Dean Smith

[MaVilla]

2 hours ago, Dave J said:

I agree - but equally we don't chuck in the towel just yet !

I honestly think once Grealish and Tuanzebe are back, added to Kalinic, Mings and hopefully a settled and playing Carroll and hause, we might just see a replay of the original form when DS first arrived.

Looking back I think it's pretty obvious now that Grealish was the cornerstone of the entire way we played, and even if he couldn't get in the game, it took at least a couple of players to shut him out which gave that extra space and time for the rest of the team to look half decent.

Looking back it's not just about what Grealish does, it's also about what others needed to do to nullify him which gave most of our average players more time and space to pick a pass, choose a runner, make a run and not Bruce ball it.

Edited February 3, 2019 by MaVilla

[Tomaszk]

Early on, every single goal kick went short. Why has that stopped?

He needs an alternative system. Like the look of Sheff U's 3421, with a more narrow two behind the forward. Would work for us if worked on as well because our wingers are all dogdirt.

Edited February 3, 2019 by Tomaszk

[MaVilla]

8 minutes ago, Tomaszk said:

Early on, every single goal kick went short. Why has that stopped?

He needs an alternative system. Like the look of Sheff U's 3421, with a more narrow two behind the forward. Would work for us if worked on as well because our wingers are all dogdirt.

Because without Grealish we don't have the ball playing midfield and the time he creates I guess.

Honestly I think Carroll would help us in the middle with the style we want, just a little concerned about his physique etc.

I think in the summer we will see some really tidy players coming in, just one or two players who play the right way would make a world of difference.

I really think a core of kalinic, Mings, guilbert, Chester, Mcginn, Grealish and Davis will be a nice backbone to build from for next season.

Then we just need to hope a couple of our u23 can make the step up or we sign 2-3 Really good ball players and we will be a different prospect.

I hope we sign Mings he looks the real deal, the problem is if he really performs on loan what gonna stop a club higher than us swooping in.....

Edited February 3, 2019 by MaVilla

[MaVilla]

for example, and i know this is best case scenario and may be unlikely, but if we can keep our best players and sign our best loan players, i would be excited by this lineup:

                          Kalinic

Guilbert - Chester - Mings - XXX

          Grealish - XXX - McGinn

                XXX - Davis - XXX

 

to me thats only 4 new players we need to sign to really make that team something special.

I really rate Davis, he's a big lad but very nimble, agile and pretty skillful tbh, i remember watching hima  few times last year and was blown away by what a good player he was on the ball, if he can work on his finishing game up to the start of next season he could be a real player.

 

Then we have the hope of our U23s to try and step up, or our current permanent / loans who may or may not prove their worth, who could step in:

 

Green - can he actually make the step up?

O'Hare - would he be able to operate in one of the inside/wide positions?

Doyle-Hayes - ?

Blackett Taylor - ?

RHM - ?

Hause - Will he be able to prove he's good enough?

Carroll - Will he be able to show his worth?, he has the technical attributes for sure, the physical attributes unsure.

Elphick - On current form i would be tempted to offer a 1 year extension, to either challenger Chester or be a backup we dont need to buy in the summer?

Revan - ?

Hogan - Can he thrive under the right system?

 

Edited February 3, 2019 by MaVilla

[Tomaszk]

1 minute ago, MaVilla said:

I think in the summer we will see some really tidy players coming in, just one or two players who play the right way would make a world of difference.

I agree.

They need to be brave as well though.

[sharkyvilla]

34 minutes ago, MaVilla said:

I honestly think once Grealish and Tuanzebe are back, added to Kalinic, Mings and hopefully a settled and playing Carroll and hause, we might just see a replay of the original form when DS first arrived.

Looking back I think it's pretty obvious now that Grealish was the cornerstone of the entire way we played, and even if he couldn't get in the game, it took at least a couple of players to shut him out which gave that extra space and time for the rest of the team to look half decent.

Looking back it's not just about what Grealish does, it's also about what others needed to do to nullify him which gave most of our average players more time and space to pick a pass, choose a runner, make a run and not Bruce ball it.

Axel was equally important for me.  Smith seems to like the modern approach where we attack as an XI with passing and movement from the back forward, and defend as an XI by closing down from the forwards back.  Hopefully Mings gives us extra ball-player at the back and may allow Tuanzebe to step into defensive midfield, or perhaps Mings can go to left back and solve that problem.  Carroll may be seen as filling the DM role but we will have to wait and see.  I can see what Smith wants but without the right players available to him I can't see much alternative than going for Bruceball at the moment.

[MaVilla]

4 minutes ago, sharkyvilla said:

Axel was equally important for me.  Smith seems to like the modern approach where we attack as an XI with passing and movement from the back forward, and defend as an XI by closing down from the forwards back.  Hopefully Mings gives us extra ball-player at the back and may allow Tuanzebe to step into defensive midfield, or perhaps Mings can go to left back and solve that problem.  Carroll may be seen as filling the DM role but we will have to wait and see.  I can see what Smith wants but without the right players available to him I can't see much alternative than going for Bruceball at the moment.

Yeah i agree Axel was also important, I think Mings can also do similar thought tbh.

But yeah having Grealish and Tuanzebe back would big a biggie.

[Mazrim]

The midfield is the biggest weak point for me now. Lacks mobility and creativity and energy. Grealish will be the biggest boost. McGinn is very eager and busy but not creative. Id throw Carroll in too to complement those two and keep the ball moving.

I'd show El Ghazi videos of him playing in November and ask where he has gone.  And Adomah hasn't been the same since the Blues match.

If they don't show up soon I'd throw Green in and maybe Davis up with Tammy.

As for defence, Mings and Tuanzebe would seem the obvious choice for me. Fullbacks, we're stuck with a shit sandwich. Possibly throw Chester alongside Tuanzebe and move Mings to left back.

[DaveAV1]

We’re clearly missing Grealish and Tuanzebe. I  understand and would generally agree that 2 players shouldn’t make such a huge difference. However those two are so much better than anything else we, or probably anyone else in the division, have that they make a disproportionate difference. 

Other posters have pointed out examples of much better teams than us missing key players and results dipping. Man City lost three on the bounce when Fernandinho, I think it was, got injured and their squad is much more capable of overcoming the loss of a key player than ours is. 

[TRO]

4 hours ago, GENTLEMAN said:

I appreciate both sides. It’s clear to me that Smith needs a preseason and a summer window to shape this team. However, shoots of recovery need to be seen this season, patience for patience’s sake is no good either (see Lambert).

I think the club should assess this early in the summer and ask some vital questions. Is Smith the man to undertake this overhaul? What’s his plan? What has he implemented thus far? What other options are out there as head coach? Is there someone better equipped and getable to undertake this? We need to be ruthless in this regard.

I must say....I am unsure....where we are going.....we sign players and I still see the same problems in some....we seem to get c1 in 5 right.

I still think we have players not capable of doing the things that's required to get out of this league.

The time element is the tricky bit for me....how long do these things take? what is reasonable?.....why is it only Tammy and McGinn that show the remotest sign of energy and tenacity, crucial to make a mark in this league?....Why sign Carroll, another lightweight?, when we are trying to off load them.

Why do we seem to have so much difficulty signing modest players?

Dare I say this, but Blues with Players inferior to ours with the exception of Adams and not a pot to **** in....look better balanced than us.

I know these things take time, but incremental progress needs to happen else the "time" element , just becomes an excuse as opposed to a bonafide reason.

Kalinic and Mings look like a move in the right direction....Carroll and Hause not so sure, will have to wait and see.

I really don't want to be harsh....but it seems to me as quick as we get rid of deadwood, we are adding to it.

I am not blaming any one individual, it just seems to me its endemic at the club.

[romavillan]

23 minutes ago, TRO said:

I must say....I am unsure....where we are going.....we sign players and I still see the same problems in some....we seem to get c1 in 5 right.

I still think we have players not capable of doing the things that's required to get out of this league.

The time element is the tricky bit for me....how long do these things take? what is reasonable?.....why is it only Tammy and McGinn that show the remotest sign of energy and tenacity, crucial to make a mark in this league?....Why sign Carroll, another lightweight?, when we are trying to off load them.

Why do we seem to have so much difficulty signing modest players?

Dare I say this, but Blues with Players inferior to ours with the exception of Adams and not a pot to **** in....look better balanced than us.

I know these things take time, but incremental progress needs to happen else the "time" element , just becomes an excuse as opposed to a bonafide reason.

Kalinic and Mings look like a move in the right direction....Carroll and Hause not so sure, will have to wait and see.

I really don't want to be harsh....but it seems to me as quick as we get rid of deadwood, we are adding to it.

I am not blaming any one individual, it just seems to me its endemic at the club.

7 out of 11 of the side that played Reading are either on loan or out of contract in the summer. The deadwood is dead wood walking  for the most part. Massive overhaul in the summer at which point I hope Jesus has his disciples in place on the scouting side of things and they start producing some miracles...

On Smith, it would be suicidal to not let him have a preseason and try and build a side with the new off pitch team. We have to have the balls to see this through.

[TRO]

13 minutes ago, romavillan said:

7 out of 11 of the side that played Reading are either on loan or out of contract in the summer. The deadwood is dead wood walking  for the most part. Massive overhaul in the summer at which point I hope Jesus has his disciples in place on the scouting side of things and they start producing some miracles...

On Smith, it would be suicidal to not let him have a preseason and try and build a side with the new off pitch team. We have to have the balls to see this through.

I really do see the merits in NOT chopping and changing Managers every 20 odd games....but equally, if we are building, we rely too much on Loans.

Personally, my beef has been with the scouting system over the last 10 years or so....I equally have reservations about the academy, we seem to focus on the technical side, which is great, but the physical side, seems unattended.....Our lads seem to be negated far too easily, by the rugged elements of this league.....Hence them being loaned out, should have happened 12 months ago.

Dean has to be given a fair crack of the whip, whether he is the man or not....The decision was made and we have to be fair to the man.

 

[USA_Villa]

Here's an example of why we are in the mess we are with our playing squad. In the summer of 2017 the Villa signed Glen Whelan on about 30 grand per week. At the same time Brentford signed Ollie Watkins from Exeter for 2 million and are paying him about 6 grand a week. Tell me which one you would want in this team today?

Give Dean a little time as the Bruce legacy will need at least a summer to eradicate.

[privateer]

6 hours ago, DaveAV1 said:

You need to brush up on your power tool brands. 

 

4 hours ago, richp999 said:

 

 

Yeah it's a bit more like your Harrords Hitachi

Yeah, OK, boys. I was referring to this Hitachi.

 

So I'll just leave this here to explain it scientifically for you both.

 

[VillanousOne]

I think that all the ingredients are now there in the squad to really push on, but there are so many factors around form, injury and team balance that are going to take a long time to get right and I am no longer sure it will happen in time for us to mount a realistic promotion charge.

For instance would think you need Chester to recover from his knee injury or Hause to get match fit for Mings to play left back.

You need Green to be fit again to replace Adomah or Smith to risk playing Kodjia wide which I think he might do if he had faith in our defence.

Grealish needs to come in to replace Whelan, or even Lansbury, Carroll.

and so on and so on 

 

[Vive_La_Villa]

Smith has started his rebuild for next season. As you can see there is a long way to go....

                     Kalinic

                   Hause  Mings Guilbert

                     Carrol

[hippo]

3 minutes ago, Vive_La_Villa said:

Smith has started his rebuild for next season. As you can see there is a long way to go....

                     Kalinic

                   Hause  Mings Guilbert

                     Carrol

3 loans signings there  though. I think mings maybe difficult to land permanently. 

I cant see how hause is going to get a run of games either. Given he came here to get regular football, he might have 2nd thoughts in the summer.

[Dave J]

3 hours ago, TRO said:

I must say....I am unsure....where we are going.....we sign players and I still see the same problems in some....we seem to get c1 in 5 right.

I still think we have players not capable of doing the things that's required to get out of this league.

The time element is the tricky bit for me....how long do these things take? what is reasonable?.....why is it only Tammy and McGinn that show the remotest sign of energy and tenacity, crucial to make a mark in this league?....Why sign Carroll, another lightweight?, when we are trying to off load them.

Why do we seem to have so much difficulty signing modest players?

Dare I say this, but Blues with Players inferior to ours with the exception of Adams and not a pot to **** in....look better balanced than us.

I know these things take time, but incremental progress needs to happen else the "time" element , just becomes an excuse as opposed to a bonafide reason.

Kalinic and Mings look like a move in the right direction....Carroll and Hause not so sure, will have to wait and see.

I really don't want to be harsh....but it seems to me as quick as we get rid of deadwood, we are adding to it.

I am not blaming any one individual, it just seems to me its endemic at the club.

That's very harsh on Carroll - who is now the best passer of the ball in the club imo 

[Vive_La_Villa]

2 minutes ago, hippo said:

3 loans signings there  though. I think mings maybe difficult to land permanently. 

I cant see how hause is going to get a run of games either. Given he came here to get regular football, he might have 2nd thoughts in the summer.

Yeh hopefully there’s options too buy. Hause should feature eventually. 

[hippo]

1 minute ago, Vive_La_Villa said:

Yeh hopefully there’s options too buy. Hause should feature eventually. 

I think there is for all except mings ...who we have an option to match any bid (which isnt really much above bidding on the open market)

Wolves fan I know rates hause very highly. I wouldnt imagine he is overly chuffed with seeing another player broought in over his head. ...lots of games for him to get a chance yet though.