It hasn’t been a great season so far for Queens Park Rangers striker Matt Smith, and the player has recently admitted that he’s become frustrated with his lack of game time – but he does however appreciate that his own style of play doesn’t really suit what manager Steve McClaren wants from the side this year.
Having come in from Fulham for a reported £500,000 back in the January window of the 2017/18 campaign, the 29-year-old has 36 starting appearances to his name, with an additional 51 showings from the substitutes bench and overall he’s returned 17 goals.
In 2018/19 though, in 27 appearances he’s only returned two goals and a good chunk of those games have been as a late second half substitute.
Speaking to West London Sport this week, he explained about his situation that unfortunately it was just one of those things in the game, even if it was hugely frustrating.
“It’s been a very frustrating spell personally. I try just to give my all to the side when I get given the opportunity. I’ve had to be selfless. It’s maybe not going the way I’d like personally, but no-one’s bigger than the team. I’ll give my all whatever role the manager gives me, whether that’s coming on for 10 minutes at centre-half to shore up a 1-0 or chasing a lead or coming on in stoppage time – which I’ve done quite a few times. It’s different, and largely frustrating, but at the end of the day I’ll do my all for the lads.”
With his contract not up until 2020 I’m sure most fans will appreciate his honesty and understand the position he’s in as he also conceded he couldn’t really knock on the gaffers’ door about game time given how well we’ve done this year, but depending on how we feel our chances are of capturing Tomer Hemed and Nahki Wells come the summer when our embargo is lifted, a swift parting of the ways may be in the best interests of everyone.
On that front, the same outlet are also reporting that Millwall are sniffing around him and are interested in taking him on a loan spell in the second half of the campaign.
