The Official Dean Smith Thread | Page 10 | Vital Football

The Official Dean Smith Thread

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Wilders stats do look good but once again do not ignore the fact that he
played for the blades twice so has an affinity with the supporters much like a certain Brian Little. What works well at one club does not for certain work at another re David Moyes. Yes you can apply the same logic to Dean Smith and every other manager but Dean does have an affinity with Villa so lets hope that helps get him through until he can put in place a decent defence.
 
Stephen Jay Hawkings said:
Yep, it does seem like that. The Brentford model is that managers, coaches, staff etc. all come and go but the club stays the same. The philosophy stays the same. That's why Brentford were fine when Warburton left, and will be fine (probably) now that Smith is gone. It would be great to see such a model implemented at Villa, although I don't know if it would work the same at a bigger club, but there's nothing wrong with trying.
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It worked well for Liverpool, with manager after manager coming from their boot-room and keeping the club at the top, until they decided to go in a different direction by employing an outsider with different idea's and then stopped winning league titles and cups etc.
The thing I worry about is, a lot of fans already expecting us to gain promotion this season, which to me is completely pie-in-the-sky thinking.
A successful team is built first and foremost around a solid defence and by the time we can possibly get anything like a solid defence together, we'll have played for 5 months with a defence cobbled together out of rightbacks, or one centreback and an almost converted defensive midfielder.
Fans also seem to be expecting a dramatic change in the way we have been performing in our next game.
I'd just like to point out that something like 75% of our first team will have been away on international duty for the ten days Mr. Smith will have been in charge, so will have had no contact with him apart from saying hello by the time our next game comes around.
Expectations are high, I understand that but, my expectations will only kick in next season, if only because of the enormity of the job facing our new management team.
 
Worry ye not, sky sports just put on some interesting stats;

Brentford in top 4 this season on passes made, shots, possession, and one other which I’ve forgotten because it was based on defence. In 2 categories they were top. Where are we? Bottom 2 in league in all categories.
 
I agree in normal circumstances 1958 , but (although not a fact, certainly expected) if we don't go up this season, we start on -12 points and massive fine and a transfer ban.

So how do we "kick on"

Its now or never - or we sell players for 40m plus in January (which is unlikely)
 
Turn your back for 5 minutes and look what happens :grinning:

Positive appointments all round IMO. The owners clearly have a vision and have put a structure into place. Fair play to them. Let's hope the holy trinity can get us back on our feet again.

An ambitious manager who knows the division we are in and whose teams play attacking football, an internationally experienced player/coach who can command the respect of the prima donnas and egos and a D of F who has operated in the best league in Europe. We've given ourselves a chance of heading in a much more attractive direction. Will they prove successful? Time will tell.

Oh and the added bonus is one is a Villa fan and the other already has a relationship with the players and knows their strengths and weaknesses.

No guarantees and patience is most definitely needed given our unbalanced squad and the up and coming fixtures. However, thanks to the owners for giving us something worthwhile to get behind and believe in.

Welcome one and all. Off to book my ticket for the Swansea game.
 
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holtelower said:
I agree in normal circumstances 1958 , but (although not a fact, certainly expected) if we don't go up this season, we start on -12 points and massive fine and a transfer ban.

So how do we "kick on"

Its now or never - or we sell players for 40m plus in January (which is unlikely)
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Cheer up holtelower, this one's for you.

 
Wicked Messenger said:
Worry ye not, sky sports just put on some interesting stats;

Brentford in top 4 this season on passes made, shots, possession, and one other which I’ve forgotten because it was based on defence. In 2 categories they were top. Where are we? Bottom 2 in league in all categories.
Click to expand...
Those stats are pretty damning on the triple we have had to watch this season.
 
The man set to join Dean Smith and John Terry's Aston Villa backroom staff
"Smith has developed an effective working partnership at Walsall and Brentford"

"Dean Smith's trusted right hand man Richard O'Kelly is set to join the new manager's Aston Villa backroom staff.
O'Kelly is believed to be negotiating the terms of his departure from Brentford to follow Smith to Bodymoor Heath.
He will join a backroom staff that also includes former Villa captain John Terry as assistant head coach.
Smith and O'Kelly have been close friends since their playing days at Walsall in the late 1980s and have been an effective coaching duo at the Banks's Stadium and at Griffin Park."

Full article: https://www.birminghammail.co.uk/sport/football/football-news/man-set-join-dean-smith-15265970
 
Stephen Jay Hawkings said:
But we're going to have to outscore everyone until January unless JT brings his boots.
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It's true our defence is shite, but that is down in no small part to the fact we are so bad at keeping the ball higher up the pitch - they are under so much pressure for long periods of every match.

So although we do need to sort out the defence asap, Smith's 'philosophy' and style of play in passing and moving, keeping the ball and playing higher up the pitch should at least alleviate the immediate pressures on the defence.

I hope - gulp!
 
JuanPabloAngel said:
It's true our defence is shite, but that is down in no small part to the fact we are so bad at keeping the ball higher up the pitch - they are under so much pressure for long periods of every match.

So although we do need to sort out the defence asap, Smith's 'philosophy' and style of play in passing and moving, keeping the ball and playing higher up the pitch should at least alleviate the immediate pressures on the defence.

I hope - gulp!
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Good point JPA, the way things were before didn't exactly help the poor sods at the back did it?
 
The philosophy is to pass and move with a purpose. The emphasis on a purpose.
Too many managers seem to play pass for the sake of passing.
Deano has mastered this new mysterious this art and with some of our players being more gifted than he is used to I expect it may happen sooner rather than later.
Those who can't adapt will be moved on, I'm sure.
 
holtelower said:
I agree in normal circumstances 1958 , but (although not a fact, certainly expected) if we don't go up this season, we start on -12 points and massive fine and a transfer ban.

So how do we "kick on"

Its now or never - or we sell players for 40m plus in January (which is unlikely)
Click to expand...

How do we kick on, mmmm well let me think.
Just for arguments sake and assuming the worst, a 12 point deduction for next season, coupled with a transfer ban and a huge fine.
I would then think that, sorting out the defence would be of paramount importance this January.
Add to that getting rid of, I hate this phrase but, here goes, what has become known as the deadwood, existing as well as those to be recognised. As well as the loan players we have on the books.
I'm unsure about the way a transfer embargo works, is it only on what would be incoming players, or does it also apply to outgoing players .
I would assume it only applies to incoming players.
Therefore, any players no longer needed, that are not sold on in January, could be moved on in the following summer and winter transfer windows, helping to pay the possible fine.
That would mean we would have to win four more games than any of those teams finishing in the top 6 next season, difficult but, not impossible I would suggest.
Fixing the defence will not be easy, we will need at least two centrebacks and a leftback, we will also need to off-load two, of the four rightbacks on our books.
Assuming we keep Chester the centrebacks could come from Souttar of Hearts, McKenna of Aberdeen, Kalas and Ampado of Chelsea.
Leftback could be either Targett, or McQueen of Southampton, or Davies of Tottenham.
Rightbacks to keep, Bree and DeLaet make most sense but, it's really a toss of the dice.
 
JuanPabloAngel said:
It's true our defence is shite, but that is down in no small part to the fact we are so bad at keeping the ball higher up the pitch - they are under so much pressure for long periods of every match.

So although we do need to sort out the defence asap, Smith's 'philosophy' and style of play in passing and moving, keeping the ball and playing higher up the pitch should at least alleviate the immediate pressures on the defence.

I hope - gulp!
Click to expand...

What does alleviate undo pressure on the defence is, when the ball is lost upfield, the team as a whole, press, harry and challenge, to get it back as quickly as possible, as high upfield as possible.
The teams that have success all seem to use this tactic.
To be successful at pressing, it has to be practised so that everyone knows when to go.
It also needs a high level of fitness to succeed.
 
Villan57 said:
Or we just could pay the fine 58.

Seriously we have 2 multi-billionaires in charge, does anyone actually think they have got that rich playing by the rules.
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Paying a fine is ok 57 but, it's the club that have to pay it, not the owners, unless they can find a legal way of pumping that amount of cash into the club.
Besides the fine is only a minor irritation.
The big bugbears are the possibility of a transfer embargo. Plus the possibility of a 12 point deduction.
Those two mean it doesn't matter if the owners have £9 or £10 billion or, £10 in their bank accounts.
So your argument is actually pointless.
 
Wow, I go away on holiday and hear we've given Bruce a much deserved boot. Just arrived back and we have a new manager. Life is never dull as a Villa fan. Helps you endure the pain.

No appointment is going to guarantee success - not even Pep (my
first choice). But it strikes me this is a very positive move. There are plenty of young managers in the past who when given the chance have shown they can do well. What I like about Dean is that he's cut his teeth in the lower divisions, has his feet firmly on the ground, and has since shown he can get a squad playing to its best in the Championship. His football is attractive, his teams look like they know what they're doing and are as keen as mustard to do it. We're being more adventurous than going for a safe pair of hands, and that's the only way we'll get anywhere.

Pleased that JT is alongside. This strikes me as the right appointment for him and us; putting him in the top job when he would have no time to assemble a support team could well have misfired. He knows our players inside out, and he'll be a massive influence. Jack and Abraham in particular will appreciate his presence, but also he should help in getting something workable out of our badly assembled defence.

Not sure where O'Kelly fits in, but he seems an essential part of Dean Smith's team, and so think that makes a managerial team of three. Or should it be coaching team? I've seen Dean Smith referred to as head coach, which is probably a reflection of the way things are going.

Pitarch as Sporting Director is hugely important, again reflecting a modern football background. If things do go pear-shaped here he could be vital in keeping things together. Be interesting the effect on the academy upwards.

Whatever, welcome Dean :utv:
 
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