gilbertoAVFC Posted January 12, 2020 Share Posted January 12, 2020 (edited) Haven't really criticised Smith at all since he's joined, at least not written it down or done it outwardly, but today...well. Goals change games, and he has not remotely accounted for this, nor has he addressed it during the game itself. Plan A was clearly to absorb City but, unlike against Liverpool - where we caused them serious problems on the break - we named just two attacking players (?!), one of whom played up front despite being a winger. The problem is, if Plan A fails (i.e. they score a goal) in this context, you're totally f***** when you have only two players who can cause any damage. It's actually far more of a gamble to play 5-3-1-1 or whatever the f*** that was than it is than to play 4-3-3 or 5-2-1-2/5-2-2-1. Because at least if you go 0-1 down, you have players on the pitch who can do damage, without totally compromising your shape. You try and go for it with Neil Taylor, Elmo and Conor Hourihane as your most attacking CM, it is not going to work, and you will be punished. Since Plan A came completely unravelled at, let's say, 0-2, why not make a sub?! I don't care if it is 30 mins and you want to protect your players, be decisive and bring on Trezeguet for one of the CMs (how we should have set up initially). But no, not even one at half-time? I know it was too late by then but jesus, it's just about momentum at that point isn't it. As soon as I saw that team, I was like "that's at least a four-goal defeat". We create problems for teams when we attack them - we did that v Spurs, Arsenal, United, Liverpool and, arguably, City in the first-half. Dean Smith says "we will always play to win" - but he didn't at all. You played for a 0-0 which was never going to happen with the utter dross of an XI (if you can call it that, Drinkwater is obviously not fit) that you put out. Honestly, how easy is it to mark an isolated striker if you're a top class defender, who doesn't ever play up front, when he has no support. And we were even hitting it long to him half the time. I know it's City, I know it's a write-off, and I know we don't have a striker, but this was really quite head-scratching today from Smith. We started McGinn, Wesley, Grealish, Trezeguet at the Etihad - not to mention Targett and Guilbert, at least one of whom is clearly more attacking than his competitor. We caused them problems. We started Grealish, El Ghazi (out of position) and Hourihane here (who was our DM last season). Injuries or not, you find a balance. Very, very poor. Edited January 12, 2020 by gilbertoAVFC Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Keener window-cleaner Posted January 12, 2020 Share Posted January 12, 2020 This was a very depressing game and performance, trying to reflect on it Man C have been spending enormous sums for the last 10 years, they have some of the best players in the world. This is what we were up against in euro according to transfermarkt: 40M 65M 55M 40M 57M 76M 70M 28M 67M 40M 32M Not to mention what they have on the bench. Now it doesn't explain why we played much better away and gave a lacklustre performance, but the gap in quality is huge, we had Nyland in goal ffs. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ozvilla28 Posted January 12, 2020 Share Posted January 12, 2020 1 hour ago, AV82 said: I blame the players. Can Smith prevent Hause passing the ball directly to the opposition? He's not all to blame Smith I agree players have been poor and continue to go to water,but the buck stops with the manager. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Danishlad Posted January 12, 2020 Share Posted January 12, 2020 (edited) 15 minutes ago, gilbertoAVFC said: Haven't really criticised Smith at all since he's joined, at least not written it down or done it outwardly, but today...well. Goals change games, and he has not remotely accounted for this, nor has he addressed it during the game itself. Plan A was clearly to absorb City but, unlike against Liverpool - where we caused them serious problems on the break - we named just two attacking players (?!), one of whom played up front despite being a winger. The problem is, if Plan A fails (i.e. they score a goal) in this context, you're totally f***** when you have only two players who can cause any damage. It's actually far more of a gamble to play 5-3-1-1 or whatever the f*** that was than it is than to play 4-3-3 or 5-2-1-2/5-2-2-1. Because at least if you go 0-1 down, you have players on the pitch who can do damage, without totally compromising your shape. You try and go for it with Neil Taylor, Elmo and Conor Hourihane as your most attacking CM, it is not going to work, and you will be punished. Since Plan A came completely unravelled at, let's say, 0-2, why not make a sub?! I don't care if it is 30 mins and you want to protect your players, be decisive and bring on Trezeguet for one of the CMs (how we should have set up initially). But no, not even one at half-time? I know it was too late by then but jesus, it's just about momentum at that point isn't it. As soon as I saw that team, I was like "that's at least a four-goal defeat". We create problems for teams when we attack them - we did that v Spurs, Arsenal, United, Liverpool and, arguably, City in the first-half. Dean Smith says "we will always play to win" - but he didn't at all. You played for a 0-0 which was never going to happen with the utter dross of an XI (if you can call it that, Drinkwater is obviously not fit) that you put out. Honestly, how easy is it to mark an isolated striker if you're a top class defender, who doesn't ever play up front, when he has no support. And we were even hitting it long to him half the time. I know it's City, I know it's a write-off, and I know we don't have a striker, but this was really quite head-scratching today from Smith. We started McGinn, Wesley, Grealish, Trezeguet at the Etihad - not to mention Targett and Guilbert, at least one of whom is clearly more attacking than his competitor. We caused them problems. We started Grealish, El Ghazi (out of position) and Hourihane here (who was our DM last season). Injuries or not, you find a balance. Very, very poor. Totally agree with you, a very strange line up. Far too defensive. Hourihane, Luiz and Drinkwater?? Come on Dean no need for all three, regardless of who we play. And five defenders ?? At home! We should never play a 5311 again. UNLESS we sign Roberto Carlos and the real Cafu. Taylor and Elmo. Dear oh dear. Should have sticked with the system that played Burnley off the park first half. And that did so well against Leicester. And we have to work on our pressing. Where exactly on the pitch are we trying to get the ball back? Edited January 12, 2020 by Danishlad 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Blasterpocket68 Posted January 12, 2020 Share Posted January 12, 2020 smith picks and has hopefully been involved in the purchase of the players. it was city today and i expected a difficult afternoon. Again we got lacklustre performance we have seen in games before. I didn't expect us to allow them the freedom of villa park. To play Drinkwater today was very naïve of him especially for the length of time he played in the game . I'm becoming increasingly concerned not by the results (as we all know this was going to be a difficult season) but the application and desire of the players. I'm not convinced his message is getting thru to the players . if it is we have a far more serious problem.. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kiwivillan Posted January 12, 2020 Share Posted January 12, 2020 DEAN SMITH TURNED ME INTO A NEWT!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
terrytini Posted January 12, 2020 Share Posted January 12, 2020 I can’t get worked up about whether this or that tactic or this or that selection or substitution reflects well or not on the Coach. And I certainly can’t get worked up about getting thrashed by Man City. But I DO hold the Coach responsible for getting a certain level of performance from his a Team. And we are now sadly seeing too many meek performances. He is responsible for fixing that. I don’t expect it every half of every game, I accept inconsistency. But performances like today’s are becoming the norm. That simply HAS to be Deanos responsibility. We got a response after Burnley. We need it again, and more frequently. 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
terrytini Posted January 12, 2020 Share Posted January 12, 2020 2 minutes ago, Kiwivillan said: DEAN SMITH TURNED ME INTO A NEWT!!! Did you get better ? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kiwivillan Posted January 12, 2020 Share Posted January 12, 2020 4 minutes ago, terrytini said: Did you get better ? I got better. Thank you for asking 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PaulC Posted January 12, 2020 Share Posted January 12, 2020 Man City are no world beaters this season, even Norwich beat them just woeful the way he set up against them. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
New_Hope Posted January 12, 2020 Share Posted January 12, 2020 1 minute ago, PaulC said: Man City are no world beaters this season, even Norwich beat them just woeful the way he set up against them. And we beat Norwich.....twice!! Your point is?? 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kiwivillan Posted January 12, 2020 Share Posted January 12, 2020 (edited) 4 minutes ago, PaulC said: Man City are no world beaters this season, even Norwich beat them just woeful the way he set up against them. OMG that's so out of context. What's their run like recently? 3-0 up at HT at Old Trafford playing Bernardo Silva as striker. Aguero has been out of team and was chomping at the bit for a game like this. Edited January 12, 2020 by Kiwivillan 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Danishlad Posted January 12, 2020 Share Posted January 12, 2020 9 minutes ago, PaulC said: Man City are no world beaters this season, even Norwich beat them just woeful the way he set up against them. Norwich just lost 4-0 to man u?? We played 2-2. City played well today, seeing DeBruyne against Hourihane was ridiculous. But we wont be playing him every week. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KHV Posted January 12, 2020 Share Posted January 12, 2020 Get a result at Brighton and the garden looks rosier Hopefully have a number 9 and a keeper in place Man City are just light years ahead Pep has splashed more cash on fullbacks than our entire squad Let that sink in for a minute FFP...... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
foreveryoung Posted January 12, 2020 Share Posted January 12, 2020 Shit me, its Man City what do we expect?? I'm gonna poo my pants next time we come up against Wolves, they did the double on them you know, with the same system we used against Burnley. But no Smith would rather 'try' an park the bus against the most technical teams in the Prem, at VP I might add. Made all the wrong decisions today system, players, an dont get me started on his Subs. Has to be 60 minutes plus never ever before even if we 5-0 down!!!! You telling me with this team Nigel Pearson would have let Man City roll us over an tickle our bellies, no chance!! All on Smith for me, yet again. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jim Posted January 12, 2020 Share Posted January 12, 2020 58 minutes ago, gwi1890 said: 2 impressive results prior to this guys, lets judge him next week v brighton Like we were supposed to judge him when we played Watford and Southampton? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PaulC Posted January 12, 2020 Share Posted January 12, 2020 2 minutes ago, Danishlad said: Norwich just lost 4-0 to man u?? We played 2-2. City played well today, seeing DeBruyne against Hourihane was ridiculous. But we wont be playing him every week. Yes but we let them play well. Norwich didn’t. Wolves did the double on them. They are a great side if you let them play. De Bruyne is amazing Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Laughable Chimp Posted January 12, 2020 Share Posted January 12, 2020 16 minutes ago, New_Hope said: And we beat Norwich.....twice!! Your point is?? Feels like you just made his point. That Man City are not world beaters, as they've been beaten by Norwich, a crap team that's been beaten by us twice. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Danishlad Posted January 12, 2020 Share Posted January 12, 2020 1 minute ago, PaulC said: Yes but we let them play well. Norwich didn’t. Wolves did the double on them. They are a great side if you let them play. De Bruyne is amazing I know. We were way too defensive, and passive. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Laughable Chimp Posted January 12, 2020 Share Posted January 12, 2020 (edited) 20 minutes ago, Kiwivillan said: OMG that's so out of context. What's their run like recently? 3-0 up at HT at Old Trafford playing Bernardo Silva as striker. Aguero has been out of team and was chomping at the bit for a game like this. Their form prior to being beaten by Norwich. DWDWW. Their form prior to trouncing us. LWWWW Edited January 12, 2020 by Laughable Chimp Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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