[BarstoolProphet]

We should be linked with right-sided centrebacks the entire season. Smalling really stepped up. Maybe having a solid midfield infront is showing Smalling's true colors?

 

[Raw]

Another brilliant performance from him. Though he had a few shaky passes near the start of the game, could really do with sorting that out.

 

[DWelbz19]

Such a great defender. Mix of Rio and Vidic - can play a high line and defend on the front foot, but also defends the box like a champion.

He's top.

 

[Unlikely lad]

Was nearly faultless, apart from that weird ball he gifted the opponent at one point

 

[Giggsy92]

I think you could probably find bad passes from everyone out there tonight. He defended very well again, even had the beating of Gestede in the air when he came on.

 

[Litch]

Might be a player in there....

 

[#07]

Smalling is becoming the defender he looked like he might be back in 2010/11. Really pleased by how he's taken it on as the senior centre half. His career trajectory reminds me a little of Rio's. The young Rio was always vulnerable to lapses in concentration but as he aged he became a beast at the back, Smalling looks to be doing the same thing. Since City away last season Smalling seems to have got rid of the brain farts that used to make him a liability. In terms of height, pace, power, poise on the ball, Smalling has all the gifts. If given time by United to put it all together I can see him nailing down a spot at the heart of our defence for years to come.

 

[Rozay]

He's a monster.

 

[Lay]

Solid again. Very pleased with him.

 

[Slevs]

Beast. Shades of Vidic how he dominated those headers and crosses.

 

[Escobar]

He showed both his strength and weakness today: he's a very very good defender but poor with the ball. Not sure what LVG thinks of him today but again, when we had to defend he was usually there and did well

 

[Godfather]

His hoof balls were annoying in the first half but defensively he is an absolute beast.

 

[ChaddyP]

I think right now. He is probably the best English Center back. Cant think of who is better than him right now. He was just so good organizing and in possession and mopping up all those long balls. So happy we extended his contract

 

[Bwuk]

Standard Smalling. Good defensively but can't play the ball the way Van Gaal wants us too.

 

[RedStarUnited]

When they brought that big facker, Smalling won every header! Reminiscent of Vidic back in the day

 

[Glanville95]

Didn't think he was as imperious in the second half. Obviously his passing is very fallible, but he struggled in a few 1v1's in the early stages in the second half. I suppose that's because I judge him to a very high standard, as he very rarely loses out.

 

[#07]

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[Mystry]

A beast once again but is it really a surprise at this point? He was putting in these kind of performances last season too.

 

[Devil may care]

As a pure defender I think he's putting himself right up there, LvG really should tell him to drop it off short into midfield more though.

 

[BarstoolProphet]

Didn't think he was as imperious in the second half. Obviously his passing is very fallible, but he struggled in a few 1v1's in the early stages in the second half. I suppose that's because I judge him to a very high standard, as he very rarely loses out.

He absolutely nullified Gestede's aerial threat, though.

 

[Wednesday at Stoke]

Other than the suicidal pass, he was imperious tonight. Some of the aerial dominance reminded me of Vidic.

 

[Joga Bonito]

Great performance and loved that interception in particular. Just needs to improve his passing but if we play with a midfield trio with Carrick/Schweinsteiger at the base instead of a 4-2-3-1, then I think his build up play burden will be eased up much more.

 

[caid]

People have been panicking a bit seeing blind in defence but with Mike next to him I'm really just not worried about it.
I think between him, shaw and darmian we have a pretty good defence whatever happens in the other two positions.
Especially with schneiderlin around.

Romero looks pretty decent too

 

[Djemba-Djemba]

It's 7 or 8 months now of consistent quality performances we've seen from him.

Post the silly red card against City he's been really good, he finally looks like he's becoming the defender we wanted him to be.

 

[Skills]

He's top.

Must be so easy playing next to him. Rojo's best run of form came when he was partnered with Smalling, same with Jones (apart from a few games at the start of the season) and the only time Evans started to look decent last season was when he got a run of a few games with Smalling too. He even almost got a clean sheet along with De Gea at the Emirates with Blackett and McNair partnering him. He takes on the bulk of the defensive responsibility taking pressure off his partners.

 

[Ananke]

I always favored Smalling over Evans/Jones. He has the most promise with his build/strength/speed to be the next Vidic. I actually like the pairing of Blind/Smalling. Both of them enjoy bringing the ball forward themselves and their passing is only going to get better as time goes on.

I actually have a lot of confidence in the:

Darmian - Smalling - Blind - Shaw
Schneiderlin - Carrick/Schweinsteiger

It's just feels so solid.

 

[AR87]

My favorite memory of Smalling is what I believe was his first start which came against City at OT in 10/11. I believe we defended a corner and City had too many men forward leaving them exposed on the counter. Smalling sprinted past everybody demanding a through ball that never came, but he would have been clean through on goal.

 

[LazyRed-Ninja]

Name me one 25 year old defender who can carry a backline at a topclub ? Smalling is a solid rock.

 

[crimsonife]

Beast in the air and solid all round. Bar the slipups at the start of course. Still, best we've got.

 

[MyOnlySolskjaer]

Fecking love Mike, leads by example. Dare I say it... Captain material.

 

[caid]

I always favored Smalling over Evans/Jones. He has the most promise with his build/strength/speed to be the next Vidic. I actually like the pairing of Blind/Smalling. Both of them enjoy bringing the ball forward themselves and their passing is only going to get better as time goes on.

I actually have a lot of confidence in the:

Darmian - Smalling - Blind - Shaw
Schneiderlin - Carrick/Schweinsteiger

It's just feels so solid.

I'd prefer rojo but the rest is as solid as you can get really.
Think Smalling would probably be first name i'd put down in our first 11.

 

[.Rossi]

Class act!

Has really stepped it up since the City away game last season

 

[ZDwyr]

Defensively great, yet again. If he played for Chelsea under Mourinho he would be talked up a lot more from the general media I think. Needs to play it a lot simpler with his passing though, especially with Blind there beside him. The long punts up field into the channels rarely come off. Just needs to find Carrick or Schweinsteiger and let them do that.

 

[United again!]

Class performance, I'm really stoked for him that he's putting in great performances. He is a very very good player.

 

[Classical Mechanic]

Name me one 25 year old defender who can carry a backline at a topclub ? Smalling is a solid rock.

Come on, Shaw and Darmian are very solid players too and both he and Jones now have a midfielder playing next to them to compensate for their lack of ability on the ball. Hardly carrying a back line is it?

 

[Getsme]

Name me one 25 year old defender who can carry a backline at a topclub ? Smalling is a solid rock.

Who is he carrying exactly?

 

[Eckers99]

Superb last night. I was a actually concerned that Gestede might cause us problems when he came on but Smalling completely dominated him. Didn't do much, if anything, wrong all evening and looks like he has the makings of a decent partnership with Blind.

 

[wiz4231]

I'd prefer rojo but the rest is as solid as you can get really.
Think Smalling would probably be first name i'd put down in our first 11.

Me too. To say we can have....

Darmian...Smalling....Rojo...Shaw
Schneiderlin
Herrera..............Bastian
(How I would line up)
​

.... As a line up and have Jones, Blind and Carrick as back up, Solid.

​

 

[izec]

Needs to work on his passing, otherwise Smallingbauer will never go viral.

 

[marjen]

What was it SAF said about Vidic? "He just enjoys defending."

That's the thing with Smalling too. You can tell he loves breaking up moves, tackling, winning aerial duels. He relishes the physical side of the game.