Whether Dean Smith liked it or not, the elephant in the room was Jack Grealish.
Beaten on the opening day of the new season by an inspired Watford, who look keen to make a mockery of pundit predictions for an immediate return to the Championship, the questions turned to the 25-year-old and the difference he could have made.
The Villa captain, the boyhood fan, the poster boy, the star of the team — he was all of those things and Manchester City were impressed enough to splash out £100million to get him.