Dean Smith Aston Villa manager

Didn't know if anyone had seen the interview with the new sporting director



As people pointed out on twitter he does look like Richard Madeley

FoxyAV wrote:I just saw these on 'Birmingham Live' and it occurred to me we never heard from Bruce about training, and Smith's saying stuff we've all been saying for ages.

“Jack probably saw me coming and thought 'Brentford are a total footballing team' yet all the work last week has been without the ball!”

“I like the fact he was looking at getting into the penalty box on Saturday which is something I think he can improve upon."

“He doesn’t have the goals and assists someone of his talent should and that is for me and the coaching staff to help him work on."

“They’ve showed me that they are certainly coachable and take things on board quite well.”

I'm willing to be that Deano doesn't once blame the players for not doing what he wanted them to do.

I agree as had Potato Head still been with us and we had won against Swansea the interview would have been all about whingeing fans, how he does know what he is doing and how his past record of getting teams promoted is second to none? Had we lost it would have been all the players faults?
It was refreshing to hear from a manager/coach who had actually witnessed and participated in a coaching session?

A whole bunch of the best of the U23's now training with the first team squad inc O'Hare,Doyle-Hayes,Bedau and Blackett-Taylor.
This was one of the things I was wishing for from DS.
The U23's still managed a very creditable draw against the Tesco's despite missing at least 6 regulars and the Tesco's fielding half their first team squad.

We've got a new goalkeeping coach, Neil Cutler has been brought in from West Brom, he's previously worked with Smith at Walsall.

Hope that helps with our goal keepers? Fingers crossed.

It worries me that Nyland is considered the best of the bunch, the rest should hang their boots up then, if that is the case!

What we need to remember is how poor Johnstone was when he first joined us in the January window? Goalkeepers need games and a settled back 4 in front of them? I also hope that this was the game when Chester returned to his best?

I am glad that Smith is playing round pegs in round holes and we just need to sort out the wingers and we are balanced?

Track suited,training ground Coach/Tactician. Just what the Doctor ordered.

Nyland's confidence improves with each game! Terrific today apparently! Two clean sheets in a row! Chester and Tuanzebe solid! McGinn and Grealish terrorizing defences and scoring!

All this side needed was proper coaching!

We’re seeing the results of the managerial change quicker than we probably thought. The shackles are off. We have ourselves a calm, measured, yet emotionally attached coach who knows how to get what he wants on the football pitch. If only the change had been made that 4 or 5 games earlier. Never mind, I see plenty of games left in a division which, this season, no one team is running away with. We’ve luck to thank for that! It needs to be pointed out that the two teams we lost away to are two form teams of this league, Norwich went top and QPR won again. We could, and perhaps should, have at least got a point from each game if not all 3. Deano now has another couple of weeks to further integrate his ideas and methods onto the squad, albeit there’ll be a few internationals away with their countries. Things are looking up.

I think you have summed things up there Dazzle, its onwards and upwards now IMO

Good comments agree we are playing good football, well done to the coaching staff UTV

Army villain wrote:Good comments agree we are playing good football, well done to the coaching staff UTV

Unfortunately none of the coaching staff have won four promotions?

I'm seeing a lot of people using Smith's start with us to bash Brucey, but when you look at Bruce's first eight games, he got fifteen points, which is only one less than what Smith has achieved... Hopefully the way we're playing under Smith is an indication that we can keep up the form for longer though. I read somewhere that since he came in we have the best possession, pass completion, and shots at goal stats in the league.

DBA did you just contradict yourself in your own post there?

I don't think so, Smith has us playing a much better brand of football, hopefully it continues.

Honeymoon period is now over, all in all our form since he came in has now been that of a midtable side. The obvious ones like Leeds, Norwich, Albion and Derby have all taken more points than us, but alsoo have the likes of Forest, Hull, Small Heath, QPR, Preston, Stoke and Middlesbrough.

Of course we've had the hardest fixtures, but still, at times we've been our own worst enemy; we shouldn't be conceding five at home to Forest, or throwing away a two goal lead at Villa Park, and if we'd have taken our chances against Albion, we would have had them beat before they cheated.

Whatever the excuses may be about injuries and having to play tough opposition, we're in the midst of a bad run and Smith needs to turn things around, if we're to have any chance of making the play-offs... I actually think things might get worse before they get better, as I can't see us getting much from Swansea and Preston away...

What we need is a couple of quick fire victories, to get our confidence back, but we've been saying similar ever since we got relegated, sick of always playing catch up.

Its still early days for DS ...he is working with someone elses players.
1 win in 5 though and loosing points from winning positions has followed him from Brentford - I beleive no team squandered more points from winning positions than Brentford last season.

Sure he can bring in new players ...whilst that may help the way we play is bang amatuer at times.

Hope I m wrong but I really dont see him cutting it here.

To put a more positive slant on things, before yesterday we had a run of games where we'd played, Stoke, Albion, Middlesboro, Forest, small heath, and Derby... And from those games had taken twelve points...

Leeds who most people would regard as the best team in the division, have also played the same fixtures (home to Stoke, Forest, Small Heath, and away to Boro, Albion and Derby), and they got nine points... I think that shows just how difficult our run has been, not many teams will do better from the same fixtures, Leeds didn't, and they're top of the table.

The real test of us, will be how we do against the division's so called lesser teams, as the above shows, beating them is the reason Leeds are top of the table, against the better teams their record is very similar to ours... if we'd have performed against the poorer teams, as we should have done at the start of the season under Bruce, we'd still be in contention for top two now... We need to perform against them under Smith, to make sure we get into the top six.

Really enjoying Dean Smith's brand of football after the dour crap of the Bruce era. Only criticism so far is that (as warned by Brentford fans) he needs to know when to try to shut up shop to see a game out.
Leeds was the perfect example when,towards the end, it was going end to end but they looked the stronger and we looked out on our feet. Instead of bringing Hogan on, he could have left Whelan on alongside Bjarnasson and settled for the point. Same with Forest (for a win).
Sometimes the sensible(but dull) play is needed.

I rather see us going for another goal personally, remember shutting up shop against Preston ?

big ming wrote:Really enjoying Dean Smith's brand of football after the dour crap of the Bruce era. Only criticism so far is that (as warned by Brentford fans) he needs to know when to try to shut up shop to see a game out.
Leeds was the perfect example when,towards the end, it was going end to end but they looked the stronger and we looked out on our feet. Instead of bringing Hogan on, he could have left Whelan on alongside Bjarnasson and settled for the point. Same with Forest (for a win).
Sometimes the sensible(but dull) play is needed.

Agree, sometimes you have to be grateful for what you have, hopefully this will come over time!

Early coach start for the Swansea game, hope it is worth it! UTV

VillaBill wrote:I rather see us going for another goal personally, remember shutting up shop against Preston ?

That was at halftime when Johnston came on for Preston and we just reverted back to Bruce type!

Ironic or what? Wagner now available after leaving Huddersfield by mutual consent.
A few short moths ago, we would have been gagging for him to come here, being the nearest thing to Klopp.

big ming wrote:Ironic or what? Wagner now available after leaving Huddersfield by mutual consent.
A few short moths ago, we would have been gagging for him to come here, being the nearest thing to Klopp.

I was never a big fan of his TBH. you never know though he said he wants to take a break from football - so might still be available come May.