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2019-20 Performances


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MyOnlySolskjaer

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Full Name: Christopher Lloyd Smalling
Date of Birth: Nov 22, 1989 (29)
Nationality: England

Height: 194cm
Position: Defender - Centre-Back
Foot: Right
Player Agent: Omni-Sports
Current club:
Manchester United
Joined: Jul 1, 2010
Contract until: 30.06.2022
Contract option: Option for a further year
Date of last contract extension: Dec 15, 2018​
 

simonhch

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Popularly known in footballing circles as “drunken bambi on ice”, Chris Smalling achieved true notoriety in the 2018/19 season by paying brave homage to Jason Lee’s infamous pineapple hairdo. In 2017 Chris became the first modern footballer to perform a three point turn in pursuit of a simple 5 yard sideways pass, a move which became affectionately known as the “Smalling shuffle”. Recognised the world over for his astonishing ability to pass the ball to opposition players, Smalling was the lynchpin of a record breaking United defence that conceded 54 goals last term. Chris is one of a handful of players that is able to both balloon in reputation and value while on the treatment table, while simultaneously crushing expectations while on the pitch. A skill he has brilliantly exploited over the last two seasons by spending as much time as possible in the treatment room. A feat handsomely rewarded by a bumper new contract. Big things are expected of Chris for the 19/20 season, with the club rumoured to have brought in Darren Anderton’s former physio to oversee his rise to greatness.

Good times ahead.
 

RedPed

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Dear Lord a new performance thread? No way are the Chuckle Brothers going to be starting many games this season.
 

MadDogg

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Chris is one of a handful of players that is able to both balloon in reputation and value while on the treatment table, while simultaneously crushing expectations while on the pitch. A skill he has brilliantly exploited over the last two seasons by spending as much time as possible in the treatment room. A feat handsomely rewarded by a bumper new contract. Big things are expected of Chris for the 19/20 season, with the club rumoured to have brought in Darren Anderton’s former physio to oversee his rise to greatness.
I think you mixed up your comments for Smalling and Jones with this part here. None of this really applies to Smalling, but it's absolutely true for Jones (and Bailly and Rojo for that matter).
 

DocRockter

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Should be forced to quit the vegan diet by the club.. Nothing good comes of it on the pitch, just makes you more injury-prone and bouncing back from tough schedule at age 30 will be very tough.
 

MadDogg

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Should be forced to quit the vegan diet by the club.. Nothing good comes of it on the pitch, just makes you more injury-prone and bouncing back from tough schedule at age 30 will be very tough.
I haven't looked into it very much, but pretty much everything I heard says the exact opposite. Smalling himself has said it's helped with tendoiitis in his knee.
 

Based Adnan

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Looking forward to trying to play out of the back with Chris Smalling again
 

Rossa

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Looking forward to trying to play out of the back with Chris Smalling again
Smalling isn't the best, but I'd argue Young was worse last season. Then there is DDG who is also worse than Smalling. It is hardly ever one man's fault. Under LVG, Smalling was even able to bring the ball out from defence from time to time with some runs and some decent passing. He looks more awkard than he actually is.
 

OnlyTwoDaSilvas

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I haven't looked into it very much, but pretty much everything I heard says the exact opposite. Smalling himself has said it's helped with tendoiitis in his knee.
Yep. Numerous NFL players also echo the same sort of stuff Smalling has said about veganism and tendinitis. It's baseless nonsense.

Hopefully we invest in at least one solid starting centre back this summer, but I'd still rather keep Smalling as backup over Rojo, Bailly and Jones.
 

JMack1234

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I'm seriously worried that VAR will finish him just like the back pass rule finished a slew of 'keepers.
 

Bwuk

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He was just constantly wrestling the opposition today.

He can’t read a game at all. I hope he’s behind Tuanzebe in the pecking order.
 

Red_toad

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He was just constantly wrestling the opposition today.

He can’t read a game at all. I hope he’s behind Tuanzebe in the pecking order.
No he wasn’t. He had virtually nothing to do the entire half he played, he had more impact as an attacker than a defender as Glory weren’t very interested in getting into United’s penalty area.
 

MikeKing

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He was just constantly wrestling the opposition today.

He can’t read a game at all. I hope he’s behind Tuanzebe in the pecking order.
He made a couple of unnecessary free kicks from being too aggressive but he also was better in possession than Tuanzebe. It was only one game, but it was as a decent performance as Tuanzebe, slightly better I'd say, but over the course of this season I'd certainly hope Tuanzebe can overtake him on that right side but he has to earn it.
 

OsloRed

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I'm seriously worried that VAR will finish him just like the back pass rule finished a slew of 'keepers.
So am I. He uses his arms a lot when challenging in the air, I'm afraid that ain't gonna fly with VAR next season. It does depend on what the referees are gonna focus on next season, but it is a worry.
 

Cabin Clown

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Will end up as our first choice CB again some part into the new season. Keeps repeatedly being underrated.
 

Red Royal

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Is there ANY hope of coaching Smalling to be a better passer of the ball? Seems we are ready to go to £80M lengths for a CB that isn't a better defender. Not to say Smalling will ever reinvent himself as a ball playing Rio CB; but to me it seems he has regressed badly since the LVG days before which it want so apparent (to me at least) that he could only sideways or backwards pass.
 

Irwin99

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People are being very optimistic if they think he won't play a lot of games if Harry signs (same with Young) but i hope we go into the season with Lindelof and a new centre back partner as first choice

Smalling is a good natural defender who can put in a big performance (see PSG away last year) and i'd keep him as a squad player but I'm hoping we can be a bit more progressive with the way we play.
 

Ekeke

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Far from underrated. More-so our incompetence in the transfer market in falling to sign a suitable replacement.
Because he's one of the better CBs in the league, so its not a simple task to replace him with just anyone like this forum has been suggesting for years
 

Robbie Boy

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Because he's one of the better CBs in the league, so its not a simple task to replace him with just anyone like this forum has been suggesting for years
Not saying much as the standard of CB’s is embarrassingly poor compared to 5-10 years ago. When Maguire is seen as one of the best in the league and worth a world record fee for a CB, that says it all. Someone like Michael Dawson would be worth a fortune in the current PL CB market.

These are outrageously poor times for CB’s. I don’t even blame us not replacing Smalling as the dearth of good, viable, obtainable CB options has been scarce for a prolonged period of time now.
 

Rish Sawhney

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Not saying much as the standard of CB’s is embarrassingly poor compared to 5-10 years ago. When Maguire is seen as one of the best in the league and worth a world record fee for a CB, that says it all. Someone like Michael Dawson would be worth a fortune in the current PL CB market.

These are outrageously poor times for CB’s. I don’t even blame us not replacing Smalling as the dearth of good, viable, obtainable CB options has been scarce for a prolonged period of time now.
Or maybe you're just underestimating Smalling as he doesn't look elegant on the ball.
 

Robbie Boy

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Or maybe you're just underestimating Smalling as he doesn't look elegant on the ball.
I think he’s decent. That’s not underestimating him, I think that’s perfectly rational. Not elegant on the ball is an understatement, he’s terrible on it. Defensively he’s solid so he has his uses. Definitely good enough to be part of the squad.
 

Rish Sawhney

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I think he’s decent. That’s not underestimating him, I think that’s perfectly rational. Not elegant on the ball is an understatement, he’s terrible on it. Defensively he’s solid so he has his uses. Definitely good enough to be part of the squad.
Thats definitely an overstatement. I think being not elegant on the ball is accurate. He's by no means as much of a liability as people here like to believe. His passing is actually fairly decent and he's good with the ball in tight spaces.
 

Robbie Boy

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Thats definitely an overstatement. I think being not elegant on the ball is accurate. He's by no means as much of a liability as people here like to believe. His passing is actually fairly decent and he's good with the ball in tight spaces.
Nah for a modern day CB his ball playing skills are poor. I don’t think that’s even debatable.
 

Ekeke

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Not saying much as the standard of CB’s is embarrassingly poor compared to 5-10 years ago. When Maguire is seen as one of the best in the league and worth a world record fee for a CB, that says it all. Someone like Michael Dawson would be worth a fortune in the current PL CB market.

These are outrageously poor times for CB’s. I don’t even blame us not replacing Smalling as the dearth of good, viable, obtainable CB options has been scarce for a prolonged period of time now.
Maguire isnt one of the best at defending in the league. Smalling is.

Maguire is one of the best coming forward with the ball from CB. Thats what hes good at.
 

Robbie Boy

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Maguire isnt one of the best at defending in the league. Smalling is.

Maguire is one of the best coming forward with the ball from CB. Thats what hes good at.
I never stipulated either or in terms of Maguire.
 

Ekeke

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I never stipulated either or in terms of Maguire.
The point is, he isnt one of the top CBs in the league and isnt considered so. Only United have tried to buy him. Just because Woodward considers you one of the best doesnt mean everyone does
 

Robbie Boy

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The point is, he isnt one of the top CBs in the league and isnt considered so. Only United have tried to buy him. Just because Woodward considers you one of the best doesnt mean everyone does
I’m not a Maguire fan whatsoever and for what it’s worth I don’t particularly want him. But due to the poor level of CB’s in the league he’s by default one of the best. It’s not a ringing endorsement.
 
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Ekeke

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I’m not a Maguire fan whatsoever and for what it’s worth I don’t particularly want him. But due to the poor level of CB’s in the league he’s by default one of the best. It’s not a ringing endorsement.
I wouldnt have him top 5 in the premier league in terms of defending.

I'd have him top 3 going forward from CB after David Luiz and maybe Toby. And just a bit ahead of Schar who is maybe 4th. But to me thats a much smaller part of the job than defending. I wouldnt play a midfielder in defense because ball playing is more important than defending for exaample
 

Based Adnan

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The point is, he isnt one of the top CBs in the league and isnt considered so. Only United have tried to buy him. Just because Woodward considers you one of the best doesnt mean everyone does
Do you rate Smalling over Maguire? Overall package wise
 

Robbie Boy

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I agree, some posters rewriting the history of last season. He was better than Lindelof for the most part.
Nah, I would rate their seasons quite evenly tbh. I do think some have an issue with praising Lindelof. Yes, he started out very poor here but he massively improved. No harm giving credit where it’s due.
 

Robbie Boy

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I wouldnt have him top 5 in the premier league in terms of defending.

I'd have him top 3 going forward from CB after David Luiz and maybe Toby. And just a bit ahead of Schar who is maybe 4th. But to me thats a much smaller part of the job than defending. I wouldnt play a midfielder in defense because ball playing is more important than defending for exaample
I wouldn’t necessarily disagree with that but then again, ball playing CB’s are a huge part of the modern game. There’s a reason De Ligt was so sought after as he can defend and he’s good on the ball.

I’m being pedantic here but Luiz has turned into a joke (once again). He’s regressed something terrible and I don’t rate his passing anymore. As I said though, I’m not a huge Maguire fan. I think he’s overhyped but if it’s a choice between him and nobody, I would take him. If you asked me at the start of the summer when I was more optimistic about our transfer dealings if I would want Maguire, it would have been a resounding no. But it is what it is and we need another CB and he appears to be the most obtainable.
 

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https://www.manutd.com/en/videos/detail/marcus-rashford-goal-against-perth-glory

A nice ball out to Rashford to start, so not totally inept and unable to make a pass. He is not elegant but, think so much has been made of his lack of ball playing, that I think he doesn't try or lacks confidence. In that first couple seasons when he was playing RB, he used to get up and down quite well with the ball. Even now, when he does carry the ball on occasion or play a ball in between the lines he does quite well. If him and the coaching staff could find a way out of that programmed get the ball and pass it to the right back, he'd do well for himself and us.
 

jackal&hyde

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Will end up as our first choice CB again some part into the new season. Keeps repeatedly being underrated.
If we buy Maguire we will get in him the only stand out attribute that Smalling offers, heading ability, plus a lot more. Between his very poor passing and general footballing ability and VAR exposing his hands on approach to defending, i think he is done for, if we buy Maguire.

Very overrated player by some IMO. A top lad by all accounts and i'm glad we had him in the time where better players then him let us down in terms of fitness. He just has to be replaced ASAP in the first 11 if we are to be an attacking team that can deal with the opposition pressing without bringing back the entire midfield to collect passes.
 

Ekeke

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I wouldn’t necessarily disagree with that but then again, ball playing CB’s are a huge part of the modern game. There’s a reason De Ligt was so sought after as he can defend and he’s good on the ball.

I’m being pedantic here but Luiz has turned into a joke (once again). He’s regressed something terrible and I don’t rate his passing anymore. As I said though, I’m not a huge Maguire fan. I think he’s overhyped but if it’s a choice between him and nobody, I would take him. If you asked me at the start of the summer when I was more optimistic about our transfer dealings if I would want Maguire, it would have been a resounding no. But it is what it is and we need another CB and he appears to be the most obtainable.
See I'd have been okay with us signing Maguire. During the season I thought it was a transfer that made sense, given the hype around him had died down during the season with his form. So the price should come down too right?

But no, as soon as the high figures came out again I just laughed. Honestly I'd rather we stick with what we have than sign Maguire for near £80 million, and give Tuanazebe some chances while Smalling and Lindelof start.
 
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