I think he judges it extremely well. It's always been part of being a good defender. He's one of the best around at being physical and getting away with it.
He will have to adapt if VAR ever gets rolled out fully but for now he's absolutely fine.
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Season Average Rating
- Appearances
- 45
- Clean sheets
- 20
- Goals
- 4
- Assists
- 0
- Yellow cards
- 4
- Status
He will have to adapt if VAR ever gets rolled out fully but for now he's absolutely fine.
Gets far too much stick on the caf imv. We should be thankfull we have him. Another good solid performance against West Ham. Carrying Linderlöf yet again!
He does get too much stick but I wouldn't call his performance the other night entirely solid. He deserves credit for improving in the second half but he as shaky in the first. I didn't see him carrying Lindelöf to be honest.
Had a difficult night against West Ham but hardly that note-worthy. Over the top reaction in my opinion.
Some people think he’s our best defender - thoughts on not making the England WC squad?
i dont think he is great but its a joke hes not in the squad
Sorry just seen the thread in football forum re England squad. Probably best to discuss there.
Ps. His brain freezes have cost him.
He's better than most, if not all the centre backs going with England.
Southgate has his reasons, and whilst they're valid in theory, that England side are going to be doing more defending than they are playing out from the back. So take the best pure defender England has.
He has flaws, but they all do. He can actually get a game, unlike Stones. He's actually a good defender, unlike Cahill. He can play more than 3 games in a row, unlike Jones. I like Maguire, but Smalling is better than him at present. Tarkowski being on standby ahead of Smalling is bonkers too.
I don't entirely buy the ball-playing excuse, because Cahill is a clogger. Jones is a bit better then Smalling in possession, but not by all that much.
He has flaws, but they all do. He can actually get a game, unlike Stones. He's actually a good defender, unlike Cahill. He can play more than 3 games in a row, unlike Jones. I like Maguire, but Smalling is better than him at present. Tarkowski being on standby ahead of Smalling is bonkers too.
I don't entirely buy the ball-playing excuse, because Cahill is a clogger. Jones is a bit better then Smalling in possession, but not by all that much.
I'm not his biggest fan but it's ridiculous.
Southgate has boxed himself in and can't recall him without looking stupid.
Smalling is in another win situation, he's fantastic when he has to defend. I just think a ManchrManc United CB had to be better on the ball than he is.
For people who think his reputation on the ball is a myth, just watch him when he has the ball in space, when he's passing it or when he receives it under pressure.
Southgate's decision would make sense if he had class CBs.
Southgate specifically said it's because he's awful with his feet.
https://www.mirror.co.uk/sport/football/news/gareth-southgate-reveals-wielded-england-11458180
It's a debate for another thread but I understand the sentiment. Southgate's reasoning is hollow because the others aren't much better at bring the ball out. However, I really do think our CBs inability to play is one of the reasons our attack is so poor.
It's a debate for another thread but I understand the sentiment. Southgate's reasoning is hollow because the others aren't much better at bring the ball out. However, I really do think our CBs inability to play is one of the reasons our attack is so poor.
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He was so underrated that he's now weirdly overrated by so, so many on here. The truth, as with so many of our players, is somewhere in the middle. Should have made the WC, mind, but that's more to do with a complete and utter dearth of talent in that department for England.
He's better than Cahill and Harry fecking Maguire.
Stones going ahead of him is a bit of a joke tbh.
A summer break, no injuries, and no media attention on him.
Hopefully he's not too upset at not being at a world cup, from a professional point of view - but equally he's had a fantastic season.
Southgate has made his bed, i'm not a fan of England so I don't really care how they do in the WC - but I don't think any of the CB's he has picked have had a better season than Smalling.
Hopefully he's not too upset at not being at a world cup, from a professional point of view - but equally he's had a fantastic season.
Southgate has made his bed, i'm not a fan of England so I don't really care how they do in the WC - but I don't think any of the CB's he has picked have had a better season than Smalling.
He's not, but him missing the England squad is a joke.
I'm shocked that those two have gone and Smalling hasn't, even Jones to an extent. Southgate just doesn't think his feet are good enough with the ball.
fecking hipsters. Its alright when you have world class midfielders ahead of the defense who do not lose the ball so that the entire team can play a high line and participate in attack. Considering the standard of midfielders England have, they need no nonsense defenders who can defend.
Yeah. Smalling not going has nothing to do with his form. Smalling could be playing like prime JT and it wouldn't have made a difference. Gareth has made up his mind.
He comfortably is our best centre back despite what the fantasy-driven posters would tell you.
He’s not in there because Southgate is a moron. You can’t take Phil Jones of all centre backs and leave Smalling out.
He's certainly been better and more reliable for us this season than Jones has. And Jones himself isn't much better with the ball at his feet anyway. Seems like a very odd decision.
I’m convinced people who say Jones can play out from back don’t actually watch matches. He’s a fcuking carthorse.
Happy from a UTD perspective. Good rest over the summer. More reliable than Jones anyway
Same here. And hopefully this will hurt Smalling and he improve on his some composure when on the ball and passing a bit.
With that username I'd be certain you'd be happy Jones went!
Pretty sure Smalling won't be with us next season, a few seem to be on their way out this summer, Jose could use this as a reason to explain why he's not good enough for United.
No chance
Because Gareth flipping Southgate didnt pick him?
Jose like all the United managers before him picked Smalling. Those are managers that have actually done something.
Pretty sure Chris Smalling signed for or was close to signing for Middlesbourgh when Southgate was manager but walked out on them and went to Fulham.
Maybe Gareth does bare grudges.
Maybe Gareth does bare grudges.
Unbelievable decision to take Cahill ahead of Smalling.
I don't understand how Jones can get in the squad but Smalling doesn't, he also isn't very good at bringing the ball out from the back and is an inferior defender.
Can't wait to hear Mourinho mention his name time and again next season after England eventually fails again due to a pathetic John Stones back pass.
You might not rate Smalling as much as others, no problem with that, but taking Cahill and Stones ahead of him is fecking shambolic and only a moron would do that. Now i just hope England get dumped in the group stages and Southgate gets the sack.
I am sad for him, but also glad for Jones. But oet's face it, Jones is almost equally bad with the ball at hos feet, he used to be much better but is terrible in that regard for years, and I think he backpasses to a keeper even more than Smalling. He is also completely unreliable fitness wise, so this tells you all ypu need to know abput English manager and football. But hopefully at least Jones has a good world cup, if nothing it can raise his price.
You are right. I don't rate him much but he is still better than any english defender including phil jones. Southgate is crazy here
Cahill over Smalling 
Even though I don't agree with it, I can understand and even respect Southgate wanting to play a certain style and picking players in the starting line-up suit it.
However, it's absolute stupidity not to take Smalling as an option. England's team simply isn't good enough to dominate the ball against other top teams, and in those matches having Smalling (who is easily a stronger actual defender than any of the other options) as an option might well have been vital.
However, it's absolute stupidity not to take Smalling as an option. England's team simply isn't good enough to dominate the ball against other top teams, and in those matches having Smalling (who is easily a stronger actual defender than any of the other options) as an option might well have been vital.
Only just clocked on that he's not in the England squad, thought he'd be a certainty. Had my complaints about him but he is a good defender, Southgate seems very set on this system and looks like Smalling doesn't fit the bill. Personally think he's made a massive mistake.
Ah well, summer off can't be bad for him, come back for pre-season fresh. Must hurt seeing Jones who was out injured for a good portion of the season go instead of him though.
Ah well, summer off can't be bad for him, come back for pre-season fresh. Must hurt seeing Jones who was out injured for a good portion of the season go instead of him though.
I never thought I'd see the day I'd think this but, in all seriousness, not taking Chris Smalling to the World Cup is bordering on a sackable offence. I can see no scenarios where this will work out in Southgate's favour. What the feck is he smoking?! The state of the defenders he's selected instead. England will crash out in shambolic fashion now due to a ridiculous defensive cock-up by Stones/Cahill/Maguire and everyone will be scratching their heads wondering why the country's best central defender is sat at home watching.
Absolute lunacy from Southgate.
Absolute lunacy from Southgate.
If Southgate is determined and followed through on his desire to play out from the back then it is a reasonable decision. Jones and Cahill are better than him on the ball, and it has been fairly clear that pairing Stones and Maguire alongside one more has been the plan for a while.
I like Smalling, but at least Southgate appears to have a plan in mind. Most England managers go to a summer tournament and pick the team the media want. Tarkowski ahead of him on the stand by list is a bit of a an insult though.
I like Smalling, but at least Southgate appears to have a plan in mind. Most England managers go to a summer tournament and pick the team the media want. Tarkowski ahead of him on the stand by list is a bit of a an insult though.
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