Dean Smith faced the media after Aston Villa were beaten 3-0 against Watford on Saturday.
The manager had his say on the game’s key topics, including the penalty incident, VAR and what the team need to do to put things right ahead of a trip to Burnley on New Year’s Day.
On disappointing display…
It’s the first time I’ve really had to read the riot act to the players because I didn’t think we were good enough in the first half.
We lost the game in the first half – not the second half with the incidents that stick in my throat a bit.
We had an opportunity when they went down to ten men, but our decision making was poor.
The goals that we conceded were poor officiating but also poor defending.
On Watford’s penalty…
Jack didn’t know Matt had gone down with a hamstring injury, they win it and they play on and they go and get a penalty, which I don’t think is a penalty.
It’s shoulder-to-shoulder and Troy Deeney goes down very easily. Play should be stopped because Watford know we’ve got a man down.
If there’s a player down who’s playing everyone onside, I’d like to think my players would kick the ball out.
On how to bounce back…
I’m looking for the players to stand up and be counted – myself included.
Go and win tackles, go and win headers, go and compete, show work rate. That’s what you need to go and win games.
