Starting to think that should be our regular CB partnership.
How good is Chris Smalling?
- Thread starter Plechazunga
- Start date
Starting to think that should be our regular CB partnership.
Yep Smalling has to stay in the team between now and May
He's feckin' ace. Long said he's the best of our young centre backs and I think he's starting to show it. I swear there was one point in the second half where he tackled a bloke, who was behind him, without even looking... and he made it look like a piece of piss too.
He is a very talented young centre back, I just think the whole malaise this season has affected him, he doesn't have the same confidence or composure about him, like a lot of our players really with what's gone on. I am sure he will be fine if (touch wood) the team eventually settles down. We were dodgy at the back tonight imo until we got the 2nd goal. Little things. Like making the right covering run, winning the header under no pressure but not picking out one of our players, giving it back to them. Build your defence around him? I don't get that impression off him atm, it's times like this that determined characters and leaders stand out when you are under pressure and make a stand, he has performed during this difficult spell like most of the players have, to be getting swept along in a river of shit with no answer to it. You can see it in his body language and his face, but he is young which is an excuse a lot of others can't offer. Still think we will be in the market for a top centre half in the near future.
He's basically a top quality centre half in the making as long as he does as little as possible with the ball at his feet. Proper old-fashioned defender, great in the air and he's quick as well. Shite passer though 
I think he's great, such a natural defender. He played for Maidstone United until '08. Maidstone!
He's basically a top quality centre half in the making as long as he does as little as possible with the ball at his feet. Proper old-fashioned defender, great in the air and he's quick as well. Shite passer though
Agreed
something he can/must work on though. I think at a club like ours, everyone must be comfortable on the ball and he isn't, fully!Been an absolute rock for the last 2 games. Probably a better option that Vidic at the moment.
passing
I have a "United-supporting" mate who has absolutely no time for Evans or Smalling. I ask him why and he just gives me absolute gibberish back.
Smalling is sublime. Been one of my favourite United players over the past few years.
Smalling is sublime. Been one of my favourite United players over the past few years.
Fantastic tonight, and very good recently too. Long may it continue.
As a defender, he's an absolute rock, a titan at the back. This isn't an exaggeration either; he is absolutely incredible in the air, his standing tackle is brilliant and he has great positioning. Yes the passing is atrocious, but luckily we don't really need him up top doing that constantly. I have always been a supporter of him since his full first season with us, and I see him cementing that spot soon.
Great defender. Passing needs to improve though, it's actually dreadful.
He's fantastic at center back. If only we could now get jones beside him.
Faultless from Smalling. Could make an instructional video on some of his defending in that game.
Smallingbauer !
I'd quite like Jones to get some love there, but with our disastrous midfield situation we probably won't see much of this til next season.
Evans' passing is good, so all he needs to do is find Evans consistently. Or have a midfielder who plays deep.
Nah. Jones is a better passer than Smalling, but the other two are comfortably better CBs at the moment. Individually and as a pair. Hopefully Rafael-Smalling-Evans-Evra will feature heavily for the rest of the season. Consistency is key.
We have three brilliant CBs in Smalling, Evans and Jones... Vidic and Ferdinand are surplus to requirements at the moment but we could do with a younger fourth CB.
That was really great tackle, one of the best I saw this year, I hope someone will gif it.
Smalling is a better defender than Evans for me, and has been for as long as he's been at the club. Evans has better ability on the ball, but is no way as good at defending. Smalling and Jones' development have both been sacrificed by this situation of having 3 back up centre-halves in recent years. I also think that, Evans was given the vote as first choice back up due to being the most experienced and having been at the club longest. He is a very good defender, but I don't think he has the potential to be as dominating a centre-half as Smalling or Jones. I see them as our future two. I also don't agree with this talk of us needing a new centre-half either. Those three, plus Keane, will suffice. A new big money centre-half will just confuse things all over again.
He's such a natural defender and his skills on the ball will improve with more experience. I have no doubt he'll become a regular in the near future.
Ideally you'd want Smalling alongside a ball playing defender. Let Chris get on with his beastly defending and let the guy next to him bring the ball out or distribute the ball to midfield. If not Evans then perhaps Moyes will bring one in this summer.
I'm happy that so many recognise him as a truly class defender. For me, he is our best defender. He reads the play brilliantly, is dominant in the air like only Vidic and Kompany could rival, and he is very strong and very quick - he outpaced Campbell twice!
He had one bad pass in the first half, which was atrocious tbf, but other than that he was brilliant. I disagree with those saying he wouldn't get into the other top 4 teams.
City - better than Demichelis and better than Nastasic and certainly Lescott- would partner Kompany.
Chelsea - better than both Cahill and Terry imo, would probably partner Terry - would be a very good partnership.
Liverpool - better than the lot of them
Arsenal - would partner Koscielny for me
He had one bad pass in the first half, which was atrocious tbf, but other than that he was brilliant. I disagree with those saying he wouldn't get into the other top 4 teams.
City - better than Demichelis and better than Nastasic and certainly Lescott- would partner Kompany.
Chelsea - better than both Cahill and Terry imo, would probably partner Terry - would be a very good partnership.
Liverpool - better than the lot of them
Arsenal - would partner Koscielny for me
I think Jones is the man for the job. His skills on the ball has improved massively.
I think the only thing stopping us from wanting Smalling and Jones starting more often than not at CB together is the fact we barely ever get to see it these days. I think stick them together for 2 or 3 games and it'd become a no brainer that both of these guys should be starting there for us, at least till Vidic is properly back after his injury.
These are two dominant CBs who take charge and clear the ball out of defence, repelling opponents attacks with no prisoners taken. And in the years after Vidic, we're going to need them so that we dont become a bit of a soft touch defending our goal. The two of them together can do that whilst also having pace and Jones having extra ability on the ball that Vidic doesnt have and the potential to break up a move then charge 60 yards up the pitch involved in turning defending into an attacking move.
These are two dominant CBs who take charge and clear the ball out of defence, repelling opponents attacks with no prisoners taken. And in the years after Vidic, we're going to need them so that we dont become a bit of a soft touch defending our goal. The two of them together can do that whilst also having pace and Jones having extra ability on the ball that Vidic doesnt have and the potential to break up a move then charge 60 yards up the pitch involved in turning defending into an attacking move.
Yeah, I'm a big Jones fan. Perhaps his stint in midfield will help him when he moves back there next to Smalling.
A new CB will probably still be needed though with Rio and eventually Vidic going.
You are probably right that one will be needed. Three centre backs is one too few in my opinion.
Nah, that's the mental Ferguson logic that people bow down to. The only thing that will help Phil Jones is regular games at centre back. Until then, he's just getting older, as is Smalling.
I agree with your last point. Provided Vidic leaves then we should look to get an experienced defender in that is happy to act as cover. We've blocked the path of these guys for too long. Sadly, to the extent whereby they attract a lot of bizarre, unjustified criticism through little fault of their own.
I wouldn't say Evans, Smalling or Jones are particularly inexperienced, so I don't think we need an older defender as many seem to. I don't see why Michael Keane could not cover. Whichever two of the three miss out will be experienced enough cover from the bench.
I meant because he's now played in midfield, it could come in handy playing at the back, next to Smalling. I don't know if Fergie planned on that or not. But yeah, a new CB is definitely needed, with Rio going and maybe Vidic. Mangala or Garay have been linked, even Dante.
Doesn't necessarily have to be old/experienced, as long as its a technically accomplished centre back. The way the game is going, all the big sides seem to have one. (Bayern and Barca even play DM's there of course.)
I think given a season of playing next to each other as first choice CBs, Smalling and Jones would be good enough that we don't need to sign one of these £20 million and more CBs we keep getting linked to, mainly from Portugal right now.
In that scenario we'd have Evans who gives good competition, experience, cover and a more ball playing option as well and it would just be about making sure that if we had an injury to one of the 3/4(with Vidic) players we could cover the situation.
So for me, trust Michael Keane in that backup role and keep Vidic around for the experience in the next season or two, or go sign another Smalling project of a young defender who could make it in a couple of years and will be fine being a backup while he develops. Another Jones would probably be overkill.
Garay, Mangala and all the other CBs being talked about for crazy numbers, I really dont think they'd be significantly better than Smalling or Jones played every single week in their best position for a season. Maybe I'm wrong but from what I've seen yeah they are good but erm... So are Smalling and Jones? And Evans. And despite what some suggest on here, Vidic is still good too.
I wonder if these first 3 players were playing for a Portuguese club every week, would they talked about as £30 million players too?
In that scenario we'd have Evans who gives good competition, experience, cover and a more ball playing option as well and it would just be about making sure that if we had an injury to one of the 3/4(with Vidic) players we could cover the situation.
So for me, trust Michael Keane in that backup role and keep Vidic around for the experience in the next season or two, or go sign another Smalling project of a young defender who could make it in a couple of years and will be fine being a backup while he develops. Another Jones would probably be overkill.
Garay, Mangala and all the other CBs being talked about for crazy numbers, I really dont think they'd be significantly better than Smalling or Jones played every single week in their best position for a season. Maybe I'm wrong but from what I've seen yeah they are good but erm... So are Smalling and Jones? And Evans. And despite what some suggest on here, Vidic is still good too.
I wonder if these first 3 players were playing for a Portuguese club every week, would they talked about as £30 million players too?
Just thought I'd throw this in here for consideration.
I stand by my comments, although they were a bit intense. He is a good defender, and on occasion a very good one. Straws shouldn't be clutched after a decent performance against the divisions bottom team. I maintain the view that on the ball, he is an absolute shambles. Will / has been found out against the better strikers.
A coward or shocking footballer he is not, and I regret saying that. Had been a long day
He definitely needs work on the ball. But a CBs main job is to defend and keep the ball from flying towards his goalkeepers net and he's doing that really well
I stand by my comments, although they were a bit intense. He is a good defender, and on occasion a very good one. Straws shouldn't be clutched after a decent performance against the divisions bottom team. I maintain the view that on the ball, he is an absolute shambles. Will / has been found out against the better strikers.
A coward or shocking footballer he is not, and I regret saying that. Had been a long day
He has defended brilliantly against the League's best teams too. You are implying this is his first good game for us.
Support my campaign!
#SmallingPlusOne
Seeing him play at RB is criminal really, although you can't fault his effort, but he's a natural at CB and should only ever be played there.
Think you're probably right. They almost certainly would.
He's brilliant at what he does well - and fairly terrible at what he doesn't do well. Very far from being a complete defender. Doesn't mean that much, though - the key will be to play him alongside the right partner.
I don't know if we should get another CB in, to be honest. The CB situation isn't clear cut to me. We should strengthen CM first, at any rate, and then see how they look back there. A more cohesive side in general, with a properly functioning midfield, will no doubt benefit those as the back.
I don't know if we should get another CB in, to be honest. The CB situation isn't clear cut to me. We should strengthen CM first, at any rate, and then see how they look back there. A more cohesive side in general, with a properly functioning midfield, will no doubt benefit those as the back.
True, no matter how great defenders are in the back line if you leave them without help from midfield they won't be able to do much.
Same goes for goalkeeper, if defence infront of him isn't doing their job then he'll conceede no matter how many saves he manages to pull out.
We should sort out midfield and give proper chance to someone from Smalling, Evans, Jones combination and see how they're doing before we go for another defender.
And hope to God to never see Smalling playing RB again!