Dean Smith

[TRO]

3 minutes ago, OutByEaster? said:

Yep, I'd be okay with 10th next season and a really good go at one of the cups. 

I don't like the owners of West Ham either - they've done well, they've taken a route where they've gathered a very physical team, the biggest and strongest players they can find and mixed them together, they've added some pace with Lingaard and it makes them a difficult team to play against - a very big, quick, physical striker, a couple of smarter wingers, positive full backs and five big strong defensive players packing out the defensive areas - I wouldn't describe them as rounded, they're a physical side, athletic, but they're not a team that can football you to death. I think they might struggle a little bit next season to match this seasons expectations and to deal with the additional fixtures, but fair play to them for this season. For me it's a team that doesn't have a very high 'ceiling' to use the modern phrase, but they're wringing a lot out of all that muscle while they can.

I agree with you that it's something we could do with a little more of and I'd like to see us add some real pace into our front three and a little muscle elsewhere this summer - but I wouldn't want to go the whole hog like West Ham have - I think if you look at other teams that are consistently successful, it's about quickness of thought and keeping the ball.

 

 

yeah, I concur

Do you think we will ever be a team to football teams to death?.....will we ever be able to attract the type of players in sufficient numbers to do that?....even when we won the League, Ipswich was known as the football darlings of the day....I am not sure we have ever done that, '77 maybe.

it could well be a very expensive project to be able to do that.

.....you might be right, about sustaining it, that is always the challenge, but its nice while its happening ( good form ,I mean)

I also share your admission we need a bit more muscle, but not to fill the team with it....my description of rounded is when a team has a bit of everything, I think West Ham have right now....thats not saying they can't improve, we all can.

 

[TRO]

19 minutes ago, sne said:

Haven't you heard, they single-handedly won the 1966 WC. 

I certainly thought we were over performing and that we were going to run out of steam, mentioned tons of time in various threads.

Not read through the last 10-20 pages, what is it you think is causing our current form if it isn't recruitment or fatigue? Please don't say anything supernatural or aliens 

I don't honestly know, I have my suspicions, but they have been well documented.

but I will also make reference to a feature of our play like giving the ball away too much....you can't be doing that and expect much to happen in your favour.

Edited April 13, 2021 by TRO

[sne]

9 minutes ago, TRO said:

I don't honestly know, I have my suspicions, but they have been well documented.

but I will also make reference to a feature of our play like giving the ball away too much....you can't be doing that and expect much to happen in your favour.

Absolutely, Our inability to keep the ball up the pitch is a big issue. Our RW options are not good enough and Barkley has been a flop meaning our attacks are short and the team is often stretched when we lose the ball making us easy to pass though for teams who are good at transitions and counters. close down Grealish and half the job is done.

Watkins is probably the best defensive forward in the league but that means diddly squat when Barkley and Traoré can't be bothered to track their runners and give the ball away too easy.

Edited April 13, 2021 by sne

[TRO]

23 hours ago, OutByEaster? said:

I think that depends on how you define defensive midfield and how you want to play the game - Pirlo, Kante and Matic are all very different players, but all played in the position that you'd associate with your defensive midfielder. I'm not sure Dean Smith wants a sitting midfielder who is all about scrapping and protection - the de-facto fifth centreback that we had with Jedinak for example - I think he's looking for a ball player - where I think midfield has disappointed this year is in retaining the ball - the passing hasn't been good enough. 

 

I would agree, once again.

Yes there is various styles, but its more about what you want them to do.....The job, that requires protecting the defence, cutting out runners, winning/cutting out long balls in the air, destined for runners, aiding the centre backs at set pieces, starting attacks, by turning the ball over and so on......for sure, there will be various styles of CDM that will deal with that.....we just need to find one...the ones we currently deploy are 8's for me...we need them further forward.,is my view.

My pre-requisite for such a player, is winning the ball first and playing the ball second, not the other way around as you seem to think Dean Wants.....ball players for me are more suited further up field....but that is not me saying a lump will do, it clearly won't....Jedinak, would have been fine, if he had of been higher quality and more refined

some teams choose to play with 2 of course...we are debating one.

Edited April 14, 2021 by TRO

[OutByEaster?]

8 minutes ago, TRO said:

My pre-requisite for such a player, is winning the ball first and playing the ball second, not the other way around....ball players for me are more suited further up field....but that is not me saying a lump will do, it clearly won't....Jedinak, would have been fine, if he had of been higher quality and more refined

I think it comes down to whether you want to defend more but better, or less often with vulnerabilities. 

We've got very good defenders, but we defend a lot. We don't control games and we spend a lot of time defending our goal.

If you look at Man City for example (and I know they're extraordinary) their theory is that they'll keep the ball and they'll keep it high up the pitch, then if they lose it they'll give a cheap foul in your half or they'll see what happens - they defend reasonably well, but they don't need that extra defensively minded body in there because they keep the ball so well that they don't have to defend very often.

For us I'd like a balance, if we keep the ball better we don't have to defend as often and if we don't have to defend as often, we don't need to sacrifice a position to have a Jedinak style player in there, that's where I'd like us to be, but it needs to come from keeping the ball.

 

[DaveAV1]

41 minutes ago, TRO said:

We was talking about Fatigue......it doesn't matter what the reason is, they have not been playing, first team games.....my understanding of Fatigue, is a result of playing too much, there is also a mental element to consider, being out for any reason, rests the mind.

The defence, is the epitomy of things being relatively ok and they have been ever present in the main....hence my doubt about fatigue.....Ollie Watkins himself has had to work on his own and played in every game, if anyone should show fatigue, its him, but in my view he is not showing fatigue....He is still one of our "go to" players.

I am not talking about quality, you mentioned Fatigue and I think its a red herring, sorry.

I accept that fatigue in certain instances can play a huge part in form dips....but in our case, I struggle with that claim, just my view.

I didn’t mention fatigue, I said that we look jaded. Fatigue can be a factor and of course fatigue is both mental and physical. There is no denying that players get jaded at this point in the season which is a big factor in why many of the clubs with better quality squads have strong finishes. Man U under Fergie were renowned for it. Even this season both them and Man City are finishing strongly. 
 

Either way I didn’t mention fatigue once in my post. The main point of my post was the depth of quality which, I believe is lacking in our squad. You seem to have got hold of the wrong end of the stick TRO. Perhaps you’re fatigued...? 

[Paul33]

22 hours ago, mykeyb said:

So do you have any concerns about our current form or lack of plan b when jacks not available?

None whatsoever for the long term. Rest of this season, yes, we don't have a backup and we need one so you can bet we'll be getting one in the Summer. We've made significant progress this season no matter what happens in the last few games and we'll progress further next season ..... with Dean Smith !

[foreveryoung]

I think the question is most people are asking is "where has that amazing football we were playing gone"! I remember it being quick attractive football, that you couldn't wait to watch. Liverpool (7-2) game was unreal, for me not Liverpool playing bad, it was us literally playing them off the field. Now it looks like certain players who made it happen are underperforming, but why?

[S-Platt]

14 minutes ago, foreveryoung said:

I think the question is most people are asking is "where has that amazing football we were playing gone"! I remember it being quick attractive football, that you couldn't wait to watch. Liverpool (7-2) game was unreal, for me not Liverpool playing bad, it was us literally playing them off the field. Now it looks like certain players who made it happen are underperforming, but why?

Covid.

Being figured out by the opposition.

Jack playing with an injury and now missing.

[foreveryoung]

28 minutes ago, S-Platt said:

Covid.

Being figured out by the opposition.

Jack playing with an injury and now missing.

2 and 3 believable, defo not 1.

[lexicon]

2 hours ago, TRO said:

I thought it was a legitimate observation....I think Emi has saved us and our defensive stats many times, this season....He's been amazing.

but well done you for saving him from ridicule.

Cash - Joint 2nd in interceptions
Mings - 7th in clearances, 10th in blocks
Konsa - 4th in blocks, least dribbled past CB in the division

But nah, just Martinez saving our bacon every time 

[mykeyb]

1 hour ago, Paul33 said:

None whatsoever for the long term. Rest of this season, yes, we don't have a backup and we need one so you can bet we'll be getting one in the Summer. We've made significant progress this season no matter what happens in the last few games and we'll progress further next season ..... with Dean Smith !

Why do some posters assume if we criticize Dean Smith we want him replaced?

I agree that the manager lacks good options from the bench but to persist with Traore, Elghazi, Tres (perm any 2 from 3) with the other coming on as first sub when it hasn't helped our performances and the results have suffered seem to be stubborn for want of a better word.

As you say Dean will be able to give himself better options for next season so let's hope if we lose Jack for any length of time that Dean won't keep repeating the same issues.

[nick76]

15 minutes ago, foreveryoung said:

2 and 3 believable, defo not 1.

Quick question.  Genuinely interested.

Why dont you believe the covid thing?  Not saying I do but also we don’t know the impacts of covid yet medium to long term and given what it does short term, the chances of seeing impacts on elite athletes might be material to notice a difference if they have had it.  

My point we still don’t know enough above lasting effects of covid for a month later, three months later etc and we know normal people that are suffering, some almost a year after having covid.  

I’m just wondering why you are so convinced?  Again I’m not saying I think it a reason, we were shut down and we know a lot of people had it.  Therefore to say you don’t believe covid so strongly as a reason seems a little presumptuous without real evidence either way.

Again I’m not saying it the reason but to rule it out until we have more evidence as more knowledge around covid is discovered seems not right.  

All we know is we has a lot of people that got covid that we shut down the training ground.  We know from science that more long term effects are being discovered from covid. We know that athletes have to be 100% really to be competitive in this league.  It’s not unreasonable to believe that we may have been impacted slightly by that but until more knowledge is gained it’s only a possible reason but at the moment there is definitely not a reason to completely rule it out.

So aside from your belief, I’m interested in your thoughts.

[Zatman]

Bayern a much greater team than us struggling without Lewandowski, suppose just Villa that struggle when missing the best player

Edited April 13, 2021 by Zatman

[nick76]

9 minutes ago, mykeyb said:

I agree that the manager lacks good options from the bench but to persist with Traore, Elghazi, Tres (perm any 2 from 3) with the other coming on as first sub when it hasn't helped our performances and the results have suffered seem to be stubborn for want of a better word.

This is the part I don’t understand.  You agree Smith lacks options but you decry that he’s stubborn that he uses the only options he has.  Obviously he doesn’t favour Davis which is his choice but aside from that what are his other options that you agree he lacks.  I’m confused, genuinely.

[OutByEaster?]

7 minutes ago, Zatman said:

Bayern a much greater team than us struggling without Lewandowski, suppose just Villa that struggle when missing the best player

They're beating PSG 1-0. I'll take that sort of struggle please.

 

[Zatman]

5 minutes ago, OutByEaster? said:

They're beating PSG 1-0. I'll take that sort of struggle please.

 

as i said they have better players but with Lewandowski I think they would be home and dry already

[nick76]

1 minute ago, Zatman said:

as i said they have better players but with Lewandowski I think they would be home and dry already

As one the best teams in the world that over two legs, going out to PSG who apart from a few world class players shouldn’t be in the same realm as one of the best teams in the world, your point is valid.

[Tomaszk]

1 hour ago, nick76 said:

Quick question.  Genuinely interested.

Why dont you believe the covid thing?  Not saying I do but also we don’t know the impacts of covid yet medium to long term and given what it does short term, the chances of seeing impacts on elite athletes might be material to notice a difference if they have had it.  

My point we still don’t know enough above lasting effects of covid for a month later, three months later etc and we know normal people that are suffering, some almost a year after having covid.  

I’m just wondering why you are so convinced?  Again I’m not saying I think it a reason, we were shut down and we know a lot of people had it.  Therefore to say you don’t believe covid so strongly as a reason seems a little presumptuous without real evidence either way.

Again I’m not saying it the reason but to rule it out until we have more evidence as more knowledge around covid is discovered seems not right.  

All we know is we has a lot of people that got covid that we shut down the training ground.  We know from science that more long term effects are being discovered from covid. We know that athletes have to be 100% really to be competitive in this league.  It’s not unreasonable to believe that we may have been impacted slightly by that but until more knowledge is gained it’s only a possible reason but at the moment there is definitely not a reason to completely rule it out.

So aside from your belief, I’m interested in your thoughts.

I'm afraid it's been decided it's all Smith's fault. No other reasons will be entertained which can become draining on a discussion forum.

[barry'sboots]

2 hours ago, foreveryoung said:

I think the question is most people are asking is "where has that amazing football we were playing gone"! I remember it being quick attractive football, that you couldn't wait to watch. Liverpool (7-2) game was unreal, for me not Liverpool playing bad, it was us literally playing them off the field. Now it looks like certain players who made it happen are underperforming, but why?

Exactly this.  Even Wrighty was saying that we were the cool kids on the block.  No-one is saying that now!!

I can't understand how a midfield three that looked so good against Liverpool and Arsenal (a) can now look so bad. Can Luiz - who was great from Restart to Christmas - suddenly have turned into the poor player we have seen this year OR is he just trying to deter Citeh from exercising the buy-back??  Where has the SJM from the Championship and before his injury last season gone -I thought he was back after the first 10 games or so.  And I was sceptical of Barkley but massively positive after his first few games but now the poor kid looks like he couldn't get into Remi Garde's Villa??  This is just mad?!

As said earlier, Smith is always honest in his assessment of games where we have played poor but it has happened for ten games plus in a row now and not once has he offered a reason why?