Dean Smith

[villalad21]

6 goals conceded in 2 games. Huge problem. 

[QldVilla]

1 hour ago, villalad21 said:

6 goals conceded in 2 games. Huge problem. 

Yes, but what is the problem? Players playing without confidence, or confused by what the coaching staff is asking them to do, or both?

[DCJonah]

There's no doubt he's under more pressure than I originally thought he would be after the last few results. But we've seen improvements before and you could still argue that we haven't been able to start our strongest side once this season. 

I don't think panicking and sacking him would be a smart decision, even if we did go onto lose the next few. 

Unless we are in serious danger of relegation, I'd prefer to see it out and seriously consider his position in the summer based on the season as a whole. 

I don't think we throw away all the good work of the last few years because of a bad spell.

[samjp26]

When you take into account the rest of the year (games from the latter end of last season too), we’ve won 8 league games in 28 matches I believe. That’s relegation form and that’s essentially what we’ve been in since Jack got injured and we became clueless. Problem is we’ve spent £100m and we’re still clueless. Something has to change, I appreciate what Deano has done and he’s forged a legacy for reviving us, but where do we go from here? 

[M_Afro]

22 minutes ago, DCJonah said:

There's no doubt he's under more pressure than I originally thought he would be after the last few results. But we've seen improvements before and you could still argue that we haven't been able to start our strongest side once this season. 

I don't think panicking and sacking him would be a smart decision, even if we did go onto lose the next few. 

Unless we are in serious danger of relegation, I'd prefer to see it out and seriously consider his position in the summer based on the season as a whole. 

I don't think we throw away all the good work of the last few years because of a bad spell.

You make some good points and if it was his first bad spell, or even his second, then I would be in total agreement but it’s not. Key considerations for me are:

Our form in 2021.

Our form without Grealish.

Our long spells of poor form where nothing gets changed. We just go again.

Our indiscernible style. I still don’t know what we are trying to do/be.

The shoe horning of certain players come what may (SJM and Ings in particular).

Our in game management (not at least tweaking the formation/tactics in the first half on Friday was quite unbelievable).

Our total failure to create a competitive and balanced midfield, despite spending £350m.

The number of occasions when we simply just don’t turn up (Watford, Spurs and Arsenal so far this season).

Our in game capitulations.

The lack of leadership within the team.

Why we are so easy to get at. I know we kept a lot of clean sheets last year but Emi was the key reason for this. We still allowed a high number of chances in those games.

I do love Dean and we all want him to do well but he is sat in last chance saloon now. He needs to turn this around now! Not in a month or two. Now. We have currently lost 5/9. We have not been unlucky. We have got what we deserved in those matches. Even the Wolves match they had an expected goals of 2 compared to our 1. 

[DCJonah]

34 minutes ago, M_Afro said:

You make some good points and if it was his first bad spell, or even his second, then I would be in total agreement but it’s not. Key considerations for me are:

Our form in 2021.

Our form without Grealish.

Our long spells of poor form where nothing gets changed. We just go again.

Our indiscernible style. I still don’t know what we are trying to do/be.

The shoe horning of certain players come what may (SJM and Ings in particular).

Our in game management (not at least tweaking the formation/tactics in the first half on Friday was quite unbelievable).

Our total failure to create a competitive and balanced midfield, despite spending £350m.

The number of occasions when we simply just don’t turn up (Watford, Spurs and Arsenal so far this season).

Our in game capitulations.

The lack of leadership within the team.

Why we are so easy to get at. I know we kept a lot of clean sheets last year but Emi was the key reason for this. We still allowed a high number of chances in those games.

I do love Dean and we all want him to do well but he is sat in last chance saloon now. He needs to turn this around now! Not in a month or two. Now. We have currently lost 5/9. We have not been unlucky. We have got what we deserved in those matches. Even the Wolves match they had an expected goals of 2 compared to our 1. 

I'm not holding previous bad form against him. Name me a manager who doesn't have bad spells. 

Klopp wasn't great at first and then after winning the title provided the worst title defence in probably prem history.

If you're expecting a manager to never have a bad spell then you're going to be disappointed. 

And I agree he needs to fix it soon. I just don't see the need to get rid unless it's going horribly wrong. I don't think changing managers mid season gets improvement from a strong position. Even if I reach the point where Smith needs to go, I'd rather wait for the summer to try and recruit someone. 

[M_Afro]

9 minutes ago, DCJonah said:

I'm not holding previous bad form against him. Name me a manager who doesn't have bad spells. 

Klopp wasn't great at first and then after winning the title provided the worst title defence in probably prem history.

If you're expecting a manager to never have a bad spell then you're going to be disappointed. 

And I agree he needs to fix it soon. I just don't see the need to get rid unless it's going horribly wrong. I don't think changing managers mid season gets improvement from a strong position. Even if I reach the point where Smith needs to go, I'd rather wait for the summer to try and recruit someone. 

My points weren’t just about spells of bad form though. Also, our form has been poor for a very long time now. Does that still class as a “spell”?

If we have to wait until the summer to get the right person then I wouldn’t be totally against that but if we feel the right person is available now, then why wait? If we let a poor season drag out with Smith it will make our player retention/recruitment so much more difficult. 
 

Smith himself has stated that we have a top half squad. We really need a top half finish to be able to build. If we let the season drift under Smith and say finish 14th, we will have lost a load of revenue and the outside perception of the club will be that we are a relegation candidate. That will make it so much more difficult to attract players. It’s too great a risk.

[Jbvilla909]

4 hours ago, villalad21 said:

6 goals conceded in 2 games. Huge problem. 

With five defenders on the pitch no less

[punkiller1981]

I think something needs to change, not the manager necessarily but the approach for sure does. The Watford and wolves results/performance isn’t acceptable. Infact of the 9 games only 2 have been “good” performances against Everton and Man Utd. Playing 3 at the back does not work for many teams and certainly does not work for us given we are overloaded with wingers it makes zero sense to choose a formation that has none. Deano needs to grow a pair and tell either Watkins or Ings they are on the bench for a bit and at the moment it put Watkins on the bench as he looks shot of confidence.

[hippo]

DS is Purslows sole survivor. Terry, ROK, Suso all gone now.

I hope DS does enough that any change can wait until the end of the season as that would give us a bigger pool of coaches to choose from.

[TrentVilla]

8 minutes ago, punkiller1981 said:

I think something needs to change, not the manager necessarily but the approach for sure does. The Watford and wolves results/performance isn’t acceptable. Infact of the 9 games only 2 have been “good” performances against Everton and Man Utd. Playing 3 at the back does not work for many teams and certainly does not work for us given we are overloaded with wingers it makes zero sense to choose a formation that has none. Deano needs to grow a pair and tell either Watkins or Ings they are on the bench for a bit and at the moment it put Watkins on the bench as he looks shot of confidence.

We weren’t good against Everton, we were bang average against a really weak Everton side until Bailey came on.

[Vive_La_Villa]

2 minutes ago, hippo said:

DS is Purslows sole survivor. Terry, ROK, Suso all gone now.

I hope DS does enough that any change can wait until the end of the season as that would give us a bigger pool of coaches to choose from.

Didn’t Purslow recruit the current set up ?

[hippo]

3 minutes ago, Vive_La_Villa said:

Didn’t Purslow recruit the current set up ?

Yes - what I meant of his original appointments. 

[ferguson1]

I mentioned on Friday evening that Deano could be thin ice and I still think he is. This doesn’t mean the risk of imminent sack but I’m sure there will be concerns in the boardroom and our next 3/4 games are critical.

We’re a quarter of the season in and quite honestly barring some cameos and short spells, we’ve been poor. I want Dean to succeed and turn this around but I worry his stubbornness or limitations may ultimately cost him.

I’m not going to go over formations and players because I think we all know what we want to see. Starting next Sunday, we need to see a reaction and that starts with the Head Coach.

A top half finish has to be the minimum aim still, as anything less will be considered a failure. I am concerned and personally, barring a good few months ahead, I think we could see a change in Head Coach. I hate saying it but that’s where I am. C’mon Dean, I have everything crossed for you. 

[Phil Silvers]

Deano is going through another squad rebuild, plus a backroom staff rebuild all at the same time, we've sold out best player and been smashed by injuries to some of the shining lights we were hoping to see, add refereeing that has been mostly against us and its a recipe for set backs not progress. The squad is not at sustainable top 6 material yet, too many mid table players to even hope that we are close to that level. The back 5 incl Emi WAS working very well last year, we came out the blocks slow Vs Watford and it's been too much tinkering resulting in inconsistency, don't fix what isn't broke, we should have started the season slowly re the squad, a body on the pitch to replace Jack and ease the rest in should have been the play. Alas, injuries haven't been kind.

Deano is an intelligent man, a good coach and man manager, the thought of moving him on should only be considered if his replacement is from the top of the game. Everything else is a downgrade or a sideways move, screw that, stick with the man and get behind him this season and see where we are then.

[nick76]

Slightly off topic but related

 

[Blasterpocket68]

The reality is we’re still a club in major transition . We have just sold our star player who has in the past few seasons been our  best creative outlet. 
Fair to say this season not started well but it’s still early days. 
I don’t see the owners being over zealous on the trigger yet , but if the current trend continues they will come under pressure   . West Ham  Southampton then Brighton are tough tests to come . 
 

 

Edited October 24, 2021 by Blasterpocket68

[Phil Silvers]

2 minutes ago, nick76 said:

Slightly off topic but related

 

And it wasn't a clear and obv, should never have been given, scum6 var pulling power, other way round it doesn't get checked 

[Blasterpocket68]

8 minutes ago, Phil Silvers said:

Deano is going through another squad rebuild, plus a backroom staff rebuild all at the same time, we've sold out best player and been smashed by injuries to some of the shining lights we were hoping to see, add refereeing that has been mostly against us and its a recipe for set backs not progress. The squad is not at sustainable top 6 material yet, too many mid table players to even hope that we are close to that level. The back 5 incl Emi WAS working very well last year, we came out the blocks slow Vs Watford and it's been too much tinkering resulting in inconsistency, don't fix what isn't broke, we should have started the season slowly re the squad, a body on the pitch to replace Jack and ease the rest in should have been the play. Alas, injuries haven't been kind.

Deano is an intelligent man, a good coach and man manager, the thought of moving him on should only be considered if his replacement is from the top of the game. Everything else is a downgrade or a sideways move, screw that, stick with the man and get behind him this season and see where we are then.

Yes I agree , the owners strategy for the club will be very tested soon . 

[PaulC]

4 minutes ago, nick76 said:

Slightly off topic but related

 

I thought that was cleared up as that only applies if the ref had blown the whistle for Half time before the VAR check which he hadnt.