Dean Smith

[PaulC]

On 17/10/2021 at 17:11, andym said:

We have a big, big issue with keeping the ball this season.

According to fbref we have an overall 75% pass completion rate, 4th worst in the league. We've only gotten above 80% in one game.

Only 7 players are over 80% individually (one is Carney who's played 1 game) and only 1 over 90%, which compares very unfavourably to other sides. McGinn's individual stat is 69%! 

Its not good enough, and i'll be getting concerned if Smith doesn't seek to fix it and carries on as we are.

Its probably not helping that he appears to be chanelling tony pulis at the moment, with 5 defenders, 3 workhorse midfielders, and relying on set pieces.

 

Spot on 

[nick76]

32 minutes ago, Peter Griffin said:

Bloody hell people,

Nobody suggested sacking Smith and getting either Ancelotti or Rafa, will you read the thread before jumping to Dean's defence. 

32 minutes ago, foreveryoung said:

I think the point is, we could attract a high calibre manager, an I would trust Purslow with his contacts to do so.

So what is the point if Smith isn’t under the threat of being sacked any time in the foreseeable future?  

Everybody seems to have said they don’t want Smith sacked, agree?  His job isn’t under threat as far as we know and seems very unlikely…I don’t see the point as it’s almost off topic discussion of what we could be with a different manager, different players and different style and not to do with Smith or this thread.

Edited October 18, 2021 by nick76

[useless]

If Smith was to leave now his replacement would likely not be some big name manager, you only have to look at our whole set up to see that's true. Would more likely be someone like Lampard or some equivalent with a reputation of bringing academy players through. 'some equivalent with a reputation of bringing academy players through' it's not for nothing that we're spending so much on the academy, it's our strategy for future success, rather than buying our way to success.

[nick76]

4 minutes ago, Peter Griffin said:

I never suggested giving either of the the Villa job. I was highlighting the calibre of manager. It can't be denied that they are both high calibre managers. Rafa doing a good job at Everton too. I don't like his style of football and wouldn't like him at Villa but just as I have the (apparent rare) ability to judge Smith objectively I can also judge Rafa objectively

I think we all believe we are judging Smith objectively and some others aren’t hence the debate. 

[Peter Griffin]

1 minute ago, useless said:

If Smith was to leave now his replacement would likely not be some big name manager, you only have to look at our whole set up to see that's true. Would more likely be someone like Lampard or some equivalent with a reputation of bringing academy players through. 'some equivalent with a reputation of bringing academy players through' it's not for nothing that we're spending so much on the academy, it's our strategy for future success, rather than buying our way to success.

Yeah, I agree, it wouldn't be one of the big names in football but I think it would be a big name from the up and coming managers group and definitely someone that can bring youth through. I know I will get slated on here for this but it is only to try and help explain my point but if we were to employ another PL manager it would be the likes of Frank or Potter as opposed to Rafa or Bielsa or Moyes. That said, we exploited the situation last Jan to buy Sanson when he became available. Bruce may be available soon and we may just exploit that opportunity too 

[Tomaszk]

2 hours ago, DCJonah said:

But the complaint is we're not consistent so unlikely that it would work out that way surely. 

You said 12th is acceptable. We're 12th.

For "we're not consistent", read "I never rated this manager so I will blame him every time we don't win a match".

That's the complaint and the reality.

Funny.

[nick76]

 

[foreveryoung]

9 minutes ago, nick76 said:

 

I'd say that's Bailey when he has more than helped us reach Europa league spot this season

[hippo]

3 hours ago, nick76 said:

Obviously the club would have in mind a succession in the unlikely circumstance but you can’t be disingenuous saying this topic is being talked about because he might leave, gets sick or gets sacked…that’s not why a group on here are talking about it.

Many times over the years I've followed villa and each time a manager leaves or is sacked - some expert or other proclaims :-

"They must have someone lined up"

it mostly proves not to be the case. In work managers don't often budge and out of work decent managers don't stay out of work for long.

it's actually pretty difficult to have someone lined up other than other those at the club.

replacing Smith mid season with someone with a comparable CV would actually be pretty difficult.

[Peter Griffin]

36 minutes ago, hippo said:

Many times over the years I've followed villa and each time a manager leaves or is sacked - some expert or other proclaims :-

"They must have someone lined up"

it mostly proves not to be the case. In work managers don't often budge and out of work decent managers don't stay out of work for long.

it's actually pretty difficult to have someone lined up other than other those at the club.

replacing Smith mid season with someone with a comparable CV would actually be pretty difficult.

Key staff in most big companies will have succession planning and Villa will too. That doesn't mean they will have a replacement ready to step in to the role. But they will have a list of potential managers and will have conducted due diligence on them and that will serve as a short list ready to interview if and when the situation occurs

[hippo]

10 hours ago, Peter Griffin said:

Key staff in most big companies will have succession planning and Villa will too. That doesn't mean they will have a replacement ready to step in to the role. But they will have a list of potential managers and will have conducted due diligence on them and that will serve as a short list ready to interview if and when the situation occurs

So in other words we have a list of people we would consider appointing .

[foreveryoung]

It's no coincidence the managers who are ruthless are the ones winning the trophies. Is Smith ruthless enough? Will he drop a striker, or a player underperforming?

[villalad21]

Just now, foreveryoung said:

It's no coincidence the managers who are ruthless are the ones winning the trophies. Is Smith ruthless enough? Will he drop a striker, or a player underperforming?

Smith has never been a winner though.

Look at Pep trying to field his strongest side or at least very strong sides in every competition meanwhile Smith treat the Cups like a development arena.

Playing Steer ahead of Martinez against Chelsea made very little sense to me. If anything it was a  decision out of sentiment rather than a will to win.

I know many on here don't care about them but I would absolutely love to win a league cup or an FA Cup.

[Zatman]

4 minutes ago, foreveryoung said:

It's no coincidence the managers who are ruthless are the ones winning the trophies. Is Smith ruthless enough? Will he drop a striker, or a player underperforming?

He dropped Luiz for Nakamba when he was out of form last season , Barkley for Ramsey. He has started Ramsey over Buendia at times

[Zatman]

Just now, villalad21 said:

Smith has never been a winner though.

Look at Pep trying to field his strongest side or at least very strong sides in every competition meanwhile Smith treat the Cups like a development arena.

Playing Steer ahead of Martinez against Chelsea made very little sense to me. If anything it was a  decision out of sentiment rather than a will to win.

I know many on here don't care about them but I would absolutely love to win a league cup or an FA Cup.

You complained when we got to the league cup final 18 months ago

Be consistent

[villalad21]

2 minutes ago, Zatman said:

You complained when we got to the league cup final 18 months ago

Be consistent

And since then we've been nowhere near another final.

And a big reason to that is he keeps fielding severely weakened sides.

[Stevo985]

1 hour ago, villalad21 said:

And since then we've been nowhere near another final.

There's only been two cup competitions since then ffs

[villalad21]

1 hour ago, Stevo985 said:

There's only been two cup competitions since then ffs

Do you think we are likely getting to another final if he keeps playing the reserves?

[Zatman]

1 hour ago, Stevo985 said:

There's only been two cup competitions since then ffs

In fairness Smith should have demanded our team of 12 year olds to beat Salah, Mane that night in the FA Cup 

[TRO]

1 hour ago, foreveryoung said:

It's no coincidence the managers who are ruthless are the ones winning the trophies. Is Smith ruthless enough? Will he drop a striker, or a player underperforming?

I am not sure what to think at the moment....but I want to see him get it right as opposed to thinking about sacking him.

After the United game, some of us was worried we would lose him to England, such is how fickle football can be....now we find even united are being questioned, with all their riches on the pitch....maybe we played them at the right time,who knows...but they too are missing the edge to win games.

I think there are good arguments on both sides of the debate and both are worth considering.

I like Dean and I like the environment he has created with us....but I have reservations too.....I also fear the line " be careful what you wish for"

I have for some time, had mixed feelings towards our team.....There are some really good moments in games, and some really questionable ones......I still see some of the really questionable ones linger and not get fixed and in my current mind, not likely to get fixed.

Dean is certainly trying hard to find a formula, to create some consistency and right now the losing of Jack and the replacements have not fixed the issue of keeping the ball.....I accept and I think most sensible fans do accept, it takes time.....but how long, can be a cop out, too.

I see other clubs make improvements and change much quicker, his old club have made huge strides and sure, the first season syndrome, is a valid reason for sceptism, but I would sooner risk that, than a last day draw to stay up like us.

We have made progress, there is no doubt about that, but there are still underlying issues, we can't just sweep under the carpet and ignore them.

I am sure, the club are making every effort to avoid the like of what happened on Saturday...and are hurting just like us.

Dean is what he is, a thoroughly nice guy, who we all wish and hope he succeeds at Villa, and his persona is what it is.....is it deliberate enough to get the best out of the players, I am not sure......is it driving enough to get players super fit, I am again not sure.....Dean says he looks at performances before results, in the notion that good performances lead to good results, I get that....but for me it also throws up a doubt of the EDGE required to get results, is that overlooked? (with that focus).....Wolves never performed better than us, but they had the edge to find the result.

I am a results first man and performances second, but accept you need both.....you can win ugly, and I would sooner do that than lose allegedly playing well( game management can be dull, but needs must)....I think when you go for performances first, you miss a trick of what the game is all about, its not all about kippers and curtains or flashy reverse passes or the equivalent of the Harlem Globetrotters displays( as much as we all love that).....its about winning and all the ingredients that requires.....Wolves showed on Saturday that siege mentality, that trumped our better performance.

I would like to see Dean Develop an edge, like I see in Klopp, Tuchel or Guardiola.

Its all well and good us naming his potential replacements, but many of them don't have the edge either....Deans view of performances, I have no cottter with, but without results they are just cosmetic.

We need to find that hard edge, the hard to beat tag, the you know you have been in a game, syndrome.

right now, how would I sum my Villa up.......Too easy to play against.

Dean needs to find a way to change that.....I think his mate at Brentford has, so far.

 

Edited October 19, 2021 by TRO