collapse collapse

Please donate to help towards the costs of keeping this site going. Thank You.

Recent Posts

Follow us on...

Author Topic: Dean Smith - Confirmed  (Read 1522103 times)

Online algy

  • Member
  • *
  • Posts: 5010
  • Age: 41
  • Location: Gogledd Cymru
  • GM : 23.03.2025
Re: Dean Smith - Confirmed
« Reply #10290 on: September 30, 2020, 05:04:29 PM »
Really hoping I was wrong, and am encouraged very much by the signs so far this season.

I was very critical and I still feel I was right to be. He saved his Villa career by using the break to fundamentally change how we played games. And we have become much better organized and disciplined because of it. But even yesterday we saw signs where instead of taking the game to a much weaker team and controlling possession, we allowed them too much of the ball for long periods. We can not afford to do that against the better sides. But so far, so good. Cannot really be critical about a 4 win start. I hope it continues.
But this time last year he was being criticised for being too gung-ho and failing to hold onto leads.  It's the age old debate, if a manager goes defensive and we lose a lead he gets criticised, if a manager doesn't go defensive and we lose a lead he gets criticised.  Yes in an ideal world you just keep posession and see it out, but in reality it's not that easy.  I thought the second half looked poor too, but the reality is he was just trying to adopt game management to see out the win against a side who had come back strongly against Leeds.
Think someone earlier on this thread said we'd basically won after 15mins, it was just a case of not throwing it away. We did that perfectly, I thought.

Don't want to get carried away, it's one game against a team who won't be troubling mid table. But the way we went about winning that makes me think we'll be nowhere near the relegation spots.

Offline Hookeysmith

  • Member
  • *
  • Posts: 11799
  • Age: 60
  • Location: One hand on the handle of the mad / sane door
  • GM : 06.02.2025
Re: Dean Smith - Confirmed
« Reply #10291 on: September 30, 2020, 08:17:54 PM »




That actually made me feel emotional


Hard to disagree

Online pauliewalnuts

  • Member
  • *
  • Posts: 71068
  • GM : 26.08.2024
Re: Dean Smith - Confirmed
« Reply #10292 on: September 30, 2020, 08:23:39 PM »





Hard to disagree

Some good points marred significantly by the brainless use of "fans".


Indeed, that was the first thing I read, then I thought, fuck you with your "fans" comment, you "******".

Online pauliewalnuts

  • Member
  • *
  • Posts: 71068
  • GM : 26.08.2024
Re: Dean Smith - Confirmed
« Reply #10293 on: September 30, 2020, 08:25:32 PM »
There are more types of counterattacking too. There's MON-ball, sitting in and waiting and boofing long to a big lad, and there's Kloppball, looking to win the ball high with pacy nuisance attackers, and everything in between. We'll need to be able to break teams down as well because we will go behind, we will face defensive teams, we will have teams come to VP to block us for 90 minutes, but purpose on the break is also an absolute necessity.

I think that's perhaps a slightly harsh description of MON's tactics - let's not forget, they were very successful. The problem is, as you said, that one way of playing - particularly one that works way better away from home than it does at home - is never going to be enough. It wasn't 14-10 years ago, and it isn't now.

We need to be more flexible and to have different ways of playing.

Offline Smithy

  • Member
  • *
  • Posts: 6247
  • Location: Windsor, Royal Berkshire, la de da
  • GM : 12.12.2024
Re: Dean Smith - Confirmed
« Reply #10294 on: September 30, 2020, 08:45:56 PM »
A pressing game for 90 minutes is almost impossible, physically speaking, unless you have the majority of the possession. Even Liverpool, who do this brilliantly, often leave themselves 2 v 2, or 3 v 3 at the back when they try to win possession back in the attacking third.  I think they can afford to do that because of the quality, speed and athleticism of their players engaged in the press - but we need to be a bit more pragmatic.  If we pressed all the time like Liverpool do we'd get picked off WAY too often.

I like the set-up at the moment, and I like the fact we seem like we can vary it a bit, and are happy conceding possession when a team is moving it around in places it can't hurt us (like Fulham did).

I also really like that the additions this summer no longer mean opposition managers can simply think "stop Jack, stop Villa".  They're going to have to work a bit harder this season!

And if Dean keeps learning and improving, the signs are only positive!

Offline gpbarr

  • Member
  • Posts: 1424
  • Location: New York City
  • GM : 31.03.2017
Re: Dean Smith - Confirmed
« Reply #10295 on: October 01, 2020, 09:38:16 PM »
He didn’t learn tonight. He absolutely is the right guy at the right time and deserves all the plaudits for the job he has done here. But ...

Like the players tonight, he deserves criticism. The line up showed he doesn’t think the CC is a priority, and he left himself very few options off the bench - most of the other PL clubs played weakened aides but most had A players on the bench in case of an emergency.

Our midfield was a disaster tonight and he had nothing on the bench to change the tempo or style - that was a mistake.

And he said he took this seriously. I had preferred he came out and was a little more honest about it frankly.


Online Legion

  • Moderator
  • Member
  • *
  • Posts: 58253
  • Age: 53
  • Location: With my son
  • Oh, it must be! And it is! Villa in the lead!
    • Personal Education Services
  • GM : 05.04.2019
Re: Dean Smith - Confirmed
« Reply #10296 on: October 01, 2020, 09:40:56 PM »
Our second string is not good enough and he's currently only interested in developing Ramsey from the U23s where there are others who deserved a chance in a game like tonight's.

Offline PeterWithesShin

  • Member
  • Posts: 67448
  • GM : 17.03.2015
Re: Dean Smith - Confirmed
« Reply #10297 on: October 01, 2020, 09:44:43 PM »
If he'd played a stronger team and say Jack and Ollie got knobbled and were out for a few months he'd be panned for picking them.

Offline olaftab

  • Member
  • *
  • Posts: 39681
  • Location: Castle Bromwich
  • GM : 12.06.2024
Re: Dean Smith - Confirmed
« Reply #10298 on: October 01, 2020, 09:47:26 PM »
You can’t  get away with making wholesale changes like tonight unless the opposition also do that. Bristol City played their reserves Stoke had 8/9 first teamers on the pitch tonight.
Despite their riches of talent Guardiola still played Sterling and deBruyne last night arguably his best two players.
Smith needs to learn.

Offline gpbarr

  • Member
  • Posts: 1424
  • Location: New York City
  • GM : 31.03.2017
Re: Dean Smith - Confirmed
« Reply #10299 on: October 01, 2020, 09:48:24 PM »
If he'd played a stronger team and say Jack and Ollie got knobbled and were out for a few months he'd be panned for picking them.

He would - but nobody said he should.

Q - what is the case for picking Lansbury - have we seriously not all seen enough? Why not pick one of the U23 lads and give him a go.

Q. Same for Taylor.

Not suggesting he put out the first team but to say it’s important and then pick that side is just like walking into a trap. He could have avoided it.

Offline dave.woodhall

  • Moderator
  • Member
  • *
  • Posts: 61434
  • Location: Treading water in a sea of retarded sexuality and bad poetry.
Re: Dean Smith - Confirmed
« Reply #10300 on: October 01, 2020, 09:48:45 PM »
You can’t  get away with making wholesale changes like tonight unless the opposition also do that. Bristol City played their reserves Stoke had 8/9 first teamers on the pitch tonight.
Despite their riches of talent Guardiola still played Sterling and deBruyne last night arguably his best two players.
Smith needs to learn.

Absolutely. How DARE he not know what team Stoke would be putting out.

Online Legion

  • Moderator
  • Member
  • *
  • Posts: 58253
  • Age: 53
  • Location: With my son
  • Oh, it must be! And it is! Villa in the lead!
    • Personal Education Services
  • GM : 05.04.2019
Re: Dean Smith - Confirmed
« Reply #10301 on: October 01, 2020, 09:49:10 PM »
Our second string is not good enough and he's currently only interested in developing Ramsey from the U23s where there are others who deserved a chance in a game like tonight's.

Offline olaftab

  • Member
  • *
  • Posts: 39681
  • Location: Castle Bromwich
  • GM : 12.06.2024
Re: Dean Smith - Confirmed
« Reply #10302 on: October 01, 2020, 09:51:44 PM »
You can’t  get away with making wholesale changes like tonight unless the opposition also do that. Bristol City played their reserves Stoke had 8/9 first teamers on the pitch tonight.
Despite their riches of talent Guardiola still played Sterling and deBruyne last night arguably his best two players.
Smith needs to learn.
Absolutely. How DARE he not know what team Stoke would be putting out.
Well you don’t take that chance. And if you do you make sure you have resources on the bench to take corrective action. Every game is there to be won.

Offline dave.woodhall

  • Moderator
  • Member
  • *
  • Posts: 61434
  • Location: Treading water in a sea of retarded sexuality and bad poetry.
Re: Dean Smith - Confirmed
« Reply #10303 on: October 01, 2020, 09:53:43 PM »
You can’t  get away with making wholesale changes like tonight unless the opposition also do that. Bristol City played their reserves Stoke had 8/9 first teamers on the pitch tonight.
Despite their riches of talent Guardiola still played Sterling and deBruyne last night arguably his best two players.
Smith needs to learn.
Absolutely. How DARE he not know what team Stoke would be putting out.
Well you don’t take that chance. And if you do you make sure you have resources on the bench to take corrective action. Every game is there to be won.

Go down that road and you'd be playing your full-strength team in every match.

Offline olaftab

  • Member
  • *
  • Posts: 39681
  • Location: Castle Bromwich
  • GM : 12.06.2024
Re: Dean Smith - Confirmed
« Reply #10304 on: October 01, 2020, 09:59:11 PM »
Yes that’s me. Play your best team in every competitive game. I do not like this modern day fanning about with weak selections for cup games. Aston Villa football club was set up to compete in every game.

 


SimplePortal 2.3.6 © 2008-2014, SimplePortal