Dean Smith - Confirmed

[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

Surely you have just contradicted yourself - Bruce could not get a tune out of his team, when Jack & Axel were fit and playing - DS has not been able to get a consistent tune out of most of the Bruce team, when Jack & Axel were injured & Chester was playing with an injury.
Criticism is only constructive with an alternative proposal, otherwise it just comes across as "fix it, but I have no idea what with" attitude.
I'm waiting for the majority of the team to be his chosen players, before I cast judgement.

I'm talking 're Bruce when he came in first post RDM when the target was certainly getting us into the play-off race. That led to panic buying in Jan of that season before the season was written off soon after. It's happened again for Smith here. They aren't his players, needs a couple of transfer windows, players need time to adapt to his system etc. It's the same excuses Bruce, Hughes, Pardew, MON would trot out. Smith had no problem with the same players when things were going well early on.

In terms of fixing, Smith hasn't adapted at all since Grealish got injured. Still playing the same formation when 2 up top could and should have been tried. Motivational wise he seems to be really struggling with a core of the team, it's not all about age, look at Billy Sharp last night for example.

Our Jan transfer business pretty much contradicted all Smith's sound bites. Spending 7m on a keeper when we already had a match fit Steer and glaring holes elsewhere. Signing Mings and Hause on loan to effectively compete for same position while Taylor remains first choice left back. A cluster fuck in midfield, with Fer considered and then Carroll brought in at the last minute, to resolve the biggest problem area in the team, the holding midfielder role, neither of which could or will fix it.

I'm all for giving Smith time but reasoned analysis shouldn't be dumbed down because of the reasons you are giving. The manager is really struggling and the evidence is in our results.

[LukeJames]

Funny you saying that, from the outside looking in I think Moore's doing a very good job but my two Albion mates from work are not overly keen on him, saying he's a good motivator but not tactically aware. Sounds like a younger Bruce and your description of them sounds like they could be managed by Bruce.

[Toronto Villa]

Give them that under Pardew whey we’re a disaster, Moore took over too late to turn them around even though results really improved. Then after they came down with limited experience of management he’s turned them into promotion contenders immediately. They’re sitting 5 points off top so Albion fans need to fucking get a grip if they are questioning the job Moore is doing.

[Three Spires Villa]

Give them that under Pardew whey we’re a disaster, Moore took over too late to turn them around even though results really improved. Then after they came down with limited experience of management he’s turned them into promotion contenders immediately. They’re sitting 5 points off top so Albion fans need to fucking get a grip if they are questioning the job Moore is doing.

Said something similar to two WBA fans (who are ok, but don’t go!)
In my local about an hour ago. They both think we will beat them, not sure if they were taking the piss!!!!

[OzVilla]

I notice on Twitter quite a few of the players mentioning the strong ‘team spirit’.

It rankles with me a bit as we’ve had loads of abject days like Wigan or Reading, where was the ‘team spirit’ then?

We are a side bumbling around mid table in the championship who’ve spent more than enough the last few years to be expecting much better and they crap on about ‘team spirit’. Smoke and mirrors to me.

[brian green]

In the first 82 minutes of last night's game I cannot remember ever seeing so many instances of Villa players doing the raised arm gesture "apologising" for wild, stupid, can't be arsed, over hit, under hit, straight into touch passes. If that is team spirit I would prefer them to hate each other and pass the ball properly.

[SoccerHQ]

Give them that under Pardew whey we’re a disaster, Moore took over too late to turn them around even though results really improved. Then after they came down with limited experience of management he’s turned them into promotion contenders immediately. They’re sitting 5 points off top so Albion fans need to fucking get a grip if they are questioning the job Moore is doing.

If you get good forward players at this level you'll challenge. They have Gayle good for 20-25 goals and Harvey Barnes was in amazing form up to being recalled in January. Phillips is also a good player although injured atm. They've also added Jefferson Montero and Jacob Murphy into the mix.

Yes we've got Tammy but think how bad our wide players are compared to last season when Adomah went on his amazing scoring run and Snodgrass delivered excellent performances on the other side.

[adrenachrome]

In the first 82 minutes of last night's game I cannot remember ever seeing so many instances of Villa players doing the raised arm gesture "apologising" for wild, stupid, can't be arsed, over hit, under hit, straight into touch passes. If that is team spirit I would prefer them to hate each other and pass the ball properly.

An interesting observation, Brian.

I think the game plan was to let them shag themselves out with their frenetic pressing game and pick them off with long passes to set up counter attacks. Quite a few PL teams are doing this now, to great effect.

Didn't work out, as we witnessed.

[brian green]

I think you are right adrena.  For all but the last tenth of the game it was as though our players, with the honourable exception of JMG and TM had been told to give the opposition plenty of room to move the ball about, like draughts on a draughts board, each with their own space.

[Steve67]

Weres this idea that McGinn will be gone next season come from? I'm seeing it more and more. People talking as if its a foregone conclusion and its already happened.
Theres not a fucking chance that he will be gone, not a single chance that we will sell him.

It's the same with Grealish.  I think that both will still be at Villa next season.  I reckon Smith will alter the midfield to give us a 4231 to fit them both in to the side comfortably and will find the other three midfield players to protect the two of them.  Next season will be our year.

[Marlon From Bearwood]

This might be an unpopular opinion but I don’t think McGinn is good enough for the PL
(at the moment) so I can’t see anyone paying huge money for him.

Don’t get me wrong, I love watching him play - his work rate is phenomenal and he’s hugely important to us in this division. I just think his final pass or shot lacks the consistent quality needed to play at the top level.

[andyh]

Weres this idea that McGinn will be gone next season come from? I'm seeing it more and more. People talking as if its a foregone conclusion and its already happened.
Theres not a fucking chance that he will be gone, not a single chance that we will sell him.

It's the same with Grealish.  I think that both will still be at Villa next season.  I reckon Smith will alter the midfield to give us a 4231 to fit them both in to the side comfortably and will find the other three midfield players to protect the two of them.  Next season will be our year.

The saving grace for us regarding jack is his “injury”.
Who is going to shell out what the club wants on a player who has an injury like this that is a little ‘no specific’ that could potentially be a recurring thing.

[Steve67]

That's partly my thinking Andy.  I also can't see Spuds coming back in for him and I think he'll give us a proper year under Smith.

[Lastfootstamper]

This might be an unpopular opinion but I don’t think McGinn is good enough for the PL
(at the moment) so I can’t see anyone paying huge money for him.

Don’t get me wrong, I love watching him play - his work rate is phenomenal and he’s hugely important to us in this division. I just think his final pass or shot lacks the consistent quality needed to play at the top level.

I have to agree. We're now nine years from a top six PL finish. At each level of our descent, our reckoning of what constitutes a good player has receded accordingly.

Last summer, Chester. Nah.

Likewise Johnstone, top 6 keeper? I know he wasn't ours anyway, back in this division.

Grealish. For all the conjecture, it was one club. One. With a derisory bid.

Window just gone, Abraham back to Chelsea. To spearhead their CL push?

Alan Hutton, new contract. That's our level.

I love McGinn, he's a joy to watch. I wish they all displayed his industry. I hope he improves as we do. But right now, talk of him being off in the summer, that's just not happening. Not to the PL, anyway.

[SoccerHQ]

That's partly my thinking Andy.  I also can't see Spuds coming back in for him and I think he'll give us a proper year under Smith.

Flip side is he's coming up to mid 20s and a player of his quality simply needs to be back in premier league sooner than later. I really respect his loyalty and know he wants to get us back up there but for a start his international ambitions are on hold playing down here and that will be one thought crossing his mind.

With McGinn a little different. Hasn't been down here long and while clubs are looking I agree they might decide he's not quite ready. Think it would be more Burnley or Brighton standard looking at him and doubt either could afford what we'd demand.

Said it before but I'd make him captain in the summer and really make sure he knows he's valued.