hippo Posted December 9, 2019 Share Posted December 9, 2019 9 minutes ago, AVFCDAN said: I'm finding it difficult to know what side I am on when it comes to Dean at the moment. With a glass half full we've been in a lot of games this season against the bigger teams and played well in most games. We're scoring goals and look a threat going forwards. On the other side we can't seem to defend or see out games and we've basically lost every game you would have expected us to and we're level on points with the 18th placed team after half a season. I'm certainly not in the Smith out group but even his biggest supporters would have to admit that we could well be 10 places higher in the table with a different manager in charge. You only have to look at Newcastle managed by Steve Bruce who was a laughing stock here and got hounded out of the club and they are currently 7 points higher in the table and beating the better teams, it doesn't fill me with confidence about how we are playing at the moment. Having spent a 120 million in the summer things could definitely be better. I don't think we spent that £120m that well though. No problem with renewing the players who were already on our books - but of the new additions only Engles and Heaton look to have what it takes at this level. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jay.P.A Posted December 9, 2019 Share Posted December 9, 2019 Sorry Villalad21 but you've been killed here in this thread 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zab6359 Posted December 9, 2019 Share Posted December 9, 2019 5 hours ago, villalad21 said: I just think the timing on that new contract was wrong. If Smith takes us down he should get the sack imo. Because it proves he doesn't got what it takes at this level. Im not Smith out btw. I don't think Smith would or should get sacked if we get relegated I want continuity at the club, I like his football even if I do think he lacks the ability to change things around to influence games, he can develop just as players can. I'm just questioning what he has done to deserve a new long term contract and no one has come up with any reasonable replies yet. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Popular Post Lord Willard Posted December 9, 2019 Popular Post Share Posted December 9, 2019 17th is the goal and we are 17th after a very hard run of games. I don't see what the problem is. 4 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
villalad21 Posted December 9, 2019 Share Posted December 9, 2019 (edited) 7 minutes ago, zab6359 said: I don't think Smith would or should get sacked if we get relegated I want continuity at the club, I like his football even if I do think he lacks the ability to change things around to influence games, he can develop just as players can. I'm just questioning what he has done to deserve a new long term contract and no one has come up with any reasonable replies yet. I think the only manager i would get over Smith that is semi available is Benitez. I agree with continuity but it has to be with the right manager. The defensive concerns this season still make me un convinced that Smith is the right man moving forward. These next games will be season defining though. If he keeps doing the business against the teams around us i can't complain much. I love how good of an attacking threat we are but i hate how easy it is for the opposition to get chances against us. I know i go on about this all the time but we can't keep ignoring the shot against stat. Smith even mentioned it in his post match interview. We can't keep giving away 23 shots every game. Edited December 9, 2019 by villalad21 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hippo Posted December 9, 2019 Share Posted December 9, 2019 12 minutes ago, zab6359 said: I don't think Smith would or should get sacked if we get relegated I want continuity at the club, I like his football even if I do think he lacks the ability to change things around to influence games, he can develop just as players can. I'm just questioning what he has done to deserve a new long term contract and no one has come up with any reasonable replies yet. If he wins games the continuity will come - its a by product of winning games - not an end in itself. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
New_Hope Posted December 9, 2019 Share Posted December 9, 2019 1 hour ago, hippo said: Me too - I can only think he was promised a new contract on promotion - but given he had a good whack of his contract to run, and this season could still end badly - It just seemed strange to extend his contract. I don't believe it will have any impact on way or the other on results - it just means we have a whacking payout should we decide to bin DS. Hi Hippo....not seen you in a while. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hippo Posted December 9, 2019 Share Posted December 9, 2019 1 minute ago, New_Hope said: Hi Hippo....not seen you in a while. I don't believe you've seen me ever ! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TRO Posted December 9, 2019 Share Posted December 9, 2019 11 hours ago, sheepyvillian said: We need a more solid defender. Why not give Hourse or Chester a chance? why not. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TRO Posted December 9, 2019 Share Posted December 9, 2019 (edited) 32 minutes ago, Lord Willard said: 17th is the goal and we are 17th after a very hard run of games. I don't see what the problem is. staying in that position and not getting in to the " quick sand" Edited December 9, 2019 by TRO Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
StefanAVFC Posted December 9, 2019 Share Posted December 9, 2019 On 06/12/2019 at 17:47, screwdriver said: Jesus's head should roll for this Well it is nearly Christmas 1 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TRO Posted December 9, 2019 Share Posted December 9, 2019 If we go down, it will rip the heart out of things....folk leave.....and our recruitment is not the best to replace them. Most pundits when predicting the likely candidates look at the defence....getting the defence right is central to staying up....most people know that. No goals conceded, gives us another point a game.....that's what we are on now......I know its hypothetical, but a fact. The biggest worry is, its not just the back 4.....its the team who can't defend. Dean Smith has to be responsible for that. The players are clearly not good enough to play 4-3-3 against the better sides....He has to compensate but altering the overload, which means changing the system to maybe 3-5-2. Our midfielders do not have the ball control to dominate in a 3 so they need help. Maybe in a few seasons and some good trading in the windows, we can go back to 4-3-3......right now its naive. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DCJonah Posted December 9, 2019 Share Posted December 9, 2019 42 minutes ago, Lord Willard said: 17th is the goal and we are 17th after a very hard run of games. I don't see what the problem is. Exactly. What were people expecting 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sne Posted December 9, 2019 Share Posted December 9, 2019 (edited) 15 minutes ago, TRO said: If we go down, it will rip the heart out of things....folk leave.....and our recruitment is not the best to replace them. Most pundits when predicting the likely candidates look at the defence....getting the defence right is central to staying up....most people know that. No goals conceded, gives us another point a game.....that's what we are on now......I know its hypothetical, but a fact. The biggest worry is, its not just the back 4.....its the team who can't defend. Dean Smith has to be responsible for that. The players are clearly not good enough to play 4-3-3 against the better sides....He has to compensate but altering the overload, which means changing the system to maybe 3-5-2. Our midfielders do not have the ball control to dominate in a 3 so they need help. Maybe in a few seasons and some good trading in the windows, we can go back to 4-3-3......right now its naive. We don't have even 1 competent forward so putting on another inferior player and dropping El Ghazi and Trez for Kodjia or Davis will make us even weaker. If we had the players for it we could try, but we don't. I also suspect this is a formation we haven't practiced so it will take time we don't have to make it work. Edited December 9, 2019 by sne 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Popular Post rodders0223 Posted December 9, 2019 Popular Post Share Posted December 9, 2019 46 minutes ago, Lord Willard said: 17th is the goal and we are 17th after a very hard run of games. I don't see what the problem is. It's a tale as old as time. "I'll take 17th right now." "If you had told me we would finish 17th at the start of the season I would have bit your hand off" ...yet whilst in the process of finishing 17th.....some people go bloody mental. They seem to forget that to finish 17th you will inevitably have some right old rough patches. 9 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
villalad21 Posted December 9, 2019 Share Posted December 9, 2019 (edited) 7 minutes ago, DCJonah said: What were people expecting The very least i am expecting is more aggressiveness from our players. We are currently losing too many second balls, losing too many 50/50 duels. We are too easy and predictable to play against. Our midfield are all weak, they are pushovers at the moment and they get bullied far too easily. It's disappointing when i see teams wanting it more than us. Edited December 9, 2019 by villalad21 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sne Posted December 9, 2019 Share Posted December 9, 2019 Stay in the league while building a foundation for future seasons was always the aim for me. 12th or 17th doesn't really matter to me but I'd obviously rather we finish as high up as possible. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DCJonah Posted December 9, 2019 Share Posted December 9, 2019 2 minutes ago, villalad21 said: The very least i am expecting is more aggressiveness from our players. We are currently losing too many second balls, losing too many 50/50 duels. We are too easy and predictable to play against. Our midfield are all weak, they are pushovers at the moment and they get bullied far too easily. It's disappointing when i see teams wanting it more than us. None of that really matters if we finish 17th. We've also just played some of the best teams in the league. Being outplayed shouldn't come as a surprise. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
villalad21 Posted December 9, 2019 Share Posted December 9, 2019 1 minute ago, DCJonah said: Being outplayed shouldn't come as a surprise. I can accept that. But if we look at our last 2 games we have also been outfought. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
useless Posted December 9, 2019 Share Posted December 9, 2019 Who said that 17th is the goal, that's probably the minimum requirement not the 'goal', I think Smith has more pride in the club and his ability than that and our owners have more ambition than that. It could go either way as it stands, if we carry on like we have over the last seven games we'll be lucky not to finish 20th never mind 17th, but if we can pick up some form make sure we're not in the relegation places come January and make some decent signings then it's not inconceivable that we could finish midtable. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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