[Icemav]

Such a strange one. The costly brain farts aside, he carried on with the rest of his game like nothing happened

I mean that in a good way. As the leader of the defence and captain, he has the arrogance/confidence/ignorance (tick off or add as appropriate) to continue playing without a care in the world.

For someone who got megged and played several hospital passes, he still dominated his guy in the air, covered the channels well, was composed in playing out from the back/no rushed clearances and offered plenty of angles for passing at the back.

Mind he can count his lucky stars the opposition was terrible and we have that front three playing.

The thing is, this is not the first time. It's a 'trait' of his to just continue going 'forward'.

He's got the mantality for what's its worth.

Good review.

He has some very very important strengths. And some obvious weaknesses. I think for now on balance that is fine and he brings very good attributes to a team looking for leadership and ball playing from the back. I think a bit of the problem is that when he gets caught out its compounded by DDG. So thats really the team issue that needs to be figured out.

 

[NotoriousISSY]

I don't mind the whole package, because having a player who generally can play out from the back really really helps.

But being the captain, costing £80m and getting megged or walked past every other game just isn't doing it for me.

 

[Classical Mechanic]

Maguire really didn't do too much wrong for that first goal.

He intercepted well initially, then had to charge towards Stanislas in the resulting spill - couldn't leave him unmarked. Stanislas did well to compose himself to meg Harry as he came towards him. All top defenders can get megged, its not a completely unavoidable part of the game. I'd question more De Gea in that scenario.

Agree. Getting megged is embarrassing but not really ineptitude. You can’t keep your legs closed. Terrible keeping from DDG again sadly.

 

[Icemav]

He is not miles better than Victor and Chris.

He is miles better than Smalling in possession which is the sole reason Smalling is no longer at the club. Defending was never the issue. Yes if you remove this aspect of the game then Smalling is a better defender. Lindelof? Hard to compare.... good player but not commanding in any specific aspect. Worse than Smalling at defending (but better at passing), not as good at Mcguire at controlling possession (but faster and more agile defensively), not as good as either Mcguire or Smalling in the air. Lindelof's biggest weakness seems to be a DDG type of passivity. Whereas when Mcguire makes a mistake he shakes it off and tries to put his stamp back on the game again.

Mcguire is really there for possession play, leadership and aerial presence.

 

[pratyush_utd]

 

[RkkMan]

Big fan of him but today was his worst game since the restart he was better in the Spurs game than today by some distance despite Bergwijn`s goal. Don`t want to get too critical cause he`s been good this season and we won the game but I hope this isn`t a regular occurence which I suspect it will due to fatigue considering he`s played every PL game full 90 min and will continue to do so till matchday 38 plus the FA Cup.

 

[Maluco]

This. He is a quality player, but having someone with recovery pace beside him would make such a big difference.

 

[RkkMan]

He is not miles better than Victor and Chris.

He`s definitely miles better than 2CBs who collectively had the worst defensive record in the top 9 last season with 50 conceded goals despite his flaws. Miles better.

 

[JPRouve]

He is an above average CB but he makes too many individual mistakes that creates good opportunities or goals. You can't do that every other games, that's what makes the difference between a top CB and an above average one, it was the same story with Smalling.

 

[Andycoleno9]

Not United quality. Good PR does wonders for player's reputation.
Lindelof is space ship for him and he is maybe slightly better than Smalling

 

[RedIan]

Harry is great in the air, clears everything. On the deck he is Rather lumbersome and a nippy skilful player can do him inside out. I still think overall he is a quality centre half. the defence looked lost the odd game he missed.

 

[Andycoleno9]

He is an above average CB but he makes too many individual mistakes that creates good opportunities or goals. You can't do that every other games, that's what makes the difference between a top CB and an above average one, it was the same story with Smalling.

Exactly this. Mistakes happen but he does it in every game. Also he is bellow average in one on one situations.
I will repeat; very good defender to have if you are defensive team who sits deep and play defensive football (so when he is covered in numbers) but for big club he is not good enough.

 

[Maluco]

People having a laugh saying he is not much better than Smalling. He has a weakness (on the turn like all centre backs have. No one is a perfect player.

He is a leader, a top personality that has helped massively in changing the demeanor of the squad, very good on the ball, plays every single game and doesn’t shy away when he makes a mistake.

People are being way too harsh on him. He is on another stratosphere to Smalling!!

 

[acnumber9]

It’s criminal to be nutmegged by Junior Stanislaw in your own penalty box. I really struggle with Maguire. He goes through spells of playing well and I start to think he’s a good defender but when shit like that happens, and it happens too often, I wonder how the hell he is playing for Man United let alone captaining them.

 

[mu4c_20le]

He`s definitely miles better than 2CBs who collectively had the worst defensive record in the top 9 last season with 50 conceded goals despite his flaws. Miles better.

Who was our RB back then?

 

[MadDogg]

He`s definitely miles better than 2CBs who collectively had the worst defensive record in the top 9 last season with 50 conceded goals despite his flaws. Miles better.

Smalling was first choice in multiple seasons when we had better defensive records than this season.

Last season was an outlier, and had more to do with a goalkeeper having an atrocious season (significantly worse than he has been this season), the rightback being someone who was a few years past his best and who had always been better on the left, the defensive midfielder having a shocking season, and the manager deliberately setting us up to fail to make a point. We've had one of the best defences in the league every other season.

Smalling was better if we're talking purely defensive ability. Maguire's superior ability on the ball does play a part in us controlling possession better though, so might help us have to defend less in total. I still think the two of them together may have been our best combination, although once again we'd be losing Lindelof's better ball-playing.

 

[red woppit]

I like Maguire, but thought he had a poor game today. From the very first minute it seemed like he was in a practice match, no urgency at all. Two bad errors (along with other player's errors) led to the two goals. Hopefully a wake up call for our team, as we need to be playing at s higher tempo in my opinion.

 

[Foxbatt]

He didn't have a brilliant game but he is not half as bad as some people make him out to be. Yes he got nutmegged but so did Figo by O'Shea but that does not mean Figo was a bad player. When you do not have pacy CBs, there is going to be a confidence issue too among them as they do know that none of them has pace and would get beaten for pace in a sprint and that is an issue that Ole needs to look at during the break.

 

[Amar__]

Is he the worst one on one defender we've had in recent history? At least from CBs.

 

[Champagne Football]

He is not miles better than Victor and Chris.

I would have him as a different level altogether than those 2. He's had 2 terrible lapses in concentration in the past few games, but Maguire is one of the main reasons we've gone from being a laughing stock to looking solid at the back. He's a leader like Bruce was. Has his flaws but he inspires others around him and brings confidence to the back 4.

Smalling was never a Man Utd player. An Everton level player yes. Maguire is not Van Dijk but he's defo a Utd level player.

 

[Classical Mechanic]

Smalling was first choice in multiple seasons when we had better defensive records than this season.

Last season was an outlier, and had more to do with a goalkeeper having an atrocious season (significantly worse than he has been this season), the rightback being someone who was a few years past his best and who had always been better on the left, the defensive midfielder having a shocking season, and the manager deliberately setting us up to fail to make a point. We've had one of the best defences in the league every other season.

Smalling was better if we're talking purely defensive ability. Maguire's superior ability on the ball does play a part in us controlling possession better though, so might help us have to defend less in total. I still think the two of them together may have been our best combination, although once again we'd be losing Lindelof's better ball-playing.

I agree and disagree. When Smalling was a mainstay the stats show that we always conceded less than expected. Non more so than when we finished second when we conceded 15 less than expected, the biggest over-performance of xGA since understat have been covering the PL.This was down to the brilliance of DDG.Worth remembering that LVG said we played more defensively because of personnel and that Mou is a very defensive manager by nature so those systems flattered the defenders. Mou was explicit that the CB options were inadequate once DDG tanked, even in his defensive shape when we finished second our xGA was 44 goals! DDG earned his world team of the year accolade that season.

I agree that Smalling would be a better partner for Maguire than Lindelof.

 

[IrishRedDevil]

Played like Arlene Foster today.

 

[mu4c_20le]

I would have him as a different level altogether than those 2. He's had 2 terrible lapses in concentration in the past few games, but Maguire is one of the main reasons we've gone from being a laughing stock to looking solid at the back. He's a leader like Bruce was. Has his flaws but he inspires others around him and brings confidence to the back 4.

Smalling was never a Man Utd player. An Everton level player yes. Maguire is not Van Dijk but he's defo a Utd level player.

Definitely feels like more than 2, feels like he makes a mistake every few games like De Gea, but not every one of them results in a goal so it's quickly forgotten. Smalling aside, we've not had any defender close to looking decent never mind top level, so I can understand the hyperbole around this guy.

 

[Revan]

He`s definitely miles better than 2CBs who collectively had the worst defensive record in the top 9 last season with 50 conceded goals despite his flaws. Miles better.

Last season the problem was not the defense. It was the entire team going to shit after Mourinho's sabotage. In 17-18, we conceded less goals than this season for example, despite that we have to play another 5 games. Well, Smalling started most games, and Lindelof started half of them.

 

[Revan]

Definitely feels like more than 2, feels like he makes a mistake every few games like De Gea, but not every one of them results in a goal so it's quickly forgotten. Smalling aside, we've not had any defender close to looking decent never mind top level, so I can understand the hyperbole around this guy.

Blind was really excellent in LVG's final season, and was as good in Mourinho's fist season, when Mourinho decided to play him as CB, and then we won Europa. I actually think that he has been the best defender we had in post-SAF era. Unfortunately, he was not tall enough for Mourinho and he sold him for peanuts, with him now bossing at Ajax.

Just looking at the defense, I think by far the best partnership we had was Smalling-Blind in 15-16 and 16-17.

Smalling definitely had the best defensive qualities, but his inability to make even simple passes meant that sooner of later, he would need to leave.

 

[Classical Mechanic]

Last season the problem was not the defense. It was the entire team going to shit after Mourinho's sabotage. In 17-18, we conceded less goals than this season for example, despite that we have to play another 5 games. Well, Smalling started most games, and Lindelof started half of them.

In 17/18 our xGA was 44 goals. De Gea got in the world team of the year on the back of bailing the defence out so much. That was in Mourinho’s defensive style.

 

[McGrathsipan]

NUTS

 

[RkkMan]

Who was our RB back then?

You are joking if you think AWB is the sole reason why we`ve gone from being prostitutes at the back to only Liverpool conceding more goals than us. He`s made a bigger contribution than Smalling ever will.

 

[Revan]

In 17/18 our xGA was 44 goals. De Gea got in the world team of the year on the back of bailing the defence out so much. That was in Mourinho’s defensive style.

What is xGA this season?

I agree that De Gea was great that season. We also need to consider though that AWB is much better than whatever we were able to put in right back position, as is Shaw (who was always injured back then). So the defense in a whole might be better, but that IMO is primarily cause we are not playing Valencia and Young as full backs.

 

[Nou_Camp99]

Hes not been overly impressive since project restart. Awful mistake vs Spurs and today I would say is comfortably his worst ever game for us. He was dreadful.

However I still think overall he's had a decent first season with us. Never an 80m player but that's not his fault.

 

[Revan]

You are joking if you think AWB is the sole reason why we`ve gone from being prostitutes at the back to only Liverpool conceding more goals than us. He`s made a bigger contribution than Smalling ever will.

We had the second-best defense in each of Mourinho's seasons (with one more goal than the best defense), and joined best on LVG's final season. De Gea obviously played a part, but on the negative side, there were Valencia and Young playing each week.

 

[Classical Mechanic]

What is xGA this season?

I agree that De Gea was great that season. We also need to consider though that AWB is much better than whatever we were able to put in right back position, as is Shaw (who was always injured back then). So the defense in a whole might be better, but that IMO is primarily cause we are not playing Valencia and Young as full backs.

Its par this season and that’s with DDG having very poor performance against his xGA

https://understat.com/league/EPL/2019

17/18 was the biggest over-performance of xGA in the PL since understat have been covering it.

 

[mu4c_20le]

You are joking if you think AWB is the sole reason why we`ve gone from being prostitutes at the back to only Liverpool conceding more goals than us. He`s made a bigger contribution than Smalling ever will.

When you replace a spent winger turned fullback with the best tackler and best defensive rightback in the league, then yeah, i think it does make a difference.

 

[Wednesday at Stoke]

I wonder if part of it is mental fatigue. Ole rotates everyone but him. Even De Gea gets a break in cup games but Harry plays every minute.

 

[RkkMan]

Last season the problem was not the defense. It was the entire team going to shit after Mourinho's sabotage. In 17-18, we conceded less goals than this season for example, despite that we have to play another 5 games. Well, Smalling started most games, and Lindelof started half of them.

We conceded less in 17/18 because DDG was practically super human not because our CBs had brilliant seasons and again our defence was THE WORST IN THE TOP 9!!! It was a BIG problem no matter how you spin it and it needed big investment not time to overcome that bad spell and HM even though is not worth 80m is a big reason why only LFC have conceded more goals than us, alongside AWB of course. With VAR Smalling would be conceding countless penalties and we`d practically be handicapped anytime we`d try to carry the ball from the back.

 

[Revan]

Its par this season and that’s with DDG having very poor performance against his xGA

https://understat.com/league/EPL/2019

17/18 was the biggest over-performance of xGA in the PL since understat have been covering it.

What has De Gea to do with xGA? Isn't xGA in the first place, the chances conceded?

Again, I agree that De Gea made the defense look better than it was (by making save after save). At the same time, we had absolutely horrible full-backs, while now we have competent (if not spectacular) ones. AWB and Shaw IMO balance the drop of form in De Gea.

 

[Revan]

We conceded less in 17/18 because DDG was practically super human not because our CBs had brilliant seasons and again our defence was THE WORST IN THE TOP 9!!! It was a BIG problem no matter how you spin it and it needed big investment not time to overcome that bad spell and HM even though is not worth 80m is a big reason why only LFC have conceded more goals than us, alongside AWB of course. With VAR Smalling would be conceding countless penalties and we`d practically be handicapped anytime we`d try to carry the ball from the back.

How many penalties he conceded this year with VAR? He is essentially starting every match.

 

[Web of Bissaka]

Let's make more excuses to protect our great captain

That said, I think he did fine today, other than minimum three poor play:

• beaten too easily by that "skill".
• made one risk pass high up the pitch, and missed, thankfully teammates covered well to slow down their counter.
• made that one shit pass deep in our half, which Bournemouth countered immediately, their shot his the post thankfully.

Otherwise, he made many good tackles, interceptions and defensive headers.

 

[hmchan]

What has De Gea to do with xGA? Isn't xGA in the first place, the chances conceded?

Again, I agree that De Gea made the defense look better than it was (by making save after save). At the same time, we had absolutely horrible full-backs, while now we have competent (if not spectacular) ones. AWB and Shaw IMO balance the drop of form in De Gea.

When you compare the actual goals conceded against the xGA, you can have a rough idea about the performance of the goalkeeper.

People from both sides keep talking about de Gea's mistakes as if it's his only problem. It's not. His huge decline in shot stopping is more worrying but few address that.

Season	xGA	GA	Difference
14/15​	39.84​	37​	+2.84​
15/16​	39.66​	35​	+4.66​
16/17​	31.62​	29​	+2.62​
17/18​	43.54​	28​	+15.54​
18/19​	52.30​	54​	-1.70​
19/20 (after 33 matches)​	33.04​	33​	+0.04​

 

[golden_blunder]

Overall package is better than most cbs in the league. But he’s not perfect because of his lack of pace. Rio is spot on. If only we had a reliable defender who has pace and is a good defender and good in the air. Hmmm. Oh wait we do and he’s doing brilliantly in Italy.

bring smalling home & pair him with maguire. They’d be the best pairing in the league