Dean Smith - Confirmed

[mr underhill]

yep was married to the utterly shagtastic Natalie Sawyer.

[Mister E]

Not conceding has to be the foundation stone of any survival campaign.
When we came up at the end of last season, we had a relatively poor goals-against record; and not just a result of Bruce's early-season tenure. So, we had form for defensive frailty, not addressed in this campaign.

Our defensive record was about average for the league until Heaton got crocked. Steer and Nyland are both decent shot stoppers but neither seemEd to organise those in front of them. It’s been ok again since the restart as they’ve obviously had time to work on it again with an experienced keeper.

The point stands - we've conceded shitloads of goals.

[dave.woodhall]

New manager please whether we stay up or go down.   

Would you have said the same about Graham Taylor? I'm not trying to score points but I'd be interested to know.

[N'ZMAV]

New manager please whether we stay up or go down.   

Would you have said the same about Graham Taylor? I'm not trying to score points but I'd be interested to know.

yeah - he should have got Wolves up

[Rudy65]

New manager please whether we stay up or go down.   

Would you have said the same about Graham Taylor? I'm not trying to score points but I'd be interested to know.

I agree with Tony. If by some miracle we manage to stay up it shouldn’t be forgotten the numerous awful displays since December.

GT had a great track record with Watford beforehand to give him time After we just survived in 89. DS has none and that’s why I never wanted him in the first place. I just don’t see it getting any better with him

[Taylor]

Rather surprised and pleased that most of the opinions on here seem to be less knee jerk than anticipated. I thought I was going to get pelters for daring to suggest we stick with Smith.

[brian green]

Pelty does not come on here very much.

[Taylor]

Ha ha!

[brontebilly]

The defence has been poor but that wouldn't have mattered so much if we'd had a semi-reliable goalscorer.

The stats say otherwise though. 65 goals conceded is a disgraceful statistic and the alarm bells were there from very early on this season. It's not even just down to the defence, our midfield were putting up a pitiful lack of resistance until Luiz stepped it up post lockdown. Our wingers or forwards never worked remotely hard enough without the ball either. That is ultimately down to Smith and making us a competent team without the ball should have his first objective. Just think he was totally naive about his 'philosophy' and how suited it was to the top division.

Maybe a better centre forward could have helped pinch a few additional points but 38 goals scored hasn't hurt Sheff Utd.

[Three Spires Villa]

New manager please whether we stay up or go down.   

Would you have said the same about Graham Taylor? I'm not trying to score points but I'd be interested to know.

Hindsight is a great thing

[charlatan]

I saw that video on Twitter earlier. It was two and a half minutes of him saying that he wasn't bitter whilst spending two and a half minutes sounding bitter.

Was he doing his doesn't really matter face?

[sickbeggar]

If he keeps us up i wouldn't have a problem with him staying. I know that wouldn't be universally popular but the whole financial/personell shitshow in the preceeding season has hampered him badly imo, and i actually feel a bit of loyalty towards a villa manager, for the first time since before MON. If we go down, well its probably fair enough, although if we end up with 2020's Steve Bruce  i wont be happy.

[pauliewalnuts]

If he keeps us up, I'd be inclined to give him the start of next season.

[eamonn]

Whatever happens, I hope we don't give the job to Clive Tyldesley.

[AsTallAsLions]

If he keeps us up, it will have been by the skin of our collective teeth, and I'd rather not wilfully put us in that position again. Unknowingly walking into a relegation dogfight is one thing: setting ourselves up for it again is quite another.