I wonder if he realises big opportunities are slipping through his fingers because of injuries.
12
Season Average Rating
- Appearances
- 29
- Clean sheets
- 8
- Goals
- 4
- Assists
- 0
- Yellow cards
- 3
- Red cards
- 1
Probably, but what can he do?
I wonder if he's pushing himself too hard to get back playing. Can do more harm than good.
And make his injury worse.
I wasn't overly serious btw....But, he's going to be injured again in a month so...
Did Van Gaal actually say 'Smalling won't play on Saturday'?
Sounds like he just confirmed he was out of training, but that injury shouldn't keep him out.
Sounds like he just confirmed he was out of training, but that injury shouldn't keep him out.
Not be such a pansy?
Smalling won't be here next summer I don't think. His limited technical ability and the fact he can't stay fit will see him go.
Based on nothing but just an opinion, but I think he was rushed back. There is no way they would have envisaged using Smalling against Leicester. Although having said that they could have bought on Shaw and shifted Rojo and left Smalling....I don't know. Just unlucky I guess. Although something needs to happen with our three CBs, the fitness staff need to sort it out.
West Brom beat and outplayed us at OT last season
I know, but they look worse this season.
Its not the fitness staff. Those three are just injury prone
All I can do is laugh.
Maybe he'd be a good player if it werent for all those injuries.
Maybe he'd be a good player if it werent for all those injuries.
He is a good player, but players need games to get up to their best. Therein lies the problem
I just read the quotes and am thinking the same as you...
I agree, when he started for us I said to myself he's gonna be very good, and I think he has it all to be a good CB, but unfortunately him playing out of position a lot and all the injuries didnt do him any good.
Did he not say he only had one fit CB in Rojo?
Overrated since day 1. He is not good enough for United. Neither is Evans. Jones has potential, but needs to play with his head a bit too.
Finally a United fan waking up - us neutrals have been trying to tell you all this for ages.
I have been awake for a long time.
Go to sleep, you're drunk
Smalling is a very good out and out CB. He'd obviously look better next to a world class CB leading the defence next to him however
Smalling is a very good out and out CB. He'd obviously look better next to a world class CB leading the defence next to him however
He's clearly a better defender than Jones and Evans. Although Jones was looking better this season. They just need to stay fit. It's infuriating.
All three are very good defenders, but each has their issues.
Evans can be very, very good alongside an authoritative partner but is hopeless at leading a defence. So he'll forever be a squad player at best. And of course, he's preposterously injury prone.
Smalling is the best pure defender at the club. He's a goliath in the air, but has limited technical ability and is, of course, injury prone.
Jones has so much potential it's ridiculous. It's easy to forget that he is just 22. Which is very young for a center back. He has played a variety of positions for us already and shown so much. He can definitely become world class, he just has to deal with (a) being injury prone due to rash challenges (b) using his head more, which will come with experience.
Evans should've been the natural successor to Ferdinand and Vidic should never have been allowed to leave. This season we'd be starting with Vidic and Evans at the back which I feel would have been the amongst the best pairings in the league. Over the next couple of seasons, Jones would have taken over Evans position and we'd have brought in an experienced replacement for Vidic.
Getting rid of Ferdinand, Vidic and Evra in one go was suicide. They had all declined significantly, but people underestimate the value of experience. It has a multiplying and calming effect on those around them.
As it stands now, Smalling and Jones is probably the best pairing we have at the club. I don't trust Evans at all unless he is with someone more experienced (which is transformative for him). Rojo is a completely unknown quantity at centre back. I do know I am not in a hurry to see him at left back again after the Leicester debacle.
Point is, everything has to go in context. Just because these players don't look too clever right now doesn't mean they aren't good or don't have value. Football is so often about partnerships rather than individuals, about systems rather than talent. Ferdinand and Vidic were excellent individual players but their real strength lay as a duo. Bruce and Pallister are an even better example of this. Two players who never particularly shone individually (Bruce was never even capped - unjustly IMO) but as a pairing they were amazing.
We've had a lot of incredible strikers at the club, but have we ever had a better pairing than Yorke and Cole? We've certainly had better individuals. Veron was one of the most talented players to play for United in the last 25 years, but he could never strike up a proper understand with his midfield partners and was ultimately deemed surplus to requirements. Yet, who could argue that he wouldn't have walked into our team at any point in the last 5 years and instantly improved it?
With the right partner and game time, I believe someone like Jones could go on to become one of our most distinguished defenders. His performances, like many others, have to be put into context of circumstance, experience and age.
Evans can be very, very good alongside an authoritative partner but is hopeless at leading a defence. So he'll forever be a squad player at best. And of course, he's preposterously injury prone.
Smalling is the best pure defender at the club. He's a goliath in the air, but has limited technical ability and is, of course, injury prone.
Jones has so much potential it's ridiculous. It's easy to forget that he is just 22. Which is very young for a center back. He has played a variety of positions for us already and shown so much. He can definitely become world class, he just has to deal with (a) being injury prone due to rash challenges (b) using his head more, which will come with experience.
Evans should've been the natural successor to Ferdinand and Vidic should never have been allowed to leave. This season we'd be starting with Vidic and Evans at the back which I feel would have been the amongst the best pairings in the league. Over the next couple of seasons, Jones would have taken over Evans position and we'd have brought in an experienced replacement for Vidic.
Getting rid of Ferdinand, Vidic and Evra in one go was suicide. They had all declined significantly, but people underestimate the value of experience. It has a multiplying and calming effect on those around them.
As it stands now, Smalling and Jones is probably the best pairing we have at the club. I don't trust Evans at all unless he is with someone more experienced (which is transformative for him). Rojo is a completely unknown quantity at centre back. I do know I am not in a hurry to see him at left back again after the Leicester debacle.
Point is, everything has to go in context. Just because these players don't look too clever right now doesn't mean they aren't good or don't have value. Football is so often about partnerships rather than individuals, about systems rather than talent. Ferdinand and Vidic were excellent individual players but their real strength lay as a duo. Bruce and Pallister are an even better example of this. Two players who never particularly shone individually (Bruce was never even capped - unjustly IMO) but as a pairing they were amazing.
We've had a lot of incredible strikers at the club, but have we ever had a better pairing than Yorke and Cole? We've certainly had better individuals. Veron was one of the most talented players to play for United in the last 25 years, but he could never strike up a proper understand with his midfield partners and was ultimately deemed surplus to requirements. Yet, who could argue that he wouldn't have walked into our team at any point in the last 5 years and instantly improved it?
With the right partner and game time, I believe someone like Jones could go on to become one of our most distinguished defenders. His performances, like many others, have to be put into context of circumstance, experience and age.
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Will keane also talking about Chris Smalling in training, as Pereira did and as Welbz did, they've all said he is the toughest to play against in training.
Evans stays injured and keeps getting chances at United
Shame it's not the same during a proper game
Shame it's not the same during a proper game
It basically is.
Shame it's not the same during a proper game
How often do you see people get past him one on one? I almost laughed out loud once when Ribery were up against him one on one. The commentator went, "and now Ribery turns on his afterburners and, oh, Smalling has some pace too." He does't overcommit himself and doesn't make silly and unnecessary sliding tackles. He's also very strong so rarely gets outmuscled by strong opponents - Lukaku got nothing from him, but he toyed with both Jones and Evans in the same match.
Chill guys, was more of a funny comment since he's not in his best form this season. I'm a Smalling fan myself actually
Agree with all this. He is a physical beast. He needs to get a run with no injuries and try and improve the technical side of his game. I still believe it is Smalling +1 though.
Our least error prone defender. I think he is better than Jones who is simply too crazy to be a top defender at this point. Smalling is steady and despite the poor passing, should be a starter once fit.
As a defender, he's comfortably better than Jones. Problem is, he basically shits himself anytime he has the ball.
In theory, this should improve under van Gaal.
Hopefully, he has to be fit though otherwise there's nothing anyone can do with him.
Agreed. I still think he could be our best defender
If fit, Smalling needs to play against Chelsea on Sunday. Don't care about his ball playing ability, need someone who can defend against the Chelsea forward line, especially Costa. Put Jones in there, and he will cost United points on Sunday.
I still reckon Jones - Smalling could be seriously good. Nemanja wasn't the best at shifting the ball from the back, Rio had that duty and I can't see why it wont work for Smalling and Jones as well. Anyone got stats on the games these two have played together? I can't see it being that many, and that is the crux of the problem.
I don't even think his composure on the ball (which is bad and clearly his weakest issue) is that much worse than Jones', anyway. I've always rated Smalling much higher and feel he should be our starting defender as he is our best.
Is he fit yet, or not? I saw him on the training pics
He must start on Sunday if he is fit. Chelsea are a bunch of giants, I would bring him into the defence and Fellaini into the midfield. We may really struggle with set-pieces otherwise.
Agreed. We really lack height.