Up to the league cup match mid-week he had played something like 23-24 games in a row. Probably has something to do with his injury. I really like our depth at CB but constantly having a couple out for lengthy spells puts a lot of pressure on those in possession. Need some rotation to keep guys fresh. This Christmas program is going to be tough with no Bailly, Smalling, Rojo seraching for his game.
12
Season Average Rating
- Appearances
- 45
- Clean sheets
- 20
- Goals
- 4
- Assists
- 0
- Yellow cards
- 4
- Status
Brainless. Just stay away from the pitch you moron.
It’s also his team mates fault, obvious he was injured so take that responsibility away from him. Also the ball was in Dave’s area, he should have claimed that all day long.
Shame the usual suspects are putting the boot in
Not just that but of course he's injured now. Of course we're down to 2 available defenders in the whole club as our usual annual injury crisis.
Anyone blaming Smalling today is a moron
If he had refused to come back on he would probably have never played for Mourinho again.
Smalling should have absolutely refused to play at centre half, that’s on him in my opinion.
Fixed. Thats you talking to yourself
Mourinho loves when our players refuse to play due to injury. I remember when he had glowing praise for Smalling and Jones last year when they wouldnt play injured
It's hilarious to see people blaming Smalling for the first goal, just shows they've never played football at a decent level in their life. The first thing you're taught as a CB when going one on one with a player is to close down the space and make sure they don't get a shot off. Now considering Mahrez was one on one and had to wait and hold the ball up until Vardy came shows Smalling did his job. Now a competent defender sees Vardy getting on his bike and tracks his run. I guarantee if Valencia were playing we'd have not conceded because he'd have tracked Vardys run and cleared the ball.
I'm only blaming him if it was his decision to go back in to a central position. If he was instructed to, then it doesn't fall on him but whoever instructed him. He should have refused and the players should have reacted. If the coach instructed him when he returned from the sideline, then it falls on the management. I'm sure someone has told him to go back, because Jones already got him out of there, but he came back. Maddening. But we'll probably never know who was at fault here.
Here's the thing. Surely you know Mourinho demands his players to give 100% even when they are not at optimum fitness. He demands that kind of commitment. He singled Smalling and Shaw out for refusing to play through the pain last season. What would you do if you played in a Mourinho team?
It was definitely not his decision to get back there. Obviously you know this already but somehow you're trying to convince yourself of the opposite.
That’s a completely different situation and you know it.
Absolutely appalling.
Agree 100%.
Spot on, and any other defender today other than Smalling and Mahrez would be clean on goal. Lindelöf and Jones were casually jogging back - they should be fined for that shite. We sorely missed Valencia on the right. The Swede is no fullback.
Young was worse than either of Lindelof/Jones for that goal, allowed Mahrez half the pitch to run into.
Maybe you are right. Amazing speed from Smalling to recover. I wonder what top speed he clocked. What the others were doing we will never know.
How so?
That's what I believe happened. I'm not in a position to say as a matter of fact if that's what happened, but I am of the belief Smalling was instructed to return to a central defence position, which was idiotic on behalf of whoever gave him that instruction. He could have returned on his own accord. I don't believe he did, but it is not an impossibility.
It's harsh, although maybe he could've asked move out of harm's way. Probably wanted to do his best for the team and misjudged it.
It was lose/lose for Chris I think. If he doesn't try to play on, José would criticize him, especially when we had no substitutions left.
Lack of management from José as well though I think, it seemed like he just wasn't fussed with a clear injury and made no attempt to reorganise.
Regardless of that, the draw is the fault of everyone today. We should have done them by three or four goals, especially when they were down to 10. Didn't do it, that's what happens.
Lack of management from José as well though I think, it seemed like he just wasn't fussed with a clear injury and made no attempt to reorganise.
Regardless of that, the draw is the fault of everyone today. We should have done them by three or four goals, especially when they were down to 10. Didn't do it, that's what happens.
Not be in his position, that's for sure. How do you think Mourinhos feels now?
How can you possibly say that? They were injured and didnt play, he questioned their commitment. Smalling plays injured and people are unhappy.
We both know Mourinho isn't shy about singling out players for blame. He didn't say say anything of the sort in his post match interview
Watching the first goal again, could Smalling have done more? Yes he was the only one who'd got back and stopped Mahrez, but facing back up the field he could see what we couldn't on the TV - that Vardy was strolling through to score, unmarked. But instead of making any attempt to stop Mahrez rolling the simple path into Vardy, he just keeps standing off him. Challenging Mahrez is a risk, but doing nothing pretty much guarantees a goal.
He could barely stand. I think he would have been excused if asked to not carry on...
Seemed to blame everybody else for not covering for Smalling, in fact.
what is? That 2nd goal had nothing to do with him.
It was idiotic team management from either Pogba as captain or Mourinho.
First of all, I would like to know how people think the first goal is Smalling's mistake? He's the only defender in position and made a helluva run to get there, and then he does well to get on the right side of Mahrez. He has to stick to Mahrez, but then there is nobody that tracks Vardy, which is inexcusable.
The second goal, sure, Smalling should not have been there, but he was unable to run and jump. However, why are people moaning about Smalling in the first place? Any half decent goalie should pick that ball easily. That goal is all on DDG, so stop making all the fuss about Smalling here.
The second goal, sure, Smalling should not have been there, but he was unable to run and jump. However, why are people moaning about Smalling in the first place? Any half decent goalie should pick that ball easily. That goal is all on DDG, so stop making all the fuss about Smalling here.
WTF: if he takes one step to his right to close down Vardy, he will leave the path free open for Mahrez to score. If Mahrez still decides to play Vardy through, Smalling has to, in three steps, miraculously get up to the top speed that Vardy is at. Good thinking.
I'm not talking about him trying to go to Vardy, I'm talking about him closing down Mahrez so the pass to Vardy isn't a 100% cert. Watch it again and stop being such a cocky twat while you're at it.
Not a smalling fan tbh but of late he’s proving me wrong and you can’t blame their second on him, he was clearly injured.
Our attack is the issue and we need all players with fluidity not a lump up top.
Our attack is the issue and we need all players with fluidity not a lump up top.
Don’t blame him 1 bit. He could have easily limped off and left us in trouble but he soldiered on. We should have just kept the ball and ran out the clock but instead we put ourselves in danger.
This team just isn’t street wise enough yet.
This team just isn’t street wise enough yet.
Get to close to Mahrez and you are done for - he loves it when players do that, and foul Mahrez and a certain red card is given. Smalling has an impossible task, but he did well. He is the only defender who is in position; everyone else is far away and casually strolling back, yet you want to blame Smalling? Thanks for the adjectives by the way; it's Christmas, mate!
Meh. People will blame him for two goals that he could do little for, but he's been our best defender (i.e. someone who defends) easily this season, and has been for a while. If people want to really russian roulette with our other band of crooks and terribleness (Lindelof) then go ahead but at least he's stayed fit until now and played well in our games.
You wouldn't know it, first post in here for ages and it's the usual abusive bollocks.
Anyway, in a normal situation, of course he's doing the right thing. From what you could see on the TV angle he was playing it dead right. But given the inexplicable disappearance of the rest of our defence he'd have been better of trying something.
- Status