VillaChris Posted January 12, 2019 Share Posted January 12, 2019 His game management has been really poor in recent weeks. Was too slow to react to Leeds dominanting at even 2-0 down and look what happens. Can't understand why today at 1-0 down he leaves two strikers on the bench. The trio change made us even worse. Dean Smith is struggling atm and still has a lot to learn at this level. He will now feel pressure he hasn't felt at his previous clubs with this winless run. Worry for me he didn't get a reaction from last week's poor display. That's never a good sign to me with regards the long term. 2 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HongKongVillan Posted January 12, 2019 VT Supporter Share Posted January 12, 2019 I can see what he is trying to do. Starting play from the back, and trying to get progressive thereafter from midfield to front. But other teams have now sussed out those who tried to play from the back are just not good enough to do so, and often loses possessions when being pressed. Think our fullback lost out 3 time in the 5 mins before we concede the first. And the peno given away was another mistake when we are being pressed at the back. Promotion is over this year and won't hold too much against Smith for this. This summer is crucial for us to get the right members to be able to play his type of football. All the best Dean, I kind of still believe what you are trying to do is for long term benefit. But don't leave it too late Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Villarocker Posted January 12, 2019 Share Posted January 12, 2019 Think he needs to look at El Ghazi and Bolasie. Our strengths last season were out wide. These two are not doing what Snoddy and Albert did last season - at either end of the pitch! 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HeyAnty Posted January 12, 2019 Share Posted January 12, 2019 (edited) 10 minutes ago, Vive_La_Villa said: Wolves bought in a manager that led teams to Champions Leagues. Newcastle had a manager that had won it all. Leeds after 15 odd years in this league have now got a manager that has managed for years at the highest level. Can Smith handle such a big job? 100%. Close this thread down now. This says it all. Edited January 12, 2019 by HeyAnty 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
macandally Posted January 12, 2019 Share Posted January 12, 2019 12 minutes ago, AVTuco said: We were never this bad under Bruce. I don't know what we should do. Obviously, Smith needs more time, but he seems as clueless as I am. Still trending down. Yes we were 2 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vive_La_Villa Posted January 12, 2019 Share Posted January 12, 2019 I think the problem is we have talented players but a lot team we face will almost see it like a cup game and be really motivated to beat us. Our players aren’t up for the fight. The teams we’ve done well against are the ones who probably don’t see us as a scalp so are not as up for it. Look at Preston, ran themselves in to the ground to get a point. Lost a week later to Rotherham. What I’ve noticed about Smith is he talks a lot about character when signing players rather than about ability. I think he will want a massive overhaul of players because most of the ones we have now think they are better than what they are. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dave-R Posted January 12, 2019 Share Posted January 12, 2019 The question is why are they failing to perform, none of us understand it and I bet Smith and his team are completely puzzled.some squads work and some dont, we've seen them work for a period and then completely do the opposite under two managers now. If I were Smith I'd rip this squad apart as fast as I could because if anything they are, they are not consistent enough. Whatever it is, be it players brickwalling there potential, fatigue, injuries, media crap going on, there's to much hitting our club from every direction that its gard to put a nail on it, it's causing chaos, it needs sorting. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Eastie Posted January 12, 2019 Share Posted January 12, 2019 Interesting to hear what he says about this fiasco and his choice of subs - time to look in the mirror and accept some of the blame himself - this was totally unacceptable today and has been coming in recent weeks . 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Popular Post Dr_Pangloss Posted January 12, 2019 Popular Post Share Posted January 12, 2019 (edited) I'm going to preface this by saying that I believe Smith is the man for the job and should be given til the end of next season before any decisions are made. As things stand at this very moment though I am extremely unhappy with him, every scrap of the good work that had been done in his first 6 weeks here has been thoroughly unwound by the last 5 or so games. Three things stick out for me that I'm bitterly disappointed with: (1) Lack of tactical innovation. I expected far more in terms of 'bright ideas' and different systems, Smith has delivered none of that. He has fallen precisely into the sort of traps that Bruce fell into and that's churning out sides in the same old 4-5-1 formation. This formation firstly doesn't always work but crucially, does not work without Grealish or at least without a player who can mirror what he can do. Without that creative player in there the formation is dull, with the midfield looking workman like and service to the forward being choked off. With a number of strikers at the club you have to question why Smith isn't looking at a 4-4-2 or a 3-5-2, he hasn't bothered to try anything new. (2) Questionable in game management. His subs today were a disgrace, it's as simple as that. When you're chasing a game against a side like Wigan and have forwards on the bench, yet decide to deploy Glen Whelan and a centre half, that to me is just unforgivable, as bad as it gets. He has made bizarre changes before as well, such as bringing Whelan on against QPR when we were trying to win the game. So there's been a lot of red flags in this department already. (3) Lack of tempo and tenacity. When he joined he was getting us to press high up the pitch and move the ball quickly, with the players moving a lot more and creating space. This has disappeared entirely over the last 5-6 games. To cut Smith some slack on this I've always said that the players are not fit enough to execute his style and only a full pre-season can correct this. But nevertheless, it's at least concerning that the energy has sapped out the team and he seems unable to affect this. Things have to change and change quickly, I'm hoping that he gets several players in this window, but there's several things to be concerned about based on the evidence presented so far. Edited January 12, 2019 by Dr_Pangloss 8 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TRO Posted January 12, 2019 Share Posted January 12, 2019 10 minutes ago, sharkyvilla said: Gone along with Axel and Jack unfortunately. Now we are left in the same position he took over. I wonder if conceding the two goal lead against Leeds is Smith's equivalent of giving up two goals to Leicester under Sherwood. We seemed to have been destroyed ever since. It wasn't the 2 goals themselves....it was the shit show we produced OFF the ball to allow them to score them.....its evident in many games. We are one thing on the ball.....OFF the ball we are a horror show, we are "deck chair's R us".....the word has well and truly got around. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Skruff Posted January 12, 2019 Share Posted January 12, 2019 I don't get why Elphick was taken off. I don't get why we didn't bring Davies on. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
villalad21 Posted January 12, 2019 Share Posted January 12, 2019 A big part of a managers job is getting the best out of his players. Can anyone really say he is doing that? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OutByEaster? Posted January 12, 2019 Moderator Share Posted January 12, 2019 Here's his problem; make a competitive midfield that can win the ball, control games, carry a threat and supply our wide players using the following: McGinn, Hourihane, Bjarnason, Whelan. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nabby Posted January 12, 2019 Share Posted January 12, 2019 The subs where shambolic ,that is 100% on him .The tactics where not working from the beginning thats on him and he didn't change anything thats also on him.Players where crap no doubt but this match poor management is equally to blame 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
villa4europe Posted January 12, 2019 Share Posted January 12, 2019 (edited) 16 minutes ago, Vive_La_Villa said: It’s not that simple though when you are a big club with massive expectations. Just look at Leeds and how many managed have tried over the last 15 years or so. this big club with big name players shit is **** poison we're a mid table championship team with a lot of utter garbage players who let us down every week because they are not good enough but they are at a big club and on great money so they are doing ok neil taylor big name, international player, played in the olympics, played in the prem, earns probably around £30k a week at a big club....none of it means anything because he's **** shit Edited January 12, 2019 by villa4europe 1 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
holteend1982 Posted January 12, 2019 Share Posted January 12, 2019 (edited) We are getting worse and worse every week. I'm all for for giving him time to implement his style but at the minute we look no different to when we was playing when Bruce was sacked, he will be lucky to get to the end of the season at this rate. Really needs to get some results soon. Edited January 12, 2019 by holteend1982 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OutByEaster? Posted January 12, 2019 Moderator Share Posted January 12, 2019 1 minute ago, TRO said: .....the word has well and truly got around. I think there's something in this. Wigan got into us early, kicked us about a bit. It wasn't desperation, it was a plan. I think teams see us as soft. I think they're right. 2 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pimlico_Villa Posted January 12, 2019 Share Posted January 12, 2019 21 minutes ago, Vive_La_Villa said: Is the job too big for Smith? Absolutely. Even the players are too big for him. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Popular Post macandally Posted January 12, 2019 Popular Post Share Posted January 12, 2019 It’s comical how many are kicking off on here about Smith. I would still have him all day long over Bruce, how short the memory, do you not remember the start of the year? Bruce built a squad of 30 something journeymen, Smith got a tune out of them initially but the truth is we have not much worth keeping. Most that we would are unaffordable and/or on loan. We will not go up this year and we will need major surgery in the summer, hopefully built on a strong spine (which we don’t have) and youth with energy (again missing). Truth hurts but unavoidable 6 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thunderball Posted January 12, 2019 Share Posted January 12, 2019 Yes it hurts, yes its frustrating and almost inexplicable but Jeez, get a grip. Yes, two very poor games, but calling for Smiths head is utterly ridiculous we are in danger of living up to the fickle mantle. He’s only been here 10-12 or so games and 4 games ago he was ‘a breath of fresh air’, ‘exactly who we need’ etc etc. Our squad is a shambles, we have injuries and no defence, coupled with another new keeper infront of a make shift defence. But by my reckoning we have Abraham, McGinn and Grealish who are decent and everyone else is middling or rubbish here lies teh problem. However to suggest he has lost the dressing room is utterly bonkers. Lets the dust settle. Let Smith develop his team and style, twenty games left to sort this out. 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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