Dean Smith

[Demitri_C]

2 minutes ago, AvfcRigo82 said:

Dem. No disrespect when I say this but I don't give a shit about Leeds, it's the descisions for us, Aston Villa - or lack of - that I am concerned about. Yes overall the ref had a shit game.

I point to the game at WestBrom as another example, the 90th minute 'Try' from the WestBrom player Rodriguez - with the Linesman standing clear as day looking at it.

Wether our own players lack whatever that is for the manager to address, but after a while it becomes irrelevant if the Refs cannot officiate properly. It takes the piss.

Rigo if you read my earlier posts in the promotion thread you will see i agree with you about the shit refs against West Brom. We were robbed and that cost us two crucial points in a massive game. However in this one we can't complain because Leeds had big decisions go against them. It's more the defence that cost us than the refs

Why the hell did Elmo do such a pathetic clearance? A pussy clearance. Just good that into space you **** clown!!

Hutton Out of position again and making countess mistakes. Teams know thats our weakness our only weakness targeting over full backs and keeper.they are our only weakness. It's time for smith to drop hutton and elmo like he has with el ghazi and kodjia when they havent performed. Show these pathetic performances are not acceptable. I'd rather we see revan at cb and bree at rb than have hutton making the same mistakes each game and costing us.

Refs are shit in this league no question but we have to do better defensively to ensure we get the 3 points when these decisions go against us.

[New_Hope]

1 hour ago, AvfcRigo82 said:

No, you're right.

That previous muppet in charge has already helped **** this season.

If Dean Smith plugs a tune out of what he has inherited and get's us promoted then it's manager of the season candidate for me.

How the son of the potato can keep coming out on Twatter justifying his father's piss poor management here, is nothing short of delusional.

Probably the same way Alex 'piss poor' Bruce got to steal a living as a professional footballer. 

[New_Hope]

You can't argue that DS hasn't done a remarkable job in the short time he has been here.

He's taken an unbalanced squad with some major weaknesses (gk, cb) thar was devoid of any real footballing mentality and turned them into a team that now looks like it knows how to play whilst playing most of the top 8 teams in his first run of games and yet managing more wins in a shorter space of time than SB did this season. 

Even in the 3 games we lost, we coulda shoulda got something out of.

Yet now we have signed a better keeper which will in still confidence in the back 4 plus a run of games against lesser opposition I expect a surge up the table.  Since his arrival, we have closed the gap to the playoffs with a hell of a lot of football to play.

'Do you want to bet against us?'

[Stevo985]

2 minutes ago, New_Hope said:

You can't argue that DS hasn't done a remarkable job in the short time he has been here.

You absolutely can.

I like Dean, I like the football he has us playing and I have high hopes for our future under his management. I think we're still in with a good shout of playoffs this season.

But he's done absolutely nothing remarkable yet.

[Tommo_b]

2 minutes ago, New_Hope said:

You can't argue that DS hasn't done a remarkable job in the short time he has been here.

He's taken an unbalanced squad with some major weaknesses (gk, cb) thar was devoid of any real footballing mentality and turned them into a team that now looks like it knows how to play whilst playing most of the top 8 teams in his first run of games and yet managing more wins in a shorter space of time than SB did this season. 

Even in the 3 games we lost, we coulda shoulda got something out of.

Yet now we have signed a better keeper which will in still confidence in the back 4 plus a run of games against lesser opposition I expect a surge up the table.  Since his arrival, we have closed the gap to the playoffs with a hell of a lot of football to play.

'Do you want to bet against us?'

What an appropriate user name. I like your positivity, more of it is needed around here. 

Still a long way to go, I think play offs will be in our grasp again, but I’d like to think we can still catch up with the top two as well. 

Dean Smith is a hell of a good manager it seems. 

[hippo]

7 minutes ago, New_Hope said:

You can't argue that DS hasn't done a remarkable job in the short time he has been here.

He's taken an unbalanced squad with some major weaknesses (gk, cb) thar was devoid of any real footballing mentality and turned them into a team that now looks like it knows how to play whilst playing most of the top 8 teams in his first run of games and yet managing more wins in a shorter space of time than SB did this season. 

Even in the 3 games we lost, we coulda shoulda got something out of.

Yet now we have signed a better keeper which will in still confidence in the back 4 plus a run of games against lesser opposition I expect a surge up the table.  Since his arrival, we have closed the gap to the playoffs with a hell of a lot of football to play.

'Do you want to bet against us?'

I don't think we have closed the gap in terms of points on the play off places ?

[hippo]

22 minutes ago, New_Hope said:

You can't argue that DS hasn't done a remarkable job in the short time he has been here.

He's taken an unbalanced squad with some major weaknesses (gk, cb) thar was devoid of any real footballing mentality and turned them into a team that now looks like it knows how to play whilst playing most of the top 8 teams in his first run of games and yet managing more wins in a shorter space of time than SB did this season. 

Even in the 3 games we lost, we coulda shoulda got something out of.

Yet now we have signed a better keeper which will in still confidence in the back 4 plus a run of games against lesser opposition I expect a surge up the table.  Since his arrival, we have closed the gap to the playoffs with a hell of a lot of football to play.

'Do you want to bet against us?'

Actually in another thread somebody did bet against us 2-0 up then won £650 by predicting a leeds win. 

 

[kurtsimonw]

14 hours ago, M_Afro said:

Have a word with yourself mate. If you cannot see the improvement then you do not understand football. We have played some really tough games and you could make an argument for us winning all of them. You cannot blame the manager for poor luck and mistakes.

Patience is what we need. For the first time in a generation we appear to have an intelligent coaching staff and an intelligent board. Do not underestimate the importance of that. Unfortunately we don’t yet have an intelligent team but that will come. Watching Villa these past few weeks has, at times, been an absolute joy. Work still to do? Of course but surely you can see that for the first time in years we are on an upward trajectory. Stick with it and enjoy the ride.

I suppose we will see. Just because you think we will I have very, doesn't mean we will. Small sample size, played some tough teams, etc. But his record, I imagine, isn't much different to Bruce. Yes, we score more goals, but the outcome is the same. 

Of course I want things to improve, and I think they will. But that doesn't change the fact in his short time here, he's thrown away plenty of points, a number of those being late on. 

Think you need to have a word with yourself if you think everyone has to share your narrow minded view that he can do no wrong. All bad = players fault, all good = Dean Smith. 

[VillaCas]

9 minutes ago, Stevo985 said:

You absolutely can.

I like Dean, I like the football he has us playing and I have high hopes for our future under his management. I think we're still in with a good shout of playoffs this season.

But he's done absolutely nothing remarkable yet.

I guess it depends on your expectations and on what you think can be achieved in 12 games

I would argue that a return of 19 points, a complete turnaround in attitude and some of the best football I've seen us play in a number of years, achieved almost overnight and set against the mis-matched shambles that he inheirited is worthy of attention.

We have a long, long way to go but to say that DS's start hasn't been unexpected, surprising and remarkably good is plain wrong in my opinion

[Dave-R]

10 hours ago, TRO said:

by Sir David Attenborough

The missing species.....such a rare breed around Aston....They are mooted to be from a dark age, never likely to surface again, some say extinct, but we have sightings reported from around the country....even academies can't seem to cultivate them.

If you happen to see one anywhere near Aston or Bodymoor Heath the breeding ground....we will send a camera team over immediately....but don't mention the Blue Planet, we don't like Blue.

That's just hilarious, nice one.

[Dave-R]

49 minutes ago, Stevo985 said:

You absolutely can.

I like Dean, I like the football he has us playing and I have high hopes for our future under his management. I think we're still in with a good shout of playoffs this season.

But he's done absolutely nothing remarkable yet.

I think getting Bruce's team to play some exciting football is remarkable, but that's just me I guess.

[Dave-R]

3 hours ago, Demitri_C said:

That's why i cabt get my head around smith saying the ref was poor. He missed two terrible stone wall.pens for Leeds. He was dreadful for both sides.

Yeah but at least Smith went and grabbed the hands of the Leeds players after the game, shows what a good natured person he is and is even humbled by a defeat to a better team, not many a manager would of done that..

[VillaCas]

6 minutes ago, kurtsimonw said:

I suppose we will see. Just because you think we will I have very, doesn't mean we will. Small sample size, played some tough teams, etc. But his record, I imagine, isn't much different to Bruce. Yes, we score more goals, but the outcome is the same. 

Of course I want things to improve, and I think they will. But that doesn't change the fact in his short time here, he's thrown away plenty of points, a number of those being late on. 

Think you need to have a word with yourself if you think everyone has to share your narrow minded view that he can do no wrong. All bad = players fault, all good = Dean Smith. 

Bruce was 15 pts from 11 which would equate to 63 over a full season (would have delivered 12th place last season), DS is 19 from 12 which would equate to 73 (7th last season). If you add to this the fact that Bruce had built and worked with this squad over years, that the players are not best equipped to play the style of football Smith favours, that morale was at a low and that also it could be argued that Bruce's fixtures were far easier than Smiths. For me, it all points to a step-change in performance since Smith has been onboard

I wasn't one of those who was particularly pushing for Smiths appointment so I have no axe to grind. In my view DS has looked at what is available to him and has decided that we would do better by going at teams and out-scoring them rather than defending and playing on the break (and certainly this was the approach that Villa fans had overwhelmingly said they favoured). When he has had two or three windows and bought his own players in I beleive we will progress further (much further)

In my opinion, dropped points have come from individual mistakes (like Elmos yesterday)or from bad luck (the Rodrequez goal) - I can't pinpoint any when the blame should fall on Smith

Perhaps I too am 'narrow-minded' but I can't see much that Smith has donr wrong so far

 

[AvfcRigo82]

3 minutes ago, Dave-R said:

I think getting Bruce's team to play some exciting football is remarkable, but that's just me I guess.

I think it would have been remarkable if Bruce had got this same team to play football full stop.

It's no suprise DS has them playing.

 

[TRO]

9 minutes ago, Dave-R said:

That's just hilarious, nice one.

On a serious note.....when the rest of the division, see fit to have big units at CB and Goal keeper and we just piss around with farts, its not surprising we get out muscled in key area's.

I understand there is more to it than just size, but its a big advantage in a league, where grappling is just seen as the norm.

We have finally got a unit in Goal, just hope he is capable.

Tammy at 6'3 has shown how his frame has helped us.....we do really need to sign players with the 3 P,s.........poise, pace and Power.

[Stevo985]

42 minutes ago, VillaCas said:

I guess it depends on your expectations and on what you think can be achieved in 12 games

I would argue that a return of 19 points, a complete turnaround in attitude and some of the best football I've seen us play in a number of years, achieved almost overnight and set against the mis-matched shambles that he inheirited is worthy of attention.

We have a long, long way to go but to say that DS's start hasn't been unexpected, surprising and remarkably good is plain wrong in my opinion

Each to their own.

Like I said, I'm pleased with Smith, I see the improvement, I can't wait for the rest of the season.

But to say what we've done so far under him is "remarkable" is pure hyperbole, imo.

[TRO]

11 minutes ago, VillaCas said:

Bruce was 15 pts from 11 which would equate to 63 over a full season (would have delivered 12th place last season), DS is 19 from 12 which would equate to 73 (7th last season). If you add to this the fact that Bruce had built and worked with this squad over years, that the players are not best equipped to play the style of football Smith favours, that morale was at a low and that also it could be argued that Bruce's fixtures were far easier than Smiths. For me, it all points to a step-change in performance since Smith has been onboard

I wasn't one of those who was particularly pushing for Smiths appointment so I have no axe to grind. In my view DS has looked at what is available to him and has decided that we would do better by going at teams and out-scoring them rather than defending and playing on the break (and certainly this was the approach that Villa fans had overwhelmingly said they favoured). When he has had two or three windows and bought his own players in I beleive we will progress further (much further)

In my opinion, dropped points have come from individual mistakes (like Elmos yesterday)or from bad luck (the Rodrequez goal) - I can't pinpoint any when the blame should fall on Smith

Perhaps I too am 'narrow-minded' but I can't see much that Smith has donr wrong so far

 

I think Steve Bruce's style went down a cul-de-sac where there was not much room for progression....but he still managed 24 wins in a season, boring and dull at times, but not to be sniffed at in terms of effect.

Dean has a different outlook.....but the team is still SB's.

We need more pace and stamina.....we haemorrahage energy around a hour in to a game....we run out of steam.

We concede so many goals in the last 15 minutes of a game.

Despite all the plaudits aimed at Leeds.....we were 2-0 up for the best part of an hour.

We ran out of energy, failed to get close to the opponent, failed to close down ,failed to run off the ball.

I think as a club / team......we lack pace and energy.

Leeds looked and displayed a tendency to be MUCH fitter than us.

[honest_bertie]

I think the reason smith went for the ref in his post match interview is because if he said what he truely thinks about the defense he might alienate the players, which he has no choice but to use in the next few games b4 jan. his tone and body language screamed frustration amd annoyance. To me he was probably protecting players as it was plain to see our defense was really why we lost, not the ref, even though he was poor moat ofbthe game.

Edited December 24, 2018 by honest_bertie

[striker]

Made this point in the match thread but probably should have stated it here.

I’m a little concerned that DS hasn’t replaced Grealish with O’Hare over the last two games. O’Hare is the only comparable player Villa have in Grealish’s position so why not play him?

Marcelo Bielsa trusted his younger players yesterday in an important game which paid off handsomely for him.

I just hope DS isn’t letting the pressure of promoting Villa interfere with his footballing philosophy intergrating young players into a pass and move system?

[Tomaszk]

28 minutes ago, VillaCas said:

Bruce was 15 pts from 11 which would equate to 63 over a full season (would have delivered 12th place last season), DS is 19 from 12 which would equate to 73 (7th last season). If you add to this the fact that Bruce had built and worked with this squad over years, that the players are not best equipped to play the style of football Smith favours, that morale was at a low and that also it could be argued that Bruce's fixtures were far easier than Smiths. For me, it all points to a step-change in performance since Smith has been onboard

I wasn't one of those who was particularly pushing for Smiths appointment so I have no axe to grind. In my view DS has looked at what is available to him and has decided that we would do better by going at teams and out-scoring them rather than defending and playing on the break (and certainly this was the approach that Villa fans had overwhelmingly said they favoured). When he has had two or three windows and bought his own players in I beleive we will progress further (much further)

In my opinion, dropped points have come from individual mistakes (like Elmos yesterday)or from bad luck (the Rodrequez goal) - I can't pinpoint any when the blame should fall on Smith

Perhaps I too am 'narrow-minded' but I can't see much that Smith has donr wrong so far

 

He's been excellent.

Still loads to improve on as well which is the exciting thing.