Dean Smith

[JAMAICAN-VILLAN]

1 hour ago, villalad21 said:

The Wesley thing is seriously odd.

No matter how poor he plays he still starts every game. Said for weeks now that Davis deserves a crack at it.

 

They scouted him for ages so surely he must have something about him.

I think keeping Wesley in, is more Dean not wanting to destroy his confidence more than anything.

Dean might know he has a fragile personality?

One thing I can say though, is that the things fans see, he usually sees, and he gives players enough rope to hang themselves with, or perform.

Perhaps TOO MUCH rope at times.

[villalad21]

8 minutes ago, JAMAICAN-VILLAN said:

They scouted him for ages so surely he must have something about him.

I think keeping Wesley in, is more Dean not wanting to destroy his confidence more than anything.

Dean might know he has a fragile personality?

One thing I can say though, is that the things fans see, he usually sees, and he gives players enough rope to hang themselves with, or perform.

Perhaps TOO MUCH rope at times.

I'm not saying let's get rid of Wesley. All i am asking for is that Davis get's a fair crack at it. He can't do much worse.

[Condimentalist]

2 minutes ago, villalad21 said:

I'm not saying let's get rid of Wesley. All i am asking for is that Davis get's a fair crack at it. He can't do much worse.

Agree. I also think Kodjia has a big role to play before Jan. Both seem to be better hold up players than Wes at this point, but it's very early days for him and I'm hoping he'll be a smart long term option.

[villalad21]

3 minutes ago, PatrickCousens said:

Agree. I also think Kodjia has a big role to play before Jan. Both seem to be better hold up players than Wes at this point, but it's very early days for him and I'm hoping he'll be a smart long term option.

Kodjia is the wild card. You never know what you get from him. Could be a world beater or the worse player on the pitch. Also his fitness levels worries me.

With Davis you know what you're gonna get. He's gonna bring others into the play and hold the ball up well.

[Kingman]

[JAMAICAN-VILLAN]

How I miss the genius behind "Batten down the hatches", "Put wor boots on" and "Mass Hysteria"

[privateer]

3 hours ago, JAMAICAN-VILLAN said:

They scouted him for ages so surely he must have something about him.

I think keeping Wesley in, is more Dean not wanting to destroy his confidence more than anything.

Dean might know he has a fragile personality?

One thing I can say though, is that the things fans see, he usually sees, and he gives players enough rope to hang themselves with, or perform.

Perhaps TOO MUCH rope at times.

 

I thought the "files" were filtering that type of player out of our purchasing strategy? I was under the impression we were buying player with "character", which is the very antithesis of "fragile".

[ferguson1]

59 minutes ago, Kingman said:

Joe out! 

[screwdriver]

Would be nice if we actually saw with our own eyes evidence that lessons were being learned? but we're not.

I can write the script for saturday right now.

Villa come out the traps flying playing some ping and move football (tormenting the fans by giving hope of a rainbow at the end of the tunnel).

Villa get a goal. 2nd half it's seige at the iranian embassy as norwich turn the screw.

1 dodgy VAR decision later, smith brings on jota. someone gives it away cheap and norwich are back in it. deflated Villa bottle it again.

 

The messiah o'neills team had a a couple of consecutive  games when they conceeded last minute goals. the next game you would see milner and co holding the ball by the corner flag on 85mins to emphasize the point the whole team made a concerted effort to shut down the game in a boring 80s liverpool backpass style.  I cheered louder when I saw shaun maloneys double step overs and milners arse protecting the ball by the corner flags than for any goal.

O'Neil regularly put together whole back fours in pre season who seemed to gel straight away. smith needs to make that phone call.

[briny_ear]

1 hour ago, Kingman said:

Yes, yes, but is he any good as a forward? If so we should sign him up.

[romavillan]

29 minutes ago, briny_ear said:

Yes, yes, but is he any good as a forward? If so we should sign him up.

Looks like he might be effective with his head but needs to bulk up IMO.

[villalad21]

1 hour ago, Kingman said:

Sorry but i don't have tunnel vision.

Smith is not immune to criticism just because he's a Villa fan and finished 5th in the Championship.

I will keep praising him when he does something right and keep criticize him when he does something wrong.

[avfc1982am]

Personally I think as soon a Kodja is fit get him in. Yes he can be a lazy so and so but he does things none of our current options do. Scores regular and makes chances out of nothing. I think if he had been in from the start he would be at least 3 goals up on Wes already. It's obvious the kid needs time and taking out the firing line for a week or 2 while he contemplates how much he wants it while sitting on the bench.

[DaveAV1]

3 hours ago, romavillan said:

Looks like he might be effective with his head but needs to bulk up IMO.

He’s going to get nutmegged 5 times every game. 

[terrytini]

On 29/09/2019 at 13:04, TRO said:

 

ps question.......would El Ghazi be better down the middle up front as an option?

 

 

 

 

Must admit to wondering this last season aswell. Like a slightly slower, more skilful, Agbonlahor with a brain...

....or like Henry if we are lucky. 

It’s one I’d be interested to see for sure. Doubt we ever will though.

[terrytini]

9 hours ago, villalad21 said:

I'm not saying let's get rid of Wesley. All i am asking for is that Davis get's a fair crack at it. He can't do much worse.

Smith sees them both in training. I’d hazard a guess he’s seen enough to suggest Davies isn’t the answer, else he’d play him. Just a guess though. Davies has never looked like a goal scorer to me. 

In any event I’ll trust the judgment of the guy who sees them up close. 

I suspect a fit Kodja could well find himself starting a game very soon.

[TRO]

5 hours ago, avfc1982am said:

Personally I think as soon a Kodja is fit get him in. Yes he can be a lazy so and so but he does things none of our current options do. Scores regular and makes chances out of nothing. I think if he had been in from the start he would be at least 3 goals up on Wes already. It's obvious the kid needs time and taking out the firing line for a week or 2 while he contemplates how much he wants it while sitting on the bench.

Kodjia has the technical ability, but whether he has the inclination to mix it, I am really not sure.

You have to scrap for everything in this league......look at Ings the week end chasing lost causes and battling for the ball......that's the pre-requisite now.

You don't get players in the main standing off you in this league, you have to fight for scraps and turn them in to something.....not sure Kodj has that.

[avfc1982am]

17 hours ago, TRO said:

Kodjia has the technical ability, but whether he has the inclination to mix it, I am really not sure.

You have to scrap for everything in this league......look at Ings the week end chasing lost causes and battling for the ball......that's the pre-requisite now.

You don't get players in the main standing off you in this league, you have to fight for scraps and turn them in to something.....not sure Kodj has that.

I think your wrong. How many goals has Kodjia scored out of nothing, or made something happen with little service? Plenty is the answer. Kodjia just like any other forward lives on confidence. What it is starting to boil down to is who would score the most goals per games out of our forwards....My money would be on Kodjia all day with what I have seen up to now. 

TBH we don't have many options. I also think Kodjia is the only natural goalscorer we have up front. And if we want to talk about effort on the pitch then the last couple of games Wes has been anonymous therefore we have nothing to lose. Davis isn't good enough to lead the line imo and should be used from one of the wide front positions if possible to get him minutes and where his work rate is needed more. Especially when our wide players are tiring. Kodjia scores goals when played up front. We need more goal threat. People are quick to forget how prolific Kodjia has been and just write him off through his work rate when played out wide. The work rate from Wes has been nothing short of abysmal since the Everton game. Maybe he needs taking out for a week or two. 

I'm not say Kodjia is the answer long term but he sure isn't the problem currently and never has been when he has put on the shirt. I think Wes will come good but it is obvious that he is not going to start banging in goals prolifically or create the spaces for others because at the moment he is far to static in games.

[MaVilla]

Just now, avfc1982am said:

I think your wrong. How many goals has Kodjia scored out of nothing, or made something happen with little service? Plenty is the answer. Kodjia just like any other forward lives on confidence. What it is starting to boil down to is who would score the most goals per games out of our forwards....My money would be on Kodjia all day with what I have seen up to now. 

TBH we don't have many options. I also think Kodjia is the only natural goalscorer we have up front. And if we want to talk about effort on the pitch then the last couple of games Wes has been anonymous therefore we have nothing to lose. Davis isn't good enough to lead the line imo and should be used from one of the wide front positions if possible to get him minutes and where his work rate is needed more. Especially when our wide players are tiring. Kodjia scores goals when played up front. We need more goal threat. People are quick to forget how prolific Kodjia has been and just write him off through his work rate when played out wide. The work rate from Wes has been nothing short of abysmal since the Everton game. Maybe he needs taking out for a week or two. 

I'm not say Kodjia is the answer long term but he sure isn't the problem currently and never has been when he has put on the shirt. I think Wes will come good but it is obvious that he is not going to start banging in goals prolifically or create the spaces for others because at the moment he is far to static in games.

Are we forgetting how lazy kodjia is?

And he scored goals, in the championship........3 years ago.

Since his goal scoring stint in 2016/17 (19 goals), kodgia has scored 10 goals in 54 games.......in the championship.

So basically Wesleys current goal to game ratio (2 in 7), is better in the premiership, than kodjia was in the championship since mid 2017.

I stand by Wesley for 60/65 mins, tell him to work his ass off because Davis is getting the final 25/30, see how he responds and see how Davis does also.

Kodjia is lazy AND doesn't score much any more, stop saying kodjia is a goal scorer when his goal to game ratio in the championship the last 3 year's is worse than Wesleys in the Prem in his first season in England, the blinkers are almost comical.

 

[avfc1982am]

2 minutes ago, MaVilla said:

Are we forgetting how lazy kodjia is?

And he scored goals, in the championship........3 years ago.

Since his goal scoring stint in 2016/17 (19 goals), kodgia has scored 10 goals in 54 games.......in the championship.

So basically Wesleys current goal to game ratio (2 in 7), is better in the premiership, than kodjia was in the championship since mid 2017.

I stand by Wesley for 60/65 mins, tell him to work his ass off because Davis is getting the final 25/30, see how he responds and see how Davis does also.

Kodjia is lazy AND doesn't score much any more, stop saying kodjia is a goal scorer when his goal to game ratio in the championship the last 3 year's is worse than Wesleys in the Prem in his first season in England, the blinkers are almost comical.

 

Kodjia hit 9 goals last season hardly playing. The season before was injured for large parts or not fully fit, played out wide. Take your pick. How many did Davis score last season? You mention Kodjia being lazy and I agree to a point but what has Wes done apart from the Everton game and little moments in others. Not enough either that's what. Nobody is saying Kodjia is the answer to our problems either but if we are saying that Wes is beyond dropping then we really are up shit creak. Your going on like Kodjia couldn't have possibly finished the same chances Wes has this season? That in itself is nonsense. 

I want Wes to succeed as I'm sure we all do but he is still finding his feet and may also need taking out the firing line at times. I like Davis also and he deserves minutes but he isn't ready to lead the line in the prem. I can't off the top of my head be sure but has Davis even hit 5 goals in the first team at any level. The only reason people are mentioning him is because there are no options. Davis isn't getting in any other forward line, end of. Also you cannot have a culture whereby doing the arse end of nothing is rewarded. We are trying to escape that sort of crap but won't if we allow players to slack and still start. Including Kodjia if given the chance.