What's happened to Cardiff City's forgotten £4million summer
Tue Apr 09, 2019 11:14 am
What's happened to Cardiff City's forgotten £4million summer signing
By Dominic Booth
Tuesday 9th April 2019
Alex Smithies has barely played for Cardiff City
We've all had that feeling, which combines regret, guilt and waste, like when you pay good money for a new book and leave it unread on the shelf for months.
That's how Cardiff City must feel about Alex Smithies , a goalkeeper whose services they paid an initial £3.5million fee plus add-ons to take it to £4m for back in June, but who hasn't played a single minute of Premier League football this season. Like the book that gathers dust, Smithies' frustration has grown as this season has unfolded.
Having signed from Queens Park Rangers desperate to prove himself in the top flight, desperate to win the No.1 shirt from Neil Etheridge, Smithies' game time has been limited to two cup appearances — both ignominious defeats to lower league opposition.
So it's not quite been the intriguing tussle for the first-choice spot that everyone, Neil Warnock included, expected upon Smithies' arrival.
“He’s a lad that knows he will have to fight for his place," said Warnock after the 29-year-old was unveiled as a Bluebird.
"Neil Etheridge had a fabulous season in 2017/18 and improved as time went on. It’s great for us to have that healthy competition.”
Alex Smithies with Neil Warnock and Ken Choo (Image: Cardiff City FC)
Unfortunately for Smithies, Etheridge has also had a fabulous 2018/19 season, performing even better than he did last term.
Combined with his own performances, it's made Smithies life very difficult.
After making a mistake in a pre-season game at Bodmin Town on his first ever Bluebirds appearance (albeit a non-competitive game against non-league opposition), he was firmly pencilled in as Cardiff's No.2 — if he wasn't already.
It then became evident following Etheridge's successive penalty saves in Cardiff's opening fixtures, against Bournemouth and Newcastle, that it would be a long road to the first team for Smithies.
The Philippines international has since made himself undroppable, though Smithies didn't cover himself in glory during the 3-1 Carabao Cup reverse to Norwich in late August; he was arguably at fault for two of the visitors' strikes on a forgettable night.
It would be another four and a half months before Smithies appeared again.
Etheridge has been Warnock's trusted No.1 this season, playing every Premier League game (Image: Getty Images)
And again he looked a little suspect in allowing Gillingham's Elliot List to thunder a shot into the middle of the net, as Cardiff crashed out of another cup competition.
There have been times this season when Smithies, worryingly, hasn't even been picked as Cardiff's substitute goalkeeper. Brian Murphy has been on the bench against Chelsea and Man City in the last two games, and earlier in the season at Tottenham Hotspur and Chelsea and at home to Burnley, Arsenal and Man City — though it is understood a Smithies injury is partially to blame for that.
What does the future hold for him?
That will likely depend on Cardiff's own fate in either staying up or going down.
Relegation may mean the Bluebirds find it difficult to hold onto Etheridge, with Smithies a ready-made Championship No.1 goalkeeper to step into the breach.
Neil Etheridge has been a fan favourite in the Welsh capital, so will be loathed to depart, especially if Cardiff manage to stay in the Premier League. If Etheridge does stay and Smithies continues to sit on the bench, the Huddersfield-born keeper may get itchy feet and begin to think about a move.
He came highly regarded from QPR, regularly rated among the Championship's best between the sticks, so he may feel understandably, like he needs to play football.
As is often the case with a second-choice goalkeeper, you can't afford to sit on the shelf for too long.
By Dominic Booth
Tuesday 9th April 2019
Alex Smithies has barely played for Cardiff City
We've all had that feeling, which combines regret, guilt and waste, like when you pay good money for a new book and leave it unread on the shelf for months.
That's how Cardiff City must feel about Alex Smithies , a goalkeeper whose services they paid an initial £3.5million fee plus add-ons to take it to £4m for back in June, but who hasn't played a single minute of Premier League football this season. Like the book that gathers dust, Smithies' frustration has grown as this season has unfolded.
Having signed from Queens Park Rangers desperate to prove himself in the top flight, desperate to win the No.1 shirt from Neil Etheridge, Smithies' game time has been limited to two cup appearances — both ignominious defeats to lower league opposition.
So it's not quite been the intriguing tussle for the first-choice spot that everyone, Neil Warnock included, expected upon Smithies' arrival.
“He’s a lad that knows he will have to fight for his place," said Warnock after the 29-year-old was unveiled as a Bluebird.
"Neil Etheridge had a fabulous season in 2017/18 and improved as time went on. It’s great for us to have that healthy competition.”
Alex Smithies with Neil Warnock and Ken Choo (Image: Cardiff City FC)
Unfortunately for Smithies, Etheridge has also had a fabulous 2018/19 season, performing even better than he did last term.
Combined with his own performances, it's made Smithies life very difficult.
After making a mistake in a pre-season game at Bodmin Town on his first ever Bluebirds appearance (albeit a non-competitive game against non-league opposition), he was firmly pencilled in as Cardiff's No.2 — if he wasn't already.
It then became evident following Etheridge's successive penalty saves in Cardiff's opening fixtures, against Bournemouth and Newcastle, that it would be a long road to the first team for Smithies.
The Philippines international has since made himself undroppable, though Smithies didn't cover himself in glory during the 3-1 Carabao Cup reverse to Norwich in late August; he was arguably at fault for two of the visitors' strikes on a forgettable night.
It would be another four and a half months before Smithies appeared again.
Etheridge has been Warnock's trusted No.1 this season, playing every Premier League game (Image: Getty Images)
And again he looked a little suspect in allowing Gillingham's Elliot List to thunder a shot into the middle of the net, as Cardiff crashed out of another cup competition.
There have been times this season when Smithies, worryingly, hasn't even been picked as Cardiff's substitute goalkeeper. Brian Murphy has been on the bench against Chelsea and Man City in the last two games, and earlier in the season at Tottenham Hotspur and Chelsea and at home to Burnley, Arsenal and Man City — though it is understood a Smithies injury is partially to blame for that.
What does the future hold for him?
That will likely depend on Cardiff's own fate in either staying up or going down.
Relegation may mean the Bluebirds find it difficult to hold onto Etheridge, with Smithies a ready-made Championship No.1 goalkeeper to step into the breach.
Neil Etheridge has been a fan favourite in the Welsh capital, so will be loathed to depart, especially if Cardiff manage to stay in the Premier League. If Etheridge does stay and Smithies continues to sit on the bench, the Huddersfield-born keeper may get itchy feet and begin to think about a move.
He came highly regarded from QPR, regularly rated among the Championship's best between the sticks, so he may feel understandably, like he needs to play football.
As is often the case with a second-choice goalkeeper, you can't afford to sit on the shelf for too long.
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Re: What's happened to Cardiff City's forgotten £4million su
Tue Apr 09, 2019 12:07 pm
What a stupid article 
They are literally thinking up anything to make pointless articles now. Its the life of the keeper, its happens at most clubs.
They are literally thinking up anything to make pointless articles now. Its the life of the keeper, its happens at most clubs.
Re: What's happened to Cardiff City's forgotten £4million su
Tue Apr 09, 2019 3:20 pm
2blue2handle wrote:What a stupid article
They are literally thinking up anything to make pointless articles now. Its the life of the keeper, its happens at most clubs.
It does indeed. Particularly when the present incumbent is on course to be Player of the Year.
Re: What's happened to Cardiff City's forgotten £4million su
Tue Apr 09, 2019 3:32 pm
2blue2handle wrote:What a stupid article
They are literally thinking up anything to make pointless articles now. Its the life of the keeper, its happens at most clubs.
agree.
fancy having numerous keepers but only ever playing one at a time..whatever next.
Re: What's happened to Cardiff City's forgotten £4million su
Tue Apr 09, 2019 4:17 pm
S**t article. Almost as bad as the "What happened to Macheda"
Re: What's happened to Cardiff City's forgotten £4million su
Tue Apr 09, 2019 5:29 pm
It was a strange signing given the amount of decent keepers floating about last summer who could have filled this role on a free transfer.
£4mill could have got us a decent right back
£4mill could have got us a decent right back
Re: What's happened to Cardiff City's forgotten £4million su
Tue Apr 09, 2019 7:39 pm
thomasblue wrote:It was a strange signing given the amount of decent keepers floating about last summer who could have filled this role on a free transfer.
£4mill could have got us a decent right back
How many would have,on the basis of warming the bench? I think IF we go down,he will go down as a good buy,especially as a few on this board,are convinced etheridge will be snapped up,should we go down,its hardly anyone's fault,etheridge has just been our standout performer,would zohore have been dropped if he was banging them in
he was after all our number one striker 
Re: What's happened to Cardiff City's forgotten £4million su
Tue Apr 09, 2019 7:44 pm
bluesince62 wrote:thomasblue wrote:It was a strange signing given the amount of decent keepers floating about last summer who could have filled this role on a free transfer.
£4mill could have got us a decent right back
How many would have,on the basis of warming the bench? I think IF we go down,he will go down as a good buy,especially as a few on this board,are convinced etheridge will be snapped up,should we go down,its hardly anyone's fault,etheridge has just been our standout performer,would zohore have been dropped if he was banging them in
I dont get this love in with Etheridge. He has not been stand out. He has done well but is nothing special.
He has made a fair few mistakes and probably should have done better with a lot of goals we've conceded this season. He has his moments and comes up with some great performances but that is mainly down to the amount of shots against him in certain games.
In reality he is probably in the bottom 3 keepers in the premier league and I would be shocked if anybody offered decent money for him. His overall game is championship standard