How wrong I was.

[The Swan]

When we were struggling to score goals last season I kept on about giving Matt Smith a start.
I always thought he would do a good job for us and score many goals.
How pleased I was when he started the first game against Newcastle and score.
Since then he has failed to make any kind of impact .
I think he needs the ball crossed from the sideline and not via a long kick from the keeper or a punt from the defenders.

[@jolslover]

He isnt good, I have been saying this for ages now, When the ball is on the floor he is useless. Above average in the air, But it is football. Under Joka we play with the ball on the ground, and then he is rendered useless as his touch is terrible, Dribbling ability is non existent, and hes immobile.

[F(f)CUK]

In the first half last night there were loads of crosses but none reached their target. Smith showed more than Martin when he came on. Obviously Martin is our striker but this game showed that Smith has a role.

[millsy]

Watch again and you'll see that in the first 15 mins alone, mainly Sess put in a number of great balls across the face of goal. The crossing was fine but our front men didn't seem sharp/smart or hungry enough to get to the ball first.

[General]

He isnt good, I have been saying this for ages now, When the ball is on the floor he is useless. Above average in the air, But it is football. Under Joka we play with the ball on the ground, and then he is rendered useless as his touch is terrible, Dribbling ability is non existent, and hes immobile.

+1 - Gives me hope to still be a professional footballer at Championship level even though I'm nearer retiring age... His sheer size alone in my opinion is what has got him to this level because it's hard to deal with for anyone. He hasn't needed to develop skill or pace, because he generally can shove most people off the ball on the ground or in the air gently. With that he's bound to score a few. I am willing to be proven wrong and he's probably a really nice bloke but I've yet to be convinced since he signed for us. He struck up a great partnership with McCormack at leeds but failed to reproduce that here and looks at odds. I'm hoping he does a chris baird or bobby Zamora on us.

[Mince n Tatties]

He isnt good, I have been saying this for ages now, When the ball is on the floor he is useless. Above average in the air, But it is football. Under Joka we play with the ball on the ground, and then he is rendered useless as his touch is terrible, Dribbling ability is non existent, and hes immobile.

Bit over the top statement isn't it.
If he is  as bad as you make out, do you think that Slava would
Pick him?...

[@jolslover]

He isnt good, I have been saying this for ages now, When the ball is on the floor he is useless. Above average in the air, But it is football. Under Joka we play with the ball on the ground, and then he is rendered useless as his touch is terrible, Dribbling ability is non existent, and hes immobile.

Bit over the top statement isn't it.
If he is  as bad as you make out, do you think that Slava would
Pick him?...

You raise an interesting point, He is a good option to have on the bench if your losing. A Plan B you can just lump the ball up too. But he is still useless when the ball is on the floor.

[davew]

Swan it takes a brave man to admit he is wrong, so well done on that! I think he is a plan B option if we are losing, but sadly that is it!!!

[The Rock]

Matt Smith was left for dead last year. Now he's being used, and he's pretty decent. He's the new Zamora, except he doesn't put it in row whatever - I love a good target man. That's his purpose and the head coach has got him paying better maybe than he really is. Now he's potentially confident and getting better and better.

I think you people are misguided if you are expecting a "Zlatan" type target man. We are a cheap club.

[irishfulham]

I sit basically at the corner flag next to the cottage by the kids zone and there where kids screaming like they do every game for players signatures/shirts etc every single player ignored them but matt turned around and signed as much as he could and josebed I know this has nothing to do with how they perform on the pitch but it was really nice to see but was surprised it was just them few players acknowledged them but just them two signed and tbf it doesn't take much effort........

[Snibbo]

Seeing as he scored from a corner in the first match, I'm surprised we take so many short corners.

[filham]

When we were struggling to score goals last season I kept on about giving Matt Smith a start.
I always thought he would do a good job for us and score many goals.
How pleased I was when he started the first game against Newcastle and score.
Since then he has failed to make any kind of impact .
I think he needs the ball crossed from the sideline and not via a long kick from the keeper or a punt from the defenders.

Yes I too was wanting to see more of Smith last season but he has disappointed this season. You know he was always at his best when playing alongside McCormack, they had a unique understanding.

[flodan]

When we were struggling to score goals last season I kept on about giving Matt Smith a start.
I always thought he would do a good job for us and score many goals.
How pleased I was when he started the first game against Newcastle and score.
Since then he has failed to make any kind of impact .
I think he needs the ball crossed from the sideline and not via a long kick from the keeper or a punt from the defenders.

Smith is obviously not very gifted with his feet, but he is still a weapon. The problem, i think, is more that we don't play to his strengths, when he is playing. The birmingham game was a good examle. Ball continously played short from keeper despite the pressure they were facing, short corners, inverted wingers, poor delivery etc.

Similar players to smith have been successful in teams that play to their strengths. K davies, a carroll etc.

I would prefer to see someone more dynamic upfront but if we're going to play him at least give him a chace of having an impact

Sent from my SM-T805 using Tapatalk

[ToodlesMcToot]

He isnt good, I have been saying this for ages now, When the ball is on the floor he is useless. Above average in the air, But it is football. Under Joka we play with the ball on the ground, and then he is rendered useless as his touch is terrible, Dribbling ability is non existent, and hes immobile.

Think his game is much better suited to playing with a strike partner who makes runs and drags defenders with him. Miscast as a lone striker/hold up player. IMO, that club is just not in his bag.

[Chutney]

He isnt good, I have been saying this for ages now, When the ball is on the floor he is useless. Above average in the air, But it is football. Under Joka we play with the ball on the ground, and then he is rendered useless as his touch is terrible, Dribbling ability is non existent, and hes immobile.

Think his game is much better suited to playing with a strike partner who makes runs and drags defenders with him. Miscast as a lone striker/hold up player. IMO, that club is just not in his bag.

You literally just described woodrow.

[HillFace]

Think the issue lies with Joka not neccessarrily wanting that kind of player up top but at the same time not being able to replace him with the kind of striker he wanted. In that scenario, would he really want to adapt his team to play to the strengths of a player he doesn't intend on keeping? Or would it make more sense to ply on with the plans he wants to instill in spite of the one piece not matching the overall jigsaw?

I think our midfield has goals in it. Aluko, Kebano, Ayite, Cairney obviously. They should be lending in with goals and hopefully Martin can be the striker that they need to feed off/supply.