It would be a simple cheap quick fix would it not? Is he good enough / going to be good enough / better than they have now Just a Monday morning question to keep you all calm!
Definitely our best player by a distance. There would be a lot more pressure and scrutiny at that level with a club like Liverpool. I would like to see him step up to another Premiership club to prove himself first at that level.
I can't relly see that happening, even though I think it would improve their team! More realistic would be that he was a target for some of the following:- West Ham, Palace, Southampton, Bournemouth, Swansea, Hull, Stoke. I also think he would improve Everton & Middlesbrough, but i don't see those two being in the market in January.
Smithies will struggle to get as much practice or see anything like the level of action he is getting now at any other team, in any division, or any league.
If he goes in January I feel that would be a very bad token of intent with loss of morale amongst fans and players resulting in further downwards spiral.
Not necessarily......this is where moneyball comes into play. If someone was daft enough to offer say £5m - £8m for him, grab it with both hands as a profit will have been made. Ingram becomes No 1 and we buy a back up keeper from Lge 1 with some of the proceeds. Think most now realise this is the way the club will be operating for the foreseeable future........
I would have less misgivings if we were comfortably mid table but agree that's the way of the future now.
It's a good shout, he looks as though he will develop into one of the country's top keepers and is probably our most valuable asset at present. I can't see any of the top clubs throwing him straight into the first team but a spot on the bench certainly wouldn't be out of the question. Personally I'd like to think we could keep him for another couple of seasons, but we have to consider how long Ingram will be prepared to warm the bench.
I simply don't rate Smithies. I know that will get some people going but it is my opinion. He is definitely not PL standard and I have serious reservations about whether he is good enough for the Championship.
That's fair enough but our points tally/goal difference without him would be (even more) embarrassing.
I rate Smithies. Certainly not without the odd mad moment (eg 2nd goal at Ipswich), but has been in very good, if not excellent, form for us. Made some great saves, and good record on saving penalties Most definitely a very capable Championship keeper, though I'd concede that he may not be PL standard. Though seeing the goalkeeping in the L'pool v West Ham match on Sunday......
And this from us fans who once had the temerity (and truth) to chant, 'we've got more cash than you', to the Chelsea fans! How the prophets of doom have been so very sadly proved to be correct.
