Oh come on we had 8 players up on their half and were piss poor .. Blaming this on them is just plain wrong. . We had enough up front to score goals but our players just didnt do anything. .
Smalling and Jones
- Thread starter podurban2
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Mike Smalling has been making mistakes since he joined in 2010. Yet it's the end of the world for Lindelof to make mistake in new league/new team and there are limited opportunities for TFM/Tuanzebe to play.
The problem is they are both not leaders, though Jones is better at organising than Smalling. Put together they have a tendency to get out of sync instead of functioning as a pair, that's why blind beside Smalling was so successful because blind can control Smalling to make sure his stupidity doesn't get in the way.
I think that blaming Smalling and Jones makes people feel better (it's easy), as well as being a convenient way of shifting the blame away from the manager (if defending him is your priority).
Replacing them solves sod all. @Bjerring suggests that replacing Smalling with another centre half will be "easy". Job's a good'un. What about that plonker from Sweden Mourinho bought for £30 million in the summer? I guess we could just play him instead if merely dropping Smalling will be the answer to the inability to score a goal at St James' Park.
I'm being facetious, but feck me, what a way to ignore the obvious and pin the blame on the easy targets.
Surely either Lindelof or Rojo deserve a chance at centre back just now. In the summer we need to sign a world class player to play alongside Bailly, with Jones and Lindelof as back up. I'd be inclined to put Lindelof in for the next game.
They wouldn't play one game in Bayern or Barca. League cup players at best but why keep playing them and dragging the team down to a top 4 challenge ambition... What kind a twilight zone this club is in ?
This shit needs to stop.
This shit needs to stop.
They both suffer from the same problem of being a bit thick.
Any suggestions?
Lindelof is only 23. He will be better adapted to league/team next season. Tuanzebe/TFM are getting good experience as well. Personally I rather we give those 3 more chances next year than get another center back that will take a season to adjust (unless we buy establish premier league center back but I don't see it happening)
Unintelligent. There are no other words. Jones approach is lazy and negative and Smalling is to often brainless and plain stupid. Awful performance.
My opinion hasn't changed. Our worst CB pairing. Should never play together.
The playing from the back grates on me more than their actual defending. Id like to see lindelof being given a go
I only watched the last 20 minutes, saw Valencia shouted at them twice (one each) to tell them to come to the right position for receiving the ball from throw-ins. Their football brains are not really good, aren't they?
Both of them need to be sold at the end of the season, I'd rather give Bailly and Lindelof a chance.
Business as usual. The only difference is De Gea would have saved that or the ref would bail them out with a favourable call on another day and their mistakes would be forgotten.
The highlight last ditch tackles fool people into thinking they're better than they really are.
The highlight last ditch tackles fool people into thinking they're better than they really are.
The real issue, even if neither are of top standard, is that we play them together. We've seen for about 45 years now that it's a calamitous pairing. Even LVG had the sense to know that Smalling needs a calm player who is good on the ball next to him, which is why Blind became our regular LCB.
Jones is just Jones. He doesn't really excel at anything except imitating B-32s.
Jones is just Jones. He doesn't really excel at anything except imitating B-32s.
'Best defence in the PL' - yet again one real attack from the opposition and they're pulled all over the show.
I think Jones is better than Smalling. I also think Jones is the better RCB than Smalling. Also think hes played well when partnered with Bailly or Rojo. Smalling has only looked good next to Vidic or Blind imo. (in terms of consistency).
Vague post from me, and though Smalling might be a an easy target after todays loss, I still believe he is the one to be replaced. From the current crop of defenders, i think Smalling is the least complete and prone to errors. Smalling is a physical and athletic centerback, despite that he seemed to lose all the duels he engaged today.
In hindsigt Lindelof or Rojo should've played today, especially with Newcastle playing with Gayle for the majority of the game. Rojo and Lindelof offers better and more fluid passing from the back, which in a game like today would have been a nice tool. Gayle is not an incredible physical specimen at this level. Lindelof or Rojo could have dealt with him. To play centerback in this time of football and at the level United will want to play at, you have to be somewhat decent on the ball.
Whenever I see him I see fear in his eyes. And I hate it.
This is the important point.
We can argue about whether or not Smalling or Jones individually are good enough for Utd, I think neither are for what it's worth, but it's now blindingly obvious that as a partnership they do not work.
They bring out the worst in each other. We shouldn't be playing them together.
In the last two games alone they've scored a comedy own goal, got away with an obvious penalty through a stupid mistimed tackle, and then given away a freekick for diving which we then conceded from. It's got to stop.
Jones is good. Smalling lacks ball playing ability.
Hard to blame them for the goal. Lukaku forgets he has a role in defending the set-piece and you could see the entire line shouting at him to get back. Young had taken his position and moved away as Lukaku came jogging in to take up his position. Lukaku was too slow and Pogba decided to not challenge for the ball which resulted in basically a free header for the knock down, then no-one reacted to Ritchie's run and he just smacked it in.
That being said Smalling should be sold and Jones would be a decent back up, unless we significantly improve our attacking play. We're rarely going to blow teams away so we need a competent defence. Replace De Gea with Courtois or Karius and we'd concede a whole lot more goals.
That being said Smalling should be sold and Jones would be a decent back up, unless we significantly improve our attacking play. We're rarely going to blow teams away so we need a competent defence. Replace De Gea with Courtois or Karius and we'd concede a whole lot more goals.
Does Smalling get a nose bleed every time a player goes to press him? The dive was pure comedy too. I will never understand why Jose keeps picking them together. To top it off, he puts little protection in front of them and puts Young in there for good measure. Keeps doing over and over again too, it's mind boggling
Newcastle just kept a clean sheet against us with Lascelles and Lejeune at centre back. Would we swap? We have bigger issues elsewhere than Jones and Smalling.
I would consider a straight swap of Lascelles for Smalling.
And a debutant goal keeper too, right? (who we defo wouldnt swap for).
Saying that I think not having somebody who can play out the back is a big big issue. It basically surrenders any chance of keeping shape. It surrenders possession and a chance to have midfielders push up and squeeze the game. It also gives the opposition a huge chance to press and turn over the ball in a dangerous situation,.
It's beyond groundhog day - been saying for YEARS that these two aren't United standard. They just keep getting worse too. I'd genuinely prefer that Jose just chucked a couple of academy lads into the first team and give them a shot.
We could do a lot worse than Lascelles.
Let's be honest, these two sum up everything as to why we won't win the league anytime soon. Just not good enough for a top side as individuals, and when they are combined are an absolute bombscare. Lindelof must be horrendous in training to not be playing now, and that's a major concern for a £30m player.
I like Lascelles but, in terms of ability on the ball he makes Smalling look like Pique.
@Loublaze has argued all afternoon with me that these 2 are our best pairing and when I said most people think they a calamity then suggested I was clueless
I've seen people on here saying Smalling is our best defender. It's as ridiculous as saying Darmian is our best wing back. He's a clumsy lumbering oaf who can't pass to save his life. What on earth he's still doing as our main cb I'll never know. The lack of technical ability back there is a cause for concern and shows Mourinho up for his outdated style.
@Loublaze has argued all afternoon with me that these 2 are our best pairing and when I said most people think they a calamity then suggested I was clueless
Still on this huh? Rojo the clown and Lindelof the weakling will never be first choice CBs here. Lindelof has a better chance but he only seems to look comfortable in a back three. Tuanzebe looks like he could have a higher ceiling than both. Do you really see Mourinho playing Rojo and Lindelof against Sevilla and Chelsea?
Even if we had Maldini, he really wouldn't help our useless attack.
You guys know why we keep hoofing the ball , why lukaku has bad aerial duel stats , why mourinho really depends on fellaini ?
Because this two can't play football , all they do is passing between each other & pass to de gea whenever opposition team comes in to press either them or their passing option.
You know attacking play comes first from defense , reason why pep guardiola change his back four
Modern defender should be able to play , pick the right pass , turn defense into attack , not just winning aerial duels. Every pass should be perfect , it's not just about pass completion or accuracy , the problem with these two is their pass put teammates on difficult situation , especially smalling
We will never win the league nor even playibg a good football with them as cb partnership
Because this two can't play football , all they do is passing between each other & pass to de gea whenever opposition team comes in to press either them or their passing option.
You know attacking play comes first from defense , reason why pep guardiola change his back four
Modern defender should be able to play , pick the right pass , turn defense into attack , not just winning aerial duels. Every pass should be perfect , it's not just about pass completion or accuracy , the problem with these two is their pass put teammates on difficult situation , especially smalling
We will never win the league nor even playibg a good football with them as cb partnership
It’s not just their useless defending or passing.
Most the time they have to be told where to stand or where to go because they both are clueless. At times there is plenty of space to run into and they too frightened. Also please don’t blame just Jose for that. Carvalho and Ramos had no issues carrying the ball into midfield under Jose.
They stand close to the fullbacks too much or just don’t push up enough. They are just brainless. It’s one of the reasons we not come close to winning the league in years with these two clowns replacing Vidic and Rio.
Most the time they have to be told where to stand or where to go because they both are clueless. At times there is plenty of space to run into and they too frightened. Also please don’t blame just Jose for that. Carvalho and Ramos had no issues carrying the ball into midfield under Jose.
They stand close to the fullbacks too much or just don’t push up enough. They are just brainless. It’s one of the reasons we not come close to winning the league in years with these two clowns replacing Vidic and Rio.
Smalling has always been a penalty waiting to happen. He can't keep his arms off attackers at corners.
That dive yesterday was just stupid. He'd gone past the player already.
That dive yesterday was just stupid. He'd gone past the player already.
Surely that was the last straw for Jones and Smalling as a centre back pairing.
Smalling should go in the summer, Tuanzebe should be given a chance.
Cant wait until Eric is back fit.
Smalling should go in the summer, Tuanzebe should be given a chance.
Cant wait until Eric is back fit.
So tell me how did we go from
Rio - Vidic too
Jones - Smalling ?
Rio - Vidic too
Jones - Smalling ?