Dean Smith assessment after 10 games...

[Petriix 3,219]

Several of us who were undecided about Dean Smith said 'let's give him 10 games'. Well, here we are. 

If you'd asked me on Wednesday then my assessment would have been somewhat more positive, but today was a reality check and highlights how little we've progressed under Smith.

I'm willing to allow those first three games as a temporary blip while we found our feet. Far from ideal, but not the end of the world. 

The next 4 we found a way to win without playing especially well. Definitely a good sign. The next two we hit another gear (for the most part).

However, the midfield frailties persist. McLean is not a DM and Nunez is not fast or physical enough (yet) to perform the defensive part of the role he is being asked to do.

The telling thing for me is that we had dropped Rashica and (finally) reverted to the 4-2-3-1. With a number 10, Pukki was unshackled and back to his best. Cantwell was playing well too, in the same role in which he had originally broken into Farke's team.

We were creating chances. And taking them too. 

Yet here we are today. Cantwell dropped (squad rotated?) and back to the 4-3-3. And back to the same turgid rubbish from last season. No ideas. No creativity. Pukki isolated. Kenny as a single pivot in midfield, looking vulnerable and ineffective. A massive backwards step.

We're second in the table. 2 points per game. Salvaged a draw from a losing position against a good side. It's not so bad. Good enough, ultimately. 

However I'm still left with the overriding questions: what have we gained? Is this progress? 

It seems like the plan is still to keep persevering with the 4-3-3, despite its obvious shortcomings with our squad. It isn't working and it won't work with these players.

I can't warm to Dean Smith. The atmosphere is flat. There's an underlying discontent, simmering under the surface. 

We might just about have enough for automatic promotion. But we're nowhere near the level we hit under Farke. And we look further away from being a Premier League team than at any point in the last 4 years.

So, after 10 Championship games my verdict on Dean Smith: meh. 

[Ken Hairy 4,272]

I agree meh 🤷 Not foaming at the mouth for him to go at present, wouldn't shed a tear if he did. 

[Deptford Yellow 295]

6 minutes ago, Petriix said:

Several of us who were undecided about Dean Smith said 'let's give him 10 games'. Well, here we are. 

If you'd asked me on Wednesday then my assessment would have been somewhat more positive, but today was a reality check and highlights how little we've progressed under Smith.

I'm willing to allow those first three games as a temporary blip while we found our feet. Far from ideal, but not the end of the world. 

The next 4 we found a way to win without playing especially well. Definitely a good sign. The next two we hit another gear (for the most part).

However, the midfield frailties persist. McLean is not a DM and Nunez is not fast or physical enough (yet) to perform the defensive part of the role he is being asked to do.

The telling thing for me is that we had dropped Rashica and (finally) reverted to the 4-2-3-1. With a number 10, Pukki was unshackled and back to his best. Cantwell was playing well too, in the same role in which he had originally broken into Farke's team.

We were creating chances. And taking them too. 

Yet here we are today. Cantwell dropped (squad rotated?) and back to the 4-3-3. And back to the same turgid rubbish from last season. No ideas. No creativity. Pukki isolated. Kenny as a single pivot in midfield, looking vulnerable and ineffective. A massive backwards step.

We're second in the table. 2 points per game. Salvaged a draw from a losing position against a good side. It's not so bad. Good enough, ultimately. 

However I'm still left with the overriding questions: what have we gained? Is this progress? 

It seems like the plan is still to keep persevering with the 4-3-3, despite its obvious shortcomings with our squad. It isn't working and it won't work with these players.

I can't warm to Dean Smith. The atmosphere is flat. There's an underlying discontent, simmering under the surface. 

We might just about have enough for automatic promotion. But we're nowhere near the level we hit under Farke. And we look further away from being a Premier League team than at any point in the last 4 years.

So, after 10 Championship games my verdict on Dean Smith: meh. 

Fair summary …

[canarydan23 4,762]

We've got a squad good enough to comfortably finish top two.

I don't think Smith is good enough to guide it there.

[Ulfotto 800]

I agree with the summary but repeat this form over 4 more lots of 10 and it’s 80 points with 6 games left. Is that not a bit better than meh this third yo yo is just odd.

[Capt. Pants 5,013]

Sacked tonight then I wouldn't care less. Given another 10 games then the same. An expendable asset as long as we achieve promotion.

[Fiery Zac 1,066]

10 minutes ago, Petriix said:

However, the midfield frailties persist. McLean is not a DM and Nunez is not fast or physical enough (yet) to perform the defensive part of the role he is being asked to do

But it's this point that is a positive for Smith... we've got to 2nd in the league without having our strongest 11 on the field at any point. Do a poll on our best midfield 3 or 4 and no one would pick any of the combinations that have played so far this season. I also think there would be a variation of opinions but undoubtedly they would all include Hayden and/or Gibbs.

Get an actual DM in (and I agree, play 4-2-3-1) and then he can truly be judged.

[hogesar 10,766]

Don't disagree that the midfield frailties still exist but how wouldn't they when all of our defensive minded midfielders are out injured and we've been playing without a recognised left back just to compound things?

I'm not sure that's really on Smith.

Ultimately his job is to deliver promotion and we are on course to do that, despite injuries in key positions.

Reflecting back, no different to the starts under Farke.

[Virtual reality 860]

Don’t rate him as a football manager or his style of play. Performances have been really poor and I believe it’s the talent within the squad that has us where we are irrespective of the management. If he were to be offered a PL job tomorrow and leave I honestly wouldn’t care. 

Edited September 17, 2022 by Virtual reality

[littleyellowbirdie 3,140]

I just think the fact that there are some saddos trying to have a 'sack the manager' campaign after a draw after 6 wins on the trot is hilarious.

[PurpleCanary 6,386]

9 minutes ago, Petriix said:

Several of us who were undecided about Dean Smith said 'let's give him 10 games'. Well, here we are. 

If you'd asked me on Wednesday then my assessment would have been somewhat more positive, but today was a reality check and highlights how little we've progressed under Smith.

I'm willing to allow those first three games as a temporary blip while we found our feet. Far from ideal, but not the end of the world. 

The next 4 we found a way to win without playing especially well. Definitely a good sign. The next two we hit another gear (for the most part).

However, the midfield frailties persist. McLean is not a DM and Nunez is not fast or physical enough (yet) to perform the defensive part of the role he is being asked to do.

The telling thing for me is that we had dropped Rashica and (finally) reverted to the 4-2-3-1. With a number 10, Pukki was unshackled and back to his best. Cantwell was playing well too, in the same role in which he had originally broken into Farke's team.

We were creating chances. And taking them too. 

Yet here we are today. Cantwell dropped (squad rotated?) and back to the 4-3-3. And back to the same turgid rubbish from last season. No ideas. No creativity. Pukki isolated. Kenny as a single pivot in midfield, looking vulnerable and ineffective. A massive backwards step.

We're second in the table. 2 points per game. Salvaged a draw from a losing position against a good side. It's not so bad. Good enough, ultimately. 

However I'm still left with the overriding questions: what have we gained? Is this progress? 

It seems like the plan is still to keep persevering with the 4-3-3, despite its obvious shortcomings with our squad. It isn't working and it won't work with these players.

I can't warm to Dean Smith. The atmosphere is flat. There's an underlying discontent, simmering under the surface. 

We might just about have enough for automatic promotion. But we're nowhere near the level we hit under Farke. And we look further away from being a Premier League team than at any point in the last 4 years.

So, after 10 Championship games my verdict on Dean Smith: meh. 

I don’t think the squad has many obvious shortcomings. Good cover in most positions. But it currently has lost through injury all three left-backs and the only two defensive midfielders/sweepers up in front of the defence, in Hayden and Gibbs.

This has plainly unbalanced things, since we are having to make do with an overly right-footed left back, and incoming midfielders in Sara and Nunez are having to play unaccustomed roles.

I don’t think it is over optimistic to imagine that if/when we get Giannoulis and either Hayden or Gibbs back then the starting elevens will make more sense and look more balanced than they have been doing.

[KeiranShikari 1,524]

There's a reason he jumped at the chance to take us and that's because he knows he Wouldn't be in demand in the higher reaches of the game. I doubt he'll be earning his way up with his time hear either.

[canarybubbles 2,199]

5 minutes ago, littleyellowbirdie said:

I just think the fact that there are some saddos trying to have a 'sack the manager' campaign after a draw after 6 wins on the trot is hilarious.

'Saddos'. Why do you have to insult people who have different views from you? Why can't you call us 'people who don't want Dean Smith' or even 'Smith-haters'? Has anyone called you 'Dean Smith's cocksuc*er' because you support him? No, they haven't, because most people understand the concept of politeness, although it seems way beyond you.

[Branston Pickle 4,150]

Second after ten games with 2pts per game and people aren’t happy.  Do they realise how many players we have missing? I think it was 10 at one point, including 3 x lb, and most of our defensive midfield.  It seems there’s absolutely no allowance for that, in part because there’s a bonkers feeling with some that under Farke we’d have been sreamrollering sides 7-0 and been on 30pts right now.

Edited September 17, 2022 by Branston Pickle

[Captain Holt 580]

Get him out while we're doing ok points-wise. The fall is coming. Directionless turgid sh11te.

[vlad666 207]

Not a fan at all. Playing 4-3-3 when we don’t have a defensive midfielder is ridiculous. I’d go 3-5-2 and then we can get Sargent closer to pukki as he’s wasted out wide. The gap in midfield today was frightening. It was like we were playing 4-1-5. 
I know people bang on about style of play and I agree but I don’t even see patterns of play. The amount of misplaced passes is ridiculous. 
Even though we’ve won games I don’t think we’ve played well yet. We’ve got some really good players for this level and with the right formation and style I think we’re capable of getting promoted with ease as this looks the poorest championship I’ve seen for a while. Unfortunately under smith I think we’re going to make it hard work and have to settle for a play off place. 
 

[Danke bitte 1,155]

15 minutes ago, hogesar said:

Don't disagree that the midfield frailties still exist but how wouldn't they when all of our defensive minded midfielders are out injured and we've been playing without a recognised left back just to compound things?

I'm not sure that's really on Smith.

Ultimately his job is to deliver promotion and we are on course to do that, despite injuries in key positions.

Reflecting back, no different to the starts under Farke.

This. But I think we’re all burned out from promotion fatigue. I can’t get behind Smith but I think it’s because we treated to amazing Farkeball in the Champ. 

We’re on course, had a ****e game today, still don’t have players in the right position but we’re ambling through. When we’re at full strength and tonking teams 4-0 I’m sure we’ll still find something to complain about. 

[TeemuVanBasten 3,328]

12 minutes ago, Danke bitte said:

This. But I think we’re all burned out from promotion fatigue. I can’t get behind Smith but I think it’s because we treated to amazing Farkeball in the Champ. 

We’re on course, had a ****e game today, still don’t have players in the right position but we’re ambling through. When we’re at full strength and tonking teams 4-0 I’m sure we’ll still find something to complain about. 

Stuck between a rock and a hard place.

We want Farkeball in the Championship, however we then go up accustomed to playing a style of football that is completely unsuitable for a team of our budget in the top tier. 

So we try and transition into a more direct team which can attack on the break, and that's definitely still a work in progress, but then fans think its not befitting a team of our history in the second tier.

I can see what Webber/Smith are trying to do, they are trying to go up with a style of football that will need less adaptation in the top tier. Unfortunately though we seem far too easy to play through at the minute and if we're easy to play through in the Championship then I can see that 9-0 record falling in the Prem.

We do need to see if a proper DM stabilises us, but we've known we've never managed to bring in a permanent new Tettey, fans have been crying out for it for years, and then we go and sign an injury prone player with a pretty serious existing injury. 

I struggle to get past the recruitment again. Can we please just sign TWO proper DMs and then we can move on to other areas of the pitch which need some work, I'd even have Ben Pearson right now and he's a proper c0ckwomble.

Edited September 17, 2022 by TeemuVanBasten

[Nexus_Canary 1,206]

40 minutes ago, Ken Hairy said:

I agree meh 🤷 Not foaming at the mouth for him to go at present, wouldn't shed a tear if he did. 

Yeh agree with this 

[TeemuVanBasten 3,328]

16 minutes ago, Branston Pickle said:

Second after ten games with 2pts per game and people aren’t happy.  Do they realise how many players we have missing? I think it was 10 at one point, including 3 x lb

We don't have three left backs, so we definitely haven't had 3 left backs out.

[Danke bitte 1,155]

4 minutes ago, TeemuVanBasten said:

Stuck between a rock and a hard place.

We want Farkeball in the Championship, however we then go up accustomed to playing a style of football that is completely unsuitable for a team of our budget in the top tier. 

So we try and transition into a more direct team which can attack on the break, and that's definitely still a work in progress, but then fans think its not befitting a team of our history in the second tier.

I can see what Webber/Smith are trying to do, they are trying to go up with a style of football that will need less adaptation in the top tier. Unfortunately though we seem far too easy to play through at the minute and if we're easy to play through in the Championship then I can see that 9-0 record falling in the Prem.

We do need to see if a proper DM stabilises us, but we've known we've never managed to bring in a permanent new Tettey, fans have been crying out for it for years, and then we go and sign an injury prone player with a pretty serious existing injury. 

I struggle to get past the recruitment again. Can we please just sign TWO proper DMs and then we can move on to other areas of the pitch which need some work, I'd even have Ben Pearson right now and he's a proper c0ckwomble.

Fantastic and balanced post. Exactly this. 

[canarybubbles 2,199]

18 minutes ago, Branston Pickle said:

Second after ten games with 2pts per game and people aren’t happy.  Do they realise how many players we have missing? I think it was 10 at one point, including 3 x lb, and most of our defensive midfield.  It seems there’s absolutely no allowance for that, in part because there’s a bonkers feeling with some that under Farke we’d have been sreamrollering sides 7-0 and been on 30pts right now.

Are you happy? Obviously you're happy with 20 points and we all are. But are you happy with the performances? Do you think we can go up automatically performing like we have so far?

[Inch High aka Inchy.. 417]

Smith is lucky the Championship is so dire this season. Running on luck.

[Petriix 3,219]

34 minutes ago, hogesar said:

Reflecting back, no different to the starts under Farke.

Perhaps. But under Farke there was a fire. Passion. Connection. Belief. Surely the point of sacking him was to improve. Do different. I'm just not seeing that improvement. 

[Branston Pickle 4,150]

5 minutes ago, TeemuVanBasten said:

We don't have three left backs, so we definitely haven't had 3 left backs out.

If you want to be a muppet about it then it’s 2+ Sorensen who was back up, but that is being really twatty.

[Feedthewolf 5,885]

31 minutes ago, canarydan23 said:

We've got a squad good enough to comfortably finish top two.

I don't think Smith is good enough to guide it there.

The counter-argument to that, though, is that the squad might be so good for this level that we can finish top two despite having an uninspiring manager. When Hayden, Lungi, Gibbs and Giannoulis are back fit we should be a lot more solid at the back (and we've only conceded six in the last seven anyway), and we've got plenty of creativity and firepower up top (with Idah and Rowe still to come back too).

While we're in and around the top two, it's pretty much a 'like it or lump it' scenario. I am still hoping that a fully fit Hayden will provide the screening ability we've lacked so much, and give us the chance to play with a proper double pivot with a creative playmaker (Nunez) alongside a specialist destructive DM in Hayden. There's also the chance of going 4-3-3 with Kenny as extra physicality if we need it, or indeed retaining the 4-2-3-1 but playing Kenny or Gibbs alongside Hayden.

With the quality of squad at our disposal, there's no excuse for us floundering, and I don't see Smith ballsing it up to the extent that we're in danger of finishing outside the top six (which I suspect would be the board's minimum expectation for him retaining his job).

Even if we do maintain our recent form and win the league, I haven't seen anything to suggest that Smith would be able to keep us in the PL, even if our man in Milwaukee gave him a generous budget to do so.

 

 

[Branston Pickle 4,150]

1 minute ago, Petriix said:

Perhaps. But under Farke there was a fire. Passion. Connection. Belief. Surely the point of sacking him was to improve. Do different. I'm just not seeing that improvement. 

Yes, in his first season there was definitely no moaning or whingeing about our play going nowhere, and being far too plodding.  That must have been a different Farke I was watching us under.

[keelansgrandad 6,680]

Obviously a coach who takes his team to 2nd is quids in, especially after an awful start.

However, I think we have the best squad in the league so would be astonished if we weren't somewher similar to where we are. Our injuries have deprived us although the Hayden situation is now akin to a Whitehall farce.

I cannot fathom Deano out. I cannot get anyone to tell me what they think his style is. Sometimes we press but not always. Midfield is always outnumbered. Players are played out of position.

I can't knock the results but the performances haven't exactly got me off my seat.

[GJL Mid-Norfolk Canary 2,035]

Well driving back from Hull a few weeks back furious that we'd somehow managed to lose and were sitting bottom, I said that nothing less than 2 wins from the following 2 games vs Huddersfield and Millwall would do or he could clear his desk...he won them to be fair and for those who wanted to give him 10 games , we''re in the promotion spots, there's not much more he could have done since that Hull game

I'd argue in our 10 games we've probably only played well in about 4?...oddly one of them being Wigan (h).

So from here 1 of 2 things can happen. We will start playing better and move up a gear or two and really take hold of this league...or results will start to match out performances and start to drop off.

However even if it is the latter, the standard of team in general in this league is so ordinary that we could still pick up plenty of wins without playing well a lot of the time

[AJ 1,359]

I just can't love Smith, and I find myself getting frustrated with him very quickly compared to Farke. Farke had a power over the squad and fans, he did things his way, he commanded respect and earned it well. He had a system that produced mouthwatering football at times whereas today we were once again back in a system that doesn't use our players strengths and isolated our striker. Smith just doesn't give me any confidence whatsoever.