Dean Smith

[colhint]

I would guess most plop citeh and utd first choice will play more minutes than ours

[Wezbid]

1 minute ago, samjp26 said:

We won the match, the players he left on the pitch were fighting to the very last minute. Even Traore, a player previously slated for perhaps not contributing enough defensively, was sprinting back to defend in the 92nd/93rd minute. That’s the mentality that Dean and his team have instilled, so we have to trust them with their decisions in game, as without this mentality we wouldn’t be doing anywhere near as good as we have been.

As others have mentioned, Dean isn’t somebody who thinks he knows it all, when we lose he holds his hands up and admits to faults, when we win he understands how we could do better - we must realise he is still adapting and learning this league just like our players!

in Deano we trust, UTV

I also noticed the extra desire to track back/'work' with Traore tonight. There was an occasion when we were attacking and it didn't work out. I think he had a foul against him or something else but he huffed and then would normally jog back into wide right but he caught himself and burst back to defend. It stood out to me. 

Traore seems to have a good football brain on him too, he knows when to stick a foot out/in whilst Trez is gung ho and gives away so many cheap fouls rather than just squaring up/blocking. With James Ward-Prowse on the pitch, we don't need to be giving away any free-kicks away in our own half. It's not a huge thing but just another factor into Smith's thinking, no doubt. 

I really like Nakamba but coming on, he could have that impetus to impress and ball-chase, maybe leave a gap whilst even though tired, McGinn may keep that disciplined overall structure. 

It can be argued either way but after winning and after the season we're having, when one or two bang on like fact that we'd be better off again then it's going to draw some push-back (your comment doesn't do this, I've just gone on off on a tangent).

[Indigo]

If the frequency in which he makes substitutions is the biggest thing to be debated over then it just shows how good of a job he's doing at the moment.

Loving this season.

[MotoMkali]

25 minutes ago, Wezbid said:

Uhhh, no, I'm not saying that at all, otherwise, I'd never advocate for subs ever. I even stated myself that I was ready for changes tonight but that I also understand why they weren't made. I'll repeat it until I'm blue in the face but with some people, things are black or white when in reality, there are many shades of grey and so many outcomes possible had we made changes today. It's not just as simple as fresh legs means we'll be pushing Southampton back. It could also mean, fresh legs are running out of position and exposing more gaps because they're able to press more and are not working as a unit but more individually. I'm not saying it'd happen. I'm saying there's a chance of that in this game.

There's a reason why people are all over your comments and not others who also think some subs would have been ideal. 

That is down to Smith then. If you come on as a sub you should press when the others press etc. Maybe work out a code system to determine how much to press and not at points during the game. 

[Wezbid]

1 minute ago, MotoMkali said:

That is down to Smith then. If you come on as a sub you should press when the others press etc. Maybe work out a code system to determine how much to press and not at points during the game. 

I'm not saying it happens, it happens at many clubs, even bigger than ours. It's just another thing to consider. I'm sure there was a code not to nut Robbie Savage but Dion ignored it anyways. Good on him.

[Vive_La_Villa]

9 minutes ago, Indigo said:

If the frequency in which he makes substitutions is the biggest thing to be debated over then it just shows how good of a job he's doing at the moment.

Loving this season.

I think subs get way more focus than they should because fans can actually see a manager making a decision that influences a game. Similar to team selection and formations.  

Never mind the weeks of coaching that make the team looks so organised defensively and so dangerous on the attack.    If they ain’t making the right subs at the right time then they ain’t good enough! 

[MrBlack]

3 hours ago, a m ole said:

absolutely. just found it on the FA website, the law is: “The boundary between the shoulder and the arm is now defined by "the bottom of the armpit"

So despite the obvious foul, it should have been draw 2-3 inches further back.

 

And had the line been drawn there, Watkins was on side. So not only a penalty, but a perfectly legal goal, disallowed because VAR got it wrong.

Its immensely harsh whatever way you call it, because the frame where the ball connects with the player making the pass, or the frame where the ball leaves contact with the player making the pass could well be a few frames apart. And depending on which one VAR picks, the player could be onside or offside at the same time. Its a total farce to use VAR for these hairline decisions, when you don't have the technology to support it. They either need to scrap it, or they need to change the rules so they work with it.

[paul514]

3 hours ago, Vive_La_Villa said:

Ive asked this question earlier but nobody answered.  If we made 2-3 subs today but lost. Would you have been happier with Smith?

Nobody probably answered as it is a pretty stupid question..... who is going to be happier with a loss over a win.

[Keyblade]

7 hours ago, MotoMkali said:

Yeah I know he is out injured. But he might have aggravated it somehow. But he clearly wasn't hobbled during the game and didn't go down injured at any point either. 

Not true, there's a clip of where he pulled up with the hamstring on the right wing (contrary to popular belief it wasn't the Grealish tackle, nor the Traore humiliation that injured him). He was then substituted when the ball went out next. Pep says after the game he injured his hamstring and is out for weeks. All evidence points to him getting injured during the game.

[Keyblade]

Where I stand on the riveting substitution debate:

Dean Smith doesn't make subs very often or early.

Dean Smith didn't make a sub against Southampton until deep into stoppage time. We incidentally won the game.

Dean Smith also has us in 8th place with 32 points at the halfway point of the season.

What the **** do I know about subs, I'm just a dumbass with a keyboard. I'm not gonna pretend like I know more than the guy who is on course for being our best manager of the modern era. 

Not to mention if the concern is fitness related, he's the guy that works with them every day and has detailed fitness data that unfortunately I'm not privy to. I agree with him, unless I see evidence of this policy actively hurting player fitness and welfare than what can I say?

Whatever it is he's doing is clearly working. Keep it up Deano. #NoSubs2021, that's the new movement.

Edited January 31, 2021 by Keyblade

[Avcol]

6 hours ago, Sulberto21 said:

It depends on the opposition too. El Ghazi against Burnley definitely yes. Lowton still goes to sleep on the back post and still doesn't track runners. Against Southampton no. They press n press n press he'd struggle. 

Just 5 wins away from my pre season prediction of 15 wins. . Shall we raise it to 20? Actually New prediction. We will beat every team at least once this season.

Already failed against Burnley so impossible to beat every team at least once. Unless I'm missing a joke here.

[Mjvilla]

So, it seems this place should be avoided even after a win!

I get the sub argument, I really do. At 60/70 minutes I was thinking of trez, nakamba or even Sanson and how it looked like we may need fresh legs. 

But, do you know what... I sat back and trusted in Deano. The manager who has transformed this football club. I have full faith in him and the coaching staff to make the right decision. They see the training ground, day in and day out. They know and see the players positives and negatives. 

If the right decision was to make no subs in their eyes, who the **** am I to question it? They were proved spot on, we get a 1-0 win.

We didn't play well, we need to keep the ball better than that. That was a bigger concern for me than subs, however, the level has been so high that I can accept it. Safe in the knowledge we will almost certainly put in a much better performance on Wednesday. (With an extra days rest than our opponents)

[DCJonah]

6 hours ago, Vive_La_Villa said:

Smith will make mistake. All managers do.  I also don’t agree with every decision he makes either. What winds me and probably other posters up is when fans think he has some major flaw in his management where he doesn’t know how to make subs and that it’s costing us games!

My best friend even called his management today pathetic. 

This all day. 

Of course he will make mistakes. And for me, if the majority of things are good, why focus on a mistake? Same with players. If in general they're playing well, why focus on the odd mistake because as you say they all make them. 

The unbelievable thing about the moaning last night, is that you can't even say its a mistake. Its just that something didn't happen that a few people wanted to happen. Imagine the arrogance and delusion, you have to have to moan in that situation. 

Dean Smith is experienced, with experienced coaches next to him. You'd think after a club record run of wins, premier league survival and a huge improvement in all areas, they'd get a little bit of trust. 

[DCJonah]

7 hours ago, JAMAICAN-VILLAN said:

Absolutely, and I think overall that is the case. Still doesn't stop you shitting yourself during a game though.

In the same breath, I don't think it means every decision is right either. Being the type he is, I highly doubt Deano thinks all his decisions are right in hindsight sometimes either.

There is probably definitely an element of with success comes more expectation.

I mean during the MON era, fans from other clubs thought a large section of us were mental.for criticising MON. 

But truth is, we could have achieved even more with MON with slightly better decision making. Is that guaranteed expert opinion? Probably not.

I used to love Gabby probably more than anyone but I knew once he had time to think in front of a keeper the chance was gone. Doesn't mean I didn't rate him.

I'm a huge believer in Deano and our current trajectory/project. The sub thing is just a pet peeve, which as some rightly point out, is minor in comparison to what he is actually achieving.

He is a young manager with a young and improving squad, still learning together, and I'm sure he/we will improve in all these areas anyway.

I take issue with this though. And to be fair, you're not making the point to the extreme some others are. 

What proof is there that this is an area he needs to improve in?

His whole managerial approach and decisions have led us to where we are. They're clearly right, a hell of a lot more than they're wrong. 

 

[DCJonah]

7 hours ago, Vive_La_Villa said:

Key point in bold. Smith was probably thinking the same yet stuck to his guns and we won. The 10th win this season.  I’m not sure how people can say his subs and in game management is a weakness. Maybe his lack of subs has actually been winning us points and it’s actually his strength! 
 

If I remember correctly, tactics Tim used to love a substitute

It really is as simple as this. 

 

[sne]

16 minutes ago, DCJonah said:

. 

The unbelievable thing about the moaning last night, is that you can't even say its a mistake. Its just that something didn't happen that a few people wanted to happen. Imagine the arrogance and delusion, you have to have to moan in that situation. 

Dean Smith is experienced, with experienced coaches next to him. You'd think after a club record run of wins, premier league survival and a huge improvement in all areas, they'd get a little bit of trust. 

Probably partly down to what happened in the previous game against Burnley and people not wanting it to happen again?

[DCJonah]

1 minute ago, sne said:

Probably partly down to what happened in the previous game against Burnley and people not wanting it to happen again?

And what proof is there that not making subs caused that? 

Again arrogance and delusion. 

They scored a cross and a header. I guess trezeguet would have stopped both of that. 

[sne]

Just now, DCJonah said:

And what proof is there that not making subs caused that? 

Again arrogance and delusion. 

They scored a cross and a header. I guess trezeguet would have stopped both of that. 

Arrogance and delusion  

 

[DCJonah]

1 minute ago, sne said:

Arrogance and delusion  

 

Absolutely. 

If you think a) you know how to stop us losing and those coaches don't, and b) that subs would 100% have meant we didn't lose. Then that's exactly what it is. 

[sne]

1 minute ago, DCJonah said:

Absolutely. 

If you think a) you know how to stop us losing and those coaches don't, and b) that subs would 100% have meant we didn't lose. Then that's exactly what it is. 

Yeah, nobody was claiming any of that.