Dean Smith

[Zatman]

1 hour ago, AvonVillain said:

Couldn't agree more. It's this kind of poor decision making that almost seems self-destructive.

The alternatives weren't really better. Go 3 at the back or give Chukwuemeka a match against Soucek and Rice and probably have his confidence dented

[Zatman]

19 minutes ago, sne said:

Really hope "bigger name" doesn't mean someone who was a big name player but has proved little in management.

Vennegoor of Hesselink maybe has his coaching badges

[JAMAICAN-VILLAN]

10 minutes ago, Zatman said:

Vennegoor of Hesselink maybe has his coaching badges

 

[OutByEaster?]

I think he made the right decision in bringing on Young - all of our other options were worse - we needed to stiffen the midfield, we didn't have a good option for that, I though Smith picked the right one.

I think he got pretty much everything right against West Ham in terms of selections and in game decisions - tactically we were good, he just couldn't get a tune out of them until we were a man down.

 

[Robtaylor200]

I expect us to win the next two games against the lower placed teams.

Then all will be rosey in the garden again for a a couple of weeks,

Shortly after I expect losses against Leicester and Man city. This tread will become heated again and another month will have passed, then its Christmas and suddenly we are into 2022. IMO If change is coming it will be January. 

[Keyblade]

1 hour ago, KentVillan said:

Purslow shouldn’t be involved in footballing matters really, except on the bigger picture financial stuff, negotiating contracts, etc. Lange should be leading on who we actually target, where we need prioritise.

Truth will come out at some point, but some of our recent transfer dealings feel like they’ve happened without much input from coaching staff.

Something was really off this summer. Very much out of step with what we've seen from the club previously. I think Grealish leaving threw things out of whack.

[AvonVillain]

1 hour ago, Zatman said:

The alternatives weren't really better. Go 3 at the back or give Chukwuemeka a match against Soucek and Rice and probably have his confidence dented

Always best to find out for my money, rather than speculate. The lad's apparently refusing to sign a contract, and it's not hard to see why when an uninspiring 36 year old trundles on ineffectively instead.

[AVFCforever1991]

This is grim viewing, we need to sort our defence out ASAP, if it continues we will go down 

Edited November 3, 2021 by AVFCforever1991

[Mister_a]

4 minutes ago, AVFCforever1991 said:

This is grim viewing, we need to sort our defence out ASAP, if it continues we will go down 

 

Yeah, doesn't look good for Ole either!

[Nabby]

7 minutes ago, Mister_a said:

Yeah, doesn't look good for Ole either!

Being bailed out by Ronaldo 

 

[TRO]

2 hours ago, avfc1982am said:

I actually feel very shitty for having little faith that the situation is reversible for Smith in the long run. I just think this is what you get with Smith. Moments of excellence mixed with periods of ineptness. Whatever the reasons for our current situation and long term poor form, I don't think the remedy is already inhouse. I think fresh impetuous is needed and a shake up of the staff. Sometimes it isn't needed as a period of stabilisation is what is required but I think we are getting past that stage now. We cannot afford not to kick on with the playing staff we have on the books. 

I think Dean has done an incredible job during this period, regardless of the JG argument. He was the one that brought the club together again, not JG, not NSWE or Purslow.....Smith did that. He surrounded himself with those that had the same ambition, empowered others that cared about the club and got everyone onside including the supporters. No mean feat considering where we were at, and the task ahead. He's a legend in fairness and whatever happens I will regard him as one even if not fully recognised by everyone. I just think the time is soon upon us to ensure his legacy isn't tarnished and to ensure we don't slip backwards again.

 

I don't think Dean the man has ever been in question.....but Dean the manager has to find solutions, to make us in to a more rounded side, with a resillient and competitve streak. 

[leemond2008]

15 minutes ago, Nabby said:

Being bailed out by Ronaldo 

 

lol imagine being a manager and having to consistently be bailed out by a world class pla.....oh wait a minute

[villalad21]

1 hour ago, OutByEaster? said:

I think he made the right decision in bringing on Young - all of our other options were worse - we needed to stiffen the midfield, we didn't have a good option for that, I though Smith picked the right one.

I think he got pretty much everything right against West Ham in terms of selections and in game decisions - tactically we were good, he just couldn't get a tune out of them until we were a man down.

 

A manager under pressure isn't going to bring on a 17 year old.

Let's be realistic.

[Keyblade]

One thing is for sure, we won't see any desperate or rash flailing from him like we see from a lot of managers when the heat is on. As he said in his interview with Graham Hunter recently, "I can win 10 games on the bounce and get sacked, and I can lose 10 games on the bounce and not get sacked. I'm not in control of that, so I don't worry about it."

 

 

[Keyblade]

40 minutes ago, leemond2008 said:

lol imagine being a manager and having to consistently be bailed out by a world class pla.....oh wait a minute

Who could forget all those last minute Jack Grealish goals.

[AvfcRigo82]

3 hours ago, KentVillan said:

This guy claims to be a scout working in English football, and if you read all his Tweets, seems fairly well informed.

 

2 hours ago, KentVillan said:

Purslow shouldn’t be involved in footballing matters really, except on the bigger picture financial stuff, negotiating contracts, etc. Lange should be leading on who we actually target, where we need prioritise.

Truth will come out at some point, but some of our recent transfer dealings feel like they’ve happened without much input from coaching staff.

Without starting to jump to conclusions, it's not shining a good light on Mr Purslow either.

You ask any Liverpool fan about him. The air soon turns blue.

Makes me also wonder if it reaches a stage where the next appointment of a new coach is required, could they have a previous connection to him in any way? (John Terry - who suddenly just left in the summer, Frank Lampard or Steven Gerrard.)

I have this niggling suspicion that something like this may materialise if it comes to hiring a new coach anytime soon.

 

[foreveryoung]

5 hours ago, macandally said:

Football is a results game and whilst I don’t share the clamour from those who “shout loudest” on here to sack Dean I do acknowledge the last four games have been poor.  

For me, Smith has lead the change in the entire culture of the club, it  has improved a million times more from Steve Bruce days, from youth through to first team, with a strong academy and players getting first team minutes.  Also, playing alignment (formations/roles/responsibilities)

There is/was a harmony and togetherness around the squad.  That said, you learn more about your players when losing than winning (as we are seeing!).  Players should demand more and better from each other, in the right way.

I get the scrutiny, however stability does bring growth (isn’t Moyes in his second stint at Spam?), sometimes things have to click.  This is a new and still young team, it just needs to click and hopefully that happens Friday 

I wish fans would remember we are now owned by Billionaires who have spent £350 million on this squad before quoting, Smith is the man who has changed everything unlike his predecessors.

This is not a young and inexperienced team, an we may win Friday, against a team we should be beating anyway with the amount of investment, but I doubt we are going to go on a winning streak from then! If we are going to have poor runs every season until, "we click" we are not going to reach our ultimate goal of European football, which has been quoted, yet again as our aim.

 

[Zatman]

3 minutes ago, AvfcRigo82 said:

 

Without starting to jump to conclusions, it's not shining a good light on Mr Purslow either.

You ask any Liverpool fan about him. The air soon turns blue.

Makes me also wonder if it reaches a stage where the next appointment of a new coach is required, could they have a previous connection to him in any way? (John Terry - who suddenly just left in the summer, Frank Lampard or Steven Gerrard.)

I have this niggling suspicion that something like this may materialise if it comes to hiring a new coach anytime soon.

 

Liverpool who he arranged to sell from the shit owners to the current owners who won them the title? I am sure Liverpool fans actually should look back on him fondly

[AvfcRigo82]

7 minutes ago, Zatman said:

Liverpool who he arranged to sell from the shit owners to the current owners who won them the title? I am sure Liverpool fans actually should look back on him fondly

So he's a good head hunter when it comes to selling a football club, great.

What about when it comes to being involved in the club and being the CEO etc. Which is what my post and the article above alludes to.

 

Edited November 3, 2021 by AvfcRigo82

[TomC]

1 hour ago, AVFCforever1991 said:

This is grim viewing, we need to sort our defence out ASAP, if it continues we will go down 

The worrying side of this is seeing Leeds, a team below us, with one of the better defences.

The positive side is that Newcastle, Norwich, and Watford are almost as bad on defence and have none of our attacking ability.

Even if Deano doesn't get it sorted out, we should be able to avoid relegation.