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Author Topic: Dean Smith - Confirmed  (Read 1522513 times)

Online Clampy

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Re: Dean Smith - Confirmed
« Reply #390 on: October 12, 2018, 10:16:22 AM »
I didn't think Elphick was that bad either. Didn't he captain Bournemouth in their promotion season?

Offline Risso

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Re: Dean Smith - Confirmed
« Reply #391 on: October 12, 2018, 10:18:58 AM »
I didn't think Elphick was that bad either. Didn't he captain Bournemouth in their promotion season?

I think he did Clampy.  Which probably means that he'd have done better under Smith than he would Bruce. 

Offline cdbearsfan

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Re: Dean Smith - Confirmed
« Reply #392 on: October 12, 2018, 10:19:38 AM »
He was good till he signed for us, then shite. Like a 2010s Kinsella. I've no objection to Bruce getting rid of him. Not bothering to acquire a replacement when we had already lost Terry was lunacy, though.

Offline kipeye

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Re: Dean Smith - Confirmed
« Reply #393 on: October 12, 2018, 10:24:37 AM »
He was good till he signed for us, then shite. Like a 2010s Kinsella. I've no objection to Bruce getting rid of him. Not bothering to acquire a replacement when we had already lost Terry was lunacy, though.
Not so. He was pretty good when he first arrived and played well with Chester. He struggled later on and never recovered fully. Signs he can play -he has had good games-not just easy games. Good coaching and team structure would help any centre half. One thing no-one would criticise was his attitude.

Offline tomd2103

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Re: Dean Smith - Confirmed
« Reply #394 on: October 12, 2018, 10:40:30 AM »
Maybe but in mitigation  the fact is that Elphick is utterly useless, letting that lad go to Port Vale was a bigger crime as was getting Axel back and playing him at right back. And letting Steer go. Etc.

Elphick wasn't utterly useless at all.  Not the greatest defender ever, but certainly better and more mobile than Jedinak.  He did perfectly OK in his few appearances last year.
Completely agree. He came with a good pedigree and a good work ethic. He dropped a couple of clangers in his first 4/5 games  which combined with being at a much bigger club and having much more pressure probably didnt help him. I always thought after his early blunders, he would get the odd chance here and there in cup games but always looked like he was playing as if he was on trial. Fat man must have shattered his confidence completely, this should have been his time here.

He made a decent start if I recall correctly, but then his confidence seemed to shatter and never really return.  I'm sure there were rumours that he had suffered some personal issues which I'm sure did not help and it was pretty clear that there were some issues between him and Bruce. 

One of the problems with playing Elphick and certain others is that Chester has to move across to the left side of central defence to accommodate them and he just doesn't look as comfortable on that side.     

Offline Richard

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Re: Dean Smith - Confirmed
« Reply #395 on: October 12, 2018, 10:45:20 AM »
Totally agree re Chester - a left sided centre half and left back are the only signings we need to make in January.

Offline UK Redsox

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Re: Dean Smith - Confirmed
« Reply #396 on: October 12, 2018, 10:55:39 AM »
He was good till he signed for us, then shite. Like a 2010s Kinsella. I've no objection to Bruce getting rid of him. Not bothering to acquire a replacement when we had already lost Terry was lunacy, though.

This was the final nail for me and Bruce. Not bringing in another centre half should have seen him sacked at that point

Offline Drummond

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Re: Dean Smith - Confirmed
« Reply #397 on: October 12, 2018, 11:03:20 AM »
Elphick had a great attitude from the moment he arrived. You could tell he'd been a captain, he helped the other new players to settle in and did ok when he started playing. However, confidence issues dogged him. And as has been said, letting him go and having no replacement? Absolutely ridiculous.

Online The Edge

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Re: Dean Smith - Confirmed
« Reply #398 on: October 12, 2018, 11:14:43 AM »
He was good till he signed for us, then shite. Like a 2010s Kinsella. I've no objection to Bruce getting rid of him. Not bothering to acquire a replacement when we had already lost Terry was lunacy, though.
Or the actions of someone trying to engineer himself  a 1.7 mill pay off....just sayin
« Last Edit: October 12, 2018, 11:32:49 AM by The Edge »

Online The Edge

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Re: Dean Smith - Confirmed
« Reply #399 on: October 12, 2018, 11:16:00 AM »
Totally agree re Chester - a left sided centre half and left back are the only signings we need to make in January.
Two of each I'd say.

Offline SheffieldVillain

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Re: Dean Smith - Confirmed
« Reply #400 on: October 12, 2018, 11:20:01 AM »
Totally agree re Chester - a left sided centre half and left back are the only signings we need to make in January.

Wouldn't be at all surprised to see him in for Rico Henry come January. Signed him/promoted him to the first team twice already, promising young left back who has played for England youth teams.

Offline Damo70

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Re: Dean Smith - Confirmed
« Reply #401 on: October 12, 2018, 11:43:16 AM »
Bruce's defensive selections and formation reminded me of Eric Morecambe's famous quote. At best he was playing all the right players but not necessarily in the right order.

Offline tomd2103

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Re: Dean Smith - Confirmed
« Reply #402 on: October 12, 2018, 11:48:56 AM »
Totally agree re Chester - a left sided centre half and left back are the only signings we need to make in January.

Wouldn't be at all surprised to see him in for Rico Henry come January. Signed him/promoted him to the first team twice already, promising young left back who has played for England youth teams.

Depends on the financial situation I suppose, but as I said before I would be surprised if we weren't in for Chris Mepham from Brentford in January.  Came through the ranks at Chelsea and is a bit reminiscent of John Terry in that he is a right footed centre half who can play on the left side of central defence and is comfortable on the ball.  Given his background, it wouldn't surprise me at all if he has modelled his game on Terry's and so having him at the club would be a big draw.   

Offline Hookeysmith

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Re: Dean Smith - Confirmed
« Reply #403 on: October 12, 2018, 11:59:36 AM »
As much as I am very excited by the appointment of a coach and a DOF I do however have some concerns on some of the stats I have seen.

As much as we assume he plays attacking football his win ratio is not as impressive as I would of expected and he never emulated the league position his predecessor did at Brentford

I really hope that it works out for the guy and for us

Offline olaftab

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Re: Dean Smith - Confirmed
« Reply #404 on: October 12, 2018, 12:08:55 PM »
He has overachieved with both Walsall and Brentford consistently. Forget win ratio that only counts if you have the resources at a club that can and should compete at the highest level in its League. Smith has never had that. At Villa he will either make or break. Let’s hope in two years time we are fighting off champions league clubs from snaring him.

 


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