Dean Smith - Confirmed

[Bad English]

I knew you'd be there.

[Monty]

I'm afraid the team looks predictable, plodding, lacking in sparkle and devoid of imagination. I know the players are on a budget and everything, but not more so than Leeds who, for all their defensive ludicrousness, do show that you can train modest players to attack with style. We don't have any of that right now.

[Risso]

He’s run out of ideas. The rest of this season isn’t going to be pretty.

[TonyD]

Stat masters. 

What are the stats for Jack starting games under Smith?   

[OzVilla]

Well if his teams generally finish the season stronger then he’s got a hell of a job to do with this lot. Surprised at our lack of ideas and energy. Looks like we’ve hit the wall early.

[Villan82]

I'm afraid the team looks predictable, plodding, lacking in sparkle and devoid of imagination. I know the players are on a budget and everything, but not more so than Leeds who, for all their defensive ludicrousness, do show that you can train modest players to attack with style. We don't have any of that right now.

On paper we have had a good season. But if I were a betting man, I would back Leeds to kick on next season under Bielsa and would have a question mark here, for us.

[Ketzster]

Stat masters. 

What are the stats for Jack starting games under Smith?

I think it’s 4 wins in 25 games without him since Smith took over

[Brend'Watkins]

Two quality midfielders and another striker. Not more of the same averageness. The defence is good as is the keeper but when Watkins is off form we don’t have anything. Lucas Mora was the kind of player I had in mind for starters.

[Ad@m]

I'm afraid the team looks predictable, plodding, lacking in sparkle and devoid of imagination. I know the players are on a budget and everything, but not more so than Leeds who, for all their defensive ludicrousness, do show that you can train modest players to attack with style. We don't have any of that right now.

The weird thing is the team is pretty much the same as the one at the start of the season that was rattling the goals in and creating chances galore.  It's not all about Jack as we started going off the boil before he got injured.

But the stats don't lie - 6 goals in 10 matches isn't going to win you many games.  It's actually amazing we've won 3 of them!

[CT Villan]

We used to be a front-foot attacking team that were usually competitive in all games and usually good to watch including winning a fair number of our games. Dean has turned us back into an overly defensive counter-attacking team lacking in flair and creativity. The only bright spots of late are Konsa and Targett.

We are safe, which is nice, but we could have so much more.

[Ads]

We need more quality in the final third if we're to push on.

[Pete3206]

There was an image tonight of Smith looking towards the pitch clueless, while Shakespeare and Kelly waved their arms around with puzzled expressions.

The hopeless scene summed up the last month or so. Some big decisions needed in the summer.

[olaftab]

When Dean has been "found out" by other teams after a good start he has not shown the agility to respond effectively. Our last 10 or so games have been relegation standard. Time for Purslow & Co to make an assessment.

[Rudy65]

Why not do something different for a change? Surely all good leaders do this when things aren’t going well?

We have been poor for 8 or so games. The three wingers have consistently been inconsistent and are out of form. Spurs are playing badly and have been turned over in the week. Their CH’s are either out of form, average or both. Therefore why not play Davis up front with Ollie and probably Bertie and go long? Our three midfielders don’t have the ability to break Spurs down by passing through them. But no we do the same thing that hasn’t worked before and are surprised by the conclusion. Poor, poor tactics and lack of flexibility. Some players are undroppable and it shows.

[Toronto Villa]

I said the other day we as Villa fans don’t need to fire Dean Smith. It’s ruthless at this level and frankly if he cannot push us on his future will look after itself. He has tremendous goodwill built up. He earned that. But now he is drawing on those savings and in the end there will be nothing left in the bank if he cannot rediscover what made us exciting to watch in the early parts of this season. The owners won’t put up with this if we go from nose bleeding thoughts of CL to a bottom half finish.