Dean Smith - Confirmed

[Nunkin1965]

That’s true,
The support is immense.
Smith is used to a model of developing young energetic physical sides and then accepting that they need to be broken up with inevitable player sales.
He won’t have to do that here in the main so I for one am interested whether he can develop a quality team without the need to sell every transfer window.

[Risso]

People suggesting the squad is poor have clearly not been paying attention to some of the squads who have made us look piss poor these last few months.

DS has not improved us anywhere near enough.

That's not saying I want him out, it's expressing a disappointment at what we've seen so far.

People implying the fans are somehow a big part of the problem make me laugh. Save the self loathing for yourselves, don't apply it to the collective.

Week after week of utter shit and 35k there in a cold winter Friday night for a live television match for a mid table side who look incapable of beating anyone.

They don't deserve us.

Great post, agree with every word.

[Rudy65]

People suggesting the squad is poor have clearly not been paying attention to some of the squads who have made us look piss poor these last few months.

DS has not improved us anywhere near enough.

That's not saying I want him out, it's expressing a disappointment at what we've seen so far.

People implying the fans are somehow a big part of the problem make me laugh. Save the self loathing for yourselves, don't apply it to the collective.

Week after week of utter shit and 35k there in a cold winter Friday night for a live television match for a mid table side who look incapable of beating anyone.

They don't deserve us.

Agreed

[Steve67]

People suggesting the squad is poor have clearly not been paying attention to some of the squads who have made us look piss poor these last few months.

DS has not improved us anywhere near enough.

That's not saying I want him out, it's expressing a disappointment at what we've seen so far.

People implying the fans are somehow a big part of the problem make me laugh. Save the self loathing for yourselves, don't apply it to the collective.

Week after week of utter shit and 35k there in a cold winter Friday night for a live television match for a mid table side who look incapable of beating anyone.

They don't deserve us.

This is so true and I think the owners and Purslow must be pulling their hair out, knowing that, if we can get those sorts of gates in those circumstances, what are we capable of if we were to go up?  They have to be patient but must also be feeling very frustrated.  The sad facts are that we have spent a shit load on transfers and are already on to our third Manager since being in this division, hardly a settled football club in evidence there.   Whilst Smith is not beyond criticism, he does need time.  He tried to address the midfield by bringing in Fer but sadly the transfer fell through (arguably leading to the panic buy in signing Carroll imo).  We brought in five players in the month but still failed to address the left back issue.  Hopefully, having a full summer to do deals, we will see the likes of Henry, Sawyers, Mings signed as well as Guilbert settling in.  And, we address that fricking midfield!  He has a lot to do and I'm sure fully understands the pressures of the job.  As I said on another thread, the time to start calling for his head is this time next year if we are still serving up the inconsistent stuff we saw for 81 minutes last night.

[Ad@m]

The squad isn't poor, but at the moment the team is, and there's a tipping point of shit players in the team when it doesn't matter how good the rest are, they just can't compensate.

Look at last night's starting line up and see just how many aren't good enough, even at this level:

Kalinic - early days, but he's yet to fill me with any confidence
Hutton - not good enough
Taylor - not good enough
Mings - quality
Elphick - borderline
Jedinak - not good enough
Hourihane - borderline
SJM - quality
Kodjia - toss of a coin, last night was an off night
El Ghazi - see Kodjia
Abraham - quality

Yes, we're missing players to come back but they're not going to fix the glaring problems we have at full back, defensive midfield, and on the wings.

Until they get sorted we're going to be mid-table at best.

[brontebilly]

It’s been said before, but consider that we are without Grealish, Axel and been forced to play Chester half fit for two months. Couple that with the fact it wasn’t his team to start with.

Its his team as soon as he signed his contract at Villa Park and Smith's job is to get the best out of resources at his disposal

Sorry, Im not buying that argument at all nor did I when Bruce came in first

[Damo70]

I hope the last 15 minutes are a turning point, rather than a mere papering over the cracks.  The first 80 minutes was hugely poor, as bad as anything the previous managers have served up.  I don't know what Jedinak has been doing in training to merit a start, but fuck me it looked a poor decision to start him tonight.

Don't forget that we also had some crucial decisions go against us due to poor officiating again. Although of course that doesn't change the fact we were generally poor all over the pitch in that period.

[Damo70]

It’s been said before, but consider that we are without Grealish, Axel and been forced to play Chester half fit for two months. Couple that with the fact it wasn’t his team to start with.

Its his team as soon as he signed his contract at Villa Park and Smith's job is to get the best out of resources at his disposal

Sorry, Im not buying that argument at all nor did I when Bruce came in first

I agree to an extent as he inherited an unbalanced squad who he hadn't had a pre season to work with and injuries to key players . But like anyone in any walk of life from day one of taking on a job you are held responsible for your performance in that job.

[London Villan]

It’s the years of rubbish that has a big effect on patience (or lack of). No idea if Smith has got what it takes, I hope he has as I’d love to see us play with the energy of sheff utd.

[passport1]

People suggesting the squad is poor have clearly not been paying attention to some of the squads who have made us look piss poor these last few months.

DS has not improved us anywhere near enough.

That's not saying I want him out, it's expressing a disappointment at what we've seen so far.

People implying the fans are somehow a big part of the problem make me laugh. Save the self loathing for yourselves, don't apply it to the collective.

Week after week of utter shit and 35k there in a cold winter Friday night for a live television match for a mid table side who look incapable of beating anyone.

They don't deserve us.

Great post, agree with every word.

Seconded. I saw a team of average players with shape and movement last night that for 80 mins played us off the park.

I think that a so called head coach should have been able to show more progress than we have seen to date.

At the very least questions should be being asked about Smith. As for the Smith Out n thread no more offensive than Bruce Out after the same number of games which strangely
was permitted.

[Matt Collins]

The championship is all about energy and belief in a clear way of playing

We don't have enough of either at the moment

[Nunkin1965]

Didn’t agree with the Bruce out thread when it started. Don’t agree with the Smith out thread when it was posted.
Pathetic on both counts in my opinion.
It’s a want it now I’ve got no patience society and I accept that but it doesn’t mean I agree with it.
Wanting anyone out this soon is a joke.

[olaftab]

People suggesting the squad is poor have clearly not been paying attention to some of the squads who have made us look piss poor these last few months.
DS has not improved us anywhere near enough.
They don't deserve us.

Commenting on 3 specific points in your post:
Those Squads that have made us look piss poor have had some time with their current Managers to find a way of playing as a team to their strength. Leeds are an exception but so is Bielsa. Norwich are the better example where Farke has had more time. Last season he was underwhelming look at him now!

Disagree. We are much much better than paint drying,  play by numbers football that Bruce  played however admit that points yield has been not good enough.

Over many years now our players and Managers have not deserved us.

[SoccerHQ]

What’s not surprising at all, Wilder said after the match that they concentrated on attacking our fullbacks.

I’m very disappointed Hutton and Taylor are still in the team.

We could easily go back to Hutton at left back but think DS just wants that natural balance on both flanks. Taylor simply isn't good enough which is the problem.

On the other flank AEM is much better crossing the halfway line and getting crosses into the box so would seem to suit the style more but he had a terrible run of form over the xmas period giving away penalties and own goals so think he's lost Smith's trust and another who will likely move on in the summer.

[SoccerHQ]

Are people seriously suggesting that this is the very best we can expect, from a decent manager, with the squad we have?

Our squad is full of OAPs.

Most telling comment from DS which certainly suggests his job is under no threat whatsoever was about getitng the average age of the squad down in the summer.

Clearly the owners have had time to watch our games and their eyes have probably never popped out at the amount of over 30s on high wages Steve Bruce left us.

If we did fluke a promotion lmagine likes of Jedinak, Hutton and Whelan against Man. City and Liverpool....I'd prefer not to.

We are just an average up and down championship team without Grealish tbh. When he comes back I'm sure our style will start to look better and we'll pick up some wins but it will probably be too late to seriously challenge for top 6.

Of course I want to go up but we have to be ready as a club. Last season we probably were. Now we're not again.