This article is part of Football FanCast’s Opinion series, which provides analysis, insight and opinion on any issue within the beautiful game, from Paul Pogba’s haircuts to League Two relegation battles…
Just what on earth does Aston Villa manager Dean Smith tell his players at half time?
Currently, the west Midlands club sit 15th in the Premier League table with a three-point cushion to the relegation zone, and while things have generally been more positive in recent times, it could still be so much better.
Their run of back-to-back victories was put to an end by reigning champions Manchester City, there’s no shame in that, but it still doesn’t escape one vital aspect of their season so far.
Watch Aston Villa Live Streams With StreamFootball.tv Below
If matches ended at half-time, Villa would sit fourth in the league behind both Manchester clubs and Liverpool. That is quite remarkable.
It means that whatever goes on at half-time in the changing room clearly doesn’t have much of an impact on the team’s second-half performance as this is when they tend to crumble.
Against City, Raheem Sterling scored within 20 seconds of the restart, which only epitomises where their problems lie.
Villa have conceded 13 of their 16 goals after the break, per Soccerstats – that’s even after playing the likes of European finalists Tottenham Hotspur and Arsenal too.
For whatever reason, Smith’s team as a whole isn’t at the races during the second period, and that falls at his feet regardless of individual error or mistake.
If there wasn’t such a discrepancy between both halves of football, then there would be no issue.
A game is played over the course of 90 minutes, so to turn up for just half of that is unacceptable, and later down the line, it could cost them their place amongst the top-flight.
Aston Villa’s summer signings’ performances so far this season are rated in the video below…
Based on the first 45 alone, only Manchester United have conceded fewer goals.
If you only account for games at Villa Park, they top the table without a defeat, which is even more astonishing.
This is something that Smith needs to work on resolving, starting with this weekend’s fixture against Liverpool.
You don’t want to be sat in a tie for like this one for a good hour or so, only to crumble. Just like the Spurs game.