Great strike! I saw Orient in pre-seaon at Haringey and chatted to a couple of O's about him and Pratley (of course). He's done well there and they thought he was playing below his level. Seems like he's found somewhere settled and is showing what he can do. Good luck to him.
Great strike! I saw Orient in pre-seaon at Haringey and chatted to a couple of O's about him and Pratley (of course). He's done well there and they thought he was playing below his level. Seems like he's found somewhere settled and is showing what he can do. Good luck to him.
I thought he was reasonable when with us, especially in retrospect when you consider the money we've since spent on wide attackers like DJ and Kirk.
Great strike! I saw Orient in pre-seaon at Haringey and chatted to a couple of O's about him and Pratley (of course). He's done well there and they thought he was playing below his level. Seems like he's found somewhere settled and is showing what he can do. Good luck to him.
I thought he was reasonable when with us, especially in retrospect when you consider the money we've since spent on wide attackers like DJ and Kirk.
Many players come and go at Charlton, especially loanees over the last few years. I dont have anything particularly positive to say about his performances for us, but he did at least try! Players slip down the leagues and find their level. He'll make a good living out of the game if he stays fit and its good to see.
@mendonca haha...I'd forgotten about that game!!!!
Agree the multiple positions he can play gave Bowyer too much to tinker with.
Smyth is a Jack of all trades. Master of none. Can't think of a single game where I've thought,'this is crying out for Smyth to come on'
For what it's worth, I hold Washington in similar esteem. Although markedly better than Smyth, I struggle to see where his strongest position is.
We'd been after Smyth for ages, but I'm struggling to understand why as he's not prolific enough to be a striker in a 2, and he's not a dazzling winger either. Back in October this is what Bowyer said
Charlton Manager Lee Bowyer, wants to play attacking football on the front foot and believes the Northern Ireland international will help the Addicks do just that. He said: “I think we’ve tried to get him in the last three transfer windows. He’s quick and full of energy and fits well with the type of football we like to play.”
I'm not sure Smyth fits in with any of Bowyer's favourite systems, whether 442, 442 Diamond or wingbacks.
He talked about 433 at the start of the season but since the summer transfer window closed we only played it once, I think, against Accrington?
I think Bowyer likes the idea of wingers because it adds pace etc but I don't think he either confident in the rest of the team or really sure how to set up with them.
I think Bowyer has had 8 or 9 players you could describe as wingers but only really Doughty had a serious run in the side there and even then we barley had enough players to leave him out if he wanted to.
I am not sure how many games Smyth started for us, I think it was 5, in 4 different positions.
I don't believe Bowyer had the intention to play Little Smyth as a winger though, more like the 2nd striker ..... in the Leko mould. He made his debut and next few appearances in that striker role.
It didn't long though before Smyth was used more in a wide role. Even Bowyer thought he was too small and lightweight to be picked us a striker.
That's hardly a secret though, surely we would have known that before we signed him?
Perhaps I should have written: By then, "even Bowyer thought he was too small and lightweight to be picked us a striker."
That's what I meant and in the context of what I wrote.
What I meant was that we would have known his strengths and weaknesses before signing him, seeing that he's been on our radar for a long time. He didn't play as a striker for Wycombe last season and they have the ultimate target man in Akinfenwa for nippy strikers to play off
He got 1 goal last season for Wycombe in 21 appearances incidentally
I still find it strange that Bowyer wanted him for 3 transfer windows and still didn't really know what to do with him.
There's no such thing as this. The best L2 players would fit in L1 and the worst L1 players wouldn't seem out of place jn L2.
Smyth is probably good enough for L1.
Incorrect. It's an opinion of where he fits.
For me he could get in any promotion chasing L2 side, but I don't think he's good enough to be even a lower mid table L1 player consistently. He'd probably fit in any L1 relegation side and I could see him doing that for his career.
There's no such thing as this. The best L2 players would fit in L1 and the worst L1 players wouldn't seem out of place jn L2.
Smyth is probably good enough for L1.
Incorrect. It's an opinion of where he fits.
For me he could get in any promotion chasing L2 side, but I don't think he's good enough to be even a lower mid table L1 player consistently. He'd probably fit in any L1 relegation side and I could see him doing that for his career.
Really? He's a full international for a not completely bogus nation, plenty of Championship experience, clearly far too good for L2, wasn't hopeless for us except at wing-back, didn't really have much of a chance under a manager who loathes small tricky attacking players with a furious vengeance
The choice between him and Kirk for our squad would be an interesting one. Kind of want to see more of Riquelme Kirk as number 10 but honestly if it's a wide man we're talking about I'm having Smyth 10 times out of 10
The choice between him and Kirk for our squad would be an interesting one. Kind of want to see more of Riquelme Kirk as number 10 but honestly if it's a wide man we're talking about I'm having Smyth 10 times out of 10
Smyth on a free would have been better value than the fees paid for DJ and Kirk
The choice between him and Kirk for our squad would be an interesting one. Kind of want to see more of Riquelme Kirk as number 10 but honestly if it's a wide man we're talking about I'm having Smyth 10 times out of 10
Smyth on a free would have been better value than the fees paid for DJ and Kirk
He's easily good enough for L1. There's no difference between the top half of L1 and the bottom 5 of L2. If anything, this season, the top 3 of L2 are arguably better than half our league.
Smyth's stats actually don't represent the type of player I thought he was (i.e. a slight, creative winger/wingback) but perhaps that's because of how he was used when with us. His career League record:
Goals - 51 Assists - 8 Bookings - 31
So, actually, he's a niggly forward who likes to get his foot in!
Comments
Great goal btw. Left foot touch and great overhead with the right.
@mendonca haha...I'd forgotten about that game!!!!
Smyth is probably good enough for L1.
For me he could get in any promotion chasing L2 side, but I don't think he's good enough to be even a lower mid table L1 player consistently. He'd probably fit in any L1 relegation side and I could see him doing that for his career.
Never happened with us but sometimes a player needs a step backwards to get his confidence up again and play to his best ability.
The goals he has scored this season shows a young man enjoying his football.
A fair chance we could see him down the Valley next season in a London derby
Goals - 51
Assists - 8
Bookings - 31
So, actually, he's a niggly forward who likes to get his foot in!