He was solid as feck. Now watch Southgate leave him out this summer whilst benchwarming Chelsea captain Cahill is a starter.
12
Season Average Rating
- Appearances
- 45
- Clean sheets
- 20
- Goals
- 4
- Assists
- 0
- Yellow cards
- 4
- Status
So Chris Smalling made 6 tackles and 5 interceptions today.
Those numbers are completely out of place for a CB in our team. Even Vidic wasnt pinching the ball off forwards that much during games. And Smalling isnt usually one to make a lot of tackles himself, but he did today. Hopefully thats more confidence and aggression that he can take into the next matches to be that solid.
Those numbers are completely out of place for a CB in our team. Even Vidic wasnt pinching the ball off forwards that much during games. And Smalling isnt usually one to make a lot of tackles himself, but he did today. Hopefully thats more confidence and aggression that he can take into the next matches to be that solid.
Mixed game. Poor start, strong finish. Happy with him today though as he did well in the end when needed. 
Even de Gea had many poor games this season. Smalling is easily our best and most reliable defender this season(apart from de Gea of course), yet he is getting most of the abuse.
He's not getting 'abuse,' he's just receiving mild criticism. De Gea's had the odd error or two but he's one of the best GK's in the world and has bailed out our defence on a number of occasions.
Fortunately I covered my was with a follow up post
Stand by my view of needing to get rid though. Real talk yo.
Why get rid? Why wouldn't Mou play the better CBs, but instead making him the Captain?
He was good in the second half.
Felt he was brilliant today - especially in the second half
Do you even read his threads? He is easily our most criticised players this season.
No one is saying he isn't. Some of the best defenders in the world are prone to mistakes in every game, so I don't see why someone like Smalling in a team made of makeshift fullbacks, paired with different CB partner in every game should be free of mistakes.
Very good again, which he usually is.
We even conceded and won today which is nice. Usually (because we're shite at the other end) we concede a goal (fairly normal against a good team) and drop points. Today we conceded and actually scored two goals, which is why this thread is a little quieter than usual.
Had a very poor moment involving Morata, mind you.
We even conceded and won today which is nice. Usually (because we're shite at the other end) we concede a goal (fairly normal against a good team) and drop points. Today we conceded and actually scored two goals, which is why this thread is a little quieter than usual.
Had a very poor moment involving Morata, mind you.
Tbh very effing honest ( I've had a bottle and half of archers already) I don't rate our CBs. Lindeloff has plenty of potential, but if we want the league and the prestigious CL no ducking way are we doing it with the current lot.
Oh shit forgot I do rate Bailly.
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He's our best pure defender, he's not great on the ball but I don't mind too much when he's paired with Lindelof/Bailly/Rojo who are better on the ball. It's like a budget version of Vidic / Rio.
Colossal
Had a good game today.
Very good performance today. I hope even his biggest critics on here would have to admit it.
Agreed 100%. We need better CBs if we want to be elite team again. But I don't understand about getting rid of Smalling. He's a definition of solid player, and would be a big asset as squad players. Other than City and Spurs (and maybe Liverpool), I think he'd slot in well with other teams in the league.
Let's say, if we put all of our CBs on the market, Bailly obviously would fetch good money. Who do you think the 2nd one that would be the most sought after? I bet it would be Smalling, over these other "better" CBs we have.
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today he was great!After Lindeloff made that mistake near the 76 minutes and Smalling took the ball off Pedro, he has perhaps saved our season.
Another shade of his beast mode.
As long as he doesn't partner up with Jones, everything's fine, no one will complaint.
Well done, great game.
As long as he doesn't partner up with Jones, everything's fine, no one will complaint.
Well done, great game.
Mike Smaldini.
This thread is as mental as ever, I see. Thought he was great today.
He was a monster in the second half, bar that comedy moment when he tried to tackle Hazard.
If only he could cut out the mistakes he has to a minimum
If only he could cut out the mistakes he has to a minimum
Much better in the second but two or three very poor moments in the first.
Smalling and Jones are both capable of solid performances, but under pressure always have brain fart in them.
Our lack of a ball playing CBs is also a reason why our midfield starts so deep and we struggle to build in the early phase.
I'll put my hands up and say I don't watch enough footy outside of United to prescribe who should come in to replace them and give the qualities we need to have our players 20 yArds further up the pitch though.
Absolutely solid. His front foot defending was brilliant. Constantly nicked the ball of the Chelsea forwards. Very good today.
Beastmode
Our CBs are rarely give away possession, though. Just today's game, I lost count on how many times the fullbacks (especially Young), DDG, and midfield give away possession.
And also it's Mourinho. Do you think the team would be 20 yards up the pitch even if we had Baresi instead Smalling there?
Thought he done well there. Made hazard check back to his weaker left foot where we had supporting defenders.
Maybe you mean the one on morata second half?
Giving the ball away is a poor metric. Just watch when our CBS have the ball, it's to the fullback who usually spray to the marked wide man or recycle back to the CBS. Our midfield then needs to drop back to get the ball and start off the move but by then we're so deep and marked it's difficult to manoeuvre. Carrick used to offset this but he is no more rip. And even when it's at midfield, we want Pogba further ahead meaning you want someone with good passing range and tempo control ability behind him anyways.
So that's 2 fundemntal issues we have at build up.
But why is that on the CBs? The whole team plays in slow motion with risk free slow buildup. We could sign the best ball playing CB in the world, whoever that is, but he'd have the same lack of options from people making space for passes and runs, so he'd look just as bad as anyone else.
Was good today after a few shaky moments at the start
I still don’t trust him but last 2 games has been good.
As someone mentioned before both him and jones always look better paired with someone else.
I wonder why that is? Lindelof is still a little shaky but him and Smalling look solid as a unit.
Bailly and jones both like to be aggressor and get to the ball first which should make for carnage but didn’t when they played together.
What is it with Smalling and jones as a pair
As someone mentioned before both him and jones always look better paired with someone else.
I wonder why that is? Lindelof is still a little shaky but him and Smalling look solid as a unit.
Bailly and jones both like to be aggressor and get to the ball first which should make for carnage but didn’t when they played together.
What is it with Smalling and jones as a pair
Sure there are other issues. But attack starts from defence end of the day.
The agendas in here are outrageous. I have no idea how some could possibly invest so much time into hating or loving Chris Smalling. I mean he's a decent enough player that's it. Was very good today.
Out of form recently. Not impressed today.
yeah. I don't know any CB in this world that could transform this team into free flowing attacking unit, starting 20 yards further up the pitch. Not that it would happen under Mourinho against big teams.
No it would be the Goalkeeper if you're going to go that far back.
Paul Scholes, David Beckham and Ryan Giggs certainly didnt need a CB playing amazing passes to them to create moves and chances. Neither did Ronaldo.
Look at the players you just named. And be comparing plez.
What do you mean? We've paid huge amounts of money for players we must believe can be top players just like those I mentioned. But its somehow Chris Smalling's fault that they arent as good?
One horrendous moment aside, very good today - as he has been in recent weeks
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