The Official Dean Smith Thread | Page 449 | Vital Football

The Official Dean Smith Thread

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Thomas Holte said:
I can take a defeat provided we played reasonably well but it's the manner of the defeat yesterday that has some people worried that's why we had such a reaction.

As previously said in the match thread you expect the odd player to have an off day but not most of the team at the same time and that can only be down to poor team preparation and not installing the right positive mental attitude to not only start a game well but to then continue it for the whole 90 plus minutes.

All this good half bad half nonsense is not acceptable and shouldn't be at any professional club.

If we hope to realistically finish in the top ten (if not a little higher?) then This inconsistency needs sorting and the reasons why we win a few and then play badly and lose a few.
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I was massively disappointed with the performance myself, I didn't think Tottenham played too well and if we had performed like we did in our previous 2 matches we'd have beaten them. But in reality we are a mid-table team, so unfortunately these frustrations will happen again throughout the season - we're still a few quality players short of being a top 6 side IMO.
Last week people were calling Deano the best English manager in the PL, now he has apparently taken us as far as he can and people are hinting he needs to be moved on.
There have been a couple of occasions over the last 3 years I would have been happy to see Deano replaced, but to his credit he's proven me and many others wrong each time.
 
garygaryshaw said:
Top manager, but even in the unlikely event he did fancy the job, he would more than likely be just waiting for the call from a decent Champions League team before walking out on us
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No chance would we get Conte. Delusional if people think he would come to Villa.. @Fulford Who, realistically could we get as a Smith replacement?
 
garygaryshaw said:
Top manager, but even in the unlikely event he did fancy the job, he would more than likely be just waiting for the call from a decent Champions League team before walking out on us
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3 yrs his most at any club. He brings all his own backroom with him. It would involve a lot of hiring and firing.
 
Barring a catastrophic run of results which I personally can’t see happening, Deano will be the head coach until the end of the season so any notions of Antonio Conte joining us are pie in sky at present. Have always maintained that this season will define whether Dean can or perhaps more importantly if the owners can see him taking us into the top six and beyond. Some have clearly already made their minds up but I think the majority of supporters are happy to give him this season and assess again next May.
 
Langoe66 said:
Barring a catastrophic run of results which I personally can’t see happening, Deano will be the head coach until the end of the season so any notions of Antonio Conte joining us are pie in sky at present. Have always maintained that this season will define whether Dean can or perhaps more importantly if the owners can see him taking us into the top six and beyond. Some have clearly already made their minds up but I think the majority of supporters are happy to give him this season and assess again next May.
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That is on the basis that there hasn’t been some thought given to a lessening of expectation this season given the upheaval in the summer. So I’m not convinced this will be seen by the owners as a defining season for Smith. We will find out . It’s football so wouldn’t surprise me either way though but they don’t come across as a trigger happy pair .
 
Melon Donkey said:
That is on the basis that there hasn’t been some thought given to a lessening of expectation this season given the upheaval in the summer. So I’m not convinced this will be seen by the owners as a defining season for Smith. We will find out . It’s football so wouldn’t surprise me either way though but they don’t come across as a trigger happy pair .
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Think you could well be right Melon. Mid table after losing the Man City No 10 would be acceptable to most fans I think and probably them….ending up around 14th, 15th and it could perhaps be a different story. Time will tell….but I dont think Antonio will be strutting his stuff at B6 for a while yet!
 
garygaryshaw said:
Top manager, but even in the unlikely event he did fancy the job, he would more than likely be just waiting for the call from a decent Champions League team before walking out on us
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Exactly, and Deano is naturally a villa fan. I think he's largely under-rated tbh.
Having said that, we have the 9th most expensive squad in the league (£301m) so anything other than a top-half finish should be considered a failure. I'm actually glad we got knocked out of the Carabao Cup (I'd rather see Premier League teams taken out of it if I'm honest) as it allows us to focus all our energy on the league and FA Cup.
Our current weakness atm seems to be at left-back (no offence to Targett, he seems a nice guy). I just wonder whether Young or even Mings should play there until January... it's a weak spot. But he helped with the goal on Sunday so idk.
 
The thing that worried me the most in the spuds game was seeing Mings runing way into the attacking half without the ball then having to track back at speed to cover his own position sometimes in risk off not making it , then hoofing the ball aimlessly forward .
If this was Smiths tactics then for me that was a massive step backwards especially with 3 at the back .
Like others have said I think the coaching staff are struggling to fit the players we have into formations that can fit with what subs we have on the bench . I like Smith but I think at times in (some) games his tactic brain is three steps behind what is happening on the pitch .
 
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