Dean Smith - Confirmed

[andyh]

Percy now reporting that Smith is ‘fighting for his job’ with the Chelsea game being the crux.

https://twitter.com/avfctranstweet/status/1237507379597623298?s=21

[Villa75]

If I remember correctly, a poll on here resulted in around 98% of respondents voting that we would stay up. I seem to remember this poll taking place after we had spent £150,000,000 on new recruits. Recruits that the manager seemed happy with.

Being part of that 98%, I would want Smith sacked if he fails to keep us up.

[Toronto Villa]

Percy now reporting that Smith is ‘fighting for his job’ with the Chelsea game being the crux.

https://twitter.com/avfctranstweet/status/1237507379597623298?s=21

Just posted the same in the Smith out thread Andy. It’s not exactly a stretch to make that assessment for any member of the media but Percy is generally pretty close to a lot coming out of Villa. I’m sure the club will just hate to fire him but in the end the cost (not just financial) of relegation will be incredible and something that has to be corrected while there is time to do so.

[Brassneck]

It makes sense.

The results have been appalling for some time.

There’s a 2 week break after Chelsea.  With only 5 days before the game, it would have been difficult to do it this week.

[pauliewalnuts]

Percy now reporting that Smith is ‘fighting for his job’ with the Chelsea game being the crux.

https://twitter.com/avfctranstweet/status/1237507379597623298?s=21

Just posted the same in the Smith out thread Andy. It’s not exactly a stretch to make that assessment for any member of the media but Percy is generally pretty close to a lot coming out of Villa. I’m sure the club will just hate to fire him but in the end the cost (not just financial) of relegation will be incredible and something that has to be corrected while there is time to do so.

General rule of thumb = if John Percy says it, it is almost certainly true.

[Luke8]

Not doubting the validity of the report but I always find the one/two games to save his job idea an odd concept. Say we win on Saturday (unlikely a scenario as it may be, I know) he is then good enough to keep his job? Seems a short sighted way of looking at things whatever your feelings on the manager.

[pauliewalnuts]

Not doubting the validity of the report but I always find the one/two games to save his job idea an odd concept. Say we win on Saturday (unlikely a scenario as it may be, I know) he is then good enough to keep his job? Seems a short sighted way of looking at things whatever your feelings on the manager.

I guess there has to be a tipping point, a last chance saloon in these things.

If he gets us three points against Chelsea, I'd give him more time.

He won't, though.

[Steve67]

There is a big difference between winning a single game, and then sustaining that level of performance.  We do not have the players to pull it off. SJM coming back is a huge boost but we lack the physicality in the middle of the park and are easy to play against because we cannot avoid making simple mistakes.  If other teams are patient enough, they press us and wait for the mistakes to come.  Not signing a tough central midfielder will come back to haunt Smith.  I am absolutely stunned that they signed Drinkwater, when they needed an N'didi.  Terrible decision.

[pauliewalnuts]

Percy now reporting that Smith is ‘fighting for his job’ with the Chelsea game being the crux.

https://twitter.com/avfctranstweet/status/1237507379597623298?s=21

Just posted the same in the Smith out thread Andy. It’s not exactly a stretch to make that assessment for any member of the media but Percy is generally pretty close to a lot coming out of Villa. I’m sure the club will just hate to fire him but in the end the cost (not just financial) of relegation will be incredible and something that has to be corrected while there is time to do so.

General rule of thumb = if John Percy says it, it is almost certainly true.

He was doing this same story if we lost to Burnley and the league cup semis at start of year.

Yeah but in fairness to him, we didn't lose those games, did we?

[Ads]

I don't recall that.

[Luke8]

Not doubting the validity of the report but I always find the one/two games to save his job idea an odd concept. Say we win on Saturday (unlikely a scenario as it may be, I know) he is then good enough to keep his job? Seems a short sighted way of looking at things whatever your feelings on the manager.

I guess there has to be a tipping point, a last chance saloon in these things.

If he gets us three points against Chelsea, I'd give him more time.

He won't, though.

Suppose so. Wasn’t talking Smith necessarily, just the general concept that is generally reported of ‘x’ games to save their job. If Smith is the example, how many more games does a win on Saturday (I know, I know) give him then? What if he then losses the next four? Does he get another ‘game to save his job’? What if he wins that?

The general concept of making a judgement based on one game seems flawed and fairly unlikely to me. The timing with us having a decent break before we next play is probably more relevant.

Personally I think Smith is here until the end of the season regardless.

[pauliewalnuts]

Surely it wouldn't be based on one match, though, it would be based on the several months of poor results leading up to it, that one game being the tipping point.

[David_Nab]

Percy now reporting that Smith is ‘fighting for his job’ with the Chelsea game being the crux.

https://twitter.com/avfctranstweet/status/1237507379597623298?s=21

Just posted the same in the Smith out thread Andy. It’s not exactly a stretch to make that assessment for any member of the media but Percy is generally pretty close to a lot coming out of Villa. I’m sure the club will just hate to fire him but in the end the cost (not just financial) of relegation will be incredible and something that has to be corrected while there is time to do so.

General rule of thumb = if John Percy says it, it is almost certainly true.

He was doing this same story if we lost to Burnley and the league cup semis at start of year.

Yeah but in fairness to him, we didn't lose those games, did we?

I don't think we'll lose to Chelsea
And we will beat Sheff Utd as game in hand which would see us out of the bottom 3
There is every chance to stay up as much as any chance of going down.
Where I will give up hope if we lose heavily on Saturday and lose or game in hand.
Otherwise it's to the wire if villa have not already made safe.
Hardly cut adrift and we re on to the next game
The other games are pretty irrelevant till it comes down to goal difference and points

I like your confidence but the evidence from the weekend is Chelsea are going to tear us apart

[SoccerHQ]

Percy now reporting that Smith is ‘fighting for his job’ with the Chelsea game being the crux.

https://twitter.com/avfctranstweet/status/1237507379597623298?s=21

Interesting if one of the more reliable journalists on us is reporting that. Completely different to the mood over xmas when the club were right behind him.

Looks like a roll of the dice with a three week break and then congested April.

There's no way our board should just accept being meekly relegated from the premier league anyway.

[Luke8]

Surely it wouldn't be based on one match, though, it would be based on the several months of poor results leading up to it, that one game being the tipping point.

No, I agree, of course it won’t be. My, very minor, point was just on the way that it is often poorly reported in the media in my opinion.