I think they are done. Jose knows too. We desperately need Lindelof to get going.
Smalling and Jones
- Thread starter podurban2
- Start date
The midfield was awful for sure. But their performances were equally bad.
They are good enough for 80% of the games but they are well short of the class needed at the highest level in these big games and in CL. They might be ok alongside a class CB like how Evans was fine alongside Vidic.
I think the next signing should be a commanding CB. Bonucci?
The spine of the team can't be this weak.
The spine of the team can't be this weak.
Both of these cannot play a forward pass to save their lives. The moment they get into pressure, they panic and shoot themselves on the foot. Such a set of messy players
Ur problem was midfield, Pogba simply doesn't have the discipline to play deep.
Both are useless against the top sides like Spurs.
Jones has put in some proper good performances when he has a no-nonsense partner like Bailly. Smalling on the other hand hasn't been the same since legally changing his name to Chris 
.
.I know this is the Smalling and Jones thread but if Lindelof and Rojo don’t get a start Saturday they’ll be feeling hard done for sure.
We are still tied with City for the best defensive record in the league so far.
We haven't had a commanding CB for many years now. Smalling and Jones have been up and down with their form for years. In big games you need your CB's to be good on the ball but unfortunately neither Smalling or Jones is of the required standard. But having said that, Smalling was decent in the game and did ok. Jones cost us the game. We really should be on the lookout for a Vidic/Godin type to play next to Bailly.
Rojo and Bailly as a duo over these two. Having said that, I quite rate Smalling and Jones, just not together.
Bailly and Jones is the best centre back partnership I've seen in our defence so far this season. With regards to Smalling and Jones, I would sell Jones keep Smalling, Jones is just way to prone to shocking mistakes, and with Smalling, whilst he is no Gerard Pique, I actually feel as though he is good enough on the ball to certainly not be a liability like some here make him out to be. Furthermore he makes up for this by actually being a good defender, rarely can I fault him for goals we've conceded this season. The big one that sticks out is that late equaliser for that super frustrating Leicester draw.
Ultimately, I think we need to find a good partner for Bailly, who I hope doesn't turn out to be injury prone over the coming seasons like he kinda has been this season. Rojo for me has been the best partner to Bailly I've seen since Bailly arrived, if Rojo can rediscover his form from last season, seeing as since Rojo has returned from that very serious long-term injury, hes looked a shadow of the player he was last season where he finally seemed to nail down the centre back position for Argentina in the later on in the season. Rojo has looked poor so far this season but I still think he can get back to that level.
Ultimately, I think we need to find a good partner for Bailly, who I hope doesn't turn out to be injury prone over the coming seasons like he kinda has been this season. Rojo for me has been the best partner to Bailly I've seen since Bailly arrived, if Rojo can rediscover his form from last season, seeing as since Rojo has returned from that very serious long-term injury, hes looked a shadow of the player he was last season where he finally seemed to nail down the centre back position for Argentina in the later on in the season. Rojo has looked poor so far this season but I still think he can get back to that level.
Jones cost us the game. Smalling just didn't allow us a chance to go up and try save the game.
Jones has potential, but with all the injuries he can't grow and iron out his brain farce. At this time, we're desperate for a CB to reach maturity. And Jones despite some great performance on other day ain't reliable enough in a long run.
Smalling ball playing ability is nothing new. Conceded early forcing us to go for attack made us play into Tottenham hands, I can understand. However, today for some reason he looks scared to close down Kane and other Tottenham attacker. Kane easily turned and ran at our goal without much resistance quite few times despite it's clear Smalling's job is to stick to him. He was supposed to be our man marking specialist but god know who he tried to mark today.
Jones has potential, but with all the injuries he can't grow and iron out his brain farce. At this time, we're desperate for a CB to reach maturity. And Jones despite some great performance on other day ain't reliable enough in a long run.
Smalling ball playing ability is nothing new. Conceded early forcing us to go for attack made us play into Tottenham hands, I can understand. However, today for some reason he looks scared to close down Kane and other Tottenham attacker. Kane easily turned and ran at our goal without much resistance quite few times despite it's clear Smalling's job is to stick to him. He was supposed to be our man marking specialist but god know who he tried to mark today.
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Bring back Blind and Bailly.
Smalling just isn't cut out for some games imo.
Against a team that wants to press high its just too easy to let him have the ball and mark everyone else.
Any vaguely complicated pass hes liable to feck up and give the ball back to you (realistically he just wont try it and will go back to de gea)
Don't give Jones or Matic time on the ball and we wind up with De Gea playing route one football and its too damn easy to force with Smalling in the team.
We got away with it with Blind in the team but even then it was a weakness with every single DM struggling for us.
Spectacular at defending but its a crippling weakness he has there.
Jones has had a lot of brainfarts and cock ups this season.
I think on his day hes probably our best cb but between the injuries and the days hes been really, really poor this season ...
I dont know. Needs to get his head out of his ass dont think theres any more to it.
I rated Bailly and Rojo a lot more for us last season.
Against a team that wants to press high its just too easy to let him have the ball and mark everyone else.
Any vaguely complicated pass hes liable to feck up and give the ball back to you (realistically he just wont try it and will go back to de gea)
Don't give Jones or Matic time on the ball and we wind up with De Gea playing route one football and its too damn easy to force with Smalling in the team.
We got away with it with Blind in the team but even then it was a weakness with every single DM struggling for us.
Spectacular at defending but its a crippling weakness he has there.
Jones has had a lot of brainfarts and cock ups this season.
I think on his day hes probably our best cb but between the injuries and the days hes been really, really poor this season ...
I dont know. Needs to get his head out of his ass dont think theres any more to it.
I rated Bailly and Rojo a lot more for us last season.
They are fine in most games. Jones had a brain fart and it cost us but most CBs will have a few of those over the course of their career. But Jones was perhaps not the main problem - Spurs had all the time and space in the world to pick their passes from central midfield and create something, giving our defence and keeper far more to do than is reasonable to expect from them.
People like to pick out Pogba but the truth is none of our midfield, Lingard or the wingers were impressive defensively. And that includes Matic who even though he did make 5 tackles and 1 interception - a very good amount in most games, in a bunch of Spurs attacks he left something to be desired with his pressing and closing down of opponents. Yes Pogba was very expensive. But for a defensive midfielder Matic was also expensive at his age so we must have seen him as a top class defensive addition to the team and yesterday much like on several other occasions this season that hasnt been the case. I still think overall he's been a good CM this season but in terms of specifically addressing defensive concerns I dont think he's been much of an improvement over Ander. Then theres the wingers - Two players who are really strikers... And made 1 tackle and 1 interception between them both, Martial and Sanchez. And then yes there's Pogba too who we know is a bit light on defensive duty but so was Paul Scholes. We had to balance that out with the right kind of CM next to him and wingers who didnt just attack.
People like to pick out Pogba but the truth is none of our midfield, Lingard or the wingers were impressive defensively. And that includes Matic who even though he did make 5 tackles and 1 interception - a very good amount in most games, in a bunch of Spurs attacks he left something to be desired with his pressing and closing down of opponents. Yes Pogba was very expensive. But for a defensive midfielder Matic was also expensive at his age so we must have seen him as a top class defensive addition to the team and yesterday much like on several other occasions this season that hasnt been the case. I still think overall he's been a good CM this season but in terms of specifically addressing defensive concerns I dont think he's been much of an improvement over Ander. Then theres the wingers - Two players who are really strikers... And made 1 tackle and 1 interception between them both, Martial and Sanchez. And then yes there's Pogba too who we know is a bit light on defensive duty but so was Paul Scholes. We had to balance that out with the right kind of CM next to him and wingers who didnt just attack.
Jones mistakes cost us 2 goals, and put the team under pressure. Our midfield couldn’t cope. So who is to blame? Smalling.
how about Maguire or Salif Sane? To partner with Baily or both
Edit: Koulibaly can be a good shout too
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Who does Salif Sane play for?how about Maguire or Salif Sane? To partner with Baily or both
Jones was excellent this season except this game. Smalling was awful forever. Can’t believe we still keep a brainless defender on our team so damn long.
Hanover. I havent watched him either, just heard good things about him. Surely, there are good Center halves that are good in defending without being sh*t in passing. Koulibaly can be a good shout.
I'll keep a watch over Salif Sane, sounds Senegalese..
Koulibaly would be very good indeed.
Our defending is generally very good and has been for years. Smalling and Jones (and Mourinho) are a big part of that and deserve credit.
For comparison, City are capable of capable of conceding two goals. They're also capable of scoring three.
That's the difference. That's our real issue.
Agreed. Only difference is that he just passed it back to DDG, who proceeded to lose it instead.
What a crazy thread. They have been in fantastic form of late and hadn't conceded a goal for the entire month of January before yesterday.
They were left completely exposed against Spurs. It was one of the worst midfield performances I have seen from a United team.
They were left completely exposed against Spurs. It was one of the worst midfield performances I have seen from a United team.
They got barely any protection last night, Matic had a nightmare, I don't think Jones and Smalling were at their best, but the whole team was setup to fail.
Football is a team game, whether defending or attacking, so how can the defence plus Matic be held responsible for the shocking lack of support from the likes of Pogba, Sanchez, and Martial
Jones + in form Rojo. Or fit Bailly plus in form anyone, are our best combinations. Bailly and Jones would be my choice, maybe Bailly/Lindefof next season.
Yeah, this is entirely correct. Anyone having a pop at either is living in bizzaro world.
I do worry about Smalling on the ball and Jones' concentration, but they were hung out to dry by a turnstyle midfield and Jones in particular suffered from a woeful Young being targeted in the first half.
Internet forums are filled with short-sighted fools, one cannot possibly change opinion from one day to the next. First of all; Bailly is injured and we have to play a reserve, that’s the reality. Secondly, it’s literally one day since Jones was heralded as the best defender in the league this season in other threads. One day! An own-goal, although diabolical, does not change the fact. We have kept the most clean sheets this season - please remember that.
Jones is a very good defender and can keep the ball under control, unlike Smalling who is a good header of the ball but undortunately not very good at passing it around. As far as defenders go, we have the best or second best bunch around in this league. Bailly, Jones, Rojo, Smalling trumps everything else on paper - except for maybe City’s line-up with Kompany, Otmendi, Laporte and Stones. Go one year back and that lot was ridiculded as well.
A defensive unit looks crap when the team is losing its midfield
Jones is a very good defender and can keep the ball under control, unlike Smalling who is a good header of the ball but undortunately not very good at passing it around. As far as defenders go, we have the best or second best bunch around in this league. Bailly, Jones, Rojo, Smalling trumps everything else on paper - except for maybe City’s line-up with Kompany, Otmendi, Laporte and Stones. Go one year back and that lot was ridiculded as well.
A defensive unit looks crap when the team is losing its midfield
The two goals had nothing to do with the midfield.
Both were poor last night.
Overall, Jones id like to see paired with Bailly. Jones has enough about him if hes paired with a better defender wed be okay.
Smallings weakness is being in possession, thats too big a weakness to ignore and it affects us too much for him to be a regular starter especially more obvious in the bigger games. Its strange how he has to move his whole body in the direction of where he wants to make a pass, it slows us down too much
Overall, Jones id like to see paired with Bailly. Jones has enough about him if hes paired with a better defender wed be okay.
Smallings weakness is being in possession, thats too big a weakness to ignore and it affects us too much for him to be a regular starter especially more obvious in the bigger games. Its strange how he has to move his whole body in the direction of where he wants to make a pass, it slows us down too much
Brainless. Can't build up and pass the ball. We need better.
Every manager we’ve had has come to realise that we can’t play open attacking football because we simply don’t have the defenders. Our defensive record and clean sheets are down to the fact that Jose and LVG before him, have had to ask the whole team to play defensive to compensate for the poor defenders we still have. LVG signed Blind and Rojo to resolve the problem both aren’t good enough and now Jose has signed Bailly and Lindelof who haven’t really excelled albeit Bailly has been down to injuries.
Until we replace Smalling, Jones, Young and even Valencia with quality defenders (that aren’t permanently injured) we simply aren’t going to be able to play the open, free flowing, attacking football we all crave.
Until we replace Smalling, Jones, Young and even Valencia with quality defenders (that aren’t permanently injured) we simply aren’t going to be able to play the open, free flowing, attacking football we all crave.
Has to be one or the other for me. Individually they’re rarely that bad when paired with a Bailly or Rojo or even Lindelof. But together they are simply braindead.
Smalling is limited but good at what he does - keep for the squad.
Jones can have a decent run but even this season, one of his better, he makes unforgivable mistakes. He should be upgraded. Leicester goal is still shocking weeks later.
Jones can have a decent run but even this season, one of his better, he makes unforgivable mistakes. He should be upgraded. Leicester goal is still shocking weeks later.
Never again. When one plays, there is a chance of a feck up. When they play together, it's never in doubt. Bailly and Rojo or Bailly and Lindelof (let him bed in) would be way better. Even Blind is better because he may be slow but at least he reads the game. Can you imagine him doing what Jones did for the second goal? No
They are not the spine of our team..Its always the mid !!!..try to understand football first please.
It was really evident that the mid was close to noon existent yesterday and kept on exposing Smalling and Jones time and time again. Young was utter garbage today which didn't help either ! Simple 2-3 passes through the middle they are running at the defense. What the feck is that ? Players have the responsibility to show some fight which was clearly missing too. And the game showed what Pogba is lacking. That was an utter garbage performance from that man !!
They were exposed time and time again and on top of that even if they want to pass there was no fecking red shirt who was in space to receive the pass. You can try and replace them with anyone but I can guarantee you that the new one's will be going to look more shaky and shitty !
Well Samlling and Jones was the easy target for a number of years now...Feel bad for them actually..