Alan Smith

[Keefaz]

We'll see. I hope so. Technically, he a good player but doesn't seem to have a forward's movement around the box. I think if Sam is seriously thinking about using him up front, he could do worse than trying to teach him to think like a striker again.

[Dr Spectrum]

What people are failing to realise is that if Smith is occupying a forward position--in place of Viduka--that's one less goal-scorer we have on the pitch. It might work, but goals win you just as many games as graft.

He's more of a creator of goals tbf. A lack of goals will always be his problem though.

 

Its his movement. Absolutely abysmal. He never gets anywhere near the 6 yard box to get a chance. Always dropping off or summat. I reckon its all been coached out of him when Taggart tried to turn him into a poor mans Robbie Savage. Sir Alex "Greatest manager ever " Ferguson has destroyed his career tbh.

[Parky]

We'll see. I hope so. Technically, he a good player but doesn't seem to have a forward's movement around the box. I think if Sam is seriously thinking about using him up front, he could do worse than trying to teach him to think like a striker again.

 

With Martins gone in Jan...Smith/Owen or Fatuka will have to be worked at...More importantly I'd like to see a couple of midfielders come in the Jan window with creative and pace components.

[TRon]

Ideally you'd like forwards who have good movement and score goals. Smith's general play is good up front but he's not a goalscorer. Viduka is unfit so he should stay on the bench until he's lost some weight.

[WhatTheFunk]

What people are failing to realise is that if Smith is occupying a forward position--in place of Viduka--that's one less goal-scorer we have on the pitch. It might work, but goals win you just as many games as graft.

He's more of a creator of goals tbf. A lack of goals will always be his problem though.

 

Its his movement. Absolutely abysmal. He never gets anywhere near the 6 yard box to get a chance. Always dropping off or summat. I reckon its all been coached out of him when Taggart tried to turn him into a poor mans Robbie Savage. Sir Alex "Greatest manager ever " Ferguson has destroyed his career tbh.

 

Spot on. Definitely not one of SAF's finest hours. Have people forgotten the type of goals he scored for Leeds?? The boy can finish. It's just been removed from his arsenal in the last few seasons, and he will need to get it back slowly. As I said earlier, if Smith can regain his goalscoring touch, it could make a huge difference to our season, and could be the single most important thing for the team to move forward that extra step up into the top 6

[Guest jimmy1982]

What people are failing to realise is that if Smith is occupying a forward position--in place of Viduka--that's one less goal-scorer we have on the pitch. It might work, but goals win you just as many games as graft.

He's more of a creator of goals tbf. A lack of goals will always be his problem though.

 

Its his movement. Absolutely abysmal. He never gets anywhere near the 6 yard box to get a chance. Always dropping off or summat. I reckon its all been coached out of him when Taggart tried to turn him into a poor mans Robbie Savage. Sir Alex "Greatest manager ever " Ferguson has destroyed his career tbh.

 

If it can be coached out it can be coached back in!

[danswan]

What people are failing to realise is that if Smith is occupying a forward position--in place of Viduka--that's one less goal-scorer we have on the pitch. It might work, but goals win you just as many games as graft.

He's more of a creator of goals tbf. A lack of goals will always be his problem though.

 

Its his movement. Absolutely abysmal. He never gets anywhere near the 6 yard box to get a chance. Always dropping off or summat. I reckon its all been coached out of him when Taggart tried to turn him into a poor mans Robbie Savage. Sir Alex "Greatest manager ever " Ferguson has destroyed his career tbh.

 

Spot on. Definitely not one of SAF's finest hours. Have people forgotten the type of goals he scored for Leeds?? The boy can finish. It's just been removed from his arsenal in the last few seasons, and he will need to get it back slowly. As I said earlier, if Smith can regain his goalscoring touch, it could make a huge difference to our season, and could be the single most important thing for the team to move forward that extra step up into the top 6

 

I can remember him and Micky Bridges scoring some crackers in the champions league.

[Geordie Boot Boy]

We'll see. I hope so. Technically, he a good player but doesn't seem to have a forward's movement around the box. I think if Sam is seriously thinking about using him up front, he could do worse than trying to teach him to think like a striker again.

 

With Martins gone in Jan...Smith/Owen or Fatuka will have to be worked at...More importantly I'd like to see a couple of midfielders come in the Jan window with creative and pace components.

 

I'd rather lose any of the other strikers than lose Martins.

[danswan]

We'll see. I hope so. Technically, he a good player but doesn't seem to have a forward's movement around the box. I think if Sam is seriously thinking about using him up front, he could do worse than trying to teach him to think like a striker again.

 

With Martins gone in Jan...Smith/Owen or Fatuka will have to be worked at...More importantly I'd like to see a couple of midfielders come in the Jan window with creative and pace components.

 

I'd rather lose any of the other strikers than lose Martins.

 

Well he's off whether you like it or not. Unless we cut Shola's legs off at the knees and send him instead?

[Guest alex]

We'll see. I hope so. Technically, he a good player but doesn't seem to have a forward's movement around the box. I think if Sam is seriously thinking about using him up front, he could do worse than trying to teach him to think like a striker again.

 

With Martins gone in Jan...Smith/Owen or Fatuka will have to be worked at...More importantly I'd like to see a couple of midfielders come in the Jan window with creative and pace components.

 

I'd rather lose any of the other strikers than lose Martins.

He means African Cup of Nations rather than being sold I think.

[ohmelads]

What people are failing to realise is that if Smith is occupying a forward position--in place of Viduka--that's one less goal-scorer we have on the pitch. It might work, but goals win you just as many games as graft.

 

I don't think Viduka has the legs or the fitness record to be scoring loads of goals for us this season. And in a team struggling to supply the bullets he's a luxury we can't afford. He'll do a job as a bit-part player but we've been carrying him a lot this season in all honesty. When we don't have the ball it feels like we're down to 10 men, he does next to nothing to chase from the front and we see our midfield getting overrun. He doesn't have a reputation as a lazy forward for nothing, he's been like this throughout his career. Arsenal couldn't do that, Smith was never going to let Toure stroll up to the half way line and start attacks. They tried to play it out of their own half but we didn't let them and they resorted to punting it long or making mistakes trying to play it out. Yes, Arsenal, punting it long. Compare that to Viduka and Martins who were both lazy against Liverpool and as a result Liverpool were always on the front foot, their defenders bringing it up to halfway and creating big problems outnumbering our midfield. They didn't make mistakes at the back because they had all the time in the world.

 

We've got to look at the team and not just the individuals. Smith will always chase defenders and when defenders don't have time they make mistakes or they launch it long, often giving possession straight back to us. Arsenal tried to play it out yesterday but we were onto them every time, no defender had time to take two touches of the ball and when they weren't making mistakes they were launching it long where Taylor and Rozehnal picked it up. This was the basis of our dominance for long periods in the second half.

 

Smith's running around in midfield makes him look like a headless chicken, but put him up front and that weakness becomes a strength, espescially for a team like ourselves trying to fight their way out of a problem. When you're lacking quality you need fight and in recent weeks we've had neither. Smith has shown Viduka up for his laziness IMO.

[Geordie Boot Boy]

We'll see. I hope so. Technically, he a good player but doesn't seem to have a forward's movement around the box. I think if Sam is seriously thinking about using him up front, he could do worse than trying to teach him to think like a striker again.

 

With Martins gone in Jan...Smith/Owen or Fatuka will have to be worked at...More importantly I'd like to see a couple of midfielders come in the Jan window with creative and pace components.

 

I'd rather lose any of the other strikers than lose Martins.

He means African Cup of Nations rather than being sold I think.

 

:icon_clown:  Of course.  Ignore me.

[WhatTheFunk]

What people are failing to realise is that if Smith is occupying a forward position--in place of Viduka--that's one less goal-scorer we have on the pitch. It might work, but goals win you just as many games as graft.

 

I don't think Viduka has the legs or the fitness record to be scoring loads of goals for us this season. And in a team struggling to supply the bullets he's a luxury we can't afford. He'll do a job as a bit-part player but we've been carrying him a lot this season in all honesty. When we don't have the ball it feels like we're down to 10 men, he does next to nothing to chase from the front and we see our midfield getting overrun. He doesn't have a reputation as a lazy forward for nothing, he's been like this throughout his career. Arsenal couldn't do that, Smith was never going to let Toure stroll up to the half way line and start attacks. They tried to play it out of their own half but we didn't let them and they resorted to punting it long or making mistakes trying to play it out. Yes, Arsenal, punting it long. Compare that to Viduka and Martins who were both lazy against Liverpool and as a result Liverpool were always on the front foot, their defenders bringing it up to halfway and creating big problems outnumbering our midfield. They didn't make mistakes at the back because they had all the time in the world.

 

We've got to look at the team and not just the individuals. Smith will always chase defenders and when defenders don't have time they make mistakes or they launch it long, often giving possession straight back to us. Arsenal tried to play it out yesterday but we were onto them every time, no defender had time to take two touches of the ball and when they weren't making mistakes they were launching it long where Taylor and Rozehnal picked it up. This was the basis of our dominance for long periods in the second half.

 

Smith's running around in midfield makes him look like a headless chicken, but put him up front and that weakness becomes a strength, espescially for a team like ourselves trying to fight their way out of a problem. When you're lacking quality you need fight and in recent weeks we've had neither. Smith has shown Viduka up for his laziness IMO.

 

Thats a good post....but...

 

How did Viduka score double figures last season for a struggling shower of smogshite? was that team more creative than our current crop?

[Parky]

What people are failing to realise is that if Smith is occupying a forward position--in place of Viduka--that's one less goal-scorer we have on the pitch. It might work, but goals win you just as many games as graft.

 

I don't think Viduka has the legs or the fitness record to be scoring loads of goals for us this season. And in a team struggling to supply the bullets he's a luxury we can't afford. He'll do a job as a bit-part player but we've been carrying him a lot this season in all honesty. When we don't have the ball it feels like we're down to 10 men, he does next to nothing to chase from the front and we see our midfield getting overrun. He doesn't have a reputation as a lazy forward for nothing, he's been like this throughout his career. Arsenal couldn't do that, Smith was never going to let Toure stroll up to the half way line and start attacks. They tried to play it out of their own half but we didn't let them and they resorted to punting it long or making mistakes trying to play it out. Yes, Arsenal, punting it long. Compare that to Viduka and Martins who were both lazy against Liverpool and as a result Liverpool were always on the front foot, their defenders bringing it up to halfway and creating big problems outnumbering our midfield. They didn't make mistakes at the back because they had all the time in the world.

 

We've got to look at the team and not just the individuals. Smith will always chase defenders and when defenders don't have time they make mistakes or they launch it long, often giving possession straight back to us. Arsenal tried to play it out yesterday but we were onto them every time, no defender had time to take two touches of the ball and when they weren't making mistakes they were launching it long where Taylor and Rozehnal picked it up. This was the basis of our dominance for long periods in the second half.

 

Smith's running around in midfield makes him look like a headless chicken, but put him up front and that weakness becomes a strength, espescially for a team like ourselves trying to fight their way out of a problem. When you're lacking quality you need fight and in recent weeks we've had neither. Smith has shown Viduka up for his laziness IMO.

 

[Guest jimmy1982]

What people are failing to realise is that if Smith is occupying a forward position--in place of Viduka--that's one less goal-scorer we have on the pitch. It might work, but goals win you just as many games as graft.

 

I don't think Viduka has the legs or the fitness record to be scoring loads of goals for us this season. And in a team struggling to supply the bullets he's a luxury we can't afford. He'll do a job as a bit-part player but we've been carrying him a lot this season in all honesty. When we don't have the ball it feels like we're down to 10 men, he does next to nothing to chase from the front and we see our midfield getting overrun. He doesn't have a reputation as a lazy forward for nothing, he's been like this throughout his career. Arsenal couldn't do that, Smith was never going to let Toure stroll up to the half way line and start attacks. They tried to play it out of their own half but we didn't let them and they resorted to punting it long or making mistakes trying to play it out. Yes, Arsenal, punting it long. Compare that to Viduka and Martins who were both lazy against Liverpool and as a result Liverpool were always on the front foot, their defenders bringing it up to halfway and creating big problems outnumbering our midfield. They didn't make mistakes at the back because they had all the time in the world.

 

We've got to look at the team and not just the individuals. Smith will always chase defenders and when defenders don't have time they make mistakes or they launch it long, often giving possession straight back to us. Arsenal tried to play it out yesterday but we were onto them every time, no defender had time to take two touches of the ball and when they weren't making mistakes they were launching it long where Taylor and Rozehnal picked it up. This was the basis of our dominance for long periods in the second half.

 

Smith's running around in midfield makes him look like a headless chicken, but put him up front and that weakness becomes a strength, espescially for a team like ourselves trying to fight their way out of a problem. When you're lacking quality you need fight and in recent weeks we've had neither. Smith has shown Viduka up for his laziness IMO.

 

Thats a good post....but...

 

How did Viduka score double figures last season for a struggling shower of smogshite? was that team more creative than our current crop?

 

Aye, very good post. I would put Smith in every match and get the players playing the same way week in week out, and Viduka can always be our plan B. When he came on last night I can remember there was at least one instance where he made space for himself and managed to get a shot in on the edge of the box. Smith isn't going to play like he did last night every match, so Viduka can be the gadgie we look to to come on if things aren't going our way and hopefully produce a tasty bit of skill in or around the box to nick us a goal (like he did against the smogmonsters). At the start of the season I thought our game plan would be knocking long balls up to Viduka in the hope he could create something for himself or others, with Smith playing a bigger role towards the end of the season and next, when we'd hopefully have a settled side and way of playing. Maybe Sam will have seen enough last night to make Smith our first choice target man from now on, but I have a feeling he'll chop and change between the two, going for horses for courses and all that. Maybe against poorer teams we might start with Viduka as there might be more chance of giving him good balls into his feet.

I wonder what a Smith and Viduka partnership would be like if Owen's not fit when Oba goes to the Africa Nations next year... Not much pace, but it'd be a combo of brains and brawn.

[ChezGiven]

When's Baggio back? He'll be seething...

[Guest Knightrider]

He was Shearer-esque last night at leading the line, he was fucking awesome I thought and that's where he has to play. He was used like Davies was for Bolton and it showed because we picked up a hell of a lot from him pressing, battling, scrapping and being so strong. Unlike Davies though Smith is technically a decent footballer. He won't score you goals but as a focal point up top he can be ever so effective, as he proved last night. He has to stay there and could well win himself a permanent place in the starting XI, if as I suspect Sam goes for 4-3-3 all the way in Jan, based on that performance. You put some pace, width and intelligence either side of him and some creativity in midfield...

[johnnypd]

What people are failing to realise is that if Smith is occupying a forward position--in place of Viduka--that's one less goal-scorer we have on the pitch. It might work, but goals win you just as many games as graft.

 

I don't think Viduka has the legs or the fitness record to be scoring loads of goals for us this season. And in a team struggling to supply the bullets he's a luxury we can't afford. He'll do a job as a bit-part player but we've been carrying him a lot this season in all honesty. When we don't have the ball it feels like we're down to 10 men, he does next to nothing to chase from the front and we see our midfield getting overrun. He doesn't have a reputation as a lazy forward for nothing, he's been like this throughout his career. Arsenal couldn't do that, Smith was never going to let Toure stroll up to the half way line and start attacks. They tried to play it out of their own half but we didn't let them and they resorted to punting it long or making mistakes trying to play it out. Yes, Arsenal, punting it long. Compare that to Viduka and Martins who were both lazy against Liverpool and as a result Liverpool were always on the front foot, their defenders bringing it up to halfway and creating big problems outnumbering our midfield. They didn't make mistakes at the back because they had all the time in the world.

 

We've got to look at the team and not just the individuals. Smith will always chase defenders and when defenders don't have time they make mistakes or they launch it long, often giving possession straight back to us. Arsenal tried to play it out yesterday but we were onto them every time, no defender had time to take two touches of the ball and when they weren't making mistakes they were launching it long where Taylor and Rozehnal picked it up. This was the basis of our dominance for long periods in the second half.

 

Smith's running around in midfield makes him look like a headless chicken, but put him up front and that weakness becomes a strength, espescially for a team like ourselves trying to fight their way out of a problem. When you're lacking quality you need fight and in recent weeks we've had neither. Smith has shown Viduka up for his laziness IMO.

 

agree, but you're basically using him as an upfield defender. he was good yesterday, but only playing in a certain style where he gets all of his joy from harrasing defenders, closing them down and battling for everything. but he's not going to pick a pass or create space with a trick like viduka, nor get into any goalscoring positions like the fat man will and he won't even particularly help us to play flowing football. yesterday a lot of his knock-downs were poorly aimed and he didn't really bring others into play as well as he should've., it was a bit disjointed and sporadic. everything that was done well was by way of huff and puff and not by having a touch of class, smith's pass completion rate was 51% for instance, very hit and miss. it was a performance that reminded me very much of Kevin Davies' at Bolton. tho again, the lack of goalscoring or getting into dangerous positions is a big weakness, even someone like heskey (a better forward than smith incidentally) got double figures last season. we don't exactly have people elsewhere in the side who will pop up and score and martins himself does most his work outside the box and smith isn't going to create outright for them, but only help indirectly, and if you aren't scoring that's not enough. before the goal people were saying viduka should come on as even when we kept possession around arsenal's box we lacked someone to create an outright chance, while others commented that if we'd had a poacher on we'd have scored already, as no-one was getting into positions even when we forced arsenal in errors. last night we relied on our centre-half scoring a scuffed shot that bounced in off the post after it ran favourably for him.

[Guest Knightrider]

What people are failing to realise is that if Smith is occupying a forward position--in place of Viduka--that's one less goal-scorer we have on the pitch. It might work, but goals win you just as many games as graft.

 

I don't think Viduka has the legs or the fitness record to be scoring loads of goals for us this season. And in a team struggling to supply the bullets he's a luxury we can't afford. He'll do a job as a bit-part player but we've been carrying him a lot this season in all honesty. When we don't have the ball it feels like we're down to 10 men, he does next to nothing to chase from the front and we see our midfield getting overrun. He doesn't have a reputation as a lazy forward for nothing, he's been like this throughout his career. Arsenal couldn't do that, Smith was never going to let Toure stroll up to the half way line and start attacks. They tried to play it out of their own half but we didn't let them and they resorted to punting it long or making mistakes trying to play it out. Yes, Arsenal, punting it long. Compare that to Viduka and Martins who were both lazy against Liverpool and as a result Liverpool were always on the front foot, their defenders bringing it up to halfway and creating big problems outnumbering our midfield. They didn't make mistakes at the back because they had all the time in the world.

 

We've got to look at the team and not just the individuals. Smith will always chase defenders and when defenders don't have time they make mistakes or they launch it long, often giving possession straight back to us. Arsenal tried to play it out yesterday but we were onto them every time, no defender had time to take two touches of the ball and when they weren't making mistakes they were launching it long where Taylor and Rozehnal picked it up. This was the basis of our dominance for long periods in the second half.

 

Smith's running around in midfield makes him look like a headless chicken, but put him up front and that weakness becomes a strength, espescially for a team like ourselves trying to fight their way out of a problem. When you're lacking quality you need fight and in recent weeks we've had neither. Smith has shown Viduka up for his laziness IMO.

 

agree, but you're basically using him as an upfield defender. he was good yesterday, but only playing in a certain style where he gets all of his joy from harrasing defenders, closing them down and battling for everything. but he's not going to pick a pass or create space with a trick like viduka, nor get into any goalscoring positions like the fat man will and he won't even particularly help us to play flowing football. yesterday a lot of his knock-downs were poorly aimed and he didn't really bring others into play as well as he should've., it was a bit disjointed and sporadic. everything that was done well was by way of huff and puff and not by having a touch of class, smith's pass completion rate was 51% for instance, very hit and miss. it was a performance that reminded me very much of Kevin Davies' at Bolton. tho again, the lack of goalscoring or getting into dangerous positions is a big weakness, even someone like heskey (a better forward than smith incidentally) got double figures last season. we don't exactly have people elsewhere in the side who will pop up and score and martins himself does most his work outside the box and smith isn't going to create outright for them, but only help indirectly, and if you aren't scoring that's not enough. before the goal people were saying viduka should come on as even when we kept possession around arsenal's box we lacked someone to create an outright chance, while others commented that if we'd had a poacher on we'd have scored already, as no-one was getting into positions even when we forced arsenal in errors. last night we relied on our centre-half scoring a scuffed shot that bounced in off the post after it ran favourably for him.

 

Considering the game was played at 100mph and he only really had one outlet at any one time (Martins and Milner wide of him, or Barton or Geremi behind him) with no one ahead of him, I thought he did well to reach his man the number of times he did which was quite a lot. He found his man a lot more than Adebayor did, although the telling thing perhaps is that Arsenal found their man a lot more than we found Smith who had to win the ball by himself using his raw materials more often than not. Change that and you will get even more joy. He has the ability to link up play, he played a superb ball through to Martins against Everton was it? 

[ohmelads]

What people are failing to realise is that if Smith is occupying a forward position--in place of Viduka--that's one less goal-scorer we have on the pitch. It might work, but goals win you just as many games as graft.

 

I don't think Viduka has the legs or the fitness record to be scoring loads of goals for us this season. And in a team struggling to supply the bullets he's a luxury we can't afford. He'll do a job as a bit-part player but we've been carrying him a lot this season in all honesty. When we don't have the ball it feels like we're down to 10 men, he does next to nothing to chase from the front and we see our midfield getting overrun. He doesn't have a reputation as a lazy forward for nothing, he's been like this throughout his career. Arsenal couldn't do that, Smith was never going to let Toure stroll up to the half way line and start attacks. They tried to play it out of their own half but we didn't let them and they resorted to punting it long or making mistakes trying to play it out. Yes, Arsenal, punting it long. Compare that to Viduka and Martins who were both lazy against Liverpool and as a result Liverpool were always on the front foot, their defenders bringing it up to halfway and creating big problems outnumbering our midfield. They didn't make mistakes at the back because they had all the time in the world.

 

We've got to look at the team and not just the individuals. Smith will always chase defenders and when defenders don't have time they make mistakes or they launch it long, often giving possession straight back to us. Arsenal tried to play it out yesterday but we were onto them every time, no defender had time to take two touches of the ball and when they weren't making mistakes they were launching it long where Taylor and Rozehnal picked it up. This was the basis of our dominance for long periods in the second half.

 

Smith's running around in midfield makes him look like a headless chicken, but put him up front and that weakness becomes a strength, espescially for a team like ourselves trying to fight their way out of a problem. When you're lacking quality you need fight and in recent weeks we've had neither. Smith has shown Viduka up for his laziness IMO.

 

Thats a good post....but...

 

How did Viduka score double figures last season for a struggling shower of smogshite? was that team more creative than our current crop?

 

Good question. I can't deny Viduka has more class on the ball than Smith and he scores more goals, but he basically does nothing else for the team. And he's not such a great goalscorer that it'll hide his weaknesses. He'll get probably 1 in 3 if he plays every game of the season (which he won't because of injuries), but the team will have nothing up front when he disappears for large periods of a game or even for entire games. As time ticks on he's only going to get slower and less effective. I'm not suggesting Smith should be one of the first names on the teamsheet by any means, but recognising a contribution he'll make which could help us get back to playing on the front foot and forcing opposition defences into mistakes. It also keeps him out of midfield which has to be a positive

[Parky]

What people are failing to realise is that if Smith is occupying a forward position--in place of Viduka--that's one less goal-scorer we have on the pitch. It might work, but goals win you just as many games as graft.

 

I don't think Viduka has the legs or the fitness record to be scoring loads of goals for us this season. And in a team struggling to supply the bullets he's a luxury we can't afford. He'll do a job as a bit-part player but we've been carrying him a lot this season in all honesty. When we don't have the ball it feels like we're down to 10 men, he does next to nothing to chase from the front and we see our midfield getting overrun. He doesn't have a reputation as a lazy forward for nothing, he's been like this throughout his career. Arsenal couldn't do that, Smith was never going to let Toure stroll up to the half way line and start attacks. They tried to play it out of their own half but we didn't let them and they resorted to punting it long or making mistakes trying to play it out. Yes, Arsenal, punting it long. Compare that to Viduka and Martins who were both lazy against Liverpool and as a result Liverpool were always on the front foot, their defenders bringing it up to halfway and creating big problems outnumbering our midfield. They didn't make mistakes at the back because they had all the time in the world.

 

We've got to look at the team and not just the individuals. Smith will always chase defenders and when defenders don't have time they make mistakes or they launch it long, often giving possession straight back to us. Arsenal tried to play it out yesterday but we were onto them every time, no defender had time to take two touches of the ball and when they weren't making mistakes they were launching it long where Taylor and Rozehnal picked it up. This was the basis of our dominance for long periods in the second half.

 

Smith's running around in midfield makes him look like a headless chicken, but put him up front and that weakness becomes a strength, espescially for a team like ourselves trying to fight their way out of a problem. When you're lacking quality you need fight and in recent weeks we've had neither. Smith has shown Viduka up for his laziness IMO.

 

Thats a good post....but...

 

How did Viduka score double figures last season for a struggling shower of smogshite? was that team more creative than our current crop?

 

Good question. I can't deny Viduka has more class on the ball than Smith and he scores more goals, but he basically does nothing else for the team. And he's not such a great goalscorer that it'll hide his weaknesses. He'll get probably 1 in 3 if he plays every game of the season (which he won't because of injuries), but the team will have nothing up front when he disappears for large periods of a game or even for entire games. As time ticks on he's only going to get slower and less effective. I'm not suggesting Smith should be one of the first names on the teamsheet by any means, but recognising a contribution he'll make which could help us get back to playing on the front foot and forcing opposition defences into mistakes. It also keeps him out of midfield which has to be a positive

 

I'd start Smith personally and let fatuka come on later.

[ohmelads]

agree, but you're basically using him as an upfield defender. he was good yesterday, but only playing in a certain style where he gets all of his joy from harrasing defenders, closing them down and battling for everything. but he's not going to pick a pass or create space with a trick like viduka, nor get into any goalscoring positions like the fat man will and he won't even particularly help us to play flowing football. yesterday a lot of his knock-downs were poorly aimed and he didn't really bring others into play as well as he should've., it was a bit disjointed and sporadic. everything that was done well was by way of huff and puff and not by having a touch of class, smith's pass completion rate was 51% for instance, very hit and miss. it was a performance that reminded me very much of Kevin Davies' at Bolton. tho again, the lack of goalscoring or getting into dangerous positions is a big weakness, even someone like heskey (a better forward than smith incidentally) got double figures last season. we don't exactly have people elsewhere in the side who will pop up and score and martins himself does most his work outside the box and smith isn't going to create outright for them, but only help indirectly, and if you aren't scoring that's not enough. before the goal people were saying viduka should come on as even when we kept possession around arsenal's box we lacked someone to create an outright chance, while others commented that if we'd had a poacher on we'd have scored already, as no-one was getting into positions even when we forced arsenal in errors. last night we relied on our centre-half scoring a scuffed shot that bounced in off the post after it ran favourably for him.

 

I'd point at the team performance though. We didn't play great stuff but we outplayed Arsenal (imo) by profitting from their mistakes. I'm not saying Smith is the saviour by any means, but the only way I see us digging our way out of the hole we've put ourselves in in recent weeks is by playing that way.

 

Long-term I'd rather see us playing great, flowing football, but this is the football Sam knows and as you point out Smith was reminiscent of Davies at Bolton. If we're going to go anywhere under Sam then this is the way we'll do it. Bolton didn't used to create loads of clear cut chances but it was a war of attrition with them, and we played that way yesterday. You got the feeling Arsenal couldn't weather 90 minutes of that and eventually they opened up. The fact it was Taylor who popped up is irrelevant in my eyes.

 

I have my reservations over whether this is the kind of football that will get us right up the table but that's for another thread. At least yesterday we played a bit like Bolton used to and I've said all along I think that's what Sam is trying to create here. He always had some success against Arsenal because they like to play it out of defence. Birmingham will provide a different test, they're more built for the long ball and will be happier to sit back in numbers, in which case as you say we'll need some guile to create openings. This is the reason I'm not entirely convinced Sam's the man but at least yesterday we had a gameplan and played to it, and they actually looked like they were playing for the manager. It's one step at a time now and the pressure will be on us to play some football against Birmingham.

[Benwell Lad]

He was Shearer-esque last night at leading the line, he was f****** awesome I thought and that's where he has to play. He was used like Davies was for Bolton and it showed because we picked up a hell of a lot from him pressing, battling, scrapping and being so strong. Unlike Davies though Smith is technically a decent footballer. He won't score you goals but as a focal point up top he can be ever so effective, as he proved last night. He has to stay there and could well win himself a permanent place in the starting XI, if as I suspect Sam goes for 4-3-3 all the way in Jan, based on that performance. You put some pace, width and intelligence either side of him and some creativity in midfield...

 

I used exactly that expression on the post match thread (about 10 mins before you ) Interesting to hear him described that way.

[Willow]

He was Shearer-esque last night at leading the line, he was fucking awesome I thought and that's where he has to play. He was used like Davies was for Bolton and it showed because we picked up a hell of a lot from him pressing, battling, scrapping and being so strong. Unlike Davies though Smith is technically a decent footballer. He won't score you goals but as a focal point up top he can be ever so effective, as he proved last night. He has to stay there and could well win himself a permanent place in the starting XI, if as I suspect Sam goes for 4-3-3 all the way in Jan, based on that performance. You put some pace, width and intelligence either side of him and some creativity in midfield...

 

Agreed. I just don't remember him ever stopping last night, he was a machine, tackling left, right and centre, flicking balls on and generally non-stop pressurising arsenal.

Best match for us so far in my opinion, his fitness was in top gear for the full 90s minutes, well played alan

[Nobody]

Anyone know any site that lists how many metres each player covered? Would be very interesting to see those stats for Smith yesterday