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Dean Smith


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12 minutes ago, tomav84 said:

my issue is that we don't know what the alternative is because players are not given the chance to create. sanson and on his day luiz have proven to create chances but the tactic remains "send the ball out wide" even when jack is not on the pitch. that's my issue.

no i don't have the magic solution, but then i'm not a premier league coach. funnily enough nor does smith it seems...

look, maybe we need to agree to disagree, but i honestly feel that we have the personnel to have beaten at least one of brighton, newcastle, and sheff utd. maybe you get a freak result or 2, but to not win any of those was appalling and i'm just not buying the "we don't have the personnel" argument.

what do i suggest? sanson needs play more IMO. he has had sporadic minutes off the bench and is hooked off after an hour on both of his PL starts, including yesterday when being our only creative outlet. you say he's only been here 7 weeks, but this isn't some kid we've signed from south america who can't speak a word of english. he's in his prime, he's fit having been playing all season in a top league, plus european football, and speaks the language. why ramsey and mcginn have had so many more minutes than him since he signed is beyond me.

marv could play in luiz's position and luiz could play a more advanced role. so midfield 2 of luiz and sanson with marv holding. luiz and sanson, IMO, would create chances. playing ramsey and mcginn has limited us recently and i don't think number 6 is Luiz's position either. it might not work. i'm not a PL coach and i don't see the guys in training. all i know is what i'm seeing now isn't working and i would just like dean to try something different. 

in terms of identity, i couldn't give a toss. if having an identity means you are totally predictable game after game, then frankly i don't want villa to have one.

I think we’ll just have to agree to disagree as you say!  

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22 minutes ago, tinker said:

It all points to a severe  lack of confidence in our attacking players. I'm not sure if certain players have the character to bounce back and play with the consistency that we need for us to move on as a team .

That’s what poor form looks like though doesn’t, you never look like you’ll ever bounce out of it.  Earlier in the season we looked almost invincible and showing them us now you would laugh and say that’s not going to happen.  We’ll have good form in the future, we’ll have bad form in the future....the opposite never looks possible.

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31 minutes ago, tinker said:

Its the return to pre covid form that's a worry  for me. We don't look like we can win a game and obviously  lack confidence  when a chance to shoot or attack is on the cards. Our defence  is clearly a strong area for us but after that we are poor in nearly every area. Watkins is being used as lone striker with no suppprt from either wing or the midfield. 

It all points to a severe  lack of confidence in our attacking players. I'm not sure if certain players have the character to bounce back and play with the consistency that we need for us to move on as a team .

the form is similar but one glaring difference

Our 10 games before Covid we got 10 points, scored 9, conceded 23. in our last 10 games we have picked up 12 points scored 6 and conceded just 9

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28 minutes ago, DCJonah said:

How can anyone look at the teams above us and actually demand we finish above them? What's it based on? 

well posters dont like answering that question because everytime you ask it gets ignored. Think some people think we should be top 4, we are 10 points behind. Last season we finished 29 points behind 4th spot

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He has to find a way of playing without wingers. He just has to. Because they're that bad. 
Why doesn't he try a 3-5-2 with Targett and Cash as wing backs. They're both better going forward than our actual wingers. Stick Grealish up there alongside/slightly behind Watkins and play Nakamba behind Sanson and McGinn.

Oh, I don't know, try something. SOMETHING. I'm a huge Smith fan but at the moment he's trying the same things with the same players and as long as we're relying on Trezeguet, El Ghazi and Traore for creativity, we might not score again this season. 

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Something like this...

                      Emi

             Konsa    Mings

Cash          Luis             Targett

           Sanson      McGinn

           Grealish     Barkley

                   Watkins

 

Jack does whatever he wants. Luiz support the back two. Cash and Targett go up and down creating width. Sanson and McGinn box to box. 

 

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12 minutes ago, Delphinho123 said:

He has to find a way of playing without wingers. He just has to. Because they're that bad. 
Why doesn't he try a 3-5-2 with Targett and Cash as wing backs. They're both better going forward than our actual wingers. Stick Grealish up there alongside/slightly behind Watkins and play Nakamba behind Sanson and McGinn.

Oh, I don't know, try something. SOMETHING. I'm a huge Smith fan but at the moment he's trying the same things with the same players and as long as we're relying on Trezeguet, El Ghazi and Traore for creativity, we might not score again this season. 

I'm completely with you on this.

I personally would like to see a 4-4(diamond)-2 with Jack off Ollie and KD.  I know KD gets stick for not scoring but he would create space for Ollie.  I went to one of his first full games (v Norwich at VP) where Hourihane got a hat trick playing off KD.  He showed more in 10 minutes last night than Trez did in 70. He has the physique to bully defenders and Sanchez and Roden were there for the taking last night.

But equally a 3-4-1-2 could be interesting - same front 3.  Challenge here is the 3rd CB spot with Hause still injured.

Rodgers has made both of these work really well in recent weeks and Ineacho has been a revelation playing in a two.  May KD could channel some of his inner-Ineacho and start scoring a goal a game.  I don't think this will happen, but I do think he, with Jack at 10, could open up space for Ollie, who could then start scoring again.

El Ghastly and Trez are terrible - the former is only interested in shooting and never gets his head up to look for Watkins and the latter is hopelessly low in quality.  I'm with you - I would rather see JPB start than either of them.  Equally, BT has some incredible touches/talent but is so inconsistent and, at times, can be a liability.

 

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3 minutes ago, barry'sboots said:

I'm completely with you on this.

I personally would like to see a 4-4(diamond)-2 with Jack off Ollie and KD.  I know KD gets stick for not scoring but he would create space for Ollie.  I went to one of his first full games (v Norwich at VP) where Hourihane got a hat trick playing off KD.  He showed more in 10 minutes last night than Trez did in 70. He has the physique to bully defenders and Sanchez and Roden were there for the taking last night.

But equally a 3-4-1-2 could be interesting - same front 3.  Challenge here is the 3rd CB spot with Hause still injured.

Rodgers has made both of these work really well in recent weeks and Ineacho has been a revelation playing in a two.  May KD could channel some of his inner-Ineacho and start scoring a goal a game.  I don't think this will happen, but I do think he, with Jack at 10, could open up space for Ollie, who could then start scoring again.

El Ghastly and Trez are terrible - the former is only interested in shooting and never gets his head up to look for Watkins and the latter is hopelessly low in quality.  I'm with you - I would rather see JPB start than either of them.  Equally, BT has some incredible touches/talent but is so inconsistent and, at times, can be a liability.

 

It's irrational of me, I know. But these stupid, childish insults of players using their own name as ammunition is so Donald Trump, it hurts. Why do it? It's not clever, its not funny, what is the point of it?

(Good formation idea though). 

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4 hours ago, dubbs said:

Even a 13th-14th finish is progress,  and that's what the club is looking for.   We initially progressed quicker than planned by gaining promotion. Then we stayed in the PL.  This year we should finish higher than last year.

Dean is going to make mistakes but looking at this club long term,  it's come on so much we sometimes forget where we've come from.

Don't think something like that will convince Jack to stay long term I'm afraid.

He'll look at us posting top 5 defensive stats for most of the season, top half for goals....and yet we'd only be finishing 3-4 places higher than last season's relatively poor season despite signing some good players last summer.

What do we actually have to do to finish say 8th? It's not that hard. In previous years Wolves, Burnley and Sheffield United have all been newly promoted and finished between 7-9th.

From next season we won't have excuse of being fresh and naive team in this league anymore as halfway through most of the first team squad would've played 100 games at this level.

We need to be finishing top half. I'm really surprised at how people are just accepting so easily us dropping down the table. We're going on about achieving this and that under the new ownership in premier league yet seemingly give up in a season when we encounter some difficulty. Same old Villa I'm afraid as that's been the case for last 20 years.

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7 minutes ago, VillaChris said:

Don't think something like that will convince Jack to stay long term I'm afraid.

He'll look at us posting top 5 defensive stats for most of the season, top half for goals....and yet we'd only be finishing 3-4 places higher than last season's relatively poor season despite signing some good players last summer.

What do we actually have to do to finish say 8th? It's not that hard. In previous years Wolves, Burnley and Sheffield United have all been newly promoted and finished between 7-9th.

From next season we won't have excuse of being fresh and naive team in this league anymore as halfway through most of the first team squad would've played 100 games at this level.

We need to be finishing top half. I'm really surprised at how people are just accepting so easily us dropping down the table. We're going on about achieving this and that under the new ownership in premier league yet seemingly give up in a season when we encounter some difficulty. Same old Villa I'm afraid as that's been the case for last 20 years.

And Leicester won the league. What the hell are we doing? Smith out.

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1 minute ago, DCJonah said:

And Leicester won the league. What the hell are we doing? Smith out.

Far from Smith out but it would be nice for once to push on and massive overachieve for once in a league season. Constantly failed at that for one reason or another in the MON years and also under Gregory for a bit so I simply don't want same to happen over next 2-3 years.

Leicester is abnormal situation but even then they could've easily got to February with 50 points in the bag and just took it easy and content to finish 5-6th. Instead they kept pushing and pushing and had a miracle.

I don't think it's outlandish to think we could've pushed on to finish 7th or 8th considering where we were a few weeks ago, now looks a remote possibility.

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13 hours ago, VillaChris said:

Got to do more in the January window next time we're in a good position in league by middle of January.

Seems a recurring theme. Not signing Juninho in january window in 99, then getting in Heskey in 2009 when Laursen injury killed us more and blowing very realistic chance of top 4 and this season we were nicely placed but seems a wierd reluctance on here to accept we actually need another decent forward in the squad as that will always hold us back I'm afraid given we barely even get a point from games we're losing.

West Ham sign likes of Lingard and move clear of us so it dosen't even have to be anyone world class.

Sanson is neat and tidy but he dosen't really give the impression of someone who can instantly improve us like say Mings in the promotion season.

Agree. Seems like we didn't want to buy a striker/forward player . But then we added sansom who is just more of the same. That £15m could have been better spent.

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52 minutes ago, Zatman said:

well posters dont like answering that question because everytime you ask it gets ignored. Think some people think we should be top 4, we are 10 points behind. Last season we finished 29 points behind 4th spot

There is nothing anyone could point to, to back up why we should be above them. 

 

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6 minutes ago, VillaChris said:

Far from Smith out but it would be nice for once to push on and massive overachieve for once in a league season. Constantly failed at that for one reason or another in the MON years and also under Gregory for a bit so I simply don't want same to happen over next 2-3 years.

Leicester is abnormal situation but even then they could've easily got to February with 50 points in the bag and just took it easy and content to finish 5-6th. Instead they kept pushing and pushing and had a miracle.

I don't think it's outlandish to think we could've pushed on to finish 7th or 8th considering where we were a few weeks ago, now looks a remote possibility.

I'd have loved it and the aim should always be to finish as high as possible. But when I look at the teams above us, I can see many reasons why it was probably outlandish to think we should have finished above 4 or 5 of them. 

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1 hour ago, tomav84 said:

my issue is that we don't know what the alternative is because players are not given the chance to create. sanson and on his day luiz have proven to create chances but the tactic remains "send the ball out wide" even when jack is not on the pitch. that's my issue.

no i don't have the magic solution, but then i'm not a premier league coach. funnily enough nor does smith it seems...

look, maybe we need to agree to disagree, but i honestly feel that we have the personnel to have beaten at least one of brighton, newcastle, and sheff utd. maybe you get a freak result or 2, but to not win any of those was appalling and i'm just not buying the "we don't have the personnel" argument.

what do i suggest? sanson needs play more IMO. he has had sporadic minutes off the bench and is hooked off after an hour on both of his PL starts, including yesterday when being our only creative outlet. you say he's only been here 7 weeks, but this isn't some kid we've signed from south america who can't speak a word of english. he's in his prime, he's fit having been playing all season in a top league, plus european football, and speaks the language. why ramsey and mcginn have had so many more minutes than him since he signed is beyond me.

marv could play in luiz's position and luiz could play a more advanced role. so midfield 2 of luiz and sanson with marv holding. luiz and sanson, IMO, would create chances. playing ramsey and mcginn has limited us recently and i don't think number 6 is Luiz's position either. it might not work. i'm not a PL coach and i don't see the guys in training. all i know is what i'm seeing now isn't working and i would just like dean to try something different. 

in terms of identity, i couldn't give a toss. if having an identity means you are totally predictable game after game, then frankly i don't want villa to have one.

Read around on sansom. He's not a dynamic player. Hes like a tick over , neat and tidy player.

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14 minutes ago, VillaChris said:

We need to be finishing top half. I'm really surprised at how people are just accepting so easily us dropping down the table. We're going on about achieving this and that under the new ownership in premier league yet seemingly give up in a season when we encounter some difficulty. Same old Villa I'm afraid as that's been the case for last 20 years.

i am too and that's where the fanbase is split, those that are happy even if we finish 13th/14th because that still counts as progress vs those that would be disappointed. expectations can change during the season. would i have taken 13/14th before the season started? abso-fking-lutely. would i take that now? no way. it would have meant a shocking 2nd half of the season and i'd expect questions to be asked of the coaching staff if we finish as low as that.

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59 minutes ago, Zatman said:

well posters dont like answering that question because everytime you ask it gets ignored. Think some people think we should be top 4, we are 10 points behind. Last season we finished 29 points behind 4th spot

aside from morons on social media, is there really many saying we should finish top 4? genuine question as i haven't really seen much on here that are saying that. i don't think we should be finishing above any of the top 4. or any of the top 7 for that matter right now. but i do think we should be finishing above the likes of leeds and palace, who at the moment we're in danger of being overtaken by

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2 minutes ago, tomav84 said:

i am too and that's where the fanbase is split, those that are happy even if we finish 13th/14th because that still counts as progress vs those that would be disappointed. expectations can change during the season. would i have taken 13/14th before the season started? abso-fking-lutely. would i take that now? no way. it would have meant a shocking 2nd half of the season and i'd expect questions to be asked of the coaching staff if we finish as low as that.

What if we'd started awful and then ended brilliantly?

Or what if we'd just been consistently around 13th and very average? 

It's a 38 game season, getting worked up over when good spells and bad spells happen is ridiculous IMO. Especially with this season. No proper pre season, no fans, covid shutting down the training ground and fixture pile ups. 

I think some of you have just either switched off from reality or just look for any reason to moan. 

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Just now, tomav84 said:

aside from morons on social media, is there really many saying we should finish top 4? genuine question as i haven't really seen much on here that are saying that. i don't think we should be finishing above any of the top 4. or any of the top 7 for that matter right now. but i do think we should be finishing above the likes of leeds and palace, who at the moment we're in danger of being overtaken by

So you're angry about something that might happen. Wouldn't it make sense to see if it does?

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