Dean Smith

[TRO]

3 hours ago, VillaChris said:

Stoke have conceded loads of goals this season. A few of their results:

Leeds 3-1 Stoke

Preston 2-2 Stoke

Stoke 0-3 Wigan

Sheff Wed 2-2 Stoke

Stoke 2-3 Blackburn

Rotherham 2-2 Stoke

Stoke 2-2 QPR

Reading 2-2 Stoke

Probably adds to my theory no one in this league can really defend so our own poor back 4 won't be as detrimental to our hopes as made out.

As for those you've mentioned I think Butland is a bit overrated (reminds me of Shay Given), Shawcross and Willams used to be solid defenders but Shawcross had loads of back injuries so he's really slow now and Williams was terrible at Everton and no one on their oatcake forum rates Cuco Martina. He just watched Kodjia score the header if you see the second goal again.

so what went wrong at our place?

have they just found some form?

[sheepyvillian]

On 16/12/2018 at 12:21, Zatman said:

23 goals in 10 games is mighty impressive and some of these games we could have scored more

And as long as we score more than the opposition, then long may it continue. It's an absolute pleasure to see us playing with such bravado and fluidity. 

As Paul Weller once eloquently said, " that's entertainment ".

[villalad21]

5 minutes ago, sheepyvillian said:

And as long as we score more than the opposition, then long may it continue.

But we aren't right now that's the problem

[OutByEaster?]

6 hours ago, villalad21 said:

But we aren't right now that's the problem

Is it 23-14 since Smith arrived? 

More often than not, we are.

 

[hippo]

8 hours ago, TRO said:

so what went wrong at our place?

have they just found some form?

"One of the best teams in the division"  - like everyone we don't beat.

[Zatman]

8 hours ago, TRO said:

so what went wrong at our place?

have they just found some form?

They conceded 2 goals so adds to the pattern that they cant defend 

[Dodgyknees]

1 hour ago, hippo said:

"One of the best teams in the division"  - like everyone we don't beat.

Under Bruce, every team we played had that tag.

[JAMAICAN-VILLAN]

Way off Topic.

However, did anyone start seeing parallels between Mourinho and Bruce recently?

Throwing players under the bus, grossly underperforming with a big club and top players, stubborn, and blaming all and sundry aside from himself.

Just been sacked, and like us, they probably held on to him for too long where season is a write off.

Just goes to show, no matter the pedigree, if you refuse to update your tactics/methods, be malleable and LEARN to modernise your game, you are going nowhere fast.

I love how Dean Smith always emphasises trying to learn and get better!

Edited December 18, 2018 by JAMAICAN-VILLAN

[Wainy316]

22 minutes ago, JAMAICAN-VILLAN said:

Way off Topic.

However, did anyone start seeing parallels between Mourinho and Bruce recently?

Throwing players under the bus, grossly underperforming with a big club and top players, stubborn, and blaming all and sundry aside from himself.

Just been sacked, and like us, they probably held on to him for too long where season is a write off.

Just goes to show, no matter the pedigree, if you refuse to update your tactics/methods, be malleable and LEARN to modernise your game, you are going nowhere fast.

I love how Dean Smith always emphasises trying to learn and get better!

Big parallels with Jose and Bruce.

Both had vast amounts of firepower at their disposal that their tactics stifled.

[TRO]

9 hours ago, sheepyvillian said:

And as long as we score more than the opposition, then long may it continue. It's an absolute pleasure to see us playing with such bravado and fluidity. 

As Paul Weller once eloquently said, " that's entertainment ".

And its what we all want......but when the points are dropped, the entertainment argument gets tarnished.....because it stands alone.

We need clean sheets......and entertainment.

[sheepyvillian]

3 minutes ago, TRO said:

And its what we all want......but when the points are dropped, the entertainment argument gets tarnished.....because it stands alone.

We need clean sheets......and entertainment.

When we dropped points under the previous regime we didn't even have the entertainment factor to fall back on. At least we're going out there with the determination to win the game and that, for me , is what matters most.

[TRO]

Dean Smith and his coaching prowess, can only do so much.

We are conceding too many goals recently.....We need an additional dimension in our defensive play.....there is nowhere near enough intensity and urgency in our defending.

I hope January will provide it.

[Jareth]

1 hour ago, JAMAICAN-VILLAN said:

However, did anyone start seeing parallels between Mourinho and Bruce recently?

Patatas head

[TRO]

6 hours ago, sheepyvillian said:

When we dropped points under the previous regime we didn't even have the entertainment factor to fall back on. At least we're going out there with the determination to win the game and that, for me , is what matters most.

Of course its better.....but 2 wrongs don't make a right.

for me, a huge portion of the entertainment package is Winning.I can also gain satisfaction from watching defenders execute their technical abilities and dominance i.e Macca, Laursen

We want to get out of this division....i assume.

Its not a criticism, but we can't defend consistently and its going to cost us our objective.

Dean has done well and I prefer his style.....but we need to defend better than what we are...not only are there too many, they are poor quality, shabby defending.

He needs players in and they need to be comfortable in competing and hunting for the ball.

He wants clean sheets as much as me.....he said so after the Boro game.

Edited December 18, 2018 by TRO

[TRO]

3 hours ago, OutByEaster? said:

Is it 23-14 since Smith arrived? 

More often than not, we are.

 

We have conceded 11 in the last  5 games.

The first 6 does not negate the last 5.....admittedly we have had tougher opponents, but if we are to go up, we have to deal with them all.

but more importantly watching the games, the goals are of a low grade conceding.

The defending is not commensurate with a team with our ambitions.

The offensive side is impressive, but all its doing lately is bailing out a shabby defence.

We need wins, not draws......and we need to find a way of achieving it.

My suspicion is only January will fix it.

[sheepyvillian]

15 minutes ago, TRO said:

Of course its better.....but 2 wrongs don't make a right.

for me, a huge portion of the entertainment package is Winning.I can also gain satisfaction from watching defenders execute their technical abilities and dominance i.e Macca, Laursen

We want to get out of this division....i assume.

Its not a criticism, but we can't defend and its going to cost us our objective.

Dean has done well and I prefer his style.....but we need to defend better than what we are...not only are there too many, they are poor quality, shabby defending.

He needs players in and they need to be comfortable in competing and hunting for the ball.

He wants clean sheets as much as me.....he said so after the Boro game.

All managers want clean sheets, that's an obvious cliche, the difference with Smith is he's not prepared to compromise his footballing principles to achieve them. He sets out to play on the front foot so there will always be an element of risk. It may not please everyone, but it rarely does. I can't get enough of this Aston Villa, but that's a subjective thing and I refuse to have my enjoyment soured.

[romavillan]

4 hours ago, Dick said:

Under Bruce, every team we played had that tag.

Easy now, he beat Rotherham.

[Cjay]

Cant find the Steve Bruce thread but i think I've stepped into a parallel universe. 

Turned on Sky Sports news to hear which one of the big out of work managers The Pride of Sky TV were looking to appoint.

Zidane, Conte, someone like that.

Imagine my shock when (with a totally straight face). 

The Sky reporter said.

"Someone like Steve Bruce fits there criteria". . . . . . . . . . . . .

Should be some sort of health warning before saying things like that.

"Please be advised, you may experience loss of consciousness through laughter".

Best laugh ive had all day.

 

Edited December 18, 2018 by Cjay

[JAMAICAN-VILLAN]

23 minutes ago, romavillan said:

Easy now, he beat Rotherham.

And shut up more than 1 or 2 in the process 

[CosmicVillan]

1 hour ago, romavillan said:

Easy now, he beat Rotherham.

So did RDM