Peter Griffin

I am not suggesting that they are forgetting things. More along the lines of losing ROK and JT and brining in new coaches so different ideas and trying different things. Then, add in a new formation and our CBs and F/B are now all playing in a different position on the pitch to what they have become accustomed to. After a few years playing in the same position you will inherently know where on the pitch u should be and what area u need to cover etc. However, this has changed and positional awareness, particularly when we are under pressure tends to rely on the subconscious. But our players subconscious has them somewhere else and with a slightly different role. This could cause confusion and help to introduce mistakes and the overall result would make us look a mess.

Would we not be better playing Philogene Bidace or the left wing or even moving Ollie out to the left and playing Ings as the lone / central striker. 4-3-3 was our style and we have ditched it. We would play Cash-Konsa-Mings-Targett and up front Emi B-Ings-Ollie. Then we work with a combination of 3 midfileder from the ones that are fit. As Bailey, Sanson, Traore return from fitness we can then tinker with where the players are actually playing but we would keep the formation that our players understand and has proven to work in the past for Deano.

Facts are not opinions, they are objective analysis of the presented data. You said that the comments were always negative. The fact is they are not always negative.

Giving you likes doesn't change the fact that what you said was incorrect.

We did look 'good' but there is something not working and I think it is related to Ollie and Ings. Ollie doesn't look the player of last season (yes I know he was injured and hasn't played much) but we still don't have them two working as a unit. DS appears to be forcing the formation to fit the players as opposed to making the players fit the formation. This is why I think it looks like we don't have a style or a cohesion and why we are like Jekyll and Hyde. This could be his downfall if he doesn't fix it

Yeah, I agree with that. 3 CBs suited the Chelsea game. TT seems to have a different style of play to normal PL teams, it is more like Italian football imo. He is happy to soak up pressure and knows he has the quality to score when the situations arise. This was demonstrated perfectly against us and they beat us 3-0 and we all felt great about the performance. Bees showed that teams can look good against Chelsea and they lost too. Chelsea are clinical with have a super organised back line with a great GK, its no wonder they are top of the league

So 9 to 10 pages after Man Utd game i.e. there was praise, so just highlights my point. It is untrue to say it is always negative. As regards more posts after Wolves games than the Man Utd game, that is to be expected. Emotions are high and people like to vent. And I stand by my comment that he should be sacked if he can't continue with the improvement over the last 3 years. He is paid very well to deliver results. If he fails to deliver results then someone that can do so should have the job. My loyalty is to Villa and not any of the players or staff. They are employees paid to perform.

I think that our players on the whole take their foot off the gas too easily. 2-0 up and cruising, 75 minutes on the clock, a rest and a hot shower may sound tempting. A consistent bugbear I have is how our team can all down tools and play at a pedestrian pace during games. More grit and roll your sleeves up old style football attitude is required imo

I think the performance against Chelsea has swayed the decision to play 3 CBs. We performed really well and looked good. It was the best 3-0 loss we have ever had. I think Smith may be clutching at straws hoping to see that performance again.

That is the big question. We all want him to succeed but we don't know if he will be able to. For me, he absolutely needs to start showing consistency in performances to keep his job

But if it is something that we have not struggled with before then that would surely suggest coaching? Maybe our back five just need more time playing as a back 5. Other than this season, I think the only time we played back 5 was when we were away to Burnley and Wes and Heaton got their injuries. If I recall correctly we played 2 or 3 games with 3 CBs then and that Burnley game was Jan 1st 2020.

I think most of us are

As in with the coaching or recruitment? Genuinely not sure what you mean. But if it is coaching does the buck not stop with Deano?

There are lots of positive discussions about Deano on here. After the Man U game I posted a comment to say that bringing Archer on at 80 odd minutes or whatever it was and at 0-0 was a really positive and ballsy sub and I commended him for it. The Wolves game was a bloody disaster and it was the most recent game hence the discussion. So please ditch the rhetoric saying it would be nice to get up one day not to see loads of negative posts. Its simply untrue and posted to suit your narrative.

I agree we need to support Deano and I do. But if the team continue to make basic mistakes then he is the wrong man for the job and unfortunately he will need to be replaced

It may mean nothing if you are Newcastle or Burnley but their objective is to finish 17th. That is not Villa's objective. We are looking to push for Europe and finish as high a possible each year. Throwing away points like we did yesterday means a huge amount and is not acceptable. It is going to hurt our finishing positioning next May too. I really can't understand the complacency with dropping points and putting in poor performances.

it's a fact that the ghost goal happened...in the first half of the 27th(?) game of the season. it's NOT a fact that it was the reason we stayed up I never said it was the reason we stayed up, but it was certainly a significant factor in helping us to stay up

Like it or not, the Blades ghost goal is a fact, it is not just something for opposition fans to beat us up with. It actually happened. And DS deserves a huge amount of credit for turning our season around and getting us to survive on the last day DS is failing to deliver consistency in performances and a clear playing style. Villa is like Jeykll and Hyde. That is not good enough at this stage. I want him to stay as gaffer but if he doesn't fix this he needs to be sacked

But that is next May. This is only Oct and it is a Villa forum and we are posting on a thread titled Dean Smith. What are we meant to discuss?

@Delphinho123 I know u didn't ask me but for what it is worth At end of season Keep is job: Finish in top 10 Lose his job: 13th or below 11th / 12th: A tough call and would depend on our performances over the season and any mitigating factors If at any stage this season we are dragged into the relegation battle he should be give 2 to 3 games to get us out of it and if he doesn't he should be sacked

We scraped survival with the aide of Goal Line Technology failing and a Covid break. We stayed up on the last day and Bournemouth threw their survival away. He most certainly has had a honeymoon period. I have supported Dean for 3 years. I have argued with people that we need to give him time. But he has now had his time and yes I would happily see him sacked if he fails to deliver this season. I would love to see him remain our gaffer for many years to come but only if he delivers constant year on year improvement

Last year I thought DS had a reasonably good season. I think he should have got another 6 to 8 points though. But I supported him in his job and did not question his position. However, as far as I am concerned his honeymoon period at Villa ended at the end of last season. He has had the job for 3 years, has had and continues to have massive support. Its time to remove the 'still learning' sentiment and judge him on actual performances and results. No safety net, no second chance, deliver or move on.

And that is part of the reason he receives so much support from Purslow and has some credit in the bank when things are not going as well as they should. But that credit will not last for ever

When u are earning millions of ££ per year and have one of the most sought after jobs in the world the very odd mistake is tolerable. Recurring mistakes are not acceptable and particularly so basic ones. If players repeatedly make them they should be not play for Villa

We are making basic mistakes in a huge amount of the games we play. It is not just yesterday, it is a recurring problem. As regards the bit in bold. People need to stop thinking about the past brilliant results and performances that Smith and Mings and others have given Villa. We can't be sentimental. Mings is simply not good enough for us and Smith is starting to show too many of the same mistakes recurring in matches. If he can't fix these then he is the wrong man for the job imo