TRO Posted January 15, 2019 Share Posted January 15, 2019 (edited) 38 minutes ago, ViewFromT2 said: My twopenneth.... Bottom line, you'll have to go a very, very long way to find a Villa fan that doesn't want Smith to succeed. He's one of us....we would love nothing more, but equally, if we are all honest, we all felt slightly 'underwhelmed' by the appointment deep down. Take out the villa connection, and Smith has been so-so manager. Done ok at small clubs without ever over achieving. His Brentford side were ok, but the way some of our fans go on about them, you have to wonder! They never had a top 6 finish (which they had achieved previously under Mark Warburton) or an eye catching cup run...4th round FA cup and never past 1st round of League Cup under him. It would seem that Saturday showed us that Smith could be out of his depth at Villa, and that was always the underlying fear. I don't think he is the manager to take us back to where we want to be, I really don't. We all have our own opinions, but instinct tells me he will ultimately be a glorified failure. Do we get rid now? Would be insane I guess, but ultimately, in the same way we knew we would get nowhere with Bruce, nothing has changed! Not having the... 'they're not his players' nonsense, even by his own admission, they are the best squad he has ever worked with. And by that logic, if a new manager cannot be expected to improve a team, what's the flamin' point getting rid of the previous manager? we may as well have kept Bruce if it's unfair to expect Dean Smith to improve players that he never bought....what a load of rubbish! Just look up the road and see the job Gary Monk has done with someone else's squad, never mind the constraints applied since he got there. Defensively we are an utter shambles, still. Considering the reputation Richard O'Kelly came with, you have to ask what exactly he does day to day? If we don't have the players suitable to play in Smith's preferred style, then change the f####in style to suit the players that we do have for god's sake! If they are the 'top coaches' we were told they are....coach the bloody players. As for JT....no idea what he brings to the table, other than reputation. Zero impact on that squad from a defensive view. I have written this season off now, we have absolutely no chance of making the play offs this season. I guess Smith will get till October next season to see how we look after he has a full summer and a chance to overhaul the squad. I have a feeling we will be back to square one at that time! Sad times! Well...certainly an alternative view to many put forward.....can't be ignored, just hope you are wrong, about Dean and all of the players being ok. My wife, who is a season ticket holder too, shares your view, underwhelmed with the appointment. personally, watching some of our players, they can't execute some of the basics, so not sure what ANY manager can get from them. I think in order for Dean to survive, i think he needs to show a steely exterior.....a passive approach and he will sink. Edited January 15, 2019 by TRO 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TRO Posted January 15, 2019 Share Posted January 15, 2019 When Dean claimed that " its the best squad i have ever worked with" has not exactly done him any favours. 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TRO Posted January 15, 2019 Share Posted January 15, 2019 Just on one point. When i watch our team play, i do wonder if they ever do any work on positional play or working off the ball.....i don't see organised lines...just a gaggle of geese all doing their own thing. I wonder ,right through to the academy whether they work on this aspect of the game. it leaves me in doubt at times. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tomav84 Posted January 15, 2019 VT Supporter Share Posted January 15, 2019 22 minutes ago, TRO said: When Dean claimed that " its the best squad i have ever worked with" has not exactly done him any favours. hmm...best he's worked with is OK with me...had he said "best in the league" that would be a different story 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ViewFromT2 Posted January 15, 2019 Share Posted January 15, 2019 21 minutes ago, TRO said: Just on one point. When i watch our team play, i do wonder if they ever do any work on positional play or working off the ball.....i don't see organised lines...just a gaggle of geese all doing their own thing. I wonder ,right through to the academy whether they work on this aspect of the game. it leaves me in doubt at times. I agree totally. What's more worrying is that on more than one occasion now, but in particular last week, he has explicitly stated they have worked hard on shape and defensive situations in training....Saturday was a result of a week's defensive work. That is simply horrifying! You could argue that the longer he has them between games, the worse we look! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pimlico_Villa Posted January 15, 2019 Share Posted January 15, 2019 (edited) 43 minutes ago, TRO said: Just on one point. When i watch our team play, i do wonder if they ever do any work on positional play or working off the ball.....i don't see organised lines...just a gaggle of geese all doing their own thing. I wonder ,right through to the academy whether they work on this aspect of the game. it leaves me in doubt at times. The ‘doing their own thing’ is a hangover from Bruce, where there were no general tactics. Almost as if he said “you’re a good player, go out there and play” - and for that he was paid millions. I think the players still doing this now is a mix between confidence for some - where players have a safety first, sideways/backwards inclination - and for others just outright filthy laziness and poor fitness. To play in a joined up way requires movement, which in turn requires fitness, which in turn requires players to actually want to run. Hourihane plays in a position that can completely dictate the tempo of the game, but he is physically pathetic and appallingly lazy. He gets paid exactly the same whether he runs or not. We should structure contracts so that players need to cover at least a certain distance in a forward direction in a match before being paid. Edited January 15, 2019 by Pimlico_Villa 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jim Posted January 15, 2019 Share Posted January 15, 2019 1 hour ago, ViewFromT2 said: My twopenneth.... Bottom line, you'll have to go a very, very long way to find a Villa fan that doesn't want Smith to succeed. He's one of us....we would love nothing more, but equally, if we are all honest, we all felt slightly 'underwhelmed' by the appointment deep down. Take out the villa connection, and Smith has been so-so manager. Done ok at small clubs without ever over achieving. His Brentford side were ok, but the way some of our fans go on about them, you have to wonder! They never had a top 6 finish (which they had achieved previously under Mark Warburton) or an eye catching cup run...4th round FA cup and never past 1st round of League Cup under him. It would seem that Saturday showed us that Smith could be out of his depth at Villa, and that was always the underlying fear. I don't think he is the manager to take us back to where we want to be, I really don't. We all have our own opinions, but instinct tells me he will ultimately be a glorified failure. Do we get rid now? Would be insane I guess, but ultimately, in the same way we knew we would get nowhere with Bruce, nothing has changed! Not having the... 'they're not his players' nonsense, even by his own admission, they are the best squad he has ever worked with. And by that logic, if a new manager cannot be expected to improve a team, what's the flamin' point getting rid of the previous manager? we may as well have kept Bruce if it's unfair to expect Dean Smith to improve players that he never bought....what a load of rubbish! Just look up the road and see the job Gary Monk has done with someone else's squad, never mind the constraints applied since he got there. Defensively we are an utter shambles, still. Considering the reputation Richard O'Kelly came with, you have to ask what exactly he does day to day? If we don't have the players suitable to play in Smith's preferred style, then change the f####in style to suit the players that we do have for god's sake! If they are the 'top coaches' we were told they are....coach the bloody players. As for JT....no idea what he brings to the table, other than reputation. Zero impact on that squad from a defensive view. I have written this season off now, we have absolutely no chance of making the play offs this season. I guess Smith will get till October next season to see how we look after he has a full summer and a chance to overhaul the squad. I have a feeling we will be back to square one at that time! Sad times! Great post. Sums up where I am as well. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
praisedmambo Posted January 15, 2019 Share Posted January 15, 2019 7 minutes ago, jim said: Great post. Sums up where I am as well. For balance, I disagree with mostly all of it. Seems a bit entrenched. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MarkLillis Posted January 15, 2019 Share Posted January 15, 2019 (edited) On 13/01/2019 at 08:35, eholm said: Sorry don’t know what happened here please do not let this crap post spoil your enjoyment UTV Edited January 15, 2019 by MarkLillis 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MarkLillis Posted January 15, 2019 Share Posted January 15, 2019 Onto to my point. What I would really like to get away from us afternatch interviews where our manager (whoever he is at the time) highlights that he knows about a particular issue,say workrate for instance as spoken about recently by Dean Smith. He then states we will work on it in training etc. So I have hope that we know what is wrong....and it will get better. Next match the highlighted issue is actually worse!!! This has been going on for ages,under a variety of managers or is it just me? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hippo Posted January 15, 2019 Share Posted January 15, 2019 5 minutes ago, MarkLillis said: Onto to my point. What I would really like to get away from us afternatch interviews where our manager (whoever he is at the time) highlights that he knows about a particular issue,say workrate for instance as spoken about recently by Dean Smith. He then states we will work on it in training etc. So I have hope that we know what is wrong....and it will get better. Next match the highlighted issue is actually worse!!! This has been going on for ages,under a variety of managers or is it just me? Theres only so much that can be said in press conferences. I think people read way to much into them. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thejoker Posted January 15, 2019 Share Posted January 15, 2019 Dean Smith has never been a ‘quick fix’ manager. Look at his record. It took him 4 years at Walsall before they looked like promotion contenders in League One. At Brentford, it took him 2 years (whilst selling all his best players) to start seriously challenging for playoffs. If our owners got Dean Smith as a quick fix, then they have made a big mistake. I still firmly believe he will get it right but it might take 2 years to change the culture at the club. I still think we need to change 80% of our squad. One thing Dean Smith must sort out short term though, is how to play without Grealish. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Adam2003 Posted January 15, 2019 Share Posted January 15, 2019 1 hour ago, Pimlico_Villa said: The ‘doing their own thing’ is a hangover from Bruce, where there were no general tactics Years from now, as a meteor hurtles towards earth and threatens to obliterate all life, one Villa fan will turn to another and say "well, this is Steve Bruce's fault." 1 1 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ViewFromT2 Posted January 15, 2019 Share Posted January 15, 2019 56 minutes ago, MarkLillis said: Onto to my point. What I would really like to get away from us afternatch interviews where our manager (whoever he is at the time) highlights that he knows about a particular issue,say workrate for instance as spoken about recently by Dean Smith. He then states we will work on it in training etc. So I have hope that we know what is wrong....and it will get better. Next match the highlighted issue is actually worse!!! This has been going on for ages,under a variety of managers or is it just me? In fairness, Smith has highlighted defensive issues several times (not that he needs to), he has then said how hard they've worked all week in training on said, defensive issues. We get to Saturday and, well....it actually looks worse! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ViewFromT2 Posted January 15, 2019 Share Posted January 15, 2019 1 hour ago, praisedmambo said: For balance, I disagree with mostly all of it. Seems a bit entrenched. Value the opposing opinion, but would really welcome some comments and counter arguments to explain your difference of opinion? Not sure what entrenched means in the context of this post either? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hippo Posted January 15, 2019 Share Posted January 15, 2019 1 minute ago, ViewFromT2 said: Value the opposing opinion, but would really welcome some comments and counter arguments to explain your difference of opinion? Not sure what entrenched means in the context of this post either? Its today's word for those that don't rate Smith. 1 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ViewFromT2 Posted January 15, 2019 Share Posted January 15, 2019 42 minutes ago, thejoker said: Dean Smith has never been a ‘quick fix’ manager. Look at his record. It took him 4 years at Walsall before they looked like promotion contenders in League One. At Brentford, it took him 2 years (whilst selling all his best players) to start seriously challenging for playoffs. If our owners got Dean Smith as a quick fix, then they have made a big mistake. I still firmly believe he will get it right but it might take 2 years to change the culture at the club. I still think we need to change 80% of our squad. One thing Dean Smith must sort out short term though, is how to play without Grealish. Can't see any manager getting 2 years at Villa in all honesty. That may be the biggest issue, the fact we are not prepared to wait. However, when you take a step back....we shouldn't be as far away to promotion as we are now after 4 years in the championship really, should we? 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tomav84 Posted January 15, 2019 VT Supporter Share Posted January 15, 2019 3 hours ago, ViewFromT2 said: Take out the villa connection, and Smith has been so-so manager. Done ok at small clubs without ever over achieving. His Brentford side were ok, but the way some of our fans go on about them, you have to wonder! They never had a top 6 finish (which they had achieved previously under Mark Warburton) or an eye catching cup run...4th round FA cup and never past 1st round of League Cup under him. our praise of brentford stems from them absolutely demolishing us on more than one occasion since we've been in this league. they massively overachieved considering their resources, and were actually heading for top 6 this season. furthermore, previous success/failure is in no way indicative of how you'll fair at a new club. look at bruce at one end of the scale with his multiple promotions and solksjaer (so far) at the other end following his catastrophic failure at cardiff 3 hours ago, ViewFromT2 said: It would seem that Saturday showed us that Smith could be out of his depth at Villa, and that was always the underlying fear. I don't think he is the manager to take us back to where we want to be, I really don't. We all have our own opinions, but instinct tells me he will ultimately be a glorified failure. Do we get rid now? Would be insane I guess, but ultimately, in the same way we knew we would get nowhere with Bruce, nothing has changed! bruce divided the crowd somewhat. by the time he left he had lost 99% of the fanbase. at the start of this season he had a number of supporters so indicating that you know smith wont take us anywhere is an opinion largely in the minority (i would guess) at this point 3 hours ago, ViewFromT2 said: Just look up the road and see the job Gary Monk has done with someone else's squad, never mind the constraints applied since he got there. Defensively we are an utter shambles, still. Considering the reputation Richard O'Kelly came with, you have to ask what exactly he does day to day? If we don't have the players suitable to play in Smith's preferred style, then change the f####in style to suit the players that we do have for god's sake! If they are the 'top coaches' we were told they are....coach the bloody players. As for JT....no idea what he brings to the table, other than reputation. Zero impact on that squad from a defensive view. I have written this season off now, we have absolutely no chance of making the play offs this season. I guess Smith will get till October next season to see how we look after he has a full summer and a chance to overhaul the squad. I have a feeling we will be back to square one at that time! Sad times! not much of this i disagree with though unless this season ends with a relegation dogfight and/or next season starts horrifically, i still see him being in charge this time next year 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
romavillan Posted January 15, 2019 VT Supporter Share Posted January 15, 2019 3 hours ago, TRO said: Just on one point. When i watch our team play, i do wonder if they ever do any work on positional play or working off the ball.....i don't see organised lines...just a gaggle of geese all doing their own thing. I wonder ,right through to the academy whether they work on this aspect of the game. it leaves me in doubt at times. I think you can be sure Smith and Kelly do work on pattern of play and shape on the ball, and a lot of work off the ball to do with positioning too. It worked immediately the problem for me is how it's gone so badly wrong with only 2 or 3 players missing. I'm not sure that rests at Smith's door entirely, although I am sure him and his staff will be losing sleep over how to sort it out. I think them losing shape is to do with the players shitting themselves to be honest, trying to hide and not take any responsibility for losing. We've seen it since Lambert's second season with every manager. The only ray of light is the first couple of months, it shows what Smith is capable of and what the club should be giving him the tools and backing to achieve. The summer revolution will be massive, hopefully we can have a new core in place by the time next season kicks off. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
romavillan Posted January 15, 2019 VT Supporter Share Posted January 15, 2019 26 minutes ago, ViewFromT2 said: Can't see any manager getting 2 years at Villa in all honesty. That may be the biggest issue, the fact we are not prepared to wait. However, when you take a step back....we shouldn't be as far away to promotion as we are now after 4 years in the championship really, should we? If that is true we're ****. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts