Dean Smith

[Tomaszk]

3 hours ago, Vive_La_Villa said:

Great now the ignore functionality isn’t working either.  If things wernt bad enough I now have to read your rubbish too. 

People need to get out of lockdown. It's been like Facebook. There's been some very unstable stuff posted in the last 48 hours.

[mykeyb]

7 hours ago, nick76 said:

Problem is, as we are finding/already knew, the other players aren’t good enough so that’s why Dean didn’t use them.

Trez and ElGhazi aren’t this level

Ramsey isn’t ready

Elmo and Taylor aren’t this level

KD is not at this level.

We already knew this though hence why Smith tried to keep going until we ran out of gas.

I agree with you Nick but my concerns is that Jack, McGinn, Ollie possibly will be off to the euros in the summer and then pretty much straight back in to preseason then there will be the World Cup part way through part way through the season so many of our squad will have very little break in the next 18 months and I can only see three possibly four quality additions coming in which means Dean is going to have to use the squad a lot more than he has or our players are going to burn out or worse pick up long term injuries.

[OxfordVillan]

6 hours ago, LxYoungAVFC said:

lol is this real or fake news? If real then WHAT THE ACTUAL F*CK???

 

I’d have to say I really don’t like the idea of starting training at midday because younger players stay up until 2am playing effing PlayStation etc. Getting yourself up in the morning is one of life’s simple disciplines, and it’s not an option available to your average everyday man that Dean says he wants his players to remain grounded to. And staring into screens for hours on end isn’t good for a professional athlete, I’m really surprised at this particular point he made.

[VillaFaninLondon]

12 hours ago, tomav84 said:

• we have no idea what the owners sold jack to get him to sign a new contract. for all we know this season's aim might have been top half, therefore 13th might mean jack's off. the drop to 13th from where we were might tell jack that we're a long way off where he wants to be and asks to leave anyway. 8th is knocking on the door of europe however, and much more chance of him staying
• us, leeds, and wolves are likely to be shopping for similar calibre players. the higher we finish, the more attractive a proposition we become. players want to sign for a team with realistic chance of europe. 13th is a long way off european places. 8th is not.
• based on the speculated £2m per league place, the difference is worth £10m to our FFP headroom

so there is quite a difference between 13th and 8th. good on you and others that aren't bothered with where we finish but some of us are, espcially seeing as we've been top half for the vast majority of the season. that's not 'freaking out', it's not lack of support for smith, but it's still valid concerns that people have. besides, we want to enjoy watching our team for the rest of the season. we want to see them TRY and finish as high as possible. i can't stand teams like palace that go to the beach as soon as they hit 40 points. it's a small time mentality of teams that are only here to make up the numbers. i dont want that to be us.

Jack has been quoted as saying the aim of the owners this season when he signed his 5 year deal was to finish between 8th and 12th. I can even dig out the interview if needs be. That is why I believe it is dangerous if we finish below 12th, and like you say it's something that a small minded team would do and not something an ambitious club like us should be doing. 

 

I think finishing as high as possible is absolutely essential. I honestly think there must be something wrong with people's brains if they say there's no difference between finishing 8th or 13th, a top half team will have a much better chance of attracting top level talent than a team that finished 13th. Our signings have to go up a level this summer if we're to be up there next season, that's why we should be fighting tooth and nail to finish as high as possible. 

 

Another crucial point you make is the extra turnover it allows us to spend on players. £10m to our FFP headroom could make a world of difference to one of our signings. 

 

As far as I'm concerned, of the remaining games, we should be beating Fulham and West Brom and getting a point minimum at Palace if not another win. I believe on our day we're capable of beating an inconsistent Everton team so could get another win there (we play them twice). Expecting Smith to get to circa 50 points is not exactly massively high expectations. And I believe if we reach 50 points we should finish in the top 10, certainly in the top 12, and we can spend again this summer to try to improve further on that. 

 

All I'm asking of Smith is he ends the season with a bit of pride and getting the team to perform well enough to win a few games. We ain't gonna get relegated, we ain't gonna get into Europe, fine, but play for your futures and the future of this club. Jack is back for Fulham and the run in so he has his best player back, but he needs to get Ollie scoring again, he needs to get McGinn and Luiz performing again, he needs to try to get the best out of Barkley if at all possible, he needs to get Sanson contributing more in the final third. If he can do that I have confidence that we can end the season reasonably well, because as much as the Smith lovers would have you believe we're actually a decent side and fully capable of finishing in the top half. 

Edited March 23, 2021 by VillaFaninLondon

[Mic09]

6 hours ago, LxYoungAVFC said:

lol is this real or fake news? If real then WHAT THE ACTUAL F*CK???

 

Grealish probably makes it in for the afternoon session still plastered.

But on a serious note, that is a pathetic argument if true. Young men don't go to bed early? Tell that to young men that wake up at 4:30 to make it for the 6am shift while looking after kids once they get back.

On the other hand, if we can do an effective training session at a later hour, it doesn't make a difference. Maybe we finish later than others?

[VillaFaninLondon]

11 hours ago, Zatman said:

Its probably not even in the top 10 worst Villa Premier League results of the last decade

But you're referring back to the days of Lerner where we sold any decent player we had and spent the little money Lerner was prepared to sanction on shite like Tonev, Helenius and Grant Holt. Completely different times to now.

[VillaFaninLondon]

14 hours ago, Mjvilla said:

Thanks. I can see this from both sides really. I can see what Dean is trying to do. He's right in what he says, when I was 18-24 before the missus and kids, I was up all hours. There's no doubting that in my mind. He's trying to allow footballers to live as normal lives a possible, I guess. 

But, I also see the discipline side to it. A player gets paid enough, he should be able to train at 10.30am. 

Is it specifically a change we made after the covid break to change our form? Because we were fantastic before it. Was discipline an issue then? Was being up late a problem then?

My opinion is you need to be on good terms with the players (after all, you're reliant on them to perform for you) but I just cannot for the life of me understand how this is helpful to our players. Staying up late, getting up late, playing games all night. It just doesn't sound healthy. Nothing wrong with playing computer games in moderation but it sounds like it's a bit of a problem.

 

I think this is only a recent thing, not sure. If it is, I am not surprised we look so devoid of ideas out on the pitch to be honest.

[Villan_of_oz]

7 hours ago, LxYoungAVFC said:

lol is this real or fake news? If real then WHAT THE ACTUAL F*CK???

 

With the amount of matches kicking off in the late arvo/early evening I really don't see the problem. They're effectively afternoon shift workers. As long as they are training hard & doing their best I couldn't care less when they train.

Why does it have you so upset that they start training a whole hour n half later?

[Mic09]

1 minute ago, Villan_of_oz said:

With the amount of matches kicking off in the late arvo/early evening I really don't see the problem. They're effectively afternoon shift workers. As long as they are training hard & doing their best I couldn't care less when they train.

Why does it have you so upset that they start training a whole hour n half later?

I think it's not the hour that they start, it's the "they play video games late" that's the issue.

I think some fans just don't want to hear stuff like that about players that earn big dollar. Especially if they are on a bad run of results, and especially if their apparent fatigue is contributed to long Covid by some where as there seems to be a more obvious explanation now. 

[Villan_of_oz]

4 minutes ago, Mic09 said:

I think it's not the hour that they start, it's the "they play video games late" that's the issue.

I think some fans just don't want to hear stuff like that about players that earn big dollar. Especially if they are on a bad run of results, and especially if their apparent fatigue is contributed to long Covid by some where as there seems to be a more obvious explanation now. 

Yeah because I'd much prefer our players drank and took drugs after training like players of old did.

Seriously are some people that upset that our players are playing video games in their own spare time. If that's the case then that's utterly ridiculous.

We didn't give a toss when we were winning, but a few crap results and we need to invent a reason to turn on our players.

 

[Demitri_C]

10 hours ago, Zatman said:

Kesler didnt mark Mane as he played right wing in the FA Cup game and Jake Walker was up against Mane

Watch the game again. There were various parts of the game when kesler cross covered mane and he did excellently

[Vive_La_Villa]

I couldn’t care less about when they start training but the reasons for it are probably something they could have kept to themselves. Not that it really matters.

[Mic09]

1 minute ago, Villan_of_oz said:

Yeah because I'd much prefer our players drank and took drugs after training like players of old did.

Seriously are some people that upset that our players are playing video games in their own spare time. If that's the case then that's utterly ridiculous.

We didn't give a toss when we were winning, but a few crap results and we need to invent a reason to turn on our players.

 

Is there no middle ground? Why do players need to take drugs and get hammered? 

Any physio/doctor will tell you the benefits of a good night's sleep and staying up late does have a long term affect on physical performance, this is just a fact. 

If they train hard and do their work at 12, no problem, but excuses such as "they play video games late" just don't sit well with people. I'm not critiquing the training method, I am criticising the PR approach to this problem - you don't say stuff like this to people who support their team.

[Mic09]

2 minutes ago, Vive_La_Villa said:

I couldn’t care less about when they start training but the reasons for it are probably something they could have kept to themselves. Not that it really matters.

This exactly. 

[Demitri_C]

10 hours ago, DCJonah said:

Yes. You seem convinced that we should be ahead of some of these teams. So you admit the players we have to rely on wouldn't get games for those above us. So why do you think we should be ahead of them?

Davis wouldn't get on the bench for any team above us and he's our only other option as a striker. 

Regardless if they are better or not, sheffield utd were above better sides fro various points of the season last year with shitter players.

Smith could have sold trez in summer if he wanted to but kept him. Barkley i think we can all agree on have been a massive disappointment. Lets not forget he chose not to sign a really good winger in benrama he had the chance to but didnt.

These same players beat liverpool arsenal drew with chelsea. Regardless if they are not as good as those teams players there is no excuse for perofmong so poorly ans cant even do the basics right. I mean we didnt even have a shot on target in the first 45 minutes against a knackered and clumsy spurs back four?

If that is not concerning to you i dont know what is.

[Villan_of_oz]

8 minutes ago, Mic09 said:

Is there no middle ground? Why do players need to take drugs and get hammered? 

Any physio/doctor will tell you the benefits of a good night's sleep and staying up late does have a long term affect on physical performance, this is just a fact. 

If they train hard and do their work at 12, no problem, but excuses such as "they play video games late" just don't sit well with people. I'm not critiquing the training method, I am criticising the PR approach to this problem - you don't say stuff like this to people who support their team.

Fair and reasonable points!

Is there a middle ground? This is VT mate, don't ask such silly questions

[AvfcRigo82]

6 hours ago, Tomaszk said:

There's been some very unstable stuff posted in the last 48 hours.

Very much so.

A few sensitive souls in this thread in the last couple of days it appears.

[DCJonah]

26 minutes ago, Demitri_C said:

Regardless if they are better or not, sheffield utd were above better sides fro various points of the season last year with shitter players.

Smith could have sold trez in summer if he wanted to but kept him. Barkley i think we can all agree on have been a massive disappointment. Lets not forget he chose not to sign a really good winger in benrama he had the chance to but didnt.

These same players beat liverpool arsenal drew with chelsea. Regardless if they are not as good as those teams players there is no excuse for perofmong so poorly ans cant even do the basics right. I mean we didnt even have a shot on target in the first 45 minutes against a knackered and clumsy spurs back four?

If that is not concerning to you i dont know what is.

Yeah, you're just really ignoring the point. It's almost denial. 

If your whole mentality is based on every so often a team finished much higher than expected then I can see why you're upset all the time. 

Again, like I told the poster who claimed top 6 could have easily been achieved, its not Dean's problem if you've created these ridiculous expectations based on nothing. 

[DCJonah]

1 hour ago, VillaFaninLondon said:

Jack has been quoted as saying the aim of the owners this season when he signed his 5 year deal was to finish between 8th and 12th. I can even dig out the interview if needs be. That is why I believe it is dangerous if we finish below 12th, and like you say it's something that a small minded team would do and not something an ambitious club like us should be doing. 

 

I think finishing as high as possible is absolutely essential. I honestly think there must be something wrong with people's brains if they say there's no difference between finishing 8th or 13th, a top half team will have a much better chance of attracting top level talent than a team that finished 13th. Our signings have to go up a level this summer if we're to be up there next season, that's why we should be fighting tooth and nail to finish as high as possible. 

 

Another crucial point you make is the extra turnover it allows us to spend on players. £10m to our FFP headroom could make a world of difference to one of our signings. 

 

As far as I'm concerned, of the remaining games, we should be beating Fulham and West Brom and getting a point minimum at Palace if not another win. I believe on our day we're capable of beating an inconsistent Everton team so could get another win there (we play them twice). Expecting Smith to get to circa 50 points is not exactly massively high expectations. And I believe if we reach 50 points we should finish in the top 10, certainly in the top 12, and we can spend again this summer to try to improve further on that. 

 

All I'm asking of Smith is he ends the season with a bit of pride and getting the team to perform well enough to win a few games. We ain't gonna get relegated, we ain't gonna get into Europe, fine, but play for your futures and the future of this club. Jack is back for Fulham and the run in so he has his best player back, but he needs to get Ollie scoring again, he needs to get McGinn and Luiz performing again, he needs to try to get the best out of Barkley if at all possible, he needs to get Sanson contributing more in the final third. If he can do that I have confidence that we can end the season reasonably well, because as much as the Smith lovers would have you believe we're actually a decent side and fully capable of finishing in the top half. 

Haha 

Dangerous. God its no wonder you lot are so worked up. You actually described our team finishing below 12th in the premier league as dangerous. Its like we are in a marvel movie and the last 5 years or so didn't happen. 

Dangerous, concerned, unacceptable. These are all words I'm hearing about a team sitting in the top half of the Premier league 

Get a **** grip. 

[AvfcRigo82]

3 minutes ago, DCJonah said:

Yeah, you're just really ignoring the point. It's almost denial. 

Pot, Kettle.