Aitor Karanka has been saying Forest are very different than small heath, so one assumes we’ll see fewer muggings and more football. For me, at the moment, it’s all about Villa playing Villa’s game. Which, admittedly, is still uncharted territory.
Villa are at Derby today, who’ve done well under new man Frank Lampard and sit in 5th, unbeaten in their last five. Going into the game they’re seven points better off than the Lions. Smith will be looking to close that to four after a proper Saturday-to-Saturday schedule.
So here we are, Dean Smith, Swansea, and back to football with absolutely no idea what to expect as Swansea come to visit. No radical departures on the team sheet, other than Tuanzebe starting at CB instead of Jedinak.
Dean Smith & Co. took their first bows this week, and along with Christian Purslow, seemed to quite easily make a good impression all round. Well, Purslow seems a bit tightly wound, but you know what I mean. When he talked about Villa’s FFP woes being completely resolved? He made a pretty good impression. Richard O’Kelley seems likable and no nonsense. John Terry made all the right noises. And Smith? Smith managed to not say a whole lot other than promotion remains the goal.
Thanks to Conor Hourihane, Villa came away with a point at the weekend, and one that left many supporters underwhelmed. Once again. There are folks urging patience. Always are. And, given the new faces who’ve yet to really be integrated, there’s still some argument for patience. However, I really have seen just about enough of what looks like ineptitude.
