Dean Smith - Confirmed

[Drummond]

This is the thing, we wanted attractive football, scoring more than the opposition rather than conceding less.

It didn't quite work in a number of games, but when the emphasis shifted after lockdown we were ok. And I think we're all agreed that if we'd started by just trying to defend we'd have been really pissed off as that is exactly the approach Smith's predecessor tried.

[john e]

This is the thing, we wanted attractive football, scoring more than the opposition rather than conceding less.

It didn't quite work in a number of games, but when the emphasis shifted after lockdown we were ok. And I think we're all agreed that if we'd started by just trying to defend we'd have been really pissed off as that is exactly the approach Smith's predecessor tried.

I never saw this so called attractive football before lockdown it’s a total myth
we were consistently awful

after lockdown we did just enough
10 points from 10 games isn’t very good but was better than the rubbish we were before

anyone thinking we can carry on that form next season and be ok will be disappointing
we are getting carried away with what we perceive to be ‘good form after lockdown

we need to set our sights a lot do a lot higher  than that

[Toronto Villa]

This is the thing, we wanted attractive football, scoring more than the opposition rather than conceding less.

It didn't quite work in a number of games, but when the emphasis shifted after lockdown we were ok. And I think we're all agreed that if we'd started by just trying to defend we'd have been really pissed off as that is exactly the approach Smith's predecessor tried.

It wasn’t so much that. If we were just tactically disciplined that would have been more than enough. You have to know when and how to defend. How to close out games. Every team knew or got to know that we were vulnerable with lead late in games and took full advantage of it. Especially the top sides. I can only imagine how over time that just chipped away at the confidence and belief of the players. The Liverpool game sticks out because of just how well we played, but you almost knew they would equalize and ultimately win. And they did. It’s crushing for us as fans but the players feel it too. What we did after the break was almost foreign to all we’d done before in terms of defensive structure, but even then there were things that reared their ugly head. Late goals conceded vs Everton and even West Ham.

So lots to do. Lots still to improve upon. I’m glad we improved but the manager played a huge role as to why we were so in trouble in the first place as much as one of the key reasons we stayed up.

[Toronto Villa]

This is the thing, we wanted attractive football, scoring more than the opposition rather than conceding less.

It didn't quite work in a number of games, but when the emphasis shifted after lockdown we were ok. And I think we're all agreed that if we'd started by just trying to defend we'd have been really pissed off as that is exactly the approach Smith's predecessor tried.

I never saw this so called attractive football before lockdown it’s a total myth
we were consistently awful

after lockdown we did just enough
10 points from 10 games isn’t very good but was better than the rubbish we were before

anyone thinking we can carry on that form next season and be ok will be disappointing
we are getting carried away with what we perceive to be ‘good for after lockdown

we need to set our sights a lot do a lot higher  than that

The start of the season we played some very decent stuff at times. Once our belief was shot losing/blowing so many games we started to play scared and very much within ourselves and our football was often horrendous.

[Rudy Can't Fail]

Looking back over the season there was one constant, something screaming out so loud and it took a global epidemic for it to be addressed; the goals against column. My concern has been and remains the ability of Dean to change things when they're not going right. Brentford fans pointed this out to us when he joined, we witnessed it ourselves in our promotional season after the 4-2 win against the Rags, one win in 13 games, so it looks very much like a trait.

That said, things are more settled now than they have been for years, we need a few additions absolutely but no massive changes. This will be the season to judge Dean. I like him as a fella but right now he's not the manager I thought he was. I wish him all the luck in the world but fear he may have used it all up last season.

[Steve67]

I think Dean will be under pressure from the off as the owners will want much better performances this coming season.  His reward for keeping us up is quite rightly another crack at the Premier League and I hope we get the players in to take us to the next level.  But, Dean needs to say less and deliver more.  I don't believe in some of the things he says but I do want him to succeed and just like the players have a years more experience and should improve for it, I expect the same of Dean Smith.

[CT]

Dean won’t be a rookie PL manager next season. The players won’t be PL rookies either.

I’m hoping that with the additions we need, we will have enough skill and savvy about us not to be in another relegation battle.

[Rudy Can't Fail]

Dean won’t be a rookie PL manager next season. The players won’t be PL rookies either.

I’m hoping that with the additions we need, we will have enough skill and savvy about us not to be in another relegation battle.

Agreed, CT. It's not just being a PL manager, it's the dimension of the roll with all the responsibilities of a club our size. I'm delighted he's brought in Shakespeare to the backroom team. Hopefully with Lange reporting directly to the owners and a new recruitment chap, Dean will have more time to focus on the 1st team squad. There were times this year he looked completely knackered. He's normally so chirpy and positive, you couldn't help but notice he was suffering.

It was a tough year for everybody, ourselves included. I wish him the best and glad he's still here.

[Drummond]

Dean won’t be a rookie PL manager next season. The players won’t be PL rookies either.

I’m hoping that with the additions we need, we will have enough skill and savvy about us not to be in another relegation battle.

Agreed, CT. It's not just being a PL manager, it's the dimension of the roll with all the responsibilities of a club our size. I'm delighted he's brought in Shakespeare to the backroom team. Hopefully with Lange reporting directly to the owners and a new recruitment chap, Dean will have more time to focus on the 1st team squad. There were times this year he looked completely knackered. He's normally so chirpy and positive, you couldn't help but notice he was suffering.

It was a tough year for everybody, ourselves included. I wish him the best and glad he's still here.

It was a tough season, and there wasn't much of a gap after the season before either. Add in to that his Dad's passing and all-in-all he deserves a break.

I think he clearly used the Covid-19 enforced break to great effect. He knows what his players are capable of and he'll have a fully fit McGinn and Heaton to call on again. With some shrewd additions in key places (to strengthen the team rather than the squad) let's hope we see the form and results of the last 4 games replicated.

[Mister E]

Looking back over the season there was one constant, something screaming out so loud and it took a global epidemic for it to be addressed; the goals against column. My concern has been and remains the ability of Dean to change things when they're not going right...That said, things are more settled now than they have been for years, we need a few additions absolutely but no massive changes. This will be the season to judge Dean. I like him as a fella but right now he's not the manager I thought he was. I wish him all the luck in the world but fear he may have used it all up last season.

I'm hoping that having Shakey with him this season will bring extra insight and experience; not just in training but in selection and game-management.

[algy]

As far as xG is concerned, it's one statistic and so should be treated as such, but I'm glad we're embracing it. We need to be at the cutting edge of the sport, which at the moment seems to be in using analytics heavily.

Of course, it's ultimately goals & points which count, but if it helps target the areas in training which will bring the biggest benefit, or be able to highlight if a player we're watching will fit in to our playing style or not, that can only be a good thing.

[AsTallAsLions]

As far as xG is concerned, it's one statistic and so should be treated as such, but I'm glad we're embracing it. We need to be at the cutting edge of the sport, which at the moment seems to be in using analytics heavily.

Of course, it's ultimately goals & points which count, but if it helps target the areas in training which will bring the biggest benefit, or be able to highlight if a player we're watching will fit in to our playing style or not, that can only be a good thing.

xG could well be the reason we ended up with Wesley and Samatta instead of goalscorers capable of consistency at this level.

[Sexual Ealing]

It's possible that DS used hundreds of different datasets but chose to mention xG because he knew it was the only one his audience would have heard of.

[Lastfootstamper]

xG is a far better reflection on how a game went than simply chances and shots as it factors context into its calculation. As stats go, s'alright.

[AsTallAsLions]

xG is a far better reflection on how a game went than simply chances and shots as it factors context into its calculation. As stats go, s'alright.

As with all invented metrics, it depends on how it's applied.