villalad21 Posted July 27, 2020 Share Posted July 27, 2020 (edited) 1 minute ago, hippo said: At the bottom I would say it is weaker. The top clubs hardly ever drop any points these days - meaning 36 is the new 40. Apart from Liverpool and Man Citeh it's weaker everywhere. Back in the MON era you needed 70 points to finish in the top 4. This season Chelsea and Man Utd finished on 66 points. Edited July 27, 2020 by villalad21 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sne Posted July 27, 2020 Share Posted July 27, 2020 Again, credit where it's due, I honestly doubted he had it in him but even if you correct for some teams not playing at 100% and being unfit and unmotivated during the restart this is still a impressive turnaround. Quote Villa's change since the restart (Per game) Before restart After restart Shots on target faced 5.6 2.8 Goals conceded 2 1.1 Shots faced 18.1 10.1 Errors leading to shots 0.85 0.2 https://www.skysports.com/football/news/11661/12035358/premier-league-hits-and-misses-from-the-final-day-dean-smith-finally-gets-it-right-and-chelsea-ready-to-step-up 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LondonVillian Posted July 27, 2020 Share Posted July 27, 2020 Thanks for keeping us up Dean but tactically I still feel we need a better manager. As others have said if there is not a good candidate I will leave it to to Dean. (No Pardew/Pearson etc) 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rolta Posted July 27, 2020 Share Posted July 27, 2020 2 minutes ago, villalad21 said: Apart from Liverpool and Man Citeh it's weaker everywhere. Back in the MON era you needed 70 points to finish in the top 4. This season Chelsea and Man Utd finished on 66 points. Do you really stand by this thinking? If the other teams above the relegation fodder are stronger then the points will be more spread out. We're in an era where Sheffield United have a £22 million point midfielder. Everton spend £50million. Palace spend £27million. Also, do you only frame things in the negative all the time? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The_Steve Posted July 27, 2020 Share Posted July 27, 2020 Smith’s name amongst the Guardian managers of the season which is deserved on the basis of the post-lockdown form. A clear recognition of the scale of the task and the improvements he eventually implemented. Credit where credit is due. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
StefanAVFC Posted July 27, 2020 Share Posted July 27, 2020 Two seasons in a row we've stepped up exactly when we needed to, under him. Bottle, or guts, are definitely things you couldn't accuse us, or Deano of having. Great job mate, let's push on now. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
villalad21 Posted July 27, 2020 Share Posted July 27, 2020 I wonder if Smith will go back to his risk taking, playing out from the back, with fullbacks and midfielders bombing forward tactics or if he will keep working on this new playing style post lockdown. Main difference has been less risk taking. More long balls and more direct football. And it's worked a treat. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mikeyp102 Posted July 27, 2020 Share Posted July 27, 2020 5 minutes ago, Rolta said: Do you really stand by this thinking? If the other teams above the relegation fodder are stronger then the points will be more spread out. We're in an era where Sheffield United have a £22 million point midfielder. Everton spend £50million. Palace spend £27million. Also, do you only frame things in the negative all the time? (It’s not often I support the OP) I’ve just looked and the only other team to stay up with 35 points was Albion back in 05. In 09/10 Burnley were 18th with 30 points. Either way it is a low points total to stay up this season. We did it, and we beat those around us of which we should be happy. But let’s be honest improvement is needed. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
villalad21 Posted July 27, 2020 Share Posted July 27, 2020 10 minutes ago, Rolta said: Do you really stand by this thinking? If the other teams above the relegation fodder are stronger then the points will be more spread out. We're in an era where Sheffield United have a £22 million point midfielder. Everton spend £50million. Palace spend £27million. Also, do you only frame things in the negative all the time? No i mean weaker in terms of the point tally. The mid table you could argue haven't changed much. But the top teams and bottom teams are definitely worse. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rolta Posted July 27, 2020 Share Posted July 27, 2020 2 minutes ago, mikeyp102 said: (It’s not often I support the OP) I’ve just looked and the only other team to stay up with 35 points was Albion back in 05. In 09/10 Burnley were 18th with 30 points. Either way it is a low points total to stay up this season. We did it, and we beat those around us of which we should be happy. But let’s be honest improvement is needed. Did you look at the last four years though when it was enough? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DCJonah Posted July 27, 2020 Share Posted July 27, 2020 11 minutes ago, The_Steve said: Smith’s name amongst the Guardian managers of the season which is deserved on the basis of the post-lockdown form. A clear recognition of the scale of the task and the improvements he eventually implemented. Credit where credit is due. Wait. You mean he isn't a disaster? I'm glad he's getting recognition. Keeping this squad up and improving in certain areas is fantastic. 6 goals scored by strikers and we survived. Wow Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
villa_shere Posted July 27, 2020 Share Posted July 27, 2020 The negativity around Dean Smith was draining at times. It’s bloody amazing to see the results of backing a manager. never doubted him! UTV! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KitKat Posted July 27, 2020 Share Posted July 27, 2020 Whatever else is said, Dean has had this Villa team more motivated than any of the other relegation threatened sides. I think the squad has been up for it, there is a seemingly harmonious attitude around the entire team and a real willingness to fight and to survive. **** anyone who says we shouldn't celebrate that and credit to Dean for turning things around - let's see what he can do with another season. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dodgyknees Posted July 27, 2020 Share Posted July 27, 2020 29 minutes ago, DCJonah said: You know what. I can't sit here and claim that I believed he'd keep us up all along. I thought we were down. However, I did believe he deserved the season to see if he could keep us up and I did not believe a different manager could have got more from these players. I'm still surprised so many people turned on him. People calling him a disaster for the club and wanted him sacked months ago. The man has done more than we could realistically have expected by this point when he joined. We continue to improve under him and unlike previous managers he is a very easy man to get behind. I'm so happy for him. I thought we’d stay up right up to the Leicester game. Quite often I felt too positive, but that Leicester game drained all hope from me. We looked dead and buried. I’m very very happy for Dean. The last 4 games we looked like a decent mid table team (missing a good striker) so the work paid off right at the last minute. Onwards and hopefully upwards now. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
villalad21 Posted July 27, 2020 Share Posted July 27, 2020 1 minute ago, DCJonah said: 6 goals scored by strikers and we survived. Wow Yeah that's quite unbelievable. Even with a player like Grealish strikers still can't score. Just highlights how shit they are Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gwi1890 Posted July 27, 2020 Share Posted July 27, 2020 13 minutes ago, villalad21 said: I wonder if Smith will go back to his risk taking, playing out from the back, with fullbacks and midfielders bombing forward tactics or if he will keep working on this new playing style post lockdown. Main difference has been less risk taking. More long balls and more direct football. And it's worked a treat. I hope he persists with the post lockdown style, we have counter attacked well bit more pace and finishers in the team and we will be a real threat 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mikeyp102 Posted July 27, 2020 Share Posted July 27, 2020 8 minutes ago, Rolta said: Did you look at the last four years though when it was enough? It’s still a poor total tally of points. Everton, Southampton, Palace all looked set for the drop at some point in the season but turned it around. So yes I would say outside the top of the table, the quality in the league this season was really poor. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jareth Posted July 27, 2020 Share Posted July 27, 2020 As @sne posted - Smith has done what was so sorely needed - 1000000000% credit to him, deserves next season and another window for sure. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
villalad21 Posted July 27, 2020 Share Posted July 27, 2020 1 minute ago, mikeyp102 said: It’s still a poor total tally of points. Everton, Southampton, Palace all looked set for the drop at some point in the season but turned it around. So yes I would say outside the top of the table, the quality in the league this season was really poor. Yes i agree the point tally have to be viewed as a poor return. But post lockdown performances have been encouraging. Play like that next season and we should get a much higher points tally next season. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jareth Posted July 27, 2020 Share Posted July 27, 2020 1 minute ago, villalad21 said: Yes i agree the point tally have to be viewed as a poor return. But post lockdown performances have been encouraging. Play like that next season and we should get a much higher points tally next season. Dude, I hate to say it but lately you sound like a reasonable, intelligent poster. Fair play. Promise me you're not some BCFC agent - cos you're living rent free in my head! 2 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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