Dean Smith - Confirmed

[Damo70]

I am as despondent as everyone else on here but we probably shouldn't be surprised. From the minute MON walked out of the door we became a poor Premier League side culminating in a relegation season that was shambolic even for a relegated club. We had a 'smoke and mirrors' owner take over and probably jettisoned RDM too soon. We then swiftly became a bang average Championship team apart from the glimmer of hope that the play offs provided. We had the worst pre season turmoil I can remember in my time supporting Villa and however grateful we are for the takeover it came far later in the summer than was ideal. The owners stuck with Bruce and gave him a chance, which at the time all things considered I thought was the right thing to do. Now we appear to have the right owners and the right structure and we also have a promising Championship manager many people wanted us to appoint (he wasn't my first choice but he was right up there on my list). The fact is that apart from our run to the play off final, in the last eight years we have gone from six years of fighting relegation to nearly three years of in general being bang average in the Championship. A late takeover and a manager brought in after the season had started was far from the ideal scenario. I am not entirely convinced Dean Smit is the man to get us up but I think he deserves a pre season and some time next season to get it right. I think it is bite the bullet time for us fans. Obviously we could still go up this season but at the moment everything points to us still being in this league next season.

[LukeJames]

He won't if results carry on like this and nor should he be.

You think a manager known for his high intensity attacking football won't be here next season based on his current results with a bunch of cloggers that have no idea how to play his way? he'll be here in August without a shadow of a doubt.

Again, you can’t just absolve the manager’s responsibility. He needs to show that he has a clue how to adapt, and manage the squad he has now.

If we wanted a manager that could come in and adapt to these players then we should of called up Allardyce or Pulis. Thankfully from my perspective, we thought more long term.

[Ads]

It's no worse than Bruce, but comes with the happened expectation it will get better. Under Wor Bruce we knew that was the limit.

Wrap it up how you like. Much worse.

It isn't. Results are the same. We had 60 minutes of good football against Brentford and 20 minutes against Hull under Bruce in August. I'd say Smith is well up on that.

[pauliewalnuts]

One of the problems is that we keep seeing certain players who have not delivered starting week after week.

Hourihane has been having a nightmare for months and Whelan is past it but there they are, every week.

I know we are not over endowed with midfield options but we do have them - he used one when he yanked Hourihane today.

But what is the betting Hourihane and Whelan start next week?

That's what I don't get. The repeated use of players who just don't deliver, in largely the same system.

I just don't see how that ever magically starts working beyond the odd scrappy point.

Not over endowed?

3 are injured, 1 is suspended next week, leaving Jedi, Whelan, BB, Hourihane & Ramsey.

What 3 would you pick?

I'm not just talking about next week, I am talking since he arrived.

I don't think Hourihane is terrible but he has been having a nightmare week after week now and still gets picked. The longer that goes on, the less likely we are to get anything out of him.

[PaulWinch again]

He won't if results carry on like this and nor should he be.

You think a manager known for his high intensity attacking football won't be here next season based on his current results with a bunch of cloggers that have no idea how to play his way? he'll be here in August without a shadow of a doubt.

Again, you can’t just absolve the manager’s responsibility. He needs to show that he has a clue how to adapt, and manage the squad he has now.

If we wanted a manager that could come in and adapt to these players then we should of called up Allardyce or Pulis. Thankfully from my perspective, we thought more long term.

Well no, it doesn’t mean you have to hoof it. However maybe we could tweak the system a bit.

Long-term is clearly important, but if I’m thinking long-term I’d want to see my manager showing the capability to adapt to adversity.

[Ads]

Jack and McGinn are good enough to carry another or at least make Hourihane look ok.

I'd definitely mix it up now. Give Ramsey a bash with his energy and brightness. If Angela, Jack and Carroll are back, then chuck them in.

Do something different Smith.

[PaulWinch again]

Jack and McGinn are good enough to carry another or at least make Hourihane look ok.

I'd definitely mix it up now. Give Ramsey a bash with his energy and brightness. If Angela, Jack and Carroll are back, then chuck them in.

Do something different Smith.

And that’s exactly it.

[Lastfootstamper]

Jack and McGinn are good enough to carry another or at least make Hourihane look ok.

I'd definitely mix it up now. Give Ramsey a bash with his energy and brightness. If Angela, Jack and Carroll are back, then chuck them in.

Do something different Smith.

And that’s exactly it.

And I imagine he will. But he can't while they aren't available.

[LukeJames]

He won't if results carry on like this and nor should he be.

You think a manager known for his high intensity attacking football won't be here next season based on his current results with a bunch of cloggers that have no idea how to play his way? he'll be here in August without a shadow of a doubt.

Again, you can’t just absolve the manager’s responsibility. He needs to show that he has a clue how to adapt, and manage the squad he has now.

If we wanted a manager that could come in and adapt to these players then we should of called up Allardyce or Pulis. Thankfully from my perspective, we thought more long term.

Well no, it doesn’t mean you have to hoof it. However maybe we could tweak the system a bit.

Long-term is clearly important, but if I’m thinking long-term I’d want to see my manager showing the capability to adapt to adversity.

We're probably going to end up going round in circles here, and I can genuinely see your side to it but im hoping he will be able to adapt to adversity when he has his own squad. Hopefully having the kind of players that he is comfortable working with will mean he has different ways and ideas to deal with different scenarios, he certainly talks a good tactical game.

[villa `cross the mersey]

In his post match interview Smith bemoaned that Albion Sat on their 2-0 lead making it difficult for us ......no shit Sherlock !!!
What did he expect them to do ? Leave themselves wide open so we could just waltz through their defence
I'm not seeing the forward thinking tactical exponent we thought we were getting -  I agree with an earlier post which suggests he is like a deer/rabbit caught in the headlights of an oncoming car - and yes he is looking a bit jaded

[Toronto Villa]

He needs to start planning for next season and bring kids in for these shit, old fuckers until Jack gets back. The current approach has failed. Ditch shit like Whelan, Jedinak, Hourihane and others where possible and start getting different players involved. Picking Whelan week after week after week is a recipe for unmitigated disaster.

[Risso]

The trouble is I can't see where the next win is coming from.  None of the next five look like very winnable.

Not sure it matters, this season is over.

I think it only matters in as far as that if he only gets one or two points, he could be toast.

[KRS]

He won't if results carry on like this and nor should he be.

You think a manager known for his high intensity attacking football won't be here next season based on his current results with a bunch of cloggers that have no idea how to play his way? he'll be here in August without a shadow of a doubt.

Again, you can’t just absolve the manager’s responsibility. He needs to show that he has a clue how to adapt, and manage the squad he has now.

Do you genuinely and honestly really think that the squad available to Smith right now is better than the sum of its return in terms of performances and results? If so, please enlighten us all as to how Smith should get more out of the likes of Hutton, Elmo, Taylor, Whelan, Hologram, Jedinak, Kodjia, Adomoh, El Ghazi and BB.

[Risso]

He won't if results carry on like this and nor should he be.

You think a manager known for his high intensity attacking football won't be here next season based on his current results with a bunch of cloggers that have no idea how to play his way? he'll be here in August without a shadow of a doubt.

Again, you can’t just absolve the manager’s responsibility. He needs to show that he has a clue how to adapt, and manage the squad he has now.

Do you genuinely and honestly really think that the squad available to Smith right now is better than the sum of its return in terms of performances and results?

It's better than getting horsed 3-0 by Wigan.

[Roysmert]

One of the problems is that we keep seeing certain players who have not delivered starting week after week.

Hourihane has been having a nightmare for months and Whelan is past it but there they are, every week.

I know we are not over endowed with midfield options but we do have them - he used one when he yanked Hourihane today.

But what is the betting Hourihane and Whelan start next week?

That's what I don't get. The repeated use of players who just don't deliver, in largely the same system.

I just don't see how that ever magically starts working beyond the odd scrappy point.

Not over endowed?

3 are injured, 1 is suspended next week, leaving Jedi, Whelan, BB, Hourihane & Ramsey.

What 3 would you pick?

I'm not just talking about next week, I am talking since he arrived.

I don't think Hourihane is terrible but he has been having a nightmare week after week now and still gets picked. The longer that goes on, the less likely we are to get anything out of him.

Just a bit over the top, "nightmare week after week".