Dean Smith

[Tayls]

2 minutes ago, hippo said:

I think many got carried got away with a good 50 minutes against Chelsea. Never saw it myself we went a goal down pretty quickly. Then went toe to toe for a short period in the game. Chelsea shifted out of 2nd gear and scored 2 more.

I think the hailing of that as a breakthrough performance was a mistake.

Exactly. You don’t celebrate 3-0 defeats in any way shape or form. 

[Sulberto21]

If Deano is relieved of his duties then we should be moving heaven and earth to get Marcelo Gallardo - at least he'll be in pole position to sign Julian Alvarez lol.

[Blasterpocket68]

53 minutes ago, DCJonah said:

Still think talk of sacking him right now is mad. But, even after sleeping on it, I can't get over how abysmal that performance was. 

What concerns me is that even though I think he should have changed the formation, I'm not entirely sure the formation is the sole issue. 

Buendia looks a complete waste of money and Ings and Watkins are not bringing the best out of each other. 

Bailey is the one shining light. 

I'm willing to be patient and see how we can fix this but I didn't expect to see games like that after what we'd seen earlier this season.

I agree . But what I should say we can’t continue to allow blind loyalty based on Smith being one of our own.

It’s  never ideal strategy changing a manager during the season and not something these owners would choose. However what really worries and concerns me is how the players react . Part of me already thinks he may lost some of the dressing room . 

[useless]

I made a deceptively simple point in another thread, we've lost three games, but before that we were eighth and four points off the top of the table having just beat Man Utd away from home. Of course losing three in a row isn't good, but I don't think it's evidence enough that we should be sacking Smith, especially as in two of those games we would have been clear second favorites anyway.

We have to see how the results looks over a larger span than just the last three.

[Blasterpocket68]

3 minutes ago, useless said:

I made a deceptively simple point in another thread, we've lost three games, but before that we were eighth and four points off the top of the table having just beat Man Utd away from home. Of course losing three in a row isn't good, but I don't think it's evidence enough that we should be sacking Smith, especially as in two of those games we would have been clear second favorites anyway.

We have to see how the results looks over a larger span than just the last three.

Agree but it’s the way we lost all 3 of those games . The Man U game whilst a good result papered over the cracks . We should give him time but can’t allow blind loyalty to allow this form and performances to continue. Hope it turns around with Smith but also recognises the owners should be planning possible new strategy. 

[DCJonah]

27 minutes ago, Delphinho123 said:

This too is a worry for me, especially as I was desperate for us to sign him.

He needs to start from the right in a 4-3-3 in the next match with Bailey on the opposite side. Hopefully that brings out the best in him and it’s just a case of him playing out of position that’s causing the poor form.

Smith needs to move back to a 4-3-3 now. We can all blame injuries as to why he has persisted with the 3-5-2 this season but I’m a believer that you work to a specific system and if you get an injury, one player just slots in for another. At the moment, we seem to want to accommodate certain players without playing to our strengths. 

Smith will be gone if this continues. The pressure now is growing, whether you agree with it or not. He needs to find a way of winning consistently without Grealish. 

I can't argue against this anymore. That performance was abysmal. He will 100% be under pressure if this continues over the short term. 

[NeilS]

1 hour ago, villalad21 said:

By switching to 4-3-3 Dean is giving himself a chance.

He is a goner if he persist with 5-3-2

I agree. The 5-3-2 works on the odd occasion, but it shouldn’t be our first choice starting formation.

There needs to be a quick change in fortunes as this can’t continue if we expect to qualify for Europe and keep hold of our better players. Sadly I have zero confidence we will get a result against West Ham as they bullied and best us in the second meeting last season.

[Vive_La_Villa]

I think a lot of the criticism of Smith sometimes is unfair and over the top. But there’s no question yesterday is on him and the coaching staff.

The players looked so uncomfortable in that shape against a team that completely exposed it.

As soon as it was changed you could immediately see they understood their roles and there was more cohesion. Up until that point it was hard to watch.  I haven’t listen to his post match interview yet but I hope he acknowledged how much he got that wrong. 

Edited October 23, 2021 by Vive_La_Villa

[Tumblerseven]

I remember southampton last season. They were looking so good  then they got a few really bad morale killing results and their whole season was over just like that they never recovered.

I know we can do better but im just worried that after beatings like that our season might be over. I believe next two games season defining do or die and thats scary.

[villa89]

4 minutes ago, Vive_La_Villa said:

The players looked so uncomfortable in that shape against a team that completely exposed it.

I don't think we've looked comfortable against anyone with the 3 5 2 formation. It just doesnt work. 

[Vive_La_Villa]

Just now, villa89 said:

I don't think we've looked comfortable against anyone with the 3 5 2 formation. It just doesnt work. 

We haven’t looked comfortable but managed. Yesterday we were just ripped apart.

[Woody1000]

I can understand that Dean is not the sort of manager to drag a player off after 25/30 minutes, it can do a lot of damage to a player’s confidence, but he had to switch the formation after 20 minutes whether that was pushing Cash into midfield and Konsa to RB or Tuanzebe into midfield until half time and then make the changes needed.

Something is definitely not right, whether it’s the coaching changes or the new players but as mentioned in other posts 3 at the back isn’t working, the strike partnership isn’t working, Buendia looks well off the pace required.

I just struggle to see where we are getting the next points from.

Edited October 23, 2021 by Woody1000

[honest_bertie]

Walking a thin line right now. Concerned he is to stubborn, first time i have wondered if this job is now to big for him. Is he now what we needed, but not what we need?

[Vive_La_Villa]

2 minutes ago, Woody1000 said:

I can understand that Dean is not the sort of manager to drag a player off after 25/30 minutes, it can do a lot of damage to a player’s confidence, but he had to switch the formation after 20 minutes whether that was pushing Cash into midfield and Konsa to RB or Tuanzebe into midfield until half time and then make the changes needed.

Something is definitely not right, whether it’s the coaching changes or the new players but as mentioned in other posts 3 at the back isn’t working, the strike partnership isn’t working, Buendia looks well off the pace required.

I just struggle to see where we are getting the next points from.

I think we could potentially win the next 3 if we go back to 4-3-3 and get a bit of luck and a reaction. After that’s it’s city Leicester Liverpool so if we haven’t picked up points by then we’re in trouble. 

[Woody1000]

Just now, Vive_La_Villa said:

I think we could potentially win the next 3 if we go back to 4-3-3 and get a bit of luck and a reaction. After that’s it’s city Leicester Liverpool so if we haven’t picked up points by then we’re in trouble. 

See this is the real concern for me, after the collapse last Saturday I feel we should’ve seen a reaction last night. Something is not right.

[foreveryoung]

17 minutes ago, Vive_La_Villa said:

I think a lot of the criticism of Smith sometimes is unfair and over the top. But there’s no question yesterday is on him and the coaching staff.

The players looked so uncomfortable in that shape against a team that completely exposed it.

As soon as it was changed you could immediately see they understood their roles and there was more cohesion. Up until that point it was hard to watch.  I haven’t listen to his post match interview yet but I hope he acknowledged how much he got that wrong. 

He blamed the players, not himself or the formation.

I find it worrying there was zero reaction to the Wolves debacle.

 

Edited October 23, 2021 by foreveryoung

[Vive_La_Villa]

1 minute ago, foreveryoung said:

He blamed the players, not himself or the formation.

That’s disappointing. 

[samjp26]

Worried that there’s a level of stubbornness appearing and I’m not sure it’s just Deano, we have to remember he has a new coaching set up now too. Square pegs in round holes just to play 5 at the back is just strange, especially because it’s not what Deano usually does. Losing 3 on the spin could become 4 on the spin with West Ham in form, with Bailey back there’s no excuses not to revert to the formation and style that has seen us progress so far. 

[Spoony]

So where are we at then? Unless Bailey is fit then we have no plan B and will be shit every game? Doesn’t seem sustainable….

[Risso]

14 minutes ago, foreveryoung said:

He blamed the players, not himself or the formation.

I find it worrying there was zero reaction to the Wolves debacle.

 

Not even no reaction, we were worse than we were in that the last 10 minutes against Wolves, which takes some doing. He's utterly lost the plot. Why you would buy £80M+ of wingers in Bailey, Buendia and Traore and then play a formation that does nothing for them, or anybody else in the team. Utter madness, and one which will probably cost him his job.