Dean Smith

[terrytini]

9 hours ago, kiltorken said:

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. 

I don’t think you are in a minority at all. Outside of places like VT and Twitter I’ve not spoken to a single fan who is anywhere near the views expressed therein. 

Most can see we are playing well, acquitting ourselves well, and a little unfortunate not to have at least a couple more points.

More importantly, the level of Points ‘achieved’ versus ‘hoped for’  isn’t far off the mark for anyone with realistic expectations.

If folk kept their eye on a total of a Point per game then looked at who and where they will come from, it’d cool some down a bit.

[terrytini]

6 hours ago, TRO said:

I must say, I prefer Dean Smiths style, but in terms of one getting the defence sort of right and the other getting the offence sort of right ( we are scoring goals despite Wes).......we have still not got the pair right together.

I hope he has solutions up his sleeve.

Disagree.

Its all opinions, but....

....18 sides have played 7 games, only 9 have a better defensive record. And 6 of ours came against Arsenal and Spurs.

I can barely recall Heaton having a shot to save all season.

That ain’t at all bad for a newly promoted side with a new defence and who, as you say, are scoring goals aswell.

I think the defence ( by which I include the whole set up when we don’t have the ball) is as disciplined and well organised as I’ve seen for years at Villa.

.......but as individuals we are understandably at a mismatch at times against Premier League forwards from teams longer established.

 

[Villarocker]

1 hour ago, KenjiOgiwara said:

Word. Even the idea of replacing him his **** ridiculous. I've waited a long time for the right manager, and if we now can't show some patience during a rebuild in the PL, literally 18 months since we thought league one was on the cards, well then that's it for me. I've stuck with this club for most of my life, but that would be it. 

We KNEW this season would be a relegation fight. We KNEW we would lose more than we wanted and have some weird performances until we settled as a team. 

Some well reasoned criticism of Deano is fine, but some of you come across as entitled children. Patience is a virtue. 

Cracking post! 

[Keener window-cleaner]

I just love it that we have a manager who thinks the same as me, I was secretly praying for Jack to be moved out on the left so we could have some turnover in the middle and let Conor get some game time, and that is exactly what DS does the next game.

I love Dean SMith and I think he is doing almost everything right at the moment. Remember when we had Bruce? The strange teams he put out, the lack of any kind of tactics and dull performances. We are blessed to have DS.

We will come good, just the fact that we are disappointed that we haven't had 6 points from Arsenal away and Burnely at home says quite a bit of how competitive we are in this league.

[Keener window-cleaner]

NOw go get Joe Lolley in the January transfer window and I will be even happier!

[VillanousOne]

It is a weird feeling, as i feel we have better players and manager than when we were last in the Premiership, our attacking play under Dean is impressive.

and yet the Premiership is so brutal and competitive that we could still easily get relegated.

the only bad decision i could blame Dean for so far other than substitutions that are too late to have an impact is the fact he failed to sign a back up striker and gambled so heavily on Wes and Davis. One who is unproven at this level and another who is young and has yet to show he can score goals (perhaps through lack of pitch time).

Hogan, RHM, Green are all achieving nothing out on loan.

It was clear that Dean and the club were trying to get a second striker, but failed for whatever reason, but they need someone in Jan or we are screwed.

[Tomaszk]

2 hours ago, TRO said:

I would think again.

There lies a danger in that remark.....If you think you can come in to this league and play eye catching football and out score teams......you have to have a bunch not one or two of very special players.....if not you have to miserly in not giving away the ball.

TRO, even with all our weaknesses, if we'd had Barnes or Wood or a 26 year old Gabby, or any average striker in our team yesterday, we'd have trounced Burnley.

We battered them!

They are not a good team.

[Rightdm00]

1 hour ago, Keener window-cleaner said:

I just love it that we have a manager who thinks the same as me, I was secretly praying for Jack to be moved out on the left so we could have some turnover in the middle and let Conor get some game time, and that is exactly what DS does the next game.

I love Dean SMith and I think he is doing almost everything right at the moment. Remember when we had Bruce? The strange teams he put out, the lack of any kind of tactics and dull performances. We are blessed to have DS.

We will come good, just the fact that we are disappointed that we haven't had 6 points from Arsenal away and Burnely at home says quite a bit of how competitive we are in this league.

Moving Grealish to the left was pretty much the #1 suggestion on VT after our midfield got overrun vs Arsenal.  Deano makes it work and makes us all look like tactical geniuses . Having a manager like Deano who is always thinking of ways to make his team more progressive, more attacking is a blessing. 

[Vive_La_Villa]

I’ve defended Smith all season but even I’m baffled with his decision to keep Wesley on for so long.  I wonder what his thinking was around that. 

[sharkyvilla]

7 hours ago, Vive_La_Villa said:

I’ve defended Smith all season but even I’m baffled with his decision to keep Wesley on for so long.  I wonder what his thinking was around that. 

We were down to one sub due to the injuries and we did go 2-1 up with 10 minutes left so he might have thought about solidifying us in midfield or at the back rather than swapping the strikers.  Obviously them equalising straight away could have changed his mind, I'm more surprised he didn't bring Davis on as well as Wes. 

Edited September 30, 2019 by sharkyvilla

[KenjiOgiwara]

Just don't buy that. It was evident the entire match that Wesley's hold-up play wasn't good enough. I would have gotten Davis on at 55ish. Without a question. 

[Delphinho123]

6 minutes ago, KenjiOgiwara said:

Just don't buy that. It was evident the entire match that Wesley's hold-up play wasn't good enough. I would have gotten Davis on at 55ish. Without a question. 

You’re 10 minutes too late there!

[Delphinho123]

11 hours ago, Tomaszk said:

TRO, even with all our weaknesses, if we'd had Barnes or Wood or a 26 year old Gabby, or any average striker in our team yesterday, we'd have trounced Burnley.

We battered them!

They are not a good team.

Totally agreed. 

We’d have won at a canter with a half decent striker. We’re a decent side, but we’re playing with 10 men at the moment.

Smith needs to change it.

[tomav84]

3 minutes ago, Delphinho123 said:

Totally agreed. 

We’d have won at a canter with a half decent striker. We’re a decent side, but we’re playing with 10 men at the moment.

Smith needs to change it.

this is why i'm quite optimistic about our chances...we've done bloody well considering we're a man down, imagine what we'll do once we get the 11th in!

[sne]

Saving one sub just in case,

I get it but while it's obviously very difficult to be forced to end the game with 10 men (not against us mind) if you get a player injured after the 3rd sub it's extremely uncommon for it to happen.

Much rather we used all our subs to try and change things up than to sit on them to the final few minutes.

[wilko154]

Bringing Davis on with 5 minutes to go was pointless.

If you've played football and come on from the bench you will know it usually takes 5 minutes to get up to the pace of the game.

The change needed to come with 20-25 minutes to go.

I get the arguments regarding saving a substitution in case of injuries but Wesley was so ineffectual that we were almost playing with 10 men anyway. 

[villalad21]

The Wesley thing is seriously odd.

No matter how poor he plays he still starts every game. Said for weeks now that Davis deserves a crack at it.

 

[WakefieldVillan]

I think that Smith has persisted with playing Wes to try not to knock his confidence totally, but I think we will see Davis start on Saturday and hopefully it will add something to our attacking play.

As others have said, my only gripe too with the gaffer is the lack of options we have up top coming into the season, but we are not privy to what is going on behind the scenes and I am sure we were searching for other forwards but for whatever reason it didn't happen.

Footballing wise we are trying to play the right way, despite surrendering possession (& ultimately leads) I don't think that is solely down to the manager, more so the belief of the players, OK maybe he could bring on a fresh pair of legs a little sooner, but that aside, not much to grumble at.

I have seen and read comments with people slating his post match analysis, but for me he his quite honest in his assessment of games, which I like, he seems to be picking the side based on performances of players and players know that if they perform they will ultimately get a chance and if they do perform they keep the shirt. Quite simple really.

I think the premier league quality has improved since we last stunk the league out and I think our points total today is an indication of this but I am hopeful and to be honest confident that Smith is the man to guide us to safety this year (with a decent cup run) and push on next season.

 

[tomav84]

44 minutes ago, villalad21 said:

The Wesley thing is seriously odd.

No matter how poor he plays he still starts every game. Said for weeks now that Davis deserves a crack at it.

 

the problem is that as bad as wesley is, i still fancy him to score more than davis. i dont see that davis would have tucked away the goal vs everton for example. i actually dont think he would've scored the arsenal goal either. i know it was just a tap in, i just dont see he has that poacher's mentality to get himself in that position.

our best bet is kodjia when he's fit...but i really dont see smith playing him. it was clear last season he didnt rate him. i still believe something went on behind the scenes there.

so get used to wesley, i dont see him going anywhere anytime soon. and that's on dean smith...a) for signing him and b) for playing him

[Dave-R]

19 hours ago, Farlz said:

Don't even compare Smith and Bruce in any kind of way. 

Agreed it's all nonsense and a bit disrespectful considering where Smith has brought us as to you know who, he couldn't do crap with last seasons squad.

I can't even bring myself to say his name anymore.

Smith for me is miles better and I think those who are trying to compare Smith to Cabbage, can't see what's actually going on with the squad we have now properly, your just shifting blame onto Smith which is unacceptable.

Just look at everything the squad is dealing with and you can see that there are a few niggling factors. Id say it's a mixture of piecing gameplay together, fitness not there yet because of the energetic jump between championship to the premier, a lapse in concentration once were leading or at most it's players backing off due to trying to protect a lead. If we can figure these things out we will start winning, i think were on the verge of winning a fiew.

We have a pretty incredible squad for how cheap they were considering the quality they face, we did buy well. As I said above however with those niggling issues, we also come to January and need to reinforce certain positions due to the fact they have either insufficient cover or need quality which we do lack in positions.

I would say this is more than bringing subs on earlier.