My main concern is not whether he is a Man City player - it’s why he couldn’t make an impression in a distinctly bog standard QPR team. My missus best friends husband is sitting next to me now and said he was just bang average. He has been to Charlton and seen Gallagher play for instance and said Gallagher looks like a player who will make it for Chelsea. Smith looks like a player who won’t make it for QPR.
my feeling is this is an U23s signing more than anything else to see if he develops
He made two starts for them, can’t properly judge him on that.
My main concern is not whether he is a Man City player - it’s why he couldn’t make an impression in a distinctly bog standard QPR team. My missus best friends husband is sitting next to me now and said he was just bang average. He has been to Charlton and seen Gallagher play for instance and said Gallagher looks like a player who will make it for Chelsea. Smith looks like a player who won’t make it for QPR.
my feeling is this is an U23s signing more than anything else to see if he develops
He's got 7 full international caps for Wales.
Maybe QPR played a system/gameplan that he didn't fit into?
Maybe Bowyer ..... "will make him a better player"?
My main concern is not whether he is a Man City player - it’s why he couldn’t make an impression in a distinctly bog standard QPR team. My missus best friends husband is sitting next to me now and said he was just bang average. He has been to Charlton and seen Gallagher play for instance and said Gallagher looks like a player who will make it for Chelsea. Smith looks like a player who won’t make it for QPR.
my feeling is this is an U23s signing more than anything else to see if he develops
He's got 7 full international caps for Wales.
Maybe QPR played a system/gameplan that he didn't fit into?
Maybe Bowyer ..... "will make him a better player"?
My main concern is not whether he is a Man City player - it’s why he couldn’t make an impression in a distinctly bog standard QPR team. My missus best friends husband is sitting next to me now and said he was just bang average. He has been to Charlton and seen Gallagher play for instance and said Gallagher looks like a player who will make it for Chelsea. Smith looks like a player who won’t make it for QPR.
my feeling is this is an U23s signing more than anything else to see if he develops
He's got 7 full international caps for Wales.
Maybe QPR played a system/gameplan that he didn't fit into?
Maybe Bowyer ..... "will make him a better player"?
Maybe he just needs a proper chance?
Simon Church got 38 welsh caps....
Joe Ledley has 79.
But seriously Wales have always in my lifetime been a curious mixture of a couple of World class players and journeymen.
In the 80's Andy Jones was the reserve striker to Mark Hughes and Ian Rush.
My main concern is not whether he is a Man City player - it’s why he couldn’t make an impression in a distinctly bog standard QPR team. My missus best friends husband is sitting next to me now and said he was just bang average. He has been to Charlton and seen Gallagher play for instance and said Gallagher looks like a player who will make it for Chelsea. Smith looks like a player who won’t make it for QPR.
my feeling is this is an U23s signing more than anything else to see if he develops
He's got 7 full international caps for Wales.
Maybe QPR played a system/gameplan that he didn't fit into?
Maybe Bowyer ..... "will make him a better player"?
Maybe he just needs a proper chance?
Simon Church got 38 welsh caps....
And played in the Euros for Wales, when England had already been knocked out.
My main concern is not whether he is a Man City player - it’s why he couldn’t make an impression in a distinctly bog standard QPR team. My missus best friends husband is sitting next to me now and said he was just bang average. He has been to Charlton and seen Gallagher play for instance and said Gallagher looks like a player who will make it for Chelsea. Smith looks like a player who won’t make it for QPR.
my feeling is this is an U23s signing more than anything else to see if he develops
He's got 7 full international caps for Wales.
Maybe QPR played a system/gameplan that he didn't fit into?
Maybe Bowyer ..... "will make him a better player"?
Maybe he just needs a proper chance?
Maybe Wales are s*** as Simon Church can represent them.
My main concern is not whether he is a Man City player - it’s why he couldn’t make an impression in a distinctly bog standard QPR team. My missus best friends husband is sitting next to me now and said he was just bang average. He has been to Charlton and seen Gallagher play for instance and said Gallagher looks like a player who will make it for Chelsea. Smith looks like a player who won’t make it for QPR.
my feeling is this is an U23s signing more than anything else to see if he develops
He's got 7 full international caps for Wales.
Maybe QPR played a system/gameplan that he didn't fit into?
Maybe Bowyer ..... "will make him a better player"?
Maybe he just needs a proper chance?
Simon Church got 38 welsh caps....
Joe Ledley has 79.
But seriously Wales have always in my lifetime been a curious mixture of a couple of World class players and journeymen.
In the 80's Andy Jones was the reserve striker to Mark Hughes and Ian Rush.
Says it all really, things have and never will change for them.
So far he has been a defensive midfielder, a box to box one, a qpr reject, a 6'5 center forward, a Wales legend, only capped by Wales to stop him playing for England, the next Colin Bell, the next Polish Pete, cover for Cullen, Lockyer's best mate, highly rated by Johnny Williams. Have I missed anything?
Loves his Nan.
My qpr mate is convinced it isnt the matt smith that played for qpr. I showed him the website article (and pointed out the bit that said played for qpr) etc and he's convinced it isn't him. Said he’s a striker. He is a bit thick tho.
So far he has been a defensive midfielder, a box to box one, a qpr reject, a 6'5 center forward, a Wales legend, only capped by Wales to stop him playing for England, the next Colin Bell, the next Polish Pete, cover for Cullen, Lockyer's best mate, highly rated by Johnny Williams. Have I missed anything?
Loves his Nan.
My qpr mate is convinced it isnt the matt smith that played for qpr. I showed him the website article (and pointed out the bit that said played for qpr) etc and he's convinced it isn't him. Said he’s a striker. He is a bit thick tho.
The striker namesake played for them too. Signed for the scum in the summer from them.
I have not read all the comments, so forgive me if I am repeating what someone else has written.
I always assume that if a Premier League club loans out a player to a lower league club, it is because they want him to get regular first team experience? I think back to Chelsea recalling Scott Sinclair because Curbs hardly gave him a game.
He only played 8 games for QPR out of a possible 30 or so, so are City expecting him to play more for us? Some of the comments I have read are suggesting that he is here as cover for others - if that's the case I wonder how happy City will be with that scenario?
What does everyone else think?
I think that Curbs was long gone by the time Sinclair was with us.
Pardew brought Sinclair in for the second half of our first season back in the Championship - he made only three substitute appearances before he got loaned out to Palace for the rest of the season.
I think I recall Chelsea being pissed off that we were not playing him but, of course, there was no way he could get past the likes of Jerome Thomas and Sharon Ambrose into our high quality team!
So far he has been a defensive midfielder, a box to box one, a qpr reject, a 6'5 center forward, a Wales legend, only capped by Wales to stop him playing for England, the next Colin Bell, the next Polish Pete, cover for Cullen, Lockyer's best mate, highly rated by Johnny Williams. Have I missed anything?
Loves his Nan.
My qpr mate is convinced it isnt the matt smith that played for qpr. I showed him the website article (and pointed out the bit that said played for qpr) etc and he's convinced it isn't him. Said he’s a striker. He is a bit thick tho.
The striker namesake played for them too. Signed for the scum in the summer from them.
So one of them is a midfielder and 5' 9'' and the other is a forward who is 6' 6''.
I have not read all the comments, so forgive me if I am repeating what someone else has written.
I always assume that if a Premier League club loans out a player to a lower league club, it is because they want him to get regular first team experience? I think back to Chelsea recalling Scott Sinclair because Curbs hardly gave him a game.
He only played 8 games for QPR out of a possible 30 or so, so are City expecting him to play more for us? Some of the comments I have read are suggesting that he is here as cover for others - if that's the case I wonder how happy City will be with that scenario?
What does everyone else think?
I think that Curbs was long gone by the time Sinclair was with us.
Pardew brought Sinclair in for the second half of our first season back in the Championship - he made only three substitute appearances before he got loaned out to Palace for the rest of the season.
I think I recall Chelsea being pissed off that we were not playing him but, of course, there was no way he could get past the likes of Jerome Thomas and Sharon Ambrose into our high quality team!
What added insult to injury was that he pushed them to the play-offs whilst our season filtered out to midtable obscurity after selling Andy Reid to Sunderland.
“In the beginning I don’t think we want to throw Matt in the deep end. He seems a really quiet lad and it might take a little bit of time to settle in. But he’s a good player – he’s played for Wales.
“He’s got a lot of energy and he’s a bit like Conor [Gallagher] – he gives everything, runs around and works hard for the team.
“Again he is something a bit different. David gives us that physical, with this lad he will still run around but can also put his foot on the ball and play as well.
“Just because a loan didn’t go so well somewhere else [Smith barely featured in the first half of the season while at QPR] it doesn’t mean it won’t go well here.
“It didn’t work out for Andre at Preston but he has scored two goals in three games here.
“Sometimes it’s just that players don’t suit the way a team plays. Andre is a prime example of that.
In terms of the pecking order with our loans if they were all fit and available, you'd imagine Cullen would be an automatic pick, and it's hard to see Green not in the 18. McGeady and Davis would be next, followed by Field, with Smith being the final pick. Barring injuries and suspensions you wonder how much game time he'll actually get
In terms of the pecking order with our loans if they were all fit and available, you'd imagine Cullen would be an automatic pick, and it's hard to see Green not in the 18. McGeady and Davis would be next, followed by Field, with Smith being the final pick. Barring injuries and suspensions you wonder how much game time he'll actually get
Depends on the game, opposition, formation and a lot else. If we play the diamond I would want Smith on the bench as an option for one of the box-to box roles and w e have the likes of Oztumer/Aneke/Williams who could play tip of the diamond and Green/Doughty could play wide if we needed to change formation in game so in that instance I wouldn't mind not seeing Mcgeady in the squad.
Reality is that with rotation and injuries I don't ever see this being an issue.
In terms of the pecking order with our loans if they were all fit and available, you'd imagine Cullen would be an automatic pick, and it's hard to see Green not in the 18. McGeady and Davis would be next, followed by Field, with Smith being the final pick. Barring injuries and suspensions you wonder how much game time he'll actually get
That was the order I was thinking but I expect he'll play a fair bit, especially with our luck with injuries.
Surely it depends on formation? I think this is what we have squad wise (italics = Unavailable for selection, Bold = Loaned to us) Positions are where I expect Bow and co to use players. GK Phillips, Amos, Maynard Brewer
“In the beginning I don’t think we want to throw Matt in the deep end. He seems a really quiet lad and it might take a little bit of time to settle in. But he’s a good player – he’s played for Wales.
“He’s got a lot of energy and he’s a bit like Conor [Gallagher] – he gives everything, runs around and works hard for the team.
“Again he is something a bit different. David gives us that physical, with this lad he will still run around but can also put his foot on the ball and play as well.
“Just because a loan didn’t go so well somewhere else [Smith barely featured in the first half of the season while at QPR] it doesn’t mean it won’t go well here.
“It didn’t work out for Andre at Preston but he has scored two goals in three games here.
“Sometimes it’s just that players don’t suit the way a team plays. Andre is a prime example of that.
So far he has been a defensive midfielder, a box to box one, a qpr reject, a 6'5 center forward, a Wales legend, only capped by Wales to stop him playing for England, the next Colin Bell, the next Polish Pete, cover for Cullen, Lockyer's best mate, highly rated by Johnny Williams. Have I missed anything?
Loves his Nan.
My qpr mate is convinced it isnt the matt smith that played for qpr. I showed him the website article (and pointed out the bit that said played for qpr) etc and he's convinced it isn't him. Said he’s a striker. He is a bit thick tho.
The striker namesake played for them too. Signed for the scum in the summer from them.
Sure, but wasnt this matt smith also on Loan to them this year? I showed him the photo and article! 😂
Surely it depends on formation? I think this is what we have squad wise (italics = Unavailable for selection, Bold = Loaned to us) Positions are where I expect Bow and co to use players. GK Phillips, Amos, Maynard Brewer
Comments
Maybe QPR played a system/gameplan that he didn't fit into?
Maybe Bowyer ..... "will make him a better player"?
Maybe he just needs a proper chance?
But seriously Wales have always in my lifetime been a curious mixture of a couple of World class players and journeymen.
In the 80's Andy Jones was the reserve striker to Mark Hughes and Ian Rush.
I think I recall Chelsea being pissed off that we were not playing him but, of course, there was no way he could get past the likes of Jerome Thomas and Sharon Ambrose into our high quality team!
Trust us to buy the wrong one!
“In the beginning I don’t think we want to throw Matt in the deep end. He seems a really quiet lad and it might take a little bit of time to settle in. But he’s a good player – he’s played for Wales.
“He’s got a lot of energy and he’s a bit like Conor [Gallagher] – he gives everything, runs around and works hard for the team.
“Again he is something a bit different. David gives us that physical, with this lad he will still run around but can also put his foot on the ball and play as well.
“Just because a loan didn’t go so well somewhere else [Smith barely featured in the first half of the season while at QPR] it doesn’t mean it won’t go well here.
“It didn’t work out for Andre at Preston but he has scored two goals in three games here.
“Sometimes it’s just that players don’t suit the way a team plays. Andre is a prime example of that.
“We’ll improve Matt and bring him on.”
https://www.londonnewsonline.co.uk/lee-bowyer-had-no-doubts-about-signing-sunderlands-aiden-mcgeady-and-discusses-other-deadline-day-deals-for-birmingham-and-manchester-city-players/
Sounds like he is Box-to-Box. Will likely play the Gallagher role if we play the diamond.
Reality is that with rotation and injuries I don't ever see this being an issue.
Positions are where I expect Bow and co to use players.
GK
Phillips, Amos, Maynard Brewer
RB/RWB
Solly, Matthews
RCB
Lockyer, Oshilaja
LCB
Pearce, Sarr
LB/LWB
Purrington, Doughty, Page
CDM
Pratley, Davis, Field
CM
Cullen, Smith, Forster-Caskey, Lapslie, Morgan.
CAM
Williams, McGeady, Oztumer
FW
Aneke, Taylor, Green, Bonne, Hemed
Phillips
Matthews | Lockyer | Pearce | Purrington
Doughty | Cullen | Pratley | Williams | McGeady
Taylor
4-4-2 Flat
Phillips
Matthews | Lockyer | Pearce | Purrington
Doughty | Cullen | Pratley | McGeady
Taylor | Green
4-4-2 Diamond
Phillips
Matthews | Lockyer | Pearce | Purrington
Pratley
Cullen | Smith
Williams
Taylor | Green
5-3-2
Phillips
Matthews | Lockyer | Pearce | Sarr | Doughty
Cullen | Pratley | Williams
Taylor | Green
4-1-3-2
Phillips
Matthews | Lockyer | Pearce | Purrington
Pratley
Williams | Cullen | McGeady
Taylor | Green
Some proper football manager 12 formation options there. But for me, it's clear we won't even be starting all 5 of our allowed loanees at once.
I'll be curious to see how Bowyer approaches both Stoke and Forest with Matthews / Solly
Be great to see Solly involved but at the same time be good if Matthews plays as will show his fitness now
I get not being excited by a signing, but instantly writing off players for reasons where there is evidence to the contrary does frustrate me.
I've no doubt Matt Smith will prove invaluable in our unbeaten run into the playoffs this season.