Dean Smith

[nick76]

1 hour ago, JAMAICAN-VILLAN said:

 

 

 

To be fair, the context paints a better picture than I initially thought.

These are fans of Sky 6 Clubs rating how much they would want a certain Manager, to manage THEIR club, from A downwards?

Wouldn't expect them to know much about or going ons, or Deano to be fair.

At first I thought it was purely just rating managers,.

They’d prefer Dyche over Smith! Don’t make me laugh!

[MotoMkali]

2 hours ago, Panto_Villan said:

Yeah, Kyle Walker interpreted the format as "does Kyle Walker think he should manage Man City?" and put him in the D tier and everyone else said Dean was a good manager and he was being harsh. If he got moved up to C tier at the end that's probably about fair given he's not yet won a cup or qualified for Europe.

Kyle Walker is clearly an idiot. If I was a betting man I'd put good money on him being one of the five England players absolutely refusing to get vaccinated.

I think it's walker-Peters right. Not kyle walker. Even though that's what the video is titled. Because the one by the board is Yungen. 

Edited October 2, 2021 by MotoMkali

[Panto_Villan]

3 hours ago, MotoMkali said:

I think it's walker-Peters right. Not kyle walker. Even though that's what the video is titled. Because the one by the board is Yungen. 

Oh, yeah. It flashed up Kyle Walker on the screen and then he started talking about Man City so I put two and two together and got five.

But even if he wasn't actually part of that panel, I still stand by the statement that Kyle Walker is an idiot. Seems like Kyle Walker-Peters is also an idiot too 

Edited October 2, 2021 by Panto_Villan

[villalad21]

Horrific in game management today. Has to be said. 

Got options now. No excuse for not changing things quicker. 

[Digavilla]

Why always the same formation even though we won at OT? They are different opposition with different style / strength, so shouldn't there be at least some changes? 

[Davkaus]

Just now, villalad21 said:

Horrific in game management today. Has to be said. 

Got options now. No excuse for not changing things quicker. 

I thought this, then he did change it, and it got even worse 

[VillaChris]

I wouldn't criticise manager too much tbh. Maybe a sub or two could've come on sooner but he put Buendia on as soon as it went 1-1 which should've been a good move. Traore then came on. Neither were great to put it mildly.

We were just very flat today so hopefully we learn this lesson.

Hopefully we can get Bailey fit for next match. You saw what Son gave a mediocre Spurs on the break today so Bailey will hopefully win a few more games for us this season with his quality.

Edited October 3, 2021 by VillaChris

[JAMAICAN-VILLAN]

22 hours ago, nick76 said:

They’d prefer Dyche over Smith! Don’t make me laugh!

Never saw that part, didn't actually watch the whole thing, yes that's laughable.

[leemond2008]

2 minutes ago, DCJonah said:

Well this shows things will never change. The usual crowd can't wait to have a moan. 

Starting with the same system wasn't crazy, we've played our best football since Covid hit us these last few games. 

I'd have probably brought Buendia and Traore on earlier but then we got ourselves back into the game. 

For me it wasn't a system error, it was just we had way too many players under perform. Too many bad touches, poor passes and terrible decision making. We might get away with 1 or 2 players off it, but not with so many. Not sure why but I trust us to bounce back. 

Spurs, despite their issues, are still a strong team. Getting annoyed because we haven't beaten Everton, united and spurs in consecutive games just shows the continued progress under Smith. 

You'd think by now people would have realised that this is the life of a mid table premier league team. 

I don't think that anybody has been moaning for the sake of moaning, some people have said that he should have chose a different formation, some people have said that he should have changed it earlier, there isn't anything wrong with suggesting that, I haven't seen anyone absolutely crucifying Smith or going all #SMITHOUT.

[TrentVilla]

I didn't see the game so can't really comment on the performance today, general consensus seems to be that it wasn't very good.

On the back of the Old Trafford result and their recent form it has to be seen as a disappointing outcome . We don't yet have any level of consistency, which is perhaps to be expected at this stage of the season given the changes in personnel and various absences.

I do think a little too much has been made of player absence, all teams have players absent at times as Everton did when they faced us which was to our benefit, so it goes both ways.

I have to be honest, I don't really understand our recruitment in the summer we signed good players but I'm really not sure we knew exactly how we were going to use them. That is to me at least concerning, it has felt so far this season we are trying to work out how to use them and what system works best to get the best from them. That to me isn't really how I want to see us operate. I guess this stuff would normally be ironed out more in pre-season and ours was clearly heavily disrupted but its a concern.

Flexibility and options is great and we have them now, we have depth particularly with the young players coming into the mix but I'm not at all convinced we've improve the starting 11. We lost 1 player in the summer and spent £95m on good players but haven't improved the starting 11 (even with all players available) and that is going to make improving on last season difficult.

Right now I'm not convinced we can improve greatly on last season although I can see Bailey may just be the kind of wild card that could really change that such was his impact against Everton in his little cameo.

The step up from mid table Premier League to top 8 is a huge one, I'm not personally sure that given the exit of Grealish we've spent enough/well enough to expect to progress significantly. Looking this those who finished above us last season I think there are only 2 or 3 we could hope to overhaul this season at best.

So I think those critical of Smith need to be realistic but I also think those who refuse to listen to criticism need to do the same. Far too often justified criticism or concerns are met with pointers to what has been achieved to this point. On the one had that is valid, huge progress has been made but I'm not sure it is really relevant to a debate about where we go next. Nobody questions what Smith has done they question if he can push us on again but those that do need to temper that with a realism about the challenge that step poses.

Personally I've long found it really hard to judge Smith right back to the Championship days, we were poor in Grealish's absence only to become unstoppable on his return. Our time in the PL has been defined by the same players time in or out of the starting 11 which has made it so hard to asses Smith.

In many ways this season is Smith's biggest challenge yet and one I think where he will come under more scrutiny and pressure than ever before, it remains to be seen if he will come through it. I actually have some doubt.

A lot will depend upon the ambitions and expectations of the owners but a lot will also depend on the patience of the fans. I get the sense the later is fraying a little we've no indications on the former.

I get the feeling much will depend upon his ability or otherwise to find a way for Watkins and Ings to work, right now it doesn't but that isn't to say it can't.

 

[TRO]

14 hours ago, TrentVilla said:

I didn't see the game so can't really comment on the performance today, general consensus seems to be that it wasn't very good.

On the back of the Old Trafford result and their recent form it has to be seen as a disappointing outcome . We don't yet have any level of consistency, which is perhaps to be expected at this stage of the season given the changes in personnel and various absences.

I do think a little too much has been made of player absence, all teams have players absent at times as Everton did when they faced us which was to our benefit, so it goes both ways.

I have to be honest, I don't really understand our recruitment in the summer we signed good players but I'm really not sure we knew exactly how we were going to use them. That is to me at least concerning, it has felt so far this season we are trying to work out how to use them and what system works best to get the best from them. That to me isn't really how I want to see us operate. I guess this stuff would normally be ironed out more in pre-season and ours was clearly heavily disrupted but its a concern.

Flexibility and options is great and we have them now, we have depth particularly with the young players coming into the mix but I'm not at all convinced we've improve the starting 11. We lost 1 player in the summer and spent £95m on good players but haven't improved the starting 11 (even with all players available) and that is going to make improving on last season difficult.

Right now I'm not convinced we can improve greatly on last season although I can see Bailey may just be the kind of wild card that could really change that such was his impact against Everton in his little cameo.

The step up from mid table Premier League to top 8 is a huge one, I'm not personally sure that given the exit of Grealish we've spent enough/well enough to expect to progress significantly. Looking this those who finished above us last season I think there are only 2 or 3 we could hope to overhaul this season at best.

So I think those critical of Smith need to be realistic but I also think those who refuse to listen to criticism need to do the same. Far too often justified criticism or concerns are met with pointers to what has been achieved to this point. On the one had that is valid, huge progress has been made but I'm not sure it is really relevant to a debate about where we go next. Nobody questions what Smith has done they question if he can push us on again but those that do need to temper that with a realism about the challenge that step poses.

Personally I've long found it really hard to judge Smith right back to the Championship days, we were poor in Grealish's absence only to become unstoppable on his return. Our time in the PL has been defined by the same players time in or out of the starting 11 which has made it so hard to asses Smith.

In many ways this season is Smith's biggest challenge yet and one I think where he will come under more scrutiny and pressure than ever before, it remains to be seen if he will come through it. I actually have some doubt.

A lot will depend upon the ambitions and expectations of the owners but a lot will also depend on the patience of the fans. I get the sense the later is fraying a little we've no indications on the former.

I get the feeling much will depend upon his ability or otherwise to find a way for Watkins and Ings to work, right now it doesn't but that isn't to say it can't.

 

One of the best rounded posts, I have read on here recently.....puts it all in to perspective for me.

 

[Kingman]

 

[Vive_La_Villa]

Performance wise I think we’ve been ok or good in all games apart from Watford and to some extent Spurs (I don’t think we were as bad as some make out). 

Points wise I would say we’re where I would expect us to be from the opening games. Although I would have expected us to beat Watford and Brentford and maybe draw against Everton. 

So I think overall we’ve  had a decent start to the season.  I’m relatively happy. 

[Rightdm00]

3 years on the job this weekend.  I can still remember being bored to tears watching us under Bruce before his replacement. No matter what happens in the future he has given us a club to be proud of again. Thank you Dean. 

[romavillan]

10 minutes ago, Rightdm00 said:

3 years on the job this weekend.  I can still remember being bored to tears watching us under Bruce before his replacement. No matter what happens in the future he has given us a club to be proud of again. Thank you Dean. 

[Vive_La_Villa]

On 03/10/2021 at 15:56, villalad21 said:

Horrific in game management today. Has to be said. 

Got options now. No excuse for not changing things quicker. 

Horrific!!  

[Keener window-cleaner]

On 03/10/2021 at 23:29, TrentVilla said:

I didn't see the game so can't really comment on the performance today, general consensus seems to be that it wasn't very good.

On the back of the Old Trafford result and their recent form it has to be seen as a disappointing outcome . We don't yet have any level of consistency, which is perhaps to be expected at this stage of the season given the changes in personnel and various absences.

I do think a little too much has been made of player absence, all teams have players absent at times as Everton did when they faced us which was to our benefit, so it goes both ways.

I have to be honest, I don't really understand our recruitment in the summer we signed good players but I'm really not sure we knew exactly how we were going to use them. That is to me at least concerning, it has felt so far this season we are trying to work out how to use them and what system works best to get the best from them. That to me isn't really how I want to see us operate. I guess this stuff would normally be ironed out more in pre-season and ours was clearly heavily disrupted but its a concern.

Flexibility and options is great and we have them now, we have depth particularly with the young players coming into the mix but I'm not at all convinced we've improve the starting 11. We lost 1 player in the summer and spent £95m on good players but haven't improved the starting 11 (even with all players available) and that is going to make improving on last season difficult.

Right now I'm not convinced we can improve greatly on last season although I can see Bailey may just be the kind of wild card that could really change that such was his impact against Everton in his little cameo.

The step up from mid table Premier League to top 8 is a huge one, I'm not personally sure that given the exit of Grealish we've spent enough/well enough to expect to progress significantly. Looking this those who finished above us last season I think there are only 2 or 3 we could hope to overhaul this season at best.

So I think those critical of Smith need to be realistic but I also think those who refuse to listen to criticism need to do the same. Far too often justified criticism or concerns are met with pointers to what has been achieved to this point. On the one had that is valid, huge progress has been made but I'm not sure it is really relevant to a debate about where we go next. Nobody questions what Smith has done they question if he can push us on again but those that do need to temper that with a realism about the challenge that step poses.

Personally I've long found it really hard to judge Smith right back to the Championship days, we were poor in Grealish's absence only to become unstoppable on his return. Our time in the PL has been defined by the same players time in or out of the starting 11 which has made it so hard to asses Smith.

In many ways this season is Smith's biggest challenge yet and one I think where he will come under more scrutiny and pressure than ever before, it remains to be seen if he will come through it. I actually have some doubt.

A lot will depend upon the ambitions and expectations of the owners but a lot will also depend on the patience of the fans. I get the sense the later is fraying a little we've no indications on the former.

I get the feeling much will depend upon his ability or otherwise to find a way for Watkins and Ings to work, right now it doesn't but that isn't to say it can't.

 

That's a very good read. Replacing 1 player with 3 doesn't improve our starting 11 as we cant field 13 players. I see Bailey as Jacks replacement, I have loved what I've seen of Bailey so far but as of yet he isn't an improvement. Buendia I see as a replacement for Barkley, compared to the Barkley before his injury it's about even. Ings I see as a replacement for Wesley, but as Wesley was on the bench that's an improvement of the bench not the starting 11. So the staring 11 hasn't improved. The biggest concern for me is that we didn't seem to have a well thought out plan of how to best use the players we bought. For me it's hurting to see Bailey, Buendia and Traoré on the bench. With the system we play now there doesn't seem to a natural position for any one of them. Spending £70M on two exciting players and then have them on the bench is a concern.

I don't want to be negative but I don't think Watkins and Ings will work, at least not with this formation and and the players we field behind them. To me Watkins and Ings are too similar, both like to drop down and run in behind the defence, neither creates much for the other and they more or less run at the same balls. Both need creative players behind them who feeds them with quality through balls and create chances for them, problem is, when we play two hard working box to box midfielders behind in McGinn and Ramsey, they wont get the quality passes that for example Buendia and Traoré can provide. That leaves it to our wide players to create chances, but there we have our two full backs who are good full backs, but mostly just whipps in crosses. I think it would be better for Watkins and Ings if Buendia played instead of Ramsey and if Bailey played instead of Targett. If also Traoré played instead of Cash then they would get a lot to work with, but it would probably leave us far too vulnerable.

I have no doubt that Dean Smith will figure out a way of making it work, but I think it will mean that only one of Ings and Watkins will play, perhaps both can play if Watkins plays wide forward at times.

[Vive_La_Villa]

To be fair our starting 11 was never bad. The problem was one or two injuries and we’d turn to shit. We’ve addressed that now. We just have a few big players to return to fitness and a way to utilise both Watkins and Ings even if means dropping one of them. 
 

I think it’s a good problem to have and one Smith will handle.

[Adam2003]

On 03/10/2021 at 17:29, TrentVilla said:

I have to be honest, I don't really understand our recruitment in the summer we signed good players but I'm really not sure we knew exactly how we were going to use them. That is to me at least concerning, it has felt so far this season we are trying to work out how to use them and what system works best to get the best from them. That to me isn't really how I want to see us operate. I guess this stuff would normally be ironed out more in pre-season and ours was clearly heavily disrupted but its a concern.

I am not sure of this Trent. I think he knows exactly what he wants to do, he just hasn’t been able to do it yet as Bailey and Buendia - our two record signings - have both been out. So what we have been doing has been a bit of adaptation. Liverpool would look different without Salah and Mane, etc etc. Pretty sure when they are fit it’ll be a 4-5-1/4-3-3 and look a lot better.

[Adam2003]

13 hours ago, Keener window-cleaner said:

For me it's hurting to see Bailey, Buendia and Traoré on the bench. With the system we play now there doesn't seem to a natural position for any one of them. Spending £70M on two exciting players and then have them on the bench is a concern

As soon as they are fit they will be in the team and we will be playing a different system, I wouldn’t worry.