Yeah I've just checked, hope they're ok, they've had enough problems recently in the French national team. Obviously not on the same level, this is grim.
9
Season Average Rating
- Appearances
- 49
- Goals
- 17
- Assists
- 11
- Yellow cards
- 4
- Status
I have no more words for this guy. Didn't watch the game (I will do) but the assist for Giroud was just pure class, and this is why I continue to say I would play him on the left. People are saying he's not as effective, but to me, from the wing, he's able to use his best attribute - taking players on. I mean, we've been craving for that moment of magic at United from the wing. When he's up top, he often has his back to goal.
Yeh.Especially since Martial was doing 90% of the work.
Every time I watch I keep dreading the moment where he turns out to not be as good as he's looked to start off. He's just so consistent, as well as being incredibly talented.
He's as good on the left as he is up front I think. Suited more for up front in some games, sometimes out wide. Just for us, he's better through the middle as we have no other striker and you need a striker.
Does he really need the space though? He excels at close control and dribbling through defenders in tight areas, not running the ball down an empty flank a la Bale. He's beating one or two players inside the box with regularity - do that centrally and you'll get into excellent scoring positions.
What a talent. We've done exceptionally well to get him
It would "easier" to dribble from the left with more space to gain momentum and acceleration even if he still excels in tight spaces. There is a big wish to see him in central areas because it would give him more opportunities to score but tbh he isn't a natural goalscorer yet so there is no hurry to play him there.
Good bit of skill but nothing extraordinary as you'd think from the reactions.
Should tell you all we need to know about how devoid & starved we've been of creativity at United for a few seasons now
Should tell you all we need to know about how devoid & starved we've been of creativity at United for a few seasons now
Ha, that's exactly what I thought after watching the clip after having read the posts here.
Aye it was magnificent tbf, but yeah, great wingers for other teams probably pull those moves off regularly.
Cmon, It was just a step over. Nicely done ofcourse but nothing incredible about it. The only reason it's even worthy of praise is the small space he pulled it off in.
I think that's the actually "awe" of it - seemingly nowhere to go and yet he executed it perfectly.
Yep, I get that. I doubt anyone would have posted it had it been a simple step over in a lot of space but personally, even the space he pulled it off in doesn't really deserve the over the top praise it got here. Understandable in a way considering the reason you mentioned, the whole media narrative behind him and his age.
Very true. Sad state of our attacking half of our squad though
Should tell you all we need to know about how devoid & starved we've been of creativity at United for a few seasons now
To be fair redcafe is known for hyping players. Just read the posts about smalling. You'll think that he's the mixture of moore, Maldini and Baresi in their prime
I hope the lad isn't too affected by what's happened in Paris. Imagine giving it your all for your country on a football pitch and there are terrorists outside your stadium going berserk.
So messed up and I hope the lad gets all the support he needs.
So messed up and I hope the lad gets all the support he needs.
@Varun you're not impressed because he makes it look so effortless 
No, Anthony's move on the German defender doesn't make you forget about Maradona and Ronaldinho but it was pretty sweet...more than good enough for our needs. We've been missing that kind of movement with the ball inside the box for too long.
Unfortunately I'm a Smalling fanboi devilish
but yeah, all I'd say is, on this season's form, he's been one of the too CB's in the world, but to be rated as world class, he needs to maintain this for a while longer! The Caf is known for its extremes though, so no surprises there. It's football though. Us fans are mostly, too emotional!
Unfortunately I'm a Smalling fanboi devilish
The Caf is known for its extremes though, so no surprises there. It's football though. Us fans are mostly, too emotional!
He had improved although one need to also take in consideration a lot of things which include
a- A focused and fully committed DDG
b- The signing of Schneiderlin and Bastian in midfield
c- Rojo settling down
Having said that all this talk of world class is pretty BS. Players do not become world class after 6 months of decent football
Yeah, agreed. Though to give them their dues, when the defence is conceding too many they take the blame, and if they're keeping clean sheets - we can't shift the credit they must get credit too.
But a functioning team does help. It's the 1 main issue I've always had with for example, Pique, as much of a fan of his I am. He always played in dominant teams which made him "world class" but many a time I've seen him exposed in 1 on 1's, he seemed in trouble.
But that's another topic for another day. I don't disagree with anything you posted.
@Varun you're not impressed because he makes it look so effortless
Tbf to him, he's the only one in our squad I'd consider capable of pulling it off. Memphis probably the only other one.
That's harsh. He's just being acknowledged for what he is, among the beat CBs around atm. No one's comparing him to all time greats let alone call him one.
Whether or not you rate the goal as amazing, I think it's quite clear this lad has real talent and potential. The amazing thing for me is that in today's day and age, hardly anyone even knew of him until we signed him - especially on here. It really does show me that we maybe need to have some faith in our club's recruiting strategy instead of ripping it apart for not signing the likes of griezmann.
Bit of a daft post after a video of him doing brilliant work on the left wing, following on from his worst United performance so far when played centrally.
I would definitely play him on the left than Depay. For Rooney, we should just get a better striker.
So people don't even know why LVG plays him on the left?
Saying that he's on form and if he carries on doing that he will be world class is one thing. Saying that he's world class, one of the best defenders in football and creating ridiculous Smalling vs Martial threads is a different cup of tea
I also believe that hyping players is doing them a big disservice. In Italy players are criticized and scrutinized for their entire career and irrespective of their reputation (Cannavaro, Batistuta and even Maldini were criticized). The results are there to be seen. The only player I can think of who was massively hyped and cuddled was.....Mario Balotelli
How many CBs have been better than him over the past year? I think it's fair to say he's among the best around. The whole "world class" thing is nonsense anyways, people define it to suit themselves.
Regarding the last point, with all due respect to the Italians, who gives a feck how they treat their players?
Good bit of skill? That is Germany mate not Albania. No offense to Albanians but you get the drift. His play was ridiculously good.
TBF that post isn't meant to criticize Smalling. Some of the best defenders in the world played in some of the strongest defenses of the time. Maldini played alongside beasts such as Baresi, Tassotti and Rijkaard. Cannavaro won the WC surrounded by talent such as Gattuso, Pirlo and Buffon at his back. However let keep things into contest. Yes Smalling is playing well, he's been an important player for us in the past few months and if he continues to improve than he will become a great defender on the lines of Rio, Vidic and Stam. Yet there's quite a long road to be made
Name five defenders in world football currently better than Smalling.
Yeah and he got the better of Ginter not Boateng. No offense to Ginter
I guess you didn't see Boateng trying to intercept the cross.
It does because they won 4 world cups while the creators of football had won just one more than half a century ago despite their various white Peles, HurriKanes, Mr Chelsea, Captain fantastic, Captain Marvel and the rest of the X Men. Let me give you another interesting stat. Everytime Italy won the WC either the nation or the Serie A was in the middle of a scandal. The fascist regime during the 30s and the match fixing scandals of 1982 and 2006. In 2006 Cannavaro was labelled a finished player who shouldn't even be in the WC squad. He went on winning the WC and the ballon d'or. Pressure makes players better while hype ruins them
Maybe that's also the reason why the best talent of the class of 92 happens to be the player who had passed from most hurdles and was questioned out of the lot
There's no doubt that he's playing extremely well. However 6 months of great football does not make a player WC.
Nice bit of strength to shrug off the big guy in the build up as well.Yeah and he got the better of Ginter not Boateng. No offense to Ginter
Go watch how well he took his early United goals. Natural calm finisher if ever I've seen one.
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