Dean Smith

[fruitvilla]

31 minutes ago, Dave-R said:

make Smith or others into the bad guy, again if we wanted to of won it we would of put on our strongest team.

This 

[Dave-R]

1 hour ago, Rightdm00 said:

So every game going forward if Dean doesn't play his strongest available 11 then he doesn't care about winning.  What's the point of naming a 25 man squad if he's only allowed to use 11 players out of it. 

We all watched our first team burn itself out by Christmas last year. Now we have the squad to rotate players and it's now a bad thing?

Our top 11 just played a game 3 days ago. Did you notice how energetic our press was tonight. No way a team that just played 3 days ago delivers that energy level for 90 minutes. 

How is taking the continental champions to penalties not trying?  So if the first team had played and lost 3-0 again you would call that trying?

I think you are completely taking my words and shuffling them up into your own story. No where did I say we didn't try, we did because we gave Chelsea a heck of a game. I said that if we would of wanted to of won the game we would of fielded our strongest 11, completely different.

All the things you mentioned in your post I have not said a thing about so I don't see why your trying to create something out of nothing. The most you got right about what I said is the number 11.

I do agree with you that if we constantly field a first 11 they will be burnt out fast, I myself expressed that last season. So yes I agree we need to swap and change so the main eleven can regain there energy and feel more fresh. However though I do believe there are times to do that and times not to change. Tonight was the night that if we wanted to proceed while Chelsea fielded a weaker side that we should of fielded our best.

The un-winnable games, the games were unlikely to get a win from maybe is a place to say look let's use this time to get some experience to our Youth or to refresh the first eleven players because a game shortly after will be winnable. I suppose there are alot of ways to play it out, I am not Dean Smith and neither are any of us.

If the carabao cup was that important we would of gone all out for it but it was a clear risk fielding the team we fielded and while they played amazing we lost and we have to say fair enough. It's over now that cups gone, now we concentrate on the league and gaining a strong positioning at the end of the season.

I am not slating Smith for fielding the team he did, it's down to him and the people who work beside him. They went all out for it against Chelsea and they thought they could win and nearly did and I couldn't ask for more. I just believe that capturing or trying our hardest to capture that trophy would of done us a world of good, but I'd still rather us go for a strong league finish over it and aim for europe.

[Ghost]

3 hours ago, villalad21 said:

Guy is just like Solskjaer. 

Just created vibes. We'll win nothing under him. 

Not starting Martinez is an unbelievable decision. We don't play in Europe. There is no reason to rest as many players as we did. 

This was a great opportunity wasted. Martinez plays and we win this game. 

[abdulaziz1]

I don't think Smith didn't want the win. It's just that we were against arguably the best team in the PL this season. He didn't think we'd be winning. If we played Southampton for example, we'd have one of Ings/Watkins on the bench. I also think that Smith is putting faith in some of our youngsters which I doubted he'd do.

For the last 3 games, I got my faith on Smith back, more than ever.

Performances, Subs, Chances for youngsters, Same intensity with different players.

I really like DS, I just doubted what he'd do after Jack Grealish. But I would've been happy if he improved us and I wish him long success with us. If we win something under him it would be much more better than getting someone from outside the club. But that doesn't mean that the club isn't the most important thing.

[Nicho]

The biggest compliment I can think of at the moment is that we are starting to look like that Brentford team that looked a world away from us football wise when we were in the Championship. 

We are doing it in the Prem. We havnt had a great start to the season with certain circumstances but we look well drilled, intense, good football and most importantly a legitmate goal threat which seems to be increasing all over the pitch.

Im going to assume Danks, MacPhee and Shakespeare are all key pieces but as with Terry and Okelly this is being orchastrated by Smith. 

[Phil Silvers]

9 hours ago, villalad21 said:

Guy is just like Solskjaer. 

Just created vibes. We'll win nothing under him. 

Not starting Martinez is an unbelievable decision. We don't play in Europe. There is no reason to rest as many players as we did. 

This was a great opportunity wasted. Martinez plays and we win this game. 

You hate losing as much as I do pal but Solskjaer isn't good enough to lace Deano's boots. 

Agree about playing the keeper though, I would have put him in. However, the club used it as a training game and I can understand that.

The likelihood of us being allowed to win a trophy is too remote to invest in it and all our efforts will be directed towards trying to finish as high in the table as possible.

 

[MentalM]

10 hours ago, villalad21 said:

Guy is just like Solskjaer. 

Just created vibes. We'll win nothing under him. 

Not starting Martinez is an unbelievable decision. We don't play in Europe. There is no reason to rest as many players as we did. 

This was a great opportunity wasted. Martinez plays and we win this game. 

You been barking up this tree for 3 years now. 

Being a manager is also about balancing the squad, giving younger players the clue that you get chances to prove your worth. If they never get a chance they will just wither away as our youth in former years.There is also a reason why many teams uses a cup keeper, you need a backup that has played a match in the last 3 years if something should happen to the first choice. 

Both teams used players thats usually second in the pecking order last night, for a reason. 

 

And perhaps we should look at the game. We played brilliantly and were unlucky to not win before penalties. Except Young I think all players played good. 

[a-k]

I haven't read the previous posts since last night's match, so I apologize if this is paraphrasing someone else. Fantastic performance against the European champions' very strong backup side. Other than a five minute spell when they scored and just after, we more than held our own and if we won in full time it would not in any way shape or form have been nicking a win. Deano has to receive full credit for that. Sure, we might have won with Big Emi in net---IMO he comes and claims that cross instead of letting it land on Werner's head---but playing the reserve keeper in the 3rd round of the League Cup is far from criminal. Steer did very well for the 90mins, bar the goal.

However, for all the credit we should rightly give Deano for last time, we also have to acknowledge the major mistake---not having one of Watkins or Ings on the bench. I am not the manager, and if I was we probably would have lost 10-0, but going into a match knowing there could be pens after 90mins, there has to be planning for that. 1-1 with 15 to go, bring on Ings to try and get the late winner and/or have a regular pen taker ready for the shootout. It may not have mattered in the end---IMO there was nothing wrong with Marv's pen, and Kepa may also have made a great save on an Ings' attempt---but that is my one gripe.

Nonetheless, at the end of the day, Chelsea had to bring on a regular England international and their 100mil striker to try and win the match, and we lost in the lottery of a shootout because their 80mil backup keeper made a great save. All the positives from yesterday, and there were many, outweigh the fact we lost a lottery. UTV and UDS

[The Fun Factory]

22 minutes ago, Phil Silvers said:

You hate losing as much as I do pal but Solskjaer isn't good enough to lace Deano's boots. 

Agree about playing the keeper though, I would have put him in. However, the club used it as a training game and I can understand that.

The likelihood of us being allowed to win a trophy is too remote to invest in it and all our efforts will be directed towards trying to finish as high in the table as possible.

 

This. Our aim this season is clearly for top 10 with an outside chance of a europa conference spot. A top 6 side will win the league cup so that is one more spot back in the league.

We got to the league cup final 18 months ago but had we won that and got relegated it would have been absolutely disastrous.  It would be a fun thing to win but the financial reward when compared to the league is chicken feed I am afraid.

[HKP90]

2 minutes ago, Phil Silvers said:

What, everyone not in management should stop posting?

What about company owners? 

Does a manager at McDonald's have more insight then a Mr Smith who works in a factory and is a student of the game.

 

Realistically with respect to man management….probably yes. 
 

One if the issues with modern society is the pretence that everyone’s opinion is valid and equal, regardless of experience. 
 

Everyone is entitled to an opinion, sure, absolutely, but we should not pretend that everyone’s opinion has equal merit when comparing the comments of the experienced/knowledgable and the unexperienced. 

If you have managed people, you know more about management of people. 

[Phil Silvers]

1 hour ago, HKP90 said:

Realistically with respect to man management….probably yes. 
 

One if the issues with modern society is the pretence that everyone’s opinion is valid and equal, regardless of experience. 
 

Everyone is entitled to an opinion, sure, absolutely, but we should not pretend that everyone’s opinion has equal merit when comparing the comments of the experienced/knowledgable and the unexperienced. 

If you have managed people, you know more about management of people. 

I agree, I was being a little mischievous. 

Those that have been in management should really be better at adapting their opinions/arguments in these discussions, whilst keeping one eye on the patterns of the other contributers to help to keep things on a civil level.

There is very little point in entering a conversation with an amateur dimwit who is trying to illicit a response just for shits and giggles. 

Dean Smith is a very good football manager, Alex Ferguson was a great one, Alan Pardew is a pathetic manager. We have to be realistic about who should, would, could manage Aston Villa. Dean Smith is as good or better than what we cod possibly hope for right now.

 

[Vive_La_Villa]

I think it’s really important to give minutes to all players that will play a part this season. This wasn’t Dean throwing in some youngsters for them never to play again.  He wants every single player to get some playing a time as they all part of a strong squad. Now I understand the frustrations of fans that want us to go as far as possible in the cup but Smith and the coaches have to look at the bigger picture and this means keeping a squad happy for the entire season.  
 

Also even if we had played our so called best 11, who knows if we would even have won!
 

Many complained about the lack of rotation last season as costing us a higher place in the league. This is being addressed by a squad of players that can now come in at any time.  I’m flabbergasted that people are so upset.

This is the best squad we’ve had in a very long time.

[TRO]

On 22/09/2021 at 10:28, KentVillan said:

Great point re the Bailey switch, and as I said in my post, all of Smith's "weaknesses" are things that he seems to actively resolve over time. As he has a lot more options this season, we will surely start to see more of these clever in-game switches that target space.

It does look like when Ings switched to Bailey for his goal, that it might have been rehearsed, as Ings seemed to instinctively look for that pass, and Bailey seemed to know it was coming. Maybe it's an obvious ball, but Ings picks him out so quickly as he was turning that it seemed planned.

The Liverpool 7-2 was an amazing result, and yes we obviously had a game plan to be a bit more direct and beat the press, but it was basically our standard lineup from last season?

Not trying to beat up Smith here, anyway. I love him. Just a couple of things where he might still have room to grow versus the very best managers.

probably the most intriguing thing of all.....He does seem to work on them and knock them off.....quite frankly great to see.

He must be feeling, very happy with himself right now.....'cause he should be....He has always said he focuses on performances, to get results......just need to continue to work on the results and I'm sure they are.

I am confident now ( and not for many years) the pursuit of progress is something that never stops,at AVFC (i think it used to stop) its such an exciting prospect.

Edited September 24, 2021 by TRO

[bannedfromHandV]

Who’s to say had we played a stronger side we’d have not gone on to lose the game in normal time anyway, it’s a totally redundant topic IMO.

[Peter Griffin]

17 hours ago, Dave-R said:

I said that if we would of wanted to of won the game we would of fielded our strongest 11, completely different.

That's not quite true. Er clearly wanted to win the game but not at all cost. We are clearly concentrating on the league and using a strong a side as we can in the Carabao while managing the team for the league. For example, I would have liked to see Martinez in goal but it is the one position on the field where we have little strength in depth. I expect Steer will be 1st choice for the FA Cup and Martinez will be protected to mitigate any risk of injury. Further, DS will be trying to give younger players some experience so that he can possibly use them for the priority competition i.e. the League. I am sure Archer DS will be much more comfortable bringing Archer on in a PL game now that he has played a competitive game against PL opposition, albeit in a Cup game.

It is a very simplistic and narrow view to state we didn't want to win, there are other factors to consider which as our Head Coach, Smith needs to consider

[Kiwivillan]

8 hours ago, Phil Silvers said:

Dean Smith is as good or better than what we cod possibly hope for right now.

There was me thinking this thread was immune from fish puns

[Sam-AVFC]

The hysterical niggling criticisms get more laughable by the week.

[Phil Silvers]

[a m ole]

Would you bet against him?

[Condimentalist]

What an utter utter legend