He was largely good for them last season, especially in the first half of that season. However, since then, he's been either injured or poor. And today he was calamitous. I credit Smalling for seeking a new challenge and opportunity in Roma rather than sit on the United bench for the rest of his career, however, he was no great loss for us at his age and fitness record.
Totally different scenario to Luke Shaw, who was a young player physically and mentally recovering from a potentially career-ending injury.
It's not just 1 game he's been pretty wank for Roma but then again Roma have been utter wank themselvesShaw was fit and benched and slagged of by Mourinho. When he played a game once a month he was slagged off by this forum for being finished, just go back and see the thread.
I agree Smalling isn't right for us but everyone coming in here and using 1 game after him returning from a long injury as justification is incredibly harsh. There's a reason Roma were so desperate to sign him - he was great last season for them.
It's not just 1 game he's been pretty wank for Roma but then again Roma have been utter wank themselves
Surprise surprise the critics are out in force re-writing history.
Smalling was our best defender (both in terms of peak performances and average level of performance) for most of the seasons since Rio and Vidic left. Not great (bar most of 15/16), but certainly the best of what we had. However in his last season with us he was already showing signs of losing some speed and physicality, and another two years have passed since then. Now this season has been ravaged by injury, particularly to his knee, and just two weeks ago he and his family were held at gunpoint while being robbed. Is it really surprising that he struggled in only his second full 90 minute match he's played in over three months?
I was disappointed we didn't attempt the Maguire-Smalling combo before letting him go, but with his deterioration the previous season there were question marks over him. It appears it's another thing that Ole got spot on.
Last season he was good for the first 3 months and then started making silly mistakes. I even posted a few of them.That's not true at all - this is his second game back after a couple months out. He's only played 15 games this season and even that was with injuries in between.
Last season he was their best defender by a mile, which is why they spent £20m on him.
I disagree. Having defenders that are calm on the ball and don't hoof it every single time makes a big difference.While he was poor yesterday our own two CBs were not that great either. They just had not much to do. Not saying I want him back or he is the answer to any of our questions, but swap him and either Maguire or Lindelöf and the outcome would have not been that much different.
Well there will always be one or two loons. But it's hardly comparable thinking that Ravel Morrison could do a job at United if he can't even find a club. And someone thinking Smalling would still be handy to have in the squad considering he did that very job at United for a long time. Even when we still won league titles and got to European cup finals. Smalling was and is a good player.
That's not true at all - this is his second game back after a couple months out. He's only played 15 games this season and even that was with injuries in between.
Last season he was their best defender by a mile, which is why they spent £20m on him.
I think he was a decent/good player. His lack of ability with the ball was infuriating though and was a common stick to beat him with on here. His pointless hoofing of the ball hindered the play. As a pure defender, he was good but we needed more.
Yep! He looked really uneasy with the ball at his feet yesterday.We tend to romanticize about how good players on other teams are. Hopefully these two games vs Roma has put an end to the idea that Smalling would be our best defender. He was horrible for both games. Our boys didn't do great either, but were head and shoulders above Smalling. he was sold for a reason...
Injuries as usualFrom starring in Serie A ideal XI a couple of years ago to barely playing nowadays, what happened to him?
Look it up, he missed 30 games last season due to injuries and has already missed 11 this season. Hard to sustain an starting place missing so many games. Such a shame, I was happy he was doing well in italy.Injuries as usual
Yeah injuries, he’s much better than many claimed and proved it in Italy before these injuries recently.From starring in Serie A ideal XI a couple of years ago to barely playing nowadays, what happened to him?
Yeah injuries, he’s much better than many claimed and proved it in Italy before these injuries recently.
Imo he was every bit as good as Lindelof, not top tier but solid, quick and good one v one.
So would half the Caf.He'd start over Maguire on current form
He is a no vax, fear of get injured by the jab
He'd start over Maguire on current form
He is a no vax, fear of get injured by the jab
He is a no vax, fear of get injured by the jab
Sorry, what? Understanding the basics of vaccines and looking at the data of unvaxxed vs vaxxed in terms of intensive care patients and deaths makes people scientists now?Lots of people are predending to be scientists.
I said lots of people are suddenly scientist. Let us concentrate on our own work and let scientist do what they are supposed to do. If vaccines help according to doctors who are we to disagree. I'm for that people choose what they want to do without being forced. But I am also for consenquences whatever you choose without people moaning later about things.Sorry, what? Understanding the basics of vaccines and looking at the data of unvaxxed vs vaxxed in terms of intensive care patients and deaths makes people scientists now?
We‘re vegan and are active in different vegan groups. Within my contacts, I‘d say there isn‘t a higher percentage of anti vaxers than in any other group of people.Seems a correlation between vegans and anti vax (see Novak Djokovic )
What a fecking brain dead moron. Why does our club seem to attract these dickheads in alarmingly high numbers? Lowest vaccinated group in the prem right now and even former players seem like anti vax morons. I’m almost glad he got bullied by Mourinho now.
We‘re vegan and are active in different vegan groups. Within my contacts, I‘d say there isn‘t a higher percentage of anti vaxers than in any other group of people.
I do however see a correlation between vegans and a dislike for ignorant humans. Like mass-produced meat consumption, not getting vaccinated seems to have more to do with not wanting to be inconvenienced than doing what‘s right and/or sensible based upon measurable data.
My mistake. I know an anti vax guy and he attempted being vegan for similar motivations of being anti vax. A huge conspiracy theorist who believes the farm industry has brainwashed the public into thinking they need meat and dairy. The theory with anti vax is related to the pharma industry profiting on the vax and controlling the media/ government.We‘re vegan and are active in different vegan groups. Within my contacts, I‘d say there isn‘t a higher percentage of anti vaxers than in any other group of people.
I do however see a correlation between vegans and a dislike for ignorant humans. Like mass-produced meat consumption, not getting vaccinated seems to have more to do with not wanting to be inconvenienced than doing what‘s right and/or sensible based upon measurable data.
He's better than Maguire in everything except passing
What a fecking brain dead moron. Why does our club seem to attract these dickheads in alarmingly high numbers? Lowest vaccinated group in the prem right now and even former players seem like anti vax morons. I’m almost glad he got bullied by Mourinho now.
He really isn't. I get it Maguire going through a bad patch but it's pure fantasy to suggest Smalling was / is the better defender. The guy could not head a ball for shit, clumsy in the tackle and positionaly awfulHe's better than Maguire in everything except passing
He really isn't. I get it Maguire going through a bad patch but it's pure fantasy to suggest Smalling was / is the better defender. The guy could not head a ball for shit, clumsy in the tackle and positionaly awful
What a fecking brain dead moron. Why does our club seem to attract these dickheads in alarmingly high numbers? Lowest vaccinated group in the prem right now and even former players seem like anti vax morons. I’m almost glad he got bullied by Mourinho now.
No, apparently we're above the league average.Is that true?
