Took him a few games to get his form back after his injury. During that time many typically decided he should be sold. Seems back to his normal dominant self now.
12
Season Average Rating
- Appearances
- 36
- Clean sheets
- 18
- Goals
- 2
- Assists
- 2
- Yellow cards
- 0
- Status
You're right. When Smalling has a good game its because the opposition is shit yet Bailly can have a similar performance in the same game against the same opposition and be called world class, best in the league, a beast etc. It doesn't make sense. Herrera IMO doesn't get this treatment nearly as much as Smalling does. A few people are starting to question him now but overall he's a fan favorite
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Bailly is rated higher because we've likely seen what Smalling can develop into, and have mostly settled on the notion that he won't be at that beast mode as the normal form, it'll be his top form while he is quite average when he isn't on form due to the weakness in his on-the-ball play.
With Bailly, people will look away because he is only 22-years old (as opposed to Smalling at 27). He still has a lot of time to show us he can iron out those things that hold him back from being a top class CB, so giving him more leeway than Smalling makes sense.
Or to put it in terms people can understand easier:
Smalling is in the peak-years of a typical CB, but Bailly is performing as good (and at occassions better) than him, while Bailly is still in his developing years, and that is before we take adjusting to the league into the equation.
Still better than Shawcross in my opinion. Smalling is definitely not the worst one in PL for those aspect.
SMalling is definitely not in the peak years, athletic cbs like him usually peak later, not taking anything from bailly, he has a great potential, he's just a new arrival in the team and his style can make more impression than Smalling who himself is adjusting to whoever he plays with because everyone seems to be playing aggressive game so he calmed down a little. He can be worse on the ball but only his clumsiness and confidence can make him look worse while he's okay most of the time, his "inability is exaggerated, on the other and he's twice the player Bailly is in the air, positioning wise too, Bailly risking a lot and instinctively winning more than loosing which is great to see and I like that type of defender but he's got still a lot to learn and we cant have two CBs playing the same way, so he's taking away some appreciation from Smalling who is the steady rock in the back.. anyway both players can be world beaters, Smalling still have a lot of time, if he plays like the first part of the season last year noone can get ahead of him in the pecking order, Bailly perhaps longterm...
all I wanted to say by these posts is that we are forgetting about our current players, how good they are and hyperbolically praise the newcomers or other team's players who we barely see play
I've had the discussion about ability a million times (one or two in here) and quite frankly i'm tired of it.
Your rate and have faith in Smalling, which is fine, i certainly disagree which should be fine as well.
Bailly is rated higher than Smalling now, but is he rated higher than Smalling at his best last season for instance? I'm not so sure. Many consider Bailly to be a little too rash, but considerably better on the ball. In terms of aerial ability, Smalling is far superior - Bailly has a weird heading technique. I think Bailly has a higher ceiling, and might just have that ubiquitous world class talent label rightfully placed upon him.
not comparing Smalling's last season and Bailly's this season, Smalling barely played in the beginning of the season and he had maybe two bad games but so had almost everyone as we were gash at the beginning of the season with Fellaini shielding the defence, rooney starting etc... then he got injured with a broken toe, btw his worst game came against chelsea where he finished the game with broken toe if I am not mistaken and he couldnt rectify his reputation, ppl excuse Bailly for a mistake here and there he makes because he's a new guy in the club and yes has a potential and perhaps higher than Smalling but he's given an easy ride comparing to players with ruined reputation like Smalling, he ruined it basically based on one or two games, that little was enough for someone to start to think that Jose will sell him etc, and we have Bailly. Ppl here spout a lot of bullshit these days..
I think Eric will end up as a world class defender as he has world class coach and finally well working team behind him to help him to reach that but so can Smalling but can't really get that negativity towards Smalling, just because he doesnt look classy on the ball he cant have other assets, ppl almost forgot how fecking amazing he was last season the first part and then you see some morons trying to argument that it was his mistake to let Markovic hit the post in a hull game. He's a good example of a scapegoat..
Smalling is a bit of a scapegoat around here, no doubt. Even when he was in beast mode people were saying Blind was the superior defender. He really wasn't.
I also think Smalling is given a rough ride to a large extent do to his gangly style and seemingly lack of ability on the ball, but as I've argued a few times, does he really lose the ball in possession or misplace all that many passes even under pressure? His passing was shocking against one team, can't remember which, but mostly it's safe and sound if a little unadventurous.
As an out and out defender, I think Smalling is still our best bet. Bailly is the better player though and is even more athletic than Smalling is, although Smalling's long legs probably gives him an edge in a longer sprint. Together I think they can form a great partnership. Bailly does have a higher ceiling, and his all out action style of play makes people like him more than the steady as you go character that is Smalling.
Man Utd 3:0 St. Etienne
Another solid performance.
Been very good these last few matches. Won every header tonight, decent passing and has looked very composed.
Very good game again. Especially considering that everyone around seemed to be a bag of nerves for much of the first half
Indeed.
Aye, he's been very good the last 3/4 games and looks fit and back to his best.
Good performance
He looked a little sluggish the first couple of matches - I feared he had lost a yard due to injuries, but he looks as fast and fit as ever now. He really is amazingly good in the air.
He was unfit (looked it anyway) and out of form at one point but I've been very impressed these last few games. Keep it up big man.
The biggest positive for me is that he has rediscovered his confidence. He has the body language of a true CB leader now.
I don't know what Mourinho is doing with his players, but it seems to work. Smalling, Micky and Martial have all stepped up after a slow start. Mata, Valencia, Herrera, Jones and Rojo are better than ever for us. If you could only fix Shaw now Jose, then that would be great.
I don't know what Mourinho is doing with his players, but it seems to work. Smalling, Micky and Martial have all stepped up after a slow start. Mata, Valencia, Herrera, Jones and Rojo are better than ever for us. If you could only fix Shaw now Jose, then that would be great.
Absolutely. I think he and Bailly may find their feet and found a very good pairing. Both are very athletic, but Smalling looks very comfortable doing the sweeping and sitting back job whilst Bailly is a more active in his defending.
Btw, when did we start agreeing?
He was excellent tonight, and that is something considering how shit we were defensively. Bailly probably had his worst game of the season.
Just two games ago people here were saying Mourinho won't play him anymore, but Mourinho probably rates him the highest of all CBs this season, and plays him basically whenever he is fit.
Just two games ago people here were saying Mourinho won't play him anymore, but Mourinho probably rates him the highest of all CBs this season, and plays him basically whenever he is fit.
Absolutely. I think he and Bailly may find their feet and found a very good pairing. Both are very athletic, but Smalling looks very comfortable doing the sweeping and sitting back job whilst Bailly is a more active in his defending.
Btw, when did we start agreeing?
He covered for Bailly well tonight; Bailly didn't have his best game but got better second half.
Haha good question; I mean sorry I got it wrong, Smalling was shite tonight. League One player at best. Ahhh that's better and more like it
I guess we have the English player in every team thing sorted.
He covered for Bailly well tonight; Bailly didn't have his best game but got better second half.
Haha good question; I mean sorry I got it wrong, Smalling was shite tonight. League One player at best. Ahhh that's better and more like it
As long as you are happy, mate
He's officially in form.
Exactly the point I made quite a few pages back when Rojones were well and truly in force. Most importantly I think Smalling has just as much pace and power as Bailly/Jones/Rojo (more than the latter two, possibly less than the former) with the increased height and aerial dominance. That's something that's very important for Jose, it seems. Hence his attraction to Fellaini consistently, as well as making us one of the tallest sides in the league this season.Just two games ago people here were saying Mourinho won't play him anymore, but Mourinho probably rates him the highest of all CBs this season, and plays him basically whenever he is fit.
Covered for Bailly the whole game. He is getting close to the form he showed last year. I'm no longer sure who our best back 4 are anymore!
Experience was showing today. After all our oldest defender.
At 27! The future looks bright.
He needed just two games to get going and he is excellent for at least 3 or 4 games in a row now.
His passing was actually quite good once again tonight, that's two games in a row too.
I have to admit that I wanted Rojo / Bailly given a chance as a partnership as Smalling was looking completely out of form at one point. However, Smalling has been excellent the past 3/4 games and himself and Bailly could be a very good partnership.
Re Jones: He was playing well to be fair and deserves credit for that. But I just don't rate him too highly at all.
Looked frustrated with the way the back 4 was crumblking for that spell in the first half but overall a solid performance.
A few journalists accused him of being a bit of a wimp and Jose not fancying him because he won't play through pain. I saw a player tonight in a nasty clash of heads, then ten minutes later hurtle into the same challenge.
Our best defender tonight. Strong and brave too. Coming into form just when we need him
Was excellent, and needed to be, with Bailly all over the shop next to him.
How refreshing. The fact that you are capable of typing that sentence puts you above most of the posters on here imo.
He benefits hugely from midfielders actually showing for the ball, that was one extremely frustrating thing from the LvG era, no midfielder would come down and pick up the ball or show for the ball when the backline tried to clear it, resulting in pointless hoops or passing back and forth between them.
Now you can see both Pogba and Herrera dropping down and picking up the ball, or showing for it further up the pitch.
A defender should first and foremost be a defender, feck this stuff with them having to be supreme ball players, the modern obsession with that is why you have a calamity like Stones posing as a CB and partially getting away with it.
Now you can see both Pogba and Herrera dropping down and picking up the ball, or showing for it further up the pitch.
A defender should first and foremost be a defender, feck this stuff with them having to be supreme ball players, the modern obsession with that is why you have a calamity like Stones posing as a CB and partially getting away with it.
Another great performance, and on a night when Bailly was uncharacteristically shaky.
Towering performance. Where is @Ultimate Grib and all the other decractors? @Jaybomb Been silent last five clean sheets with Smalling playing and captaining the team
Solid performance.
I do wonder if he should be more vocal though as hes more experienced now cos it doesnt seem like that when you watch him (either on TV or in the stadium).
I do wonder if he should be more vocal though as hes more experienced now cos it doesnt seem like that when you watch him (either on TV or in the stadium).
- Status