Dean Smith

[Vive_La_Villa]

1 minute ago, Indigo said:

That game has somehow wound me up more than any of our defeats this season, but being frustrated about where we're at despite arguably being the better side in 10 out of our 11 games speaks to how far we've kicked on in a short period of time.

Deano >>>>>>>

Exactly!!!

We’ve become a very good team. I wish more fans could see that. 

Edited December 17, 2020 by Vive_La_Villa

[villalad21]

I was impressed with how well we played with such a weakened lineup.

We just need Trez and Barkley back

[Vive_La_Villa]

1 minute ago, villalad21 said:

I was impressed with how well we played with such a weakened lineup.

We just need Trez and Barkley back

Yeh we need a more clinical finisher like Trez to return. 

[Zatman]

Most shots in the league this season

[foreveryoung]

26 minutes ago, Sulberto21 said:

27 shots is the most any team has had in one game this season along with Leeds against us. 

I wish people would stop going on about all the shots we had. It's a results business is it not. We was the same against Brighton, same with West ham, that's 9 points we could have won, that's progress. Playing a game with 27 shots on target means nothing it's still a loss/draw!!!

[Sulberto21]

2 minutes ago, foreveryoung said:

I wish people would stop going on about all the shots we had. It's a results business is it not. We was the same against Brighton, same with West ham, that's 9 points we could have won, that's progress. Playing a game with 27 shots on target means nothing it's still a loss/draw!!!

Stating a fact of the game. Which shows how poor our finishing was but against a dour defensive team shows we played well. And I'll carry on about it till the chickens come to roost or whatever the saying is. It's not the first time this season poor finishing has cost us a win. 

Edited December 17, 2020 by Sulberto21

[villalad21]

4 minutes ago, foreveryoung said:

I wish people would stop going on about all the shots we had. It's a results business is it not. We was the same against Brighton, same with West ham, that's 9 points we could have won, that's progress. Playing a game with 27 shots on target means nothing it's still a loss/draw!!!

I think it's looking good.

Mid table would be a very solid season for us.

We just need more transfer windows to keep building a better squad.

Disappointed with the Traore signing, but Cash, Martinez, Barkley and Watkins is very impressive business. I can see a clear plan.

Edited December 17, 2020 by villalad21

[rbcuk]

33 minutes ago, Sulberto21 said:

But we were on top from minute 1 - 90. We just failed to score.

We might have been but we never looked like scoring with all them chances tonight, we need a Ings type of player he would have taken his chances 

[Rightdm00]

4 minutes ago, foreveryoung said:

I wish people would stop going on about all the shots we had. It's a results business is it not. We was the same against Brighton, same with West ham, that's 9 points we could have won, that's progress. Playing a game with 27 shots on target means nothing it's still a loss/draw!!!

9 point more would have us tied for top of the league table. Got to set our expectations properly. 

We are a team that will generate a ton of chances but will struggle at times to put them away. Couple that with a solid but unspectacular defense and you call that progress compared to the previous 8 years. 

[DCJonah]

13 minutes ago, Zatman said:

Most shots in the league this season

Biesla showed us the way

[Sulberto21]

3 minutes ago, rbcuk said:

We might have been but we never looked like scoring with all them chances tonight, we need a Ings type of player he would have taken his chances 

I'm talking about it being a poor performance. People glow over backs to the wall 29% possession 15 shots conceded 1 goal defeats as excellent performances yet we batter and bully a bunch of bullies for 90 minutes but because we didn't score it's termed as a poor performance.

I agree the finishing was woeful but 90% of the build up play was excellent. The fact we cut open one of the most defensive teams so many times is a positive for me.

We need to improve the finishing and hopefully today shows the hierarchy that we need at least one winger/ forward asap. But the performance was good.

[foreveryoung]

31 minutes ago, Sulberto21 said:

I'm talking about it being a poor performance. People glow over backs to the wall 29% possession 15 shots conceded 1 goal defeats as excellent performances yet we batter and bully a bunch of bullies for 90 minutes but because we didn't score it's termed as a poor performance.

I agree the finishing was woeful but 90% of the build up play was excellent. The fact we cut open one of the most defensive teams so many times is a positive for me.

We need to improve the finishing and hopefully today shows the hierarchy that we need at least one winger/ forward asap. But the performance was good.

No ones saying the performance wasn't good, but if your not scoring your not winning.

[VillaChris]

Fun fact.

After 11 games we've secured one more point than 07/08- 18 points.

One less than 08/09- 20 points.

One more than 09/10- 18 points.

No need to remind you what position we finished in those seasons

DS is doing o.k then, roughly collecting what you need for top 6 so it's a bit mad seeing us in the bottom half still. Even just a draw from playing the Newcastle game would see us 9th which would be more accurate reflection of how we've played so far and have us nicely placed below top 6.

[JAMAICAN-VILLAN]

Positives.

I was pleasantly surprised by the likes of Nakamba and Hause tonight.

It is clear that given enough time with Deanos set ups, players improve, even if some take longer than others.

The ones which don't improve, are either extraordinarily shite or simply have no interest in improving or enough desire to be here IMO.

The fact that we created as many chances as we did with what in some areas of the pitch could be a Championship XI is noteworthy IMO.

So yeah, I'm disappointed, but optimistic. Especially long term.

I give him a hard time re:subs and certain decisions but I can't fault him tonight.

If it wasn't for Mike Dean being a total prick we walk the points tonight.

Edited December 17, 2020 by JAMAICAN-VILLAN

[tomav84]

1 hour ago, rbcuk said:

We might have been but we never looked like scoring with all them chances tonight, we need a Ings type of player he would have taken his chances 

isn't that what we've just spent £33m on?

not jumping on the guy, but thought watkins looked poor tonight. he looks shy of confidence. a few weeks ago he'd have been getting himself the chances the likes of AEG had. needs a goal badly

[Zatman]

I dont see any criticism of Smith today, we battered Burnley and his attackikg options available was Conor and Davis. Conor i understand why wasnt put on as he would have disrupted the balance Nakamba offered

[KentVillan]

2 hours ago, foreveryoung said:

I wish people would stop going on about all the shots we had. It's a results business is it not. We was the same against Brighton, same with West ham, that's 9 points we could have won, that's progress. Playing a game with 27 shots on target means nothing it's still a loss/draw!!!

I wish people would stick "it's a results business" up their arses tbh. Fine to say it over a run of 30 or 40 games. But we all know individual games come down to luck a lot of the time.

[VillaChris]

7 minutes ago, tomav84 said:

isn't that what we've just spent £33m on?

not jumping on the guy, but thought watkins looked poor tonight. he looks shy of confidence. a few weeks ago he'd have been getting himself the chances the likes of AEG had. needs a goal badly

I've liked what I've seen from Ollie so far. Even in games he hasn't scored in (which have been quite a few in recent times...) he's still far more in the game than say Wesley was last season.

The doubt I have is I just don't think he's got that ruthless streak in final third. Think we all got carried away after Liverpool thinking he was just going to blitz in 20-25 goals no problem but now has the look of 10-15 which will still be pretty good in his debut prem season.

He also has more to offer than just staying central and waiting for crosses to come in which is why DS seemingly trying to keep him as the central spearhead is bemusing me a little. I get the feeling if DS had been managing Rashford the last few years he'd have kept him as the CF when last two years have shown he's much more effective cutting in from the left so that's an example not just to pigeon hole a striker into one position, Werner at Chelsea seems to start most games wide aswell.

Be interesting to see what position Ollie will be playing for us in 18 months time.

[Stevo985]

2 hours ago, foreveryoung said:

I wish people would stop going on about all the shots we had. It's a results business is it not. We was the same against Brighton, same with West ham, that's 9 points we could have won, that's progress. Playing a game with 27 shots on target means nothing it's still a loss/draw!!!

It doesn't mean nothing though. 

It gets us no extra points. But it absolutely means something.

[KentVillan]

I actually find it f---ing infuriating when a team completely outplay the opposition from start to finish, don't manage to score, and the manager comes in for criticism. What more can he do?

Last season, when we were struggling, we were deservedly losing games. It was very tough to watch.

This season I watch almost every game and think "we're on top here", and that has to be credit to the manager. In a way I hope Birmingham stays in Tier 3 for the rest of the season, so our fans can't come in and ruin it by booing Traore or Watkins or whoever we've decided is shit this week.