Aston Villa left-back Neil Taylor was dropped for his side’s last match, with Matt Targett stepping in.
Taylor has been a regular feature in Villa’s defence so far this season, and Smith feels his side have looked strong at the back.
But Targett was brought into Villa’s team for their last match against Burnley, which they drew 2-2.
And Smith says that he has already seen a lot of promise in Taylor’s showings.
“His performance against Brighton pushed me into putting him in,” Smith admitted.
“I thought that was very harsh on Neil Taylor, and I told him that when I left him out. I thought defensively the team has done well, and Taylor has been part of that back four.
“But I thought in Targett’s performance I saw reasons why we went and spent the money we did for him. He was very good on the football and in the final third.”
Targett has been brought into Villa’s backline, as Smith is seeking an improvement from his side.
The claret and blues have made a slow start since being promoted to the Premier League, with Villa currently sat in 18th place in the top flight.
Smith’s side’s next match comes against Norwich City at the weekend, where Targett looks set to keep hold of his starting position.
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