Dean Smith - Confirmed

[footyskillz]

Smith has spoken:

"We’re quite top heavy, we’ve got four centre forwards here but we’re only playing one up front with Tammy.
We’ve got four who would probably play for most other teams in the Championship.

“We need to balance that squad a bit better and I think everyone knows we’ve been light at the back and this window gives us the opportunity.

“I went to see one of our owners, Nassef, on Wednesday night with our CEO and sporting director. There are an awful lot of plates spinning as I’m guessing there will be with a lot of other clubs.

“It’s not a great window, January, it’s a seller’s market and prices are at a premium; to go and get some bargains is very tough to do."

We certainly don’t want to stockpile players
If you are carrying too many numbers in the team and they are not playing, they can certainly become unsettled, working all week with nothing to show for it at the end of the week.

What we want to do is have competition for places and find a better balance for the squad. That will be position-wise but also age-wise. We are a fairly old squad in this league."

[themossman]

It is quite simple for me. Bruce left a squad whose names on paper looked as strong as any in the division. Until you tried to pick a strong starting eleven from it. Then it was apparent how unbalanced the squad was. We were overloaded in midfield and could probably have picked two sets of midfielders who can do a job at this level but we were struggling when it came to picking a decent goalkeeper, a decent balanced defence and decent goalscorers. All Bruce's fault. But from the second they walked through the door the buck stopped with Smith, O'Kelly and Terry.

And when you put it in monetary terms it's enough to make you weep. Add up the fees for the attackers who are nowhere near the team, or shouldn't be - McCormack, Angela, Hogan, etc. and think about how good a championship defence you could assemble with that money.

[Ian.]

It is quite simple for me. Bruce left a squad whose names on paper looked as strong as any in the division. Until you tried to pick a strong starting eleven from it. Then it was apparent how unbalanced the squad was. We were overloaded in midfield and could probably have picked two sets of midfielders who can do a job at this level but we were struggling when it came to picking a decent goalkeeper, a decent balanced defence and decent goalscorers. All Bruce's fault. But from the second they walked through the door the buck stopped with Smith, O'Kelly and Terry.

And when you put it in monetary terms it's enough to make you weep. Add up the fees for the attackers who are nowhere near the team, or shouldn't be - McCormack, Angela, Hogan, etc. and think about how good a championship defence you could assemble with that money.

How good a back four and a keeper for that outlay in general, not just for a 2nd division side. Absolute bonkers amount of money.

[Ian.]

Actually since the mess we have been left in since MON every manager (except Remi) has left us in a shit state. Every new manager has had to re-build again and again.

[ChicagoLion]

Maybe Smiths comments go some way to explaining last weeks performance.
A few bad apples.

[kipeye]

Maybe Smiths comments go some way to explaining last weeks performance.
A few bad apples.

Think we might have an orchard...

[paul_e]

I don't know if it's bad apples, I think a lot of our older players came through a different mindset where the fitness levels didn't need to be so high and having not had a summer to work on getting up there the bodies just aren't able to deliver what Smith is asking for. Most younger players will have come through seeing teams like Barca and Dortmund that have bags of talent but also have the fitness levels to keep a pressing game going and are well drilled in defending as a unit.

Whelan, Taylor, Hutton, Elphick, Chester will never really have experienced that having spent most of their careers playing for 'defend the box' managers like Bruce and Pulis.

[brontebilly]

Purslow didn't start until 1st September. How's he accountable?

He was certainly key to Abraham coming in on deadline day https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.telegraph.co.uk/football/2018/08/31/aston-villa-open-contract-talks-jack-grealish-tammy-abraham/amp/.

There was no way Bruce was responsible for the Mendez duo of Morreira and El Ghazi coming in. I had presumed Purslow was around for them but seem like board solo runs now.

[Ads]

No we only appointed him on the 31st August it seems and he started the following day.

There was talk about an agent helping Bruce with signings.

[Villa75]

Maybe Smiths comments go some way to explaining last weeks performance.
A few bad apples.

Where's that, recycled, excuse come from?

[Ads]

I've not read Smith complain about attitudes. He has said it's a good but lopsided squad. Nothing about trouble makers, just players wanting to play and as well they all should.

[Toronto Villa]

I've not read Smith complain about attitudes. He has said it's a good but lopsided squad. Nothing about trouble makers, just players wanting to play and as well they all should.

Yes probably. It's more a case he wants the team to play a certain way and they can't do it. It's only natural for players to becomes frustrated with losing or not playing well and not being selected. Something Smith has played a large role in picking certain players consistently who have failed to perform.

The challenging thing for all of us is now we know just what it could look like, seeing what it has become recently while acknowledging the issues run much deeper than the time he has been allowed thus far to address many years of haphazard squad management. And all the time wanting to get out of this division and get back to what we can be as a top division football club.

[ChicagoLion]

Maybe Smiths comments go some way to explaining last weeks performance.
A few bad apples.

Where's that, recycled, excuse come from?

It’s not an excuse, it’s a suggested supposition.

[Villa75]

Ah, supposition? A belief held without proof. I'm with you now.

I think the modern parlance is 'bullshit'.

[Percy McCarthy]

Ah, supposition? A belief held without proof. I'm with you now.

I think the modern parlance is 'bullshit'.

He’s just putting it out there, as Franksy would say. No need to be rude.