Alan Smith

[Zero]

I wonder how much we can receive by selling him. 4m at best?

[Cronky]

There really is a huge gap between what's has been the professionals' view of Smith, and that held by a large number of fans. Both Allardyce and Keegan have clearly liked him, and played him in preference to others, both in midfield and attack. We weren't the only club that wanted Smith, and until recently he was in the England squad.

 

Most of the negative comments about Smith are pretty fierce but not very specific eg he's shit, he's useless. So I'm not quite sure what it is that seems to drive so many people up the wall.

 

He does get very involved, he does take responsibility and consequently he sees a lot of the ball. Inevitably that means he'll make more mistakes than a player who is hiding. Even so, it really has me shaking my head when he put in a good stint yesterday, and still gets slagged.

[Dave]

What do you constitute as a good shift yesterday?

[Cronky]

What do you constitute as a good shift yesterday?

 

I can't give you detail. Generally, I thought he did well as a target man. He won a fair few balls, linked with the midfield, worked hard, made himself available.

[Rob W]

he doesn't score goals, he doesn't make goals and he drops deeper and deeper leaving Owen on his own

 

sure he works hard but he achieves zero - he's also slowing down badly

 

Ameobi would be a btter bet TBH

[Zero]

There really is a huge gap between what's has been the professionals' view of Smith, and that held by a large number of fans. Both Allardyce and Keegan have clearly liked him, and played him in preference to others, both in midfield and attack. We weren't the only club that wanted Smith, and until recently he was in the England squad.

 

Most of the negative comments about Smith are pretty fierce but not very specific eg he's s***, he's useless. So I'm not quite sure what it is that seems to drive so many people up the wall.

 

He does get very involved, he does take responsibility and consequently he sees a lot of the ball. Inevitably that means he'll make more mistakes than a player who is hiding. Even so, it really has me shaking my head when he put in a good stint yesterday, and still gets slagged.

 

Smith is a player who is not talented enough to win you a match. He is an excellent "hole filler" and when needed he can play everywhere you want and warranted a fair performance given his attitude and positioning. However we are not Man Utd and we need players who can win matches, like Robert or recently N'Zogbia. People are expecting the attacking players to score goals desperately and if you rely on Smith to score goals then it's definitely a failure. Smith, in some circumstances, doesn't deserve so much criticism but he also doesn;t deserve a starting place too. It's the case that even Carroll can offer something better than Smith in our relegation battle.

[JH]

You can get involved as much as you want, but as a striker, if you don't score goals or produce assists, you're not good enough.

 

Simple as really.

[Wullie]

You can get involved as much as you want, but as a striker, if you don't score goals or produce assists, you're not good enough.

 

Simple as really.

 

Laid the ball beautifully off for Rooney to be fair. Pick your spot, son.

[Baggio]

I'd honestly give Carroll a game ahead of him.

[Wullie]

I'd honestly give Carroll a game ahead of him.

 

Ameobi's the one who should be getting a game imo, until Martins is back at least.

[Rich]

I'd honestly give Carroll a game ahead of him.

 

Ameobi's the one who should be getting a game imo, until Martins is back at least.

 

Blimey, that's a depressing thought.

[Geordie Boot Boy]

I'd honestly give Carroll a game ahead of him.

 

Ameobi's the one who should be getting a game imo, until Martins is back at least.

 

Aye, all this talk about Carroll confuses me.  What's the lad done to make people think he's a better bet than Ameobi or Smith?  Is it just because he's unproven at this level?

[Baggio]

Because Smith and Shola have produced that little that I don't think we would have anything to lose by giving him a go.

[johnnypd]

i think managers, and some fans, can be blinded by the work-rate and effort he puts in. It masks his horrendous lack of quality. if you're a manager and see one player like Smith giving his all in training, being dedicated, having a positive attitude, and then doing the same in a game, it's difficult to drop him for a lazy, introverted player who doesn't work hard but who ultimately has far more class, like Viduka. but it is a decision you have to make for the good of the team.

 

Smith was awful yesterday, but people seem to think that because he did more work and battling than Owen he is more worthy of a place in the team. Aye, he won his fair share of headers, which went straight to a Man Utd player, or out for a throw, or miles away from any of our lot. Did you see him chesting the ball, bringing it down comfortably, outwit his defender with a piece of skill and play a fantastic unorthodox pass into a dangerous area? Did you see him making curving diagonal forward runs into space? Did you see him target areas in and around the 6 yard box whenever he had it out wide? No, he doesn't do any of that, he just huffs and puffs. Yes he ran after people but to what end? it is not enough for a Withdrawn Striker to play like a centre-half, with his back to goal, with his first instinct to always defend and harrass. In this position you need quality and he just doesn't have it. I havent even begun to criticise his lack of goal threat, for a side so desperately short of goals we can't afford to accomodate a striker who scores once every two years. he's a luxury player without the luxury. the way he has played this season he is up there with the likes of Tomasson, Andersson, Rush etc.

 

Carroll did more in his few minutes than Smith did all match. Smith's one shot was the result of Carroll taking down an awkward ball, controlling it, using his body to make a bit of space and then quickly and perfectly laying it off for the shot. That was the sort of thing Smith should've been doing for others all season but rarely does. In the same position smith wouldve tangled with the defender rather than try to buy space, lose sight of those around him, run towards his own goal, and make a pass to Butt. That is not to mention Carroll's assist. This is from a young kid who couldn't get into Preston's team, which i suppose shows how poor Smith actually is.

[The College Dropout]

Heskey is twice the player of Alan Smith and I say this with full sincerity. He does everything Smith does but better.

[Dave]

Carroll did more in his few minutes than Smith did all match.

 

[tmonkey]

Im not even sure that Smith is that mucy better than Sibierski. At least Sibierski carried a goal threat and was more dominant in the air due to his height. Got himself into better positions too.

 

£6m and high wages replacement for someone we released on a free.

[Guest f***thepress]

On the basis of his performances this season , its hard to see where he fits into the team, not a striker, cant create anything for owen , isnt a midfielder, could we try him as a centre half? : ) We have to sell him , but if we get £2m we'll be lucky...

[Wullie]

Im not even sure that Smith is that mucy better than Sibierski. At least Sibierski carried a goal threat and was more dominant in the air due to his height. Got himself into better positions too.

 

£6m and high wages replacement for someone we released on a free.

 

What an odd thing to say. "That much better"? I'd have said Smith was a considerable distance worse.

[The College Dropout]

Im not even sure that Smith is that mucy better than Sibierski. At least Sibierski carried a goal threat and was more dominant in the air due to his height. Got himself into better positions too.

 

£6m and high wages replacement for someone we released on a free.

 

So true. Sibs also worked pretty well with Martins.. Smith hasn't done anything with any of his strike partners.

[Yorkie]

Im not even sure that Smith is that mucy better than Sibierski. At least Sibierski carried a goal threat and was more dominant in the air due to his height. Got himself into better positions too.

 

£6m and high wages replacement for someone we released on a free.

 

I fail to see how there's even a debate. Sibierski scored 8 goals and got three or four assists.

[Karjala]

Alan Smith has been nothing short of woeful. How many matches can you honestly say he has played well in? He is absolutely no threat what so ever, and never looks likely to score.

 

I wonder what he does in training to earn his spot, although we aint exactly blessed with options now Viduka and Martins cant be arsed, and Shola is pure shite. Defo rather give Carroll a chance.

[Yorkie]

Alan Smith has been nothing short of woeful. How many matches can you honestly say he has played well in? He is absolutely no threat what so ever, and never looks likely to score.

 

I wonder what he does in training to earn his spot, although we aint exactly blessed with options now Viduka and Martins cant be arsed, and Shola is pure shite. Defo rather give Carroll a chance.

 

Where've you got that bollocks from?

[Thespence]

“You can’t get enough Alan Smiths around your club. They’re good people to have. They come in every day, train properly, set good standards and have a bit of character. I like him a lot.” Keegan today in the Chron

[hakka]

“You can’t get enough Alan Smiths around your club. They’re good people to have. They come in every day, train properly, set good standards and have a bit of character. I like him a lot.” Keegan today in the Chron

 

Well I'm praying that there is another Alan Smith at Newcastle, who happens to be an excellent janitor.