John Barr 0 Posted April 19, 2009 Share Posted April 19, 2009 (edited) No, it's not Walter i want to discuss. It's the other Smith that has gone unnoticed at Ibrox for nearly 3 1/2 years. Stevie Smith managed at long, long last to get a game last week and showed just why he has been kept around for so long. He gets the chance after so long and despite being VERY rusty of first team experience, he played as though he'd never been out the first team. I feel if he manages to keep fit for the remaining games, he could be one of the deciding factors that could help us win the league. Tonight on M.o.t.D we saw Glen Johnston of Portsmouth being played as a right midfielder to great effect. Which proves it can work to play a full back in a wide midfield role. We have had a left wing problem for years now. So, it just seems right to slot Smith, who is a left back, into this Left Midfield position at this time. We need someone who isnt going to get caught upfield and will track back when we lose possesion of the ball. Smith can do that as it is in his make up to do this without thinking about it. But, aswell as this he is a speed freak and has scary pace if he chooses to use it. Also, he is solid when he wants to be and positionally sound. What he needs to be a competent Left sided Midfielder is first team experience and an injury-free run. Stevie Smith was brought through the youth team with Alan Hutton. The two of them were very highly thought of. But it was Hutton who for the most part stayed injury free and pushed for the first team slot. Despite having some cracking games in europe and against Celtic in particular, and then being sold to Tottenham for �£8M, it was actually Stevie Smith who was thought to be much better rated as a youth than Hutton. Infact, many people still say Smith is technically better than Hutton. So, Smith needs to play Left Midfield for the remainder of this campaign. If he does so without being injured, i feel he will finally mature into the player we all hoped he once was going to be. Playing him at Left back will work just as good, but i feel he has more to show us of his offensive abilities than his defensive capabilities and with this in mind, it could be the ace up the sleeve we need to take to Parkhead on 9th May. An unexpected Left Midfield flying machine would rip to pieces Andreas Hinkel and anything Celtic have on that Right midfield of theirs. So, i will be watching with particular interest Smiths performance on Sunday, hoping he can do us the turn we desperatly need to push on for this league championship. Edited April 19, 2009 by John Barr 0 Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
ian1964 10,683 Posted April 19, 2009 Share Posted April 19, 2009 I have to say I was pleased to see him play,and play well IMO,there is no reason why he can't play LM as he has shown, as you say he has all the attributes to perform well in that position and it being our problem position WS would do well to play him there for the rest of the season,strong,fast and is very effective going forward and tracking back,made for that position IMO 0 Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cotter 0 Posted April 19, 2009 Share Posted April 19, 2009 Walter in astute tactical decision that none of us thought of first shocker?:box: I didn't see Stevie play last week so will be watching closely today like the rest of us. Smith: yes please. Velicka? Nah I'd rather Novo thanks. Mon the Rangers!!! 0 Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
craig 5,199 Posted April 19, 2009 Share Posted April 19, 2009 John, I agree with you to an extent - but we dont play at Parkhead on May 9th, we are at home :devil: 0 Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gazza_8 233 Posted April 19, 2009 Share Posted April 19, 2009 Good player but I bet he'll get booked today. 0 Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
alanmidd 0 Posted April 19, 2009 Share Posted April 19, 2009 Would hardly regard him as a "left midfield flying machine". He's done ok out there. He's not offered a huge amount going forward but he's got minutes on the pitch now and he may well revert to LB with Papac beng injured 0 Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
John Barr 0 Posted April 19, 2009 Author Share Posted April 19, 2009 He played well today as i had hoped and i continue to hope he pushes on. Did anyone see him taking the free kicks from the right side too? How odd was his run up? He took it almost running back up to the ball to kick it forward from the right side. Very peculiar. But, he is deadly at set pieces and thats why he has been given the role of set piece taker for now. 0 Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
craig 5,199 Posted April 19, 2009 Share Posted April 19, 2009 He played well today as i had hoped and i continue to hope he pushes on. Did anyone see him taking the free kicks from the right side too? How odd was his run up? He took it almost running back up to the ball to kick it forward from the right side. Very peculiar. But, he is deadly at set pieces and thats why he has been given the role of set piece taker for now. Sorry but I disagree, I dont think he played well today at all. Not our worst player but didnt offer a great deal going forward and didnt have anything to do defensively. I didnt think he played well (and I am a supporter of Stevie Smith). I dont think his run up to his FK's are weird either - take a look at most set piece takers - Beckham has a run up very similar, it allows them to wrap their foot around the ball and get more spin on it. I do agree though that his set pieces were very good today and something we have been lacking of late. 0 Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
John Barr 0 Posted April 19, 2009 Author Share Posted April 19, 2009 I dont think his run up to his FK's are weird either - take a look at most set piece takers - Beckham has a run up very similar, it allows them to wrap their foot around the ball and get more spin on it. I do agree though that his set pieces were very good today and something we have been lacking of late. You misunderstand me. Its not the way he stands or strikes i'm getting at, just the weirdness of standing virtually BEHIND the ball and running nearly UP the way to strike it forward. It's only because he is Left footed and taking them from the right. You get the same effect from a left footer taking a corner on the right. It is just quite unusual to see that happen. i'm not criticising it in anyway, just feel it looks peculiar and awkward. 0 Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
craig 5,199 Posted April 19, 2009 Share Posted April 19, 2009 You misunderstand me. Its not the way he stands or strikes i'm getting at, just the weirdness of standing virtually BEHIND the ball and running nearly UP the way to strike it forward. It's only because he is Left footed and taking them from the right. You get the same effect from a left footer taking a corner on the right. It is just quite unusual to see that happen. i'm not criticising it in anyway, just feel it looks peculiar and awkward. I dont misunderstand you at all John. Look at Beckham, he does the exact same thing. He basically runs away from the direction he wants to strike the ball, it allows him to wrap his foot round it better. It isnt uncommon, they are basically running toward their own goal, then wrap foot around ball in the direction of the opponents goal. I agree it looks peculiar but, as I say, I have seen it done that way many many times now. We are discussing semantics anyway 0 Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
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