Dean Smith

[mykeyb]

Dean again presided over 70 minutes of garbage with trying to play the same system that's failed in the last few games. It wasn't until Trez came on we actually got a shot on target. Dean actually gave Davis more than 5 minutes and we won the game because with the changes he made we were able to play 10 yards further up the pitch.

Do I want Dean sacked, no.

[VillanousOne]

bit odd about the level of self righteous posters claiming that anyone that moans or questions Dean is wrong.

Does Dean deserve plaudits for the substitutions and tactical changes today? Hell yes! Like a boss!

Is he immune from criticism for recent dire form and for the 70 mins of abject poop we served up before the changes? Not really.

Is it all his fault. Hell no.

Will we get a sound drubbing if we start like we did today against Liverpool. Yep.

But if we play even half as good as we did in the final 30 mins vs Plop then there are reasons to believe the season isn't over yet!

I am 100% behind Dean, but we still have players woefully out of form that he needs to pick up and get us firing again.

[fruitvilla]

Just now, mykeyb said:

Ahhh, ok.

You're welcome

But more on topic ... I gather Villa were pretty dire for the first seventy minutes or so and were relatively entertaining for the last twenty. So this should be a really good teaching moment for Smith and the team. Hopefully Dean can highlight to the team what were the secrets of doing well and show them what he wants to see from the team in the coming matches.

To me this is a huge positive, it shows the team can play attractive football even in their current form.

[danceoftheshamen]

For me with regards to recent poor form it's definately more of a player mentality issue than anything else & this was clearly picked up by Greame Souness in his punditry today. He repeatedly mentioned some of our players being "in their armchair" etc. I think he's right too. What Dean can do about that who knows but you would think he & JT are properly on the case with that as i cannot see a lifelong fan and a player of Terry's passion putting up with that for long. 

Who exactly those "armchair" players are is open to debate of course but somethings happened for sure. As Souness also pointed out we are actually still in a position with 27 points to play for which is potentially European football if we get enough of them. So the players should be excited & right up for that surely? Odd how instead some chose armchairs instead no? 

Still a great win considering everything & well done to Keinan & Trez ... & Ollie for following up his England call with a goal & even to Mings for making up for his earlier error by setting up the equaliser.

 

[Big Salad]

Pretty simple for me:No manager or player is above criticism as long as it doesn't go over the top.

Has Smith been off as it were last stretch of games?Yes.

Did he make good decisions today though towards the end? Also yes.

I am confident that he is the right man still for us going forward.

 

[Zatman]

33 minutes ago, Uncle Albert said:

Massive get out of jail today, we look like last seasons team now. He can talk the talk, time to put your words into action dean

actions like a double sub to win the game?

[Zatman]

Smith cant win games without Grealish

Smith cant make game changing subs

 

If I recall correctly Smith did both today and is still being criticized

[nick76]

9 minutes ago, Zatman said:

Smith cant win games without Grealish

Smith cant make game changing subs

 

If I recall correctly Smith did both today and is still being criticized

Because he lied about Grealish apparently 

Edited April 4, 2021 by nick76

[Guest av1]

6 hours ago, Spoony said:

7 points off the top 4 with a game in hand

Needed quoting amongst all the madness.

 

[Guest av1]

Just on our form over the last half dozen games, for the previous 3yrs seasons we’ve gone right to the wire (2 play offs and then the last day relegation shootout last year).

The players are probably mentally exhausted and I think a slight drop off once our PL status was all but confirmed was probably to be expected. 
It’s been a brilliant year.
 

 

[Dave-R]

Highlights:

 

Firstly I wouldn't say no to Mitrovic as a second striker at Villa, would he come and be okay with that though??

Secondly we were rough for ages, then came the change and must say Davis and Ramsey was splendid and it seemed to allow certain players more time and room to pull off some decent crosses and shots.

Trezegeut- I must admit looked more like a 30 mill player today, it's frustrating that he can't seem to keep that up for most of the season he'd be an heck of a player. Who knows maybe consistency can start to stick.

Mings- He didn't off do a massive screw up so to see him relieved when Trez scored and he got the assist was a phew moment from him to Trez and a big thankyou in his eyes.

Traore-was dead quiet but always looked like our brightest spark, he was giving it a real go throughout at trying to be the creative player we needed. He lived up once the system changed and was a complete different player.

Ghazi- Shocking as usual from him, he just doesn't seem interested most of the time and I always feel like I'm watching a player that just doesn't wear that shirt he's got on with pride. I do think this maybe the last season we see if him and that is maybe best for both club, fan and player.

Davis- A menace once come on and it's not what we usually say about the lad, maybe that's because for once he were use differently and not seen as someone who had to go knock a goal in. Davis if you can do more of that we will see a much better player and the reason to keep you at Villa for at least another season.

Barkley- sat in the bench clueless as to why he wasn't picked and good job really maybe he will sort it out and show why hes worth that crazy fee we seem to of paid..

Warkins- unlucky to not get a penalty early in the first half, it wasn't even looked at or considered and it was exactly like Harry James pen against us. Then there was his second penalty shoot at the end of the first half and again he was really screwed of one there. Got his goal though so some justice was served I think in what was at times some very poor refereeing.

Great game though in the end for us, would love to watch the whole game again and wished they'd start to put whole games in to watch after the game is finished.

[DCJonah]

6 hours ago, av1 said:

Needed quoting amongst all the madness.

 

Absolutely. That fact and that this is the most points we've had at this stage in a premier league season since 2010, should really not be ignored. 

[mykeyb]

8 hours ago, Big Salad said:

Pretty simple for me:No manager or player is above criticism as long as it doesn't go over the top.

Has Smith been off as it were last stretch of games?Yes.

Did he make good decisions today though towards the end? Also yes.

I am confident that he is the right man still for us going forward.

 

Totally agree with every word

[Mjvilla]

8 hours ago, Big Salad said:

Pretty simple for me:No manager or player is above criticism as long as it doesn't go over the top.

Has Smith been off as it were last stretch of games?Yes.

Did he make good decisions today though towards the end? Also yes.

I am confident that he is the right man still for us going forward.

 

Here's the problem as I see it, however. Yes, he made good subs which changed the game positively. 

We've seen trezeguet score a brace, 2 excellent finishes. Keinan Davis, we all know he is capable of bullying defenders, but he doesn't show it enough. He does today and creates a goal. Traore, sets up the third with a brilliant bit of skill to take 2 defenders out the game. Again, we know he is capable of that but doesn't show it enough. 

El ghazi is capable of fantastic goals but showed so, so little today. Next week, we could start trez and drop el ghazi and trez would probably do sod all.

Is this all just showing how inconsistent our squad is? These same players could probably play the same game tomorrow and do absolutely nothing for 90 minutes, all of them.

For me, that game yesterday was where we are at in a nutshell, inconsistent but players who are capable of producing brilliant moments but don't do it nearly enough. 

Could you blame the manager? If you choose, of course. Could he get these magic moments out of them more often, that's the difficult question.

Could you blame a whole squad rebuild meaning we are starting to outgrow a number of these players who were bought on a budget? Yes, I think you'd be very daft to not consider this. 

Could you blame these players just not being good enough quality? Or one or two of them settling into the squad and needing a bit more time (traore, Sanson)

I know what I think and it's makes me happy watching the development of this squad. To just dismiss the last 2 and a half years because someone isn't happy with the performances the last couple of months. Bizarre.

By the way @Big Salad, I started the post because I wanted to use it as a reason for our inconsistency. It became longer the more I thought and it in no way reflects on you.

 

 

[Mjvilla]

9 hours ago, Zatman said:

Smith cant win games without Grealish

Smith cant make game changing subs

 

If I recall correctly Smith did both today and is still being criticized

Also:

Smith criticised when we win for not making subs..

Smith criticised when we lose for not making subs..

Smith criticised when we lose for making subs..

Smith has sarcastic comments made for making subs that see his side turn the tide and win the game. 

Literally, he can't win. 

[DCJonah]

I think it's pretty clear I believe Smith has done an incredible job since coming in, has improved us massively and when he eventually leaves will have left solid foundations for us to push on from.

Edited April 5, 2021 by blandy

[Jareth]

I find it helps to look at the trajectory we're on since Dean Smith has been manager - and maybe look forward to the next high we'll hit rather than dwell on the timing of substitutes. Just me though. 

[M_Afro]

I finally broke and allowed myself to get quite emotional yesterday. As soon as the team selection was announced I said we wouldn’t score and would be awful. After Fulham scored, for the first time this season I called for Smith’s head.

I have now had time to reflect. I was right about the team selection and tactics. Playing in that manner without Jack, we are sluggish, predictable, awful at regaining possession and quick to give the ball back. Smith got it wrong, again!

I was however wrong about wanting Smith sacked. Taking away the emotion, of course we have really progressed under Smith. We have played some magnificent football at times, had some great victories, been promoted, stayed up twice etc etc. but the manager is not above criticism and he is not bulletproof. He seems slow to learn his lessons, although he does seem to get there in the end. Once he changed things yesterday, Fulham could not cope. Their game plan went out of the window and we made them look like a bottom 3 team. 
Now comes the acid test. Let’s assume that Jack is unfit for Liverpool. Dean needs to select an 11 which can keep Liverpool quiet whilst also asking some questions. Does he revert to type which will almost certainly lead to another insipid performance or try something different? Of course there are no guarantees but we must at least try. This is his greatest weakness for me and the main reason why we get so frustrated. We are safe. Try something different and land a few shots.

Whatever happens, Dean has earned the right to start next season as our manager. Hopefully he will still be there at the end of the season too but unless he shows greater tactical flexibility he will continue to come under greater scrutiny and pressure. I hope he passes the test. I want him to continue succeeding so much.

[mykeyb]

3 minutes ago, M_Afro said:

 

Whatever happens, Dean has earned the right to start next season as our manager. Hopefully he will still be there at the end of the season too but unless he shows greater tactical flexibility he will continue to come under greater scrutiny and pressure. I hope he passes the test. I want him to continue succeeding so much.

When ever we played Brentford he did seem to tweak things in game and with Bruce in charge we didn't react and lost, I don't see that now and am puzzles to why.

I hope and believe Dean will be with us for next season but as you say the.higher we rise the greater the scrutiny....

[DCJonah]

 

Do people really think Dean might not be manager next season? 

Dean is not immune from criticism, not at all, but given that probably no club in the country has progressed as much as us in his time here, and that we haven't had a season as good as this since 2010, I'm amazed at how desperate a small minority are to want to dish it out. Why?