We've averaging nearly two goals a game conceded lately, conceding far too may chances for the opposition and chances created by us have dried right up. So even if you ignore the only real "metric" that matters, ie points, the rest are garbage as well.
Quote from: john e on May 18, 2021, 10:54:32 AMBut the new narrative now is ‘well we’ve improved this season, what did you expect‘Well I expected more last season for a start Where we are now is where we should’ve been last yearI’ve heard all the excuses of why we aren’t and I’m not bothered it’s not a race to the bottomI won't quote everything but this bit, for me, shows a lack of understanding of what happens to play off winners. Since the formation of the premier league well over half of teams promoted from the play offs have been relegated the next season. A team that finishes 3-6 in the championship is out of its depth in the premier league and the only way around that is to spend big on improving the squad but that comes with it's own dangers of "doing a Fulham" because you're going into a very competitive league with a squad that are still getting to know each other.a play off team not going back down is always an achievement, history shows that clearly.
But the new narrative now is ‘well we’ve improved this season, what did you expect‘Well I expected more last season for a start Where we are now is where we should’ve been last yearI’ve heard all the excuses of why we aren’t and I’m not bothered it’s not a race to the bottom
I'm interested, to know if anyone wants him sacked before the start of next season. My interpretation of some of the language used suggests so.I don't deny our form hasn't been great recently but he has proven how good it can be. With better players as we'll surely buy in the summer we should be looking top 8 next season. If we don't buy a central midfielder and more creativity up front/on the wing I think we'll be hard pressed to improve.
Quote from: Drummond on May 18, 2021, 02:59:58 PMI'm interested, to know if anyone wants him sacked before the start of next season. My interpretation of some of the language used suggests so.I don't deny our form hasn't been great recently but he has proven how good it can be. With better players as we'll surely buy in the summer we should be looking top 8 next season. If we don't buy a central midfielder and more creativity up front/on the wing I think we'll be hard pressed to improve. I wouldn't get rid of him to bring in somebody like Dyche or Howe, no, but I'd love to see a big hitter appointed to really try to shift us forward more quickly. Smith has been lucky to inherit a freak of nature like Grealish, but without him we seem completely devoid of ideas, and I don't think Smith is the bloke to attract the sort of big names we need.
Quote from: Drummond on May 18, 2021, 02:59:58 PMI'm interested, to know if anyone wants him sacked before the start of next season. My interpretation of some of the language used suggests so.I don't deny our form hasn't been great recently but he has proven how good it can be. With better players as we'll surely buy in the summer we should be looking top 8 next season. If we don't buy a central midfielder and more creativity up front/on the wing I think we'll be hard pressed to improve.I don't. Lots of areas of criticism of him or his coaching/tactics is valid though, except hopefully its part of the learning curve for Smith. I hate this line because I've disagreed with it lots of times in the past, but who is there better at the moment? If the club decided to spend 200m this summer to go for a CL place and wanted a "name" manager then I could understand their thinking in changing him. If they gave him 200m anyway and he struggled then I would understand them sacking him as well. But I look at our squad and its not a top5 squad and if every transfer Smith had made had come off I still don't think it would be a top5 squad.
I agree, he has got things wrong, doesn't every manager? He's got a lot right too, but that appears to be glossed over.He keeps moving us up the table and we can then attract better players. If course a couple of better results of late could have had us pushing for Top 8 and there's bound to be some disappointment that we've dropped off the pace a bit. New and better players will help too.
Quote from: Drummond on May 18, 2021, 03:22:16 PMI agree, he has got things wrong, doesn't every manager? He's got a lot right too, but that appears to be glossed over.He keeps moving us up the table and we can then attract better players. If course a couple of better results of late could have had us pushing for Top 8 and there's bound to be some disappointment that we've dropped off the pace a bit. New and better players will help too. We've more than dropped off the pace a bit. The second half of this season has been very nearly as bad as the second half of last season, and we didn't have Martinez or Watkins then.