Part of defending is expecting those around to make mistakes. Smalling did this and recovered quite well to be in position to block the cross, just a little unfortunate that it went through his legs, a lot of times there the timing is slightly different and it clips his foot, no goal, just small margins in football.
12
Season Average Rating
- Appearances
- 34
- Clean sheets
- 8
- Goals
- 1
- Assists
- 0
- Yellow cards
- 2
- Status
Part of defending is expecting those around to make mistakes. Smalling did this and recovered quite well to be in position to block the cross, just a little unfortunate that it went through his legs, a lot of times there the timing is slightly different and it clips his foot, no goal, just small margins in football.
Offside lines are difficult especially in a messy situation like this. The positive is that Smalling and Lindelof seem to move automatically at the same time, just like a CB pair should.
Amazing reactions from both De God and him. If either of them were 0.2 seconds off, we would have been out of the competition.
Carrick used to be my litmus test of if you get football or not. But then he slowly got recognition by the end of his United career.
Smalling is my new litmus test, if you don't see he's an outstanding defender then I'm longer that interested in your football opinions.
Smalling is my new litmus test, if you don't see he's an outstanding defender then I'm longer that interested in your football opinions.
My MOTM, thought he was superb tonight, nothing was getting past him unless it was offside. monster mode.
You can limit Mbappe, but not stop him. The only culprit there was Bailly who forgot to defend (and didn't he kept Mbappe onside anyway?). Smalling couldn't have done anything more, him and Victor played Mbappe offside.
It is probably emotions on me, but unless we could get De Ligt who will be here for 10-15 years, I don't know how wise would be to break Smalling-Lindelof partnership. It is working really well. Together with Lukaku (and possibly De Gea) our CBs were our best players tonight.
He was an absolute animal tonight! One of his best performances of season when we really needed it.
Brilliant.
Now Southgate has to a lot to ponder...
There is simply no better English pure defender
There is simply no better English pure defender
I agree, there is no point, as things look now at least, to pay a lot of money for a CB when Smalling Lindelof can play like this. And agree, you cannot stop Mbappe all the time, he is too good for that.
MOTM tonight if it wasnt for Lukaku's 2 goals. Brilliant!
MOTM.
If United does well this season (while playing decent football), Southgate will be forced to call him. Otherwise it will look that he is not calling him out of spite.
This
Indeed.
Be interesting if Smalling wins a trophy
Not at all the perfect or top top defender in the world by any means but c'mon Gareth, he is a good defender in the defensive sense compared to what we have enough to earn at least a squad place
Whenever someone says "Smalling and Jones" in a sentence I just know it's somebody who hasn't a clue.
Your litmus test isn't bad either
Absolute monster today. What a performance.
Great perfomance along Lindelöf but Smalling seemed a bit better but together they complete each other perfectly!
But Saint Southgate the multiple winner manager doesn’t rate him. Surely that’s a valid reason.
Some idiot was arguing that Southgate himself was a better defender than Smalling. feck off
I personally don't give a shit he's not in the England squad. I'd rather Smalling stays fit & healthy for us.
Southgate was a bang average defender and is a bang average manager, who's opinion means feck all.
This. Some need to be open minded that there are several ways to Roma. And there are several ways to be deemed outstanding players.
I am happy he didn't do any stupid things and didn't pull any shirts tonight. With VAR that could be bad. I guess they don't put in too many crosses though. Defended well.
A few years ago at school, everyone talked about this guy I had never met but was supposedly an expert in football. I didn't have high hopes because why would you, but the first time I talked to him we bonded over those people not realising how talented Smalling was. All those people who were claiming this guy as a football expert were all disagreeing with him on Smalling heavily, at the same time calling him an expert. Beats me, probably only thing they could make fun of him for because they all agreed. I had forgotten about that until your post reminded me. Smalling has been the litmus test a while now.
Indeed. Some are 7-1s. And some are dodgy VAR penalties in extra time.
Yeh. I do agree that you don’t have to be outstanding player to recognize another outstanding player.Some idiot was arguing that Southgate himself was a better defender than Smalling. feck off
I personally don't give a shit he's not in the England squad. I'd rather Smalling stays fit & healthy for us.
Southgate was a bang average defender and is a bang average manager, who's opinion means feck all.
But the use of Southgate a a reason to not rate Smalling is mindbogling. You watch Smalling for years, you don’t need fecking Southgate to form an opinion. Just him thinking Jones as the 3rd best English CB shows his level.
And agreed. Smalling is a level above Southgate. It shouldn’t be even a contest.
Better begrudgingly than not at all I guess.
Not to make fun though, it was a great night mate! Have a good one.Yep did this with Carrick and have been doing this with Smallling for a few years now.
I haven’t seen the match, but I don’t need to see it to confirm the fact that he’s our best defender and he’s one of the best defenders in the league - this has been the case for a few years now.
Anyone who doesn’t think so, I’m not interested in their football opinions, like you said.
Exactly. You got the drift.I was impressed with how he kept up with Mbappe on at least four different occasions. He's only good in the air though apparently!
Chris Smalldini.
Funny you mention Carrick, precisely the same. I dare not think of the hours I defended Carrick and Smalling on here.Mike Smaldini
Makes me wonder what the people who have called him slow have been seeing. Must have just been lumping him together with Jones.
I called it, him and Lindelof are our best CB partnership. He had an amazing game, his weight loss in the summer is paying off he is clearly faster and more agile.
Has definitely looked better since the new look.
Go on BIG MIKE
Absolute defensive master class.
He fecking kept us in the game the first half hour.
He fecking kept us in the game the first half hour.
Who does he drop?
- Status