I should probably be thread banned from Chris Smalling's thread. As I said I'm not his biggest fan and it clouds my judgement somewhat.
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Season Average Rating
- Appearances
- 36
- Clean sheets
- 18
- Goals
- 2
- Assists
- 2
- Yellow cards
- 0
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I think was actually worse today, so people may remember that Bournemouth match fondly. It could just be too well received.
Or... you could simply try and watch him more objectively, try to like the players you support, and lastly, not post anything negative. If you think I'm a bit of an arse, I'm just in that mood today. I will be nicer tomorrow.
No mate you're aren't an arse. I hate the way I can't bring myself to like certain United players so I'll just refrain from posting about Smalling.
I've never understood why a fan doesn't like certain players from his own team. One thing is if he is like Rooney and moans about wages and team mentality and such, or a racist, biting rodent. But Smalling seems like a likable guy who has been good at times and average at times.
Who's arguing with who here?
I support when he's on the pitch and I wouldn't boo him ala Fellaini. I'm just not a fan of him so I'm not always objective when it comes to him and it's wrong. I admit it.
There was an argument, but now everyone is in agreement - it quite boring really.
With the ball in the air a lot he was in his element and I think a back 3 suited him more than the others back when LvG used it.
Rojo looked better. Tells it's own story that.
Maybe it's a confidence thing, but it seems like he's lost his mojo. In his best form he used to be so much more assured in his defending.
To be fair Rojo, for me, looked like a best defender for a while now. But you're right that is an indictment.
It was Jones' mistake. Don't listen to Owen Hargreaves.
Smalling did nothing wrong today.
Not good enough. Unless he wins 89 headers in a match, scores a couple of goals, dominates every attacker and saves a kitten in a tree, then he will always be subjected to scrutiny.
I wasn't targeting any single individual, more like a page full of them in the matchday thread. And I set the bar pretty low tbh
A thousand times this. I was going to use exactly that as an example. Finally someone speaking sense about that goal, cheers!
The majority seemed to lash out on Smalling but that was way more Blind's fault than Smalling's. Heck, I actually blamed De Gea more on that one as well… but that's another story. Blind was the worst, it would've been a non-situation if it wasn't for Blind.
One of the fundamentals for a fullback is to not effing mark forwards and even more importantly absolutely NOT effing drop below your center backs. Dammit.
It's as if fundamental football is lost on some posters here, or any other social forum on da internetz of one's choosing.
My theory is that it's the symptoms of FIFA behind this sickness, FIFA-bhoys knowing feck all about the actual sport of football and thinking real life is like an effing videogame.
/End rant
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I always thought Smalling would suit a back three if he had somebody like Rojo and then a ball player along with him.
This is weird. If anything the back 5 means that the 3 at the back have to very be comfortable in possession. The central CB would have to act as both CB & DM depend on circumstances. Beside that, the ability to read the game to act on both offensive & defensive phase, understanding other players both teammate & opponent (partnership is one of Smalling weakness). The CBs on both side need to have the ability to act as full back.
This game suited him to the tee. It's a scrappy game where we go with a plan B to get result. We do a very defensive version of 5 at the back. Would be a disaster in game where we need to play expansive with this set up. LVG's stint should have proved this I believe. The blame for the conceded goal should lie on Jones, but you could see how incoherent the partnership our CB partnership in this back 5 system is.
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I would have Smalling on the right of the three mostly because he has played as RB - and Rojo has played LB (although not great, but ultimately at times competent- but as you said, the central one would be CB & DM at times, or even the sweeper).
Smalling as the central one would be not be great lol.
You're hardly the only one. Not many of the others own up to that though.
The amount of people who try to blame Smalling when it's other peoples fault, or simply jump on him because he 'looks' clumsy, is ridiculous.
It does seem like a few have taken a dislike to him because of his awkward style. I wonder what some of them would have made of Steve Bruce had the Caf been around in the early 90's.
Smalling can be great at times, just like a few games Rojo and Jones looked immense. The problem is none of them is immune from silly lapses in concentration or moments of madness that usually cost us games.
People slating those who aren't too fond of Smalling should look back to key moments like red card during Manchester derby and the fa cup final. The occasion gets to him, and his head drops. He isn't half the player or leader Rio or Vidic was, just because he can look good for 5-6 game streak , once or twice a season he shouldn't be our starter if we are to return to our glory days.
People slating those who aren't too fond of Smalling should look back to key moments like red card during Manchester derby and the fa cup final. The occasion gets to him, and his head drops. He isn't half the player or leader Rio or Vidic was, just because he can look good for 5-6 game streak , once or twice a season he shouldn't be our starter if we are to return to our glory days.
I see @MaxiPaxi has admitted he was wrong. Fair play to him. Here are some images anyway
1. Jones position when the ball was played, playing his man onside
2. Where Jones should've been when the ball was played
3. The moment Jones steps off but his timing is too late. I don't see how Smalling is at fault
I see the Smalling fan club is out in full force again.
Let me ask you a question... Would Real Madrid have a Chris Smalling in their side? Barcelona? Bayern? Juventus? That's the level United aspire to be at. And we'll never reach that level when we're settling for the average.
Smalling and Jones need to go. And we need to sign a top class experienced CB in the summer. Simple as.
Let me ask you a question... Would Real Madrid have a Chris Smalling in their side? Barcelona? Bayern? Juventus? That's the level United aspire to be at. And we'll never reach that level when we're settling for the average.
Smalling and Jones need to go. And we need to sign a top class experienced CB in the summer. Simple as.
Would any of those clubs have your hero Rojo? The answer to that is no so in that case we should get rid of all of them bar Bailly and replace them with other elite young talents or world class players in one transfer window
Zidane was interested in Rojo. He's got way more of a chance of playing for Real Madrid than Smalling has.
I see @MaxiPaxi has admitted he was wrong. Fair play to him. Here are some images anyway
1. Jones position when the ball was played, playing his man onside
2. Where Jones should've been when the ball was played
3. The moment Jones steps off but his timing is too late. I don't see how Smalling is at fault
How pathetic to be blaming Jones for the goal. And no Smalling also was not a fault. Their attacker timed his run brilliantly. If Jones had not been on the pitch the attacker would still have only been level with Smalling and Rojo. It was simply a bloody good goal. First class pass and movement that would have caught most sides out. Then again why bother with logic or reality.
Baseless January transfer rumors from the likes of the Express are gospel truth now? Don't delude yourself. If Zidane wanted Rojo they would've easily got him and for a small fee. No one else was in the running for Rojo when LVG signed him despite having a very solid world cup in Brazil. Im not even bashing Rojo, but do you honeslty think any of those clubs would sign him? I really don't think so. I don't think any of them would even show interest to his fellow countryman Otamendi who is considered the better CB (personally I think they're at the same level)
This is what former professional football player Michael Owens said about it. What do I know though?
Jones sat deep and played Bukharov onside, and Owen thinks that decision was costly from United’s viewpoint.
“He was a couple of yards behind everyone else Jones,” Owen told BT Sport.
“You have to step off or go forward, but half went to go and half kept them on side.
http://www.express.co.uk/sport/foot...Michael-Owen-Europa-League-Phil-Jones-mistake
Does anyone think he didn't get the penalty decision last night because he's always clutching and grabbing players during set pieces?
Yeah, both of them are better than Smalling.
If Rojo was to leave United, he would have offers from top Spanish clubs. Otamendi the same. Real Madrid were linked to both of then in the past.
Smalling on the flip side represents everything those elite teams wouldn't go for. He's clumsy on the ball, can't pass, awkward looking and mostly relies on his physicality to make up for his lack of footballing intelligence. Fellaini gets slated for having limited ability on the ball, yet Smalling offers the exact same thing. Smalling is a faster but Fellaini is a hell of a lot more comfortable on the ball. Yet he gets slated while Smalling has his fan club? I really don't get it.
Smalling fans are like Welbeck fans. They'll always praise them no matter what, even when its painfully obvious that neither of them are cut out for this level.
Bayern have sold better defenders than Chris Smalling in the time he's been here. Yet we're pursuing with the likes of him... No wonder we are where we are.
I wondered about it at the time but would an EL referee really know about something like that? Or you mean just based on the ref's observations during the game?
In a Europa league game? I guess the ref was given a dossier on him then. Come come now
@Loublaze get a hobby man. You invest way too much time in Smalling 
First off, please tell me who are the Vidic/Rio quality defenders out there that we could get, but are not getting?
Secondly, I remember Vidic and Rio also suffering from lapses of concentration, like shit loads of them. But it was a successful period for the club so we see the past with rose tinted glasses.
Finally, we are conceding less than 1 goal per game (22 in 26?) which is on par with the best Rio and Vida years. The problem is we don't score half the goals we did back then so every defensive mistake gets exaggerated and blamed for the points loss, when in fact it's the attack's fault.
Half the player my arse. He might not be Rio but he's a very good defender none the less and we'll be hard pressed to find better. We brought Rojo and Bailly in and they both look equally or even more error prone than him.
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Otamendi would get offers because he's considered the better player and has the bigger global profile like I said before. Rojo wouldn't. If Rojo left United I could see him playing in Germany for Schalke or Wolfsburg. If he played in Spain I don't think even Atletico would look at him. Maybe Bilboa or Valencia. If LVG didn't sign Rojo he'd still be playing in Portugal because even after playing well at the biggest stage in football at the WC in 2014 only United came for him. You seem to think he's the next Sergio Ramos but maybe he's the poor man's Sergio Ramos. An insult to Ramos really. Question, do you consider Rojo world class? The answer seems obvious to me
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