Playing at RB has definitely hindered his progression I think. If he had been played as a CB I think he would have been much more comfortable and advanced than he is at this stage.
12
Season Average Rating
- Appearances
- 29
- Clean sheets
- 8
- Goals
- 4
- Assists
- 0
- Yellow cards
- 3
- Red cards
- 1
Not a big fan of him, but i didnt slate him or Rojo or Blackett for the game this weekend like some other guys on here. Hard to judge from the game. But what i dont like is that he looks so nervous. As soon as he was standing there on the touchline to come in for Evans, you could see how nervous he was. Totally uncorformtable with the situation and didnt look like he wanted to go on the field at that moment.
I personally dont think he will establish himself here, but that is just my opinion. We bought him after a decent season with Fulham, and i still dont know what we saw in him to pay 12m for him. Jones is the only one i hope and expect to become the player we all need.
I personally dont think he will establish himself here, but that is just my opinion. We bought him after a decent season with Fulham, and i still dont know what we saw in him to pay 12m for him. Jones is the only one i hope and expect to become the player we all need.
I would give him a season in the team, playing centre defence each week, to prove himself. It is somewhat ridiculous that, after 4 seasons, we still don't have enough evidence to know whether he is good enough or not; all we really know is that he lacks the technique to be a competent right-back. If he starts 25+ games and doesn't impress then time to let him leave.
If the situation were different, I might be more patient but we currently have so many defenders with potential, defenders who need a season to adjust to the PL. LVG needs to know who he can trust and who he can't out of Smalling, Jones and Evans. Previous managers haven't helped him much in this department. Progress would be knowing that Jones is up to the task but Smalling isn't. Or vice-versa. Of course, ideally we'd discover a new partnership.
If the situation were different, I might be more patient but we currently have so many defenders with potential, defenders who need a season to adjust to the PL. LVG needs to know who he can trust and who he can't out of Smalling, Jones and Evans. Previous managers haven't helped him much in this department. Progress would be knowing that Jones is up to the task but Smalling isn't. Or vice-versa. Of course, ideally we'd discover a new partnership.
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Nail on head. This guy is typical of what Arsenal have and that fecks up everything whenever I think about our situation at the back.
One thing I have learned over the years is that the new generation of English center-backs is, for a majority, totally unreliable.
has definitely stagnated. Wes Brown was twice the defender, in terms of actual defending.
Smalling's passing is also shocking.
Lets hope he digs deep for the rest of the season
Smalling's passing is also shocking.
Lets hope he digs deep for the rest of the season
Yeah with 92% pass completion so far, his passing is shocking. 30 forward passes average per game.
Stats don't tell the full story. He's as unadventurous as they come in that regard.
Again its somewhat to do with confidence.
Wes Brown was also injury prone but was far more capable of stepping in at the highest level without many games under his belt.
Why would you want any center back to have adventurous passing if he isn't in the Maldini/Rio class of defender to recover if he loses the ball?
We're no Barcelona, if we have one good ball playing defender next to him its oke. Smalling is brilliant when he has a run at CB.
Some are blaming Smalling and Blackett, but I guess its LVG who wants a high line, which is clearly not possible with our defenders. Smalling is at far best when not in a high line, same for Jones. Remember a match vs WBA when we played a high line, it was terrible.
It does seen like people are more concerned with our CBs passing and ability to play defence splitting through balls, rather than actual defending.
We may as well bring Scholes out of retirement again and put him at CB the way folks on here are talking.
We may as well bring Scholes out of retirement again and put him at CB the way folks on here are talking.
Personally, I am a fan of Smalling so naturally I agree. However, I think his lack of composure and gangly and cumbersome frame can present issues when it comes to his defensive work also. For instance, there were a few occasions when Smalling was battling with Ulloa or Nugent with a high ball and often he would win his aerial duels, but there were a few times when the forward is trying to bring the ball under control and Smalling would try to stab at it and intercept he would fail to get a foot to the ball and subsequently get turned easily where 3v3 situations would ensue.
He has many attributes in his favour that should make him a very good centre back and he is certainly the definition pf a natural defender. His pace, reading of the game, aerial prowess and 1v1 ability isn't in question. But his lack of composure and frame can also present itself in his defensive and off-the-ball work and not merely just on it.
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He is naturally a better defender than Evans imo but he has lost a lot of confidence since the last year when Fergie had him as aRB after he came back from injury and of course under Moyes. His injury record is as bad as the rest too. Quite a few players in the last chance saloon imo.
Doing the rounds on a few forums that he got injured again in training today.
A thigh injury.
Not sure how reliable or how true it is but, trying to find a credible source
A thigh injury.
Not sure how reliable or how true it is but, trying to find a credible source
Daily Mail are reporting it too, dunno about anywhere else yet though.
If thats true our defence is not in good shape.. So Rojo...
If it's true then, I'm at a loss
If true we're looking at a back four of Rafael, Blind, Rojo, and Shaw, with Fletcher in Blind's position.
West Ham will really fancy their chances.
Blind in a back 2 has disaster written all over it, rather play Thorpe there if Smalling is actually out.
fecking hell.
Smalling (and Evans) are made of glass and neither of them are actually good enough to justify the patience we've shown. I hope that if they (Smalling to a lesser extent) can't put a run of games together this season, they will be shipped out next summer.
Smalling (and Evans) are made of glass and neither of them are actually good enough to justify the patience we've shown. I hope that if they (Smalling to a lesser extent) can't put a run of games together this season, they will be shipped out next summer.
Say hello again to 3-5-2 lads 
Seriously though, this is an utter farce. Always the same three players
Seriously though, this is an utter farce. Always the same three players
Only a matter of time before all 3 of evans jones and smalling get injured in the same time..oh well...
That would leave us with Rojo and uhm, Keane ? Carrick at CB?
That would leave us with Rojo and uhm, Keane ? Carrick at CB?
Keane is at Burnley I think.
Keane is on loan.
The trio of them are a joke. If all three are let go within the next year, I wouldn't complain. Rio and Vidic aren't the reason that they haven't developed as much. They all just made of glass.
The trio of them are a joke. If all three are let go within the next year, I wouldn't complain. Rio and Vidic aren't the reason that they haven't developed as much. They all just made of glass.
Oh right, even better, cheers.
That would leave us with Rojo and uhm, Keane ? Carrick at CB?
Keane was moved out on loan on deadline day wasn't he? Or was that the other one?
If this is true then it's just ridiculous. Forget talent, relying on a group of 3 players that are injured on a regular basis is madness. 2 CBs need signing in the next winter and summer windows and we could do with moving Smalling and/or Evans on.
I give up. Sell him.
Atleast he's not getting injured 20 mins into the match. So hopefully we'd be able to plan what we going to do.
Just have a worry because West Ham do have a few physical strikers.
Just have a worry because West Ham do have a few physical strikers.
May as well play him anyways.....Not as if we're going to notice any difference
No fecking way is he injured again...
We just can't catch a break with these glass-legged pricks.
We just can't catch a break with these glass-legged pricks.
I fecking have enough of all of those injury prone CBs. Useless wankers!
Not really sure why people are throwing personal insults around at Smalling et al. It's not like he's choosing to get injured.
Silver linings and all eh?
I would wait for a more reliable source than Dailymail tbf. Are there any other reliable sources breaking out with this story?
No, but finding ways to keep himself in better shape considering he's no mere rookie is not too much asked. We better start asking ourselves why our players struggle so much at taking care of themselves (diet, finding the right intensity, etc.) and avoid injuries.
So is this injury legit? If so then we are in serious trouble this weekend.
I honestly thought this was a joke when I heard the rumour earlier. I guess if he is injured again then Fletcher will have to play CB alongside Rojo.
May aswell start the discussion early then so...
5 points from 6 games...Who would have thought that?!
That would be a horrific disaster. Blind would have to play there (better option than Fletcher) but I have heard that he is not that great as a CB either.
Maybe we'll hit them fast with 3 or 4 goals and then play 7-1-2 in the second half.
Blind and Rojo are both left footers, given LvG's nitpicky way I imagine he wouldn't play them together, plus Fletcher at CB would be better than at CM where he'd have to run and pass more.