Did Manchester United ruin Alan Smith’s career?
Alan Smith has seen little football in the last two years at Manchester United ever since he was ‘converted’ to a midfielder by Alex Ferguson after Roy Keane recommended it.
Smith’s tenacity, willingness to win the ball back and an almost inhuman ability to keep on tackling shown through last season, but he had limited options in midfield having to compete with Fletcher and O’Shea for that 3rd midfield spot but his injury put an end to that and with Carrick’s purchase, Smith was to return to playing as a forward for Manchester United.
Smith hasn’t featured much for Manchester United this season, much like Heinze. Both have come off long-term injuries and in both cases the reasons given have been that their counterparts are doing a great job in the starting lineup.
In Smith’s case, it’s hard to believe that his hunger for playing is gone, so what we’re really worried about is whether he can still play as an effective striker. He’s not the type of player who would start ahead of Saha and with Saha destined to become 3rd choice after this summer, Smith will find very few chances at Old Trafford (especially with the return of Rossi to the fold).
Will Smith ever get an extended run in the Manchester United lineup again? Not if there is a severe injury crisis.
Will Smith benefit from a loan spell? Definitely, but he refused the option in January and will probably refuse it again in the summer.
Should Smith be sold, like David Jones was, to pursue his career?
Yes, because at Manchester United, despite a string of heroic performances last season, Alan Smith will never be considered a success.
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People always say he’s a great player because he is committed and has tenacity. Sadly it will never be enough no matter how hard he tried because he lacks the real ability needed to play for a team like Manchester United, Liverpool, Chelsea, Arsenal and most of Europe…
I don’t believe he doesn’t have a future with United still. I don’t ven belive Unietd spoilt his career. We put him in the Keane because we had not other option. O’shea was a defender, who coudl play their but lacked aggression. Flctehr was too inexperienced. Unietd didn’t buy anyone in January yet had no midfield last season.
People seem to have forgetten that as a striker Smith is aggresive, commited, quick witted in his link up play, can strike the ball with real power with both feet, good in the air and a scorer of great goals. Plus he can actually beat a defender with some decent skill. The perfect second striker cover for Rooney.
He first 10 games in a United shirt showed fans what he can really do for us, if fully fit and used often. I see him taking oevr the Solkjser mantle from next season. Alongside Rossi or Dong
Smith thsi season in the meantime will be back with a bang when he gets back to full physical and math fitness. Just around the time Larsson will be departed. You heard it first from me.
KK - I don’t see Smith as a natural finisher, and we need those. Rossi is the only ‘finisher’ we’ve got in the long run, and as far as those support strikers are concerned Saha and Rooney do fine.
If Smith is to be 5th choice behind those 3 and another finisher, what’s the whole point?
Still, I hope I’m wrong and that Smith comes back with a band towards the end of the season.
KK I completely disagree. Smith’s best attributes are his work rate/aggressive play and determination.As for beating a defender and being a finisher I must have been watching a different player ever since he appeared at Leeds. Yes, his first few games for United were promising but I’ve never been convinced.
Even in his top scoring season for which he received so many plaudits as it was “in such a poor Leeds team” where he scored 18 in 51 games (33 games,11 goals EPL and 7 in 16 Champs/League) he missed more than he scored.
Look at his United stats. 72 games
KK I completely disagree. Smith’s best attributes are his work rate/aggressive play and determination.As for beating a defender and being a finisher I must have been watching a different player ever since he appeared at Leeds. Yes, his first few games for United were promising but I’ve never been convinced.
Even in his top scoring season for which he received so many plaudits as it was “in such a poor Leeds team� where he scored 18 in 51 games (33 games,11 goals EPL and 7 in 16 Champs/League) he missed more than he scored.
Look at his United stats. 72 games 11 goals.. and don’t tell me he played most of these in midfield cos he didn’t
Not good enough, end of. Spirit alone does not make a football player. Maybe at championship level…
Ahmed I look forward to your post.
Sorry for the duplication of post. My browser went crazy ! ;o)
Smith has a great temperament.This long break will boost his morale.He will be waiting to break the leg of risse.Smith likes challenges.He is a great striker.When rooney way injured and RVR was out of form it was smith who played the first striker role.
He is a pet of SAF.When he comes back it will be big
Well…its true that it is highly doubtful that Smudger will ever be a regular starter at United. For us, its great to have a player with such fire and of such quality on the bench, but it makes sense for him to go elsewhere. On the other hand, it is foolish to accuse United of “ruining” his career. He knew how good United were and how much competition for playing time there would be prior to joining United. It was also his decision to turn down the loan moves offered to him. Additionally, he hasn’t played much this season because he suffered a horrible injury last year that has taken time to get over, he hasn’t been able to get many matches since coming back becuase of the form the team is on, and thus in reality he still lacks match fitness/sharpness.
well i hope not…i believe smith will return to his best…one day
Ahmed, Smith is no natural finisher. But he is the only one capable of doing a Rooney impression in the United team. Since Saha is no support striker, while Rossi and Dong are untested. And for me this season showed United don’t need another natural finisher to become over reliant on. Just another all round forward like Torres or Robinho to replace Larsson. To recreate the type of forward line they had back in 1999. A forward line not reliant on one finisher like in the Ruud era. But capable of spreading goals across the board amongst themselves, and with their game style, to the midfield and defence even.
@ Stephen. You simply don’t understand Smith as a player. Smith is not a natural finisher. (Neither is Rooney for that matter). He was bought to be Rooney’s direct back up. To bring the same level of aggression and a similar (note, not same)link up awareness for our two center forwards at the time. Ruud and Saha. Yet he had to be able to score goals. He may not bang them in regularly but Smith can finish. Most especially in spectacular fashion.
So quoting me his goal statistics is useless. He like Rooney doesn’t score that often. But his support play and aggression is priceless. And he gets the a goal here and there which is valuable of a bench.
Besides Smith’s being a scorer of great goals has nothing to do with being a natural finisher. But be honest when was the last time you saw Smith score a simple goal? Can some one who can’t finish at all do such a thing? Or score a hat-trick in the champions league like he once did for Leeds? And when you quote his United statistics do you realise in his first season he spent a good part of the season injured after his good start, and the next, he spent in midfield before another horrific injury? Judging him on starts as a striker alone, at United, would be a fairer reflection of his ability as a forward for United.
Smith is definitely a quality back up forward for a club like United. Players of the Solksjaer level no longer like he bench. So fans have to start appreciating the Smith’s of this world. You can’t have four world class strikers on the bench because they won’t all be happy. Yet harmony is what makes champions champions.
KK
I still completely disagree.. You will never convince me of his worth. “scorer of great goals”? Again, I will have to disagree. Every player in his career will have scored one or two screamers. I can feel you comparing him to Hughes next.. Again I’d say Hughes had ability…
That’s my main point.
You compare Smith to Rooney for the aggression. This is actually what I am saying. Rooney has aggression AND ability so to compare the two is ridiculous. Smith is an average player with high commitment and aggression, which to be fair we needed at the time we signed him.
This alone does not make him a great player. He lacks so many of the basic attributes to be the player you make him out to be.
I appreciate you can’t have 4 world class players on the bench at a time and that you need squad players.
He’s a committed, aggressive type player that runs around like a headless chicken and kicks people (especially when he played in midfield)
I still don’t rate him though. Sorry.
I don’t mind you not rating him. I rather mind you not being honest with the facts at hand:
1. Smith’s link up play is very good. That is why even at Leeds he was used as a right winger. No one who can’t beat a fullback or has very poor passing or link up play ability can play wing period! Thus your claim Smith has no ability is just plain untrue.
2. Worst still this “if very player has scored a screamer or two” business is bull. Smith has scored over 50 times in his career. Can you honestly say he doesn’t score screamers more than 70% of the time? Look at all his United goal to date. Remind us all of a simple one if you can. This idea you have of me comparing him to Hughes is even more ridiculous. Hughes was a natural finisher. Though a king of spectacular goals ala Shearer. Smith isn’t a natural finisher so I wouldn’t even dream of making such a comparison.
One must admit that Smith does score often enough when played as a forward. United need 18 goals a season in all competitions off a bench from a support striker who doesn’t lead the line. Not 20-30…And for you information United has never stopped needing his aggression upfront. I’m sure United would score more goals if United still had him coming off a bench to support Rooney, Saha, Larsson or Solksjaer at the momment.
3. It’s not ridiculous to compare Smith and Rooney at all. Just because Rooney is a ball wizard doesn’t change the fact he is not a natural finisher like Smith. He is aggressive like Smith. Good off the ball like Smith and isn’t even as good as Smith in the air for that matter. And Smith is good at link up play. Watch how he created the second goal for Rooney when we won 2-0 breaking Arsenal unbeaten run. He displays good awareness and link up play with Rooney and Saha to make that goal. To deny that is silly.
So it’s fair enough you dont rate him. Just don’t claim he has no ability because as I’ve said a thousand times no one without ability can score a hat trick in the champions’ league or play wing decently for that matter.
Okay
I agree what you say about Rooney and Smith, I’m just saying the comparison in other ways is crazy as they are WAY on different levels.
When i was comparing with Hughes I was talking about the fact Hughes scored spectacular goals as you claim Smith does. Hughes never scored many tap-ins despite being a finisher. It was more like the kinda goal he scored when Man City whooped us 5-1
As for NO ability. Okay maybe harsh.. I’ll use the words “Limited” ability.
“Saha destined to become 3rd choice after this summer”, I’m more interested in that comment. I wonder if Ferguson has targeted a new striker for next season. I do feel that will be our undoing in Europe this season. However if Hargreaves arrives, and we get a new foward we will have a strong team. I would love David Villa, but its probably unlikely.
I wonder if Ferguson has targeted a new striker for next season. I do feel that will be our undoing in Europe this season. However if Hargreaves arrives, and we get a new foward we will have a strong team. I would love David Villa, but its probably unlikely.
Fair enough Stephen
@ Bruce. Fergie is bringing in another forward from Torres or Huntelar. All who are better than Saha…
I fully agree with Keith’s comments about About Smudge. I watched Smithys return tonight for the last 15 minutes vs Lille and he was great. Fluent passing and great link-up play. Just to top it all he almost scored another wonder goal by droping his shoulder and turning the Lille defender, the angle proved too acute and the keeper pulled off a reflex save.
More games like that for Smudge and he will do us all proud. I really want to see more of him and rooney together as I think that combo has England written all over it.
Welcome back Smithy, you have been missed.
I have a gut feeling , that smith will come good against roma and on this very site we will sing praises for him.
He looked sharp in his limited displays on the field, and i hope Sir Alex takes a gamble with him.
He deserves a run, more so when Saha is out.
he is not comparable to rooney or sparky in terms of technical ability, but he has aggression and passion and enough ability to make it work for us.
Hope it comes out sooner than later
[…] There are many examples of players ditching their clubs to go play with arch rivals, mainly to further their career. Sol Campbell may be a traitor but it’s doubtful that he would have any Premierships with Tottenham. Alan Smith can claim a Premiership medal and the honor of being loved by millions of fans - even though he is Judas to Leeds fans and there’s a good chance that he wrecked his career by going to Manchester United. […]