I'd agree with Drummond on virtually every assessment above apart from El Ghazi.
Quote from: AV82EC on May 10, 2021, 12:57:00 PMI'd agree with Drummond on virtually every assessment above apart from El Ghazi.He's a tough one, he hasn't been brilliant but he's been very effective at times and that has won us points, that's 2 things I'd like in all of our attacking squad players.
Bielsa has been with Leeds longer, had most of HIS squad in place before promotion and carried the momentum of winning the league that meant his summer signings were from a similar pool to ours, 1 year earlier.Smith had to focus on numbers and bedding in a completely new squad in his first season and could focus on adding quality this year. Given there's still every chance we'll finish above Leeds anyway I don't think there's much between the 2 teams. Do people really expect the team that finishes 17th in the premier league to be starting from a significantly higher base than the team that wins the championship?
Quote from: paul_e on May 10, 2021, 11:16:27 AMBielsa has been with Leeds longer, had most of HIS squad in place before promotion and carried the momentum of winning the league that meant his summer signings were from a similar pool to ours, 1 year earlier.Smith had to focus on numbers and bedding in a completely new squad in his first season and could focus on adding quality this year. Given there's still every chance we'll finish above Leeds anyway I don't think there's much between the 2 teams. Do people really expect the team that finishes 17th in the premier league to be starting from a significantly higher base than the team that wins the championship?Wasn't that Leeds squad finishing mid table when he took over whereas DS still had the baulk of the 3rd place 17/18 to work with so have to factor that in a bit aswell.Bielsa and Smith have both done very well last 2-3 years. However think the debate is which one can really kick on over next 2 years with more spending.Interesting looking at leeds and considering many were slaughtering how bad defensively they were mid season they've just played Chelsea, Man. United, Man. City, Spurs and Liverpool in last two months and conceded 3 goals so he's adapted quitely.It's a bit like O'Neill here and the feeling he wasn't quite getting as much out of the resources as likes of Moyes and Redknapp who finished above him albeit it was marginal.I hope I'm wrong but I don't think we'll finish higher than 8th in prem with DS in charge. However he fully deserves the chance to prove me wrong next season, he's done so already.
Quote from: SoccerHQ on May 10, 2021, 01:54:03 PMQuote from: paul_e on May 10, 2021, 11:16:27 AMBielsa has been with Leeds longer, had most of HIS squad in place before promotion and carried the momentum of winning the league that meant his summer signings were from a similar pool to ours, 1 year earlier.Smith had to focus on numbers and bedding in a completely new squad in his first season and could focus on adding quality this year. Given there's still every chance we'll finish above Leeds anyway I don't think there's much between the 2 teams. Do people really expect the team that finishes 17th in the premier league to be starting from a significantly higher base than the team that wins the championship?Wasn't that Leeds squad finishing mid table when he took over whereas DS still had the baulk of the 3rd place 17/18 to work with so have to factor that in a bit aswell.Bielsa and Smith have both done very well last 2-3 years. However think the debate is which one can really kick on over next 2 years with more spending.Interesting looking at leeds and considering many were slaughtering how bad defensively they were mid season they've just played Chelsea, Man. United, Man. City, Spurs and Liverpool in last two months and conceded 3 goals so he's adapted quitely.It's a bit like O'Neill here and the feeling he wasn't quite getting as much out of the resources as likes of Moyes and Redknapp who finished above him albeit it was marginal.I hope I'm wrong but I don't think we'll finish higher than 8th in prem with DS in charge. However he fully deserves the chance to prove me wrong next season, he's done so already.Johnstone, Terry, Snodgrass, Grabban were no longer at the club come the start of the season after the play off final, and Chester wasn't seen again once we bought in Mings in the January window. Pretty much the spine of the 17 / 18 apart from JG.
I can't remember too many people tipping Leeds to go up in June 2018. They'd just finished 13th so just to finish in play offs was a very good effort from them.
Would you give him a new deal out of interest Paul?
Quote from: hipkiss92 on May 10, 2021, 02:18:56 PMQuote from: SoccerHQ on May 10, 2021, 01:54:03 PMQuote from: paul_e on May 10, 2021, 11:16:27 AMBielsa has been with Leeds longer, had most of HIS squad in place before promotion and carried the momentum of winning the league that meant his summer signings were from a similar pool to ours, 1 year earlier.Smith had to focus on numbers and bedding in a completely new squad in his first season and could focus on adding quality this year. Given there's still every chance we'll finish above Leeds anyway I don't think there's much between the 2 teams. Do people really expect the team that finishes 17th in the premier league to be starting from a significantly higher base than the team that wins the championship?Wasn't that Leeds squad finishing mid table when he took over whereas DS still had the baulk of the 3rd place 17/18 to work with so have to factor that in a bit aswell.Bielsa and Smith have both done very well last 2-3 years. However think the debate is which one can really kick on over next 2 years with more spending.Interesting looking at leeds and considering many were slaughtering how bad defensively they were mid season they've just played Chelsea, Man. United, Man. City, Spurs and Liverpool in last two months and conceded 3 goals so he's adapted quitely.It's a bit like O'Neill here and the feeling he wasn't quite getting as much out of the resources as likes of Moyes and Redknapp who finished above him albeit it was marginal.I hope I'm wrong but I don't think we'll finish higher than 8th in prem with DS in charge. However he fully deserves the chance to prove me wrong next season, he's done so already.Johnstone, Terry, Snodgrass, Grabban were no longer at the club come the start of the season after the play off final, and Chester wasn't seen again once we bought in Mings in the January window. Pretty much the spine of the 17 / 18 apart from JG.Remind me again how many players were ours at the end of the play-off final.
Quote from: brontebilly on May 10, 2021, 10:34:23 AMQuote from: Allan C on May 10, 2021, 09:59:00 AMI think the comparisons with Leeds and Bielsa are ridiculous so I’m going to turn them on their head. Bielsa has vast experience as a coach, managing some top club and international teams over many years. Despite this, with a similar squad, Leeds are only two points ahead of Dean Smith’s Villa, at the beginning of his managerial career previously coaching Walsall and Brentford and we have a game in hand. To go a step further, just two points ahead of Leeds we have a self proclaimed “big six” club Arsenal with a Guardiola apprentice, arguably the best coach ever, at the helm, a meagre four points ahead of same Dean Smith. I think I know why I’m happy with our manager.Could also flip it to compare that Leeds in the first season in the division look set for a top half finish. We stayed up by a point. Leeds have also done it with far less of a budget and a distinct style of play. Our style of play appears based on the availability and fitness of one player, when he isn't available we don't have one. I do agree that comparing Smith to Bielsa is a bit unfair. Smith is just about on track with pre season expectations, the loss of his best player for 11? games also should be taken into account.Why is it unfair, who should we compare him to then?
Quote from: Allan C on May 10, 2021, 09:59:00 AMI think the comparisons with Leeds and Bielsa are ridiculous so I’m going to turn them on their head. Bielsa has vast experience as a coach, managing some top club and international teams over many years. Despite this, with a similar squad, Leeds are only two points ahead of Dean Smith’s Villa, at the beginning of his managerial career previously coaching Walsall and Brentford and we have a game in hand. To go a step further, just two points ahead of Leeds we have a self proclaimed “big six” club Arsenal with a Guardiola apprentice, arguably the best coach ever, at the helm, a meagre four points ahead of same Dean Smith. I think I know why I’m happy with our manager.Could also flip it to compare that Leeds in the first season in the division look set for a top half finish. We stayed up by a point. Leeds have also done it with far less of a budget and a distinct style of play. Our style of play appears based on the availability and fitness of one player, when he isn't available we don't have one. I do agree that comparing Smith to Bielsa is a bit unfair. Smith is just about on track with pre season expectations, the loss of his best player for 11? games also should be taken into account.
I think the comparisons with Leeds and Bielsa are ridiculous so I’m going to turn them on their head. Bielsa has vast experience as a coach, managing some top club and international teams over many years. Despite this, with a similar squad, Leeds are only two points ahead of Dean Smith’s Villa, at the beginning of his managerial career previously coaching Walsall and Brentford and we have a game in hand. To go a step further, just two points ahead of Leeds we have a self proclaimed “big six” club Arsenal with a Guardiola apprentice, arguably the best coach ever, at the helm, a meagre four points ahead of same Dean Smith. I think I know why I’m happy with our manager.
In recent interviews, Dean has been on and on about how he had a complete group of novices last season and how much of a challenge it was to stay up. I’ve actually never seen him admit that he’s a complete novice who has just as much to learn.I think our squad is way better than what it is currently showing, and he should own it...Luiz used to be good .McGinn used to be amazingMartinez is not at the same standard he wasBarkley is nowhere near what he was when he first joined.I think Cash is also not as good as earlier in the season.Watkins would get more goals in a better system.Traore could be much more consistent.We are so quick to blame players, but a coach’s job is to “coach”. In other words Improve players.. So I ask how many of our players have improved this season.(from last season or if they are new from when they first joined?For me: just one player / Matt Targett , possibly Konsa
Martinez has done better this season than last.Cash is doing better all the time- agree Konsa is way better than last season -agree and becoming a great playerMings is getting far more consistent- disagree still making too many stupid mistakes that cost goalsTargett is arguably the most improved player in the division- agreedMcGinn doesn't appear as good as he did because he isn't the stand-out player that he was.- he gets a pass from me as he is carrying the midfield Luiz is getting better yet is still prone to the odd mistake. But he gets stuck in. Has been pretty poor lately and can’t tackle- lots of room for improvement Grealish is better this season than last. Disagree he kept us up last seasonAEG is better and more consistent, and scoring goals. Not good enough and if he does not score he makes little contribution Traore has improved as the season has progressed in my view, still needs to work on his defensive skills mind. We can afford one luxury player, unfortunately with Barkley Smith is playing 2Watkins seems to be on a steep trajectory. Agree Super playerTrez was being lauded earlier this season, had a dip then came again and unfortunately got injured. Davis has scored a goal and provided an assist in relatively low minutes on the pitch and people would like him to play- Should have played more not been used properly by SmithRamsay is doing better all the time. -Should be playing ahead of Barkley.We've other youngsters coming through too.So yes, I think Smith is doing a good job. We've just hit a patch, without one of the world's best players, where it's not going our way. On our day though, we're a match for anyone.
Quote from: Drummond on May 10, 2021, 12:53:52 PMMartinez has done better this season than last.Cash is doing better all the time- agree Konsa is way better than last season -agree and becoming a great playerMings is getting far more consistent- disagree still making too many stupid mistakes that cost goalsTargett is arguably the most improved player in the division- agreedMcGinn doesn't appear as good as he did because he isn't the stand-out player that he was.- he gets a pass from me as he is carrying the midfield Luiz is getting better yet is still prone to the odd mistake. But he gets stuck in. Has been pretty poor lately and can’t tackle- lots of room for improvement Grealish is better this season than last. Disagree he kept us up last seasonAEG is better and more consistent, and scoring goals. Not good enough and if he does not score he makes little contribution Traore has improved as the season has progressed in my view, still needs to work on his defensive skills mind. We can afford one luxury player, unfortunately with Barkley Smith is playing 2Watkins seems to be on a steep trajectory. Agree Super playerTrez was being lauded earlier this season, had a dip then came again and unfortunately got injured. Davis has scored a goal and provided an assist in relatively low minutes on the pitch and people would like him to play- Should have played more not been used properly by SmithRamsay is doing better all the time. -Should be playing ahead of Barkley.We've other youngsters coming through too.So yes, I think Smith is doing a good job. We've just hit a patch, without one of the world's best players, where it's not going our way. On our day though, we're a match for anyone.Smith gets a C based on the above. Needs to do better to match the clubs ambition.