Dean Smith - Confirmed

[danno]

Think Eamonn is right. 

By using the verb inception its akin to saying: "we've not done the double over Arsenal since the premier league started".

We clearly have done the double over them since it started, as we played and beat them twice mid way through a premier league season.

Spoiler for Hiden:

Bad English to the thread please!

I think BE would start by saying that inception is a noun and not a verb!

The Premier League commenced on the 15 August 1992. We beat Arsenal in the league in that season in December 1992 and April 1993. I am struggling to see how what Dean said is either historicaly or grammatically incorrect.

haha yep.

You have just answered your own question though.  That's the leagues inception. Not the whole season.

[brontebilly]

Setup of the team was much better today. Big call to bring in Ramsey ahead of Luiz and Sanson but he didn't let him down. Could have wasted another minute with his final sub alright.

I sincerely hope he drops Barkley for the next day. Don't think it sends the right message to let him keep trying to play his way into form but failing and then throwing a strop on way off. Didn't give Luiz a minute today, let's see how he reacts now. 

[eamonn]

I can see how you would read it that way Risso, but I understood him to mean since August 1992 and the fact he described today's result as "making history" would further add weight to Dean thinking we haven't done the double over them "since football began". One of the journos in Dean's presser yesterday pulled out the stat and I think it was on his mind and this is how he interpreted it.

Not that it matters two figs...we've beaten Arsenal three times in a row now...for the first time since 1993*

*Nov'93 as the third time - which I believe is the last Villa game one of our H&V brethren has seen in the flesh due to emigrating soon after...JD (in NZ?) perhaps?

[Monty]

Alright Dean, it's time to change things up. Clearly other managers have done their homework on us, and it's been a few games now that we've looked stagnant and out of ideas, culminating in tonight. I don't know what anyone else thinks, but the first thing that springs to my mind is that Ross and McGinn look totally out of it. Move Jack central, start Marv or Sanson with Doug in a more organised deep two.

[Drummond]

I'd swap Sanson and Ramsay in for McGinn and Barkley.

I'd be tempted with Davis central and Watkins and Grealish right and left.

Honest post match interviews from Martinez and the gaffer.

[CT]

Very honest response from Emi and Dean in the interviews. They weren’t happy at all.

[ChicagoLion]

It looks like Barkley starts whatever

[paul_e]

I'd swap Sanson and Ramsay in for McGinn and Barkley.

I'd be tempted with Davis central and Watkins and Grealish right and left.

Honest post match interviews from Martinez and the gaffer.

That's probably worth a look against Leicester given they're missing both starting fullbacks.

[ez]

Its concerning that our substitutions have little effect. Like the west ham game we had no idea what to do to change how the game was going.

[brontebilly]

Alright Dean, it's time to change things up. Clearly other managers have done their homework on us, and it's been a few games now that we've looked stagnant and out of ideas, culminating in tonight. I don't know what anyone else thinks, but the first thing that springs to my mind is that Ross and McGinn look totally out of it. Move Jack central, start Marv or Sanson with Doug in a more organised deep two.

If Jack goes central then our only real option for wide left is AEG. Trez is beyond bad on the left wing, he will be brought over to help Elmo I expect on the right. Unless McGinn could be tried further up the pitch, not that his form deserves it currently.

Smiths selections and subs have been a bit strange recently. Ramsey does well v Arsenal but didn't get a minute tonight. Luiz didn't get a minute v Arsenal but back in from the start tonight. Nakamba a couple of recent starts but out of the team as quick. I'm all for rotation but there isn't much consistency in the selections at the moment. And he can't keep saying he is picking on form if Barkley particularly but also Traore and McGinn keep getting picked.

[Monty]

AEG scored a bunch of goals when Barkley was out so that doesn't worry me too much. Traore likewise has earned a bit of goodwill, but McGinn has been severely declining and Barkley has been terrible consistently since he came back.

[PaulWinch again]

It’s good to hear Dean acknowledge the performance was really poor.

[aj2k77]

Well he's going to have to affect the performance. We need to be more at it from the get go. Like for like subs and the same formation every week hasn't changed much lately. Not that I'm complaining too much, we're above where I thought we'd be but I don't want to see the season peter out. I want to see our manager making some tactical or personnel changes that lift us from a bit of a performance slump.

[Ad@m]

He's got to use the squad more. The first 11 look knackered and have done for weeks now.

If he doesn't shake it up I can see us going on a pretty dreadful run soon.

[SoccerHQ]

Its concerning that our substitutions have little effect. Like the west ham game we had no idea what to do to change how the game was going.

It was very like for like really. No changing of shape or tweak of formation.

Trez shown over last year he's very useful v some opponents but though him coming on was a bit of a lazy call as it wasn't going to help us keep the ball better or close them down quicker centrally.

We had plenty of CMs on the bench who've done o.k when called on so perhaps putting two on and narrowing things would've been a better option but we were a bit limited given we'd lost Cash so had to put AEM on.