[Ekeke]

Of course he was supposed to. He is the most experienced CB we have and he had positioned himself on the left side. You can see Jones look over and see him there and then stay central. Neither Jones nor Lindelof are at fault there.

Looking at replays you can see why DDG didn't collect. It was a high looping ball that went beyond his far post. It would be a huge risk to go for that but some keepers might.

Young should have tracked but as a CB you go for the ball when it's in your area, you don't turn away from the man and let him get a yard on you, and you definitely don't stop and let the ball sail over you assuming it's going out.

of course they are. They know hes injured and know that they are the CBS. He's not.

It was 3 yards in front of his goal line and volleyed at knee height into the goal. You could have taken that cross.

Yes you do all those things as a CB, but not when you're injured and have been moved out of CB because of that. He dropped back to help out because hes still a tall player who could deal with something up to head height. He obviously cant jump and his teammates know that.

 

[Member 5225]

Hope we're actively flogging him to Southampton after VVD, the perfect match.

 

[Loublaze]

Hope we're actively flogging him to Southampton after VVD, the perfect match.

wtf?

 

[el3mel]

Hope we're actively flogging him to Southampton after VVD, the perfect match.

Hah ? He's having a very good season so far.

Some will keep hating him whatever he does. We all know he's not the best passer in the world but defending well is far important for a CB and Smalling has been a very good defender in our box this season.

 

[Member 5225]

Really? Always heart in my mouth when he's around. Dim at defending and utterly awful on the ball. Not United quality as has been proven time and time again.

 

[The Mitcher]

Hah ? He's having a very good season so far.

Some will keep hating him whatever he does. We all know he's not the best passer in the world but defending well is far important for a CB and Smalling has been a very good defender in our box this season.

He passes more forwards than the ball playing defender lindelof we signed. Someone posted the stats somewhere.

 

[Ekeke]

Hope we're actively flogging him to Southampton after VVD, the perfect match.

But how do we get rid of you? At least Smalling will have takers

 

[Member 5225]

Constant brain freeze. Can't be having that at the elite tier1 levels.

 

[BluesJr]

He just oozes panic when’s on the pitch. Would love to sell and replace in the summer at the latest.

 

[Member 5225]

He passes more forwards than the ball playing defender lindelof we signed. Someone posted the stats somewhere.

But how do we get rid of you? At least Smalling will have takers

Ok let's say we didn't own him, and he was playing for a midtable club, would you actively suggest we launch a bid? I highly doubt it.

 

[sizzling sausages]

He just oozes panic when’s on the pitch. Would love to sell and replace in the summer at the latest.

In what way does he ooze panic?

 

[BluesJr]

In what way does he ooze panic?

He’s absolutely useless under any sort of pressure, lacks any sort of passing ability. Can’t dribble and has a habit of finding himself in the middle of nervy rubbish goals that we often concede when under pressure.

 

[Member 5225]

In what way does he ooze panic?

stuff like this:

 

[Member 5225]

there's like clip after clip of these....

 

[Loublaze]

Hope he's back for the next game. Our best defender this season

 

[sizzling sausages]

He’s absolutely useless under any sort of pressure, lacks any sort of passing ability. Can’t dribble and has a habit of finding himself in the middle of nervy rubbish goals that we often concede when under pressure.

Since when does a CB need to be able to dribble?

Can you give an example of these nervy rubbish goals that he's been involved in this season? I can give an example of at least one for all of our other centre backs. I'm guessing you're gonna say the Leicester match but I don't see how he can be blamed for either of those goals.

 

[BluesJr]

Since when does a CB need to be able to dribble?

Can you give an example of these nervy rubbish goals that he's been involved in this season? I can give an example of at least one for all of our other centre backs. I'm guessing you're gonna say the Leicester match but I don't see how he can be blamed for either of those goals.

You need players that are calm under pressure, he’s one of the least calm under pressure players I’ve ever watched. Can’t stand him being in the team. None of our centre backs apart from Bailly possibly are ideal in this department.

The Leicester debacle, while it directly his fault, was an example of how things just don’t go right when he’s back there and we’re under pressure.

 

[Still ill]

there's like clip after clip of these....

Is this serious? Clip after clip of Smalling making a mistake? Is this evidence of his inherent shitness? Is it your opinion that it would be difficult to put together such a reel on Kompany? Or Stam ? Or Rio? Or Christ, why not Maldini or Baresi or Bobby Moore? He's an excellent defender, not fashionable, not Beckenbauer, just an excellent defender. We'd be idiots to get rid of him.

 

[sizzling sausages]

You need players that are calm under pressure, he’s one of the least calm under pressure players I’ve ever watched. Can’t stand him being in the team. None of our centre backs apart from Bailly possibly are ideal in this department.

The Leicester debacle, while it directly his fault, was an example of how things just don’t go right when he’s back there and we’re under pressure.

Yeah, I agree he's poor under pressure but when has it actually cost us? He usually releases the ball early to avoid getting pressed too much.

Like I said, I don't see how he can be blamed for the Leicester game at all. He was our best defender that day all in all and made numerous clearances when Leicester were pinning us back before, and even after at first, he got injured. Does the Stoke draw show that Bailly and Jones can't be trusted when we're put under pressure? No, of course not as they've shown in the past that they're more than capable. Same as Smalling.

 

[Loublaze]

there's like clip after clip of these....

Agenda poster

 

[Ekeke]

He’s absolutely useless under any sort of pressure, lacks any sort of passing ability. Can’t dribble and has a habit of finding himself in the middle of nervy rubbish goals that we often concede when under pressure.

So the same as the rest of our defenders

 

[Ekeke]

You need players that are calm under pressure, he’s one of the least calm under pressure players I’ve ever watched. Can’t stand him being in the team. None of our centre backs apart from Bailly possibly are ideal in this department.

The Leicester debacle, while it directly his fault, was an example of how things just don’t go right when he’s back there and we’re under pressure.

Teams are often more calm and composed when they arent losing. Having your best out and out defender on the pitch and making it harder for the opposition means you're likely to be losing less often.

I know its complicated, but defenders who are best at defending, are the best defenders

 

[BluesJr]

Teams are often more calm and composed when they arent losing. Having your best out and out defender on the pitch and making it harder for the opposition means you're likely to be losing less often.

I know its complicated, but defenders who are best at defending, are the best defenders

We have a habit of conceding key goals while he’s in there, I just don’t trust him and we’ll never win a title going forward with him back there.

 

[The Mitcher]

Ok let's say we didn't own him, and he was playing for a midtable club, would you actively suggest we launch a bid? I highly doubt it.

We did didn't we though lol.

 

[The Mitcher]

We have a habit of conceding key goals while he’s in there, I just don’t trust him and we’ll never win a title going forward with him back there.

Do you have stats to back that up?

 

[BluesJr]

Do you have stats to back that up?

I’m sure I could find various pieces of evidence to fit my argument but truth be told I’m not really that bothered, I just believe that Smalling isn’t an elite defender. I think he’s a good defender but he shouldn’t be a starter here. It’s an eye test as well as purely stats.

 

[Still ill]

I’m sure I could find various pieces of evidence to fit my argument but truth be told I’m not really that bothered, I just believe that Smalling isn’t an elite defender. I think he’s a good defender but he shouldn’t be a starter here. It’s an eye test as well as purely stats.

Go on so. List the Premier league centre backs you'd have in instead of him.

 

[Ekeke]

We have a habit of conceding key goals while he’s in there, I just don’t trust him and we’ll never win a title going forward with him back there.

No, we dont

 

[Ekeke]

I’m sure I could find various pieces of evidence to fit my argument but truth be told I’m not really that bothered, I just believe that Smalling isn’t an elite defender. I think he’s a good defender but he shouldn’t be a starter here. It’s an eye test as well as purely stats.

He might not be, that doesnt mean our other options are or that there are more than 2 or 3 "elite defenders" out there and most of them are happy playing in the sun or somewhere else

We have few "elite" level players anywhere on the pitch : De Gea and Pogba

 

[The Mitcher]

I’m sure I could find various pieces of evidence to fit my argument but truth be told I’m not really that bothered, I just believe that Smalling isn’t an elite defender. I think he’s a good defender but he shouldn’t be a starter here. It’s an eye test as well as purely stats.

So you have nothing.

 

[BluesJr]

I’m just not that interested in wasting my time digging up video evidence or pulling stats in a subject I’m not that arsed about. I don’t really rate Smalling as you may have gathered, let’s leave it there. While he’s in the team/squad I want the best for him.

 

[Ekeke]

I’m just not that interested in wasting my time digging up video evidence or pulling stats in a subject I’m not that arsed about. I don’t really rate Smalling as you may have gathered, let’s leave it there. While he’s in the team/squad I want the best for him.

So basically you made some stuff up because you dont like Smalling as a player

 

[Ekeke]

Ok let's say we didn't own him, and he was playing for a midtable club, would you actively suggest we launch a bid? I highly doubt it.

We would try to sign Pogba and De Gea from our current squad based on form and look elsewhere for the rest of our players

 

[Member 5225]

Ok let's say we didn't own him, and he was playing for a midtable club, would you actively suggest we launch a bid? I highly doubt it.

anyone?

 

[Loublaze]

anyone?

This reminds me of one of those 'would Liverpool or City or (insert top 6 team here) play him' type questions. Who cares? He's here and has played the most minutes among our CBs

 

[Sandyman]

He has already been labelled a error prone defender. It doesn't even matter if he is plays consistently well for a whole season, the next game he makes a brain fart, sell him and not good enough comments will pop up. He has improved from last year's poor show and was on the bench yesterday, so am guessing he is fit again.

 

[parkthebuslads]

He's always looked to me like a player in desperate need of a sports psychiatrist. There's plenty of defenders in the league who are very effective, yet are poor with the ball. They don't care. Chris often gives the impression that he's feeling guilty wearing our shirt.

He needs to learn to focus on his strengths and to forget his mistakes. It would be unlikely to make him good enough for us but he'd be a better player for it.

 

[Bobski]

anyone?

There were people wanting us to buy Michael Keane last Summer.

 

[devips]

He is our best defender, bar none. He is also one of the best defenders in the PL.

 

[Ultimate Grib]

This reminds me of one of those 'would Liverpool or City or (insert top 6 team here) play him' type questions. Who cares? He's here and has played the most minutes among our CBs

Rashford has played every game this season yet he has been dogshit in the majority of them. There’s no point to be made about his appearances when the main CB pairing of Rojo and Bailly has been out injured most of season. Don’t say well he’s been keeping fit as quality doesn’t come simply by default.

Smalling has only one thing going for him, his height and that’s why he may get the nod ahead of a better defender, yet even so we seem to be absolute crap at set pieces both attacking and defending.

Look he’s a United player and should be supported when on the pitch but we’ve seen for years now that he doesn’t have the quality for us to feel safe and solid at the back so hopefully we will ship him out for a good fee.

With Stam, Rio, Vidic, players knew they were covered so our midfield players were free to roam forward while in recent years they have all been playing deeper and deeper. I don’t recall Scholes, Fletcher, Butt, Keane and the likes coming to pick the ball up from defence, it was always passed out to them and allowed us to be more creative and attack minded.

Mourinho buying a central defender every season so far should tell you that he doesn’t think Smalling is key to his plans otherwise he would have just partnered him with Bailly with the other 3 used as backup. I bet you we buy another next year too and I’m afraid that’ll be the end of the road for Smalling.