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TOWN v SOUTHAMPTON: Smith in for injured Lucas
           

PHIL Smith has been handed a starting berth for Town's League One clash with Southampton after David Lucas was
  ruled out with a hand injury.

           

http://www.thisisswindontownfc.co.uk/news/headlines/8386690.TOWN_v_SOUTHAMPTON__Smith_in_for_injured_Lucas/?ref=rss
           

Smithy was fucking excellent today.

The boy did good, but a little too quiet for my liking.

Made one quality save early on at the forwards feet.........still not convinced as he allows the defence to almost join him on the goal line at times.

He did well but needs to be more vocal.

Some of his passing the ball out is a but bemusing at times.

Did well though

He needs to learn to let the ball go out for a goal kick, to waste a few seconds. Especially when defending a 1-0 lead. Looked solid though.

Unfortunately all of our players need to be more vocal. There was so little communication at times today.

What he needed to do was take a touch and wait till he was under pressure before picking it up.

Wilson was very animated in telling him this also...

2 of our 3 clean sheets have come with Smithy in goal. Still underated by some.

Even gross mouthy women in front who HATES Smith didn't have too much gross mouthy stuff to say yesterday!

Lucas was in goal against Southampton away and Carlisle so it's just the 1 isn't it?

Getting slightly concerned with Lucas having to miss the odd games here and there.

Same here as definitely miss his voice at the back, hopefully he'll be back on Saturday.

It's good to have adequate cover though.

Agreed. He'll never be good enough in the eyes of some though

I thought Smith was very good yesterday. Just 1 dodgy kick and that was it. As said he needs to be more vocal but when he's stepped in for Lucas he hasn't really done a lot wrong.

Smithy has been quality ever since we signed him. Had a dodgy spell the season before last, but he sorted himself out. Then there was THAT performance at The Valley.

I said this yesterday, well sort of.

Lucas seems to get injured alot - which would almost make him injury prone - however he doesnt seem to miss that many games. So he does only seem to pick up small one or two game injuries.

If people arent convinced by Smith now - they never will be, which is a shame because he has definitely done more good than bad for us. If you cant remember back to how he played away at Charlton and pushed us to Wembley then you're an idiot :)

...and, as Pullen said - at least we have him as back up and we arent relying on Jimmy Glass, Bart Greimink, Steve Book or Matty fucking Bulman to come in!

Griemink was a great shot stopper but utterly useless in every other regard, particularly his inability to come off his line even one inch.

I have no memories of Steve Book whatsoever. Did he even play for us?

Smith is a decent backup keeper, but he's pretty poor at dealing with crosses on a consistent basis.

Recall him coming on for Evans after about 15 mins at home against Bournemouth. Think we lost about 3-0.

They were all Schmeichel compared to Jimmy Glass. Now there was a proper shit keeper.

Not in Carlisle though.

Was his loan spell at Carlisle known for his goalkeeping skills?

In Carlisle they dont care.....maybe if he was as shite a keeper as you think his goal would have been just a consolation ;)

Perhaps if he had been a better keeper they wouldnt have needed a last day win?

i remember seeing jimmy glass playing golf out at broome manor on his own one day.
he was fucking rubbish at that as well

I hated Jimmy Glass when I was a kid.

Bart Griemink used to live by me in Calne! He used to go running down my street everyday pretty much!

Sure I saw him in a LDV match or somesuch.  He had quite a high pitched voice.

I am also concerned by Lucas' injuries, but trust Phil Smith.

Steve Book had a book containing every penalty taker in the football league at the time and where they usually put their penalties. Abit sad but a true story.

Lucas and Smith debate is little bit like the Fraser Digby and Nicky Hammond debate a few years ago. Hammond was an able deputy most of the time and could pull out a decent performance at times but you always felt a bit more comfortable with Fraser back in. Lucas is becoming a bit injury prone and the picking up the odd twinge here and there. If we were to get in the Championship at some point we may well need to replace one or both.

Hammond was fucking useless - a Subbuteo keeper who had the really bad habit of putting the ball back into play rather than pushing it out for a corner. 

It was only one game, I admit, but his performance against Barnsley (we won 1-0, early Maskell pen), was magnificent.  Still the best I've ever seen.

I wouldn't call it sad, its a very very professional thing to do, after all it is his job and you cannot be to thorough in a job.

I have to agree with this, terrible keeper that we could not rely upon.

Peterborugh away 1993 says it all