Sad to say but absolutely without confidence. A shadow of himself.
35
Season Average Rating
- Appearances
- 17
- Clean sheets
- 9
- Goals
- 0
- Assists
- 0
- Yellow cards
- 1
Not good enough. If we had brought in a few defenders this season, I'd want him booted out as part of the deadwood.
Two brainfarts from him today.
Two brainfarts from him today.
For someone who's meant to be good with the ball, he's been dreadful the last 2 games. Should not play when Rojo is sorted out.
Our worst defender, he is just average. He wouldnt be misplaced at Hull.
Terrible today. I'm usually a fan of his, but he was absolutely awful today, and has been all season.
I actually dislike him at this stage. It makes me angry to see his name in the team sheet. Such a waste of space.
Was he drinking last night, that was terrible
Can we sell him? He finds it incredibly difficult to pass to his own teammates. At least if we were a man down there'd be no one to give the ball away outside our own box.
Our best defender eh? 
Good on the ball? Not right now he isn't. He pisses his pants in possession with any pressure on him.
Right now Jones is the only CB I trust.
Right now Jones is the only CB I trust.
Can't help but laugh at those who say he's our best defender. Can't make simple passes, takes an hour to decide who he wants to pass to, average defending and so fecking slow.
All of those two games he's featured in. I don't what makes today's performance terrible? I thought he was good defensively and that it was his distribution (especially under pressure) which was his weak point today. He really needs to just hoof the ball up the field next time, rather than risk exposing us further by dwelling on the ball.
The Cleverley of CB
Doesn't look good enough to be a backup CB for us.
Doesn't look good enough to be a backup CB for us.
Ball playing CB people call him. Yeah right.
Terrible again today.
He just plays the ball to the pressing attacker, normally in a brilliant position.
Crap.
He's supposed to be our most experienced defender and a leader at the back. He's showing none of those characteristics so far. Just looks nervous all the time and dallies on the ball.
Another poor performance. Probably our worst CB atm.
There's no probably about it. Jones and Blackett are miles better and there's no way Smalling can be worse.
He looks a leader when Vidic and Rio were there holding his hand.
Every time he is under pressure, he can't pass. Either he plays a stupid back pass and adds pressure on the keeper or he tries something stupid and gets caught out. Why are so scared when you have the ball and someone runs at you? This was how he was three years ago as well. Every time he got the ball, he played it back to the keeper. Thought he grew out of it. Pathetic first two performances of the year.
Genuinely diabolical defending from him. It's not even a question of ability anymore, he needs to get out of his slump and needs to stop making suicidal mistakes at the back. Growing a pair to lead the back four would be lovely, but at times it almost like he has bet against the team and is throwing the match.
Rojo should be replacing him instead of Blackett
Rojo should be replacing him instead of Blackett
What has happened to him? He was so assured and confident in possession before this season and he's suddenly turned into a nervous wreck.
Confidence has clearly been smashed to pieces. He needs to sort it out though because we need our CBs to be on their game.
He has always looked suspect when Rio or Vidic haven't been next to him.
He's the last guy I expected to struggle in a back 3 given his footballing abilities. I feel those are wasted too with him not playing in the middle of the back 3. I can though understand the reasoning behind playing Jones through the middle as he is more solid defensively.
If we are going to persist with this back 3 then he has to play in the center of the 3, he's lost as wider CB that requires more one on one duels and more speed and mobility than he has.
At least if he's out wide, he doesn't give the ball away directly in front of goal so they have some work left to do.
Spinless fecking performance. Absolutely pathetic by one of our most senior players.
It's worth pointing out that he's just back from injury but Evans has always had a mistake in him. I still think he's probably one of our best 2 centre halves although that shows just how far we've dropped off from when Rio and Vidic were in their pop. He's not a leader either albeit no one in the current squad is, it's depressing how little character we seem to have.
He is beneficial for the opposing team to have on the pitch.
Slightly better performance than against MK Dons. Still intent on gifting opponents the ball near our goal. Amazed we managed to keep a clean sheet. Hopefully he will find his form very soon as otherwise he'll find himself sat on the subs bench most of the season.
Silver linings I guess then.He's the most experienced defender at the club. Just let that sink in.
The mistakes are one obvious thing that is alarming about him. But even when he isn't making them, he's so slow to actually decide what to do with and play the ball.
Center back struggling to regain form in recovery from lengthy injuries shocker.
I'm going to give him the benefit of the doubt and say he's ring rusty and when you take into account he's coming back when there's a new system or style of play being thought I think it's understandable enough that he's and others too (he's not the only one at it) is making such silly errors. As a unit our defence has looked all over the place since the start of the season. I'd be confident enough that time will iron out all the problems at the back.
He looks better when he has a commanding player next to him. A bit of responsibility and he shits himself.
Even when fully fit and on form, he's not exactly a feared and coveted world beater. He's endemic of the level the club have been accepting for the last couple of years.