Top player and still only 23 he has a great future ahead of him.
How good is Chris Smalling?
- Thread starter Plechazunga
- Start date
I genuinely think he'll be the best in the world some day. He just has absolutely everything you would ever want in a CB.
Played well again, good to see him back in form.
He's rather good, isn't he! Hope he stays fit and establishes himself for us and England in the next year or so.
Aside from stature, I don't see the resemblance, I'm sorry. Rio was very accomplished technically when he was younger and regularly played in midfield at West Ham. Smalling is a world away from that, but from a pure defending point of view, I don't think I've seen too many better than him at his age.
He's going to be colossal for us.
Its the way he tackles. He's not so much blood and thunder like a Vidic, but just quite graceful the way he nicks the ball off the attackers. Reminds me of the way Rio plays.
IMO He's a mixture of Vida and Rio. His positioning is good but he's a monster in the air.
To be fair i was slightly disappointed when he came on for Evans but after a few minutes you then realise this guy is a monster and has so much potential, and i can see him being in the same league as Ferdinand when he was at his pom a few years ago.
Good performance after coming on, need to stop overreacting on here though. Still has a long way to go.
if he can be even somewhere close to rio once was during his prime then we have a top class center back in our book for years to come.
and he is on the right path.
and he is on the right path.
He seems to take everything in his stride. No matter the occasion or the pressure he just knows he's got what it takes.
When he was one on one with Aguero, I shat a brick. Did well though.
Would be surprised if he doesn't become one of the best defenders in the world.. has most of the attributes needed.
With him, Evans and Jones, SAF has ensured we have the best central defence in Europe after Vidic and Rio sadly move on.
Smalling has it all, he even looks like a young Rio!!!
Smalling has it all, he even looks like a young Rio!!!
One of the few players I've never worried about playing in any game, really inspires confidence just seeing him in the team. He's going to be huge for us in about 18 months time I reckon.
Smalling is really great.
He is tall but also fast and for his size fairly agile.
He has all the the physical attributes needed to become a world class defender and we all know defenders usually get better with experience so I think we can expect he will still improve a lot.
He is tall but also fast and for his size fairly agile.
He has all the the physical attributes needed to become a world class defender and we all know defenders usually get better with experience so I think we can expect he will still improve a lot.
not disappoint but was a little nervous to see how he would handle the intensity and he responded wonderfully. Bags of potential and very excited to see him develop
There was that one point where he ended up exposed with Aguero running at him in the area and I just thought "goal"...then he managed to block Aguero from getting a run on him, hold him up until Rio came back to cover, and then just waited for Aguero to make a move and tackled him by himself anyway. Ridiculously composed defending for someone his age.
That was fantastic.
Huge performance today at a time when we really needed it. He's mint.
Huge performance today at a time when we really needed it. He's mint.
Definitely in De Gea, Rafael, Smalling, Evans and possibly in Jones and Fabio we have the best young defense in the world.
About today, Smalling was brilliant and to be fair I think that SAF will have a lot of trouble to decide who to play in central defense in next few games (with al players available, hoping that Evans injury is not something that will keep him out of side for long).
About today, Smalling was brilliant and to be fair I think that SAF will have a lot of trouble to decide who to play in central defense in next few games (with al players available, hoping that Evans injury is not something that will keep him out of side for long).
Some great moments in todays game. The interception just before handballing it was awesome, as was when he shielded the ball out.
Was a real mountain today. With any consistent fitness I feel he should be in the first team every week. He'll also be an England regular real soon as Roy loves him.
Was worried when Evans came off, but Smalling fitted in effortlessly. Him and Evans are going to be a great future partnership when Rio and Vidic retire. You just back smalling to win everything in the air as well
It's quite amazing that he wasn't a regular for Fulham, when you think about the talent he has. He's going to be one of the best in his positions in the future.
It does not compute with me that he was playing non-league a few seasons back and doesn't look out of place at all against players like Aguero. If we'd bought him for 20m I'd be in a rush to say he's gonna end up one of the best in his position, but it really doesn't seem hyperbolic when he plays as well as he did vs City.
Absolutely superb today. Well done Chris...
Absolutely amazing last ditch tackle on Aguero I think it was.
Absolutely amazing last ditch tackle on Aguero I think it was.
Not to mention his speed and technique! It's really good for a CB.
I've always thought that Smalling is better and more promising than Jones and Evans, but the latter has also played really well, so it's hard to decide which player to go for. I'd put my money on Smalling though.
I guess the(only) good part about Vidic' absence, is that our other CBs get valuable playtime.
I think it was the Dzeko one you mean, right before the corner that led to City's equalizer. Dzeko took it down on his chest and was just about to pull the trigger on his left before Smalling intervened. Was great.
No, the one before that when faced 1 v 1 vs Aguero.
Fantastic defending to slow him down and get the tackle in. Not many would have managed to do that.
Yeah that was superb, I was really shitting it at that point. Anyone have a GIF or video clip?
Ah yes, I recall the Aguero incident, although I was confident Smalling would win that battle at the time I think. The Dzeko one I was shitting it. You just know he would have buried it on his left foot too.
Agreed dzeko scored 1 very similar before.
Smalling is fantastic, personally I don't think he is any worse than rio these days.
For someone his age, the concentration level he plays at is very high. This becomes very evident when our defence came under siege, he just kept clearing the ball out of the box. That aspect reminds me a lot of Vidic in his prime.
I've said it countless times, Smalling is one of my favourite players in this United squad. I have high hopes for him to become a defender that frightens the opposition before playing, like Vidic.
An absolute monster in the air, reads the game like a book, and he has great control of the ball as well. A great goal-threat too! If he just develops his passing a bit, then I see no reason why he can't become the best defender in the world.
An absolute monster in the air, reads the game like a book, and he has great control of the ball as well. A great goal-threat too! If he just develops his passing a bit, then I see no reason why he can't become the best defender in the world.
I'd say he's shown more promise as a player than Rio did at the same age. Which is amazing considering his background.
Rio was the best centre back in world football at least 3 or 4 years. Smalling definitely has the potential to emulate that.
Rio was the best centre back in world football at least 3 or 4 years. Smalling definitely has the potential to emulate that.
Absolute monster yesterday - very impressed.
Off the bench too, which is not easy.
Off the bench too, which is not easy.
this.
im rio's biggest fan, he's the best centre half ive ever seen, certainly in a UNited shirt. However, if there is one criticsm of him, he's not dominant / powerful in the air. Heads the ball a little like crouch.
Smalling however, as KM is awsome in the air.
when you consider the experience he already has, his ability and especially his age, i would go as far as saying i wouldnt swap chris smalling for any centre half in the world.
him and evens will be a superb partnership
People like to try and cast him and Evans as Rio and Vidic, whichever way round they identify them.
For me, they're both a mix. Evans has Rio's brilliant play on the ball, Smalling has his composure and reading of the game. Smalling has Vidic's sense of dominance in the air - that confidence that he is always going to be the one to get his head on anything in our box - and Evans has his aggression and timing in the tackle.
They complement each other perfectly just like Rio and Vidic, but they do so with different combinations of qualities.
For me, they're both a mix. Evans has Rio's brilliant play on the ball, Smalling has his composure and reading of the game. Smalling has Vidic's sense of dominance in the air - that confidence that he is always going to be the one to get his head on anything in our box - and Evans has his aggression and timing in the tackle.
They complement each other perfectly just like Rio and Vidic, but they do so with different combinations of qualities.
I don't know who the clown Mirror reporter who gave the marks for players out of 10 yesterday is but to give 5 for Smalling is ridiculous. 
I'd say Evans' reading of the game is considerably better than Smalling's. And if anything Smalling's touch is better, though Evans has really improved a lot in that respect.
Smalling's quicker, stronger, much more athletic, and really naturally gifted. But Jonny's always had it all in his head, even at 18.