Dean Smith

[El Zen]

Just now, PaulC said:

Hes making out its not the formation and maybe hes got a point but it certainly didn't help. 

Unless you literally play 1-1-8 or something similarly daft, it’s never just the formation. 

But if Deano seriously thinks it didn’t play a role in today’s horror show of a performance, he’s wrong. Then again, he must have seen something, as he obviously did change the formation. 

[MwAv808]

4 minutes ago, VillaFaninLondon said:

That's always it, you and others will always argue where he's taken us from but don't see the bigger picture.

 

He's tactically limited and not going to do anything with this team, it's obvious, and now our style of play is frickin awful too so he hasn't even got that to fall back on. 

 

I've just had enough of him and don't think he can move us forward. If you don't agree fine, but I think it's pretty obvious he can't take us any further. 

Spot on, too many with rose tinted glasses on, would have been a fairytale for smith to take us further, but I think our fairytale was smith as manager and grealish as captain getting us back up, now it’s time for the harsh reality that he’s out of his depth and if the owners have the ambition they say they do they need to show it, looking at what they’ve spent compared to others they do! 

[Jareth]

Just now, Peter Griffin said:

If CP & NSWE believe Smith is the wrong man for the job they need to sack him. They can't be second guessing themselves about a potential replacement. Clubs change managers all the time and it is Purslow's job, with the help of others to ensure the get the right replacement. Saying we shouldn't sack Smith because we mightn't find better is complete BS. I am not saying sack Smith, I am saying if the time comes when Purslow believes he is not the right man for the job then he needs to go

I'm not sure we lost 'cos smith' some other dead rot is happening 

 

[Peter Griffin]

2 minutes ago, villa4europe said:

not sure why it's such a problem for us, part fitness part laziness part coaching maybe part confidence, we don't show enough 

 

Are fitness, laziness and confidence not things the coach needs to resolve and is responsible for?

[AVTuco]

Are we going the right way? Are we improving? Are we gelling as a team? Is Smith really the best the world can offer on this level?

[dont_do_it_doug.]

As much as I have defended Smith over the last 10 months or so because I am sick to death of him mugging me off every time he looks to be snatching defeat from the jaws of victory, the inconsistency it utterly ludicrous. Every time I think he has seen it off, he drags us back into the mire. 

He has the ability, but as Gregory used to say of Paul Merson, I'd rather he be a 7 or an 8 out of 10 every week than a 10 followed by a 4. He has been in the job a long time now and we have garnished him with a boat load of talent, to kick us on to the next level he has to make something stick or they won't put up with it. 

We could rattle off 3 in a row now and I would still be concerned it is another false dawn. That is a recipe for disaster. 

Edited October 22, 2021 by dont_do_it_doug.

[Jareth]

How can a manager be responsible for 11 men being shit at even the basics. 

[DaveAV1]

2 minutes ago, thabucks said:

Everyone was at fault tonight they all share the blame for sure. The formation you can say was wrong but it was the personnel I’d question more. Axel over Hause is ridiculous, and you gotta feel sorry for him as he does nothing wrong really when he plays but first hooked. And buendia over Ramsey was another mistake.

Need to get Bailey and Traore on the pitch playing 4231 / 433 so ditching the currently failed Ings - Watkins combo. 

I wonder was the Tuanzebe loan deal done with certain guarantees of playing time? Both players we’ve signed on loan from top 6 clubs, him and Barkley have been at the least underwhelming. Although I tend to lean towards shite as the word to use. 

[hippo]

5 minutes ago, avfc1982am said:

I think hesitancy and over thinking are his biggest issues tbh. Far too hesitant to change immediately when things are going tits up which is why we seldom recover in games. 

I think analytically he sees the same shit everyone does but spends far too long procrastinating until it's too late

Over thinking certainly Ive been saying it for a while. Last Saturdays subs were for no real reason other than players saved 22 minutes energy ! 

[Blasterpocket68]

Just now, Jareth said:

How can a manager be responsible for 11 men being shit at even the basics. 

No idea. Neither as he, 

[Sulberto21]

Walsall and Brentford were similar in terms of results - win a few then a defeat or two then win again so on and so forth.

[nick76]

1 minute ago, Peter Griffin said:

If CP & NSWE believe Smith is the wrong man for the job they need to sack him. They can't be second guessing themselves about a potential replacement. Clubs change managers all the time and it is Purslow's job, with the help of others to ensure the get the right replacement. Saying we shouldn't sack Smith because we mightn't find better is complete BS. I am not saying sack Smith, I am saying if the time comes when Purslow believes he is not the right man for the job then he needs to go

I didn’t say that though did I.  I think they think Smith is the right man for the job but if a Klopp/Guardiola type came along they’d be mad not to jump at it.  Just like if Erling Haaland bizarrely said I want to join Villa but we’d have to sacrifice Watkins, I’d do it in a heartbeat and pack Watkins bags for him.  I love Watkins, despite his poor form at moment, but if the chance of an elite you’d jump at it but Haaland isn’t going to do that so I continue to support Watkins.  The same for Smith, he’s far from perfect but I believe right for us but if Klopp said I want to try my hand Villa I’d say, thanks Smith, welcome Klopp.

[TrentVilla]

Just now, Jareth said:

How can a manager be responsible for 11 men being shit at even the basics. 

Hmmm don't know, maybe if he signed most of them, train's them, picks the team and formation, picks the tactics, makes the changes and refuses to accept what is starring him in the face. You know, the managers job essentially.

Yes players once again cannot be absolved for individual or collective blame for that performance just as with Wolves but ultimately it is on Smith.

That was an absolute mess this evening.

[AVTuco]

1 minute ago, Blasterpocket68 said:

Be very careful Treason is not permitted on this board. Or any opinion ! 

My post count on this thread is probably about five. I very very rarely say anything about the manager. I always relate to players more. But now I feel a change may be needed in order to get back on track.

[Made In Aston]

6 minutes ago, AVTuco said:

Are we going the right way? Are we improving? Are we gelling as a team? Is Smith really the best the world can offer on this level?

It does feel like the team hasn't really gelled and it's all a bit disjointed at the moment. It's a combination of a disrupted pre-season, Grealish leaving, injuries, key new players bedding in, tactical experiments and Smith not getting the balance right. I'm confident we will improve, but if it doesn't happen soon then I might be a bit concerned for his job come Christmas. 

Edited October 22, 2021 by Made In Aston

[Peter Griffin]

Just now, Jareth said:

How can a manager be responsible for 11 men being shit at even the basics. 

Do you know what management is? Could you do me a favour and have a chat with my boss and explain your thoughts on management. My boss holds me 100% accountable for all the people that report into me. There are no excuses or no mitigating factors, I am held accountable. I need to anticipate and I need to have everyone firing on all cylinders. If they are not doing that they get fired. If I don't fore them and they continue then I get fired. 

[jacketspuds]

1 minute ago, Sulberto21 said:

Walsall and Brentford were similar in terms of results - win a few then a defeat or two then win again so on and so forth.

Yep. And that is something that I’m sure our ambitious owners will eventually run out of patience with.

[hippo]

Just now, DaveAV1 said:

I wonder was the Tuanzebe loan deal done with certain guarantees of playing time? Both players we’ve signed on loan from top 6 clubs, him and Barkley have been at the least underwhelming. Although I tend to lean towards shite as the word to use. 

OK - I will share this at the risk of being flamed for a fake ITK.  Take it or leave it. But Axel is wanted permanently at VP. Whether his poor form has affected it I don't know - but the idea was the loan will be made permanent.

[DCJonah]

No defending that. That was abysmal and he's done himself no favours picking that formation again. 

I've consistently said I doubt he's under pressure this season but more like that and he certainly will be. 

Something needs to change and quickly. 

[MaVilla]

Honestly, i really want and hope Deano turns this around asap and we get back on the "top 10" road, as i think top 10 should have been our target this season, however, i think its going really, really badly wrong right now.

I know some are firing shots at the players, but in my humble opinion, we have a quality squad.

Martinez is a world class keeper, Mings is an England international, Konsa possibly should be, Cash and Targett were class last season on the whole, Luiz has ability, Buendia is nearly an Argentina international who had creativity stats in the PL only behind Grealish and De Bruyne in 19/20, Bailey is class, Ings is a top goalscorer, Watkins is a good player. McGinn plays like a different player for Scotland, Sanson is a quality player, yes we have some injuries, but thats life.

I know we have some weaknesses in the squad positionally, but if most or all of these players are tripping over themselves to fail, falling over the ball, making errors again and again, failing to pass 5 yards, tripping over their own shadows, punting long balls when we are one of the smaller teams, lose our cool at the slightest bit of adversity, implode and appear weak minded when we face an "aggressive team", panic spreading like wild fire, for me this points to a slightly bigger problem than "this one player is rubbish".

Many teams in the PL would love to have quite a few of our players.

Im sorry, but if you look at the performance of the team, i dont see how we can point a finger at the players primarily, it has to be the coaching, tactics, badly set up formation etc, yes the players have a part in it, they need to show desire and effort, but if they are being told to punt the ball all the time, i dunno.......its not one or two underperforming, its most of them, are they all bad!?!?, i dont think they are as bad as they are showing.

Edited October 22, 2021 by MaVilla