Jackson Smith

Early days yet but so far, so good. Looks very confident, communicates well with the defence, reads the game well and is positionally very sound. Not in any way at fault for any of the goals he's conceded. His distribution looks very sharp as well. Bearing in mind he's our player, I don't see any reason to put Gauci back in unless Smith suffers an injury or a catastrophic loss of form.

 

Cant fault him for a goal yet. Barratt and Earl should have done better with a couple of them yesterday.

I hope it's just nice words but when Clarke said Gauci would be out a few weeks, he made it sound like he would be straight back in when available.

 

While I feel bad for Gauci, the fact that it is a few weeks presents a tremendous opportunity to Smith. Has several matches guaranteed to play himself into the team. Hopefully he'll make it impossible for Clarke to drop him once Gauci is fit again.

 

No.

It was a blistering shot right into the inside side netting. As accurate a strike as you’d see.

 

Sat straight behind it in ponty, cracking finish from their lad..........sithi.

 

You'd say all three are avoidable, but the second is a beauty of a finish. The other two are just mistakes off us and off two full backs not clearing lines.

 

I think it'd be a huge shame and a mistake to not let him keep playing. 4 year contract and our own lad so to have loan keepers playing in the last 10 games would be a bit negligent imho.

 

Barrett showed his inexperience with that poor header back into the danger area after the first attempt was badly sliced. He might have ducked under it for a goal kick or headed it backwards and out of a corner. Unfortunate but he’s learning so no point criticising him when others make mistakes every game

 

The more I see their goals, the 'less worse' it gets. 9 times out of 10 Gent clears their first one, but he slips, could have happened to any player anywhere on the pitch, but it happened to him at our far post whilst under pressure from their attacker.

The third is obviously the worst one, and comes from a debutant full back being put under pressure. On another day, it's dealt with by one of our more experienced lads. Even with how bad we've been defensively this season.

I actually think overall we're moving in the right direction, and over the course of the 3 wins this week, they've gradually become more convincing, albeit not entirely comfortable. I think it'll breed confidence. Though our obvious weakness is strength in depth, particularly now injuries and suspensions are setting in.

 

He absolutely should have done better with their second, shouldn’t get beat from that angle, Gent was unlucky ball hitting him in midriff but not idea what Syd Barrett was doing heading ball back across goal for the third!

 

There isn’t a ‘keeper in the world saving that. Unless there’s one who is 8 feet tall somewhere maybe.

Why do you think he should save it?

 

I thought he could maybe have dobe more for the third when their kid miskicked and it spun up in the air, it seemed to be in the air for ages and maybe he could have just come and snaffled that. Not his fault that Barrett inexplicably headed it straight into the danger area though.

 

Maybe, but there were a lot of bodies in there. Could have easily led to him colliding with someone or tripping over. Which would admittedly have been no worse than what actually happened!

 

I'm on the fence. Right in my eyeline. I thought it was a great run and finish, from a REALLY good player. But although the keeper *could* have done better, I still don't think he'd have stopped it.

 

No way on Earth would any keeper have saved that. Not in a million years. It was a pinpoint finish that practically hit the inside edge of the post. Smith was positioned perfectly, sometimes there's nothing you can do, except put your hands up and say it was a good finish.

 

A damn lot better than killip, which is why I can't understand why he wasn't given a chance by our "so good" head coach

 

Unless he drops proper clangers like Slonina did I'd leave Smith starting as he's ours, I wasn't impressed by either of our Premier League loan goalies.
Smith has 2 wins and kept Rotherham out after coming on for Gauci's injury.

 

Roger Waters was in charge and told him to do it