Gayle, Smith and Murray

[Jonaldiniho 88]

So crystal palace see gayle as expendable, we see Smith as expendable according to what seems like a majority on here and Murray who strikes me as Smith with maybe a bit more but five years down the road. What do we see in Gayle? what do they see in Murray? And what don't we see in  smith?

I know the answer to most these questions but would rather hear your opinions first.

[FPT]

Firstly, I don't think Smith and Murray are directly comparable. Yes, both are bigger men, but Murray is a class above in terms of technique and touch - like Rickie Lambert. Matt Smith doesn't have that quality touch, the level of technique and skill are on different levels. Smith isn't as bad with his feet as others make out, but he's so slow, immobile and cumbersome with the ball. With Glenn Murray, he can do all of the things that Matt Smith can do, but with a higher level of poise that makes him a Premier League striker. That's not to say that Smith can't improve, he's only entering his 5th year of real professional football; but Murray can be given long balls to his head, he can take it on his chest, he can have the ball at his feet, he can hold it up, he's got a good touch, a good link man. The ball doesn't stick to Matt Smith as it does a Murray, a Lambert, a Zamora - and that's a technical issue. Glenn Murray is a Premier League level 'target man,' Matt Smith, as it is, is not.

I don't think it's a case that the majority see Smith as expendable, but more of a plan B. If Smith had the technique, touch and poise of a Glenn Murray, then absolutely brilliant - but we as a football club should have a focus on playing good football on the floor (which you could do with Murray).

I don't think Crystal Palace see Gayle as expendable either, otherwise they'd sell not loan - they see a player in him, just right now they want him to go and play games, build confidence and score goals whilst they improve their strike line. We are in two different divisions, Premier League trash really can become Championship treasure. Dwight Gayle will offer us pace, hunger, dynamism, penetration as well as a natural goalscoring ability.

So in all, Smith and Murray are not the same, Gayle will offer us something different.