Dean Smith

[jim]

19 minutes ago, Tomaszk said:

Confidence is a huge part of sport.

Our team is on the floor and has been for a long time after many sickening gut punches this season.

I don't think Smith makes players go backwards. I think every single player got better and better when he came in last season.

The the bad run started and hey, they struggled again, before winning some matches and looking good again.

If you think Smith makes all players go backwards that's OK. You hold onto that.

Just on those two players btw. Coady remains below average surrounded by brilliant players and Traore is used as he should be in a great system. This sort of ability was always there with him. Pulis was the one to initially turn him round.

Who has he improved this season? 

If confidence is on the floor, who’s job is it to motivate the players?

 
You think Smith is a good coach? OK you hold on to that.

[DCJonah]

Interesting to me

I'd agree. I think we've deserved more than the 2 points we have so far since the restart. 

Its minor, but for me there are improvements from before the lockdown.

I think this again shows how hampered we have been by individual errors in both attack and defence. But its no real surprise. I think we have 1 defender who would start for our rivals and no attackers that would. 

Edited June 28, 2020 by DCJonah

[Nabby]

1 hour ago, Eastie said:

Liverpool are targeting the points record - they may play one or two younger players but  I don’t see them playing a load of kids and reserves , they will take us to the cleaners no doubt .

Just saw that so that makes our task there pretty much impossible ...then United after top 4 ...

[DaveAV1]

14 minutes ago, hippo said:

But those 13 managers include , Garde, RDM. McLeish, Sherwood, houllier  - it's the calibre of manager we appoint that is the problem.

That is exactly what the problem has been. Stability with the wrong manager isn’t stability at all. It’s the recruitment of managers that has been poor. Dean has had a tough job, we all know the circumstances and injuries have also not been kind to us. The problem is he hasn’t really ever looked like he Is able to overcome the problems. Yes it’s not all his fault, recruitment last summer was awful and fingers can be pointed in many directions when apportioning blame for that. Including I must say Wes Eden’s, who seems pretty keen on statistical analysis. It has a place, but I don’t believe can be the be all and end all. 

I think Dean is frustrated behind closed doors at the players he’s got and the players we didn’t get. However he’s loyal and has kept his mouth shut. The problem is he’s not strong enough or experienced enough to have said to those making decisions around him, no that won’t work, we need to do that. To manage a big club with big expectations you need a pretty big ego, and I’m not sure Dean has that. It may have been better for him if we hadn’t been promoted and he’d had the chance to build a strong team at Championship level. Then the team and him could have all grown together and that vital experience and the self confidence it brings would have had time to develop. The Premiership doesn’t give you time or chances to find your feet. 

[Mazrim]

I'm always behind Villa managers because why wouldn't you be as a Villa fan? But I have been desperate for Smith to succeed more than any other since Brian Little.

The state of the team at the moment. Well, its not good. There are many factors. We had to buy a new swuad and make it gel instantly. Very difficult. But then again we played with more swagger and cohesion in the early part of the season. Results snd VAR were harsh to us. We played with something like a plan. Yes, we gave away far too many goals but I could forgive that as long as we kept playing attacking football and tried to tighten up. I dont see any of that now.

Recruitment has been poor or bizarre. We have to accept that prices are crazy. Still, we have not had much value for money. We could have bought Cahill, an experienced player to solidify the back line but we bought 3 youngsters instead, and Mings who played mostly as a left back in the PL when fit.

OK Smith isn't entirely to blame for recruitment. They all should be removed from that role. They have faiked miserably. One decent goalscorer could be the difference in surviving and we spent nearly 40m on Wesley and Samatta. Wow.

But the fundamental issue for me is that the team look aimless. You can have bad or average players doing better than this if they're coached well. We dont even look coached at the minute.

Therefore, with great sadness, resignation and regret. Its time to change the entire bacjroom stafg. Again. Its just not working.

We cannot squander the opportunity these owners present. It might be too late this season. But it has to happen now.

[Lerner's Driver]

25 minutes ago, Eastie said:

I’ve given up any hope now , I saw nothing yesterday to inspire any real hope of survival , we look devoid of ideas and poor in every area of the field , for me the game is up and I’ve accepted we are down under smith . 
The worst thing for me is we are going with barely a whimper . 

We've been getting heart transplants since the nineties. It's not a recipe for success.

[chrisvilla4]

We are playing like a mid table team with nothing at either end to fight for. 

 

We are too nice, too placid,  and so is Smith. 

 

Unfortunately I'm becoming as apathetic as the club seems to be (again) 

[Herman22]

7 minutes ago, DCJonah said:

Interesting to me

I'd agree. I think we've deserved more than the 2 points we have so far since the restart. 

Its minor, but for me there are improvements from before the lockdown.

I think this again shows how hampered we have been by individual errors in both attack and defence. But its no real surprise. I think we have 1 defender who would start for our rivals and no attackers that would. 

The stats are interesting. I really think we should have beaten Sheffield but all anyone talks about is the goal line tech. 

A few mins of madness lost us the Chelsea game and Wolves and Newcastle probably had 4 shots on target between them. 

I think we will spring a surprise soon. Just not sure it will be enough. 

[ozvillafan]

17 minutes ago, DCJonah said:

Interesting to me

I'd agree. I think we've deserved more than the 2 points we have so far since the restart. 

Its minor, but for me there are improvements from before the lockdown.

I think this again shows how hampered we have been by individual errors in both attack and defence. But its no real surprise. I think we have 1 defender who would start for our rivals and no attackers that would. 

 

Based on what I have witnessed (rather than stats) - we haven't been that bad at all save the Chelsea game. Clearly we are struggling to find goals. Clearly we have made dumb mistakes. Clearly confidence is down - but it hasn't been all bad.

Does that give me hope of staying up? Nope. You stay up based on results, not performances. I don't see results going our way given our run in. Plucky and undeserved losses mean little.

[Tomaszk]

The whole debate with Smith comes down to if you think this squad is good enough to stay up.

I don't. 

I think the summer was a missed opportunity to set us up as a premier league club again. Suso **** it.

I'd replace Smith if we perform a miracle and stay up and keep him if we go down.

[hippo]

7 minutes ago, Tomaszk said:

The whole debate with Smith comes down to if you think this squad is good enough to stay up.

I don't. 

I think the summer was a missed opportunity to set us up as a premier league club again. Suso **** it.

I'd replace Smith if we perform a miracle and stay up and keep him if we go down.

My only concern with that is that I don't think Smith can cut it in the prem...so should we bounce straight back would it be any different.

 

 

[sharkyvilla]

11 minutes ago, ozvillafan said:

 

Based on what I have witnessed (rather than stats) - we haven't been that bad at all save the Chelsea game. Clearly we are struggling to find goals. Clearly we have made dumb mistakes. Clearly confidence is down - but it hasn't been all bad.

Does that give me hope of staying up? Nope. You stay up based on results, not performances. I don't see results going our way given our run in. Plucky and undeserved losses mean little.

We also threw away too many points earlier in the season when we were playing better. That's coming back to bite us on the arse. 

[joshharris12]

The stats are bull as we are still 19th!

[Zatman]

From the 4 restart games what was people point expectations. I am sure most posts I saw was for 4 points. We got 2 and probably should have been a 3rd yesterday 

[sne]

While uncommon I still think it's fully reasonable to replace a manager even if he wins promotion.

Just like it is sometimes OK to keep a manager who is relegated.

All depends of the situation and the stature and opportunities the club has and what is available.

Keeping a manager because"he deserves it" or "has earned it" it the wrong way to run a club IMO.

[Nabby]

On those stats could it be also we are conceding less chances as the games in general are less intense.Wolves massively played within themselves yesterday but have been since the restart  , they don't concede so only need to score from a few chances to win games.

[AvfcRigo82]

It's evident that he is getting further from the dugout and closer to the exit.

 

[TRO]

2 hours ago, Nabby said:

From BBC 

Warnock and Jones at Luton both have instant impacts on teams I can't see Smith galvanising the squad in 7 days when he has failed to get them going with 3 months prep.Long term if we go down I don't see him turning round a losing mindset which he is part of losing effects players so it will effect managers too.He has managed a team to a win since Jan there is no way that is not effecting his decision making and mindset.

I don't think we need some over technical manager now we need someone like we had with Sherwood who can come in and change the atmosphere , give players a fresh voice on sidelines and motivate them

 

I think we try to be too clever, too technical and lose sight of the old fashioned values.

[JAMAICAN-VILLAN]

1 hour ago, jim said:

This trope is so boring.

All those managers are very good coaches and have improved their players. Look at what Nuno has done with the likes of Coady and Adama. Same with Wilder.

Smith makes players go backwards.

Personally I feel we would be comfortably 12 - 15th.

As I've said before, alot of the points we've chucked away were there for the taking, sake of some sort of proactivity or tweak.

Most of the time there is a total lack of action until we have conceded and it's panic stations.

Obviously there are no guarantees, but I feel overall we would see better performances and encouragement for hope. Even if we were ultimately to go back down.

Edited June 28, 2020 by JAMAICAN-VILLAN

[Adam2003]

35 minutes ago, ozvillafan said:

 

Based on what I have witnessed (rather than stats) - we haven't been that bad at all save the Chelsea game. Clearly we are struggling to find goals. Clearly we have made dumb mistakes. Clearly confidence is down - but it hasn't been all bad.

Does that give me hope of staying up? Nope. You stay up based on results, not performances. I don't see results going our way given our run in. Plucky and undeserved losses mean little.

Agreed, I thought we were slow vs Sheff Utd in our first game in the new normal but since then have been way better than before lockdown. I think we have improved significantly. But I don’t think there are enough games left for us to pick up the points we will need for that to matter in terms of staying up. We needed a win from one of these last four.

Edited June 28, 2020 by Adam2003