Dean Smith

[M_Afro]

1 hour ago, villalad21 said:

We'll probably finish 11th

Wolves are still a threat. Their fixtures are much easier than ours. Anything other than 3 points against Palace and I think Wolves finish above us. That would be utterly depressing as they have been rubbish all season.

[villalad21]

9 minutes ago, M_Afro said:

Wolves are still a threat. Their fixtures are much easier than ours. Anything other than 3 points against Palace and I think Wolves finish above us. That would be utterly depressing as they have been rubbish all season.

It would.

Be careful to say it out loud though.

How dare we criticize and want more despite already being safe?

Why do Leeds play every game like their lives depended on it and we don't? Why do their players seem to have stronger mentality?

I know people don't like to hear it but ignoring it doesn't make the problem go away.

[Sulberto21]

1 hour ago, villalad21 said:

Smith is doing a good job but not as good as Bielsa

[DCJonah]

23 minutes ago, villalad21 said:

It would.

Be careful to say it out loud though.

How dare we criticize and want more despite already being safe?

Why do Leeds play every game like their lives depended on it and we don't? Why do their players seem to have stronger mentality?

I know people don't like to hear it but ignoring it doesn't make the problem go away.

What a shock you pipe back up as soon as it seems like Leeds will finish above us. 

 

[AvonVillain]

35 minutes ago, M_Afro said:

Wolves are still a threat. Their fixtures are much easier than ours. Anything other than 3 points against Palace and I think Wolves finish above us. That would be utterly depressing as they have been rubbish all season.

Perhaps Burnley apart, you could argue that all the teams below us have had terrible seasons. Just above, only Arsenal fans could reasonably grumble. Which seems to put us in the 'meh' zone. I still really hope we finish where I said at the start: 8th/9th.

[DCJonah]

Over the last decade, most of the time 50pts gets you top half. 

It doesn't diminish our season, that other teams have had successful years. 

[Adam2003]

59 minutes ago, M_Afro said:

Wolves are still a threat. Their fixtures are much easier than ours. Anything other than 3 points against Palace and I think Wolves finish above us. That would be utterly depressing as they have been rubbish all season.

They play Spurs, United and Everton. It’s hardly a gimme. I don’t think they’ll get more than another point.

Edited May 15, 2021 by Adam2003

[Vive_La_Villa]

Really pisses me off that Leeds achievements have to be used to criticise Smith. Last year it was Sheffield United.  Every clubs circumstances are different. To constantly have to find another club to have a dig at our manager and club is both sad and pathetic in my opinion. 

Edited May 15, 2021 by Vive_La_Villa

[a m ole]

17 minutes ago, DCJonah said:

Over the last decade, most of the time 50pts gets you top half. 

It doesn't diminish our season, that other teams have had successful years. 

Considering Jack has been out a third of the whole season too.

[DCJonah]

1 minute ago, a m ole said:

Considering Jack has been out a third of the whole season too.

Yep, great point. 

[DCJonah]

4 minutes ago, Vive_La_Villa said:

Really pisses me off that Leeds achievements have to be used to criticise Smith. Last year it was Sheffield United.  Every clubs circumstances are different. To constantly have to find another club to have a dig at our manager and club is both sad and pathetic in my opinion. 

The same people will always find something. That's when you know it's more of an agenda. 

[Mark Albrighton]

2 hours ago, villalad21 said:

Smith is doing a good job but not as good as Bielsa

The first six words of this post. Try and remember them when you’re next asking for his dismissal.

As for the incessant comparison that apparently is required. Overall, probably about the same really. 

Bielsa takes over a side in the summer who finished 13th in the Championship the season before. Just under 3 years later, Leeds are 10th in the premier league. 

Smith takes over a side who are 15th in the Championship a quarter of the way into the season. About 2 years and 8 months later, Villa are 11th in the premier league.

So about the same progression, Smith has done it a bit quicker. Throw in a couple of trips to Wembley, a history making winning run and quite possibly the most outrageous result ever recorded in the Premier League. Oh and the FFP benefits of being in the premier league an extra season brings.

And just as I know what’s coming, yeah he’s spent more. And you know what’s coming back - yet another detailed analysis of the rebuild that was required.

There, that saved everyone some time.

[sidcow]

20 minutes ago, a m ole said:

Considering Jack has been out a third of the whole season too.

I'm 100% certain we would have finished above Leeds and top half of Jack had only played a few games more. There were so many games in that run without him where we dropped points and you just know he would have been the difference. 

[DCJonah]

2 minutes ago, sidcow said:

I'm 100% certain we would have finished above Leeds and top half of Jack had only played a few games more. There were so many games in that run without him where we dropped points and you just know he would have been the difference. 

I think a fully fit Jack is worth at least 6 pts. We'd be comfortably 9th IMO had we not lost him for so long. 

[The_Steve]

33 minutes ago, Vive_La_Villa said:

Really pisses me off that Leeds achievements have to be used to criticise Smith. Last year it was Sheffield United.  Every clubs circumstances are different. To constantly have to find another club to have a dig at our manager and club is both sad and pathetic in my opinion. 

Yep. It’s so pathetic and very transparent. Who cares if Leeds are above us? It honestly means F all. We’ve had a great consolidating season. Played some great football. Yes, it’s not been perfect or always consistent. I’m very proud of the team this year. Next season is going to be very exciting, especially with the transfer window. 

[villalad21]

7 minutes ago, The_Steve said:

Yep. It’s so pathetic and very transparent. Who cares if Leeds are above us? It honestly means F all. We’ve had a great consolidating season. Played some great football. Yes, it’s not been perfect or always consistent. I’m very proud of the team this year. Next season is going to be very exciting, especially with the transfer window. 

Of course it matters. How can you say that it doesn't?

Leeds along with Everton and West Ham are direct rivals going for those European spots in the coming seasons.

If they are already ahead of us bare in mind they were playing in the Champipnship last season that's bad news. We've had a 1 year headstart of them and should be clear of them.

In my mind we need to have a miraculous summer window.

If we really still are this reliant on Grealish then God help us if he picks up another injury next season.

Edited May 15, 2021 by villalad21

[MrBlack]

39 minutes ago, Mark Albrighton said:

The first six words of this post. Try and remember them when you’re next asking for his dismissal.

As for the incessant comparison that apparently is required. Overall, probably about the same really. 

Bielsa takes over a side in the summer who finished 13th in the Championship the season before. Just under 3 years later, Leeds are 10th in the premier league. 

Smith takes over a side who are 15th in the Championship a quarter of the way into the season. About 2 years and 8 months later, Villa are 11th in the premier league.

So about the same progression, Smith has done it a bit quicker. Throw in a couple of trips to Wembley, a history making winning run and quite possibly the most outrageous result ever recorded in the Premier League. Oh and the FFP benefits of being in the premier league an extra season brings.

And just as I know what’s coming, yeah he’s spent more. And you know what’s coming back - yet another detailed analysis of the rebuild that was required.

There, that saved everyone some time.

Not to mention Bielsa has decades more experience. He should be a better manager. The fact its debatable as to who is doing the best job means Smith is an excellent manager with his best years ahead of him. 

[The_Steve]

13 minutes ago, villalad21 said:

Of course it matters. How can you say that it doesn't?

Leeds along with Everton and West Ham are direct rivals going for those European spots in the coming seasons.

If they are already ahead of us bare in mind they were playing in the Champipnship last season that's bad news. We've had a 1 year headstart of them and should be clear of them.

In my mind we need to have a miraculous summer.

If we really still are this reliant on Grealish then God help us if he picks up another injury next season.

Again, the conditions each time find themselves on any given day are very different. We comfortably beat Everton without Jack and lost to Burnley with a fluke goal. It happens. Leeds beat Man City with two shots on target. Freakish results happen. As do injuries and bad officiating decisions. 
 

Swing that pendulum the other way: are we a better team and making more progress because we could finish above Wolves one year? That’s a silly, ludicrous straw man argument you have built. 
 

Take Bruno out of United or any crucial player, and any side would struggle. You know this but just ignore that. Next year will bring in more quality to mitigate that. 

Edited May 15, 2021 by The_Steve

[jacketspuds]

2 minutes ago, villalad21 said:

Of course it matters. How can you say that it doesn't?

Leeds along with Everton and West Ham are direct rivals going for those European spots in the coming seasons.

If they are already ahead of us bare in mind they were playing in the Champipnship last season that's bad news. We've had a 1 year headstart of them and should be clear of them.

In my mind we need to have a miraculous summer window.

If we really still are this reliant on Grealish then God help us if he picks up another injury next season.

We barely had a starting 11 when we came in to the PL. Leeds had a very good Championship team and spent £100m adding to it.

You can’t compare the amount of time both teams have been in the league.

Leeds could struggle as soon as Bielsa leaves as he has quite a unique style.

[Sulberto21]

After the Villa park game where Leeds won Bielsa himself made reference to the fact he's had his group together longer than our squad. He said my players know their roles and responsibilities because they've been together for longer.

This guy is actually making me dislike Bielsa someone who I wanted as manager of Villa for a very long time especially when dreary was in charge.