Dean Smith has bemoaned Aston Villa’s “stop-start” form since the turn of the year,
Dean Smith said: “I look at the whole league and there’s been inconsistencies throughout other than Manchester City. I don’t think many teams can string three or four results together.”
The Villa boss declared his side’s first-half against Wolves as the best they’ve played since December with Villa striking the woodwork twice via Ollie Watkins and then Ezri Konsa. The goalless draw was Villa’s fourth point from their three-game week after beating Leeds and losing to Sheffield United. Speaking after the 0-0 with Wolves,
Dean Smith said: “We’re progressing. It’s been a little stop-start since the new year, if I’m honest. I look at the whole Premier League and there’s been inconsistencies throughout other than Manchester City. I don’t think many teams can string three or four results together and that’s the nature of how the pandemic has hit the fixture congestion because there’s some tired and injured players out there. If we’d have won it at the end it would have felt a little unjust, such was the chances they’ve had in the second half. In the first half it’s the best we’ve played since December, I think, and we’ve had some good play, pressed well and won the ball back in their half well and created some good chances. We hit the upright twice and had the majority of play and chances. I wanted the same in the second half but, I must admit, they improved. They were the better team in the second half and they’ve had a couple of chances we’ve got away with. I’m relieved with that but pleased with the point.”
Aston Villa’s Ollie Watkins (second right) sees his shot hit the woodwork Smith reserved praise for his backline afterwards after they helped to chalk up Villa’s 14th clean sheet of the season with only Man City having more (15).Dean Smith said: “It was another clean sheet and that’s very important, but I keep eulogising how good Martinez has done for us but, also, he’s the first to say he’s been well-protected as well. There’s been a really good team desire and work ethic to keep the ball out of the back of the net. I’ve said a few times that I don’t think defending gets glorified enough. There’s an art to keeping the ball out of the back of the net and I think we’ve had a real desire when it comes to that this season and that helps you to accumulate points in this league. We’ve got a lot of games to come still. We’re probably disappointed with our points return from Wednesday and today but we’re progressing and we’re getting better and better.”
Elsewhere, Villa’s goalless showing took their total to just four goals scored from their last seven games. On Villa’s attacking woes,
Dean Smith said: “No, it’s not an issue. If we’re creating big chances it’s never a concern. We’ve created a number of big chances in the last two games and, unfortunately, haven’t scored. They will certainly start going in and our play in the first half was as good as it was in December, I’d say. Ollie’s play up front was excellent. He thundered the bar. Ezri has hit the post and we’ve had numerous other chances. I’ve got no concerns, goals will certainly come.”
