Dean Smith hails Aston Villa defence after stunning Boro win
Dean Smith expressed delight in Villa’s defence after watching his team cruise to a 3-0 win at Middlesbrough.
Villa continued their high-scoring exploits to deliver another statement of their promotion credentials at the Riverside, as they swept aside the Championship’s meanest defence.
But having conceded seven goals in their previous two games, including five in last Wednesday’s thrilling draw with Nottingham Forest, Smith took the greatest pleasure in the clean sheet.
Villa have won five out of eight since Smith took charge and he added: “Most pleasingly, after Wednesday, it’s four clean sheets in eight games as well.
“I think it gets lost sometimes because you have a freak result in the week. But I didn’t have too many concerns about that.
“I knew we have quality players within the squad that are capable of keeping clean sheets and scoring goals as well.”
Boro entered the game having conceded just 10 goals all season but were given a torrid time by the visitors.
James Chester opened the scoring, before Tammy Abraham netted his seventh in four games to extend the advantage.
Glenn Whelan then rounded off a memorable evening by scoring only his second goal in seven years.
Villa have now scored 15 goals in their last four games and Smith said: “It is a quality team going forward. You can add John McGinn and Jack Grealish to that, with the quality they both possess.
“Conor Hourihane with his set pieces have been fantastic, but today sitting in front of the back four, he’s done really well as well.
“Anwar El Ghazi has deserved a start too, and it showed today that he can mix it in this league.
“There’s a lot of belief in this squad at the minute, there’s a great team spirit. Middlesbrough have had an extra day’s rest, like Nottingham Forest on Wednesday.
“There’s a great togetherness in the dressing room. Mile Jedinak came off the treatment table to sit on the bench, because we had no cover.”
The win kept Villa eighth in the table, three points behind the top six, ahead of Friday night’s trip to Albion.
Smith said: “I said it when I took over at Aston Villa and I said it when I was at Brentford - I see this league as a really even league.
“Everybody’s beating each other, nobody’s running away with it. I know Leeds have got the win today, and Norwich have won as well.
“There’s nobody you look at where you think they’re a ‘Wolves’ like last season, for instance. Wolves were outstanding, but I don’t think there’s anyone that is going to go and win 10 or 12 games out of 16.”
