Dean Smith has backed his current staff to improve the goalkeeping situation at Aston Villa after criticism of stopper Orjan Nyland.

The Norwegian is by no means to blame for the current situation at Villa and he hasn't been helped by a make shift defence in front of him, but nonetheless his performances perhaps haven't been as strong as many expect, something Smith believes is improving all the time.

42-year-old Neil Cutler arrived at the club last week as a goalkeeping coach, having previously worked under Smith at Walsall. One of the keepers he worked with there, Neil Etheridge, now plays for Cardiff in the Premier League.

Smith has backed his new recruit to benefit the current crop of stoppers vying for a place in the Villa first team.

“Neil is a very good coach. For me, he will improve goalkeepers," Smith told the Express and Star. “There were a list of three or four name I gave the club. They did their due diligence and went through the process. He is certainly very good at his job and we are pleased to have him on board.”

The former Brentford manager also jumped to the defence of Nyland, a summer signing from German side FC Ingolstadt, after he kept a clean sheet in the win against Bolton Wanderers.

“Clean sheets give you confidence. I have been here for four games and he has conceded three goals. He was maybe questionable for the first goal at Norwich. Other than that I think he has done well.”

The Verdict

The overhaul at Aston Villa continues as dean Smith builds a back room staff he's familiar with. People work for people and Cutler is clearly someone with a reputation of developing keepers, which Villa need.

Nyland, along with Mark Bunn and Andre Moreira, will surely benefit from working with a new coach. all three are good keepers but it's all about confidence, something Villa players have only started to gain in the last few weeks.

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