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[Indy_Bones 441]

2 hours ago, Rock The Boat said:

While it is true that Smith kept Villa in the EPL with a large slice of VAR luck

I keep being told that decisions even out over a season (even if our human confirmation bias might say otherwise), so why is a bad VAR call in a single game the defining moment of a season?

Would we make a similar argument that if Pukki's goal against Spurs hadn't been ruled out by VAR then the whole season would have changed?

Sounds more like revisionism to be honest, and I'm sure we can all point to decisions from multiple games that if they had gone differently, would likely have changed at least a result if nothing else, but over the course of a season, it's very tough to argue that it was pure luck that a side stayed up because of a single VAR call.

Villa were actually pretty good last season, had some excellent results against top teams, and finished 11th, you can purely attribute that to finances if you like (although I'm sure Liverpool and Chelsea have spent more than them, so what was their excuse for losing?), but the real problem this year seems to have been enforced changes in terms of personnel and tactics, either through sales, injuries or even board pressure to play Ings together with Watkins etc.

Smith moved away from playing the way that got them results last season and it's cost him badly, there could be multiple reasons for this change, but they certainly didn't look like they were playing with the same confidence and freedom as last season, much like how we haven't either...

[Capt. Pants 4,202]

2 hours ago, Hairy Canary said:

Or……..

Knutsen was the first choice at the time of Farke’s dismissal but Smith became available the day after and was considered a better candidate. It’s simply a matter of choice. The fact that you disagree with that decision doesn’t mean Webber screwed up the recruitment.

That's how I read it now. It seems for a change the club has been dealt a huge dose of good fortune with Dean Smith becoming available. Imo Knutsen would have been a huge gamble due to his lack of relevant experience. I'm not sure if Webber spoke to Knutsen, perhaps he did, perhaps he sounded useless, perhaps he said well I can't come until January. Either way we are where we are and the Smith/Shakespear combo is probably the best outcome a club the stature of NCFC can realistically achieve.

[Big Vince 318]

2 hours ago, Rock The Boat said:

While it is true that Smith kept Villa in the EPL with a large slice of VAR luck, a better quality squad than us and Grealish, and apparently not good enough to take Villa beyond that, it still leaves the question whether he can do that again with a weaker Norwich squad shorn of Buendia. 

I don't think he can but Webber thinks otherwise. So let it be on Webber's head if it all goes wrong because I think Webber has screwed up the recruitment process by failing to land his first choice target and Smith is not obviously better than Farke. 

Agreed that Webber has screwed up on the recruitment.

You can't realistically play Cantwell and Gilmour in the same team - whether its 4-3-3 or 4-2-3-1.

We were told the club was going to sign a defensive midfielder as the final piece of business in the transfer window, but instead we got Normann who is another creative player. The biggest problem the boy Smith and the boy Shakespeare are going to inherit is where to find TWO defensive players to play either side of Normann in a 4-3-3 or ONE defensive midfielder alongside Normann in a 4-2-3-1.

Gilmour should have been one of the TWO defensive midfield options, but isn't. Instead we have NO defensive midfield options instead of the TWO required. McLean and Rupp are not the answer as they were proven to be no good last time we were relegated. This is the mess Webber is handing over to Smith.

Regarding your thread above, it would be a fair compromise to say Farke was better than Smith in the Championship, but Smith much better in this league, albeit with far greater spending power.

[Tetteys Jig 830]

to be confirmed at 7pm

[Ken Hairy 3,760]

I bet Cambridge has already got the Official thread up and ready to post 😁

[Sussexyellow 55]

Should there be a question mark after that TJ?

[Greavsy 2,412]

15 minutes ago, Tetteys Jig said:

to be confirmed at 7pm

Its late! 

[Ken Hairy 3,760]

7.01.....another fail for Sexy Bennett 😂

[Greavsy 2,412]

16 minutes ago, Tetteys Jig said:

to be confirmed at 7pm

If your source is who I think - its worth checking again! 

 

[Tetteys Jig 830]

Just now, Greavsy said:

If your source is who I think - its worth checking again! 

 

tomorrow 😄

[Pete Raven 276]

https://www.pinkun.com/sport/norwich-city/smith-set-to-be-appointed-ncfc-head-coach-8487804

[Sjb 11]

18 minutes ago, Tetteys Jig said:

to be confirmed at 7pm

Which 7pm, this week? Can be any

[Branston Pickle 3,638]

Well they clearly said 7pm tonight in the tweet, but as we know the reliability of things is flexible from supposed itk people, I mean it was meant to be KK and we aren’t even sure we ever spoke to the guy.  Tomorrow would make more sense than making any announcement on a Sunday, but who knows.

[Sjb 11]

1 minute ago, Branston Pickle said:

Well they clearly said 7pm tonight in the tweet, but as we know the reliability of things is flexible from supposed itk people, I mean it was meant to be KK and we aren’t even sure we ever spoke to the guy.  Tomorrow would make more sense than making any announcement on a Sunday, but who knows.

What tweet? 

[Branston Pickle 3,638]

2 minutes ago, Sjb said:

What tweet? 

This apparently reliable sexybennett person tweeted this morning, clearly saying 7pm tonight.  I don’t follow them but know people who do. Monday always felt more likely and is what the pinkun journos are saying.. 

Edited November 14, 2021 by Branston Pickle

[WSM 62]

4 minutes ago, Branston Pickle said:

Well they clearly said 7pm tonight in the tweet, but as we know the reliability of things is flexible from supposed itk people, I mean it was meant to be KK and we aren’t even sure we ever spoke to the guy.  Tomorrow would make more sense than making any announcement on a Sunday, but who knows.

They deleted their account ha

[VillaFan 118]

Villa fan in peace...

It is funny reading our forum and reading this one. We have both sacked very likeable managers and are both getting new ones. So many fans on each side saying the new manager is not as good as the outgoing one. Would it not make sense to actually see them in the job and what they do before making this decision. The arguments against Gerrard are no PL experience and against Smith are related to money spent. The bottom line is that Gerrard has better stats to Smith albeit in a weaker league and Smith has better stats to Farke in the PL. 

Farke, Smith and Gerrard are all decent managers / Head Coaches. There comes a time in a clubs progression when a new manager is required. Smith's time at Villa was probably right to leave but the time at Norwich looks definitely right. NCFC gave him lots of time, 2 seasons ago and this season to prove himself and he failed. 

You are getting another very likeable manger who is good too. He will be a breath of fresh air and I wouldn't bet against him keeping you up, I hope he does. But, as I hope that Villa fans give Gerrard I hope u guys give Smith a chance too. You may be very happy supports next May if u do

[Robert N. LiM 4,246]

2 minutes ago, VillaFan said:

You are getting another very likeable manger who is good too. He will be a breath of fresh air and I wouldn't bet against him keeping you up, I hope he does. But, as I hope that Villa fans give Gerrard I hope u guys give Smith a chance too. You may be very happy supports next May if u do

Good post, cheers. Yes, I think most of the lack of enthusiasm for Smith is because we're essentially still mourning Daniel Farke, who was loved here. But any objective view would say (a) Farke's time was more than up and (b) Dean Smith is a top appointment for a club of our stature.

All the best for the rest of the season, hope it goes ok with Stevie G.

[Rock The Boat 1,326]

7 hours ago, thebigfeller said:

Wrong. He took Villa to 11th last season. Why did you leave that bit out?

Webber has landed his first choice target and we've handled the whole process quite brilliantly. The media haven't had a clue throughout, and Lampard was a smokescreen. The tantrum throwing from some on here in the face of that is embarrassing. 

To put it another way: Daniel is gone. Get over it. 

Sorry but in your earlier post you set the bar for Smith at European qualification, now you've downgraded it to 11th position. 

The problem isn't that Farke is gone. It's that Webber screwed up on netting his number one choice and he's still here. 

[LaUnionCanary 86]

6 hours ago, Big Vince said:

Agreed that Webber has screwed up on the recruitment.

You can't realistically play Cantwell and Gilmour in the same team - whether its 4-3-3 or 4-2-3-1.

We were told the club was going to sign a defensive midfielder as the final piece of business in the transfer window, but instead we got Normann who is another creative player. The biggest problem the boy Smith and the boy Shakespeare are going to inherit is where to find TWO defensive players to play either side of Normann in a 4-3-3 or ONE defensive midfielder alongside Normann in a 4-2-3-1.

Gilmour should have been one of the TWO defensive midfield options, but isn't. Instead we have NO defensive midfield options instead of the TWO required. McLean and Rupp are not the answer as they were proven to be no good last time we were relegated. This is the mess Webber is handing over to Smith.

Regarding your thread above, it would be a fair compromise to say Farke was better than Smith in the Championship, but Smith much better in this league, albeit with far greater spending power.

Sorensen. DM, not played by DF, despite never letting us down.

[Big Vince 318]

9 hours ago, LaUnionCanary said:

Sorensen. DM, not played by DF, despite never letting us down.

Doubt if Sorensen is EPL otherwise he would have been played. Eadie doesn't rate him either.