Mon Oct 05, 2020 7:32 am
ALEX SMITHIES
By Glen Williams
This could be a subheading in 90 percent of post-match talking points, but a word on Alex Smithies.
Having seen Jordan Pickford make yet another hash of a cross for Everton on Saturday, I cannot help but think Alex Smithies would be a top Premier League goalkeeper.
It beggars belief that the England No.1 is allowed to make mistakes on that regular a basis with seeming impunity, to be frank.
But it only serves to highlight what a gem Cardiff have in Smithies. Even in the torrential rain we saw up in Lancashire, Smithies was unflappable.
Rovers worked him from range with a number of testing efforts, but Smithies didn't so much as spill the ball. And when they needed him most, he came up trumps again.
When Adam Armstrong, arguably the league's hottest striker before Saturday, was bearing down on goal before half-time, there was an air of calm about Smithies.
The goalkeeper rushed out and smothered the chance, which was arguably one of the best of the game until Gallagher skied his effort from just five yards out with minutes to go.
"Sometimes there are key moments in games and you need key players to provide quality and Alex Smithies provided that today," Harris said after the match.
Another point in the bag and City owe a lot of that to Smithies.