Dean Smith - Confirmed

[TonyD]

I can stick with a manager when you can see what he is trying to achieve even if not necessarily getting the results.

But his team selection, tactics, game management recently have been truly awful - sackable awful.

I said last week if he started Wes up front on his own again that he should be sacked.   

So the sack is what’s needed to keep us up.

[Holte L2]

Seriously though, if we're sliding this fast it'll have to happen with the majority of the transfer window still available, and it'll need to be a manager who has a defined, organised style and knows how tough it is to grind out cheap results in this league. I can only really think of Benitez.

If we're talking about replacements now, I'd love to see Pochettino managing Villa.

Well if we are talking replacements, I'd absolutely love to see Carlo Ancelotti managing the Villa.

[TonyD]

Seriously though, if we're sliding this fast it'll have to happen with the majority of the transfer window still available, and it'll need to be a manager who has a defined, organised style and knows how tough it is to grind out cheap results in this league. I can only really think of Benitez.

If we're talking about replacements now, I'd love to see Pochettino managing Villa.

Well if we are talking replacements, I'd absolutely love to see Carlo Ancelotti managing the Villa.

He is available.  But not sure he’d get a tune out of our squad.   He is more used to going to established teams. 

[usav]

SJM has been largely shit this season.

Having injections before every games apparently

Then why the fuck was he playing all those games for Scotland then?

[Mister E]

A piece on radio 5 today, as I was travelling back, was about teams losing a few on the trot. Both Howe and Dyche said that in this league you have to expect and accept that, as long as you keep the confidence and belief high. They spoke as mid-table managers, with no expectation of greatness.
The challenge for Smith is to accept this and build the belief and confidence in the squad, which - at the moment - looks low.
He also needs to look at himself and deicde whether he and his management team are playing to their strengths and capabilities. I don't - for example - see the influence of Terry in our game.

[Three Spires Villa]

Seriously though, if we're sliding this fast it'll have to happen with the majority of the transfer window still available, and it'll need to be a manager who has a defined, organised style and knows how tough it is to grind out cheap results in this league. I can only really think of Benitez.

If we're talking about replacements now, I'd love to see Pochettino managing Villa.

Well if we are talking replacements, I'd absolutely love to see Carlo Ancelotti managing the Villa.

Ancelotti, yes please. Just don’t see it happening

[Sexual Ealing]

Seriously though, if we're sliding this fast it'll have to happen with the majority of the transfer window still available, and it'll need to be a manager who has a defined, organised style and knows how tough it is to grind out cheap results in this league. I can only really think of Benitez.

If we're talking about replacements now, I'd love to see Pochettino managing Villa.

Well if we are talking replacements, I'd absolutely love to see Carlo Ancelotti managing the Villa.

Not Klopp, or the ghost of Jock Stein?

[Clampy]

I wouldn't be doing anything rash. Let's stick with the guy and see if he can turn round the current slump we are in. He's earnt that at least.

[AsTallAsLions]

He needs a different system. He's smart enough to come up with something, but just stubborn enough that he'll persist with this one for too long, IMO.

[Flin5tone]

Good championship manager and he has a four year deal and looks like we'll be heading back there so not all bad.

[PaulWinch again]

He does need more tactical flexibility. It’s incredibly rare, if ever, Dean changes tactics to alter the course of a game. It all feels very much off a single playbook, he needs to do more.

[PeterWithe]

We were very unlucky not to win at Old Trafford a fee short games ago.

He’s one of us, he’s done fantastically well and we are ahead of schedule.

In sickness and in health....

[PaulWinch again]

We were very unlucky not to win at Old Trafford a fee short games ago.

He’s one of us, he’s done fantastically well and we are ahead of schedule.

In sickness and in health....

I want him to succeed, but he needs to show he can vary his strategy and tactics. We drop far too many points from half time onwards in games.

[Footy-Vill]

As I say after handing out a drubbing to Liverpool to move into the league cup semi finals and then beat Southampton for some daylight from bottom 3 some people's views will be very different this time next Saturday .

Hold steady as Smith is very decent and his football philosophy is superb.
I think talk of replacements or that he's not up to standard is far too premature and a little crass.

I back him 100 %

[gpbarr]

This is a game of money and there is no way the owners will be sitting there thinking Deano is “one of us”. Rather I suspect they will be looking at the table and seriously asking questions of Purslow about what’s going on and what needs to be done to preserve their investment. Just the way it is. If results don’t improve over the festive season, I think we will be appointing a new manager before the end of January