1 game really, pen aside he actually played really well against Everton, just one bad error.
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Season Average Rating
- Appearances
- 34
- Clean sheets
- 8
- Goals
- 1
- Assists
- 0
- Yellow cards
- 2
- Status
1 game really, pen aside he actually played really well against Everton, just one bad error.
Agreed. He played much worse today. Although I thought that penalty was ridiculous for a player like him to concede.
recent games not. well, at least we need to buy new CB with experience (not age) and level or quality like Chiellini to accompany Lindelof.
There's definitely a wall preventing him to reach world class level but he can be functional, just not that consistent for top club's first eleven requirement.
While there's no super defenders arriving he still have time to show improvement. He's definitely least of our problems with Jones and Darmian still at the club.
While there's no super defenders arriving he still have time to show improvement. He's definitely least of our problems with Jones and Darmian still at the club.
What perpetually annoys me about him is that he doesn’t ever seem to have 100% control of his body/limbs. It really blows my mind he’s made it this far as an athlete. Great defender though
Had a mare
Funny, how many times ive heard the commentator say "smalling with the ball... and it goes into touch"...
He is a committed player but he is a level or two below what we need. Ten years ago a defender of his quality would have been fourth or fifth choice centre back.
His technical ability is really poor. Can't seem to sort his feet out sometimes and just panicks kicking the ball out of play. He's a good defender but we need to upgrade.
There are players that hand on heart all our fans must know are the reason we’ve been bang average for 5 years or so. Smalling fits into this category. He should have been replaced properly years ago, it’s getting as bad as saf not buying centre midfielders.
Was fine, people are just looking for things to fling shit at because we pulled out a win instead of being able to blame dropped points on the usual suspects from the usuals.
I'd almost start to put Matic in the bucket of players he's had to carry and play for over the last five years.
I'd almost start to put Matic in the bucket of players he's had to carry and play for over the last five years.
I'd say if we want to go to another level, buy two top CBs, keep Smalling as backup (he has his use); and sell others (or at least keep a younger one). No BS about waiting young-ish CB to flourish, or buy just one and gambling with the partner.
As a general point, I like Smalling, he seems a decent lad and he’s very game, but regardless of how good he might look when compared with the other feckwits we have playing at centre half, he lets us down far too often. I don’t think he should necessarily be sold, as he’s better than almost everyone else we have, but we need to get to a point where he’s a squad player. Hoping that he’ll suddently stop doing the sort of stuff he’s been doing for years now is just wilfully naive, IMHO.
The problem is, our managers keep buying turds where Smalling still coming out as the best of the bunch. Then, why would you sell your 'best' asset you have and keep on the other turds? It doesn't make sense in every level.
Good post. The one just under your’s also makes a good point. We need the CBs we bring in to actually be better than him, not just in one game, but consistently.
Oh I do agree. Quite worrying how difficult it is to spot a quality centre back and yet how many have moved to top 4 teams in the last 5 years, who now look brilliant.
Yeh. Not just quality CBs but qualities wingers as well, while we keep extending contracts and paying behemoth wages on wash-up or shity players.
Chris is going backwards unfortunately, no where good enough to "marshall" our defence.
Yeah this is where I'm at too. He can stay in the squad because he's proven his reliability over the years but we need to spend on a new central defender for the starting 11.
But he's far from the main problem. In fact we have a bigger problem in defensive midfield and right wing.
Was kind of expected he would have a crap match. This is a routine from most of our defenders. They put up above average performances for a few matches luring everyone into a false sense of security and then bang - when they have a crap match, the go absolutely brain fecked (I know he improved as the game wore on)
We can only pray that all our defenders don't have a mare on the same day.
All our defenders have been almost on the same level from last 2 years. Some slightly ahead than others, depending on your preference.
We can only pray that all our defenders don't have a mare on the same day.
All our defenders have been almost on the same level from last 2 years. Some slightly ahead than others, depending on your preference.
It's funny how it's only United fans on here that rate him as our best CB? I don't know of any rival fans who would have him in their team or even rate him highly. Somebody correct me if I'm wrong.
The competition is not exactly tough. Being "our" best CB is just not being crap
Dunno. They wouldn't even have him sold. Reckon he's good enough for top 6?
Does he let us down too often tho? Compared to who? Because in my eyes he might not be at the highest level possible, but he does not make more mistakes than many world class CB's that I know of. What stuff is it that he has been doing for years? Im genuinely interested if you have a few examples, because I don't think the ratio is off if you are talking about weird mistakes, even for a top CB.
He is very reliable in that sense, the problem of it is that even though he is good and reliable, he doesn't have that partner that I'll say every CB needs to really shine. He isn't a tough guy (Vidic?) he isn't a ballplayer (Rio?) and he certainly haven't played with any of those types since he has come of age, even with the new signings. He seems like you say, a professional, dedicated player and that is important to not forget, so not to make him a scapegoat. He is like Ji Sung Park of defenders before he was fully appreciated. If we had Ji Sung Park in the squad now, he would be a scapegoat not a hero. He was also a squad player so I think we can agree on that point, but I don't think its because of the mistakes he makes. More that we as a club needs both a Vidic and a Rio, unfortunately I don't think that is possible right now, not for us, not for anyone. Smalling and one guy that compliments him and is either a leader or a supreme ball-playing CB, it would put my mind to rest about the CB's at this moment.
Who do rival fans rate as our best CB?
I would imagine they think they're all shite. If Smalling were at a rival club, I wouldn't remotely rate him.
Bailly
Which they'll be basing on 'highlights' they've seen of last ditch tackles they remember from 2 years ago. They won't have noticed his rashness, terrible positioning and weakness in the air which have cost us on numerous occasions.
Smalling is a fantastic 1 v 1 defender and fantastic in the air. He lacks intelligence to read the game, however. Which separates the average from the best.
For example, City kick a through ball past Smalling he'll catch and out muscle the attacker. However, City start a quick passing and moving attack, Smalling is just standing there with brain freeze.
He's a fine bench option, shouldn't be starting but shouldn't be sold.
For example, City kick a through ball past Smalling he'll catch and out muscle the attacker. However, City start a quick passing and moving attack, Smalling is just standing there with brain freeze.
He's a fine bench option, shouldn't be starting but shouldn't be sold.
From what I've seen yes. He is capable of brilliant games beyond any of the others, he just hasn't got the head to do it weekly at the moment.
I do know that we are laughed at by oppo fans when we still trot out Smalling and Jones after all these years.
Due to our lack of a decent CB since the days of Rio and Vidic, some on here have started to seriously overrate Smalling. I mean he's ok that's about it. Him being our 'best cb' is purely by default and nothing to do with his actual ability.
I rate him, but I agree, especially the bold. He gets the most flack and is always the first to be named as being sold, but he's still better than the rest. It'd be mental to get shot of him whilst the others are even worse and/or perennially injured.
Ideally Bailly and Lindelof wake up and start to reach the potential they supposedly have, or we buy better quality centre backs. Until either of those happen, Smalling is a starter. Lindelof seems to be making some gradual improvements and has been decent the last few games, but Bailly is a bombscare.
The only way I see Smalling dropping down the pecking order is if we spend big on a centre back, but I doubt that will happen in January.
As for what opposition fans think, who gives a shit? in 2006-09 many opposition fans called us a one man team, Ronaldo + 10 others, and we had peak Rio, Vidic and Evra in defence. If they think Bailly is our best defender, then they don't watch us for a full 90 when he plays. The guy can't even head the ball.
Why does Smalling keep getting lumped in with Jones? I would laugh at a club still rolling Jones out after all this time and all these injuries, but Smalling is fine. No world beater but certainly not laughing material.
I think that is an honest but fair conclusion. Saying that, he is still our best CB at defending IMO - but if I am brutally honest, he's not good enough to be the main defender/ starter for a team aspiring to win titles
The same truth about the bolded part is only Martial, Pogba, Shaw & De Gea fit the title winning XI criteria. That's a topic for another day, though
Our manager rates him as his best cb too. Looking at how he consistently starting ahead of the others. For most of the season so far it's been Smalling +1
Every season he starts on the bench as the manager rates the ability of others as higher. It's only through sheer consistency he finds his way back to the starting line up every time, as the others either get injured or lose the plot.
I would say Bailly. Outside of the United domain, Smalling is seen as a bit of a joke.
Smalling should be a squad player not a starter. We need to replace and improve upon useless players like Jones and Rojo. Tuanzebe will take one of their spots next year and then we need to identify and buy another.
This. Even Mourinho doesn't trust him after 3 years. He was his 4th choice at the start of the season. His lack of technique and panicking is killing our general play. Our coach said that, not me. When our coach says that we can't play from the back, i doubt that he thinks that Lindelof is a problem.
Smalling should stay here, he is useful in some games and personally i like him because he is only our defender who has some leader skills. But he is just not Man Utd first 11 player.
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