Exactly. I said it last season and I'll say it again.
He's a midtable defender. Never wants the ball, always happy to clear the ball from crosses etc. Scared to his bare bones sometimes. Midtable quality.
12
Season Average Rating
- Appearances
- 29
- Clean sheets
- 8
- Goals
- 4
- Assists
- 0
- Yellow cards
- 3
- Red cards
- 1
Exactly. I said it last season and I'll say it again.
He's a midtable defender. Never wants the ball, always happy to clear the ball from crosses etc. Scared to his bare bones sometimes. Midtable quality.
Smalling isn't slow. That isn't even an opinion, it verges on fact.
Smalling is an excellent defender. His partner today was terrible and he tends to suffer when that's the case. He was weak for the third goal, though. With a run of games at centre half his defensive ability is always obvious and I expect him to improve with game time. Fitness is his biggest issue right now.
And herein lies the problem. With a run of games, Smalling, Jones and Evans would be world beaters, I'd be surprised if any of them have finished 5 consecutive games not injured in the last 18 months.
Him and Evans will both be sold in the summer and hopefully they will be replaced by 2 quality centre halves. He does the same shite over and over again, he always watches attackers outside his area and just lets them shoot at De Gea like wdf!! Same with Evans, they both just ball watch 99.9 percent of the game, it's gotten quite embarrassing now and is costing us quite a lot of points. Regressed badly in the last 18months.
I know he's just back from injury but he's awful. Like with Anderson there comes a point when a player shows that he is not mentally strong enough to perform consistently and Smalling has hit that point by now where it's more than likely he will never make it here and we would be wise to plan without him
usual knee jerk reactions...
How on earth are they knee jerk? You obviously haven't seen the guy play for the last 12-15 months, he's been a complete liability.
But I guess he just needs a run of games to become world class doesn't he?
How on earth are they knee jerk? You obviously haven't seen the guy play for the last 12-15 months, he's been a complete liability.
But I guess he just needs a run of games to become world class doesn't he?
At centre back, he hasn't been a liability in the slightest. He was quite good there last season, sadly lacking at right full back. Take a look through his player thread and you'll get a decent indication of that. Defensively he's seldom poor. Today, coming on half way through the match and playing alongside a teenager that looked as if he didn't know what day it was certainly didn't help his cause.
True, it's a problem.
Smalling isn't slow? Jeez!!! Guess that's my cue to log off for tonight
Log off then. He's kept up with some of the quickest attackers in the league. He's a big unit but he's rapid when he gets going and there is plenty of evidence for that.
Smalling slow. 
He's slow mentally that's for sure.
Smalling isn't slow at all. Neither is Evans or Jones, but I think Smalling wins in a footrace.
Anyone claiming Smalling is slow hasn't really got a clue.
He's not the quickest turner but how many times have you ever seen him outpaced?
Therein is not where the problem lies.
Today he was shite on the ball and looked uncomfortable throughout - understandably so given the circumstances.
Still, we really needed someone to take responsibility and he sure didn't look like he was going to do it.
He's not the quickest turner but how many times have you ever seen him outpaced?
Therein is not where the problem lies.
Today he was shite on the ball and looked uncomfortable throughout - understandably so given the circumstances.
Still, we really needed someone to take responsibility and he sure didn't look like he was going to do it.
Yup, I've been surprised by how much ground Smalling is able to cover when racing back to defend. Must be the long strides.
This is what concerns me more than anything about his performance today and Evans' at MK Dons. When younger defenders alongside him needed them to stand up and be counted they were found wanting.
That's not to say they are completely to blame to those defeats. Of course they aren't. But this is their chance to step forward and cement their place as more than just a squad player. Neither are anywhere near doing that at the moment.
This is just pathetic, everytime Smalling has a run and plays good I only see +1, +1, +1 etc, now he has returned back from injury, played next to Blackett he is slow, pathetic, deadwood etc.
I've thought he was average since he joined.
I think he's clumsy and shaky as a defender. And a top club simply can't have an outfield player who couldn't hit a blue whale from five metres.
As ever on the caf, most folk are set in their opinion and will not consider any other possibility.
Smalling didn't do a huge amount wrong today. Rojo and Blackett both had shockers, and Smalling was returning from injury and only had to come on to replace Evans - we don't even know if Smalling was 100% fit (obviously LVG didn't have him starting, this may have been purely tactical or may not have been).
This season he has been pretty solid at the back, in my opinion less error prone than Evans or Jones. His strength is not on the ball, this is true, but now that we have a shielding midfielder like Blind (Carrick would fill this role when back from injury as well) he should have an easy outlay.
Look at the other top teams, they aren't relying on their CBs to be playmakers. In a 3-5-2 you need the central CB to be comfortable bringing the ball out, but in a traditional back four there should be other players coming to receive the ball. This is what Gerrard does for Liverpool, Arteta for Arsenal, Barry or McCarthy for Everton, Matic/Ramires for Chelsea and Fernando/Fernandinho for City. We have for a long time lacked midfielders who will do this. We now have them and as the team settled we will see the improvement I hope.
Smalling has in the past been very composed under pressure and been a very capable ball player, I expect the current issues are purely mental. Nonetheless he would benefit from having another experienced CB alongside him rather than the likes of Rojo and Blackett.
Smalling didn't do a huge amount wrong today. Rojo and Blackett both had shockers, and Smalling was returning from injury and only had to come on to replace Evans - we don't even know if Smalling was 100% fit (obviously LVG didn't have him starting, this may have been purely tactical or may not have been).
This season he has been pretty solid at the back, in my opinion less error prone than Evans or Jones. His strength is not on the ball, this is true, but now that we have a shielding midfielder like Blind (Carrick would fill this role when back from injury as well) he should have an easy outlay.
Look at the other top teams, they aren't relying on their CBs to be playmakers. In a 3-5-2 you need the central CB to be comfortable bringing the ball out, but in a traditional back four there should be other players coming to receive the ball. This is what Gerrard does for Liverpool, Arteta for Arsenal, Barry or McCarthy for Everton, Matic/Ramires for Chelsea and Fernando/Fernandinho for City. We have for a long time lacked midfielders who will do this. We now have them and as the team settled we will see the improvement I hope.
Smalling has in the past been very composed under pressure and been a very capable ball player, I expect the current issues are purely mental. Nonetheless he would benefit from having another experienced CB alongside him rather than the likes of Rojo and Blackett.
Once he hits top speed, Smalling is comfortably our fastest central defender. Hell, he'd be one of the fastest in the league.
However, his acceleration is fairly poor. His first 4 or 5 steps are relatively slow, and if he gets turned that can give the attacker enough of a headstart that Smalling can't make back up.
He wasn't even in the picture for the fifth goal we conceded. Blackett and Rooney tracked back, resulting in Blackett's challenge. Smalling lacks position sense as a RB.
Not really concerned with Smalling. Still think he is our best CB in terms of pure defending attributes. It was his first game back and there was chaos around him for the last 25 minutes.
I never quite get the bashing of Smalling and it seems to happen all too often. People instantly blaming him for us conceding so many goals yesterday, but then I found out this:
Sure, we conceded a lot of goals, but I can't see why people jump the gun and blame him when he was probably the best of the back four, admittedly in a horror display. He cleared the ball and passed it from the back brilliantly, which is what we need. The main problems for me are the team not defending as a team and our individuals up front all trying to go for glory. This was always going to be an issue when you play three players who are pretty much out-and-out strikers wanting to take chances and drop a midfielder (even a very attack minded one). This led to us not keeping possession and now wearing out Leicester or the clock when we were in a commanding position. The ref didn't help, but we can't keep going on about that.
Will be happy to see a back four of Rafael, Smalling, Rojo, and Shaw against West Ham. But the rest of the team needs to be on song, and we need to only ever start one of Falcao or van Persie, I think that was always going to be the only option. Someone has to settle for the bench.
Sure, we conceded a lot of goals, but I can't see why people jump the gun and blame him when he was probably the best of the back four, admittedly in a horror display. He cleared the ball and passed it from the back brilliantly, which is what we need. The main problems for me are the team not defending as a team and our individuals up front all trying to go for glory. This was always going to be an issue when you play three players who are pretty much out-and-out strikers wanting to take chances and drop a midfielder (even a very attack minded one). This led to us not keeping possession and now wearing out Leicester or the clock when we were in a commanding position. The ref didn't help, but we can't keep going on about that.
Will be happy to see a back four of Rafael, Smalling, Rojo, and Shaw against West Ham. But the rest of the team needs to be on song, and we need to only ever start one of Falcao or van Persie, I think that was always going to be the only option. Someone has to settle for the bench.
If Smalling is our best CB, we're fooked.
Can someone explain what all of the Smalling hate is coming from yesterday?
If it was Evans and Smalling playing yesterday and it was Smalling getting beat up at the end of the match .... I would understand. BUT, NONE of the goals were related to ANYTHING Chris Smalling did yesterday. If you want to say he wasn't controlling the box, well that can go to a few people.
If it was Evans and Smalling playing yesterday and it was Smalling getting beat up at the end of the match .... I would understand. BUT, NONE of the goals were related to ANYTHING Chris Smalling did yesterday. If you want to say he wasn't controlling the box, well that can go to a few people.
Feel the exact same. As far as a pure defender goes, I think Smalling is our best. Granted, I've yet to see Rojo play centrally. It's only his ability on the ball that Smalling is poor and leaves plenty to be desired. Then again, we're not Barcelona and I've always felt the most important attribute for a center-half is to be able to defend. Understand that he might not be as vocal as some would like, but not sure where the hate is coming from.
He's not that bad on the ball. He's certainly looked stronger than Evans, who was our 'ball-playing CB' just last year. He just gives the impression that he's terribly ditzy and clumsy due to being quite gangly and awkward looking. People state Blackett looks assured and assertive in his play, but all he has been doing is hoofing the ball. In fact, Smalling's passing accuracy percentage has been the highest of all our CB's. He is poor on his left foot though, and that's why he can sometimes look very weak moving with the ball.
Smalling and Blind jumped for the same ball in the build-up to Cambiasso's goal. The lack of communication and leadership at the back is concerning.
And entirely expected with what is effectively a completely new team.
Our CB situation is pathetic, none of them are stepping up and its been that way for the last 2 years. Were Stacked with Injury prone, full of "potential" young British defenders. That's great and everything but were conceding goals like there's no tomorow. Jurys still out on Rojo, he's a wildcard. I rate jones the highest out of our cb's though. Wouldnt be fussed if we sold evans and smalling if we replaced with non injured quality cb's.
No it isn't. Twice that happened. Blind had total control of the header and then Smalling comes steaming in.
Smalling is an Arsenal like defender. He just gets bullied too much if he doesn't have Rio or Vidic next to him. He is nearly 25. The same age Vidic was when he was helping us lift the European cup. He's just not good enough. How long should we persist with these so called young centre backs?
Blaming Evans and Smalling is the norm on the Caf these days. To me, the problem was Rojo at LB and Blackett at CB. They probably weren't communicating (language barrier, Blackett being young) and lack of understanding. Rojo and Smalling will have a better understanding as it will be more natural for Rojo in his position. Blackett was also a LB for the U21 so I guess that's where some of his problems are. Shaw will know when to tuck in and cover for Rojo. I'm not blaming Smalling until he is partnered with Rojo against West Ham and the same With Rojo having Shaw next to him.
Smalling has his flaws but he certainly isn't slow.
Smalling seems to be the new O'Shea/Brown/Fletcher on here, don't get all the hate! He didn't do much wrong.
It's amazing how someone can be so sure of their opinion that is just so, so wrong.How exactly should Smalling (and Jones) have stepped up when they were constantly played out of position, and not given much/any gametime at CB over the last two seasons?
Smalling is our best defender with the most potential. He lacks the experience next to him. My biggest problem will all the defenders is bar Blackett absolutely terrible either on the ball or their passing. They all lack composure and I can see a couple of them being moved on in the summer......
Just doesn't look up to it to me. Great in the air and a very natural defender but seems to shrink within himself. Dunno if he's up to it mentally.