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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.
He says of the guy whose injury just cost us two points...
I'd never blame any player for getting injured, but Smalling's as delicate as any of the other CBs, apart from Jones, obviously.
I'm pretty much resigned to the fact that we just need to always have 6 CBs and hope two are fit at any given time.
How can you possibly say that? They were injured and didnt play, he questioned their commitment. Smalling plays injured and people are unhappy.
What abuse? Do you mean when you called me a twat, or cocky, or both? I think I said absolutely nothing to you, except that it's Christmas. Merry Christmas mate!
As for the first goal, three of our defenders need to study the art of defending, not Smalling. If you disagree, then I think we need to do just that.
He says of the guy whose injury just cost us two points...
I'd never blame any player for getting injured, but Smalling's as delicate as any of the other CBs, apart from Jones, obviously.
I'm pretty much resigned to the fact that we just need to always have 6 CBs and hope two are fit at any given time.
You do know that DDG should have easily caught that lofty cross, right? It's easy work for any half decent goalie that.
Albrighton had at least 10 tries in the last 8 minutes and always tried to hit the far post.. It was in his area 2 meters from goal and travelled over a long distance...You do know that DDG should have easily caught that lofty cross, right? It's easy work for any half decent goalie that.
How can you possibly say that? They were injured and didnt play, he questioned their commitment. Smalling plays injured and people are unhappy.
Not denying that the others were more at fault, schoolboy errors. Smalling played it perfectly by the book, but the situation called for something a bit more radical. Jones would have headed it clear off Mahrez's boot.
And yes, it would be nice if people could disagree without immediately disparaging other people's opinions, being snide and trying to insinuate some kind of superior knowledge which everybody knows doesn't exist. Sorry, what am I thinking, it's an internet forum.
Of course they’re unhappy. Jesus Christ. He’s a professional footballer. We already had a man advantage and wasting time would help us. Absolutely cretinous decision from him to keep playing when he could barely walk. All he had to do was lie down on the pitch and wait for play to stop. That would have eaten up a few seconds/minutes and given us time to reorganise. Hobbling around, adding nothing but confusing everyone around him was astonishingly stupid. People have every right to be unhappy.
He had just come back on the pitch before that goal had gone in, there was plenty of time to reorganise. Personally I think Young should be taking responsibility on McGuire there and DeGea should be collecting that ball.Yeah, De Gea should have come for that. But there's no question that goal doesn't happen without all the confusion surrounding Smalling's injury.
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.
In a position where he should know we need a fit player he should have been screaming at the whole team to rearrange themselves. It really wasn’t rocket science, we made an absolute arse of it and it’s cost us. We would have been better had he just gone off the pitch. He caused confusion by staying in there and not being strong enough in instructing his teammates he couldn’t carry on in that position. A completely different situation from not playing from the start. This is about in game management, something our players don’t seem to know an awful lot about.
This is going to turn in to one of those “he should have stuck with Morata” type debates, I can tell. Some people just can’t defend which is made obvious reading this thread. Smalling made the right choice again, just like he did against Chelsea.People keep explaining that he could well have been far far worse off too. Try something and get sent off as well as concede a pen. He closed the view of goal for Mahrez, that's basically what he could have done. We failed to win the game because we didn't take our chances to kill it and because we conceded in the last minute. The decision to not try anything stupid on the 27' minute of the game was absolutely right.
He had literally just come back on the pitch after receiving treatment, what game were you watching?He had plenty of opportunities to force a stoppage which would buy time to re-organise. He didn’t. And we paid the price.
Jones sorted it out because he was having trouble even standing. Its also the manager's job to make sure its how he wants it.
Totally agree. Jose's attitude to injury may be partly to blame. Like when Shaw was out for a few months and Jose questioned to extent of the injury.If he had refused to come back on he would probably have never played for Mourinho again.
It’s hilarious the lengths people will go to, to defend absolute garbage.
I remember last season when he had an absolute SHOCKER against Chelsea and was at fault for at least 3 of the 4 goals that were scored against us and some people on here kept saying “Oh he had a toe injury”... what a load of rubbish. Even on his best day he’s not good enough for us.
It baffles me that you can watch the likes of Stam, Rio and Vidic and then come along and say Chris Smalling is at that level. If we were to sell him next week, he would end up at the likes of Stoke and West Brom. There’s no fecking way a Chelsea or a City would come in for him.
Let me guess... you’re judging his recent performances after he’s just come back from an ACL injury AND is wearing a bandage on his head?Have you played with a broken toe before? Your boy Rojo is shit
It’s hilarious the lengths people will go to, to defend absolute garbage.
I remember last season when he had an absolute SHOCKER against Chelsea and was at fault for at least 3 of the 4 goals that were scored against us and some people on here kept saying “Oh he had a toe injury”... what a load of rubbish. Even on his best day he’s not good enough for us.
It baffles me that you can watch the likes of Stam, Rio and Vidic and then come along and say Chris Smalling is at that level. If we were to sell him next week, he would end up at the likes of Stoke and West Brom. There’s no fecking way a Chelsea or a City would come in for him.
I don't blame Smalling one bit. He did as well as he could and should have been taken off. De Gea should have caught that ball but instead put the responsibility on a man that could barely walk.
Exactly but that's not his decision to make.If he can barely walk he shouldn't be playing at CB. He should be off the pitch.
Exactly but that's not his decision to make.
The medical staff doesn't ask, they assess. They knew very well that he wasn't capable of playing, anyone with eyes knew that. Mourinho has in the past thrown a player back on the pitch that could barely walk because he didn't want to go down to 10. It's just not an option to go off voluntarily as a professional football player for most managers.Isnt it? The medical staff would of asked him if he's capable of continuing, or he could of layed down on the pitch.
Smalling is one of the senior members of the squad and has captained us many times, he should know a lot better.
All this talk about "players should be ready to play through pain" must have put alot of preasure on him to go back on. If he don't come back on he'll get slaughtered, if he does he'll get slaughtered all the same. Damned if you do, damned if you don't.Isnt it? The medical staff would of asked him if he's capable of continuing, or he could of layed down on the pitch.
Smalling is one of the senior members of the squad and has captained us many times, he should know a lot better.
The medical staff doesn't ask, they assess. They knew very well that he wasn't capable of playing, anyone with eyes knew that. Mourinho has in the past thrown a player back on the pitch that could barely walk because he didn't want to go down to 10. It's just not an option to go off voluntarily as a professional football player for most managers.
All this talk about "players should be ready to play through pain" must have put alot of preasure on him to go back on. If he don't come back on he'll get slaughtered, if he does he'll get slaughtered all the same. Damned if you do, damned if you don't.
All this talk about "players should be ready to play through pain" must have put alot of preasure on him to go back on. If he don't come back on he'll get slaughtered, if he does he'll get slaughtered all the same. Damned if you do, damned if you don't.
It's not something that's unique to him. Managers don't like players making tactical decisions, period. Players don't have the power to decide on their own if they want to come off unless they want fines and anger towards them.When has Jose done that?
If jose is stupid enough to put someone who can barely walk at CB, then perhaps my football manager should be getting his job and Jose can come coach me.
There was another CB on the pitch in Lindelof, he should have at least got out the centre of the defence.
In a position where he should know we need a fit player he should have been screaming at the whole team to rearrange themselves. It really wasn’t rocket science, we made an absolute arse of it and it’s cost us. We would have been better had he just gone off the pitch. He caused confusion by staying in there and not being strong enough in instructing his teammates he couldn’t carry on in that position. A completely different situation from not playing from the start. This is about in game management, something our players don’t seem to know an awful lot about.
That is on Mourinho, not on Smalling. Smalling should have been an instructed to stay up the pitch, and adjustments should have been made. That’s the manager’s responsibility.
Except he didn’t because Herrera refused to go to right back and Smalling continued at CB, an absolute joke.
Miki went to right back and did a decent job of it too
Not really though considering the cross came from that side with little pressure applied.
Mourinho has said he spoke to Young, but there’s little he can do if the players don’t take any responsibility.
