Walker is poor and doesn't have a footballing brain it seems, Johnson gets the nod as it is his preferred position but I don't rate him much either. I miss the reliability of Neville. Smalling needs to be played in centre back he is built for it.
How good is Chris Smalling?
- Thread starter Plechazunga
- Start date
He's a far better right-back than Jones - which isn't saying much, but at least Hodgson identified that.
Personally I think he should be our first chocie centre-back alongside Vidic, but then that mainly speaks of how highly I rate him.
Personally I think he should be our first chocie centre-back alongside Vidic, but then that mainly speaks of how highly I rate him.
He was great last night, would like to be given a chance in the centre - for both United and England.
Regarding England's right back spot, unfortunately it does look like it's Walker's for the time being, with Johnson as back up. How far off is Nathaniel Clyne from getting a look in do we think? Can't really think of any other right backs worth considering..
Regarding England's right back spot, unfortunately it does look like it's Walker's for the time being, with Johnson as back up. How far off is Nathaniel Clyne from getting a look in do we think? Can't really think of any other right backs worth considering..
I think John Stones will be one for the future. Not really sure about Clyne to be honest.
I always think it's a shame to see him playing at rightback, he's a centre back through & through & he loves defending, hence his improved performance in the 2nd half when he had to do more of what he's best at.
I rather see him at CB for England, can't stand Cahill.
I rather see him at CB for England, can't stand Cahill.
Jenkinson looks a decent prospect. Walker offers a lot going forward but he struggles against any reasonable opposition defensively, especially with this bizarre tactic of Lampard and Gerrard as the defensive midfielders. Stalling might not be a right back but I think he and Jones are as good as England have there ATM.
There's that Chambers kid at Southampton too who is apparently quite highly rated.
From redning this, I would assume he had a good game, but various media says he was woeful and clearly England's worst player. Too slow to be a fullback it read. Has he ever been outpaced, besides benteke where smalling just cafe back from injury. Not to good going forwards though, admittedly.
I think right now I would choose a fully fit Evans and Vidic however Smalling and Jones will be our CB pairing before too long and for a long time to come.I would play those two combinations and not mix them and have both partnerships forge an understanding and not just for first team games but in training also.Obviously injuries will dictate that sometimes it's not possible and form also but if we can we should keep the two partnerships separate.
The only obstacle stopping Smalling being my choice to be a regular CB in our team is Evans.I am not entirely sure how Moyes rates him but I do like him and i'd like to see him settle into that defence with Vidic and have a run of games.If he chooses Chris Smalling then I would be equally as happy and Chris has been slated in the media for his performance vs Poland, the first half inparticular but that's what you get when you play someone out of position.Cahill would have struggled in much the same way and so Chris and also Phil Jones are in a lose/lose situation whenever they are asked to play fullback.It is stunting their progress.
The only obstacle stopping Smalling being my choice to be a regular CB in our team is Evans.I am not entirely sure how Moyes rates him but I do like him and i'd like to see him settle into that defence with Vidic and have a run of games.If he chooses Chris Smalling then I would be equally as happy and Chris has been slated in the media for his performance vs Poland, the first half inparticular but that's what you get when you play someone out of position.Cahill would have struggled in much the same way and so Chris and also Phil Jones are in a lose/lose situation whenever they are asked to play fullback.It is stunting their progress.
He's always had a small issue with his distribution (see below) but it's definitely gotten worse. Seems like playing him at right back has made him a more nervy player overall.
His distribution and passing in general is woeful and has seriously regressed.
Too panicky and its a byproduct of being injured and in/out of the team all the time. Doesn't help that he more often than not is forced to play fullback.
Bloody fast he is! Not many defenders can keep up with Griezman on a run. Did quite well today and defended well as usual, but he really should just stay behind that horizontal line at midfield - I still like him though 
Rule number one for full back who is not a full back. Defend well.
He did that, so I was happy.
He did try to get forward with some good early success but as game wore on his passing was really poor
He did that, so I was happy.
He did try to get forward with some good early success but as game wore on his passing was really poor
He does a job in there but he clearly isn't a right back. I really rate him as a centre back though, but please, please, stop playing either him or Jones at full back and either play Fabio or bring that new Uruguayan kid through, or buy a back up right back.
I'm not sure why but I've never really been a huge fan of his. He's a good centre back and will become a good player but I definitely don't rate him as highly as most others on here do. I don't see him becoming our first choice centre back down the line, I think that will go to jones and Evans or someone else who we buy. I think his lack of any ability on the ball is the main reason why he won't ever be first choice at united probably, as most of the time you need our defenders to be at least comfortable on the ball and able to do simple passes. He was fine today defensively, but he's shocking on the ball most of the time, and you can't afford to be like that at united IMO. Far too often he looks like he doesn't know what to do when he has the ball at his feet. I feel much more comfortable generally with Evans or jones in there instead of smalling.
The new O'Shea, without the "ability" to play in midfield. The new David May more like it then, without the personality.
Good defender, but my god he's just awful at passing, crossing and making himself available for a pass. It's like having Carragher at right back.
To his defence though, like Carragher, he's not a full back, he's a central defender.
United is about width and wing play, please don't play oafs at full backs Moyesie boy.
Good defender, but my god he's just awful at passing, crossing and making himself available for a pass. It's like having Carragher at right back.
To his defence though, like Carragher, he's not a full back, he's a central defender.
United is about width and wing play, please don't play oafs at full backs Moyesie boy.
Whilst in general I agree that he's a horrid right back - how good was the way he chipped the ball over the Sociedad full back's sliding tackle and marauded forward in the first half? GIF material surely.
Very good indeed. Followed by a terrible pass.
He just can't help himself.
I honestly don't think it does his development much good being constantly played out of position. He's not a versatile player and he never will be but he could become a damn good CB, probably top 10 in the world.
Needs to sort his distribution out, but that's less of a problem in CB than it is at FB. He's a much better FB than Jones is, a little bit more composed with the ball at his feet, a little less loose with the dribble, but that's not saying much. He's already a good CB, and I know he deserves games, but it should definitely be in CB and not FB. I thought the the Sociedad game was begging for the likes of Fabio to come on against Griezemann.
I completely disagree RE Jones as a FB. He's in my book slightly less unacceptable as an option there, but Fabio should still be playing ahead of both.
I'm starting to think he deliberately tackles Moyes in training despite him not being in on the football sessions or something.
Great defender, great athlete, absolutely shit at playing football.
If he can work on his composure he could be very decent as a RB back up, but I fear his ability in tight spaces is really detrimental to our attacking play.
If he can work on his composure he could be very decent as a RB back up, but I fear his ability in tight spaces is really detrimental to our attacking play.
I think id like to see him go out on loan as a centre half.
It might sound extreme but He badly needs constant first team football as a centre half if hes to ever deliver fully on his potential. He's already quite far behind in the respect and the longer it goes on the less chance he has of making it at United.
It might sound extreme but He badly needs constant first team football as a centre half if hes to ever deliver fully on his potential. He's already quite far behind in the respect and the longer it goes on the less chance he has of making it at United.
It's such a shame to see him at RB, not his natural position. He puts in a decent shift, you can't fault his effort, but he should be playing in his natural position.
I'd not like him to go out on loan, but simply replace Ferdinand as one of our first choice centre backs. There was absolutely nothing wrong with his delivery when he filled in for the injured Rio during his first season with us, in fact I was most impressed with his composure and confidence on the ball back then. Playing right back is ruining him as well as hampering other players.
The loan suggestion probably sounds a bit dramatic but it stems from my concern at the amount of first team football hes played in his career to date.
Compare him to other defenders of a similar age and theres a serious difference. He's a bit of a special case in the sense but its almost caparable to missing 2 years worth of football.
Compare him to other defenders of a similar age and theres a serious difference. He's a bit of a special case in the sense but its almost caparable to missing 2 years worth of football.
He's not a RB and he never will be, he just hasn't got a RB mentality. The reason he's comfortable as a central defender is because he has a defender's mentality. That bit he can do just fine most of the time but if he has the ball over the half way line then he looks completely out of his comfort zone.
We play with wing backs who play closely and overlap with our wingers. That wasn't happening with Smalling and Valencia any more than it was happening with Evra and Kagawa. We need these weaknesses in our flow of play eliminatiing quickly and that will only happen when we players are playing in their best positions. Not that I hold out much hope of that happening anytime soon.
We play with wing backs who play closely and overlap with our wingers. That wasn't happening with Smalling and Valencia any more than it was happening with Evra and Kagawa. We need these weaknesses in our flow of play eliminatiing quickly and that will only happen when we players are playing in their best positions. Not that I hold out much hope of that happening anytime soon.
I don't think the touch and composure are the issue, it's his distribution that needs work. For me he's actually quite composed on the ball but there's a bit of the Vidic about him when it comes to trying to do anything fancy with it - he's pretty hopeless. When it comes to the requirements for a centre half I think he's got a great skillset.
He's very quick for a lad his size but as everyone keeps saying he's no right back. Jones isn't a right back either but if Rafael is out and Fabio not trusted, it has to be Jones rather than Smalling there IMO.
Problem with Jones in RB is that his positioning off the ball is very lacking at the moment. He doesn't offer anything for his partner on the flank, and consequently, opposing defences can always double up on whoever's playing up his side. He seems to have had the marauding mentality largely coached out of him as well, as compared to when he first came to OT.
Smalling is better in RB, but that's not saying much. Agree with your assessment on Smalling's distribution though I think he does offer just a bit more in terms of linking up and getting forward with the ball. Shit end product though. He's a CB through and through, and the tools are all there for him to be a very good one at that.
Lawrenson made a comment that he doesn't think Smalling will ever be a top player for United. It's strange as i agree with him that he isn't an RB but when Smalling and Jones were getting games at CB i thought Smalling looked the better of the two, and with someone like Evans beside him his distribution wouldn't be a glaring factor.
Smalling is the most natural defender at the club in my view (Vidic obviously was/is, but you can tell age is catching up a little on him now and he's not as agile as he was).
He's a fantastic defender. Not the best on the ball though.
Very good defensively so far, but panics when on the ball. Nothing new.
He's a physical monster and fast as feck, which basically saves him playing fullback. Looks nervous with the ball in tight corners.
He got ripped to pieces against City so am always nervous to see him play right back against top opposition. Been excellent so far defensively.
To be fair to him, that was largely down to Valencia not helping out. It's very hard for defenders with no protection.
I agree, but it isn't surprising given the backgrounds of Smalling, Jones and Evans. Evans has been with United for his whole career (bar loans) so his general football ability isn't surprising, Jones has played in all sorts of positions which has nurtured his general footballing ability, whereas Smalling has had a meteoric rise to United where defending was mainly all that was needed of him. Aye, he should be improving by now but he has been held up by injuries so i don't think his 'ball panic' is as big as an issue if played at CB.
He was brilliant defensively in that last 20 mins, massive.
fecking monstrous today.