That’s true, I guess it is what it is, we definitely need reinforcements in January, so hopefully us clearing our wage bill out will allow us to bring the much needed reinforcements..
Smalling / on loan to Roma 1 year
- Thread starter Zoo
- Start date
- Status
That’s true, I guess it is what it is, we definitely need reinforcements in January, so hopefully us clearing our wage bill out will allow us to bring the much needed reinforcements..
are people mad Roma didn't prefer Jones? 
There goes the hope of seeing a logical balanced United side of 352, we will instead spend the season using a formation that requires wingers when we dont have any good ones and two average fullbacks going forward so we will basically see more of the same as what we have seen already where we are piss poor down the wings.
Guess we have given up on achieving anything of not this season as well because come the business end of the season there is no way injuries in all positions will mount up and will be reliant on Tuanzebe to come good and Jones to stay fit because bailly and rojo and not worth considering as they are complete liabilities, still not even sold on lindelof as the ideal partner for Maguire either as I dont think they compliment each other that well.
Guess we have given up on achieving anything of not this season as well because come the business end of the season there is no way injuries in all positions will mount up and will be reliant on Tuanzebe to come good and Jones to stay fit because bailly and rojo and not worth considering as they are complete liabilities, still not even sold on lindelof as the ideal partner for Maguire either as I dont think they compliment each other that well.
3-5-2 which requires good wingbacks, so average FBs somehow magically transform themselves into good wingbacks when we switch to 3-5-2.
Don't get me wrong, I don't want him to play in the midfield if I can help it... But considering our midfield options are Pogba, McTominay, Matic and Fred... we may very well need a body there.
At any rate, I rate Jones equal to or better than Smalling at most things except aerial battles (and that because Smalling has a 3 inches on Jones).
Dalot would be good wing back but is not great/trusted in a back 4 as a full back and considering the work rate of James with his willingness to track back he could fill the left side which he looks much better on or even young who is has always looked far better on the left than he has on the right with his in swinging crosses.
Because he's a top 6 level defender. That's why he's going to a team who's regularly been a top 3 finisher in Italy and not Bournemouth.
Time for another airing...
So James who is physically weak is the answer for LWB. Create more problems and solution is playing more players out of position.
We need top 4 level defenders.
Doubtful considering there's a fee. Would probably only be likely in January.
Hmm, conflicted feelings on this one!
I rate him as a good defender, on par with Lindelof at least despite both being very different players (I don't rate either as good enough to be starting for a title challenging team).
While I'd much rather see any of our three crocks out the door I understand that's perhaps a big ask.
All things considered I'm just happy to see the omnipresent surplus figures in the squad finally being phased out. Seems we're working with an ounce or sense these days, prioritising promising youth above mediocre seniors - which is very very encouraging!
I rate him as a good defender, on par with Lindelof at least despite both being very different players (I don't rate either as good enough to be starting for a title challenging team).
While I'd much rather see any of our three crocks out the door I understand that's perhaps a big ask.
All things considered I'm just happy to see the omnipresent surplus figures in the squad finally being phased out. Seems we're working with an ounce or sense these days, prioritising promising youth above mediocre seniors - which is very very encouraging!
He has been one for the majority of his time at United. I used top 6 because that's where we've been while Roma have been in the top 3.
Doesn't look that weak to me and most fullbacks are usually on the smaller side and he has done well tracking back and halting the opposition's attack down the wings
That's like saying attacking FB can play as winger, ball playing CB can play as DM. Creating unnecessary problems.
Pay a portion of Jones and Rojos wages to get rid of them.
Maybe Smalling is declining and we've gotten rid at the right time but he's been our best CB for years now. Always had faith in him as a defender.
Has Ole given up the Top 4 this season? We only have Maguire who's good with heading.
He's made less errors than Lindelof in his United career and Lindelof has only been around just over 2 seasons.
This pile of deadwood players have been giving up on almost every season from quite a while now.
That must be the case. I feel he'd at least deserve the chance to play alongside another natural CB like Maguire, to see how that would work out. Maybe Ole is one of those fans who always rated Jones ahead of Smalling and lumped them in together when Jones did bad and Smalling held us down. We have a lot of kids in the team, so to have two established CB's who are very good at defending would have been preferable.
Well, they can't get all decisions right. I like the incentive they have to change the squad but they have gotten the order very wrong. You can weaken the team for one season if it means that the next year you'll be in a stronger position, but we'll most likely have him back and still struggle to sell Rojo, Jones, Bailly etc..
He's far away from a deadwood. Smalling is a reliable backup, where the other 4 CBs are questionable.
I just think this is an unnecessary gamble by Ole, given the last showing by Lindelof.
...this is worse than when they started to say Dybala wasn't coming. Much worse...
Smalling isn't a player I consider to be deadwood. He is better than Jones, Bailey and Rojo. I think he and Lindelof are around the same level. Therefore, deadwood is Jones, Bailey, and Rojo not Smalling. Although other posters clearly don't rate Smalling.
Forgive me, if I'm not on my knees crying because Chris Smalling is leaving. This argument that he needs to stay because he's better than Rojo and Jones at this point sounds like a nice dodge from admitting the objective level of football abilities Smalling currently possess.
Ole will never be able to play desired football with players who have basic problems with controlling the ball. He didn't play pre-season, he's not playing currently, probably not improving on his ball control skills, not in any high form nor any match rhythm whatsoever.
I don't see much promising reasoning behind his further contribution to the team that needs to improve and not stagnate with same failing elements.
I doubt anybody wants you to be on your knees crying.
Smalling isn't merely better than the likes of Jones, Rojo and Bailly. He's been a very good CB for years. If we're selling him, I can only imaging theres been a decline starting from last year or at least I hope we have a strong enough reason such as that.
Very good CB for years ? Sorry but I tend to watch other big teams to know something close to objective definition of very good CB from years.
If he stays he won't play much anyway, unless we sack Ole and bring back LvG.
No, there is difference with the wingback position compared to being a winger or full back, moses was a winger who played fine as a wingback for Chelsea but obviously wasn't able to play as a full back and vice versa you wouldnt mind a player like dalot being used a wingback but you wouldnt really want him as a winger.
Moses was built like a tank, James is like fragile bicycle.
Smalling being arguably better than Jones or Rojo means nothing. None of them would get near City's squad, nevermind first XI. They all need to go. The order in which they go is irrelevant. Chris is a decent centre back, nothing more. I am not going to mourn his overdue departure.
One injury and we will have Jones back in the starting role. Two games later it will be Rojo.
And Lindelof. The difference is Smalling defends better than any of them and ais actually a threat in the opposition box.
This looks like a cost cutting measure to me because we can't get rid of the other dross.
I don't really agree that he's top 6 to be honest. I'd say top half at best.
I personally think he's a poor players for a club like United, and I'm happy he's going. Each to their own though.
...and four games later will be another defender who should not play for this club from years. Thankfully Ole doesn't put any of Smalling Jones and Rojo even on the bench.
We're still trying to justify an underwhelming player by comparing him to even more underwhelming players so Smalling can look as not as bad.
Maguire-Lindelof-AWB
Ask Mbappe, Kane and countless others who have struggled against him. We have a number of worse defenders that we are keeping.
No, I'm not his agent. What a dumb question.
Every team needs back ups. The idea that we will go a full season without injuries is madness.
Of course he is not a top class player but he is miles better than Rojo & Jones.
This will be a circular conversation unless, we'll see a big picture.
Yes, he's better than Rojo and Jones and that's probably most underwhelming achievement I ever heard for supposedly a quality defender.
One way or another, the point is we can change the system without needing Smalling.
- Status