Dean Smith

[The Other Mat]

1 hour ago, foreveryoung said:

This defensive improvement could be under question also. I mean, have we improved that much, the shots are still getting past the defence, it's just Martinez saving them all, his stats for saved goals are up there with the bottom 3-4

I've just had a quick look at Whoscored and we're 3rd overall in terms of defensive stats in Europe and 2nd in the Prem behind City. I know it doesn't tell the whole story, but it shows we're generally getting it right in that department, it's definitely not just Martinez making wonder saves, although he's made a few more than you'd want him to though probably. 

Edited April 13, 2021 by The Other Mat
More words

[Jareth]

Bloody Dean Smith parking the bus - he's no better than Brucey. 

[The Other Mat]

Just now, Jareth said:

Bloody Dean Smith parking the bus - he's no better than Brucey. 

[lexicon]

foreveryoung getting a lesson in thinking before posting 

[villa4europe]

I looked and to be fair he's right, martinez has the highest save % in the league, is something like 5th for the number of shots faced and 4th for saved made 

Burnley have had less shots against them than us

That suggests a good keeper not a good defence - but the stats don't tell you things like where the shots are coming from, how much pressure, the quality of the shots, which is the defence 

Same as everything this season we were also a lot better before Xmas, we've still let in some soft goals but just watching us play you can see the defense is better 

[YouUnastanFren]

3 minutes ago, villa4europe said:

That suggests a good keeper not a good defence - but the stats don't tell you things like where the shots are coming from, how much pressure, the quality of the shots, which is the defence

Several different xGA models try to include varying amounts of this data in their calculations depending on how advanced they are. We're about midtable for xGA and overperforming it by the highest % in the league in almost all of them. To me suggests a reasonably good defensive system and the best GK in the league which is what I think we have.

 

[KentVillan]

Yeah I think we have a mid-table defence with a Champions League quality keeper.

The back 4 all have age on their side, though. Mings is 28, but he's had a very short career for someone that age, and will probably keep improving into his 30s. Konsa is only 23, and has the potential to be a very special player IMO. Matty Cash also only 23, and has had a very good first season in the Prem. Matt Targett is 25, and seems to have a much better read of the game now than he did last season.

So you have to say the defence is in pretty good shape, especially once we start replacing players like Taylor, Elmo, etc. and have decent cover across the back line.

 

[KenjiOgiwara]

Our first team defence is absolute quality. Considering how good they've looked without a proper DMC and players like AEG and Traore who are beyond shite at tracking back.

Unfortunately our back up to the defence are as bad as our first teamers are good. Any injury to Cash, Targett, Konsa or Mings and you're stuck with Taylor, Elmo or Hause.

It's imperative we get the depth sorted this summer. Hopefully a few of them can be youths we already got. 

[tomav84]

3 minutes ago, KenjiOgiwara said:

Our first team defence is absolute quality. Considering how good they've looked without a proper DMC and players like AEG and Traore who are beyond shite at tracking back.

Unfortunately our back up to the defence are as bad as our first teamers are good. Any injury to Cash, Targett, Konsa or Mings and you're stuck with Taylor, Elmo or Hause.

It's imperative we get the depth sorted this summer. Hopefully a few of them can be youths we already got. 

i think we'll buy a LB to replace taylor and that's it, defence wise. we have too much improvement to do in attack without needing to find defenders too. hause and engels are capable back ups to CB positions. RB will be a case of assessing how guilbert's done in france (which is pretty decent from what i've seen) or evaluating whether kessler is ready...seems like he's pretty close

[Okonokos]

On 10/04/2021 at 19:10, AvfcRigo82 said:

I hope you're right mate.

Where have you been anyway? Long time no see.

 

If I wasn't convinced of it before Trez's injury, I am now. I'd say 2 wide players are the priority this summer. I think Smith will have been frustrated at the lack of creativity without Grealish. We all know how much Smith loves Watkins (understandably so) and I really don't think he'll want to see him starved of service any longer, so I'd imagine Smith knows what the priorities are.

I've actually been over to Bremen to do a bit of scouting  No, in all honesty I've not been on much as I've been a bit bored of football. Nothing to do with Villa this season as I think Smith has done a wonderful job. I know we've fallen away after a good start but with our lack of squad depth that was always inevitable. Whilst it would have been nice to qualify for Europe, I do think it would have been one season too soon. We need a bigger squad first and this summer will be a good opportunity to do that. I've basically just been bored with football in general. I don't like how the modern game has been going for a few years and covid has just made it more depressing. Can't wait to get back to Villa Park as a fresh start. I'll almost certainly be on here more often during the summer window.

[AvfcRigo82]

1 hour ago, Okonokos said:

I've actually been over to Bremen to do a bit of scouting  

[OutByEaster?]

I think next season might be very difficult for him - we've come a long way and developed an awful lot, but there's a big barrier ahead. Development next season might be more visible on the pitch than in the table.

To finish 6th in this league you've got to be amongst the best 15 sides in world football and there are people who will have an expectation that we can continue our trajectory and push for European qualification next year. That's going to be incredibly hard to do.

Seven clubs qualify for Europe - and I think we can assume that Citeh, United, Liverpool, Chelsea, Leicester, Spurs and Arsenal will be competing to be part of those seven - but Everton are also ambitious and will spend again, Leeds could go either way but might be involved and West Ham will be wanting to prove they weren't a fluke, it's just about possible that Wolves could get it right again - it's a very tough competition and to qualify we'll most likely need to be better than Arsenal and Spurs next season.

I think there's every likelihood that if we spend well, address some of our weaknesses, get the right players, have a plan and play well, we could finish 8th or 9th next season. I would not be in the least bit surprised if that leaves people calling for the managers head.

 

[TRO]

17 hours ago, OutByEaster? said:

I agree with the sentiment of this post, I think you're sort of right - but I'd put it like this.

Now we're saying pretty much the same thing there - and I think we agree on it - but language makes a massive difference to this:

I think we, all of us, give away the emotion behind our opinions in our language, so that even where you and I would broadly agree on the stuff above, there are people who will see one as an horrendous over reaction and one as a head in the clouds ignorance. 

Anyway, I agree, we're not the finished article yet and there are areas where we need to keep working to improve.

 

I agree with that OBE, but We started the season extremely well, too well, you might say, had we done it the other way around, I think there would be slightly less concern, right now the form bubble is regress, not progress which early season form was.

Dean has to find a solution, if this form lasts until the summer, that would be disappointing.

as has been said before, we are all a mixed bunch of personalities and old fogies like me, do tend to mellow, with age.....some folk, are head strong, some are laid back, that will be reflected in their responses to results, I agree.

If, I can see some of our issues, I am damn sure a professional Manager, like Dean Smith can see them too, why they are so prevalent, is the thing up for debate....I have my own views, but thats all they are, its the ones that Dean has, that matters.

I accept, we are not the finished article, but I don't think any team is, just some are ahead of the rest.....by definition, most teams are in transition, always looking to improve....Even Pep has said he would like a few bigger players, and I am sure he will admit he needs a dedicated striker, despite their domination of the league.

The important thinge is Johan Lange carries on where he left off and sign players in the Summer, that enhances the team like he did last summer.....we don't want to stock pile a certain type of player, because they are not producing, we need variation, to deal with varying styles of opponent.....personally, I think West Ham have done that part, very well.

[TRO]

2 hours ago, Okonokos said:

If I wasn't convinced of it before Trez's injury, I am now. I'd say 2 wide players are the priority this summer. I think Smith will have been frustrated at the lack of creativity without Grealish. We all know how much Smith loves Watkins (understandably so) and I really don't think he'll want to see him starved of service any longer, so I'd imagine Smith knows what the priorities are.

I've actually been over to Bremen to do a bit of scouting  No, in all honesty I've not been on much as I've been a bit bored of football. Nothing to do with Villa this season as I think Smith has done a wonderful job. I know we've fallen away after a good start but with our lack of squad depth that was always inevitable. Whilst it would have been nice to qualify for Europe, I do think it would have been one season too soon. We need a bigger squad first and this summer will be a good opportunity to do that. I've basically just been bored with football in general. I don't like how the modern game has been going for a few years and covid has just made it more depressing. Can't wait to get back to Villa Park as a fresh start. I'll almost certainly be on here more often during the summer window.

Interesting, I think our squad depth is an issue too, but my understanding is we all can only register 25 players.....so if that is correct, it leaves me thinking the mix has an imbalance, and I think that imbalance lies with midfielders more than Defence of Attack....which then leads me to think we have too many Offensive midfielders v Defensive midfielders.

My other observation is too many of those offensive midfielders/wingers are not having enough effect on games.

Marvellous Nakamba is the only natural defensive midfielder in the club.....and there are opinions to say, he is not good enough, that is an issue to me, that needs priority attention.

I think you are right, The wingers are a concern of how they drift in and out of games and can be unreliable to keep the ball....hence why we have to rely on Jack so much.

Our defence has been a rock to us this season despite some schoolboys errors, but the goalkeeper alone has won us points....That defence needs protecting from opposition Runners, and in my view, its currently inadequate....or defence is too easily got at.

I hope, when we come to sign players this summer, a broader view will be taken to what we need, I think 4 out of the front 6 need close scrutiny......keeping my fingers crossed.

[TRO]

16 hours ago, KentVillan said:

My favourite comment in this thread was someone saying you can’t say Smith has improved us season on season for 3 seasons because this season isn’t over yet.

We already have more points than we did last season! With another 24 points left to play for!

Sorry to use stats again, but Smith has clearly improved us every season, while integrating loads of new players into the starting lineup each summer. That has to count for something.

I also would love to see us playing better football, scoring better goals, fighting more for possession in the middle of the park, and not being so reliant on Grealish. These are all fair criticisms of our recent performances. But the idea the project has stalled is just wrong, it’s completely wrong. That’s not me “under reacting” to bad results, it’s just a fact.

The only way we will know if the project has not stalled, is if we ressurect the early season form....

Dean has presided over us progressing since he arrived, a graph would be in steady Incline, with plateau's along the way, right now the graph would show a plateau or slight regress, only time will tell.

He has to find a solution for our form dip, that is what he is paid for.

I would say, to any fan, forget about Dean Smith going, he has done enough to deserve our support through a rough patch.....but he has to dig deep and find a way out of this poor form.

I would also make reference to our season, The points that we have accrued are fabulous, but they are not there to dine out on, they are there to fight to secure and add to, momentum has to be maintained, this cruel league pays not empathy to complacency or passiveness, you and the dynamics are they you are either progressing or regressing there is no status quo.....form is different to the final league placings, but maintaining your good form, leads to a good final league placing, our early season form as great as it is, is History, its the next game is all that matters.

There is no need for dispair as there is no room for rejoicing, we simply have to fix our current form.

The only fact worthy of consideration right now, is we are not picking up enough points, and to give ourselves a chance of that, we have to play better.

[TRO]

14 hours ago, Tomaszk said:

I don't think it's quite as easy as you're laying out here.

Everyone is trying to make it work. Only one team can win the league, three will go down even if there's 20 good sides in the league.

The job has never been easy, even for the players....thats why they attract such huge salaries.....that is like saying £1 million is a lot of money, so why do we talk about the money so flippantly?.....its all relative.

That is simply one extreme to the other......There are 16 teams fighting for respectability.....I want us to do our best in that bunch.

[BG_Villa_Fan]

49 minutes ago, OutByEaster? said:

I think next season might be very difficult for him - we've come a long way and developed an awful lot, but there's a big barrier ahead. Development next season might be more visible on the pitch than in the table.

To finish 6th in this league you've got to be amongst the best 15 sides in world football and there are people who will have an expectation that we can continue our trajectory and push for European qualification next year. That's going to be incredibly hard to do.

Seven clubs qualify for Europe - and I think we can assume that Citeh, United, Liverpool, Chelsea, Leicester, Spurs and Arsenal will be competing to be part of those seven - but Everton are also ambitious and will spend again, Leeds could go either way but might be involved and West Ham will be wanting to prove they weren't a fluke, it's just about possible that Wolves could get it right again - it's a very tough competition and to qualify we'll most likely need to be better than Arsenal and Spurs next season.

I think there's every likelihood that if we spend well, address some of our weaknesses, get the right players, have a plan and play well, we could finish 8th or 9th next season. I would not be in the least bit surprised if that leaves people calling for the managers head.

 

This is very true, and I'm probably in the minority but I think finishing 8th/9th next season and establishing into the top 10 would be very good and would represent further progress. 

[sheepyvillian]

It would be interesting to see the comments should Barkley suddenly hit the form he his certainly capable of.

[nick76]

4 hours ago, OutByEaster? said:

I think next season might be very difficult for him - we've come a long way and developed an awful lot, but there's a big barrier ahead. Development next season might be more visible on the pitch than in the table.

To finish 6th in this league you've got to be amongst the best 15 sides in world football and there are people who will have an expectation that we can continue our trajectory and push for European qualification next year. That's going to be incredibly hard to do.

Seven clubs qualify for Europe - and I think we can assume that Citeh, United, Liverpool, Chelsea, Leicester, Spurs and Arsenal will be competing to be part of those seven - but Everton are also ambitious and will spend again, Leeds could go either way but might be involved and West Ham will be wanting to prove they weren't a fluke, it's just about possible that Wolves could get it right again - it's a very tough competition and to qualify we'll most likely need to be better than Arsenal and Spurs next season.

I think there's every likelihood that if we spend well, address some of our weaknesses, get the right players, have a plan and play well, we could finish 8th or 9th next season. I would not be in the least bit surprised if that leaves people calling for the managers head.

I have been thinking the same and I'm thinking about leaving Villa Talk completely or at least for a long duration. 

While i do defend Smith a lot on here I do have criticisms of him as well but overall the advancement of the team and club has been immense in the last 2.5 years thanks to the owners, smith and his coaching staff and some of the players. 

I enjoy good banter, good discussion on here but some of the stuff on here has blown my mind because it seems to be OTT. 

As I've said constructive criticism is brilliant, we all want the Villa to get better but some on here are hiding behind that and are constantly being negative.  That's fine for them, but I have noticed I have become more defensive and I have become more of a prick on this website to some, which while I happy to be a confrontational person online or in life, I am generally not a prick and I dont like seeing it in myself. 

Additionally I may be over defensive of some things at Villa unlike in real life because I feel on here some go to far and if you push me I'll stand my ground. 

This site used to be enjoyable and I loved the debate and discussion and banter but the last four months havent felt like that mostly and that's not down to how we are on the pitch.

Normally would just waddle on and it will pass and things may get back to normal on here but as you point out next season going to be worse for Smith whatever he does because the expectations rise again, which is fair enough but as you point out it's not just us doing it.  If he has a fantastic season and ends up 7th or 8th the questions about him will be immense.  Only if that fantastic season turns into higher than that will he survive and sixth may not even be acceptable.  This league is so hard, we are talking about probably 8 or so teams that are among the 20 best teams in Europe and to get into that is so difficult.  It will be expected of him especially if we invest heavily but the expectation on here will likely be higher than reasonable.

If he sucks, is poor, doesnt get get good league position, we look poor on the pitch and havent learnt anything I will be happy he leaves because he deserves it but my worry like more things it will be somewhere in the middle where he's likely to be a success but not enough of a success for some Villa fans and this website maybe intolerable for me to deal with the negativity shrouded in 'constructive criticism' from some and wasting hours on replies, I have better things to do.  I feel sorry for Smith before next season even starts because for some on here it may never be enough.

I may stick around until the summer transfer window closes and then bow out for a bit on here and just watch and enjoy the Villa or be despondent when we lose like the old days when this was a pub discussion and I could kick the ass of anybody who didnt agree with me   When I say kick their ass I mean mentally in my head, two hours later at home when I thought of a good come back line that I should've said at the time... 

Edited April 13, 2021 by nick76

[sheepyvillian]

27 minutes ago, BG_Villa_Fan said:

This is very true, and I'm probably in the minority but I think finishing 8th/9th next season and establishing into the top 10 would be very good and would represent further progress. 

There's a reason why patience is considered a virtue.