That's because we were the most negative and boring team in the league. You could have swapped Smalling with almost any other defender and the results would have been the same.
James Ducker: United prepared to listen to offers for Smalling
- Thread starter Paxi
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All good points. Jose is the best in the business for building defences. He likes a certain type of 'warrior' defender as he calls it. A John Terry or a Vidic etc. Players who will put their face infront of a swinging boot if they have to. Smalling is not that type of defender. He's more gifted than Jones and Rojo at many things but they have shown to have that warrior quality that Jose likes which is something Smalling seems to lack. Smalling would fit in at Arsenal - a club where a defender being able to pass well is considered more important than a defender who will die for the team even if they don't have the best first touch etc and Arsenal under Wegner are usually pretty on the eye but soft as can be at the back
You've kind of put Smalling in a box that he's not in. He may not be a warrior but he is far from a good passer. Rojo is a warrior but he can pass well. It's not neither or.
Surely if we're going to sell a CB it would be Jones?
Makes no sense selling Smalling. He's the better of the two and isn't injured every other week.
Would be disappointed if we sold him.
Makes no sense selling Smalling. He's the better of the two and isn't injured every other week.
Would be disappointed if we sold him.
Totally agree with you. 7 out of 10 times, Smalling will boot the ball out of touch.
This doesn't fill me with much confidence
Incredible reading some of the absolute negativity on here concerning Smalling. Last season he was voted the 'Players Player' of the year but then fans know far more than players don't they.
So true
Have you ever seen a rock?
I agree Smalling has to go but signing Keane isn't the smartest idea. He's a bit younger and is better on the ball but he really isn't much of an upgrade on Smallng or Jones. He's not constantly injured but there's no guarantee he won't get hit with the curse once he's been here for a few months.
Also, he looks good for burnley as he gets so much protection from the rest of the defence. Ramp up the pressure of playing for a team as scrutinised as Utd and I'm not confident he will be able to handle it.
The question is would we be even looking at him if he wasn't English and an ex-player? I don't think so.
We need to be looking for two defenders who will make a big difference to our defence.
Also, he looks good for burnley as he gets so much protection from the rest of the defence. Ramp up the pressure of playing for a team as scrutinised as Utd and I'm not confident he will be able to handle it.
The question is would we be even looking at him if he wasn't English and an ex-player? I don't think so.
We need to be looking for two defenders who will make a big difference to our defence.
The only rock smalling can replace is in baywatch
I just heard Smalling was in Belfast partying for McNairs birthday few weeks ago when he was meant to be 'injured'
Jones has been a step above Smalling this year though. He's also 2 years younger.
When? I'd rather Johnny Evans in the team.
The majority of those players just vote for their friends.
There's no way Valencia or Herrera was better than Zlatan this season. No chance.
Disappointed about Smalling, but cannot argue if he's sold. He was amazing for the first half of last season and I really hoped he would be able to maintain that form, but neither he nor Jones can ever be consistent. Wouldn't mind seeing both of them off this summer honestly, a new starting CB was already high on the priority transfer list, so I don't see losing one or both as that big of a deal.
Last season when we had the best defence in the league and he was voted players player of the year?
He's had more good games than Michael Keane anyway.
When fit Smalling is the superior player to Keane. I see no reason to sell Smalling for 20m and buy Keane for 25m. If we sell Smalling I hope we bring a better player than Keane.
Keane will be more exposed to pacy strikers running at him at United than at Burnley.
And it is Jones who is a sick note, not Smalling, and I am not convinced that Jones' positional sense is superior to Smalling's or Keane's.
Sadly enough, people who defend Smalling only have last season to defend him, what about his remaining career with us ?
Is he better than Jones though? ofc he is. And besides football is so fickle, what did Rojo ever do before this season? what did Michael Keane ever do before this season?
If you want to replace Smalling then fair enough, but replacing him with someone like Keane is just taking a sideways step.
Can't wait till he's out the door; beyond average as I've said for years.
No he's not really better than Jones in anything except his injury record. Don't get me wrong because I see Jones is a mediocre defender as well and both should be out but can't think of any attribute Smalling is better in it than Jones maybe except speed.
Rojo has been here 2 seasons only before this one, and he got a shoulder dislocation injury in both. Smalling has been here for, guess what ? 7 seasons and he did only one good season really no comparison at all.
"I'd rather sell Jones"
Can we not sell both or am I missing something?
Can we not sell both or am I missing something?
Last season when we finished 5th, 15 points behind Leicester? Surprised Real and Barça weren't in for him.
Keane is a better defender and only for van Gaal would still be here.
But youre right, we need better than those two to challenge for the League.
Our play under Mourinho hasn't been much different. We only scored 3 goals less at this time last season and in LVG's first season we scored 10 more goals at this point. We've also been accused of playing dour defensive football and parking the bus. If anything LVG was more adventurous against the bigger teams ( 3-2 win over Arsenal, impressive high (as in more than 1 goal) scoring wins over Liverpool and Manchester City. Mourinho has only played to avoid defeat in big games save for the Chelsea win. I don't see a vast improvement. Our only consistent creative player is Pogba. Herrera has become more influential but he's lost his goal scoring touch that he had under LVG, and the rest of our midfielders are side pass merchants. Smalling's contributions from last season are just being down played to fit the narrative. He wasn't voted player of the year by his own teammates for no reason. Jones and Rojo are yet to have a full season like that
Smalling is the most vanilla defender we've ever had. He's like a 99 without the flake.
His injury record his absolutely horrendous though. He simply cannot be relied upon for a season, let alone half a season.
And people are praising Rojo and Jones to the heavens and we've ended 6th with almost the same number of points from last season and currently 24 points behind the champions and 17 behind SPurs, 7 behind Livershit. How did we do when DDG was voted player of the year three seasons running? You can't take that accolade from the player
Smalling's career resume at United:
Decent --- Vulnerable --- Bad --- Suspended --- Good ---- Great ---- Injury --- Repeat
Last year he was playing good - great in longer period than any other season and after his injury he will be back at decent performance
I'm not saying he is the one to blame in defense but he can't lead at the back as we expected with this form
Decent --- Vulnerable --- Bad --- Suspended --- Good ---- Great ---- Injury --- Repeat
Last year he was playing good - great in longer period than any other season and after his injury he will be back at decent performance
I'm not saying he is the one to blame in defense but he can't lead at the back as we expected with this form
So closer than this season then? Keane is playing for the team in 15th place with a wank defensive record it means nothing.....surprised he's not at Real also.
Lets agree to disagree. I think Smalling is twice the player Keane is and that's not saying much because I think Smalling should be a squad player. We should be looking for a new first team CB to partner Baily, Michael Keane isn't good enough.
Agreed; for a club with so much money and of such a size, the names being mentioned in connection with it are underwhelming. You really wonder how much of the club's soul SAF took away into retirement with him
Smalling should have been the answer in many ways- he's quick, he's tall, has a deceptive strength about him, he can pass the ball (at one time thought he'd like Rio)... but he has a weird misjudgement of the flight of the ball and constantly losses out on aerial duels. In a country where crosses and headed goals count for so much, this kills it for him. Unfortunately he's not improving and he seems set in his ways and am not surprised it's bye-bye time for him
personally I think getting Keane is simply upsetting the likes of chelsea and Liverpool who have been heavily linked with him for a while now; really don't rate him that much at all
Would rather see Jones and Darnian go first.
Yes Mike better feck off.
If we sell Smalling, I hope we get both Keane and Lindelof, or someone else
Keane might be decent, but its a big risk to bet on him while getting rid of an established player like Smalling
Keane might be decent, but its a big risk to bet on him while getting rid of an established player like Smalling
Wenger will still probably jump on Smalling if we put him out of the market. I get a feeling Wenger will managed to sneak into top 4 again and stay.
Keane won't really be an upgrade though.
Keane won't really be an upgrade though.
Been thinking about this a lot. I would have absolute no problem letting Smalling and Jones go, and promote Tuanzebe and Forsu Mensha as replacements. Then to sign one experienced top class CB
Then we go with x1 another Rojo, Bailly, Blind, Forsu Mensah and Tuanzebe
I honestly dont think we would miss them both
Then we go with x1 another Rojo, Bailly, Blind, Forsu Mensah and Tuanzebe
I honestly dont think we would miss them both
Has to be Smalling over Jones all day long if only one is going, but happy enough to see them both out of the door now, sad really because Jones really flattered to deceive mid season with that run of games, thought Jose had finally sorted him out, the talent is there imo, Smalling however is a lost cause.