Thetownend.com

On his way ???

http://www.swindonadvertiser.co.uk/sport/9135224.Italian_keeper_joins_touring_party_on_trial/

Doesn't say he's on his way, Fred...only that he won't be heading back to the training camp.  Comments below the article suggest that a member of his family was involved in a serious accident.

Strange that we would take another GK on trial though

Not as such. Lucas will be off so that leaves us with 3 but if Di Canio doesn't think Lanzano and Scott are ready we are down to only 1.

Yeah that is true and Scott would probably benefit going out on loan for a season for more experience.

There's no point Smith going back out to Italy as they'll be home in a few days.

i hope Smith stays. Don't know much about Lanzano but likes Smiths attitude. whether he's the best kepper in the world or not he come accross as a decent bloke who's willing to fight for his place

Mambo Italiano.

I agree but really I class Smith as a decent reserve keeper, would rather someone better as the permanent No.1

P.S. Did you write that in a bad Italian accent on purpose?!

On the contrary, he could demonstrate commitment by getting himself back out there.

fuck my spelling is poor

I know his mrs. Her brother was knocked down last week and is in a very bad way.

lets hope he makes a full recovery

Ardilles

Unfortunately my question mark came out as a smilie. At no time was it meant to cast poor light on a situation, was really a question mark over all the talk last week of both keepers moving on and now we have a keeper on trial.

Apologies

Gary rose just tweeted it looks like cover as Scott isn't 100% and Smith is back in England

None needed!  (The curse of low bandwidth communication.)

It probably wasn't worth Smith returning for a couple of days - I think he will be No 1 next season and then he can be judged as the shirt would be his to lose whereas previously he has always had someone in front of him that he has been fighting with for the shirt and viewed as No 2 keeper and been dropped again regardless of his form

Smith is not good enough to be NO1, hopefully Lanzano is good enough.

PDC wants leaders, talkers and people who organise others, like Commazi, Devera, Risser. Smith is not that at all and beyond his shot stopping (which has let him down sometimes as well) his distribution is bad and the command of his box is terrible. I've got no time for the guy so don't want to be relying on him.

By all accounts his communication has come on tremendously this preseason... So says PdC. Going to be fun watching him and big Matti slugging it out!

Why do people think Smith doesn't talk?

I've heard him plenty and I sit at the back of the DRS. Cuthbert had a habbit of not listening though.

Never seen the problem with his distribution either, well just the once when he threw it to a Hartlepool (?) player.

In the other thread people are making excuses for Pericard being a lazy talentless piece of shit yet Smith who has actually been decent for us (L2 promotion year, Wilson first half a season when we were near the bottom, that game at the Valley - should have kept the shirt for Wembley) and people have no faith in him?

Odd.

smiffy deserves credit for marrying the best looking bird from my year at school.
must have been able to talk i'd say.....

Absolute bullshit .

Absolutely spot on. It seems Smith isn't bad enough for people to feel sorry for. While I don't particularly see him as our long term number one, he was more than adequate during the last League Two season and has had some blinders (like against Charlton as you said) He's steady (although admittedly he has had a few howlers during his time here, about 3 or 4 at most?)

I also have a great memory of bouncing around on the pitch with my arm round him at the Walsall game singing we are going up, decent lad.

I think I posted similar some time back. I agree with you completely. People are cunts to Smith and I've no idea why. He's outlasted Brezovan and Lucas and is arguably better than both, regardless of wages and their current clubs, so he should be able to hold his head high with a smug smile.

Definitely good enough as No 1 keeper for League 2 in my opinion. If Lanzano is better then great, but no concerns about Smith.

He describes Swindon as 'his club', wants to be here and even though he's obviously dissapointed that di Canio has told him he won't be first choice he's still prepared to knuckle down and get on with it. Shame most of the rest of last seasons shite haven't got that about them.

I love Smiffy a little bit, chuffed he's still here.

Not a fan of his,course always want him to do well but gets caught out of position with long shots to often and should be nicknamed the silent one,he never talks to the defence and always looks like he has just been told that his dog has just died.
Oh and his kicking is very suspect.
That said he is a good shot stopper and he should be good enough in Lge 2.
Personally i am looking forward to a fresh start on the goalkeeping front.
Thats not to say i wont be backing him tomorow....because i will.

Do I have some magic special skill - am I the only one who can actually hear Phil Smith when he shouts?

How do you get caught out of position as a goal keeper? You're in goal, between the two white posts?

 :D :D

All i will say it is not only me who has doubts,he has spent a lot of his time here..........as the club's number two keeper.

As i said i hope he does well and i have seen him pull off some great saves,but i am looking forward to seeing a new keeper in action.

I'm not his biggest fan, but I find it hard to berate him because he's so inoffensive. Same as Timlin really.

He reminds me of eeyore

To be fair Leefer, he starts as number two but with Brezovan and Lucas he's played his way into being number one both times

To be fair DV every manager seems to say he needs to improve his communication. Not saying he doesn't shout but it's clear he is not as vocal as he should be.

She almost married Aaron Brown  :D

I love Smithy in the fact that he obviously loves the club, but his positioning is very suspect and it's not just being 'between 2 white posts'.

You should've seen me playing Sunday League!  

To help me I used to not only mark the centre of the goal on the six yard line, but also the two posts as well.  My positioning got a lot better after that.

Edit: Oh, and by the way, Smith will be fine this year.  He is good enough to be no 1.

Smith is decent at this level and he will be fine.  People only remember his mistakes and overeact, you never see people talking about the great saves he makes and overeacting though!

Positioning, communication and decision making can be a problem for him, but then again this is probably the case for the majority of the goalkeepers in this league, that's why they are playing in it.

If he aint up to it i'm sure Di Canio will soon drop him. Did a fine job the last time we were in this division so it's not really a worry at the moment.

Fingers crossed he has a stormer !!

Lanzano is back in contention for Saturday according to BBC Wilts this morning. Surly not having missed the entire UK leg of pre-season.

Smithy may not be Championship standard, but he'll do a fine job for us in League 2 (or 1). He'll make the odd mistake. As most do at lower league level.

Smithy may not be Championship standard, but he'll do a fine job for us in League 2 (or 1). He'll make the odd mistake. As most do at lower league level.

Dont really understand this comment, if it was an outfield player yes,but a goalkeeper?

Surely if a shot is going into the top corner it has to be stopped,
if a cross is coming in,it has to be caught/punched
if a back pass has to be booted,you boot it.
All these basics apply wether you are in Division 2,or the championship.
The shots/crosses/back passes are all the same in division 2 as the championship, just probably less frequent.
So,correct me if im wrong,if Swindon were to sign a goalie who was crap in the championship,you would say thats ok,hes not championship class,but he will do a fine job in div 2?

Your argument makes no sense. Its no different from any other player. Some are better than others. I think Smith's ceiling is league 1 as he is too error prone to be poached by a higher level club. I think he's good enough in general but you have to accept the odd mistake. There are better technical keepers playing at a higher level, just as there are better strikers, defenders, midfielders and managers.

I'd be happier with someone who makes no mistakes and saves every shot. Just as I'd be happier if we had a striker who converted 1 in 2 chances. But we aren't going to get them, so we compromise and get someone who is good enough.