Boss Smith still has formula for success

DEAN SMITH is paying no attention to debates over Aston Villa’s formation and has dismissed suggestions that recent poor results can be put down to his tactics.

The Villans go into today’s meeting with West Ham off the back of three straight defeats – a run which has led to calls to ditch the three-at-the-back system.

However, Smith (below) is steadfast in his belief that Villa’s winless run cannot be blamed entirely on their set-up, and won’t abandon it purely on results.

He said:

“It’s been discussed somewhere that

I don’t visit, so I don’t really get that message.

“We as coaches are always analysing what we’re doing, whether it’s our formation or our personnel. That’s our job.

“Our job is to keep trying to win football games for Aston Villa and we’ll continue

DAVID LYNCH

doing that. We want to keep progressing as a football club.

“When a ball is thrown up between two of my players and they don’t go and compete for it, that’s not about systems, that’s about not playing well and not being ready for the match whatever system you play.

“At times it’s looked good – everybody thinks it’s a good system if you’re winning 2-0 against Wolves and then it’s terrible if you lose 3-2 in five minutes.

“That happens in football and we just have to keep on working on improving the players.”

Ahead of the visit of West Ham and David Moyes, Smith added: “West Ham are a very good team. They’re organised, they’ve got good players, they’re dangerous from setpieces, they’re creative.

“They epitomise the manager.”