Dean Smith

[Dave-R]

45 minutes ago, Delphinho123 said:

Smith has no idea how to use his substitutes. It’s costing us points. 

You say that some of you do yet we were forced to make changes earlier in second half and it might of easily been our down fall.

Like I said you who are saying Smith should make changes earlier then we find out when changes are made earlier for what ever reason, we then find that it could be that very reason our win was destroyed, what a contradiction it all is.

I've come to the assumption that some on here think we have that God given right to be beating everyone and that we should be, that some think things never go wrong and that they will lay the blame on certain characters when we can really see it's not as easy as that. To much to look at to put it entirely down to a Coach or one player to many honest reasons as to why we struggle second half more than we do the first.

I'd like to think that were all past the bad times. Were well looked after and we have a very good bunch in charge of Villa from the top down to the pitch. When you reach this level of football, it starts coming down to small margins of errors that seperate to best in the league from the ones who float out the league, we do have to find a way to be that positive small margins that take advantage of errors. Yesterday at Burnley I felt we took advantage of opposition errors, Yet we also became the victims of the exact same thing. I do think that the errors happening will become less overtime, that's just me though.

[Dave-R]

14 minutes ago, foreveryoung said:

He just needs to understand when the players look tired, make a bloody change. I'm with Smith if he believes he hasn't got the quality on the bench, but fresh legs are always better that a player blowing out his arse at 65 minutes. An to me that's what's losing us the game.

Someone said on here who was at the game we weren't sitting back after the second goal, didnt look that way on MOTD. But as I said some players, were knackered. Smith either needs to get the subs on sooner or work on there fitness.

But fresh legs came on and that's when the trouble happened, it all started second half when our players started going down alot.

[Pimlico_Villa]

On the protecting the lead post 65 minutes point, I think we need on-field game management from the players. 

Yes Smith can instruct from the side lines, but there needs to be a player who can martial and orchestrate on field. Mings is the only one with true leadership qualities and would like to see him step up and do that. 

I also think we need to introduce a more possession-based style of play when we are leading after 60 minutes. Approach at the moment is to just keep on trying to score more and more, which is nice to see, but not very efficient. It’s also why we are tiring. More of a style issue than a fitness one, really. 

[terrytini]

Amuses/infuriates me when fans suggest a Coach, his Assistants, and all their intimate knowledge of pre and in game condition of the players “ can’t see what we all can “ that “ the players are tired”.

Maybe (a) you are the one seeing things incorrectly and/or (b) they see things bit have their own, perfectly sensible, reasons why they don’t do what you, the terrace expert, want.

There is a difference between chatting about the game (“  I reckon X would’ve made a difference “) and this nonsense.

 

[briny_ear]

7 hours ago, mikeyp102 said:

He scored last game, there was no way he’d be dropped for Davis at this stage and we have no one else

Well he was totally useless - comically and embarrassingly so - yesterday so there may be an issue for the next match. If Davis only gets 2 minutes (+ added time) how is he ever going to get effective as a first team player? I would give him some game time.

[JAMAICAN-VILLAN]

33 minutes ago, Pimlico_Villa said:

On the protecting the lead post 65 minutes point, I think we need on-field game management from the players. 

Yes Smith can instruct from the side lines, but there needs to be a player who can martial and orchestrate on field. Mings is the only one with true leadership qualities and would like to see him step up and do that. 

I also think we need to introduce a more possession-based style of play when we are leading after 60 minutes. Approach at the moment is to just keep on trying to score more and more, which is nice to see, but not very efficient. It’s also why we are tiring. More of a style issue than a fitness one, really. 

If you watch Sean Dyche post match interview, he mentioned exactly this!

He said "Sometimes we try to over coach, however we've got to have faith in the players to manage the game correctly themselves, I felt my players did a good job of that today, knowing when to change etc"

Something along those lines.

Obviously the Buck stops with the manager, but if i'm honest the players need to shoulder a BIG part of chucking these points away!

Edited September 29, 2019 by JAMAICAN-VILLAN

[Dr_Pangloss]

We keep throwing points away and it's not good enough. Smith is Bruce-esque during matches. I like his changes to the side, they were the right ones, but he needs to be more proactive with his bench.

[MaVilla]

3 minutes ago, JAMAICAN-VILLAN said:

If you watch Sean Dyche post match interview, he mentioned exactly this!

He said "Sometimes we try to over coach, however we've got to have faith in the players to manage the game correctly themselves, I felt my players did a good job of that today, knowing when to change etc"

Something along those lines.

Obviously the Buck stops with the manager, but if i'm honest the players need to shoulder a BIG part of chucking these points away!

To be fair we were doing fine I tip targett went off and Taylor came on.

it's not entirely Taylor's fault of course, but he played a big part in both goals.

Deano could habe used his subs better I think, but overall I think Taylor really upset the apple cart when he came on.

[sharkyvilla]

People seem to be ignoring that he had to make one forced change after an hour because of injury, then another less than ten minutes later.  That alone reduces the number of options open to Dean and if he had gambled with subs earlier we could have ended up with 10 men. 

[briny_ear]

20 minutes ago, MaVilla said:

To be fair we were doing fine I tip targett went off and Taylor came on.

it's not entirely Taylor's fault of course, but he played a big part in both goals.

Deano could habe used his subs better I think, but overall I think Taylor really upset the apple cart when he came on.

He chose Taylor for the bench and subbed him for Targett. So I guess the manager had a smidgeon of responsibility in all this even if you are right that Taylor was responsible for our downfall?

[VillaChris]

1 hour ago, terrytini said:

Amuses/infuriates me when fans suggest a Coach, his Assistants, and all their intimate knowledge of pre and in game condition of the players “ can’t see what we all can “ that “ the players are tired”.

Maybe (a) you are the one seeing things incorrectly and/or (b) they see things bit have their own, perfectly sensible, reasons why they don’t do what you, the terrace expert, want.

There is a difference between chatting about the game (“  I reckon X would’ve made a difference “) and this nonsense.

 

Many of us are saying this on the match threads though, here and elsewhere. Last week when Arsenal were all over us I was pleading for DS to make a change or two (we were still winning 2-1 at that point).

Yesterday the key part was Dyche making 48th minute sub and bringing on our friend Rodriguez and matching us by going 4-3-3. They were better for next 20 minutes and made it 1-1. Again a time when DS could've made a change and given Burnley something else to think about.

So not always just with hindsight after the game has finished.

[TRO]

5 hours ago, Dave-R said:

Can't even believe some of the posts I've read this morning. The thought that some of you are trying to compare Smith to Bruce or the fact your even bringing that guys name up again is laughable.

We were always short in areas, a full rebuild can't be done in one window and maybe come January we can now bring in quality instead of quantity. That's what we had to do bring in quantity for cheaper we needed those players like a full squad pretty much. January i can feel some big signings coming in, that should hopefully give us that extra advantage weve been lacking in the second half.

Our performance have not been bad, that's the crazy thing. Some of your are making out our performances havnt been great but we've been playing pretty decent, it's just those errors tear away at a teams 90 mins, even if they played excellent.

For a squad thats still piecing it together and learning how to work it out, I don't think we're to far away from seeing wins. We have been so close on so many times and against teams that are well and truly down in this league.

You also can't complain when you have to take the officiating into account. If VAR wasnt around we could of possibly won that game yesterday 3-2 and we've had much go against us already. No doubt VAR will continue to mean what Dan Bardell called it as (Villa arnt Reviewed), good name but its as if its working against us.

I would say let's see what January brings before people start going on about Smith's not up for it, even then you have to give time for those new signings to gel in.

It's all ok saying Smith isn't upto the job, but really then who is, that's a question nobody seems to be able to answer, why???  because it was always a tall order staying in the premier with a squad put together at short notice with more quantity over quality  The way I see it is we have done the best we can do in the situation we was in and I for one cant ask for anymore at the moment apart from the squad to try and win.

Good post Dave.

I am not going to pretend, despite the improvement in the team, things are not quite right. i felt nervous all through yestedays game despite us leading all through ....unless we out score a team.....I feel nervous with the general play, we don't dominate possession, so we have to have moments in a game and out score teams.

I think it is fair to say we never come up automatically and that great run, was instrumental in getting us over the line.....but when we played Leeds and Albion at the end of the season....our achilles heel was in evidence.

There is no doubt for me other teams like them do not have a Jack or John and that is our edge, but that is not enough for us to progress.....we have to improve further in our ability to see a game out and secure points.

Edited September 29, 2019 by TRO

[TRO]

1 hour ago, Pimlico_Villa said:

On the protecting the lead post 65 minutes point, I think we need on-field game management from the players. 

Yes Smith can instruct from the side lines, but there needs to be a player who can martial and orchestrate on field. Mings is the only one with true leadership qualities and would like to see him step up and do that. 

I also think we need to introduce a more possession-based style of play when we are leading after 60 minutes. Approach at the moment is to just keep on trying to score more and more, which is nice to see, but not very efficient. It’s also why we are tiring. More of a style issue than a fitness one, really. 

I think you are right.

I think its style more than tiredness......I can't subscribe to a theory a professional club like villa are not being on top of fitness.

but once again individual errors are guilty as charged.

I don't want to hang a player.....but Taylor is a major liability.

No one in the back four yesterday come out with any credit, but DS has to tighten it up.

Clean sheets should be a priority just now.

 

Edited September 29, 2019 by TRO

[kiltorken]

Frustrating start to the season but judging by the comments I think I'm in the minority when I'm actually optimistic about the season based on what I've seen. We've gone toe to toe with everyone so far and were a couple of poor decisions away from being mid table. Yes, obviously closing out games appears to be an issue but I'm fairly confident that will change for the better. We haven't been outclassed by anyone so far. 

[TRO]

I think our team does have goals in it despite the shortfalls up front.

However.....clean sheets is what will be instrumental in our survival.

Dean has to address this.

ps question.......would El Ghazi be better down the middle up front as an option?

 

 

 

Edited September 29, 2019 by TRO

[MaVilla]

2 hours ago, briny_ear said:

He chose Taylor for the bench and subbed him for Targett. So I guess the manager had a smidgeon of responsibility in all this even if you are right that Taylor was responsible for our downfall?

Well targett was injured so did he have a choice?

Although I agree in the sense that I would have had Hause as the LB/CB option on the bench, not Taylor.

Dunno if that would have made any difference

[Dave-R]

I think Hause should be moved to LB if target gets injured.

Seriously though I'm concerned for target, something keeps happening every game with him, has he played a full game of 90 yet, not sure on that.

I can see Taylor and Kodjia being the next ones out the door followed by Elmo, we just need to find quality, premier quality now we have the majority of player sorted.

[TRO]

24 minutes ago, MaVilla said:

Well targett was injured so did he have a choice?

Although I agree in the sense that I would have had Hause as the LB/CB option on the bench, not Taylor.

Dunno if that would have made any difference

We can only speculate......but I think the odds would have been raised, if Hause was in contention with Rodriguez in the air, even if he got a touch on it as opposed to Rodriguez heading like it was a training session.

I think we might have been looking at a 2-1 win.

Edited September 29, 2019 by TRO

[TRO]

4 hours ago, terrytini said:

Amuses/infuriates me when fans suggest a Coach, his Assistants, and all their intimate knowledge of pre and in game condition of the players “ can’t see what we all can “ that “ the players are tired”.

Maybe (a) you are the one seeing things incorrectly and/or (b) they see things bit have their own, perfectly sensible, reasons why they don’t do what you, the terrace expert, want.

There is a difference between chatting about the game (“  I reckon X would’ve made a difference “) and this nonsense.

 

Well, Terry......Its a forum and  folk are frustrated and want to "vent their spleen"....its natural.

back to the issue.....

They are tired every match after about 70 minutes, unless we play low level opposition.....we have been here before under different managers......to speculate , It could be that the manager see's the problem, but has not got the personnel to fix it (or available )with one player,so has to double up and that is a compromise he is wrestling with.

I find it equally inconceivable that a club like Aston Villa are not at the fore front of player fitness......

 Look, we are all entitled to our opinions ( personally I enjoy the diversity of opinion) just as those that disagree have the option to ignore.

 

Edited September 29, 2019 by TRO

[Pimlico_Villa]

3 hours ago, Dr_Pangloss said:

We keep throwing points away and it's not good enough. Smith is Bruce-esque during matches. I like his changes to the side, they were the right ones, but he needs to be more proactive with his bench.

At Arsenal, yes. Yesterday, though, he was constrained as two subs were injury related. He should have brought Davis on earlier though