Dean Smith

[nick76]

4 minutes ago, VillaFaninLondon said:

So how would you describe our style? I would say a generous description would be gung ho, but gung ho shouldn't mean having possession stats only higher than Newcastle and Burnley who are pretty much long ball teams. Wolves for example are a counter attacking team primarily but ranked around midtable for possession stats. 

 

As I say it needs to improve. Of course it helps to keep the ball if you have better players (look at Cit£h), but Leeds don't have a team of stars and can do it easily. It's about pressing, fitness and composure, all of which can be taught. Plus we have plenty of quality midfielders who can play a technical game. 

Who cares about Leeds,  they got promoted a season after us and we promoted instead of them.  They can pass all they like, doesnt make their football better and they have already conceded 7 goals.  We are just not going to play like Leeds, if you are expecting that you are in for a major disappointment.  I've watched them a lot and I dont get the fuss of Bielsa teams, there must be something I'm missing and it's not as if they are successful.  In Europe he's won nothing just followed by controversy, maybe his style was good/succesful in South America because it's not much here in Europe.

As for our style, it evolved over the season, being two open and attacking in the first half to solidifying after lockdown but with lacking attacking force lost a lot of forward motion.  The signs, with buying Watkins, Traore and potentially Milot shows we are trying to fix that second half of the season issue.  So maybe moving towards the counter attacking team you mention Wolves do.

I really find it hard for teams like us to want to be possession based because then you are playing Liverpool, Man City and Chelsea at their game and you are always going to lose.  I think you have a counter that with your own style, not trying to mimic their style.  Yes you might win occasionally against lesser teams but I not sure it is the right strategy.  I think Wolves have been so successful because they have taken that style to heart and got the best out of it.  I also think that style would suit us  especially when you are starting to see so many teams playing higher lines of defence that we can exploit.  Man Utd have a high line, Southampton have a ridiculous high line as Leicester showed yesterday.  If you have the passing vision of Grealish with the pace of Traore and Raschia you can exploit these teams.

[VillaFaninLondon]

41 minutes ago, nick76 said:

Who cares about Leeds,  they got promoted a season after us and we promoted instead of them.  They can pass all they like, doesnt make their football better and they have already conceded 7 goals.  We are just not going to play like Leeds, if you are expecting that you are in for a major disappointment.  I've watched them a lot and I dont get the fuss of Bielsa teams, there must be something I'm missing and it's not as if they are successful.  In Europe he's won nothing just followed by controversy, maybe his style was good/succesful in South America because it's not much here in Europe.

As for our style, it evolved over the season, being two open and attacking in the first half to solidifying after lockdown but with lacking attacking force lost a lot of forward motion.  The signs, with buying Watkins, Traore and potentially Milot shows we are trying to fix that second half of the season issue.  So maybe moving towards the counter attacking team you mention Wolves do.

I really find it hard for teams like us to want to be possession based because then you are playing Liverpool, Man City and Chelsea at their game and you are always going to lose.  I think you have a counter that with your own style, not trying to mimic their style.  Yes you might win occasionally against lesser teams but I not sure it is the right strategy.  I think Wolves have been so successful because they have taken that style to heart and got the best out of it.  I also think that style would suit us  especially when you are starting to see so many teams playing higher lines of defence that we can exploit.  Man Utd have a high line, Southampton have a ridiculous high line as Leicester showed yesterday.  If you have the passing vision of Grealish with the pace of Traore and Raschia you can exploit these teams.

Come on, Leeds play decent football. On Bielsa, he took Leeds from 13th to 3rd to 1st with very few changes to the squad and dominating virtually every game throughout the season. Given Smith is defended for getting us up as he did, Bielsa's achievements are phenomenal with Leeds. But let's leave it there as to be honest I couldn't care less about them either. 

 

Wolves play good football, they can pass but don't pass for passing sake and against the better teams (like City or Spurs) they let them have the ball and blitz them on the counter. They are a pragmatic side, and one I'd like us to emulate. Against bottom half teams around our level, I'd like us to try to get the ball down and play and open them up. That's what we should be doing. 

 

So I agree with you that against better sides with better players playing football isn't going to work. But we can't just sit back, let them have the ball, and have no game plan. That's why we need a lot more pace in the side and hopefully we are getting that with the players we're bringing in. 

Edited September 21, 2020 by VillaFaninLondon

[villalad21]

2 hours ago, dont_do_it_doug. said:

Does this not depend on what happens in terms of the flow of the season? So if we were to lose say Grealish and Mings for a significant period, would 39 points and survival not ultimately be passable?

Wow. That's a very spesific scenario.

Do you mean if they get long term injuries and is out for the whole season? In that case i suppose, yes.

[VillaChris]

3 hours ago, av1 said:

 

 

 

So 46 points would be a massive achievement, and 39 points would be terrible and unacceptable?  6 points the difference between brilliant and terrible? 

Incredible 

 

 

Can often be the difference between finishing about 5 places higher given little difference between 11-15th usually.

We certainly should be getting a minimum of 40 points this season, think we last did that in Lambert's first season.

[Keyblade]

Some of the football in the 18/19 season was the best I've ever seen at Villa. It was scintillating. Blackburn in the second half of the season was jaw-dropping. I'll be waiting patiently until he has the players to play that way in this division. We're slowly getting there.

[Bazmonkey]

id like to think Smith ahs learnt from the mistakes from last season, timing of subs, constant first 11 changing.

The players brought in look better on paper so that in self should equate to a few more points.

My only concern is not how we play...to a degree but what formation.

With the correct formation the way we play could see us win more games and have a better balance, midfield numbers, support in attack and defence, ability to have players win second balls.

I have a feeling smith will stick with 433 and that will be our downfall, a 4231 with what we currently have would be better, we shall see tonight

[TRO]

18 hours ago, villalad21 said:

Can't believe we need to point this out.

Literally basics. Should be a given for any professional football club. Bare minimum expected.

That being said we looked a lot better post covid break. I hope we can keep on building from there.

Will he play gung ho football tomorrow? Or more balanced?

sadly sometimes the basics with any team don't get done, its like you say it should be a given, but thats the ideal world .....we talk about work rate too, but idle running with no end product is not work rate in my book....running around a football field with no objective is not working hard.

All the top teams catch the eye with their quick feet and quick thinking and sublime passing.....but also, their work rate stands out like a beacon to me.

[TRO]

16 hours ago, Sulberto21 said:

For me it has to be the pressing from the front and therefore higher up the pitch. As you know the further away from our goal the opposition are the less chances they'll have. There has to be more cohesion in the press this season. Last season it was too disjointed.

Watkins is a mighty presser. I'm hoping that Traore is too. Trezeguet despite his limitations improved vastly off the ball post lockdown and his positioning off the ball was much better.

bang on.

[TRO]

23 minutes ago, Bazmonkey said:

id like to think Smith ahs learnt from the mistakes from last season, timing of subs, constant first 11 changing.

The players brought in look better on paper so that in self should equate to a few more points.

My only concern is not how we play...to a degree but what formation.

With the correct formation the way we play could see us win more games and have a better balance, midfield numbers, support in attack and defence, ability to have players win second balls.

I have a feeling smith will stick with 433 and that will be our downfall, a 4231 with what we currently have would be better, we shall see tonight

I think you make a sound point....but formations can easily morph during a game when the dynamics change.

4-3-3 and 4-2-3-1 can easily interchange even during a game.

for me its all about our players doing a number on their opposing player and winning duels to gain initiative....working in little packs to create cohesion.

[VillaChris]

Bit worried he didn't put on Davis straight at half time.  If ever a 1st half called out for at least one half time sub it was that. Not sure what goes through his mind sometimes when we're leading a game.

Still it's an ugly win and let's hope we can build on it at Fulham and put in a more convincing performance at least.

Edited September 21, 2020 by VillaChris

[sne]

I don't get why we don't make subs when our players are clearly exhausted. 

But we won so it worked out.

[DCJonah]

Jesus, lets have one game where we don't moan about subs. Its such a load of shit. 

Win, 3pts and clean sheet. Great start  

[villalad21]

Only 1 sub made...

Is this a message to the board?

Our options are dogs**t. He obviously doesn't trust his subs.

[Reivax_Villa]

He has tightened us up defensively which is a big credit to him and the staff.

Offensively I see what he is trying to do but we just lack quality. McGinn, Hourihane & Trez are not the best players to execute his offensive style

We need a centre midfield player that can really challenge McGinn and Hourihane.

[avfc1982am]

One game, one win UTFV! Loads to work on but with players coming in we look more assured if not very threatening. I think that will come once we get more of a settled 11 and don't piss abut with the ball because the pace is there to utilise. 

[villalad21]

I personally would have brought Nakamba on for Watkins after we scored, to get an extra man in midfield and control the game more.

Keinan is more than capable in holding his own up there, especially against 10 men.

Edited September 21, 2020 by villalad21

[foreveryoung]

Needs to learn how to use subs....................................still needs to learn.

[TRO]

1 hour ago, VillaChris said:

Bit worried he didn't put on Davis straight at half time.  If ever a 1st half called out for at least one half time sub it was that. Not sure what goes through his mind sometimes when we're leading a game.

Still it's an ugly win and let's hope we can build on it at Fulham and put in a more convincing performance at least.

I know Keinan doesn't score enough goals, but paradoxically, when he comes on,he calms my nerves.

[villalad21]

26 minutes ago, foreveryoung said:

Needs to learn how to use subs....................................still needs to learn.

Agree with this.

His in game management still seem a bit iffy

[Okonokos]

31 minutes ago, foreveryoung said:

Needs to learn how to use subs....................................still needs to learn.

I wouldn't have done anything different tonight. Went two up top at the right time. Nobody else I would have brought on. Nakamba would have been a wrong decision because we were having a lot of the ball and he's not very good on the ball. If they were having the majority of possession then he'd have been effective.