You could've said the same thing about his first month too .The proof was in the City game
It was just people getting giddy about a new signing, and keen on solving all our defensive problems by just eliminating Smalling.
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It was just people getting giddy about a new signing, and keen on solving all our defensive problems by just eliminating Smalling.
That City goal in his first month that was blamed on Daley. That was the first red flag for me.
There was a certain rashness to him then but I really don’t recall it being as bad as it is now. If you’re his CB partner he must be an absolute nightmare to play with, he basically just abandons his partner leaving massive gaps in central defence as he is off chasing lost causes. I wonder if he would be better in a high line as he really doesn’t look suited to defending deep and holding position.
There was 1 point yesterday when he and Lindelof had moved way too far across to help Young, Shaw was the only one holding the centre. If Brighton had managed to get that ball back in to the middle we were screwed. Was left holding my head in both hands at the state of the defending I saw yesterday.
Smalling might not be the greatest CB in the world, but seriously i’d rather see him +1, our best current CB hands down.
It's like it depends what side of the bed he gets out of in the morning.
Sometimes he can look composed, unstoppable. Other days he can't even kick the ball properly and keeps falling over.
Sometimes he can look composed, unstoppable. Other days he can't even kick the ball properly and keeps falling over.
Agree. The same thing happened with Darmian/Valencia.
The two CBs don't just stand compact centrally for 90 minutes, they move where the play dictates. Young's job was to press the passer and Bailly's job was to follow the striker. Have you never played football before?
I don't care how shit Young was all game, blaming him for that play and for Bailly kicking it out for a corner for absolutely no reason is one of the dumbest things ever.
De Gea was 90 degrees to the right of his approach to the ball. If he thought he could some how kick the ball 90 degrees to the right with his right foot then he needs his brain checked. That'd be worse than if he actually meant to kick it out for a corner.
I don't think I've ever seen Bailly look composed. He runs around like a lunatic throwing himself into tackles and sometimes it works (like last week) and sometimes it doesn't (like this week).
Hasn't been good since he got himself sent off against Celta Vigo. He terrifies me when he starts.
He was absolute dogshit.
I still think he can be a good defender, just definitely not next to Victor Lindelof.
I still think he can be a good defender, just definitely not next to Victor Lindelof.
Can't depend on him at all, complete car crash of a defender.
He needs to switch on. He has the tools but was completely out of control yesterday. The first two goals were poor, but forgivable. His tackle for their penalty was unacceptable though. We cant go abandoning players after a couple of bad showings and he has shown real promise in the past, but he and Lindelof together simply wont work, at least not yet.
CBs generally do not go out to the touchline. It's pretty basic defending... there is no danger out there. If you go you leave huge gaps in the middle where it is dangerous. It's the full backs job to get back for those. Why do you think strikers make that diagonal run so often? Because they know it puts the defenders in a very difficult position.
Gary Neville summed it up when he said Bailly was looking like someone competing in the three legged race the way he was moving. He also made another good point that when you have two CBs paired one needs to dominate and the other follow his lead and play off him, it doesn't currently look as though United have a reliable CB pairing from the five in that position in the first team squad just now.
Neville must have been cringing watching that display yesterday, from the team as a whole and the back four in particular, although Shaw at least put in a bit of a shift.
Neville must have been cringing watching that display yesterday, from the team as a whole and the back four in particular, although Shaw at least put in a bit of a shift.
Just want a CB that is intelligent and can play football. Instead we have Bailly, Jones, Rojo and Linedelof out of position and smashing into everyone, hoofing the ball at every opportunity if they do manage to win it.
Bailly kicking the ball out for corner for no logical reason is the perfect example of the kinda stupid play he often does. Can someone explain the logic behind what he did ?
What are you on about?
How can it be the fullbacks job when they are pressing the winger who has the ball? If the winger plays it down the line its the CBs job to follow a striker moving out wide. That is pretty basic defending. The midfield then drops in. The CBs don't just stand in the middle for 90 minutes expecting the fullbacks to mark two people at a time in two different places.
At no point was Young ever meant to be tracking Murray in that play.
Apparently Ashley Young made him do it.
Just shows you how wrong you were and still are. Smalling is a very good defender
Mate give up. You're talking to a brick wall.
Complete nonsense. Our CBs do that all the time. Smalling is half RB because of having to cover for Valencia. The other CB moves across to take his position and the fullback on the other side tucks in to take over the far CB role. Thats how an organized defense works together
The way Andy Gray ripped into him for that play was so funny "this is supposed to be an experienced, international player..." I'm starting to understand what goes on in his head during those mad moments but to no avail
Much worse ffs
Either options are worryingBailly just need to calm down. We all know he like to get stuck in but not giving stupid goals like he did for the penalty. Lindelöf isn't vocal enough to tell him to cool it and we don't have much else other than Smalling. If we had Alderweirld, Bailly can become a better player.
Highlighted being the key word. There was nothing organised about yesterday. If you're in attack the fullback goes forward and the whole lot move over as a unit to look like a back 3, or a midfielder sits back with them. Yesterday Young was positioned as a wing back even when we were defending, so the back line was left completely isolated.
Lots of players made individual mistakes for the goals but all three were started off by Young being out of position.
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Away to City (not last year but the time before perhaps?) he was absolutely immense. Probably his first season for us.
Been saying to mates for a while I don’t think he will turn out to be the real deal we all hope he will. Too rash for me, too injury prone
Jose did, too. But Woodward shut him down, as he wanted to save money so the Glazers could fill their pockets.
And had already signed 2 CBs. Maybe if he sold one he'd have been given the money
I'm wrong because you don't agree with my opinion ? If Smalling was a very good defender he would have been at the world cup and Jose wouldn't have been looking to add another CB to his ranks all summer . But I will listen to you and agree because it looks like you are going to stalk me all year if I don't So yep Smalling is great. cheers
We're in a Bailly thread complaining ahout the Glazers.
Considering that Bailly was the very first defender on Mourinho's 'list', it's all very ironic....
He's another though who can't make decisions consistently. All over the pitch we have poor decision makers. He's strong, he's athletic but he doesn't spot danger early enough and he doesn't read the game well enough.
I play rugby and football is similar to an extent. To use a metaphor, both sports are about seeing pictures and reacting to what you see. Too many players in this team aren't able to react quickly, or well enough when under pressure and it leads to us not creating chances at one end and conceding chances at the other. He's just another player who fits into that category IMO and he needs to improve.
I play rugby and football is similar to an extent. To use a metaphor, both sports are about seeing pictures and reacting to what you see. Too many players in this team aren't able to react quickly, or well enough when under pressure and it leads to us not creating chances at one end and conceding chances at the other. He's just another player who fits into that category IMO and he needs to improve.
The England team wasnt about good defenders. It cost them as the defending was poor
Possibly one of the worst performances I've seen from a CB in a United shirt. Nearly every part of his game was terrible. I had high hopes for him but he just seems a little rash, stretching for tackles etc. only 24 though so you just hope he can iron out that part of his game.
Hahahaha you have now taking this to a new level of ridiculous! Stones and Maguire where in most people's team of the tournament and both are way better than Smalling but I'm sure you will tell me I'm wrong again
Yes because I watched the matches and saw Maguire constantly out of position when moves broke down. He never got back to help defend, didnt have the pace or work rate for it.
Stones played better. Walker was average.
The defense fell to pieces the moment a decent team started pressing them, with shaky clearances almost as bad as Bailly and long balls
A lot of hindsight in this thread, not 2 weeks ago people were saying our CBs are title winners and Jose shouldn't be asking for a CB.
I said at the time these lads aren't ready but might be in the future. Our Smalling and Jones capable as the senior lads is the bigger question
I said at the time these lads aren't ready but might be in the future. Our Smalling and Jones capable as the senior lads is the bigger question
He is utter crap. Disgraceful performance yesterday, I wouldn't be sorry if he doesn't play for us again, he's not a Manchester United player. He's a bottle job. Should've been subbed off at half-time.
Extremely talented, still pretty young... needs quality beside him. He'll take the headlines for his mistakes, but watching the game I really felt he was left to play CB alone for large chunks of Sunday's game.
I still rate him highly. One game does not change that.
No Lindelof had a good game. Bailly's biggest problem is that he switches off. He seems to go somewhere else in his mind. This is not the first time he has done this. He did it against Leicester and they scored. Last season too he has switched off and our opponents have scored.
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