Skruff Posted May 11, 2019 Share Posted May 11, 2019 I love Dean Smith! 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ferguson1 Posted May 11, 2019 Share Posted May 11, 2019 Hope to see this many times today! 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Popular Post DCJonah Posted May 11, 2019 Popular Post Share Posted May 11, 2019 9 hours ago, briny_ear said: If you call getting us to the playoff final last year, recruiting John Terry who is now a coach, and assembling most of the squad who are now going into the playoffs this year, a “mess”, I suggest you take a look around at Bolton, QPR, SHA, and others. That’s what I would call a “mess”. Brice was sacked for getting mediocre results at the start of this season. That’s what happens to football managers. It may well happen to Dean Smith if he has a similarly poor run. But there is little basis for this ridiculous campaign to take over the Dean Smith thread and many other threads on VT in order to invent a false narrative that Bruce’s stay here was a disaster. Apart from anything else, it means there is less room for grown-up discussion of Smith’s time as manager because we are constantly pulled back to silly schoolboy jibes about Bruce. He certainly left a mess and its a credit to Dean Smith that we are in this position. Smith had to recall 3 players Bruce deemed not needed. One of them being a keeper and also signed another to correct the mess Bruce made in that position. Smith bringing in Mings and Hause helped clean up the mess made of the defence. And a good system and solid coaching has enabled this fantastic run. Don't confuse excellent work by the current manager with Bruce leaving us in a good position. He didn't. 7 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Popular Post Jareth Posted May 11, 2019 VT Supporter Popular Post Share Posted May 11, 2019 This guy has taken a lot of pressure off fans today - the booby prize of the play-offs is seeing Dean Smith assemble a championship winning squad this summer - with Grealish, or without Grealish and a very good budget. It's not a win-win, but with DS we can at least chill out and look forward to our football whatever happens. 2 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GingerCollins29 Posted May 11, 2019 Share Posted May 11, 2019 7 minutes ago, Jareth said: This guy has taken a lot of pressure off fans today - the booby prize of the play-offs is seeing Dean Smith assemble a championship winning squad this summer - with Grealish, or without Grealish and a very good budget. It's not a win-win, but with DS we can at least chill out and look forward to our football whatever happens. This! 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zatman Posted May 11, 2019 Share Posted May 11, 2019 Not sure he got team selectiom wrong but not his fault Whelan was poor. Subs were good and changed game 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jareth Posted May 11, 2019 VT Supporter Share Posted May 11, 2019 What's the weird little sparkly skeleton pin on his lapel? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BG_Villa_Fan Posted May 11, 2019 Share Posted May 11, 2019 I know Jack is better in a central role however I thought he should have been put on the wing in place of Adomah/Green and see how WBA’s defending adjusts. Taylor and Elmo were probably the guys who had the most touches but all of their crosses resulted in nothing unsurprisingly. Smith has to find ways to get the ball to Jack in games where teams mark the center. Leeds game was similar. Also they’d better train defending corners and free kicks in the days until tuesday. Will be tough for WBA to score from open play. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DCJonah Posted May 11, 2019 Share Posted May 11, 2019 1 minute ago, BG_Villa_Fan said: I know Jack is better in a central role however I thought he should have been put on the wing in place of Adomah/Green and see how WBA’s defending adjusts. Taylor and Elmo were probably the guys who had the most touches but all of their crosses resulted in nothing unsurprisingly. Smith has to find ways to get the ball to Jack in games where teams mark the center. Leeds game was similar. Also they’d better train defending corners and free kicks in the days until tuesday. Will be tough for WBA to score from open play. No. Grealish needs the ball but keeping him wide restricts him. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sharkyvilla Posted May 11, 2019 Share Posted May 11, 2019 17 minutes ago, Zatman said: Not sure he got team selectiom wrong but not his fault Whelan was poor. Subs were good and changed game It's handy to have both options available to him to change it up. West Brom did play into our hands a bit going so defensive and letting Conor have so much time on the ball, not that I'm complaining. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Made In Aston Posted May 11, 2019 Share Posted May 11, 2019 (edited) 8 hours ago, DCJonah said: No. Grealish needs the ball but keeping him wide restricts him. I disagree. If 2 men are on him in the centre they don't have to travel far to close any of Grealish's passes down. 2 men marking him on the left gives us the option of central balls, or switching the play quickly to the right, where the gaps will be. Sometimes the best use of Grealish is by making him a decoy to create space for others. Edited May 11, 2019 by Made In Aston 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BG_Villa_Fan Posted May 11, 2019 Share Posted May 11, 2019 1 minute ago, Made In Aston said: I disagree. If 2 men are on him in the centre they don't have to travel far too close any of Grealish's passes down. 2 men making him on the left gives us the option of central balls, or switching the play quickly to the right, where the gaps will be. Sometimes the best use of Grealish is by making him a decoy to create space for others. Indeed. Play him on the wing for periods in games like this, see how they mark him there, will they let a center back move away from position or drag one of their central midfielders out wide. That leaves their other defensive midfielder roaming with not much to do since they can’t cover for the other DM easily without leaving the middle completely open. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
villalad21 Posted May 11, 2019 Share Posted May 11, 2019 Leaving out Green and Hourihane were massive mistakes but it all worked out in the end so it doesn't matter. 1 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Danny_Villaman84 Posted May 11, 2019 Share Posted May 11, 2019 1 minute ago, DCJonah said: No. Grealish needs the ball but keeping him wide restricts him. Agreed with this. But... if El Ghazi don't play so Grealish is best alterntive to play Left Inside Forward with 4 options - will write if you wanted know.. (or swap position often to confused defender | full back - Right Winger) and O'hare take Grealish roles. The reason i agreed with these he can penerate and creative in Wide that other winger can't (Green can't and Albert can't) beside El Ghazi. That why i often moan that we need left foot with flair of El Ghazi | Grealish type (Right inside forward | Left winger - like we got Snodgrass last year) ** off topic - would love see Snodgrass (even he is has lack pace yet still danger player) in right with El Ghazi in left we will consistate threat from centre and left plus right! ** back to topic only i agreed with you as grealish in centre to purpose design him become more flexable to operate for him to do anything to create and shot option. draft to left | Right width area to make create space and draw defender or midfield to create space for other Villa players to threat them in this cause eithier CH or McGinn ...or for himself to apply finish em or give finish product. we lucky have El Ghazi which more pace with high flair dribble skills (quick movement - suitable for winger very important trait) - which grealish lack of - this other reason Grealish suitable centre rather width would waste there. I hope we sign him and find left foot "El Ghazi type" Last thing ...Captain is suitable in centre rather width to more command area and more easy commuciate players, and rally player too. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Villarocker Posted May 11, 2019 Share Posted May 11, 2019 Was bemused by the Whelan over Hourihane selection and the game materialised to prove that worry. Smith needs to get it right on Tuesday and, if he does, Villa will run out clear winners as Albion have nothing to scare us with, especially now Gayle is out. Play Hourihane and Villa win 2 or 3 nil on Tuesday. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dr_Pangloss Posted May 11, 2019 Share Posted May 11, 2019 Alarm bells ringing at half time but we came out far more confident in the second half and the double substitution changed the game. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jareth Posted May 11, 2019 VT Supporter Share Posted May 11, 2019 3 minutes ago, villarocker said: Play Hourihane and Villa win 2 or 3 nil on Tuesday. As a formula, that's never been a given. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Farlz Posted May 11, 2019 Share Posted May 11, 2019 (edited) I thought the team was spot on personally. However it was clear early on that Whelan wasn't quite at it, subs were good yet again though and changed the game. One slight issue I have today is the midfield was a bit all over the place at times. Not entirely sure what the tactics were but there were such huge gaps between the midfield 3 that we couldn't break Albion down. Big result though, again showing the fantastic mentality this squad has. Have to finish the job on Tuesday night now. *Actually the team thing is a lie, I'd have played Green over Adomah but other than that yes spot on. Edited May 11, 2019 by Farlz 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Popular Post mjmooney Posted May 11, 2019 VT Supporter Popular Post Share Posted May 11, 2019 (edited) I'll be really disappointed if @screwdriver doesn't tell us "I think Smith got it wrong today". Edited May 11, 2019 by mjmooney 1 5 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
M_Afro Posted May 11, 2019 Share Posted May 11, 2019 Picked the right team today, in my opinion. He also made the right changes at the right time. I would have snapped your hands off for this position at ht. Plenty to do still but this guy is a class or 10 above Brucie. Keep going Deano. UTV Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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