Newcastle win race to sign Alan Smith - Mirror gossip

[midds]

For £3.5m I reckon we would be getting our moneys worth.

 

That's the thing that worries me though mate. Why just £3.5m? Smacks of Fergie cutting his losses - which sets alarm bells off for me!

 

Where would he play? Do we need him?

[The Bonk]

If we were looking for a striker, Smith wouldn't be particularly high on the list. If we were looking for a midfielder, he wouldn't even be on the list.

 

Ferguson letting him go for just £3.5m tells it's own story imo...

 

What did they pay for him again?  It was double digits, right?  12 mil?

 

£7 millionish.

 

Cheers, thought it was more like and it wouldn't have surprised me given the money exchanged for some English players. 

[Cajun]

For £3.5m I reckon we would be getting our moneys worth.

 

That's the thing that worries me though mate. Why just £3.5m? Smacks of Fergie cutting his losses - which sets alarm bells off for me!

 

Where would he play? Do we need him?

 

Didn't someone say he is going into the last year of his contract? That and him just coming back from injuries I doubt they could command much more.

 

I wouldn't mind him as a 4th choice striker, doubt he would settle for that though.

 

 

[Guest kingdawson]

goal.com also says this story O.O

 

 

and that Bent is set to sign for Spurs for 16million

 

 

Not to bad a deal imo.

 

Well if you call paying more than twice the value of a player a good deal then I suppose it is.

 

oh i see, so Darren Bent who is only 1 of 4 players to hit 30 + goals in two seasons in the league playing for a shite team is worth 8 million yet players like Nugent and Ashton (when he was at Norwich) with little to no premiership experience were bought for 7 million. Makes sense

[The Bonk]

For £3.5m I reckon we would be getting our moneys worth.

 

Huh?  I reckon putting that money towards our back line is more "worth it". 

[Cajun]

For £3.5m I reckon we would be getting our moneys worth.

 

Huh?  I reckon putting that money towards our back line is more "worth it". 

 

Obviously we have to improve the back 4 but then I wasn't talking about the defence.

[The Bonk]

goal.com also says this story O.O

 

 

and that Bent is set to sign for Spurs for 16million

 

 

Not to bad a deal imo.

 

Well if you call paying more than twice the value of a player a good deal then I suppose it is.

 

oh i see, so Darren Bent who is only 1 of 4 players to hit 30 + goals in two seasons in the league playing for a s**** team is worth 8 million yet players like Nugent and Ashton (when he was at Norwich) with little to no premiership experience were bought for 7 million. Makes sense

 

God it's annoying when you're right. 

[SUPERTOON]

Boro fans saying North East tonight saying he is on the verge of signing for Boro.

[Dr Spectrum]

Is the fact that you seemingly weren't impressed with him when he played against Southend setting off alarm bells? That was probably right at the start of his comeback from injury but still, a player who would apparently cost £3.5m should show something against the worst team in the championship?

 

What did you think of his performance against Roma?

 

 

 

Didn't watch that game.

 

What did you think of his performance against Brazil?

 

i think we have to assess him on how sam is going to play, if heis playing 4-4-2. this is a bad buy, but if its 4-3-3, i think its a solid move, he gives us options with his work rate and the fact that he can finish despite what people say. viduka or martins leading the line, with smith luque milner duff zoggy in the wings, to me, is good.

 

 

Agreed

 

So he's a winger now? Despite having niether pace nor skill nor any great experience of the position? 

 

Debates over his shiteness aside, he is a forward. If you want a winger, go and buy one.

 

 

[Dokko]

If Fergie is willing to let Smith go for £3.5m, it means he's finished.

 

I personally wouldn't take him, not after the injury, something is wrong there, and again like someone commented, Keane would of been sniffing at such a 'bargain' if he felt it was one.

 

 

[The Bonk]

For £3.5m I reckon we would be getting our moneys worth.

 

Huh?  I reckon putting that money towards our back line is more "worth it". 

 

Obviously we have to improve the back 4 but then I wasn't talking about the defence.

 

Exactly, we shouldn't even be talking about Smith coming here.  Not needed at the mo. 

[midds]

For £3.5m I reckon we would be getting our moneys worth.

 

That's the thing that worries me though mate. Why just £3.5m? Smacks of Fergie cutting his losses - which sets alarm bells off for me!

 

Where would he play? Do we need him?

 

Didn't someone say he is going into the last year of his contract? That and him just coming back from injuries I doubt they could command much more.

 

I wouldn't mind him as a 4th choice striker, doubt he would settle for that though.

 

 

 

Ah right, that would explain the low fee! 

 

Can't see him settling for 4th in the pecking order up here either. Just seems like a strange move all round tbh. Can't see the logic in it for all concerned. Having said that, he's better than Ameobi like...

[Baggio]

Is the fact that you seemingly weren't impressed with him when he played against Southend setting off alarm bells? That was probably right at the start of his comeback from injury but still, a player who would apparently cost £3.5m should show something against the worst team in the championship?

 

What did you think of his performance against Roma?

 

 

 

Didn't watch that game.

 

What did you think of his performance against Brazil?

 

 

I didn't watch the game although I wouldn't judge a player off one performance against one of the best teams in the World anyway, Smith clearly isn't good enough for England but could be a handy squad player here if we were to keep Owen, Martins and Viduka too.

 

[Cajun]

One of the articles I read made a little more sense, along the lines of Smith looking for more security and not being happy that he isn't being offered a new contract but then on a free transfer he would make even more money.

 

Maybe this big injury has worried him and he wants to know he has a long contract behind him if anything else happens again.

 

Or I could just be chatting out of my arse as usual

[toontownman]

Boro fans saying North East tonight saying he is on the verge of signing for Boro.

 

Much more likely outcome.

 

Villa,The Scum, blackburn, west ham, Wigan, Torquay. To name a few more likely destinations.

[Cronky]

Sorry, but this idea that Smith has no skill on the ball is simply wrong. Just because he's a dirty player doesn't mean that he's just a clueless grafter. His touch on the ball is good.

 

The player who he reminds me of a bit is Norman Whiteside (showing my age a bit here). Whiteside started off as a striker at Man U, lacked pace, and ended up as quite a useful midfield player. He was a dirty sod just like Smith, and that often blinded his critics to the fact that he could actually play a bit.

 

If I was convinced about Smith's physical fitness and his stamina, I'd definitely have him as midfield player. Not being good enough for the Man U midfield is irrelevant. Hargreaves might struggle to hold down a place at Man U.

[LoveItIfWeBeatU]

A striker who rarely scores goals? Just what we don't need. Surely if Owen and/or Martins were to leave, someone fast (and free) like Saviola would be a more obvious target. The same goes for the links to Kanoute. Diouf and Anelka would seem more likely targets.

[Guest Martin]

Would have preffered Henry, £16mil. is a snip.

[Dr Spectrum]

Sorry, but this idea that Smith has no skill on the ball is simply wrong. Just because he's a dirty player doesn't mean that he's just a clueless grafter. His touch on the ball is good.

 

I disagree with you. I think he is poor. Just my opinion of him on a purely technically level. Got nothing to do with him being a dirty player - I thought Dennis Bergkamp was absolutely criminal, his first touch was alright tho .

 

If I was convinced about Smith's physical fitness and his stamina, I'd definitely have him as midfield player. Not being good enough for the Man U midfield is irrelevant. Hargreaves might struggle to hold down a place at Man U.

 

No worried about his lack of know-how?

[Cronky]

Sorry, but this idea that Smith has no skill on the ball is simply wrong. Just because he's a dirty player doesn't mean that he's just a clueless grafter. His touch on the ball is good.

 

I disagree with you. I think he is poor. Just my opinion of him on a purely technically level. Got nothing to do with him being a dirty player - I thought Dennis Bergkamp was absolutely criminal, his first touch was alright tho .

 

If I was convinced about Smith's physical fitness and his stamina, I'd definitely have him as midfield player. Not being good enough for the Man U midfield is irrelevant. Hargreaves might struggle to hold down a place at Man U.

 

No worried about his lack of know-how?

 

Well, on that purely technical level, you're wrong.

 

As for his lack of know-how, that's a gamble. But if he's got the stamina, then he's got all the other ingredients that you need for that position. Including a football brain, so I think he'd adapt.

[Power NUFC]

i hope this is true he's a proper player

[Sparks]

FFS a striker who gets booked more than he scorers, waste of money on a position we don't need. If our strikers stay fit he will struggle to even make the bench. The 3.5 million could have gone towards a new right back.

 

We all know about the mistakes of the past, but if he signs we will have six first team strikers and no first team full backs.

[ohmelads]

Assuming we are going to lose one of our strikers, he'd be an excellent addition at that price. His versatility would be invaluable when you consider our lack of cover in central midfield.

 

He's a bit of an awkward striker, it could be said he neither creates nor scores a great deal. But his first touch and movement is good and his relentless pressing forces defenders into mistakes which is how a great deal of goals come about. For a squad like ours, short on numbers and definitely short on commitment, he'd be a snip at that price.

 

We have had our fingers burnt in recent years buying cast-offs from bigger clubs, but if we were to land Smith at that price we could certainly spend the money where we really need to which is in defence. I wouldn't be surprised if we lose Owen or Martins but I'd be very surprised if we lose both. Smith to replace either with a load of money left over for other positions would balance our squad out a lot.

[Sparks]

Barton and Smith in midfield together makes me want to cry.

[Cajun]

FFS a striker who gets booked more than he scorers, waste of money on a position we don't need. If our strikers stay fit he will struggle to even make the bench. The 3.5 million could have gone towards a new right back.

 

We all know about the mistakes of the past, but if he signs we will have six first team strikers and no first team full backs.

 

and 2 and a half months to sign them.