Dean Smith

[Vive_La_Villa]

3 minutes ago, Spoony said:

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….

Go back to the shape that got us to 11th place and the 3rd best defence in the league would be a good start. 

[Wurzel]

I don't really care what Dean says to the media in interviews, he is going to be defensive so that counts for not much with me. What I want to see is that he has learned from that abysmal first half, and the improvement in the second half, and changes are made for West Ham. The three at the back has to go. Trying to shoehorn Ings and Watkins in has to stop. If players are not pulling their weight they have to be dropped, after all we have a much stronger squad now so there is no excuse. Lets see if lessons have been learned, because if he doesn't start getting results soon things will start to turn.

[thabucks]

Lucien Farve would be one of my choices to replace Smith if this poor form continues. 

[Cizzler]

He’s surely only a few more bad results away from losing his job now.

Getting bested tactically by Arteta is pretty damning.

The players couldn’t have looked more uncomfortable in that formation. Targett and Cash were constantly in no man’s land, didn’t know who to press/cover - what on Earth do they do at BMH. The 3-5-2 is even making Konsa look bad.

He’s reluctant to drop Watkins but he needs to. He’s been awful this season.

He needs to change things quicker when it’s obviously not working. Why wait until half time? We were terrible from the first minute and his hesitancy cost us the game. It was done at 2-0.

He also needs to stop playing players out of position (Buendia, Cash, Targett). Play one striker and he needs to play 4 at the back fgs.

It’s worrying that he can’t set up a 3-5-2 or react to what’s happening in a game in front of him. He’s being exposed as a bang average manager imo.

Edited October 23, 2021 by Cizzler

[jacketspuds]

Now that Bailey is back I can’t see how Smith can persist with the 5-3-2. He’d have to play him as a wing-back to get him in the team and that isn’t going to happen.

I know we beat Man Utd playing this formation, but we’ve shipped 8 goals in 3 games since. It’s just not good enough.

Smith seems like a really good guy, who is fantastic when players are in form. The problem is, I don’t get a sense that he knows exactly what to do when they are out of form.

He doesn’t have Grealish anymore, but he has Buendia, Bailey and Ings instead. Ok, we have a problem with the 2 striker thing, but he needs to make the tough calls for the benefit of the team. This is the best squad we’ve had in 10 years, and we have to start playing like it.

I’m still in the Smith IN camp, but something has to change over the next few games for me to continue to have faith in him. The results are one thing, but performances like yesterday are a bigger concern.

[R.Bear]

Smith is definitely under pressure now. A big response was needed after that catastrophic collapse last week and they serve up one of the worst performances in recent years. It’s very worrying and we’ve now slipped into the underachieving category. The performances this season have been abysmal for the most part and getting worse. So many players are out of form and the formation/shape/tactics just aren’t working.

The missed pen against United felt like a turning point at the time but it’s been the exact opposite. Do I think Smith is a bad manager? No. Do I think he’s good enough to get us to the “next level”? No I do not. He’ll keep us in the division but if we want more then we need to look elsewhere.

Edited October 23, 2021 by R.Bear

[dubbs]

Villa are comparable to the fat kid in P.E. class.  Tries hard, occasionally looks good in one lesson but ultimately never ends up being in that group who are part of the school team.   

[Condimentalist]

A bit of pressure on Dean now for sure. I am sure he'll rise to it, history suggests he does. 

[VillaFaninLondon]

The fans have definitely turned, even those who have relentlessly supported him are doubting him.

 

We could be as low as 15th after this weekend, nowhere near good enough. Our squad should be much better than fighting a relegation battle.

 

The owners have got to do something soon and salvage our season, Smith is clearly failing with this team.

[Chicken Field]

I've personally never been a massive fan of Smith, BUT I appreciate the fantastic work he has done for us and what he has turned Aston Villa into

I still believe it'd be very harsh to sack him now, but we are slowly creeping into that danger zone now.

Looking at the lists of available manager, I'd love to know who you'd pick to replace Smith, as I did not see one, realistic, manager that would excite me.

[AntrimBlack]

It may be a bit early to panic, but the spectre of Edens with his trigger finger must be looming on the horizon.

The owners won't show endless patience, and they won't mess about if things are not going to plan. It is all down to Smith now.

[JAMAICAN-VILLAN]

Bloke on the Facebook Fan Group (Yes I know ) who seems to get alot of accurate info ( Been spot on with injuries, signings etc before they come out ) claims Deano has " 2 games to save his job ".

Obviously calmed down and sobered up a bit from last night, but still a bit baffled and annoyed.

Ideal scenario would be a couple of scintillating performances to makes the likes of yesterday distant memories.

However, I feel Deano has eroded a good chunk of his good credit in the bank over the last few games.

Edited October 23, 2021 by JAMAICAN-VILLAN

[Kiwivillan]

6 minutes ago, JAMAICAN-VILLAN said:

Bloke on the Facebook Fan Group (Yes I know ) who seems to get alot of accurate info ( Been spot on with injuries, signings etc before they come out ) claims Deano has " 2 games to save his job ".

Obviously calmed down and sobered up a bit from last night, but still a bit baffled and annoyed.

Ideal scenario would be a couple of scintillating performances to makes the likes of yesterday distant memories.

However, I feel Deano has eroded a good chunk of his good credit in the bank over the last few games.

I hoped Wolves implosion was a blip we'd bounce back from but first half against Arsenal had feeling of lost the dressing room

[Delphinho123]

1 hour ago, Cizzler said:

He’s surely only a few more bad results away from losing his job now.

Getting bested tactically by Arteta is pretty damning.

The players couldn’t have looked more uncomfortable in that formation. Targett and Cash were constantly in no man’s land, didn’t know who to press/cover - what on Earth do they do at BMH. The 3-5-2 is even making Konsa look bad.

He’s reluctant to drop Watkins but he needs to. He’s been awful this season.

He needs to change things quicker when it’s obviously not working. Why wait until half time? We were terrible from the first minute and his hesitancy cost us the game. It was done at 2-0.

He also needs to stop playing players out of position (Buendia, Cash, Targett). Play one striker and he needs to play 4 at the back fgs.

It’s worrying that he can’t set up a 3-5-2 or react to what’s happening in a game in front of him. He’s being exposed as a bang average manager imo.

Potentially some harsh truths in this statement I’m afraid. 

[PerryBarrPet]

2 minutes ago, Delphinho123 said:

Potentially some harsh truths in this statement I’m afraid. 

More than just potentially I’m afraid. We have a good squad and if Smithy can’t set them up to compete with Arteta’s Arsenal then he should go.

[Vive_La_Villa]

25 minutes ago, JAMAICAN-VILLAN said:

Bloke on the Facebook Fan Group (Yes I know ) who seems to get alot of accurate info ( Been spot on with injuries, signings etc before they come out ) claims Deano has " 2 games to save his job ".

Obviously calmed down and sobered up a bit from last night, but still a bit baffled and annoyed.

Ideal scenario would be a couple of scintillating performances to makes the likes of yesterday distant memories.

However, I feel Deano has eroded a good chunk of his good credit in the bank over the last few games.

I don’t get why he’s doing this to himself. It’s not exactly rocket science as to what the main problem was yesterday. I’ve never seen us look so lost.  I almost felt sorry for Cash and Targett. They had no idea where they should be positioned.

[Vive_La_Villa]

14 minutes ago, Paul33 said:

No tactics and no formation will "work" if your key playmakers repeatedly give the ball away. Luiz, McGinn and Buendia repeatedly and consistently gave the ball away throughout the first half in what was collectively and individually the worst 45 minutes of their seasons.

When you go 5-3-2/3-5-2 then you are pushing your full backs to race forward as wing-backs and create an overload and you could hear our coaches imploring them to do that but if your key ballers then give the ball away cheap then you expose those full backs horribly.

5-3-2/3-5-2 can work well but it is completely reliant on your midfielders and, to a lesser extent your forwards, holding the ball up at the very least.

The biggest and most critical failing yesterday was the abysmal performances from Luiz, McGinn and Buendia and, of those, Buendia is a particular concern as his level of performance since arriving is no better than League One and he is meant to be our key playmaker !  

These are fair points but when it’s obvious the opposition have the bit between their teeth it’s pointless wing backs bombing forward horribly exposing us even more. You weather the storm and then build yourself in to the game. We were so open it was embarrassing. It was almost like we said come on Arsenal, finish us off asap.

Edited October 23, 2021 by Vive_La_Villa

[Delphinho123]

2 minutes ago, Tom13 said:

Saying that Targett can't cross is harsh. Technically he is superb. I agree partly though, as the only man on the left he is expected to make his own crossing space, which he can't do as he doesn't have skill or pace.

When a competent winger (or ideally a wide playmaker such as Grealish) is in front of him, he's great, as he's intelligent when creating those two on one situations to get into dangerous areas.

Spot on. Doesn’t take a genius to realise that Targett is a very competent left back but a bang average/poor wing back. 

Smith is his own worst enemy at times. He’s going to cost himself his own job if he doesn’t start seeing the obvious. 

[commander]

As others have aluded to this close season has been disjointed,  the players we bought are great (individually), but you could well argue that these weren't bought as part of the strategy for this season. 

For example, if we intended to go into this season playing 352 then why the **** did we buy Buendia and Baily? If the plan is 433, then you can still argue about whether we signed the right players. Bailey and Buendia's best position is Right Wing. We already have a great (if massively inconsistent) right winger in Traore. Left wing we still have El Ghazi who (numbers aside) offers little to the team, I know we can play others left but it's players out of position - so after £300m spent El Ghazi is still our best left wing option.

Cash and Target aren't good enough to play as wing backs. Freddie G is comparable to Cash, but massively more suited to 352 but what do we do? Pack him out on loan without giing him a chance. 

Hause has been treated poorly, keeps clean sheets then dropped, the oter defenders make mistakes yet Hause not given a chance. I understand Hause can be a liability, but surely the performance in the shirt should count for something? This is something I would level at Smith, he's been really harsh with El Ghazi, Hause, Guilbert, (hell even Barkley & Davis on some ocassions - but i don't expect many will agree with me here!) whereas Mings has had some stinkers yet is never pulled up on it... 

Smith has been amazing and I hope he turns it around, but i'm not confident. This decline started after the first 3 games. Some of us said it wasn't good enough (points and performances) and we were panned and ridiculed. Now, 9 games in and 10 points is in my opinion simply unacceptable for the moeny spent and options available. 

 

 

 

Edited October 23, 2021 by commander
I can't spell and write sentences properly :facepalm:

[avfc1982am]

Having time to digest that performance last night I am now of the opinion Smith has brought this on himself. In my opinion the unsettled summer we had was not the right time to rip up the work done over the last 3 years and design a new template to play to. He needed upgrades, not to tear up our base set up for a system that put the creative onus on FB's. I think if he kept it simple and just changed personnel rather than the formation we would be far more settled than on current form and his biggest problem would be integration of individuals. Instead he's unsettled the squad.  

By his own admission he got it wrong last night, even if he didn't want to admit it. Changing it up at HT was highlighting that admission and not mentioning it whilst calling the players out was imo him admitting he's feeling the pressure. Previously he has always shouldered some of the blame in interviews. When any manager starts diverting blame it's the beginning of the end.  

Smith has been brilliant getting us to this point however, I think he's now bumping his head off the ceiling.