One thing I really don't understand is why Tuanzebe (not our player) is getting picked ahead of Hause (our player), when there is so little difference between them.
Why bring Young on? Bring El Ghazi to switch shape bring Sanson on to add a 2nd 8. Bring Hause on to to push Tianzebe wide. All sorts he could have done.If we don't play 433 against Arsenal, he wants kicking in the nuts.
Quote from: SamTheMouse on October 17, 2021, 02:47:27 PMOne thing I really don't understand is why Tuanzebe (not our player) is getting picked ahead of Hause (our player), when there is so little difference between them.Think I heard on a podcast that Axel was picked over Hause because we thought Jimenez was starting?But I'd have started Hause anyway.
we're in a similar situation to Southampton were; when they surprised many outsiders and sacked Adkins and bought in Poch. Most people criticised it but people in and around the club knew it was the time to make a change to progress
He has gambled the farm on 3 5 2 and squeezing Ings and Watkins up front and Tunzabe at the back.I think he has got it wrong and it will be interesting to see if he is prepared to change it.If he doesn’t I think he will be in trouble.
Quote from: ChicagoLion on October 17, 2021, 03:03:25 PMHe has gambled the farm on 3 5 2 and squeezing Ings and Watkins up front and Tunzabe at the back.I think he has got it wrong and it will be interesting to see if he is prepared to change it.If he doesn’t I think he will be in trouble.We’ve probably had differences on Smith, but I do agree with this. If we stick with the same formation for Arsenal and West Ham it will be bordering on belligerence. If Baileys fit for the next game, i would play a front 3 of him and Buendia either side if Watkins or Ings. If Baileys not fit, and Traores not fir, id consider playing Watkins wide.
I would only think about replacing him if we really do drop like a stone and look like relegation fodder, but I doubt that will happen.
Quote from: Clark W Griswold on October 17, 2021, 12:27:29 PMI would only think about replacing him if we really do drop like a stone and look like relegation fodder, but I doubt that will happen.This kind of thinking scares the shit out of me. It's something we've done under Ellis, the latter years of Lerner and of course Xia with Steve Bruce. We no longer have deadwood owners who are happy just to see us in the PL. If we can't be ambitious now we never will be. Dean inherited the most expensive assembled squad in the history of the Championship, he's been given more money than almost every PL manager since our return. Of course he had a major rebuild to do but he was supported to the tune of close to £150m and despite staying up by the skin of our teeth it took the Covid break for him to find the time to reorganise the defence that was the second worst in the league.As I said yesterday, I love everything about him and he's absolutely perfect for us with one exception; the football. Maybe I'm not seeing it but three years in and I'm still struggling to see how he wants us to play other than work hard, run around a lot and get McGinn to use his bum. The other obvious thing is we generally do well against the top teams when we press and counter yet we really struggle against the midtable/lower teams.Admittedly, 8 games in is nothing and it really shouldn't be a concern but we still have the post-Christmas record from last season lingering in the background.
Quote from: Clark W Griswold on October 17, 2021, 12:27:29 PMIt depends. If there is real ambition from the owners then despite all of the good stuff he’s done, the jury is out as to whether he has the ability to compete with the leagues top coaches. If the intention is just to sit in mid table then so far he’s shown that he’s good enough to do that now the squad has been developed sufficiently. And if it is the case we owe him the chance to keep his job considering he’s got us there. I would only think about replacing him if we really do drop like a stone and look like relegation fodder, but I doubt that will happen.From the owners poi t of view they will want more ethan that. They will progress each season. So far he has done that. This season looks as if he has a lot to do to get higher than last season. I hope he can but think he has reached his top of his ability as a manager, not just on yesterday though.
It depends. If there is real ambition from the owners then despite all of the good stuff he’s done, the jury is out as to whether he has the ability to compete with the leagues top coaches. If the intention is just to sit in mid table then so far he’s shown that he’s good enough to do that now the squad has been developed sufficiently. And if it is the case we owe him the chance to keep his job considering he’s got us there. I would only think about replacing him if we really do drop like a stone and look like relegation fodder, but I doubt that will happen.
Quote from: DB on October 17, 2021, 02:27:22 PMQuote from: Clark W Griswold on October 17, 2021, 12:27:29 PMIt depends. If there is real ambition from the owners then despite all of the good stuff he’s done, the jury is out as to whether he has the ability to compete with the leagues top coaches. If the intention is just to sit in mid table then so far he’s shown that he’s good enough to do that now the squad has been developed sufficiently. And if it is the case we owe him the chance to keep his job considering he’s got us there. I would only think about replacing him if we really do drop like a stone and look like relegation fodder, but I doubt that will happen.From the owners poi t of view they will want more ethan that. They will progress each season. So far he has done that. This season looks as if he has a lot to do to get higher than last season. I hope he can but think he has reached his top of his ability as a manager, not just on yesterday though.Ok, but how do you know what the owners want? They say this and that but when you look at what has been done in the last transfer window it was debateable whether the squad had improved. Yes Grealish threw a spanner in the works and we’ll never know what we would have done had he stayed put, whether a couple of those attacking players would have come in for example. But was it Smith that decided what we did? Was he restricted? It wasn’t that difficult to arrive where we did last season with what was spent and yes, Smith might struggle to push on further even with backing but I think the squad we have is by no means guaranteed for top half and if we’re not going to see the ambition from above we might as well stick with him. Time will tell on that.