Smalling displaced a blind in very good form, I also think those stories about him being a coward or mourinho wanting to sell him (or even shaw) are a load of drivel. The man plays injured and then is called cowardly, typical media.
16
Season Average Rating
- Appearances
- 41
- Clean sheets
- 16
- Goals
- 1
- Assists
- 2
- Yellow cards
- 6
- Status
Exactly. He took injections to play two games. Far from a coward. He's not going anywhere and neither is Shaw
I agree. Smalling is overhyped. He is not miles better than Rojo. Bailly and Jones are both better than Smalling and Rojo this season showed better performances than Smalling too.
I dont understand why this is an either/or. People are allowed to rate both or neither player. I'm very glad Rojo is playing so well and he's clearly a decent centre half but I still think he's our 4th best one.
It's not an either/or. I rate Smalling, he has been poor to average this season though, whereas Rojo has been nothing short of immense lately. Stupid to just drop Rojo when Smalling returns when Rojo has been a huge part of why we've been doing well as of late.
You have to play the hot hand and that's Rojo he is performing every game, he's had 2 bad tackles but has stopped 2 of the biggest strikers in the league from scoring lately, he shut down Kane by himself.
Rojo is in good form but if he got a red card for those 2 tackles I bet the opinion in here would be VERY different. Being a top CB is about consistency and staying out of trouble, he needs to learn that.
Smalling was great for us all last year apart from 2/3 matches, people need to remember that. I am happy to persist with Jones and Rojo while they play well, but if the feck it up then Bailly and Smalling will be waiting.
Smalling was great for us all last year apart from 2/3 matches, people need to remember that. I am happy to persist with Jones and Rojo while they play well, but if the feck it up then Bailly and Smalling will be waiting.
That depends. Smalling will get some time on the pitch when he comes back. If he does better than Rojo or Jones in that time then he should play the next game IMO.
Certainly, every player in our squad bar DDG, Pogba and probably Herrera as of late should be worried they can be replaced in the first team. If Smalling returns and performs, he should play, the same way Rojo who is currently performing should remain in the team though.
Madness, I just wouldn't do that, as it would aggravate the injuries. I don't think that makes one a coward either.
Not true at all. Many of the top CBs have been carded many times. Vidic Montero Ramos etc. Even midfielders like Keane and all too.
feck off paddy power 
Sell him to China whilst his stock is high.
Referees are going to be ready to card him based on those 2 challenges now, every tackle he makes is going to be under intense scrutiny.
I'm not surprised Mourinho is ready to play Smalling while the spotlight is on Rojo for the wrong reasons.
I'm not surprised Mourinho is ready to play Smalling while the spotlight is on Rojo for the wrong reasons.
You're talking crap. Vidic didn't get sent off regularly, only those 2 games against Torres. Ramos isn't a top CB in my eyes.
The best like canavarro, terry, Ferdinand, nesta, bonucci etc don't get sent off regularly. They make tackles cleanly.
Yes sometimes it's impossible to avoid cards, but the top ones don't put themselves in that sort of immediate danger from a stupid tackle.
Vidic got 8 red cards playing for us. Terry got 7 playing for Chelsea. And I'm sure they have many other instances where they miraculously escaped getting sent off too. Being the best doesn't really mean anything in terms of cards. Paolo Montero had 16 red cards and he was juve s pillar for 10 years. It's just the way they play tackling hard.
West Brom 0:2 Man Utd
What the hell has happened to this guy? Used to be a running joke with me and the guys I go to the game with when we saw he was playing. Now he looks pretty damn solid at the back and can play a decent ball forward from time to time too.
Just form or is it confidence?
Just form or is it confidence?
Playing in his actual position and getting a run of games. He's a joke at left back, where LvG seemed to prefer him. In the centre he's never really put a foot wrong, not even right at the start.
What? LVG bought him to be a CB - he was then dropped for Blind after some bad matches. You lot will tarnish anything LVG does
Booked for being slapped. That's a first!
I seem to remember him getting injured against City? That's why he fell out of the first team.
I'm not tarnishing LvG at all. I am saying LvG preferred him at LB than CB, which he did, because he played him there significantly more than at centre back.
LvG picks the team and the stats don't lie. 20 appearances at centre back. 33 appearances at left back. in 15/16, he only played at CB 3 times, and only played a full 90 minutes there once.
Rojo 
Outstanding today and motm. Disappointed Hargreaves hasn't given him the credit he deserves.
His best performance for us I reckon. Absolutely Rondon rattled too.
Another dominant performance. We need players like him, with an edge to their game, feck being nice!
He's getting better every game.
Really shocked both him and Jones are looking this good. He looked careless and sloppy before this season but he is becoming a lot more reliable. Really good game for him today, one of our better players.
Rojo and Jones, what the hell. Love it.
BT commentary were saing "Rojo doesn't strike me as the kind of character to let that go" when Rondon was barking at him, when it was quite the opposite, and Hargreaves corrected him. Rojo was excellent there. He just let Rondon lose it and didn't really react at all. He was very harshly booked when it was Rojo who was shoved and then slapped. Rojo did nothing.
He was excellent today. What is most surprising about him is his composure. Looks incredibly comfortable in all situations. Doesn't dive in or try to win balls that aren't there to be won. His defensive performance so far have been dominant, but his overall play has been very intelligent and calm. I'm a big fan of Smalling, but I don't see how he gets back in to this side yet, because Jones has been equally as good.
He was excellent today. What is most surprising about him is his composure. Looks incredibly comfortable in all situations. Doesn't dive in or try to win balls that aren't there to be won. His defensive performance so far have been dominant, but his overall play has been very intelligent and calm. I'm a big fan of Smalling, but I don't see how he gets back in to this side yet, because Jones has been equally as good.
What a turnaround! Been great recently and fantastic today.
Impressed with how he dealt with the slap
Rojo
Did he show a level like this in Portugal? I am shocked tbf, he looks like a £40m CB.
His best game in a Utd shirt
He is undroppable currently. Well done.
Love the guy. Great to see him develop under Mourinho.
Plenty of people here wanted him sold.
He's brilliant. What a turnaround
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