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Dean Smith


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2 minutes ago, markavfc40 said:

I haven't posted in the main forum since just before the Sheff Utd game I think mainly because I feared the potential doom and gloom around Smith and the team getting me down.

I think in his 21 months here Smith has done a remarkable job and keeping us up this season was just as big an achievement as getting us up in the first place. People can throw the 120 mill spent at him but that was on 12 players only one of which, Heaton, had any real premier league experience. Of the outfield players we brought in Mings and Targett were the most experienced at prem level with under 25 games each. Of those we retained from the previous season only Taylor and Elmo, both with their best days behind them, had any real experience at prem level.

We were therefore heavily reliant on players with ability, a lot of potential but taking a big step up in level. Many of those players on top of adjusting to a higher level also had to adjust to living in a new country.

17th was always the realistic aim for me this season and I don't really want to waffle on about the ups and downs over the season other than to say the low that that we hit when we lost 3-0 to Man Utd leaving us 7 points from safety looked pretty much impossible to lift us from but Smith lifted us and some.

Going forward we now have a squad that will be much stronger for the experience of this season. A squad that will need a handful of additions to kick on not a dozen. We will also have a manager who will have learnt a great deal and will also be stronger and wiser for having got this season under his belt.

For the first time in years we don't face a massive rebuild and summer of upheaval and have foundations to build on and I look forward to what Smith can do. Bring it on.

£120m is **** all in today’s game as well. Even less considering we needed a full team with that. Mad.

That said, the lack of effort on occasions from our players was worrying, but the last 4 games has shown something I hadn’t seen this season. 
 

We started on fire and then went on a massive dip. Defensively we were terrible and after the Leicester game it looked all over. We came back after the break looking more solid but with no goals in us - and yet the last 4 games we have looked more threatening. If only we had a goal scorer.

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I questioned whether the club was ready to be promoted and during the season thought we were in real trouble. Smith has shown a little naivety as any manager when their first time in the PL. But to his credit and a little luck, he was able to turn things around and have the players believe.

We will be a better team next season, the inexperienced PL players now have 30+ games under their belts and will some astute signings, we should move up the PL table.

Up the Villa.

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The turnaround in the last 4 games has been immense and as a result smith deserves another crack at it next season , however we must make sure that there is no relegation battle next year and build from  here - that needs much improved recruitment with the focus on players who are tried and tested , we have another chance now , let’s take it . 

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I don't think any of us would take 35 points if offered to us in August. Point tally like that would mean relegation in a lot of past seasons.

The important thing is we stayed up and that we push on from here. Absolutely cannot be in this position next season.

Massive summer lies ahead

Edited by villalad21
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2 minutes ago, villalad21 said:

I don't think any of us would take 35 points if offered to us in August. Point tally like that would mean relegation in a lot of past seasons.

The important thing is we stayed up and that we push on from here. Absolutely cannot be in this position next season.

Massive summer lies ahead

Yes we should be better next year and need 3 or 4 decent players in , enjoy your summer break chaps and let’s hope it’s upwards and onwards from here 👍

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Huge moment staying up for Dean. Hopefully give him a bit of breathing space for the next few weeks to have a bit of time off and concentrate on building on this base for next year.

An unbelievable achievement all things considered. If anyone thought, when he took over, he would've done everything he has then they would've won alot of money.

Record breaking winning streak, promotion, build a whole squad, cup final and now we can add survival to that list. Fantastic stuff.

I asked the question a few weeks ago if anyone had built a whole squad and kept them up? The answer is yes. And he did it with us. 

We cannot rest now though, the major question mark over the past 12 months, recruitment, will be called into question again. Let's get it right this year. 

Aim for next year? No relegation battle and let's say 10th-14th placed finish. Let's show progression. I believe in Dean as the man to carry on taking us forward. So pleased for him.

I've seen him called a fool, an idiot, 'get out of our club'. So pleased he's shoved all of that back in people's faces. Lots of humble pie being eaten, but I'm sure those people are enjoying that pie!!

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5 minutes ago, Mjvilla said:

I've seen him called a fool, an idiot, 'get out of our club'. So pleased he's shoved all of that back in people's faces. Lots of humble pie being eaten, but I'm sure those people are enjoying that pie!!

"Hopefully this will shut some people up"

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10 hours ago, avfcDJ said:

Credit to @DCJonah for keeping the faith 👍

You know what. I can't sit here and claim that I believed he'd keep us up all along. I thought we were down. 

However, I did believe he deserved the season to see if he could keep us up and I did not believe a different manager could have got more from these players.

I'm still surprised so many people turned on him. People calling him a disaster for the club and wanted him sacked months ago. 

The man has done more than we could realistically have expected by this point when he joined. We continue to improve under him and unlike previous managers he is a very easy man to get behind. 

I'm so happy for him. 

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12 minutes ago, villalad21 said:

I don't think any of us would take 35 points if offered to us in August. Point tally like that would mean relegation in a lot of past seasons.

The important thing is we stayed up and that we push on from here. Absolutely cannot be in this position next season.

Massive summer lies ahead

In the last 4 seasons it would have been enough. That's no comment on the imaginary scenario you're spending time asserting.

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Just now, Rolta said:

In the last 4 seasons it would have been enough.

Didn't know that.

That's surprisingly low. Looks like the league is getting weaker.

Still don't think any of us on here would take 35 points if offered in August.

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6 minutes ago, villalad21 said:

Didn't know that.

That's surprisingly low. Looks like the league is getting weaker.

Still don't think any of us on here would take 35 points if offered in August.

Yeah I mean I agree. Of course we wouldn't have. We'd have taken 'whatever points are required to not be relegated'. My friend was saying the same thing about the 35 points and I had literally just then looked it up when I saw you mention it. The year we went down Newcastle went down with 37. The year before Hull went down with 35. But in the last four years 35 points has been enough.

It's not that I have you down as a glass-entirely-empty person, but I don't agree that's a reflection that the league is getting weaker at all. I wonder whether the new TV money in the league has made a lot of the middle-table teams a lot stronger, so the points needed to avoid relegation might be a little lower now as fewer points will end up with the bottom teams.

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Just now, villalad21 said:

Didn't know that.

That's surprisingly low. Looks like the league is getting weaker.

Still don't think any of us on here would take 35 points if offered in August.

But this is so pointless. If someone offered 35 pts and staying up of course we would. 

36 pts is the average required to stay up. Even now, you have to get some sort of criticism in. 

You wanted him sacked on two occasions, both times he went and achieved his target. Maybe, just maybe, you keep getting it wrong.

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Just now, DCJonah said:

But this is so pointless. If someone offered 35 pts and staying up of course we would. 

36 pts is the average required to stay up. Even now, you have to get some sort of criticism in. 

You wanted him sacked on two occasions, both times he went and achieved his target. Maybe, just maybe, you keep getting it wrong.

I want him sacked if a high profile manager like Pochettino become available.

I have already said numerous times i've got no issues keeping Smith if the alternatives are the like of Hughton and Dyche.

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Its still a tough one for me. Its OK now saying we only spent £120m I thought it was £160m , We were told that we were building a team not only to stay in the Prem but to make a challenge in the Prem when did this change. Too many games played without passion and as far as we know no one hair dryered over it or dragged off the field and replaced. Same back post mistakes made over and over again. We have all screamed for subs and not seen them until we have gone behind.

The last four games are a different kettle of fish, were they told it was last stand or did all the plans and tactics suddenly come together. What ever I am so pleased to be staying up I can almost forgive what went before, but not quite, No I cant forgive what got us into this position. Its like some one punching you in the guts every Saturday and then thanking them when they stop. Do we praise Dean for keeping us up over the last 4 games and forget why we were bottom of the league. Convinced myself now, No it wasn't good enough. proven manager next season please 

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4 minutes ago, villalad21 said:

Didn't know that.

That's surprisingly low. Looks like the league is getting weaker.

Still don't think any of us on here would take 35 points if offered in August.

At the bottom I would say it is weaker.

The top clubs hardly ever drop any points these days - meaning 36 is the new 40.

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