Smith - enough is enough

[Silencer]

People don't seem to understand.

Smith is told to kick to the wings, so if a defender heads off we are in their half! That's why the players clap every kick he takes even if there are none of our players challenging for the ball!

That is the instruction he is so clearly given, it's not his fault if our players aren't there to challenge!

Didn't see too many of our player sitting in row T of the East Red seats yesterday!!! :winking:

He was poor yesterday aerially and kicking wise as he was Tuesday, but in general he has been a massive improvement the past six weeks.

 

[OldBlueLady]

Yes smith had a poor game but is there a need to attack him hes been our saviour of late just not great yesterday. Deal with it people and move forward

That's not SZ's way. Haven't you learnt that yet? Everything gets analysed to within an inch of its life on here, and after yesterday, there was no way Smith was going to escape being under the microscope today.

 

[kentblues]

So player of the month award before the game, then an average game, then the hang in squad out again. Embarrassing nonsense in my view. Let's hope our loan move for Joe Hart comes off- oh no hold on didn't he get beaten by an overhead kick from 30 yards....

 

[GBJ]

O deary me here we go again. The guy was poor today get over it been great of late just not today.

Wiggy not good enough for the pro game as much as i respect your opinion your talkin utter toss yet again

Yes smith had a poor game but is there a need to attack him hes been our saviour of late just not great yesterday. Deal with it people and move forward

I'm not sure, but I'd say you're either related to Smith, or just have a really unhealthy obsession with the man. :sherlock:

Sorry, does this view point still exist? I thought it died out ages ago!

Do the mistakes still exist?

People don't seem to understand.

Smith is told to kick to the wings, so if a defender heads off we are in their half! That's why the players clap every kick he takes even if there are none of our players challenging for the ball!

That is the instruction he is so clearly given, it's not his fault if our players aren't there to challenge!

Kicking doesn't overly bother me, it's the indecisiveness. Just seen the second goal from yesterday and for my mind, a different keeper would have dealt with it better. As the ball hangs in the air, Smith comes for it, then stops dead in his tracks. He could have, at minimum, punched it. Shot stopping, good, decision making, bad

We're talking about basic goalkeeping which is taught to youngsters :dim:

 

[Neil 24]

Apart.from vale stopper and nelson from gills smith imo the best keeper in league 2. My thoughts my view my opinion.

 

[GBJ]

Apart.from vale stopper and nelson from gills smith imo the best keeper in league 2. My thoughts my view my opinion.

So, all in all, what's your opinion of Smith then?

 

[McNasty]

Apart.from vale stopper and nelson from gills smith imo the best keeper in league 2. My thoughts my view my opinion.

So, all in all, what's your opinion of Smith then?

Not the best then ?

 

[GBJ]

Not the best then ?

Not even second best :stunned:

 

[Yorkshire Blue]

Not consecutively, and kicking is such a major part of a keeper's game, blimey, I could have kicked better than he did yesterday!

Out of interest, would you have been aiming for the aerial prowess of Assombalonga or Eastwood with your 60 yard kicks?

Because I'm pretty sure we could have had Jonny Wilkinson kicking and he'd have been looking to find touch given our options up front.

 

[Neil 24]

My opinion is smith is a steady keeper for us has good games and some not so good we could not get better. Were all allowed opinions and views and thats mine

 

[OldBlueLady]

Out of interest, would you have been aiming for the aerial prowess of Assombalonga or Eastwood with your 60 yard kicks?

Because I'm pretty sure we could have had Jonny Wilkinson kicking and he'd have been looking to find touch given our options up front.

But we're not playing rugby, if there was such a problem with finding a forward why did he not throw the ball out more to the attacking full backs? Wrong decision time and time again.

 

[Yorkshire Blue]

But we're not playing rugby, if there was such a problem with finding a forward why did he not throw the ball out more to the attacking full backs? Wrong decision time and time again.

Because they weren't open and you can't throw goal-kicks.

 

[OldBlueLady]

Because they weren't open and you can't throw goal-kicks.

They weren't all goal kicks though and I remember at least one of them Clohessy signalling for, they were all kicks to the left.

 

[Clinton Baptiste]

He shouldve belted them down the middle like he was a month ago or so for Britt to chase. Fact is against teams who put in a lot of high balls and crosses he has looked very poor. Two games in a week he has cost us goals. Add that to all the other gaffes and he has had a very mixed season. Yes he was brilliant against Brentford but we lost the game dont forget. With very much a mishmash defence in front of him, he should be the one taking charge and not leaving it to his defenders.

 

[Mick]

My opinion is smith is a steady keeper for us has good games and some not so good we could not get better. Were all allowed opinions and views and thats mine

Ah ..... but that's the whole point. He is not a steady keeper; he fluctuates between exceptional and inadequate.

His shot-stopping is probably unrivalled at this level as he demonstrated so spectacularly at Brentford, but if the ball is bobbling around or continually crossed into the 6 yard box he is like a novice.

Games where shot stopping is required he excels, games like yesterday he doesn't.

It's not a question of him being off form or on form, it is simply a case of whether a match plays to his strengths or weaknesses.

So it really boils down to which type of keeper we need to get us out of this division. Do we need a great shot stopper or a keeper who is going to command his area? Ideally both attributes would be desirable but that's probably unrealistic at this level.

 

[OldBlueLady]

With very much a mishmash defence in front of him, he should be the one taking charge and not leaving it to his defenders.

Exactly this ^

 

[danburyshrimper]

Smith has been unbelievably brilliant since Brentford away , neither of the goals in the games against Cheltenham or Northampton were actually his fault. On saturday the 1st goal , 2 of our defenders went for same ball at the near post , Lund nodded it back over to far post where Clohessey had lost his man , Smith could no way be faulted. The 2nd goal was similar in that the defenders didnt win headers + men were not marked for the 2nd ball. Smith would have been stupid to attempt to crash through about 6 players in an attempt to claim the long throw before being nodded on , as some "fans" have spouted on about. The Benson goal for Chelternham was Spillane dilly dallying , if you see the slow motion you can see Smith pointing + shouting for Spillane to clear it but he didnt , Benson getting the tackle in + Smith had no chance.

Why do we think for one moment Rollocking + blaming Smith is going to help anyone? The saves he has made in the past 2 months have been amazing + just as his confidence was getting sky high , idiots on here (but worse still during matches ),decide to knock him down.

Grow up , shut up or stay away.

For Wednesday we need every single Blues fan getting right behind every one of our players. Confidence all round is low . What we need to do is lift our players. We are 90 minutes away from Wembley for Christs sake . We know that players like Straker , Prosser , Assombalonga , Woodyard have struggled on some games this season , but these are young players who feed off confidence + that can be given to them by us the real Southend fans. So if you wanna come along and boo anyone on wednesday boo the Orient players + do nothing but cheers any man in Blue for the entire match.

Then , and only then , have we got a fighting chance of a glory day out that we will all remember for the rest of our days

 

[southend4ever]

Have the people that have slated him seen a couple of his match winning performances this season?

The problem is that actually most pro keepers are good shot stoppers it's the other facets of the game which are also important and will get highlighted.

He is sadly not the best keeper we have seen at the hall but he is not the worst!

 

[Jam_Man]

Have the people that have slated him seen a couple of his match winning performances this season?

The problem is that actually most pro keepers are good shot stoppers it's the other facets of the game which are also important and will get highlighted.

He is sadly not the best keeper we have seen at the hall but he is not the worst!

Unfortunately a keeper has to be consistent. There is no point being a match winner one week then costing us a game the next.

I actually didnt go on Saturday nor have I seen the goals so am not judging him, and I also think its a bit rich having a 6 page thread slating him when we had to play with 10 men for over an hour.

 

[GBJ]

Smith has been unbelievably brilliant since Brentford away

This is an opinion, not a fact

neither of the goals in the games against Cheltenham or Northampton were actually his fault.

Again, opinion, not fact

On saturday the 1st goal , 2 of our defenders went for same ball at the near post , Lund nodded it back over to far post where Clohessey had lost his man , Smith could no way be faulted. The 2nd goal was similar in that the defenders didnt win headers + men were not marked for the 2nd ball. Smith would have been stupid to attempt to crash through about 6 players in an attempt to claim the long throw before being nodded on , as some "fans" have spouted on about. The Benson goal for Chelternham was Spillane dilly dallying , if you see the slow motion you can see Smith pointing + shouting for Spillane to clear it but he didnt , Benson getting the tackle in + Smith had no chance.

For the second goal Smith decided to come for it, then hesitated & back-tracked all in the space of a few seconds. The ball was inside the 6-yard area, he should be bulldozing anyone and anything in front of him to punch it (at minimum). They teach this to young children. It's something he must know by now. This hesitation has cost us in this scenario IMO.

Why do we think for one moment Rollocking + blaming Smith is going to help anyone? The saves he has made in the past 2 months have been amazing + just as his confidence was getting sky high , idiots on here (but worse still during matches ),decide to knock him down.

LOL idiots on here. You do realise if you don't like what people are saying about Smith on here, then you don't have to read it? Strangely enough, I first came on here to hear different opinions from other Blues fans. Maybe the mods can clear this point up for me?

Grow up , shut up or stay away.

who made you top dog? Who are you to say what I or anyone else does Because we have different opinions?

For Wednesday we need every single Blues fan getting right behind every one of our players. Confidence all round is low . What we need to do is lift our players. We are 90 minutes away from Wembley for Christs sake . We know that players like Straker , Prosser , Assombalonga , Woodyard have struggled on some games this season , but these are young players who feed off confidence + that can be given to them by us the real Southend fans. So if you wanna come along and boo anyone on wednesday boo the Orient players + do nothing but cheers any man in Blue for the entire match.

Then , and only then , have we got a fighting chance of a glory day out that we will all remember for the rest of our days

Meh