Villarocker

Bruce left us with a terrible back five and cover but, that all went out of the window in Smith's first 6 or 7 games because we looked a different team and class. Grealish apart, what's the difference? He's improved the defence and goalkeeper and yet we are worse and not playing anything like what we played when he first came in. I predicted this result and it's not hard to do, which really f**king hurts. Smith doesn't need to be sacked but he bloody well needs to do something different to this because it is way too unacceptable!

Hutton was absolutely shocking for that third goal. He's just in front of Sharp but decides to run across our keeper and leave Sharp unmarked. What a clearing in the woods! When we went two down he should have changed this. Anyone not worried about Smith should start to ask questions. I'm not saying get rid but I am asking why we were so good when he came in but are now a million miles from that? Grealish is NOT the reason. If so, we are royally fooked because he will leave. Even if he doesn't, he's going to miss games so how does Smith or the next man answer that?

I would go Green for Jedi and put him left wing, Kodjia behind Tammy and drop McGinn and Hourihane back respectively.

This is the problem!

Jedinak has been the biggest pile of shite wank I've ever seen. Heading it to them. Passing it to them. Hoofing it to them. Every time!

This is nothing like the style of football we saw when Smith arrived. Is that his choice or the players? I had Jedinak to get booked - he has. Why? He's slower than me when I'm pissed! I had Dowell to score anytime, why? Because he's in the vicinity of Jedinak and Hourihane do will probably get enough chances to score. I had Sharp to score. He's on fire and playing against a weak defence so it's a no brainer. Villa are so predictable it's embarrassing. I miss the football we saw when Smith came here.

Jedinak is probably in because he scored two past them in a previous game. Personally, I think that midfield will get dominated again and Dowell is a sure thing for an anytime scorer for them. We lost by 4 at their place with a stronger looking defence and with Grealish. I doubt we can be much better than that with this team so would not be surprised to see us lose by two or three goals tonight, sadly!

To me, it looks like he could have managed to avoid contact with the players head. He's looking at him and it appears like he puts his foot down with force instead of maybe bending his leg in order not to make contact. I guess the only person who will ever truly know is Mings. If he's done that intentionally he should be ashamed of himself. If accidental then fair enough.

Being physically strong and committed is absolutely what Villa want. But, I wouldn't want anyone that goes out and intentionally badly hurts someone just for the sake of us winning a game.

I agree with you John but, even with Grealish back, can you honestly see Villa taking 2 points per game from here on in? I said to my Dad, after we watched us comfortably beat Middlesbrough, that we won that game simply because Boro were set up not to concede. As soon as we took the lead in that game we were always going to win it. Any team that attacks our defence is going to have a very good chance of winning because we concede goals too freely. Reading are terrible and so are Ipswich, neither of those games should be used as a guide to how our defence is performing. Wait until we play against West Brom, Sheffield United etc and we'll see what they're really like. With the same rubbish full-backs I believe we will concede more than we score. Obviously, we should never give up on making the play-offs but I would be very surprised if we finished in the top ten this season. I think once the play-offs become out of reach we will see a bit of a capitulation from our team, based purely on the fact the players who know they won't be here next season will start showing they can't be bothered. But, I truly hope I'm proved wrong.

For me, Buendia is the one that makes that team title contenders. The players you mentioned are all good but Buendia looks a different class. He gets about all over the pitch and seems to have everything for a midfielder. He is creative, athletic, can score and can tackle. I'm sure in a previous game the commentator said they got him from a team that was relegated from the Spanish second division! I Wish we could be so clued up to spot talent like that!

That is true - fair point!

Leeds only signed one new player going into this season and now they're title contenders. His point is valid!

That's all well and good as long as he can manage replacing Grealish, Abraham and - hopefully not - McGinn. He needs virtually a whole first eleven to get us as challengers.

To be fair, right now, you'd expect this team to finish even further away from the play-offs. I like Smith but he's got to get his arse into gear and show that his frailties at his previous clubs are not going to be the norm at the Villa. If he doesn't, we won't be going up under his management!

Very poor players for HIS style of football. Remember, most of these players comfortably finished top six last season and, without bottling tactics, would have had a good chance of getting us up. We need to give Smith time but, he also needs to address issues on the field. Leaving Kodjia out for a way out of form Adomah makes no sense at all. Waiting until the 74th minute to make changes against a shit team that's made all their changes also makes no sense. Smith needs time but he also needs to make sense!

Why 8 minutes lads? Please tell me mcGinn didn't get injured!

Personally, I'm a bit of a gambler so like to try to guess how a player will turn out before they play for us. And, I'm probably wrong more often than right

Can I just say that maybe, just maybe, having a starting point of calling all new players shite is possibly a good one. If they are proven to be shite - you're right. If they prove to be good - you can happily eat humble pie and enjoy watching them play. Win win situation

This is pretty much how I saw it when I read it on the OS. Seems like Smith put a list of names together for midfield and didn't get his top targets so we ended up with as good as was achievable. Fer is older but, for me, he was exactly what we are missing in the midfield. A unit who could get about the pitch and chuck the odd goal in here and there. Having said that, let's see if a fresh start can work for Tom Carroll. Who knows, he might turn out to surprise us.

Bacuna = Reading to Real Madrid via Cardiff

F**k it! If we're going down the political route we might as well sign Kris Commons - to play alongside Hause! Might as well throw Stevie May in too!

But be careful not to shoot yourself in the eye!

There'll be more going out once good old Brucie raids us at the eleventh hour for messrs Elmohamady, Hutton, Taylor and Chester.

I read that as: "Minge at Villa at minute apparently is very disappointing" And then wondered why we aren't recruiting more dolly birds behind the scenes!