Targett and Hourihane both became boneheads and watched Willian pick out his cross, that was very very poor. Wouldn't have happened with McGinn out there, he showed a bit of form which was a welcome return.

Is it a masterclass? Did they do anything different from the game at VP where they got dominated, and will most weeks doing that. Going away from home and not participating, just sitting back and waiting. Urgh, horrible.

He doesn't have to morph into Benteke, he just has to raise his level up from terrible, and we'll improve so much as a team. Give it to us Wes!

There was a really quick pace to that game yesterday. Loose touch and you probably lost the ball. It worked in Luiz's favour nicely and forced him to speed his game up a bit. He's only looked ropey in very easy moments when he's coasting along thinking it's easy because he's so talented. If he can keep that quicker pace he'll be a huge player for us. Really good performance when be came on.

Good player but he's very much a main man for Monaco. He'll also be on a fortune and would probably want an increase. Be a great signing but shouldn't be looked at until a striker is sorted IMO.

Fair enough, I disagree. All those players to me have shown a few times, some more, that they can play football. Haller would be so good for us, he's exactly what we need in that sort of target man that drops a bit deeper role. The only comparison I have for Wes is Gestede and Bowery who the ball used to absolutely bounce off like a wall when they tried to control it. Bowery jumps to mind more because Wes does work hard running down defenders and that's all Bowery ever did "well". Agree with bold bit. Though we don't need someone to hit the ground running. It'd be great obviously, but just some good performances and some hope of development would be good. He looks truly terrible, there's just nothing to work with, and I'm gutted about it. Need to stop starting threads, think my last two have been Wes and bloody Kalinic.

26% possession for Newcastle. Was it another smash and grab? Didn't see it but relieved Steve Bruce is nowhere near this club. Don't let trolls ruin the site. That guy has been doing nothing but talk us down since Smith was here. I don't know who he is, but it's really annoying to watch him derail thread after thread. Very surprised he hasn't been banned.

Get back to the Mings thread with your insults please. You've got to contain them in one thread or you'll be unbearable.

This really is top notch. Hope we have to same huge upswing in performance when Wesley is replaced like Taylor was. It was like we'd had a weight lifted off our backs and could breathe. I reckon it'll be even more noticeable with a striker as well. Purslow really has to work some magic to get some funds released for a striker. We're almost all there. We're looking good in almost every game as a whole team and we've got a central striker giving us nothing. If anything, actively breaking down most plays when he's involved.

Iheanacho and Kean are miles and miles better than him though. They've hardly had any minutes, and when they have, even when not playing well, you can see they can control and kick the ball 90% of the time. Wes needs 4 passes into him to trap it once. The market is silly at the moment yes I agree. It's certainly not his fault he cost £22m. If he was £2m, maybe there would be less frustration? I will say though I genuinely can't believe how bad he is. If he was a punt from league 2 for £500k I'd be disappointed because he looks like he can't play football. How on earth has £22m been agreed? Has he gone off a cliff during the summer? Maybe he's the sole player at Villa who has managed to go backwards under Smith.

I'm seeing it more Andre Green right now. "Occupying space" is class. Such a funny phrase to praise him.

I'm telling you, he's a joke this guy.

It's almost like...goals for him and getting his confidence up is almost bad for the team. The goals are lovely jubbly, but the confidence he gains doesn't calm him down to play more with the team. It just means he shoots and tries to beat his man more often when he should be passing. That was such a great chance, the players in the box and Elmo on the overlap were fuming.

Would love so much for him to start up front.

Overall decent performance I thought tonight. They were really pushing us and we stuck to our guns and kept playing. They did the usual hatchet job on Grealish and McGinn, and as usual it was only 2 cards when it could have been 5 or 6. We are a striker away from being comfortably mid-table. Purslow and Smith need to get into the owners and go and beg for some January money. A good striker and we're staying up no problem.

I thought he was better tonight than Old Trafford.

Have you ever seen anyone this bad who went on to be good? I honestly can't think of anyone. I've yet to see a worse striker this season in the league. I'd swap him for Joelinton (who everyone was laughing at because we dominated Newcastle) in a heartbeat.

He's literally only of use when we're on top in games. That's when he makes things happen. The game far too quick for him tonight. Kante was fantastic and monstering round midfield.

This is vital. This isn't a player struggling to adapt. Well, it is. But, also, this is a player who can't control or kick the ball.

What have Sheffield Utd got to do with anything? Tammy wouldn't be such a monstrous, farcical step up for them because they've got a few actual footballers available up front. It's not about Tammy, it's about Wes. We'd probably have 4/5/6 more points if we had Oliver McBurnie ffs. Huge black mark on the record of the recruitment team this signing.

Without seeing him or knowing his name...can he be worse than Wes? £22m, Christ.

Played Doug.