Dean Smith demands Aston Villa reflect on their dismal run

Sunday’s 2-0 home defeat to Tottenham was the third time in four matches faltering Villa have failed to find the net, while they have scored only four goals in the last eight.

Smith knows the onus lies with himself and the coaching staff to get the team firing again.

But he insists players must also play their part, after admitting some have failed to grasp their opportunity during the absence of Jack Grealish through injury.

Villa have won only one of the six matches their skipper has missed due to a shin problem.

Smith said: “When you are having good periods in this league you have got to be creating opportunities. It is something we were doing early in the season but we haven’t done lately.

“We’ve been working on it. Players sometimes have to look in the mirror, just as coaching staff do.”

Villa boasted one of the Premier League’s most explosive attacks during the first half of the season but their tally of 39 goals from 28 matches is now the lowest in the top half.

They have not scored more than once in a game since a 3-2 defeat at Burnley in late January.

Smith continued: “We got into really good areas against Tottenham but unfortunately never created enough. We didn’t show enough quality or our decision making wasn’t quite right in the final third. Unfortunately that has been a regular occurrence over the last seven or eight games.”

The boss has granted those players not away on international duty some extra time off with Villa’s squad due to regroup at Bodymoor Heath later in the week.

Their return to Premier League action against Fulham will now take place a day later than first scheduled on Sunday, April 4 (kick-off 4.30pm).

The match has been switched due to Liverpool’s Champions League involvement with the Reds now taking on Arsenal in the Saturday 8pm slot originally reserved for Villa-Fulham.