Dean Smith impressed as Aston Villa players 'take ownership' of season

Such sessions are typical in the days following a match at most professional clubs.

But at Bodymoor Heath it is now the players leading it while Smith and coaching staff, Richard O’Kelly and John Terry, take a watching brief.

The boss has seen his team take on an increasing responsibility during the record-breaking 10-match winning run which has saved their season and reignited hopes of promotion through the play-offs.

Smith said: “The players themselves take great ownership of what they are doing at the moment.

“We did a debrief on the Millwall game on Thursday and it was the players who took it – not myself JT or Richard.

“When you have things like that you know you are on to a good thing.”

Asked how the sessions work, Smith explained: “I will probably separate them into three groups – in possession, out of possession and set pieces.

“Players will see eight or nine clips and they will pull three or four out themselves to present to the rest of the players. Some of it will be self-critical, some of it things we are doing really well. It is all about the team improving.”

Encouraging players to come up with answers to problems themselves has been a common theme throughout Smith’s management career, which began at Walsall and then saw him move to Brentford before joining Villa last October.

At Brentford, players were asked to nominate a captain for each game in a bid to develop leaders in the squad.

Smith continued: “The debriefs were something I’ve done before at Brentford, I’m sure there’ll be other clubs doing it.

“We don’t reinvent the wheel here, we just try and make people get better

“This is something we’ve been doing for two or three months, players have to buy into it.

“The staff have to buy into it as well, it’s got to be something we all agree on and will make us better. We feel it’s something that does.”

Smith is hopeful Tammy Abraham could return for Villa’s final Championship fixture at home to Norwich on Sunday week.

The 25-goal top scorer is definitely out of this Sunday’s trip to Leeds due to the shoulder injury sustained in last week’s 2-0 win at Bolton.

Abraham had his arm in a sling while watching Monday’s victory over Millwall.

Smith said: “Tammy could have a chance (for Norwich), he has good mobilisation in the shoulder now, but it’s too soon for Leeds.

“I’ve no idea until next week comes along, get the Leeds game out of the way and address where we’re and see how he trains.”

Axel Tuanzebe is set to return at Elland Road after missing the Millwall match with a twisted ankle, while fellow centre-back Kortney Hause is scheduled to be back in training next week.