Dean Smith - Confirmed

[brontebilly]

We left a lot of points behind early in the season. Arsenal & West Ham both down to ten men but we got one point from those two games for example. But we have been tactically naive throughout and powder puff to play against. Smith has to carry the can for that and should have been replaced quite a while ago. We have been sleep walking to relegation for months, despite having one of the best players in the league in our team. Purslow as CEO tolerating it is another firing offence.

The recruitment from Belgium was a disaster, completely had on Wes, Nakamba very average, Engels started very well but seemed to fall out with Smith, Trez ex Belgium league, L1 at best. Suso has to take responsibility for that. I firmly expect Smith was key to some of the domestic flops Jota, Konsa, Targett, two of which were far from cheap. AEG, Luiz, Guilbert all had and have potential but again had no experience of this level and it showed.

Failure to implement a solid spine in the team has done us.

[dave.woodhall]

We left a lot of points behind early in the season. Arsenal & West Ham both down to ten men but we got one point from those two games for example. But we have been tactically naive throughout and powder puff to play against. Smith has to carry the can for that and should have been replaced quite a while ago. We have been sleep walking to relegation for months, despite having one of the best players in the league in our team. Purslow as CEO tolerating it is another firing offence.

The recruitment from Belgium was a disaster, completely had on Wes, Nakamba very average, Engels started very well but seemed to fall out with Smith, Trez ex Belgium league, L1 at best. Suso has to take responsibility for that. I firmly expect Smith was key to some of the domestic flops Jota, Konsa, Targett, two of which were far from cheap. AEG, Luiz, Guilbert all had and have potential but again had no experience of this level and it showed.

Failure to implement a solid spine in the team has done us.

As long as you're happy.

[brian green]

The girl selling the scratch cards was a good pick.

[Mister E]

We left a lot of points behind early in the season. Arsenal & West Ham both down to ten men but we got one point from those two games for example. But we have been tactically naive throughout and powder puff to play against. Smith has to carry the can for that and should have been replaced quite a while ago. We have been sleep walking to relegation for months, despite having one of the best players in the league in our team. Purslow as CEO tolerating it is another firing offence.

The recruitment from Belgium was a disaster, completely had on Wes, Nakamba very average, Engels started very well but seemed to fall out with Smith, Trez ex Belgium league, L1 at best. Suso has to take responsibility for that. I firmly expect Smith was key to some of the domestic flops Jota, Konsa, Targett, two of which were far from cheap. AEG, Luiz, Guilbert all had and have potential but again had no experience of this level and it showed.

Failure to implement a solid spine in the team has done us.

And there's a lot of judgement going on after the first season. Several of these players (almost certainly not Jota and Trez) will come good, given the time.

[DB]

That's great, we should wait for them to come good while we get relegated

[Mister E]

That's great, we should wait for them to come good while we get relegated

That wasn't the point.
We know from previous seasons how some acquisitions take time to adapt (Veretout, Gueye, Amavi, etc).
Which is why the acquisition strategy last year was flawed: not enough blending of experience in with the newbies.

[paul_e]

That's great, we should wait for them to come good while we get relegated

That wasn't the point.
We know from previous seasons how some acquisitions take time to adapt (Veretout, Gueye, Amavi, etc).
Which is why the acquisition strategy last year was flawed: not enough blending of experience in with the newbies.

... However having made the same mistake we shouldn't double down on it again by letting all these players go and not benefit from the experience they've gained.

[DB]

That's great, we should wait for them to come good while we get relegated

That wasn't the point.
We know from previous seasons how some acquisitions take time to adapt (Veretout, Gueye, Amavi, etc).
Which is why the acquisition strategy last year was flawed: not enough blending of experience in with the newbies.

I agree with the point re recruitment policy, but also they may have just got it wrong and just not good enough quality. In any case we should have bought better, having just come up via the play offs with a huge gap to jump to stay up in the PL, taking on the players we did was daft.

[Three Spires Villa]

We left a lot of points behind early in the season. Arsenal & West Ham both down to ten men but we got one point from those two games for example. But we have been tactically naive throughout and powder puff to play against. Smith has to carry the can for that and should have been replaced quite a while ago. We have been sleep walking to relegation for months, despite having one of the best players in the league in our team. Purslow as CEO tolerating it is another firing offence.

The recruitment from Belgium was a disaster, completely had on Wes, Nakamba very average, Engels started very well but seemed to fall out with Smith, Trez ex Belgium league, L1 at best. Suso has to take responsibility for that. I firmly expect Smith was key to some of the domestic flops Jota, Konsa, Targett, two of which were far from cheap. AEG, Luiz, Guilbert all had and have potential but again had no experience of this level and it showed.

Failure to implement a solid spine in the team has done us.

As long as you're happy.

Hmmm, are you happy. Odd thing to reply. I thought he made some good points.

[Mister E]

That's great, we should wait for them to come good while we get relegated

That wasn't the point.
We know from previous seasons how some acquisitions take time to adapt (Veretout, Gueye, Amavi, etc).
Which is why the acquisition strategy last year was flawed: not enough blending of experience in with the newbies.

I agree with the point re recruitment policy, but also they may have just got it wrong and just not good enough quality. In any case we should have bought better, having just come up via the play offs with a huge gap to jump to stay up in the PL, taking on the players we did was daft.

Agreed. I weep to think we dumped £9m on Trez and £14m on Targett. Yes, the latter had EPL experience but there is little to commend him vs a top-quality 2nd tier left back with youth and enthusiasm on his side, for example. And, RHM or COH (or even Green) would have been a better gamble than Trez.

[Steve67]

Smith went to watch Trezegeut and gave the deal the thumbs up.  Super shit signing.

[DB]

That's great, we should wait for them to come good while we get relegated

That wasn't the point.
We know from previous seasons how some acquisitions take time to adapt (Veretout, Gueye, Amavi, etc).
Which is why the acquisition strategy last year was flawed: not enough blending of experience in with the newbies.

I agree with the point re recruitment policy, but also they may have just got it wrong and just not good enough quality. In any case we should have bought better, having just come up via the play offs with a huge gap to jump to stay up in the PL, taking on the players we did was daft.

Agreed. I weep to think we dumped £9m on Trez and £14m on Targett. Yes, the latter had EPL experience but there is little to commend him vs a top-quality 2nd tier left back with youth and enthusiasm on his side, for example. And, RHM or COH (or even Green) would have been a better gamble than Trez.

Cahill for Guilbert another example

[Toronto Villa]

Guilbert was already signed. Cahill for Konsa maybe, if Cahill wanted to actually move to us which I doubt.

[Three Spires Villa]

Guilbert was already signed. Cahill for Konsa maybe, if Cahill wanted to actually move to us which I doubt.

Who knows he might of, might not, we should have tried though, a mistake for me.

[sickbeggar]

yep. Cahill was a no-brainer. We needed that premier league experience in the defence.