Ryan's express heading out of London?

[Thracian]

I love this line or two from Eat, Sleep Football.

"Leeds look to be in a race with Leicester City to secure the services of Arsenal winger Ryan Smith.

The 19-year-old enjoyed a successful loan spell at Leicester last season and it is thought Leicester would like to do a similar deal for the forthcoming season but Leeds are ready to step in with a cash offer of £500,000 for the winger.

"Smith's chances of first team football at Arsenal are very limited and the Gunners may decide the time has come to sell him rather then just allow him to go out on loan for season after season."

a) We don't have £500,000 as far as I've been lead to understand.

b) Kelly didn't seem keen to play him when he was here on loan.

c) When he did they had a tiff.

d) We spent all our time ruining his effect by trying to make him something he was not.

e) Many Leicester's fans don't like anyone posey (which he is)

f) Kelly's said he wants the "right sort". Judging by their tiff I wonder if Ryan would fit the bill.

g) Based on their performance last season and other factors Leeds would seem to be a better bet for promotion.

The only thing in favour of his coming here is that the City is nearer his London home than Leeds.

Somehow I don't think that will be the deciding factor.

Mind you I shall be well interested to see if the Leeds staff can make him play. Like I said at the time, teenagers are invariably temperamental and if our club can't deal with a tantrum or two they're going to walk away from a lot of good players.

Smith, to my mind, had skills which some players could only dream of. Leesoh has asked where you might get such players. Well we had this one. And by the time he left he was playing far worse than when he arrived. Basically I believe we blew our chance.

I doubt we'd want him now even if we could afford him because our results were better when he left (but then he wasn't the only change as I recall).

My bet is he'll go to Leeds or someplace else and return to the Walkers and take us apart exactly as he did to our reserves in his Arsenal days.

[Benji]

Don't want us to sign him as we seemed to play our formations around him, he is a very talented youngster, but didn't fit into our team unfortunately.

Saying that, i wouldn't want to see him against us, as you say he'd rip us apart no doubt.

[Mark]

Don't want us to sign him as we seemed to play our formations around him, he is a very talented youngster, but didn't fit into our team unfortunately.

Hardly, there were times when our players were reluctant to give him the ball, looking more towards the right where Momo Sylla was.

We didn't make the most of him when he was here, which is typical of us. We were in a relegation battle, and I assume Kelly saw him as a luxury player, so I doubt we'll be interested again. The time he was here I felt that little bit more excited before a game, because there's always a chance you'll witness something special, not usually seen in a Leicester side, and that is worth the ticket. I'd welcome him back. (Yes, I rated him quite highly )

On the money front, Rob should be allowed at least 500,000 to spend. If he had kept us up by the skin of our teeth (say 1 point), we'd probably be spending the Summer looking for a new manager, and spending quite a lot on compensation for a new manager. But he didn't, it was much more convincing which led to the board taking the easy, cheap, option. Rob should be allowed to spend the money on players he helped the club save from paying out for a manager from somewhere else.

[Louise]

Surely the implication from the article is that Ryan is either going to go out on loan for a season to us, or be sold to Leeds. I don't see anything about us buying him.

That said I think it's a load of agent rubbish anyway, I don't think Ryan particularly liked his time here after Craig left.

[Bert]

I agree, it was Craig Levein who brought him here, and who played him, he neevr got games under RK.

We aren't really in the position to buy him anyway.

[Guest]

Smith, to my mind, had skills which some players could only dream of. Leesoh has asked where you might get such players. Well we had this one. And by the time he left he was playing far worse than when he arrived. Basically I believe we blew our chance.

Talent is nothing without effort. He may have all the skills, but the way he strolled over to take a corner in the Cardiff game sums up why I don't want him back.

[Fox in a Box]

Talent is nothing without effort. He may have all the skills, but the way he strolled over to take a corner in the Cardiff game sums up why I don't want him back.

Talented yes, one player is not a team, we judge RK by results and Ryan didnt figure in the results gained.

A strong squad player yes, better than Tatts, Sylla yes but its all hyperthetical anyhow.

[Guest Gist]

I think it would be good to have him back we need a left winger, the only problem with him like mentioned many times before is his end product.

[Ric Flair]

He was the best player that played left wing for us last season.

Tiatto was crap. Hughes was crap. Hamill was atrocious. Welsh was mediocre at best. Wilcox was pretty poor from what I gather.

It's as simple as that with Smith. I rated him highly, his form dropped massively when the whole teams confidence nose-dived towards the end of Levein's tenure. When Smith first came here, he was full of confidence and had a hand in most of the goals we scored during the first 2 months he was here.

Couldn't tackle, but neither can any of our left wingers that played there last season. Tiatto probably being the worst at tackling. Yes, Danny would try and tackle but it invariably ended in a booking, dangerous free-kick and that put us under pressure.

[Bert]

He was the best player that played left wing for us last season.

Tiatto was crap. Hughes was crap. Hamill was atrocious. Welsh was mediocre at best. Wilcox was pretty poor from what I gather.

It's as simple as that with Smith. I rated him highly, his form dropped massively when the whole teams confidence nose-dived towards the end of Levein's tenure. When Smith first came here, he was full of confidence and had a hand in most of the goals we scored during the first 2 months he was here.

Couldn't tackle, but neither can any of our left wingers that played there last season. Tiatto probably being the worst at tackling. Yes, Danny would try and tackle but it invariably ended in a booking, dangerous free-kick and that put us under pressure.

Ric, what have you done? wait 'til The wilcox fan club nerds read that, your in trouble!

All in all though, that is a very good post Ric.

[Benji]

It would be interesting to see him play with an in-form hume and fryatt

[Guest Gist]

Thats what I'd like to see

[Fez of Mahrez]

I'm probably laying a minefield here but I think Smith sums you up completely Thracian. I have a lot of admiration and respect for your belief that we could and should play more attacking football so I don't want this to seem like a dig (Manchester City the last time they were promoted from this division played some of the best football I've ever seen and in a way proved it can be done with one or two outstanding attacking players i.e. Berkovic and Benarbia).

However, it seems to me that at the moment our club is going through a really difficult time, a time in which getting eleven players out on the field who are vaguely well-organised and show a bit of commitment to the club is paramount to our chances of survival let alone looking at getting promoted. We have signed some good players and we have developed some good players but with the constant wage bill reduction year-by-year and the recent league positions, we need players who are going to stick to the drill, fight for the team and toe the line. It's sad but the team as a whole has to be a lot better before we can accommodate players like Smith. You can't have Smith, Hughes and Williams in the same midfield.

[Ric Flair]

I'm probably laying a minefield here but I think Smith sums you up completely Thracian. I have a lot of admiration and respect for your belief that we could and should play more attacking football so I don't want this to seem like a dig (Manchester City the last time they were promoted from this division played some of the best football I've ever seen and in a way proved it can be done with one or two outstanding attacking players i.e. Berkovic and Benarbia).

However, it seems to me that at the moment our club is going through a really difficult time, a time in which getting eleven players out on the field who are vaguely well-organised and show a bit of commitment to the club is paramount to our chances of survival let alone looking at getting promoted. We have signed some good players and we have developed some good players but with the constant wage bill reduction year-by-year and the recent league positions, we need players who are going to stick to the drill, fight for the team and toe the line. It's sad but the team as a whole has to be a lot better before we can accommodate players like Smith. You can't have Smith, Hughes and Williams in the same midfield.

That will be Thracian's argument though! He doesn't wnat Williams or Hughes in our midfield anyway, which is fair enough.

[Fez of Mahrez]

That will be Thracian's argument though! He doesn't wnat Williams or Hughes in our midfield anyway, which is fair enough.

It's still a dream world. No-one wants them anyway, even if Kelly did want rid.

[BartonFox]

Ryan Smith is a sand dancing waste of space with an ego similar in size to Jordan Stewart.

He'll be plying his trade in the Ryman Premier league within 18 months.

[Ric Flair]

Ryan Smith is a sand dancing waste of space with an ego similar in size to Jordan Stewart.

He'll be plying his trade in the Ryman Premier league within 18 months.

I doubt that very much because if that's the case then where will Tiatto, Hamill, Stephen Hughes and Andy Welsh will plying their trade because all of them were far worse than Smith was on the left wing for us this season. Dunton Basset???

[Thracian]

Talent is nothing without effort. He may have all the skills, but the way he strolled over to take a corner in the Cardiff game sums up why I don't want him back.

Since when did any teenager arrive anywhere with all the right reactions to situations?

Do you think it's too complicated for a coach/manager to change his attitude with a few well-selected words?.

[BartonFox]

Since when did any teenager arrive anywhere with all the right reactions to situations?

Do you think it's too complicated for a coach/manager to change his attitude with a few well-selected words?.

Rob Kelly never managed it

[Thracian]

I'm probably laying a minefield here but I think Smith sums you up completely Thracian. I have a lot of admiration and respect for your belief that we could and should play more attacking football so I don't want this to seem like a dig (Manchester City the last time they were promoted from this division played some of the best football I've ever seen and in a way proved it can be done with one or two outstanding attacking players i.e. Berkovic and Benarbia).

However, it seems to me that at the moment our club is going through a really difficult time, a time in which getting eleven players out on the field who are vaguely well-organised and show a bit of commitment to the club is paramount to our chances of survival let alone looking at getting promoted. We have signed some good players and we have developed some good players but with the constant wage bill reduction year-by-year and the recent league positions, we need players who are going to stick to the drill, fight for the team and toe the line. It's sad but the team as a whole has to be a lot better before we can accommodate players like Smith. You can't have Smith, Hughes and Williams in the same midfield.

I take your point well enough and consider Sean Wright-Phillips - the Manachester City equivalent to have been a more mature winger than Smith is at this stage but for all that I believe Leicester will never achieve their ambitions without expanding their game.

As I've said before we need at least 20 more goals and with our current strike force (never in tandem during Smith's time) Smith has great potential to contribute to that goals tally.

Others like RicFlair are quite right - I have seen nothing yet which convinces me that Hughes is our best option in midfield, or Maybury because neither represent goals in any form nor are either what I would call genuinely agressive ball winners or talented creators. Williams I am still not sure about.

But to me Smith has far more ability, pace and potential than Welsh. He has rare skills and people forget that a part of the reason he underperformed was because the opposition doubled up on him and we didn't have the attacking depth elsewhere to take advantage. We also played him far too narrow destroying the main advantage of having his skills.

As a coach I would far rather have to cope with finding the right buttons to push to blend an individual into a team (as has been done so well with Joe Cole) than have to make do with someone less gifted. Personally I would start by remembering he is a teenager and therefore someone forever likely to say things they don'tmean and do things they afterwards regret if only to test the boundaries.

Our club desperately needs something special and if a coach cannot handle someone with a bit of character and temperament like Smith he's in the wrong job. He'd never be signing a Roy Keane or a George Best or a Frank Worthington or a Derek Dougan for Leicester City and that, to me, would be an awful thought.

[MONreborn]

I take your point well enough and consider Sean Wright-Phillips - the Manachester City equivalent to have been a more mature winger than Smith is at this stage but for all that I believe Leicester will never achieve their ambitions without expanding their game.

As I've said before we need at least 20 more goals and with our current strike force (never in tandem during Smith's time) Smith has great potential to contribute to that goals tally.

Others like RicFlair are quite right - I have seen nothing yet which convinces me that Hughes is our best option in midfield, or Maybury because neither represent goals in any form nor are either what I would call genuinely agressive ball winners or talented creators. Williams I am still not sure about.

But to me Smith has far more ability, pace and potential than Welsh. He has rare skills and people forget that a part of the reason he underperformed was because the opposition doubled up on him and we didn't have the attacking depth elsewhere to take advantage. We also played him far too narrow destroying the main advantage of having his skills.

As a coach I would far rather have to cope with finding the right buttons to push to blend an individual into a team (as has been done so well with Joe Cole) than have to make do with someone less gifted. Personally I would start by remembering he is a teenager and therefore someone forever likely to say things they don'tmean and do things they afterwards regret if only to test the boundaries.

Our club desperately needs something special and if a coach cannot handle someone with a bit of character and temperament like Smith he's in the wrong job. He'd never be signing a Roy Keane or a George Best or a Frank Worthington or a Derek Dougan for Leicester City and that, to me, would be an awful thought.

Did you miss Hughes goals last season, when he wasn't even fully fit, by his own admission. He scored vital goals against Spurs, Millwall, Palace and QPR.

Also Maybury only played on the right of midfield around 7 times but still managed to get a goal against Derby.

Smith on the other hand scored NO goals in the time he was at the club. I think you need to justify your views with evidence. Even Hammil managed to get a goal, as did Tiatto.

[The People's Hero]

Did you miss Hughes goals last season, when he wasn't even fully fit, by his own admission. He scored vital goals against Spurs, Millwall, Palace and QPR.

Also Maybury only played on the right of midfield around 7 times but still managed to get a goal against Derby.

Smith on the other hand scored NO goals in the time he was at the club. I think you need to justify your views with evidence. Even Hammil managed to get a goal, as did Tiatto.

Smith scored a header against Sheffield United.

[Jay]

This will never happen Ryan Smith had his head so far up his own ar5e it was untrue still amazed his swollen head managed to get through the exit after Rob kicked him out for being an ar5e!!

it's a team game and talented or not I would rather have a less skillfull player who is willing to do everything to help his team mates and not some cocky teenager who thinks he is better than he is!!

[Thracian]

Did you miss Hughes goals last season, when he wasn't even fully fit, by his own admission. He scored vital goals against Spurs, Millwall, Palace and QPR.

Also Maybury only played on the right of midfield around 7 times but still managed to get a goal against Derby.

Smith on the other hand scored NO goals in the time he was at the club. I think you need to justify your views with evidence. Even Hammil managed to get a goal, as did Tiatto.

It is no compliment that Leicester plays anyone who isn't fit but the bottom line is that Hughes scored three League goals all season. It is not enough for a supposedly attacking midfielder and that is one reason why we are 20 goals short of the sort of total required to challenge for promotion.

I see Smith more as a creator than a goalscorer at this stage of his development but I think he has scored/created goals in the past for Arsenal Reserves and I believe that Leicester's way of playing him didn't help in that department - neither did our shortage of back up attackers.

Maybury's one goal was a good one and I think he had one other decent shot. If you think he'll score or create goals generally then we'll have to agree to differ.

In my view, Smith should be well capable of scoring and making goals with his qualities and having not done so at Leicester I would have to question why. The total number of goals scored by Leicester wide men last season was abyssmal, worse than abyssmal.

If they are all bad players that is an indictment in itself but if they are not then you have to ask why. Furthermore I am not even sure I would use Smith as a starting player anyway. He doesn't seem particularly mature and my approach would probably be to use him from the bench at first, build his confidence and improve his final ball and ultimate effect. It wouldn't take long with his ability.

[Jay]

It is no compliment that Leicester plays anyone who isn't fit but the bottom line is that Hughes scored three League goals all season. It is not enough for a supposedly attacking midfielder and that is one reason why we are 20 goals short of the sort of total required to challenge for promotion.

I see Smith more as a creator than a goalscorer at this stage of his development but I think he has scored/created goals in the past for Arsenal Reserves and I believe that Leicester's way of playing him didn't help in that department - neither did our shortage of back up attackers.

Maybury's one goal was a good one and I think he had one other decent shot. If you think he'll score or create goals generally then we'll have to agree to differ.

In my view, Smith should be well capable of scoring and making goals with his qualities and having not done so at Leicester I would have to question why. The total number of goals scored by Leicester wide men last season was abyssmal, worse than abyssmal.

If they are all bad players that is an indictment in itself but if they are not then you have to ask why.

That was the worst part of his game for a winger he had a serious problem with crossing!! infact he couldn't cross the ball

only put about 3 decent balls in for his entire stay!!