Gold Smith

[Thracian]

Levein says that he's going to deal with attacking in training now - and I tell you what...

If he's as good as his word (which I believe he is) then he's not going to get much rest.

He might start by persuading his team to pass Ryan Smith the ball a bit.

For most of the first half Smith might just as well have been sharing my wine gums in the West Stand.

You didn't have to be a football boffin to realise the lad was different class to those around him with his close control, his turn of pace, his deft and cheeky passes.

Twice during the game he reminded me of a legendary Leicester winger, Derek Hogg, for the way he dribbled right down the flank, got around his marker and delivered dangerous crosses into the box. Few people can genuinely take men on these days but this lad did.

Trouble was there was no-one with the intelligence to make those selfless runs which would leave him space and no-one who was searching him out as the key to breaking Southampton down.

It wasn't Levein's fault cos Smith did spend much of the time as a genuine winger (while taking covering responsibilities) so there was no excuse for not finding him. As another poster said, he had acres of room at times.

We must USE our strengths.

[Mark]

It was almost identical to Preston, except right from the start of the game. The first half apart from when he miscontrolled the ball out for a throw in, i don't think he got another touch until 15 minutes into the game when he went on that run down the left past a player then putting in a decent cross.

Despite Johansson playing on the same side as him most of the time, he rarely ever looks to pass it to him. I can see Smith getting so frustrated and i can't fault him for it.

You just know something is going to happen whenever the balls reached him. We as fans have been starved of this for years, the nearest player i can remember in recent years was Piper, and we only had him for 20 games. We'll have Smith for less if we don't sort it out.

[Durnerz]

Smith should look at his own Workrate from yesterday, he hardly tried tackling back for the ball did he, fair enough he can make things happen but you have to work for it.

[The People's Hero]

The other players aren't even on his wavelength. An example is towards the end of the game, Smith showed a bit of enthusiasm and willingness to attack, beat a few players, found some space, attempted to put kisnorbo through with a great ball. Kisnorbo just looked the other way. WTF?

[Thracian]

The other players aren't even on his wavelength. An example is towards the end of the game, Smith showed a bit of enthusiasm and willingness to attack, beat a few players, found some space, attempted to put kisnorbo through with a great ball. Kisnorbo just looked the other way. WTF?

You noticed too

[Thracian]

Smith should look at his own Workrate from yesterday, he hardly tried tackling back for the ball did he, fair enough he can make things happen but you have to work for it.

He was willing enough to cover but it is one of the eternal problems in football - wasting people's energy unnecessarily.

People don't usually expect centre-half's to be centre-forward and right backs to be inside-forwards so why this obsession with wingers being covering defenders.

The problem with such a policy is that they waste al their energy so that when called upon to do what they are good at they invariably fall short.

A great example is Scholes. He's never been the same player since he's been asked to defend so much (and he's a lousy defender anyway).

No, Smith should be saving his energy for going by people and putting passes into places that hurt.

Chambers will be the same when he arrives. Don't expect lots of wasted breath where it doesn't count. He's an out and out predator who can make goals as a bonus. He saves his strength for doing just that.

If the back four and the defensive midfielders can't keep a modern attack of two-four men at most then there's something wrong with their system. And, of course, the more forwards defend the more personnel the oposition can commit safely to attack.

At Leicester we commit enough men to defence as it is. You don't see us commiting seven or eight men to attack very often do you (apart from the occasional set piece).

[The People's Hero]

At Leicester we commit enough men to defence as it is. You don't see us commiting seven or eight men to attack very often do you (apart from the occasion set piece).

Just picking out this part of the post. Thought our attacking set pieces were fairly good yesterday and we looked fairly dangerous.

[Durnerz]

He was willing enough to cover but it is one of the eternal problems in football - wasting people's energy unnecessarily.

People don't usually expect centre-half's to be centre-forward and right backs to be inside-forwards so why this obsession with wingers being covering defenders.

The problem with such a policy is that they waste al their energy so that when called upon to do what they are good at they invariably fall short.

A great example is Scholes. He's never been the same player since he's been asked to defend so much (and he's a lousy defender anyway).

No, Smith should be saving his energy for going by people and putting passes into places that hurt.

Chambers will be the same when he arrives. Don't expect lots of wasted breath where it doesn't count. He's an out and out predator who can make goals as a bonus. He saves his strength for doing just that.

If the back four and the defensive midfielders can't keep a modern attack of two-four men at most then there's something wrong with their system. And, of course, the more forwards defend the more personnel the oposition can commit safely to attack.

At Leicester we commit enough men to defence as it is. You don't see us commiting seven or eight men to attack very often do you (apart from the occasional set piece).

The kids got a hell of a lot of energy, don't make excuses for him, he's at a different level now where you need to work hard to achieve results, unlike at Arsenal where the class of player usually cruise through teams and only need to bust a gut against the bigger sides.

He has a lot to learn, undoubtedly he has something about him but I think at the moment people are over-hyping him.

[Thracian]

The kids got a hell of a lot of energy, don't make excuses for him, he's at a different level now where you need to work hard to achieve results, unlike at Arsenal where the class of player usually cruise through teams and only need to bust a gut against the bigger sides.

He has a lot to learn, undoubtedly he has something about him but I think at the moment people are over-hyping him.

Tiatto works "hard" doesn't mean its gets him anywhere. Being an attacker is all about quick wits and finding a yard or two of space. If you're charging all over the place doing other people's jobs that edge can be lost. Things to learn or not he shone like a beacon as far as I was concerned.

[The People's Hero]

I don't think he should be forced to come back and help defend. He should close down to a degree but asking him to help defend does a number of things:

a) The physical nature of it -

i) Lots of work to do in a game, as he tires, his turn of pace, first touch will deteriorate.

ii) The practical side. How effective would he be in a defensive capacity? Would he just give away free kicks a la Scholes? And also, it would limit his usefulness as an outlet for a break when we do win back the ball.

b) Tactically.

Probably better off leaving him forwards, most teams will leave one of their better defenders back to deal with him, perhaps two. Make them worry about us, rather than having an attack minded player stuck in our own half enabling them to commit more men forwards.

c) Mentally/Psychologically.

Wingers/attackers - especially young talented ones like Smith should be allowed to express themselves and develop as they wish. His flair is in attacking and running with the ball.. don't put too much weight on the boy's shoulders with 'defensive duties' ...

[Ric Flair]

The kids got a hell of a lot of energy, don't make excuses for him, he's at a different level now where you need to work hard to achieve results, unlike at Arsenal where the class of player usually cruise through teams and only need to bust a gut against the bigger sides.

He has a lot to learn, undoubtedly he has something about him but I think at the moment people are over-hyping him.

What aload of bollocks! In the games i've watched Smith he's played exactly how the manager has told him to. If you watch Levein on the touchline he was directing Smith forwards and clapping him on and off the ball. If the manager asked Smith to track back and play a more defensive role i'm sure he'd do it and away from home in the 2 games i've saw him he has helped out at the back, Derby being an example when he helped Kisnorbo out at left back and then released him to go on a run and Smith covered at left back to keep the shape.

Over-hyped my arse, perhaps Wengers comments about him being a mixture of Henry, Bergkamp, Overmars and Pires is a little excessive at this stage but from the games i've seen him play he is the real deal and the best thing we are likely to see for a long while.

[Manwell Pablo]

What aload of bollocks! In the games i've watched Smith he's played exactly how the manager has told him to. If you watch Levein on the touchline he was directing Smith forwards and clapping him on and off the ball. If the manager asked Smith to track back and play a more defensive role i'm sure he'd do it and away from home in the 2 games i've saw him he has helped out at the back, Derby being an example when he helped Kisnorbo out at left back and then released him to go on a run and Smith covered at left back to keep the shape.

Over-hyped my arse, perhaps Wengers comments about him being a mixture of Henry, Bergkamp, Overmars and Pires is a little excessive at this stage but from the games i've seen him play he is the real deal and the best thing we are likely to see for a long while.

I agree he did look good on Saturday. I also agree he did not see enough of the ball, and Syall saw a bit to much of it :-). Smith will be a World class winger.

not just hes abilty to dribble but to pass a ball is awsome. Some of our players are on a differnt wave length though, i.e standing there wondering when hes gonna HOOOFF it.

On the fact that he doesnt track back. He's a winger he only needs to track back when the left back goes foward (GO ON NISSA!!) or we are under significant pressure.

At the end of the day he is a foward. We are to defensive and lacking creativity as it is without asking Ryan Smith to drop back.

[Ric Flair]

I agree he did look good on Saturday. I also agree he did not see enough of the ball, and Syall saw a bit to much of it :-). Smith will be a World class winger.

not just hes abilty to dribble but to pass a ball is awsome. Some of our players are on a differnt wave length though, i.e standing there wondering when hes gonna HOOOFF it.

On the fact that he doesnt track back. He's a winger he only needs to track back when the left back goes foward (GO ON NISSA!!) or we are under significant pressure.

At the end of the day he is a foward. We are to defensive and lacking creativity as it is without asking Ryan Smith to drop back.

You've hit the nail on the head there mate.