Dean Smith trending on Twitter

[kirku 1,338]

4 hours ago, littleyellowbirdie said:

Ah, I love being gaslighted in the afternoon! Just remember, the sack the manager brigade are the agitators who have been going on week after week, win or loss. Sorry if the fact some people have some sense of perspective is inconvenient.

Very few people were calling for him to be sacked a few weeks ago.

Many of us said that the results were masking some poor performances and there were worrying signs that it was likely to unravel when we started to play the better sides. You disagreed via the medium of tantrum.

And what has transpired?

The results started to match the poor performances and it has started to unravel after we began playing the better sides. You continue to disagree via the medium of tantrum.

Have some humility.

Edited October 21, 2022 by kirku

[littleyellowbirdie 2,588]

35 minutes ago, kirku said:

Very few people were calling for him to be sacked a few weeks ago.

Many of us said that the results were masking some poor performances and there were worrying signs that it was likely to unravel when we started to play the better sides. You disagreed via the medium of tantrum.

And what has transpired?

The results started to match the poor performances and it has started to unravel after we began playing the better sides. You continue to disagree via the medium of tantrum.

Have some humility.

Ah yes, the nebulous 'eye test' that allows performances to be considered 'poor', win or loss, in the face of literally any tangible measure, be it points accrued (currently 3 points from the top of the table), goals for, goals against, xg for, xg against, %pass completion, possession, shots, shots on target. You name it, all of it fails in the face of the 'eye test'.

The way these three losses, each by only a single goal, have become 'proof' that the 7 wins in 9 were simply some weird aberration is a genuinely masterful argument that any politician would be proud of. 

We have not been poor all of the time by a long shot. I'd say we've been curate's eggish, which is fair enough in a time of transition with a long injury list. We have some really great periods and some not so great ones. The players have definitely been off it the last few games and that needs turning round. But even with that in mind, the extent of the negativity towards Smith personally is just absurd. 

As for humility, I'm not one of the people who really believe they know better regarding coaching a football team than a guy who has been doing it professionally and successfully at Championship and Premier League level for the last 8 years and still has us in spitting distance of the top of the table in spite of three losses on the trot. 

Edited October 21, 2022 by littleyellowbirdie

[TheGunnShow 5,991]

49 minutes ago, SwearyCanary said:

I take your point in this and Sara I do feel is a good acquisition potentially. Hayden should be, but relying on both is an incredibly fragile existence with how relentless this season can be 

Sure, I'm simply saying that it's probably the case that those two, gelled in together, are going to be the foundations of Plan A.

[SwearyCanary 1,179]

30 minutes ago, TheGunnShow said:

Sure, I'm simply saying that it's probably the case that those two, gelled in together, are going to be the foundations of Plan A.

I hope you’re right and truly hope plan A is markedly better than plan B 

[kirku 1,338]

37 minutes ago, littleyellowbirdie said:

As for humility, I'm not one of the people who really believe they know better regarding coaching a football team than a guy who has been doing it professionally and successfully at Championship and Premier League level for the last 8 years and still has us in spitting distance of the top of the table in spite of three losses on the trot. 

Ed Sheeran is a better singer than me.

It doesn't mean I want to listen to his music.

Edited October 21, 2022 by kirku

[littleyellowbirdie 2,588]

14 minutes ago, kirku said:

Ed Sheeran is a better singer than me.

It doesn't mean I want to listen to his music.

I have to say, that was a good one!

[TheGunnShow 5,991]

43 minutes ago, kirku said:

Ed Sheeran is a better singer than me.

It doesn't mean I want to listen to his music.

****ing hell, that bar's so low Liz Truss's performance might not even limbo under it. (I don't rate Sheeran as a singer at all).

[kirku 1,338]

25 minutes ago, TheGunnShow said:

****ing hell, that bar's so low Liz Truss's performance might not even limbo under it. (I don't rate Sheeran as a singer at all).

Gormlessly repeating the same old tired lines with all the charisma of a broomstick.

Didn't rate Truss either.

[By Hook or Ian crook 917]

On 21/10/2022 at 00:11, littleyellowbirdie said:

Gunn was an outright catastrophe. Our last three losses in the championship after an excellent run and still in reach of the top of the table hardly compare to a 7-0 collapse in League one.

Excellent run? we must be watching different teams we’ve not taken any points of a team in the top 10. We’ve got beat at Cardiff and Hull who are both a shambles, we let Preston who’s only scored 4 goals in 12 games score 3 against us in one on our own pitch. You can clap happy all you want but if this joker stays we are going nowhere good fast. 

[GJL Mid-Norfolk Canary 1,800]

I'm sure Steven Gerrard knows more about football than Villa fans...but they know what they were watching and could see that it wasnt right...and it only took one game (at Fulham) where they properly turned for the board to act.

So lets not pretend that fans views dont count...and that managers are in some way immune from being criticsed by the mere supporter just because we havent managed ourselves.

[littleyellowbirdie 2,588]

35 minutes ago, GJL Mid-Norfolk Canary said:

I'm sure Steven Gerrard knows more about football than Villa fans...but they know what they were watching and could see that it wasnt right...and it only took one game (at Fulham) where they properly turned for the board to act.

So lets not pretend that fans views dont count...and that managers are in some way immune from being criticsed by the mere supporter just because we havent managed ourselves.

As I've said many times, this run aside, we're in reach of the top spots and have seen some evidence along the way of how it's coming together in play, with periods where we've looked good among the disjointed periods. This is all in the context of:

Many changes in the squad since last year.

A number of players who have never even played in England until this season.

Many injuries, making it impossible to field recognised left backs and holding midfielders for many games now.

Gerrard doesn't have a fraction of Smith's achievements or experience as a championship and premier League manager.

 

 

 

Edited October 22, 2022 by littleyellowbirdie

[Branston Pickle 3,683]

16 minutes ago, littleyellowbirdie said:

Many injuries, making it impossible to field recognised left backs and holding midfielders for many games now

How dare you mention the injuries - that’s already been dismissed even though we had 10-11 potential first team players missing at times this season.

The fact is that we have already had to play 5 different guys at left back so far this season, and today will presumably be a 6th. Four are injured/coming back and one is suspended. 

[kenfoggo 247]

Perhaps time to stop with the injury excuses and focus on the wisdom of sending Bali Mumba out on loan? We had enough depth of talent and experience in the squad to cover injuries, so focus more on Dean Smith’s utilisation of the resources at his disposal. His insistence on selecting players out of position has given no cohesion or shape or effective strategy to the team on the pitch. As evidenced in the game against Luton the team on the pitch looked like 11 individuals who just met up in the pub car park 15 minutes before the start. Does Dean Smith select the starting 11 and their positions on the pitch by throwing darts at the squad sheet or does he favour the flipping of a coin technique? Against Sheffield perhaps we will see Sinani at left back and Pukki in a holding midfielder role? You just cannot anticipate what Smith will attempt next.

[GJL Mid-Norfolk Canary 1,800]

1 hour ago, Branston Pickle said:

How dare you mention the injuries - that’s already been dismissed even though we had 10-11 potential first team players missing at times this season.

The fact is that we have already had to play 5 different guys at left back so far this season, and today will presumably be a 6th. Four are injured/coming back and one is suspended. 

10-11 players?..  not all in the same game though?

Yes left backs have been injured and different ones have had to be used but in all bar the Luton game we've aways had someone who is a recognised left back/ someone who has played there before to actually play there be it Dimi,McCallum,Byram or Sorenson

As for a holding midfielder, we signed a crock in Hayden if we left ourselves with only one real holding midfielder in the squad and no cover , then that's the manager / sporting directors fault. Even if they saw Sorenson as cover there, he got injured at Hull before the Sept 1st transfer window, so if we didnt act to reinforce that position, again its their fault.

Other than that I dont think injuries have been an issue for us only really playing well in about a third of our games this season?

[Kenny Foggo 1,116]

Sack the manager... things still the same..sack another manager....things still the same...sack another manager... 

Things are rotten all the way through the club. Best staff left or leaving, a director of football wants to leave, his boss is his wife, owners desparately clinging on with no fresh ideas, any hope of speaking to someone from this well run community club a distant memory... need new ideas fresh management and a total reboot...and that not just a sparkly lightshow or a fancy swimming pool.

[Branston Pickle 3,683]

1 hour ago, GJL Mid-Norfolk Canary said:

10-11 players?..  not all in the same game though?

Yes, in the same game, possibly twice…I posted at the time, a month or so ago.  Yes it includes Rowe but why the hell shouldn’t it - imo he’d 100% have been a first teamer this season.  Also Idah, Byram, Sara (out at the time) Hayden (ditto) and 3x left backs. That’s 8 without thinking, i think Dowell and Hugill were also out in addition to those for two games…but whatever.

For me, 4 of those would probably start in a first XI.  Some are now back (not all) but aren’t necessarily fully match-sharp.

Edited October 22, 2022 by Branston Pickle

[Branston Pickle 3,683]

1 hour ago, kenfoggo said:

Perhaps time to stop with the injury excuses and focus on the wisdom of sending Bali Mumba out on loan? 

It made sense at the time - and his preferred role of r/b hasn’t been an issue.  I’m glad Bali is doing well, but I’m not sure he’s quite ready for a side (hopefully) pushing for a PL place. You can hardly legislate for needing to use 5-6 different players at l/b barely 1/3 of the way through the season!

Edited October 22, 2022 by Branston Pickle

[Branston Pickle 3,683]

Just for the record, players out today: Byram,, Sam Mc, Andrew O, Rowe, Dowell, Sara, Kenny, Idah, Sorensen.

That’s 9 out, 8 injured or ill. Two are probably playing earlier than we’d like.  It’s kind of irrelevant how many would start on a first choice XI (2-3?), it diminishes our back-up.  I’m sure we’d love to give some a rest and are unable to (Teemu was mentioned recently) so are surely weaker as a result.

Of course all sides will have players out, just some of our supporters appear to be in denial that we have quite a few.

Edited October 22, 2022 by Branston Pickle