Dean Smith - Confirmed

[manic-road]

Just before the season kicked off, I was hoping for steady improvement and finish between 15-11 place and to avoid a relegation scrap on the last day, well we were never in any danger of getting sucked into a scrap near the bottom and at times we played some excellent football.

It’s a young squad with very little Prem League experience but the majority of the players have improved, and we had some great results throughout the season. I’d imagine over the next few seasons the squad will add more quality and depth and we will kick on. B+ for Dean this season, after over 10 years of shit football, shit managers and shit owners we can start next season with more optimism. 

[Lastfootstamper]

11 extra points there, level with Leicester. More goals next season, please. Let's put teams to the sword.

[eamonn]

11th place is a good finish for us this season. I'm glad we won those last 2 games so we didn't finish on a downer.  Onwards and upwards next season.

It is good, and 55 points would have been enough in recent seasons for finishing 7th-9th. As others have alluded to, perhaps the biggest disappointment of the season is failing to capitalise against some shitter sides. How West Ham took 1 point off us baffles me, let alone 6!

We were second best against West Ham at VP. Never got going. Should have done them at the O2 though.

[VILLA MOLE]

i think some physical  teams have bullied us a bit this season , Burnley, west ham ,palace and lesser extent Leeds .  that is one thing i would like us to address next season

[paul_e]

i think some physical  teams have bullied us a bit this season , Burnley, west ham ,palace and lesser extent Leeds .  that is one thing i would like us to address next season

That's why we need a big nasty bugger in midfield, that's where teams have out-muscled us.

[john e]

i think some physical  teams have bullied us a bit this season , Burnley, west ham ,palace and lesser extent Leeds .  that is one thing i would like us to address next season

That's why we need a big nasty bugger in midfield, that's where teams have out-muscled us.

The problem with being nasty buggers is they don’t tend to be very good at football

[Steve67]

i think some physical  teams have bullied us a bit this season , Burnley, west ham ,palace and lesser extent Leeds .  that is one thing i would like us to address next season

That's why we need a big nasty bugger in midfield, that's where teams have out-muscled us.

The problem with being nasty buggers is they don’t tend to be very good at football

And yet John, all the top teams have players who can 'mix it'.  All of the teams in the top six have a least one player each, most have two, who are good at either kicking people, closing down, pinching the ball, tactical fouling or the really good one's who can do all of the above. 

[Toronto Villa]

Who is Chelsea’s nasty bugger who can mix it? You could argue they have Kante who is just a rich man’s version of Nakamba. Who was Barcelona’s nasty bugger in midfield when they had Iniesta and Xavi? Man U don’t have one now really.

What we need is better footballers who can keep control of the ball and win it back quickly and fairly. I wouldn’t call John McGinn a nasty bugger (stupid that he has the most bookings) but he chases down the play better than anyone else we have. What we have to better at is keeping the ball, chasing it down and winning it when we don’t have it and moving it quickly to the players who can cause damage.

One of the best example of that? That not so colossus of a man Gareth Barry...He was quick in small spaces, could win the ball back but critically was brilliant at moving it quickly to the likes of Ashley Young who then got it in space to attack the full back. We need more of that.

[Steve67]

Who is Chelsea’s nasty bugger who can mix it? You could argue they have Kante who is just a rich man’s version of Nakamba. Who was Barcelona’s nasty bugger in midfield when they had Iniesta and Xavi? Man U don’t have one now really.

What we need is better footballers who can keep control of the ball and win it back quickly and fairly. I wouldn’t call John McGinn a nasty bugger (stupid that he has the most bookings) but he chases down the play better than anyone else we have. What we have to better at is keeping the ball, chasing it down and winning it when we don’t have it and moving it quickly to the players who can cause damage.

One of the best example of that? That not so colossus of a man Gareth Barry...He was quick in small spaces, could win the ball back but critically was brilliant at moving it quickly to the likes of Ashley Young who then got it in space to attack the full back. We need more of that.

Kovacic.  He looks like a proper thug, smashed nose etc.  Good player though.  Is that him TV?

[danno]

Busquets, for Barcelona.
Man Utd, have Fred, McTominay and Matic.

Not really nasty buggers, But all players who are better at stopping attacks than their more creatively focused team mates.

Fernandinho is the best of the lot though, I counted three Man City goals on Sunday that started with him.

[Ian.]

i think some physical  teams have bullied us a bit this season , Burnley, west ham ,palace and lesser extent Leeds .  that is one thing i would like us to address next season

That's why we need a big nasty bugger in midfield, that's where teams have out-muscled us.

The problem with being nasty buggers is they don’t tend to be very good at football

Tomáš Souček can, he’s a tough one and is a very good footballer, even scores a few.

[paul_e]

Who is Chelsea’s nasty bugger who can mix it? You could argue they have Kante who is just a rich man’s version of Nakamba. Who was Barcelona’s nasty bugger in midfield when they had Iniesta and Xavi? Man U don’t have one now really.

What we need is better footballers who can keep control of the ball and win it back quickly and fairly. I wouldn’t call John McGinn a nasty bugger (stupid that he has the most bookings) but he chases down the play better than anyone else we have. What we have to better at is keeping the ball, chasing it down and winning it when we don’t have it and moving it quickly to the players who can cause damage.

One of the best example of that? That not so colossus of a man Gareth Barry...He was quick in small spaces, could win the ball back but critically was brilliant at moving it quickly to the likes of Ashley Young who then got it in space to attack the full back. We need more of that.

Busquets was a key player in that Barca side because he did all the grunt work to allow Xavi and Iniesta to dominate, Chelsea have Kovacic and Kante, Man U fans mostly think they've struggled because Fred and McTominay haven't been good enough in front of the back 4.

Also it's you and John that decided I mean a brute who can barely kick a ball when I've said a number of times now i want a Vieira style player who can fight his corner against teams like Burnley but also has the game to be a part in us playing good football. I also think McGinn and Luiz (and probably Sanson as well) will be better with someone like that behind them and it would be great to have that player in there with Ramsey and Chuk. Berge and Locatelli are the 2 I've mentioned as, in my opinion, gettable and good enough. I like Koopmeiners as well but I think he might have Champions League offers.

[Toronto Villa]

Who is Chelsea’s nasty bugger who can mix it? You could argue they have Kante who is just a rich man’s version of Nakamba. Who was Barcelona’s nasty bugger in midfield when they had Iniesta and Xavi? Man U don’t have one now really.

What we need is better footballers who can keep control of the ball and win it back quickly and fairly. I wouldn’t call John McGinn a nasty bugger (stupid that he has the most bookings) but he chases down the play better than anyone else we have. What we have to better at is keeping the ball, chasing it down and winning it when we don’t have it and moving it quickly to the players who can cause damage.

One of the best example of that? That not so colossus of a man Gareth Barry...He was quick in small spaces, could win the ball back but critically was brilliant at moving it quickly to the likes of Ashley Young who then got it in space to attack the full back. We need more of that.

Kovacic.  He looks like a proper thug, smashed nose etc.  Good player though.  Is that him TV?

He is but he’s not a midfield enforcer. Or whatever that role is described to be. He’s more your all action midfielder but in an attacking sense. I’d be happy with one of them too. The times I’ve seen him play well it’s doing something once the ball has been won and attacking the centre of the park and into the final third.

[Toronto Villa]

Who is Chelsea’s nasty bugger who can mix it? You could argue they have Kante who is just a rich man’s version of Nakamba. Who was Barcelona’s nasty bugger in midfield when they had Iniesta and Xavi? Man U don’t have one now really.

What we need is better footballers who can keep control of the ball and win it back quickly and fairly. I wouldn’t call John McGinn a nasty bugger (stupid that he has the most bookings) but he chases down the play better than anyone else we have. What we have to better at is keeping the ball, chasing it down and winning it when we don’t have it and moving it quickly to the players who can cause damage.

One of the best example of that? That not so colossus of a man Gareth Barry...He was quick in small spaces, could win the ball back but critically was brilliant at moving it quickly to the likes of Ashley Young who then got it in space to attack the full back. We need more of that.

Busquets was a key player in that Barca side because he did all the grunt work to allow Xavi and Iniesta to dominate, Chelsea have Kovacic and Kante, Man U fans mostly think they've struggled because Fred and McTominay haven't been good enough in front of the back 4.

Also it's you and John that decided I mean a brute who can barely kick a ball when I've said a number of times now i want a Vieira style player who can fight his corner against teams like Burnley but also has the game to be a part in us playing good football. I also think McGinn and Luiz (and probably Sanson as well) will be better with someone like that behind them and it would be great to have that player in there with Ramsey and Chuk. Berge and Locatelli are the 2 I've mentioned as, in my opinion, gettable and good enough. I like Koopmeiners as well but I think he might have Champions League offers.

Calling a player a “big nasty bugger” doesn’t exactly conjure anything other than what’s on the tin. Viera style players come around once in a blue moon.

[paul_e]

As far as I'm concerned it just means someone tall and strong who doesn't mind the rough stuff, again it's you that assumed I meant someone who can barely kick a ball.