Dean Smith

[Brumstopdogs]

7 minutes ago, Laughable Chimp said:

XG conceded takes into account number of shots and the position of those shots. We are the worst in the league in terms of XG conceded. Yes, we arguably have a worse defence then Watford and Norwich.

Actually I thought we were 17th or something but the last 2 games have put us straight into last place. 

 

If we take this measure then perhaps we should look at it from an attacking sense too.

From an attacking sense based on XG scored we're top half.

 

[Laughable Chimp]

1 minute ago, Brumstopdogs said:

If we take this measure then perhaps we should look at it from an attacking sense too.

From an attacking sense based on XG scored we're top half.

 

I mean, I don't disagree. Attacking wise overall, I think we're fine in spite of Wesley.  Attack has never been the problem with Smith anyway. Its just, the defence is imo unacceptable.

And we saw in the last 2 games what happens when our attack goes off the boil.

Edited December 23, 2019 by Laughable Chimp

[AVFC44]

Wonder if we will try a back 3? Will at least give us more cover when the full backs are pushed forward.

[Brumstopdogs]

12 minutes ago, Laughable Chimp said:

I mean, I don't disagree. Attacking wise overall, I think we're fine in spite of Wesley.  Attack has never been the problem with Smith anyway. Its just, the defence is imo unacceptable.

And we saw in the last 2 games what happens when our attack goes off the boil.

Based on expected points Newcastle are bottom, West Ham second from bottom, Norwich third from bottom, Palace fourth from bottom and then us!

Edited December 23, 2019 by Brumstopdogs

[JAMAICAN-VILLAN]

6 minutes ago, AVFC44 said:

Wonder if we will try a back 3? Will at least give us more cover when the full backs are pushed forward.

This is what I would like to see, as well as being able to pack the midfield when necessary. We are just way too open.

[Laughable Chimp]

5 minutes ago, Brumstopdogs said:

Baes on expected points Newcastle are bottom, West Ham second from bottom, Norwich third from bottom, Palace fourth from bottom and then us!

Yeah true, but expected points is a very meaningless statistic anyway, just gives a very general idea where a team will finish in the league. I generally ignore it, and I don't think its actually indicative of that much. At the end of the season, teams can overshoot and undershoot their expected points tally by large amounts, just look at it for last season.

Edited December 23, 2019 by Laughable Chimp

[Jay.P.A]

7 minutes ago, Graham t said:

We are 'back where we belong' in the Premiership and that is where we should aspire to stay. Leicester are happy to play long balls to Vardy to run on to and they seem to be doing okay......I will grant you that our centre forward is not going to chase a through ball and crash the ball into the net, he's not going to 'hold it up 'either for that matter.

'Back to where we belong' means the upper echelons of this league - not just to become another number to stay in this league mate. That's what I meant. 

Poor example that - It took years for Leicester to start playing with a philosophy and they went as low as League One. They've got the personal in to play how they want now but it didn't happen overnight. 

Leicester' first season back: 

During the 2014–15 season, a dismal run of form saw Leicester City slip to the bottom of the league table with only 19 points from 29 matches. By 3 April 2015, they were seven points adrift from safety. This could have brought a sudden end to Leicester's seven-year rise, but seven wins from their final nine league matches meant the Foxes finished the season in 14th place with 41 points. They finished the season with a 5–1 thrashing of relegated Queens Park Rangers. Their upturn in results was described as one of the Premier League's greatest ever escapes from relegation.^[44][45] They also became only the third team in Premier League history to survive after being bottom at Christmas (the other two being West Bromwich Albion in 2005 and Sunderland in 2014), and no team with fewer than 20 points from 29 matches had previously stayed up.

[useless]

Problem with a back three is that Targett struggled playing as a wing-back whilst at Southampton, because whilst he can link up well with a winger, he's not so good when you're relying soley on him as your main attacking threat down the left hand side, he doesn't have the pace and isn't dynamic enough was the cry from Southampton fans. Also five at the back also makes it hard to fit in the likes of Trezeguet and El Ghazi unless we were to play them as wing-backs. Besides as much as people want Smith to try something new, I'm not sure if now is the time to trying radically different formations.

[KentVillan]

3 hours ago, PussEKatt said:

So you are saying that Smith had no choice but to buy these players.Was he also forced to play Wesley EVERY game,especially when we needed goals to win ?!

Seeing as his striker options for most of the season have been record signing Wesley, an injured Jonathan Kodjia and a largely untested Keinan Davis, then it's hard to see any manager with this squad not starting Wesley most weeks.

[Brumstopdogs]

5 minutes ago, Laughable Chimp said:

Yeah true, but expected points is a very meaningless statistic anyway, just gives a very general idea where a team will finish in the league. I generally ignore it, and I don't think its actually indicative of that much. At the end of the season, teams can overshoot and undershoot their expected points tally by large amounts, just look at it for last season.

If we want to use it says defensively we're crap, offensively we're top half standard and points wise we're unlucky to be where we are.

If we don't want to use it then fair enough.

A talking point nonetheless.

[LxYoungAVFC]

Playing the same 433 on thursday will prove he's of his depth at this level and has no plan b.

Edited December 23, 2019 by LxYoungAVFC

[dukes]

DS has to show something more than what he has so far. Up until now his gung-ho approach has reaped rewards both in the championship and up until a few weeks ago in the Premier League, but since Mings injury the defence has been unsettled and what was a very strong defence has suddenly become extremely weak and likely to concede on almost every attack. We have no leader at the back without Mings.

Just a few weeks ago we were exciting to watch and although results didnt go in our favour we were performing well against the top teams. Now that games against teams below us have arrived, I think we all expected we could dispatch them with some ease, but we got out fought in every area of the pitch against Southampton and I can only conclude that the team are not up for the fight, we should expect more of the same against Norwich and Watford.

The fact that no substitutions were made ag half time on Saturday really concerns me, it seems ti em that although they are polar opposites in their football style DS and Steve Bruce are similarly stubborn when it comes to making changes and that coukd well end up costing us dear. 

We are a better team than SSouthampton,  we were simply out thought and out fought. 

I think its important that we find a way to stay strong at the back, and also play someone upfront with Wesley so I hope that DS changes formation to 5-3-2......but I expect him not to.

 

 

[wazzap24]

2 hours ago, AVFC44 said:

Wonder if we will try a back 3? Will at least give us more cover when the full backs are pushed forward.

I’d give it a go, I think it would suit us ATM. 

Konsa on the right, Engels centre and Hause on the left. 

I’d also try AEG and Trez as a front two. 

Get Trez to stretch the CB’s, run the channels and try and get in behind their back line. AEG can link the play with Grealish at the tip of a midfield three. 

I just think we need to try something a bit different and at least those two up top might make us look a bit more mobile. 

 

[CoNnErS]

6 hours ago, tomav84 said:

didnt think southampton were going down anyway personally.

If we are going to survive this season, which 3 teams does everyone think will finish below us?

[tomav84]

Just now, CoNnErS said:

If we are going to survive this season, which 3 teams does everyone think will finish below us?

i've been saying watford, norwich and cant decide on the other...but always thought saints would stay up. the battle for the last place between us, bournemouth, and maybe brighton, but probably a straight battle between us and bournemouth. that chelsea result was a total fluke...they'd be 17th without that and i think with their injuries you will see them getting sucked in

but who knows. no one is too good to go down...

[useless]

BBC reporting that rather than losing faith in Smith the head honchos are going to back him in the January transfer market with a mixture of loan and permanent signings.

[Vive_La_Villa]

Just now, useless said:

BBC reporting that rather than losing faith in Smith the head honchos are going to back him in the January transfer market with a mixture of loan and permanent signings.

Hope so.

[tomav84]

Just now, useless said:

BBC reporting that rather than losing faith in Smith the head honchos are going to back him in the January transfer market with a mixture of loan and permanent signings.

yeah interesting to hear smith talking about additions in jan for the first time today. has played down talks more bodies coming in until recently

[CoNnErS]

4 hours ago, Laughable Chimp said:

Mark my words people, we are due a hammering. We are eventually going to go up against a team who is absolutely on form and on fire, and we will be ripped apart.

We did get hammered, against Leicester!! 4-1 flattered us! If it wasn’t for Heaton that would have been 6 or 7 easy!

[villalad21]

6 minutes ago, useless said:

BBC reporting that rather than losing faith in Smith the head honchos are going to back him in the January transfer market with a mixture of loan and permanent signings.

"Fine tuning"