Dean Smith

[Stevo985]

5 minutes ago, villalad21 said:

Have you checked their squad?

Their owner is not allowing him to spend a pound, the man's been doing miracles for 3 years.

I have. They have a poor squad.

But Benitez is succeeding with them by being very defensive. He picks and chooses the games where he knows he can get something, and in the other games he knows they'll probably get beaten, he sets up to keep the score down. They hardly ever get beaten heavily.

I've no doubt he'd take the same approach with us if he got us promoted, at least at first.

It's not a criticism. I completely approve of doing that. I've said many times that I enjoy seeing villa win. I'd rather see us grind out a 1-0 win than lose 3-2 or 4-3.

I just don't think benitez would turn us into this hugely attacking team that many people seem to think he would.

 

 

But like I said, it's a moot point. He won't be managing Aston Villa anytime soon.

[villalad21]

9 minutes ago, Stevo985 said:

I have. They have a poor squad.

But Benitez is succeeding with them by being very defensive. He picks and chooses the games where he knows he can get something, and in the other games he knows they'll probably get beaten, he sets up to keep the score down. They hardly ever get beaten heavily.

I've no doubt he'd take the same approach with us if he got us promoted, at least at first.

It's not a criticism. I completely approve of doing that. I've said many times that I enjoy seeing villa win. I'd rather see us grind out a 1-0 win than lose 3-2 or 4-3.

I just don't think benitez would turn us into this hugely attacking team that many people seem to think he would.

 

 

But like I said, it's a moot point. He won't be managing Aston Villa anytime soon.

Benitez is a defesive minded coach there is no doubt about that, but give him decent attacking players he's teams won't be boring.

His Liverpool team in that 2005 era was a joy to watch.

But yes he would obviously never come back down here, much too talented of a manager for that.

[Dave J]

4 hours ago, hippo said:

I don't think JT is involved as much as you think. There have even been suggestions that he only works a couple of days a week. DS is the head coach I would imagine he leads the training. It would be very brave of him to delegate the defensive coaching element to JT

I'm not really surprised to hear that JT is not that involved as I can't believe we could be this bad - although I'm unsure why you feel it might be brave to leave defensive coaching to him ?

[AvfcRigo82]

29 minutes ago, Dave J said:

I'm not really surprised to hear that JT is not that involved as I can't believe we could be this bad - although I'm unsure why you feel it might be brave to leave defensive coaching to him ?

So JT is not involved in the defensive sode of things, and only in apparantly 2 days a week..

Could someone clarify what JT does do here in his 2 days!?

[Stevo985]

1 minute ago, AvfcRigo82 said:

So JT is not involved in the defensive sode of things, and only in apparantly 2 days a week..

Could someone clarify what JT does do here in his 2 days!?

I don't think anybody said he wasn't involved in the defence, or not involved at all.

Just that his job is not defensive coach, which many people think it is.

I imagine his role is like any other assistant manager. A broad range of tasks, some of which is coaching.

[AvfcRigo82]

1 minute ago, Stevo985 said:

I don't think anybody said he wasn't involved in the defence, or not involved at all.

Just that his job is not defensive coach, which many people think it is.

I imagine his role is like any other assistant manager. A broad range of tasks, some of which is coaching.

Can you clarify if it's only 2 days a week he's here?

[Stevo985]

17 minutes ago, AvfcRigo82 said:

Can you clarify if it's only 2 days a week he's here?

Nope, don't know where that rumour has come from.

I think it came from the same person who gave us the rumour of the halftime dressing down from Smith in the Leeds game, which I haven't seen verified or mentioned anywhere else. I'd take it with a pinch of salt.

[jim]

30 minutes ago, Stevo985 said:

Nope, don't know where that rumour has come from.

I think it came from the same person who gave us the rumour of the halftime dressing down from Smith in the Leeds game, which I haven't seen verified or mentioned anywhere else. I'd take it with a pinch of salt.

I think it initially came from someone questioning his his instagram posts showing him in Dubai, Ireland, hunting etc... midweek. Then some facebook ITK said he only works 2 days and matchdays. 

[VillanousOne]

we need to replace Grealish while injured with a similar ish player, granted I know Lansbury might have been that player till he got injured again.

But if he is not fit then O'Hare or El Ghazi are the only two players who can fit that role. I would even play Lansbury if fit instead of Connor who has led a charmed life in midfield in recent months..

Adomah has to play as even though his form is patchy at best - he is the only winger that tracks back and you can't play El Ghazi and Bolasie on the wings as neither provide any cover. I would restore Hutton to right back as even though defensively he is awful - he offers something we are missing going fwd. I would put Hause at left back as even if he did look like Bambi on Ice on his debut he can't be any worse playing out of position than Taylor.

Adomah-----------------Abraham---------------Bolasie

-------------- El Ghazi (or O'Hare) --------------
---- Connor (Lansbury or even Jed if fit) ----- McGinn

Hause --- Elphick -- Chester --- Hutton

Kalinic

 

it's prob not the solution but until we get new players or risk more youngsters then can't see what else we can do?

[hippo]

22 minutes ago, VillanousOne said:

we need to replace Grealish while injured with a similar ish player, granted I know Lansbury might have been that player till he got injured again.

But if he is not fit then O'Hare or El Ghazi are the only two players who can fit that role. I would even play Lansbury if fit instead of Connor who has led a charmed life in midfield in recent months..

Adomah has to play as even though his form is patchy at best - he is the only winger that tracks back and you can't play El Ghazi and Bolasie on the wings as neither provide any cover. I would restore Hutton to right back as even though defensively he is awful - he offers something we are missing going fwd. I would put Hause at left back as even if he did look like Bambi on Ice on his debut he can't be any worse playing out of position than Taylor.

Adomah-----------------Abraham---------------Bolasie

-------------- El Ghazi (or O'Hare) --------------
---- Connor (Lansbury or even Jed if fit) ----- McGinn

Hause --- Elphick -- Chester --- Hutton

Kalinic

 

it's prob not the solution but until we get new players or risk more youngsters then can't see what else we can do?

Personally I think we should step back a bit. Smith took many plaudits on here (quite rightly) for putting AT at CB, playing Hutton in his correct position - no more square pegs in round holes. But now we want full backs to get forward and Wingers to track back -lets reel it in a bit - get defenders defending, and forward players attacking. Thats not to say a FB can't get forward if the opportunity arrives - but first and foremost he is a defender.

[KentVillan]

1 hour ago, hippo said:

Personally I think we should step back a bit. Smith took many plaudits on here (quite rightly) for putting AT at CB, playing Hutton in his correct position - no more square pegs in round holes. But now we want full backs to get forward and Wingers to track back -lets reel it in a bit - get defenders defending, and forward players attacking. Thats not to say a FB can't get forward if the opportunity arrives - but first and foremost he is a defender.

Full backs getting forward is a big part of the job, surely? I can't think of a single top full back who is known purely for his defensive skills.

For us right now, with one of the best attacking lineups in the league, playing possession football, and regularly facing a parked bus, then the only way to break the deadlock is to rely on a bit of magic (currently injured...), go route one, or overload their defence (e.g. with an overlapping full back).

When you go "back to basics" you invariably cause yourself new problems - giving opposition full backs too much time on the ball, or allowing weaker teams to grow into the game. I think DS's philosophy is right, but it will just take time for everything to come together. Eddie Howe has proved that you don't have to play defensive percentage football to go up and stay up. Let's stick with DS and give him a chance.

[Demitri_C]

This is why we are where are getting on the managers back too quickly. We have seem enough managers come and go. Farke has a difficult first season a5 Norwich( yet they stuck with him anD now look at the rewards. I believe smith can do that here if backed and w3 give him time.

[Made In Aston]

5 hours ago, tomav84 said:

we had this romanticised notion that the season is over already, that we should forget about promotion,

If only we could turn romantic notion into romantic nourishment, then we would take the league by storm

[TRO]

18 hours ago, hippo said:

I agree in part - but lets not forget those choosing the manager had Theiry Henry very seriously in the frame. Best outcome is Smith turns it round 

shows what we know.

Edited January 14, 2019 by TRO

[KMitch]

3 hours ago, jim said:

I think it initially came from someone questioning his his instagram posts showing him in Dubai, Ireland, hunting etc... midweek. Then some facebook ITK said he only works 2 days and matchdays. 

Yeah, and all Smith did was pass out the training bibs and put out the cones at Brentford...  We really don't know anything at all about what is happening behind closed doors.  For all we know, JT could be heavily involved but takes some days off, like most people do at their day jobs.  

[TRO]

At the moment....I would go 3-5-2

With the 2 wide midfielders oscillating as fullbacks or wingers, depending where the play is.

We are being targetted on the flanks where the 2 x 2 fullbacks & Wingers are struggling, which is leaving us thin in the middle, when the opposition switches inside.

Tammy is being isolated and needs some help from Davies....we will have more personnel in the middle of the pitch.

It would of course require thinking and movement from the middle 5....and positional play and discipline is key.

But without focus, effort, determination and execution ....the formations are purely academic.

No gung ho, grow into the game.

Edited January 14, 2019 by TRO

[Villarocker]

2 hours ago, Demitri_C said:

This is why we are where are getting on the managers back too quickly. We have seem enough managers come and go. Farke has a difficult first season a5 Norwich( yet they stuck with him anD now look at the rewards. I believe smith can do that here if backed and w3 give him time.

Farke brought in some very astute signings and Norwich. He's done a great job for them. We have to hope Deano can do the same for us!

[Demitri_C]

5 minutes ago, villarocker said:

Farke brought in some very astute signings and Norwich. He's done a great job for them. We have to hope Deano can do the same for us!

I'm hoping he can but he needs the fans on side.  We can't turn on him yet until he can add a few players esp in defence and dm

[TRO]

4 minutes ago, villarocker said:

Farke brought in some very astute signings and Norwich. He's done a great job for them. We have to hope Deano can do the same for us!

for what I read from links.....we are seen as the rehabilitation centre for all struggling players, to get their game back together.

We have more "hit and miss" than a pub darts player.

[Mark Albrighton]

11 minutes ago, TRO said:

At the moment....I would go 3-5-2

With the 2 wide midfielders oscillating 

Accepting that the five in midfield would most likely change due to opposition, injuries etc...

But to your mind who are the five in the middle? Pretend Grealish is available. Grealish, McGinn, Bree at right wing back, new defensive midfielder, new left wingback?