Dean Smith

[Laughable Chimp]

11 minutes ago, sharkyvilla said:

We had four targets for each position according to Purslow and I expect they would have been a pretty even split between who Dean wanted and those Suso had identified.  I'm pretty sure that's the same for any club these days and Smith would have been under no illusions.  I still think the business we did was fine under the circumstances.  We have basically been able to use all of the 11 or 12 we signed which is a decent hit rate.  There seems to always be players at other clubs who cost a fortune that just disappear for some reason.  We definitely could have done with another striker and by all accounts we were still on the hunt right up until deadline day but just couldnt get the deal through for whatever reason.  I don't think it was a case of Maupay or Wesley either, Wes was signed early on and seemed to have no effect on doing other business after that.

I wouldn't call just being able to use all our signed players a decent hit rate. Its not about using them, its the quality they provide to us. A team could use all their signings and still be poor.

Edited January 5, 2020 by Laughable Chimp

[foreveryoung]

1 hour ago, TRO said:

Well, I don't think I write in a controversial manner and certainly would hope I don't.

who is questioning your wisdom? thats a pretty general thing to say, when we are talking about our team.

and may I say it was you being smug with " The fans in the real world".... what are we on here robots?

You make me laugh Terry you really do " I fundamentally disagree with your views, and your repetitive airing of them" .... you make it sound like this is your first visit, that is a bit rich with how often you have aired your views.

How many times have you written on here and it is about a topic I have agreed with you, so don't make out  I am the disagreeable one.

There's some touchy fans on here, when questioning Smith's management. An this is what I mean, that some fans are taking it personal, because they see Smith as one of ours so he can hardly do no wrong. Some of us put this to the back of our mind and just post the reality of what we are seeing on the pitch.

I questioned this before when few on here where happy to go down with Smith just so he had more time to rebuild. If it was Bruce who got us to the PL, I very much Doubt anyone would accept him taking us back down.

 

[avfc1982am]

15 minutes ago, foreveryoung said:

There's some touchy fans on here, when questioning Smith's management. An this is what I mean, that some fans are taking it personal, because they see Smith as one of ours so he can hardly do no wrong. Some of us put this to the back of our mind and just post the reality of what we are seeing on the pitch.

I questioned this before when few on here where happy to go down with Smith just so he had more time to rebuild. If it was Bruce who got us to the PL, I very much Doubt anyone would accept him taking us back down.

 

Good points

[TRO]

1 hour ago, MarkLillis said:

I always find I am the opposite to TRO.

At the match I kick every ball I can almost feel like I’m on the pitch with the players some days.At the Norwich match I sat in the Doug Ellis (away from my usual Holte End Seat) and I noticed so much more with a better view.

It really wound me up at the game some of the things I could now see were now worrying me.....

By the time I was back home and reading this site I was focusing on the positive things that happened.

Things always seem better on reflection if you look for what’s going right and build on that.

I am sure Dean and the boys are looking at it from this angle too.

 

I can think of posts where that hasn't been the case.

you see this positive and negative thing is tricky.....The  trick is identify the negatives, work on them and turn them in to positives....thats progress.

You say take the positives from a game and build on them.....that build on them, is the negatives turned in to positives.

you see we are really saying the same thing.

by the way, i too sit in the Doug Ellis now.....with a very good view.

[Laughable Chimp]

For me, its more like very negative when watching the game and then slightly less negative after.

[TRO]

1 hour ago, terrytini said:

1-You.... you said “ wise up”...that’s what I was referring to.

2- smug ? Smug that the fans I chat to are far more tolerant of the team than half a dozen guys on VT ? No, not smug, just relieved and pleased. Surely it’s ok to post my view ?
 
3-  I’ve got no problem people airing their views, of course not. I’m specifically referring to your, pretty much daily, repetition of your scathing criticism of our Coach and players. You know, a bit like how you got fed up with Grasshopper being scathing on a daily basis of the last chap. It means that - just like it did with GH - that every single day/ page becomes the same debate.  I said, it’s your perogative, but this idea that you are realistic and the rest aren’t ....well, as I said, just because I disagree with you doesn’t mean I lack wisdom....which is what I was replying to.

When this season is over, you will look back and say what made it tough for you was the players, the coach, the lack of Wins, the transfers.

For me what has forever ruined this season is the constant negativity from some. Some in particular. So, just as you are entitled to complain daily about those things you are unhappy about, I am entitled to mention - with an awful amount of restraint in my view - those things I am unhappy about.

Hence I’ve avoided debating with you on these issues these last weeks, and which is why a couple of pages ago I said I don’t wish to do so again ! 

If you're happy with it all, fine.

[DCJonah]

2 hours ago, TRO said:

Terry wise up.

People like me and you who go to the ground, want to be upbeat to enjoy their day out.....I don't boo (ever), despite the standard of football at times and I don't leave early (ever).....I get all that.

I come on here to give an honest assessment of games and all things Villa as I see it....If folk disagree fine, I learn from that too.....I am not always right, and if I think someone has a stronger argument, I am not to big to yield to it either.

However, This is not the ground, its a forum where folk can give their inner feelings in an honest way.

similar to you,but a contrast in response..... I too have much discussion with fans who do not frequent this site and despite the fact its the popular stance to stay positive and sometimes more accurately credulous.....I too have a cordial response to some of the things, I mention on here.

Being upbeat going to a game and being dissmissive to our flaws is not the same thing.

I think you would be quite surprised if you witnessed me supporting the team....with what I write, because I try to be honest as I see it......but I say again, 2 entirely different things....you can be critical and highly supportive in different environments

You seemed to feel very different when steve bruce was in charge. 

 

[DCJonah]

23 minutes ago, avfc1982am said:

Good points

Not really. 

When has Bruce shown he can build something? 

[TRO]

25 minutes ago, DCJonah said:

You seemed to feel very different when steve bruce was in charge. 

 

"Seemed" being the operative word.

Not at all, i saw plenty of things i wanted SB to change. I said one one occasion we have too many committed to defence to allow us to attack......The final was a damp squib too......i think me defending him on certain issues has clouded the judgement of some.

i just challenged claims against HIM I thought was unfair.

lets get this clear and in perspective.

I defended Bruce against what I thought was unfair criticisms.

I have not criticised Dean Smith directy, i have made critical observations on our play and moreover the players themselves.

there is a subtle difference if you care to look for it.

Ps did you fail to read my posts when he went after cabbagegate, i suggest you need to be less selective in which of my posts you care to read.

Edited January 5, 2020 by TRO

[Zatman]

20 minutes ago, DCJonah said:

You seemed to feel very different when steve bruce was in charge. 

 

Smith has done more for Villa than Bruce ever did and in half the time but with none of the patience. I suppose some people buy into the Steve Bruce media darling bullshit and give him more rope than other managers

[TRO]

11 minutes ago, DCJonah said:

Not really. 

When has Bruce shown he can build something? 

Thats rubbish.

So in taking over from the RDM debacle and gaining 24 wins during the next season was not building something ...until the club was found out to be a fraudulent administration......then granted the wheels did come off for him and we lost the team.

He wasn't among the best managers we have ever had.....but some people who claim the morale high ground of positivity, failed to see any positivity in what he did.

but are we talking about him or what he did or didn't do.......i felt a lot of criticism of Bruce was him, because 24 wins was good in anyones book.....sure the football wasn't pretty, but maybe that would have come, like folk are saying now, about the defensive side, now

[mikeyp102]

1 hour ago, sharkyvilla said:

We had four targets for each position according to Purslow and I expect they would have been a pretty even split between who Dean wanted and those Suso had identified.  I'm pretty sure that's the same for any club these days and Smith would have been under no illusions.  I still think the business we did was fine under the circumstances.  We have basically been able to use all of the 11 or 12 we signed which is a decent hit rate.  There seems to always be players at other clubs who cost a fortune that just disappear for some reason.  We definitely could have done with another striker and by all accounts we were still on the hunt right up until deadline day but just couldnt get the deal through for whatever reason.  I don't think it was a case of Maupay or Wesley either, Wes was signed early on and seemed to have no effect on doing other business after that.

Yep this is it for me as well. 

Wesley was our second signing (after Jota which actually went in last seasons I think). It was done very early. The links to Maupay then came afterwards. For me, it seemed Brentford wanted their former coach to pay more than other clubs (a position that is often seen). We weren’t willing to go that high. We were linked to other strikers late on in the window and there were reports that we were going to break our transfer record. I think we were unable to get these through on time, or players went somewhere else (Leao went to milan). 

[terrytini]

26 minutes ago, TRO said:

If you're happy with it all, fine.

There is very little in life with which I am completely happy.

But there is also very little which is improved by endlessly focusing on that fact.

Byeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee

[avfc1982am]

3 minutes ago, DCJonah said:

Not really. 

When has Bruce shown he can build something? 

I think they are good point's. Firstly just because your view is different it doesn't mean there aren't plenty of people less critical because of Smith's affiliation with the club. Secondly that same attitude from some(TBF I'm not pointing the finger at anyone one this site) would also most definitely show more favour to Smith in the event of us going down, regardless of history. 

I'm not in the Smith out camp either if it exists but I do think he is above criticism in some quarters. Some of it justifiable and some of it less so. 

 

[TRO]

3 minutes ago, terrytini said:

There is very little in life with which I am completely happy.

But there is also very little which is improved by endlessly focusing on that fact.

Byeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee

Good evening Terry.

[Zatman]

4 minutes ago, TRO said:

Thats rubbish.

So in taking over from the RDM debacle and gaining 24 wins during the next season was not building something ...until the club was found out to be a fraudulent administration......then granted the wheels did come off for him and we lost the team.

 

He lost all the short term signings he made, we didnt lose any players to transfer fees. So he build a team out of terrible foundations which included leaving us with 1 fit centre back

[TRO]

3 minutes ago, Zatman said:

He lost all the short term signings he made, we didnt lose any players to transfer fees. So he build a team out of terrible foundations which included leaving us with 1 fit centre back

Thats a view some will take......negative and miserly in my view.......i take a more positive view and see the good bits, like bringing in Tammy,snoddy, JT and JM......helping jack with his personal trainer Ollie Stevenson, he came back a different player.

look he,s gone its history, just defending my stance against negative views of him.

[TRO]

1 hour ago, foreveryoung said:

There's some touchy fans on here, when questioning Smith's management. An this is what I mean, that some fans are taking it personal, because they see Smith as one of ours so he can hardly do no wrong. Some of us put this to the back of our mind and just post the reality of what we are seeing on the pitch.

I questioned this before when few on here where happy to go down with Smith just so he had more time to rebuild. If it was Bruce who got us to the PL, I very much Doubt anyone would accept him taking us back down.

1 hour ago, foreveryoung said:

There's some touchy fans on here, when questioning Smith's management. An this is what I mean, that some fans are taking it personal, because they see Smith as one of ours so he can hardly do no wrong. Some of us put this to the back of our mind and just post the reality of what we are seeing on the pitch.

I questioned this before when few on here where happy to go down with Smith just so he had more time to rebuild. If it was Bruce who got us to the PL, I very much Doubt anyone would accept him taking us back down.

 

 

I am not privvy to what Smith does at BMH.....so I am reluctant to criticise him, much......but he has to be responsible for the results, like any manager

However, I do watch all the home games and feel i am in a decent position to know whats working and what isn't.....and thats what i try to confine my comments to....some will like that, some won't

 

 

[foreveryoung]

I see a team that gave a good account of themselves first game of the season against Tottenham then Liverpool without Grealish, then a more recent draw against  a confident Man U side.

Then I see fans blaming the players aren't good enough and Smith can only work with the team he has. 

Let's put it this way, I personally think the team has digressed from the beginning of the season, apart from Grealish, is this down to systems/tactics that dont work, or have the players got worse?

[Zatman]

2 minutes ago, foreveryoung said:

I see a team that gave a good account of themselves first game of the season against Tottenham then Liverpool without Grealish, then a more recent draw against  a confident Man U side.

Then I see fans blaming the players aren't good enough and Smith can only work with the team he has. 

Let's put it this way, I personally think the team has digressed from the beginning of the season, apart from Grealish, is this down to systems/tactics that dont work, or have the players got worse?

Or the fact that newly promoted teams seem to always have a boost at the start of the season before naturally declining to its level.