Dean Smith

[Thug]

1 hour ago, Dave-R said:

He should of gone as soon as the playoffs finished, that is exactly it, but alot of us thought he maybe able to pull the following season off, he didnt. The owners should if gone eith Smith as soon as they came in, we know it now but at the time the picture wasn't so clear.

I'm kinda glad he didn't go after the final.

He'd have had this  "nearly took them up, unfairly sacked"  thing to bleat on about.

There's no better example of how wrong he had been doing it, than what is being done now.

Also, we'd have most likely had some french guy in charge... probably doing a shitter job than Bruce.

Our players look fit, hungry and bloody interested at last.

Kodjia is passing and running hard, who'd have thunk!

Even Taylor is looking alright!

[Thug]

4 minutes ago, LakotaDakota said:

Cough....

Brentford were beaten at home by league 1 teams in 2 of the last 3 years. The only time they actually won a FA Cup game in the past 4 years was against non league eastleigh before getting torn to pieces by chelsea in the next round.

League cup record is equally as bad if not worse & includes getting dicked 4-0 at home by league 2 oxford & also losing against l2 exeter

Brentford have got shit players.

We've got 3 or 4 worth north of £10 million.

[Dave-R]

1 hour ago, LakotaDakota said:

Cough....

Brentford were beaten at home by league 1 teams in 2 of the last 3 years. The only time they actually won a FA Cup game in the past 4 years was against non league eastleigh before getting torn to pieces by chelsea in the next round.

League cup record is equally as bad if not worse & includes getting dicked 4-0 at home by league 2 oxford & also losing against l2 exeter

Alot of these teams outside of the premiere don't even want to concentrate on cup games, they want to be able to field teams without running themselves dead, promotion is all they really care about.

What dean did at brentford was pretty remarkable where they finished and with a team pit together without coinage. DS has done a similar thing at villa so far he's made do with what's available to him and got on with it, he should have the full backing of the owners and then watch him really get our team going.

It actually scares me abit to think if he's this capable with a team that was a wreck under bruce, that in such a short time, what is he capable of with a team of his own choosing, his own signings.

[Adam2003]

7 hours ago, Junxs said:

Could not disagree more. 

Smith picked up the the pieces in pretty much the same circumstances as Bruce did 2 years before him. What sets them apart is the difference in approach.

Bruce did his best to play down the expectations with every opportunity, even went so far as to say the remit was avoiding relegation the season he took over - when we'd just spent £80m on cherry picking the best championship players!

His 2nd season we easily had the best squad in the championship and all he managed to do was finish 4th. Bruce was still going on about how he lost all his best players well into this season - the same set of players that are now annihilating every team they face.

Sorry but I'm not having this "stabilising" nonsense. A proper manager would have got us comfortably in the top 2 with that squad. I even think RdM would have turned it around and done better than Bruce eventually, he was desperately unlucky always conceding last minute goals and hitting the post every game, the style of football was far superior under him compared to Bruce - it would have come good.  

 

Like I say not a lot of point arguing it, people have their views. I think you are absolutely wrong. Mindblowingly wrong. And you think the same about me. To the level that I just can’t understand we are watching the same team. And likely if we had the same conversation 20 years from now it’d be the same.

The GOOD thing is I think we all think Smith is the next step - whatever we think of the last one! Onwards and upwards!

 

[blandy]

11 hours ago, mykeyb said:

Why did we give Bruce so many games this season.

Tony Xia is why. The club was financially goosed with bigger worries than who was manager. I never wanted Bruce from the start, but once here he had to be given 2 years to try and get us up. Once he didn't, under normal circs he should have been potted, but because of the financial clusterpork he should be thanked for not jumping ship.Sure, he didnt exactly leave us with a balanced squad, but he did his best and showed an admirable willingness not just to eff off and grab.

Anyway, he's gone, we got rescued by wes and Nas. Things have  changed so quickly it's easy to forget.

It's all looking up right now, it's fun, but crickey it's been a roller coaster.

[JuanCrablo24]

Bruce definitely did steady the ship last season and should get credit for that. He stopped us being a soft touch, who concieded a ridiculously amount of last minute goals, who were mentally weak and he did bring a sense of harmony back in the dressing room.

The negatives are he underperformed and with squad he had promotion was the target. He was ‘there or thereabouts’ with a playoff final but he failed to meet his target. Also there were some very good games but overall the football was dire and uninspiring.

Ideally would of loved Smith from the start of the season but can fully understand why we kept Bruce over the summer as we were in a lot of trouble and actually needed Bruce’s stability. This season we then regressed massively under Bruce, became a soft touch again defensively and he looked out of ideas from the limited style of his approach and was rightly sacked.

Que Mr Smith, I’ve rambled long enough. But simply put Smith is better, a lot better! Long may it continue.

[PompeyVillan]

Bruce is a funny one. He signed Bolasie, Eh Ghazi, Tuenzebe etc. But he never really knew how to get the best out of that sort of player. It's like he knew he should really develop the style of the team but never could bring himself to do it. 

Tuenzebe is the best example, he is so good on the ball it is like having a midfielder in defence. But Bruce would never ever have allowed that quality to show because he didn't trust his defenders to play football. So he plonks Jedinak in at CB who is a disaster and then tells us "Well I should know a good CB when I see one". 

For what it is worth, I love watching our players use the ball at the back, Chester isn't quite as comfortable with it mind, but it is delightful to see us negate the press and get the ball into good positions into midfield because Tuenzebe or Chester have worked the ball well. Tuenzebe stepped out of defence a few times to bring the ball out, in doing so he often left two or three players behind him, which obviously makes it alot easier for the team to find space. 

The style of play is interesting because we're getting much better keeping the ball, but it isn't possession for possessions sake. I guess Smith is lucky that we have such good players out wide.

Most interestingly is that Smith has been brave enough to not play with a 'defensive' midfielder. At Brentford his midfielders were all athletic and dynamic, and first and foremost, decent on the ball. Hourihane doesn't strike you as someone that should be able to play that deeper role, simply because he doesn't really have natural defensive instincts, but he's become capable because we're playing out from the back and have been decent at keeping the ball. 

It's fun to watch. 

 

[Jareth]

They said in the commentary last night that DS is blown away by how quickly the players have adopted his methods - a lot of credit to DS but also to the players I think - they must have been like dry sponges after SB, absolutely gagging for some football method. 

[gwi1890]

I like the fact that he wants us to go get a second or a third goal, I used to hate picking up early leads under Bruce as I knew we would sit back and invite pressure

[Villarocker]

I am loving this Villa right now - imagine how good they'll be when Smith has had a year here? What a transformation!

[Jareth]

Just now, villarocker said:

I am loving this Villa right now - imagine how good they'll be when Smith has had a year here? What a transformation!

Or even a transfer window. My biggest fear right now is that someone comes in for him - there are so many premier league clubs who will see what's happened and want to throw all their resources at him. Thank god he's a fan. 

[theboyangel]

One of the biggest hopes for me is that our academy are trained to be set up tactically the same as the first team, making the transition up seamless. 

we appear to have a good crop of youth players emerging and with a definitive style of play clubwise, top to bottom they could slot in when needed without too much fuss when their chance arises. 

our youth teams already play attacking football, so anyone getting a chance under Bruce was wasted due to the massive difference in the way the first team were set up tactically. 

I am more hopeful, that under Smith when a youth player steps up it will be of benefit to the team and the player.

 

[Villarocker]

I love the fact that Deano said we wanted to keep the run going and score 6 at Boro. They certainly tried to. Well done all, keep this going and we're going up! 

[MaVilla]

In response to the last couple of pages discussion, the thing that crossed my mind next season (when people talk about having a transfer window or two), let's assume for a second we don't keep bolasie, abraham and El Ghazi (worst case scenario), will anything we are able to buy me as good as that front three?, I don't know.

I have faith and belief in DS and I also can't wait for DS  to have a little time to get some of his own players in.

But, the pessimistic side of me wonders if this front 3 is maybe the best front 3 we could hope for if we are still in the championship next season???

Let's hope we can find 3 gems in the transfer market to rival our current front 3 if we lose them:)

Edited December 2, 2018 by MaVilla

[Vive_La_Villa]

7 minutes ago, MaVilla said:

In response to the last couple of pages discussion, the thing that crossed my mind next season (when people talk about having a transfer window or two), let's assume for a second we don't keep bolasie, abraham and El Ghazi (worst case scenario), will anything we are able to buy me as good as that front three?, I don't know.

I have faith and belief in DS and I also can't wait for DS  to have a little time to get some of his own players in.

But, the pessimistic side of me wonders if this front 3 is maybe the best front 3 we could hope for if we are still in the championship next season???

Let's hope we can find 3 gems in the transfer market to rival our current front 3 if we lose them:)

You make a good point.We’ll also probably lose Jack too. Whilst we might have a better overall squad next season there’s no guarantee we’ll be able secure others players as good as Abraham and Bolasie. 

Promotion this season is the aim.

[New_Hope]

Teams are going to be shitting themselves about playing us now we have taken apart 2 of the best defences in the league in the last 2 games and scoring 8 goals in the process.  This is what DS said he wants and how refreshing. 

Opposition teams will be working on how to stop us playing rather than how we used to worry about stopping even the likes of Rotherham playing and avoiding defeat.

[Jareth]

9 minutes ago, New_Hope said:

Teams are going to be shitting themselves about playing us now we have taken apart 2 of the best defences in the league in the last 2 games and scoring 8 goals in the process.  This is what DS said he wants and how refreshing. 

Opposition teams will be working on how to stop us playing rather than how we used to worry about stopping even the likes of Rotherham playing and avoiding defeat.

We were all expecting capitulation as that is what always happens but yesterday's result proves that this team is capable and consistent - we do not fear anyone. Quite right that others will now try to contain us, good luck to them, but also as fans, we can now hold our heads high and expect our team to fight and entertain - it's blumin delirium. 

[ferguson1]

30 minutes ago, theboyangel said:

One of the biggest hopes for me is that our academy are trained to be set up tactically the same as the first team, making the transition up seamless. 

we appear to have a good crop of youth players emerging and with a definitive style of play clubwise, top to bottom they could slot in when needed without too much fuss when their chance arises. 

our youth teams already play attacking football, so anyone getting a chance under Bruce was wasted due to the massive difference in the way the first team were set up tactically. 

I am more hopeful, that under Smith when a youth player steps up it will be of benefit to the team and the player.

 

Very good point in your opening paragraph and agree completely with your post.  Every team within a club should play the same as the first team set up, without question.  

Anyway, to bring some balance to this Smith love fest this morning and in case any Premier League chairman read our forum:    SMITH OUT!  He's a one trick pony, can only do it with an expensive backroom team behind him, he's only a small cog in a big wheel and I hate the way he says "we go again".  Long balls!     Boring, boring Villa!!

Is that enough folks? 

[alreadyexists]

36 minutes ago, ferguson1 said:

Very good point in your opening paragraph and agree completely with your post.  Every team within a club should play the same as the first team set up, without question.  

Anyway, to bring some balance to this Smith love fest this morning and in case any Premier League chairman read our forum:    SMITH OUT!  He's a one trick pony, can only do it with an expensive backroom team behind him, he's only a small cog in a big wheel and I hate the way he says "we go again".  Long balls!     Boring, boring Villa!!

Is that enough folks? 

You forgot to say how Brentford have actually got better when he left, and our for form has dipped significantly.

 

[kurtsimonw]

7 hours ago, Dave-R said:

Alot of these teams outside of the premiere don't even want to concentrate on cup games, they want to be able to field teams without running themselves dead, promotion is all they really care about.

What dean did at brentford was pretty remarkable where they finished and with a team pit together without coinage. DS has done a similar thing at villa so far he's made do with what's available to him and got on with it, he should have the full backing of the owners and then watch him really get our team going.

It actually scares me abit to think if he's this capable with a team that was a wreck under bruce, that in such a short time, what is he capable of with a team of his own choosing, his own signings.

Brentford were a playoff team the season before DS took over, so he actually lead them to their worst 3 finishes in this division since they came up, let's not pretend he's the greatest manager ever to live. 

With that said, I do agree with you on how far we could go if he gets the backing of the owners. I think FFP is a 3 year cycle isn't it? So in theory, this summer would mean our mad spending when we first went down would no longer be a factor and we should have a bit to spend. It's exciting what he could do when he can actually can build a squad of his own.