Smith

[Tommy Crawshaw]

Thought he was poor tbh apart from the goal. Didn't win much in the air or do much at all really. He's useful for an option from the bench but Ugbo starts before him every time for me.

[Bluesteel.]

7 hours ago, Drewswfc said:

Smith couldn't lace Barnes's boots I'm afraid 

More a reference to having a physical striker more than anything to help the more technical player. Barnes has had a much better career 

[WimJunk]

He played really well in the second half. It was his kind of game, lumping it forward.

[matthefish2002]

Funny how a goal can change the mood.
I was thinking after 75 mins how playing in the Championship is a step too far for him.

If we lost last night I would expect he would have got criticised.

[FreshOwl]

I’d start him again on Saturday, but I’d play someone up there with him. Ugbo if fit, or Cadz. 
 

Musaba & Gassama flanking the lone striker doesn’t work 

[areNOTwhatTHEYseem]

5 minutes ago, WimJunk said:

He played really well in the second half. It was his kind of game, lumping it forward.

 

Yep. 

 

First half, he was poor. Very little stuck and he didn't bring the likes of Gassama, Musaba and Windass into play at all. When we were relying on him as our attacking muscle, it didn't work at all.

 

I checked our passing accuracy just before half time and he was on 14%!

 

Second half, we started to play more to his strengths, going more direct and getting some decent crosses into the box. Having Paterson alongside him to offer that additional physical presence and to generally create a bit of chaos helped, too.

 

I don't think he's a natural fit for Röhl's style of football and our attack can really struggle when we're relying on him to hold it up and bring others into the game, but he certainly still has a part to play this season. 

 

And if Ugbo is out, then he's our only option.

[WorrallOwl17]

Always been a decent battering ram option, maybe it does mean we play more direct with him in the side but we've seen what happens when we try and play from the back. So going long to Smith and using the energy of Pato, Musaba, Gassama, Ugbo etc around him may be what's needed to keep us up. We don't have a squad to play pleasing on the eye passing from the back, we're betting using the pace of the wide players and presence of the strikers we have. He's handy whether it's from the start or off the bench and to his credit he's ALWAYS fit. He's a lot like Nuhiu, slow, limited, but works his testicles off and always available to be picked. 

[Jim]

I said a bit back that 3 players I would always start given our current position are Smith, Ihiekwe and Vaulks and all three contributed last night.

 

Are they all long term options should we stay in the Championship? Probably not but regardless of the level we are playing next season, you can’t change every player and I think these 3 will be still here next season.