Smalling is the real deal for me and I think as he's entering the best years of his career he will be regarded indubitably as world class in a years' time playing hopefully for a more settled team and with an actual CB partner. But having seen him in that 1 season for Fulham and when he just arrived here he was a much more composed ball-player while that part of his game has completely regressed IMO. Wonder what the reason for that is because I felt even when Rio became a better defender after 2006 he wasn't as good at playing the ball out as he used to be when he was at Leeds.
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Season Average Rating
- Appearances
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Had swear we plucked a 40 year old from a pub team. Cop on.Lol, some opinions just crack me up, Bailly a Smalling replacementhe's not even good enough to tie Smalling shoe laces
That could be a point. But it cuda been made without the sarcastic element to it.
That was relating to him not being a ball playing CB
Ighalo and Deeney could have scored a buket load at OT. He struggled against Lukaku as well imo. Also Robson Kanu just shoved him out I'd the way to win a ball against Wales which caught me eye.
Great contribution that.
I thought he handled Lukaku quite well. Maybe in the FA cup he struggled more but his form had dropped then. Earlier encounters he won easily IMO. Don't remember the Watford game so I will take your word for it. The other is just a one off. Anyway, I can pick countless examples where he physically bullied a striker. And I think there would be more instances of that than the reverse.
So all of a sudden Smalling isn't a good defender anymore? The cafe is weird.
Smalling did not even play that game it was Blind and TFM as he was injured.
Great stuff this.
He gives an example of one game three months ago and that was the game that Smalling didn't even play.
As usual the truth is somewhere in the middle. He's a good defender but he's not the best in the PL, nor elite level. He has plenty of flaws which still need ironed out.
Hopefully Mourinho can push him on.
Some are clearly responding the Caf' over-hyping another one of our own.
Probably better to wait until we've seen Bailly play in the PL before we start suggesting he should replace comfortably the best CB at the club. This time last year similar type posts suggested Depay was a sure thing on our left wing for years to come.
Smalling did not even play that game it was Blind and TFM as he was injured.
Though Smalling was CB and TFM was RB. My mistake but I named more than one match if ye read my post properly. He was very poor against Newcastle as well, Lukaku has bullied him. And he has been shoved about the place as well. Now I hope he improves and becomes our main CB but if he continues the way he did at the end of the season then we're in trouble. Also very immature posts on ur behalf, try acting like grown men in the future.Great stuff this.
He gives an example of one game three months ago and that was the game that Smalling didn't even play.
Lukaku doesn't play for Newcastle either.
Nor has he bullied him. At least make half truths in your agenda.
If you have a good story, why should you let truth come and disturb it? We need a new toy at OT, period.
Lukaku had one match where they were equals more or less. In the league games before that, Lukaku was so far down Smalling's pocket that he could just as well have played blindfolded. Smalling has also dominated Carroll, Benteke, Kane (every single time), and Vardy said Smalling is the most difficult defender to play against. Smalling even matched, or bettered, Vardy for top speed. He struggles a bit more with the likes of Aguero, which he has admitted himself as he says he is the worst attacker to play against, but he deals very well with the physically strong attackers like Lukaku and the fast ones like Vardy. Smalling had some average matched in the spring, but he has shown that he can deal with pretty much any type of attacker, so your argument is very, very flawed. Rio was a superior defender, but he often struggled a bit with the physical attackers, and Vidic, also a superior defender, struggled a lot with the fast attackers. The problem for the attackers was that there were two of them, so Vidic took out the physically imposing ones and Rio dealt with the quick ones, and very well at that. Smalling has to deal with all of them because Blind can't (he did well for the majority, but he was always going to struggle in a foot race or a physical battle with a strong player).
He has played some very good matches and I hope he improves further but I just worry that if he is paired with the wrong partner, we could be in trouble. I would disagree with you as regards his handling with some of the forwards mentioned.
I worry that he'll be paired with a slow, 5.11, midfielder who isn't very strong...
I largely agree. But thing is, I get where the overhypers are coming from. It's natural to back your own. But it's utterly laughable that some people would fabricate examples for the specific purpose of arguing against one of our own. There is a balance between not doing that shit, and not overhyping RAWK style.
Wayne Rooney is being labelled a potential 'midfield general'; the Caf can be just as bad as RAWK make no mistake.
Good point.
Which do you disagree with? In two out of three matched he had Lukaku deep in his pocket. Carroll gave him a hard fight one match, but was destroyed another match, as emphasised by the commentators. Benteke would be dominated by a telephone pole these days, but he has still been found wanting against Smalling, as has Kane who has disappeared completely because Smalling has simply dominated him. I'm not saying that he doesn't have poor matches or that attackers don't get the best of him, because they do, but generally speaking, he doesn't have weaknesses against any type of attacker. Normally, when defenders are great against the Lukaku type player they struggle with the Vardy, Walcott type players, but Smalling has so much pace as well as being big and strong that he doesn't really struggle there - he's even had Ribery in his pocket playing RB of all things. I think the commentators said something like "And Ribery puts on the afterburners, oh, Smalling is pretty rapid too!" - he's excellent one on ones. Sometimes I think he pushes a little too far up the pitch though leaving too much space behind him. Maybe that won't be a problem with Bailly who can cover, but Blind doesn't have the pace for that.
I don't like how he can be pushed aside moreso than past CB destroyers (Vidic). His pace is fine but if we are going to sign a Ball playing CB then I wouldn't be completely convinced about our CB's. Its worth noting that he was not overly tested this season due to our possession based slow football which deprived some teams of the ball meaning less chances conceded.
Think he's looking quite sharp for England myself. Looked tired or maybe like he was carrying a knock towards the end of the season for us. Good to see because without him England's defence is weak.
Smalling still has a fair way to go before anyone should be considering him one of the best centre backs in Europe. He's certainly up there in the league though, which conveniently enough is where he'll be playing most of his matches. He's not brilliant on the ball but bar the top level centre backs not many really are. I'm not sure he could ever be the leader in a defence and I still feel he can be an accident waiting to happen but all in all he's a good player. Hopefully one day he can be a great one but I can't see it, but he's more than good enough for what we're currently trying to do which is regain domestic dominance.
If and when the time comes that we will hopefully be looking to regularly win the league and go far in the champions league I think he will need to improve massively to be a mainstay in our defence.
If and when the time comes that we will hopefully be looking to regularly win the league and go far in the champions league I think he will need to improve massively to be a mainstay in our defence.
Redcafe's most underrated player. Bar none.
How is he pushed aside? You had one example where he didn't even play. He has more than held his own against the likes of Lukaku, Carroll etc. Even if he lost one duel that tells nothing. If he lost those on a regular basis then that is fine, you would have a point, but it's a one off. Even Vidic would lose physical duels and Rio would lose foot races - one foot wrong in either and the best attackers take advantage - it doesn't mean your ability isn't there, just that you lost that time. Criticize him for his passing and sometimes wayward positioning, but the arguments you make are not valid.
He was definitely tired towards the end. That run he lost against the average attacker who is really quite slow told everything you needed to know. In addition, he seemed more out of breath. As a centre back, he regularly featured on the top five list of United players who covered the greatest distance.
From when I've seen him, I've seen him pushed aside a lot more than a Vidic. I'm entitled to my opinion so how's about ya calm down and stop getting worked up.
I think most people would agree that he handles the big and strong attackers very well most of the time. Vidic was amazing at handling the big and strong players, but often failed at the nimble and quick players. Smalling handles both well, but not the strong as well as Vidic nor is he as good one on one as Rio. You are comparing against two of the best in the PL era though.
Also, what is getting worked up? I'm discussing, you are throwing a tantrum.
I already said I disagree.
tantrum? I'm not even going to respond to that.Rubbish. How about you try posting facts and not BS just to prove an invalid point? Clearly you just dislike Smalling
I have no problem with Smalling so wind ur neck in.I think he's very good with one on one's, he normally uses his strength and pace to take the ball.
IMO his weakness is passing and positioning, maybe that's why blind was in there as well because his positional awareness is his best asset - passing tough is rubbish, hoof ball. Shame really because when he (Blind) started with Utd in midfield his passing was very impressive.
I still standby the fact that Smalling is England's best CB
He's England's best CB - although thats not much of a compliment. However you can really see the difference in him at LCB compared to RCB. So much more comfortable on the right. Felt like he didn't get enough support from Cahill who was mostly anonymous. He was really good in the air and I saw a stat that said he has won the most headers so far in the tournament which bodes well for the future.
I thought both centre backs were fine without being exceptionally good. Smalling definitely had more help from Danny Rose than Cahill got from Walker, who ran around the pitch like a headless chicken misplacing 5 yard passes.
Smalling is solid as a rock though and is growing in to a leader, can't understand people calling for him to be replaced at United.
Smalling is solid as a rock though and is growing in to a leader, can't understand people calling for him to be replaced at United.
Once he gets his deserved rest he'll be fine again. Incredible how much football he's played, I reckon he is one of the leaders in Europe by number of minutes played this season in all competitions. I hope Mourinho gives him extra week.
Agree been a big plus for us last season along with Martial and Rashford.
https://pbs.twimg.com/media/CmgLTC5XgAI137s.jpg
Don't know if it's true but smalling apparently injured himself while surfing in Bali.
Don't know if it's true but smalling apparently injured himself while surfing in Bali.
He doesn't need to be replaced, but he needs to be partnered with a better center back than he is.
Smalling is pretty good at what he does. The Reds need someone to beside him that is AT LEAST as good as Smalling.
Own goals and that stupid tackle in the FA cup game really diminished his year imo. Good year...but not great.
He needs a good partner or the Reds will be screwed.
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