Craig Mackil Smith is shit and should be playing in the conference...... apparently

[Stumpy Tim]

He runs a lot, but I'm sorry for £2.5m I expected more. For that money I do expect him to be able to receive the ball and not lose it immediately. I lost count the number of moves in the first half that were ruined when the ball came into the feet of CMS. If it was Barnes he would be laid into.

Let's say it like it was. CMS was the weakest player in our team today, probably on the pitch. Vokes looked better when he came.

He's probably a decent player in the right team. I've said it before, and I'll say it again. He doesn't fit into the way we play, and we shouldn't change the way we play for him. I can't believe we turned down £3m + player for him

 

[countryman]

Is CMS the new Glenn Murray ?

No, I can't see him going to Palace somehow.

 

[Sheebo]

Several times today he span off from his marker & created space for a through ball which never arrived but he never gave up. He just needs the service.

Spot on.

We don't play to his strengths - but it works for the team. Vokes won one header in the 5 mins they were on the pitch together and he was latching on to it. His skill and workrate is class and he is one of our best players and well worth the money for sure IMO.

 

[GoldWithFalmer]

Work rate,running and being a foil are one thing,forwards are there to get goals,i'm not sure what the answer is,i would still play him,yet if not for his work rate i would not have him in the side we're i the manager,the only slight issue i have is his spread of goals,long periods without scoring,i will give the benefit for now as this is a new club for him,and yes it could be argued that £2.5m players are better than that,but life is life and people settle to new situations/environments in differing ways,i seem to recall the same fears over a certain Nicky Forster.

 

[Mr deez]

He is a great player, forget the price tag, great asset to the team.

 

[matthew]

He was utter shite today. When he first started he would chase everything down so it didn't matter if he couldn't pass or shoot, in the last few games he's just looked lazy and has offered nothing. Not worth the money we paid - wish we got Billy Sharp.

 

[clippedgull]

He's not shit but he failing badly at his main job of scoring goals. I keep hoping this will be the game he hits the onion net but he just fails to score week in week out! Still we are getting by without his goals pretty well!

 

[fozzie's paper boy]

Every striker goes through a lean patch, what's important is how he responds to that and what else he brings to the team - his head
Hasn't gone donwn and he works twice as hard.

No question in my mind that as a striker it's important that he scores and he could do with a goal or two. But we must also recognise that his tireless running and closing down upfront forces errors, clearances into touch and generally gains us possession and allows us to play further up the pitch. We don't play a formation that suits him, he has been most prolific when he has a strike partner to play off. I think it will be interesting to see if Gus is prepared to try vokes up top with him, and also if Vicente is really fit and gets a bit more game time then that will make a difference to CMS. He's an asset to the team and we should stick with him and get behind him.

 

[angmering albion]

CMS works hard for the team but today was an off day. His first touch can sometimes let him down and he looks like his confidence is shot to bits atm. He just needs a goal to pick him up, it'll come. He's not a prolific goal scorer in the championship but all the time he's making a nuisance of himself then i'm happy with what he does for the team.

 

[THE NOTORIOUS N]

Several times today he span off from his marker & created space for a through ball which never arrived but he never gave up. He just needs the service.

THIS !! Totally agree and was missed by the player on the ball several times (although much easier to see from the stands admittedly). I'm sure it won't be long before he starts getting the service he needs. It's all looking really promising.

 

[ferring seagull]

He's not shit but he failing badly at his main job of scoring goals. I keep hoping this will be the game he hits the onion net but he just fails to score week in week out! Still we are getting by without his goals pretty well!

This

Perhaps some people ought to realise that CMS, (who puts more effort into his play than anyone I have ever seen), needs support and Gus tried BP (without success) but now San Vokes who I believe will eventually forge a great relationship with Craig.

But, the guy signed only four days ago and I think we need to give Gus some time to get them working together.

PS. we have already seen how good Gonzo is and when he returns from injury, along with Joe Mattock who looked impressive today, good times certainly lie ahead.

 

[British Bulldog]

I like CMS as a player but he really needs to be rested for a few games, I don't know whats happened to him but he looks like he's just playing half hearted with his head down and everything that comes his way is just bouncing off him straight to the opposition. I'm sure he'll bounce back at some point but at the moment it's just not happening and he's starting to look a bit of a weak link in the side.

 

[Seagull over Canaryland]

CMS has never had anyone in our midfield regularly finding him with a fast defence splitting ball to his feet or that he can run onto. More often than not he is asked to chase punts that might be in his direction but even Usain Bolt wouldn't catch. No wonder he isn't getting as many scoring chances.

For ages I have been saying that CMS desperately needs Vicente's vision and delivery, but what happened? - Gus took CMS off just as Vicente makes his first appearance for months. I would be really disappointed if CMS and Vicente don't start the next game (fitness allowing of course).

 

[GoldWithFalmer]

He runs a lot, but I'm sorry for £2.5m I expected more. For that money I do expect him to be able to receive the ball and not lose it immediately. I lost count the number of moves in the first half that were ruined when the ball came into the feet of CMS. If it was Barnes he would be laid into.

Let's say it like it was. CMS was the weakest player in our team today, probably on the pitch. Vokes looked better when he came.

He's probably a decent player in the right team. I've said it before, and I'll say it again. He doesn't fit into the way we play, and we shouldn't change the way we play for him. I can't believe we turned down £3m + player for him

This was the player Gus said he would/could build his team around,perhaps time will tell with future additions to the sqaud.

We,as a team(Brighton) have often been accused by some people,fans,commentators and press alike, that we play,at times far too slow,CMS is not a forward that plays a slow game,we could see CMS emerge at a later stage as the main man,in a more developed team,playing(The Gus style) the way we do,yet at times a lot lot quicker than we currently play.

You only have to look at the spearhead of any side and how they defend/press high up the field,or,how much of a counter attack threat they pose to the opposition,and judging by the goals conceded of late and the clean sheets we have kept things seem(with a little help from a change of keeper/fortunate result vs Saint's) to be getting slowly better....perhaps a long spell without CMS in the side would answer short term questions.

I hope it does not come to this,but throughout as a realist i realise that this is still very much a work in progress,with or without CMS.

 

[ArcticBlue]

This team is wasted on some of the people who watch it.

I like this post. Oh and to educate some of the previous posters, Gus does not play 442. Get over it already. ffs Murray etc, etc, etc.

 

[kevtherev]

Cms is a class act. But he is clearly lacking in confidence that has come from scoring one goal in twenty odd games. I totally believe he will come though this and start scoring regularly again, he just needs one to go in off his arse or something.

 

[THE NOTORIOUS N]

I like CMS as a player but he really needs to be rested for a few games, I don't know whats happened to him but he looks like he's just playing half hearted with his head down and everything that comes his way is just bouncing off him straight to the opposition. I'm sure he'll bounce back at some point but at the moment it's just not happening and he's starting to look a bit of a weak link in the side.

As I said in a previous post, if he gets the service he needs after working so hard to make space for through balls (which he did several times today), I think he will start scoring, but it is up to others to be quick enough to see this and to be quick enough to make the pass (which didn't happen on several occasions).

 

[Westdene Wonder]

Smith runs himself into the ground waiting for decent through balls which rarely arrive, his goals at Peterborough and his international caps show his capabilities,without Lua Lua and Noone his scoring chances are likely to be even fewer.

 

[ArcticBlue]

This was the player Gus said he would/could build his team around,perhaps time will tell with future additions to the sqaud.

We,as a team(Brighton) have often been accused by some people,fans,commentators and press alike, that we play,at times far too slow,CMS is not a forward that plays a slow game,we could see CMS emerge at a later stage as the main man,in a more developed team,playing(The Gus style) the way we do,yet at times a lot lot quicker than we currently play.

You only have to look at the spearhead of any side and how they defend/press high up the field,or,how much of a counter attack threat they pose to the opposition,and judging by the goals conceded of late and the clean sheets we have kept things seem(with a little help from a change of keeper/fortunate result vs Saint's) to be getting slowly better....perhaps a long spell without CMS in the side would answer short term questions.

I hope it does not come to this,but throughout as a realist i realise that this is still very much a work in progress,with or without CMS.

Take care GWF you may induce a stroke upon some of the NSC faithful. You suggest far too much tactical information for some to handle.

 

[Skaville]

I'd like to see 4-2-3-1 with vokes up top and Cms in one of the supporting roles. He'd get more chance to use his pace