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Author Topic: Dean Smith - Confirmed  (Read 1522614 times)

Offline villa for life

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Re: Dean Smith - Confirmed
« Reply #12030 on: April 11, 2021, 04:29:51 AM »
Dean is very much like the manager version of a Matt Targett, both newbies to the premier league with a lot of strengths and potential.

Targett has kicked on massively this season, and Smith has as well, but just not to the same extent. Unfortunately, though a manager is a much more integral part of a club, especially at a club with lofty aspirations.

Dean has it within him, but he’s a little slow in learning. If we were, say, a Burnley, we could both improve slowly together but I’m sure our owners want more than that considering the massive investment they have put in.

I like Smith, but just like the players AEG, Trez, Traore, he has to prove he’s worthy of a starting spot, and he can only do this  by the decisions he makes and the results we get.

I suspect we could do a lot worse than Smith, but  there are definitely a fair few managers who would do better. The owners and Purslow are very astute so I’m not fretting. They’ll come to the right conclusion and only time will tell whether that means sticking or twisting.

Offline Clampy

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Re: Dean Smith - Confirmed
« Reply #12031 on: April 11, 2021, 07:33:50 AM »
He got us promoted at the first time of asking. He kept us in the top flight. He's currently leading us to mid-table security, and this is only his third season with us.

Personally, I think the bloke's a fooking hero.

He's doing ok by me as well. Like I said earlier. this season could have been even better but when you get people/person before the game complaining that we were 10th, it almost makes you crazily think they just get bored and want change for the sake of it.
To be fair, you have defended every single manger over the last few years.

I've defended them until I thought it was time to stop defending them. Smith has his faults, but I find it difficult to be over critical about this season. He gets another crack at next season for me but like I said yesterday, we will need to push  on. I think he will know that as well.

Offline Abbeyfealeavfc

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Re: Dean Smith - Confirmed
« Reply #12032 on: April 11, 2021, 07:44:47 AM »
He's managed in a top League for one season, having managed Walsall and Brentford before.

He kept us up last season miraculously and got us up the season before almost as miraculously.

We are an erratic team, sometimes brilliant, sometimes poor. We are frustratingly inconsistent at times.

He's going to learn, though, and so are we, we will improve the quality of the squad again and push on.

A mid table finish after a decade of fighting relegation or scrambling to get promoted is something every single one of us would have taken prior to the start of the season.

Yes, his game management is annoying, yes, we have recurring weaknesses but anyone seriously thinking he should be getting sacked after the season we are having is bonkers.

I understand why people were asking whether he was the man when it looked like we were donned last year but he saved us, you have to give him a chance purely based on that.

We sound like wolves fans, shitting their pants over a tricky season and wanting Nuno out, ignoring the depths to which their club had previously sumk.

I've got to agree with this post.
Is it a shame our season might be petering out? Yes.
Does Dean sometimes get tactics or substitutions wrong? Yes.
Could the performances of individual players be better? Yes.
Am I disappointed about not making next season's european spots? Absolutely not...because we are not yet at that level.
The bigger picture has to be looked at regarding Dean and that started when the new owners arrived. Since then Dean has met and even exceeded their expectations as well as those of the majority of fans. They would be crazy to be even thinking of releasing Dean at this stage never mind actually doing it. The bigger picture also involves what happens in the future. Now if Dean doesn't fulfil the brief of the owners, then I'm sure the owners will act and I feel sure Dean is aware of this.
If the dissent towards Dean was coming from fans of our near neighbours towards their managers I'd be taking the p-ss, so the comparison with fans of wolvescelona is a good one by paulie.
Remember sha got rid of Rowett when they were in a position of strength and we were delighted because they'd failed to see the bigger picture under him. I trust our owners to make the right decisions at the right time and in the meanwhile for supporters to back the club from the top down.

Offline mr underhill

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Re: Dean Smith - Confirmed
« Reply #12033 on: April 11, 2021, 07:56:16 AM »
he's as inflexible as MON though, and I am concerened about the value of a lot of our transfer business although how much influence Dean has is hard to assess. Big summer ahead with maybe up to nine departures if we can find homes for them - AEG, Trez, Hourihane, Engles, Heaton, Elmo, Taylor to go. Barkley back to Chelsea and maybe Davis on loan. i see four or five coming in.

Offline PhilVill

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Re: Dean Smith - Confirmed
« Reply #12034 on: April 11, 2021, 08:02:37 AM »
Morning after the day before. I certainly think Smith deserves to be here next season as we are progressing well but I do think he needs to be under scrutiny from match one next season, especially if the owners put a lot of money in again. The strict reliance on 4-3-3 is costing us points as is the reluctance to sub, some of the players brought in are poor buys and letting Guilbert out on loan was crazy and therefore I understand why some are getting doubts. I think Dean needs to be told, if investment is made again, that surviving next season is not even open to discussion and given a realistic target of 55 points. These owners are ambitious and I get the feeling next season is make or break for quite a few players and management.

Offline London Villan

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Re: Dean Smith - Confirmed
« Reply #12035 on: April 11, 2021, 08:10:45 AM »
If we spend £100m in the summer and keep jack a top 6 finish will be expected.

Online Ian.

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Re: Dean Smith - Confirmed
« Reply #12036 on: April 11, 2021, 08:15:46 AM »
Excellent post Pauliewalnuts.

Offline Clampy

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Re: Dean Smith - Confirmed
« Reply #12037 on: April 11, 2021, 08:16:28 AM »
Morning after the day before. I certainly think Smith deserves to be here next season as we are progressing well but I do think he needs to be under scrutiny from match one next season, especially if the owners put a lot of money in again. The strict reliance on 4-3-3 is costing us points as is the reluctance to sub, some of the players brought in are poor buys and letting Guilbert out on loan was crazy and therefore I understand why some are getting doubts. I think Dean needs to be told, if investment is made again, that surviving next season is not even open to discussion and given a realistic target of 55 points. These owners are ambitious and I get the feeling next season is make or break for quite a few players and management.

I don't think surviving was the option this season. Last season it was, understandably

Offline Allan C

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Re: Dean Smith - Confirmed
« Reply #12038 on: April 11, 2021, 08:22:38 AM »
He's managed in a top League for one season, having managed Walsall and Brentford before.

He kept us up last season miraculously and got us up the season before almost as miraculously.

We are an erratic team, sometimes brilliant, sometimes poor. We are frustratingly inconsistent at times.

He's going to learn, though, and so are we, we will improve the quality of the squad again and push on.

A mid table finish after a decade of fighting relegation or scrambling to get promoted is something every single one of us would have taken prior to the start of the season.

Yes, his game management is annoying, yes, we have recurring weaknesses but anyone seriously thinking he should be getting sacked after the season we are having is bonkers.

I understand why people were asking whether he was the man when it looked like we were donned last year but he saved us, you have to give him a chance purely based on that.

We sound like wolves fans, shitting their pants over a tricky season and wanting Nuno out, ignoring the depths to which their club had previously sumk.

I've got to agree with this post.
Is it a shame our season might be petering out? Yes.
Does Dean sometimes get tactics or substitutions wrong? Yes.
Could the performances of individual players be better? Yes.
Am I disappointed about not making next season's european spots? Absolutely not...because we are not yet at that level.
The bigger picture has to be looked at regarding Dean and that started when the new owners arrived. Since then Dean has met and even exceeded their expectations as well as those of the majority of fans. They would be crazy to be even thinking of releasing Dean at this stage never mind actually doing it. The bigger picture also involves what happens in the future. Now if Dean doesn't fulfil the brief of the owners, then I'm sure the owners will act and I feel sure Dean is aware of this.
If the dissent towards Dean was coming from fans of our near neighbours towards their managers I'd be taking the p-ss, so the comparison with fans of wolvescelona is a good one by paulie.
Remember sha got rid of Rowett when they were in a position of strength and we were delighted because they'd failed to see the bigger picture under him. I trust our owners to make the right decisions at the right time and in the meanwhile for supporters to back the club from the top down.
Both really good posts and sun up how I feel also. I think we are now at the level we should be with the squad we have now. 10th with a game in hand is bloody excellent given what we’ve had before. Smith must be given praise for that. We will continue to improve I’m sure of that and next season with the right purchases we will be top 6 challengers

Offline Doughboy21

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Re: Dean Smith - Confirmed
« Reply #12039 on: April 11, 2021, 08:33:53 AM »
Yesterday was another very frustrating watch against a very poor team. Caused by a mix of Smith and players. I cannot believe he is happy with our inability to string more than a couple of passes together,yet persists with the same culprits and compounds it by bringing  on Barkley and AEG? We are short of 4 midfield/attack players for sure..we are safe, so let's try some of the young uns? I also think that Smith [size=78%]being a Villa fan could be his undoing with his reluctantance to take a chance  and try something different. [/size]

Offline mr underhill

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Re: Dean Smith - Confirmed
« Reply #12040 on: April 11, 2021, 08:36:38 AM »
what size are you, by the way?

Offline Doughboy21

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Re: Dean Smith - Confirmed
« Reply #12041 on: April 11, 2021, 08:39:37 AM »
Thats my phone for you!

Offline Ads

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Re: Dean Smith - Confirmed
« Reply #12042 on: April 11, 2021, 09:32:49 AM »
I think it depends on how the rest of the season goes. We've improved on last year, mainly due to our away results, and we still need a win and a draw from home games against Man City, Man U, Chelsea, Everton and WBA to match last season's home record. We've been playing really poorly for ages now, and if it goes on, and he loses say, 6 of the final 8, I think he'll be toast.

Not sure how matching last season's home record becomes an important measure of progress?

We're on 44 points with 8 matches still to go. How would not matching last season's home record sully that?

When we had the advantage of 40,000 Villa fans for every home game last season too.

Offline aj2k77

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Re: Dean Smith - Confirmed
« Reply #12043 on: April 11, 2021, 10:03:37 AM »
The stubbornness of continually playing 4-3-3 and mixing around Traore, Trez and El Ghazi just baffles me. We've been playing pretty poorly for months now with the same faults exposed each game but the next we roll out the same thing again.

I appreciate we had a great start but it doesn't count for much if you have a poor end and finish 12/13th. It's a very average season and considering the money spent I think the owners will have one eye on something more than 4-3-3 rain or shine. It's not good enough at the moment.

Offline Villan82

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Re: Dean Smith - Confirmed
« Reply #12044 on: April 11, 2021, 10:05:12 AM »
Dean has done brilliantly and has earned another crack at it.

The frustrating thing about his term for me, however, is that we get beat so often. After MON flounced, we went from being hard to beat to having a losing habit. Because of that I am at a stage where I would like to see us come out with a point more often than we do. I want him to improve in terms of game management.

 


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