How good is Chris Smalling?

I think we have a real quality player, who in years to come will dominate his opponents. At this stage he is still learning and you can see how he approaches the game. He is thinking and concentrating 100% of the time.

He looks like he wants to do well and that can only assist him in his development.
 
Smalling like Rooney will make his transfer fee look like a pittance in the years to come. His growth has been quite simply incredible.

He and Jones are like some weird joke, and to think one could have been playing for Arsenal, while the other for Liverpool.
 
Wayne_Rooney said:
He wasn't even playing in his natural position and he contained the Prem player of the year with ease as well as making runs down the right.

Our defence :drool:
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Indeed. Maybe not his natural position, but I'm wondering about his best. I'll reserve judgement for a while, but he looks like a terrific right-back, his pace and attacking threat are incredibly useful.
 
I just hope his versatility doesn't stop him from playing at CB consistently because he's outstanding in the center.
 
I thought he showed as much commitment as anyone yesterday. An absolute genius signing by Fergie - in an era of of near-impossible to manage players who get too much too young, here's a guy who really, really knows what it means to play for United, and England.
 
Can't help but feel he is wasted at RB though. Not getting to show the full range of his talents.

He looks like a CB playing at full back. You can usually get away with it for a few games but not for an entire season.
 
I think it's time to move him back to CB, he never looks completely confident or comfortable on the ball on the right, can't understand why fergie has completely abandoned the twins.
 
Walrus said:
I think it's time to move him back to CB, he never looks completely confident or comfortable on the ball on the right, can't understand why fergie has completely abandoned the twins.
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That's actually bollocks to be fair. He's had some brilliant games at right back, comfortable on the ball, positionally aware and supportive of his winger. Don't re-write history because he's not in the same form.
 
Ole's_toe_poke said:
Can't help but feel he is wasted at RB though. Not getting to show the full range of his talents.

He looks like a CB playing at full back. You can usually get away with it for a few games but not for an entire season.
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He had an off game and lacks experience. He has every talent to play at RB.

And we got away with Wes Brown playing at RB for an entire season and he was an inferior player to what Smalling has the potential to become.
 
Pexbo said:
That's actually bollocks to be fair. He's had some brilliant games at right back, comfortable on the ball, positionally aware and supportive of his winger. Don't re-write history because he's not in the same form.
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Agree with that.

He had a great start to the season at right back and was even selected there at International level due to his form out there for us.
 
Siorac said:
He had an off game and lacks experience. He has every talent to play at RB.

And we got away with Wes Brown playing at RB for an entire season and he was an inferior player to what Smalling has the potential to become.
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And importantly he's an inferior player on the ball to what Smalling is already. He's very much a centre back, we all know that, but he's showing himself to be a very capable fullback. I reckon Jones should be ahead of him there though.
 
Siorac said:
He had an off game and lacks experience. He has every talent to play at RB.

And we got away with Wes Brown playing at RB for an entire season and he was an inferior player to what Smalling has the potential to become.
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I never said he doesn't have the talent to play there. Just that he is more suited to being a CB.
 
Yeah, I agree that he's more suited to CB and Jones should be ahead of him at RB.
 
Pexbo said:
That's actually bollocks to be fair. He's had some brilliant games at right back, comfortable on the ball, positionally aware and supportive of his winger. Don't re-write history because he's not in the same form.
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Well I've thought that for the last few games, not just yesterday. He's had some great games at RB but it's not really his position. Players like smalling, jones or Rooney you can play almost anywhere and they will do a job, they are naturally talented, but you can see when he is playing there that he isn't 100% comfortable.
 
I think Smalling's really struggled at RB since his return from injury. His passing is a bit off, he dwells on the ball too long, almost never gets to the by-line and, crucially, isn't even defending very well. The amount of time and space City had over-lapping on our left was the single biggest reason they scored their opening goal. Milner was almost at the edge of our 6 yard box by the time Smalling got close to him.

He's such a cultured central defender, far better reader of the game than Jones IMO. Was head and shoulders better than him throughout the U-21s tournament in the summer and put in a string of brilliant performances for us in the centre last season.

Jones, on the other hand, is more dynamic and direct, more comfortable running with the ball and has a really good cross on him to boot.

It's a mystery to me why Jones isn't playing preferred at full-back and Smalling in the centre.
 
Worried when Evans went off, but Smalling was marvellous. What a performance.
 
He dominated their attackers. What a player.
 
When he he shielded the ball from Aguero and had a go at De Gea, loved that. Great passion and great defender already.
 
Brilliant. Will no doubt be a starter for club and country soon enough.
 
Smalling stood real tall when he came on. Some of the tackles and interceptions he made were top quality.
 
Was worried when Evans came off as he'd been playing well and it wasn't ideal to have a cold player coming on in that position but he was excellent.
 
I don't understand how Smalling is so good. He was playing non-league only three seasons ago, and now is dominating against some of the best attackers in the world.

He's a freak.
 
Fantastic performance when he came on. Plays very much like a young Rio.
 
Saw the same sort of performance today we've seen from him in 90% of the games he's played for us, only this time against 100s of millions of pounds worth of talent. He's amazing.

Even in that last game against City when he lost out to Kompany for the goal he was top class.
 
Chris Smalling. Future United legend. He and Vidic together will be virtually impregnable. And yes, I do choose my words carefully!
 
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